Good Morning Dewdrop
Have Courage & Be Kind
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2009
- Messages
- 4,976
our observations/ experiences today - Wednesday 1/22. According to Josh it was a level 4 day with MK EP / HS AK - so MK most recommended .
arrived around 7am after a 10 hour drive - check in was much quicker than last time with MB. The 'new' ones we have for this trip were checked (numberwise) and that was it -apparently they already knew our room number. Worked perfectly for getting into the room (it was ready at 7 am), getting into the parks and for FP+ no problems.
As I said we arrived at 7am - checked in - drove around and unloaded the car - trucked everything up to the room (3rd floor Broadway as requested) - showered and were back out the door heading to MK by 8 (told you check in was quick!). Parked and out of the car - walking towards TTC by 8:15.
Resort monorail was already running (I was surprised it normally starts later) we were at MK by 8:25.
Opening show was not crowded - you could feel the low crowd aspect
Did RD headed straight for Merida (starts meeting at 9:15) we were first in line (DH walks really quickly).
After Merida went over to Tinker Bell / Periwinkle - 15 minute posted wait - put DH in line and DD and I went for a quick bathroom break - we were quick and when we got back DH was at the head of the line.
After Tink went to see Tiana - passed Aladdin and Jasmine near the entrance to Adventureland (not their normal spot) - they had a long line.
Saw Tiana (she had no line we walked right up and were next after a family that was already interacting with her). Then went over to see Jasmine and Aladdin. Ended up being their last family (line cut off after us)
Took some pictures of one of the Main Street Vehicles (DH is a photographer you never know when he'll want to stop )
DD waited to talk to and trade with Scoop on Main Street
Went to Guest Relations (no line!) to look at the pin book.
As we were leaving Mary Poppins came out to the little meeting place that is by Guest Relations - we were her only visitors while we were there.
It was now 10:20 and we were leaving to go to DTD for lunch (I should explain we were all very hungry as we had eaten at 5 am while on the epic drive). Original plan was to arrive at WDW at 10 am - left 3 hours earlier due to the snow (not tragic in my book!)
Were told by the exit CM that the monorails were down. Observed the resort monorail offloading people and a large sign blocking the way up to the express monorail. Took the ferry and was in the parking lot by 10:40. Note: After we came off of the ferry we noticed the express monorail was running and had a long line to load - go figure. Lots of people coming in (via bus and monorail mostly ) as we left.
After a couple of hours in DTD (Earl of Sandwich, Lego store etc) we headed to DHS. Scheduled FP+ were
2 - 3 pm - GMR
3- 4 pm - TSM
4 -5 pm - Star Tours
got there a little after 12. Did a bit of this and that (completed a challenge from a MouseAdventure Event that we hadn't had time for). Saw a lof of FP+ CMs in both parks. In DHS we decided to see if we could move the Star Tours FP+ up so we could be done a bit early (I drove the whole was so am a bit tired). No smartphone so we went to one of the FP+ signs - one person directed us to another person who held onto us until one of the 2 actual people with ipads was available. She tried but no FP+ were available for Star Tours earlier in the day (we could have gotten later in the day). Standby at that point was advertised as 30 minutes).
Went to meet Phineas and Ferb , got a cup of water and then it was time for the GMR FP. At 2 pm standby wait time was posted as 20 minutes. We waited 10 minutes from first scan to actually being in the ride vehicle - note we were in the very last row of the 2nd car.
after GMR (which almost put me to sleep - nice ride but been on it a zillion times and add into that being tired..) Anyway decided to check out Star Tours line again - still 30 minutes (which is generally unusual for ST - often if it's long and you check back it will go back to 10 minutes in our experience - not so today). So DH and DD decided to ride Standby (I'm not a Star Tours fan). Note the FP+ return line was LONG! They got in line and realized that it was (in their very experienced opinion) way longer than 30 minutes) so they bailed.
Made the major decision that all 3 of us wanted some down time / nap time so went to track down a FP+ person (original location we had used the people were gone - found more at a different place). Asked him to keep the TSM FP for us but to change the Star Tours (that we were not going to use) to " a lame FP that nobody would really want so that someone else can get the Star Tours one". He changed it to American Idol experience ROFL. Dh asked him to check to see if we could move the TSM FP forward (I was fairly certain he couldn't due to availability) - he could not.
Went over to ride TSM - at 2:55 posted wait was 75 minutes. Rode it - pin traded and headed back to the resort. DH is asleep; DD is watching TV and here I am updating before I forget something!
A note from earlier - while in the Merida line a person behind us was trying to change one of his FP+ on his smart phone to ETwB and he said he couldn't get it at any time.
Feel free to ask questions.
