Share your Magic Kingdon Strategies!!!

[Aristomommy]

Our last trip to WDW was a week after 9/11 tragedy and the parks were unusually empty. I know this time around (late Sept. to early Oct.) it will not be as empty and I am looking for some tips to make the most of our time at MK. We will have DD 6 and a baby in tow so Fantasyland and characters are at the top of our list. Please share your strategy and how you navigate the park, and how you spend the first couple of hours right after opening. We will also attend MNSSHP so it might give us opportunities to ride rides with less lines. Thanks for your help.

Jen

 

[SRUAlmn]

I was wondering this same question. I had been planning our touring strategy last night, but I've never been during September (usually go Christmas week) so I don't know what to expect. I have heard for other theme parks, lines, etc... that it always benefits you to go left , because peoples' natural habits are to go to the right. Does that mean it would be smarter to start in Adventureland?

Here is the route that I had written down:

Tomorrowland
ToonTown
Lunch at Cindy's
Fantasyland
Watch Parade
Liberty Square
Snack
Frontierland
Adventureland
Main Street Shopping- etc...

 

[tjevans]

I go by the touring plans in the Unofficial Guide. . . sometimes too strictly!

 

[dansyr]

Honestly...going in sept....you won't need a touring plan. We've never had a wait more than 15 min except in fantasyland.

 

[MinniMama]

Go to fantasyland do dumbo and pooh get fast pass for peter pan or ride it if its a walk on thenwalk over to speedway and ride it and do buzz or get fastpass then most importantly with little ones walk to the side of space mountain at 9:45/9:50 depending how fast you walk and follow the path to toon town all the way to the rope drop be there before 10:00= there are characters out and then they sometimes take you on barnstormer also by being there at 10:00 you can get to mickeys house and get a quick pic with him and then go to back of judges tent and line up for characters if you are early the doors are sometimes open and you can see all 9 characters together!! As you can see we are character addicts and have even ridden with pooh and with goofy on rides! If you want the 9 characters the most go there first then line up for mickey it will still be a short wait!

 

[gretchendz]

>I go by the touring plans in the Unofficial Guide. . . sometimes too strictly!

*Laughing* me too!

I have always been an Unofficial Guide Fanatic....my family seemed to feel I was overboard when I would announce that they now had 7 minutes to be "spontaneous" as I checked my watch and the Guide...(well, I exaggerate a bit.)

My husband and I always laugh about the time when we were at Epcot many years ago. We were slavishly following plan and were dutifully up to number 3 and were waiting for the Martin Short movie. Suddenly my husband started nudging me and laughing....

As I looked around I realized there were about 25 people there, in little groups....in each group someone was clutching the Unofficial Guide (just as I was).....

 

[swilphil]

We did Early Entry last month on a Sunday, and we're able to get through Fantasyland rather quickly--do Dumbo first!

On Wednesday, we made a PS for 8:15 at Crystal Palace. The Pooh characters and the food were both great. We were able to get on Splash Mountain with no wait right after breakfast when the park opened.

We also had our 2 year old's first haircut at the Main Street Barbershop. It was the sweetest thing I had ever seen. For no extra charge, they gave us a pair of Mickey ears with First Haircut on the back, a certificate and a lock of his hair. The kid's haircut is $14. We went at opening and only waited a few minutes, but the line was long by the time we left. They also cut our 4 year old's hair and put pixie dust in it. If you want, they can add glitter and colored gel. Girls can have a princess hairdo done.

 

[Aristomommy]

Sherri- the haircut idea sounds great. Maybe we will do that during a slow time as well. Last time we went even at a exceptionally slow time, our longest waits were with the characters such as Ariel, Cinderella at Toontown and Mickey of course. I will propably head over to Toontown as soon as it opens. Thanks for the ideas so far. Also, how about strategies for DH who will propably be the only one to ride Space Mountain, when should he go and do it?

Jen

 

[karemore]

If you are there at park opening, and head straight to Fantasyland, you can get a lot done before the lines get long.

Grab a Fastpass right away, and ride the non Fastpass rides while you wait. Then as soon as you can grab your next Fastpass.

We covered a lot of rides in the first couple of hours, and then we relaxed and enjoyed the scenery more....

Reading the Unofficial Guide was a huge help.

Karen

 

[Wishing on a star]

Hey MiniMama, I remember reading to head right for Toontown to see the Characters. Now I see a time of 10:00a.m. mentioned, along with the 'rope'???? Does this mean that Toontown does not always open when the Park opens??? Why the mention of 10:00a.m.???? How can I find out if Toontown will not be open until 10:00???

