4eyedbuzzard
<font color=green>Earning My Ears Golfer<br><font
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2007
- Messages
- 368
Today is day 3 and we are sleeping in after hitting MGM and AK the last two days. AK required much walking and we need a break. Current crowd levels are pretty high IMO, but i know they could be worse, with wait times 1/2 hour after opening in the 40 to 70 minute range. Fast passes are a must - my son and I alternated "runner duty" (we are the fastest walkers) going ahead to the next attraction for the next one. Of note, I would say LOTS of people are going early for rope drops, FP's for major attractions are gone as early as 1pm, and pretty much none are available after 2. Standby wait times later in the day, however, 5 pm and on, are shorter than in the 9:30 to 2 pm time. FP return times are as low as 40 minutes until roughly 10:30 maybe and then it starts getting really crowded with 3 hour FP return times. Sometimes the standbys are down to 20 minutes from the pretty typical 40 to 70 we've been seeing from opening through say 3 pm.
Other than RnR and ToT and Star Tours we found MGM rather boring - the park needs more something and less retail shops. AK is better IMO than MGM with more to do and much nicer grounds to be on in the heat. The safari is pretty good actually given that many of the animals were up and about still when we went(first thing in am after getting a Kali FP for afterwards), EE is a blast, Dino is pretty cool, Kali is fun but too short, tough to be a bug is okay.
We are staying at Windsor Hills right now. We honestly made it to/from MGM and AK in under 10 minutes(probably 6 minutes from AK via Sherberth Rd as we just caught the traffic light at 192) from the parking lots. It depends upon the traffic lights more than anything else. I'm not an owner and don't have any promotional interest, but I can pretty much guaranty you can be out of any of the theme parks and in your own driveway long before most anyone taking WDW transport is walking back to an on-site room from a hotel transport stop. We have a AAA diamond parking pass and it also greatly helps speed up the portal to portal commute.
BTW, AAA diamond parking is extrememly convenient at both MGM and AK (and Epcot I'm told - I'll let you all know), you avoid waiting for a tram, and don't really walking any farther to your car. The AAA diamond parking lots are basically right with, or mixed in with the handicap lots. To get one you must buy your admission tiks thru AAA and request one - it's free.
GTG
Other than RnR and ToT and Star Tours we found MGM rather boring - the park needs more something and less retail shops. AK is better IMO than MGM with more to do and much nicer grounds to be on in the heat. The safari is pretty good actually given that many of the animals were up and about still when we went(first thing in am after getting a Kali FP for afterwards), EE is a blast, Dino is pretty cool, Kali is fun but too short, tough to be a bug is okay.
We are staying at Windsor Hills right now. We honestly made it to/from MGM and AK in under 10 minutes(probably 6 minutes from AK via Sherberth Rd as we just caught the traffic light at 192) from the parking lots. It depends upon the traffic lights more than anything else. I'm not an owner and don't have any promotional interest, but I can pretty much guaranty you can be out of any of the theme parks and in your own driveway long before most anyone taking WDW transport is walking back to an on-site room from a hotel transport stop. We have a AAA diamond parking pass and it also greatly helps speed up the portal to portal commute.
BTW, AAA diamond parking is extrememly convenient at both MGM and AK (and Epcot I'm told - I'll let you all know), you avoid waiting for a tram, and don't really walking any farther to your car. The AAA diamond parking lots are basically right with, or mixed in with the handicap lots. To get one you must buy your admission tiks thru AAA and request one - it's free.
GTG