We used FP+ in November and had similar problems with timing - I'm not sure if I should be spreading them out more or what - going to play with what we have tonight.
arrived around 7am after a 10 hour drive - check in was much quicker than last time with MB. The 'new' ones we have for this trip were checked (numberwise) and that was it -apparently they already knew our room number. Worked perfectly for getting into the room (it was ready at 7 am), getting into the parks and for FP+ no problems.
As I said we arrived at 7am - checked in - drove around and unloaded the car - trucked everything up to the room (3rd floor Broadway as requested) - showered and were back out the door heading to MK by 8 (told you check in was quick!). Parked and out of the car - walking towards TTC by 8:15.
Resort monorail was already running (I was surprised it normally starts later) we were at MK by 8:25.
Opening show was not crowded - you could feel the low crowd aspect
Did RD headed straight for Merida (starts meeting at 9:15) we were first in line (DH walks really quickly).
After Merida went over to Tinker Bell / Periwinkle - 15 minute posted wait - put DH in line and DD and I went for a quick bathroom break - we were quick and when we got back DH was at the head of the line.
After Tink went to see Tiana - passed Aladdin and Jasmine near the entrance to Adventureland (not their normal spot) - they had a long line.
Saw Tiana (she had no line we walked right up and were next after a family that was already interacting with her). Then went over to see Jasmine and Aladdin. Ended up being their last family (line cut off after us)
Took some pictures of one of the Main Street Vehicles (DH is a photographer you never know when he'll want to stop )
DD waited to talk to and trade with Scoop on Main Street
Went to Guest Relations (no line!) to look at the pin book.
As we were leaving Mary Poppins came out to the little meeting place that is by Guest Relations - we were her only visitors while we were there.
It was now 10:20 and we were leaving to go to DTD for lunch (I should explain we were all very hungry as we had eaten at 5 am while on the epic drive). Original plan was to arrive at WDW at 10 am - left 3 hours earlier due to the snow (not tragic in my book!)
Were told by the exit CM that the monorails were down. Observed the resort monorail offloading people and a large sign blocking the way up to the express monorail. Took the ferry and was in the parking lot by 10:40. Note: After we came off of the ferry we noticed the express monorail was running and had a long line to load - go figure. Lots of people coming in (via bus and monorail mostly ) as we left.
After a couple of hours in DTD (Earl of Sandwich, Lego store etc) we headed to DHS. Scheduled FP+ were
2 - 3 pm - GMR
3- 4 pm - TSM
4 -5 pm - Star Tours
got there a little after 12. Did a bit of this and that (completed a challenge from a MouseAdventure Event that we hadn't had time for). Saw a lof of FP+ CMs in both parks. In DHS we decided to see if we could move the Star Tours FP+ up so we could be done a bit early (I drove the whole was so am a bit tired). No smartphone so we went to one of the FP+ signs - one person directed us to another person who held onto us until one of the 2 actual people with ipads was available. She tried but no FP+ were available for Star Tours earlier in the day (we could have gotten later in the day). Standby at that point was advertised as 30 minutes).
Went to meet Phineas and Ferb , got a cup of water and then it was time for the GMR FP. At 2 pm standby wait time was posted as 20 minutes. We waited 10 minutes from first scan to actually being in the ride vehicle - note we were in the very last row of the 2nd car.
after GMR (which almost put me to sleep - nice ride but been on it a zillion times and add into that being tired..) Anyway decided to check out Star Tours line again - still 30 minutes (which is generally unusual for ST - often if it's long and you check back it will go back to 10 minutes in our experience - not so today). So DH and DD decided to ride Standby (I'm not a Star Tours fan). Note the FP+ return line was LONG! They got in line and realized that it was (in their very experienced opinion) way longer than 30 minutes) so they bailed.
Made the major decision that all 3 of us wanted some down time / nap time so went to track down a FP+ person (original location we had used the people were gone - found more at a different place). Asked him to keep the TSM FP for us but to change the Star Tours (that we were not going to use) to " a lame FP that nobody would really want so that someone else can get the Star Tours one". He changed it to American Idol experience ROFL. Dh asked him to check to see if we could move the TSM FP forward (I was fairly certain he couldn't due to availability) - he could not.
Went over to ride TSM - at 2:55 posted wait was 75 minutes. Rode it - pin traded and headed back to the resort. DH is asleep; DD is watching TV and here I am updating before I forget something!
A note from earlier - while in the Merida line a person behind us was trying to change one of his FP+ on his smart phone to ETwB and he said he couldn't get it at any time.
Feel free to ask questions.
We used FP+ in November and had similar problems with timing - I'm not sure if I should be spreading them out more or what - going to play with what we have tonight.