I had planned to head there FIRST to start the day at the Magic Kingdom with DS, while sending DH over to Buzz for Fastpasses... Then heading for Fantasyland. DS is 7, and I am not sure that Dumbo will be a MUST. But, if he really wants to, I suppose that we can hit that right after Toontown.

Then, PS for Lunch at Cinderella's Casle... Then Mickeys Philharmagic, and the Parade...

Then use Fastpasses for Splash and Big Thunder...

With DS we will not be doing SpaceMountain. So we will not need to worry about time for that.

On a day with moderate attendance (first week in May) how soon should we go for the Fastpasses for Splash or Big Thunder? I am thinking that we should run over there before lunch and the Parade? Will that get us passes for late afternoon or early evening? Are there usually long waits for Mickeys Philharmagic?

We will have only ONE day for MK... so I feel like I have to be a O/C Planner!!!

TIA!!!

 

[MinniMama]

Wishing on a star....
toon town has its own rope drop actually two one by teacups and one for the pathway from tommorow land follow it down past the train until you come to a rope CMs man this as characters are on the other side of rope. toon town always opens at 10:00. good luck.

Also in May I would go for fastpass for splash and thunder by 12:00 for an afternoon ride but if it seems crowded go and ride splash early am and get fastpass for thunder. I would advise being SURE your one day is not an EMH day they are ALWAYS the most crowded park of the day. I have heard this from many CMs.

 

[MinniMama]

Wishing I re read your post if you want dumbo and I think you should get it they only want this for so long and then you will sigh as you run by- do it first after 20 minutes inot the day there is a 30 minute to 60 minute wait all day most every day. Also philharmagic is a large theater so even with lines you can get in most of the time. watch for show time and ask if you will make it in that showing- it is continous so not a long wait either way.

 

[Eeyore2003]

My husband and I always laugh about the time when we were at Epcot many years ago. We were slavishly following plan and were dutifully up to number 3 and were waiting for the Martin Short movie. Suddenly my husband started nudging me and laughing....

This is TOOO funny. I too have been an UG person for 15 years already I guess. Don't usually have to look at their plan anymore, just come up with a good one of my own, anyway, two weeks ago, when we went with my brother and family we were waiting for the opening (EMH of course) and I was reviewing my "paper" which of course listed all the rides, meals, meal reservation #'s, all neatly in a row, anyway, all of a sudden I noticed the family behind me staring and then the guy asks if he could look at it. He was pretty much incredulous. I started rattlling off wonderful gems of stategy knowledge in explaining it to him. THEN, all during our wait, people around me kept asking me questions about where to go, what to do and how i would best do it!!! Should have charged!!!!

BTW, I usually don't do this anymore, with just DH and myself, there's just that "general instinct plan" in my head and a few things jotted down. It's so much more relaxing, but when I think back to what I accomplished two weeks ago, I'm amazed!!! I prooved I can still do it if I have to!!!

I also don't know if you'll hit that many crowds and agree that the only advice is to do Dumbo right away. You will definitely want to make time for your DD to get pictures and or autographs with the characters. That's the first thing my neice age 7, tells everyone!!! I think that's important for that age. Most of all, enjoy it all, relax and have fun. You can't do it all, so just have fun enjoying what your doing!!! And take a break when you need it!!!

 

[swilphil]

Originally posted by Aristomommy
Sherri- the haircut idea sounds great. Maybe we will do that during a slow time as well. Last time we went even at a exceptionally slow time, our longest waits were with the characters such as Ariel, Cinderella at Toontown and Mickey of course. I will propably head over to Toontown as soon as it opens. Thanks for the ideas so far. Also, how about strategies for DH who will propably be the only one to ride Space Mountain, when should he go and do it?

Jen--I'm not a big Space Mountain rider, but he should pick up a fastpass fairly early in the day. Maybe right before or after you ride Buzz Lightyear (I would also recommend getting a FP for this). As far as characters, I would try to get Mickey when you're at MGM or Epcot, or do a character meal. There's always been too long a line for him at Toontown. Epcot has a great character bus. We enjoyed the stop in World Showcase. The times are listed on the Daily Guide. MGM has a room with sorcerer Mickey and the line was about 1/4 as long as the one in Toontown. We like doing all the attractions in Toontown.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Thanks so much for the info! These boards really help!

I had actually read to immediately take the train to Toontown (maybe they figured that for most families they would not acually make it there till almost 10:00????... Nice to know we can walk up MainStreet with the Castle and all, then knock out Dumbo, while DH grabs a FastPass to Buzz first.

Our trip is months away, but this will be our first... (well, I was there once when I was a kid....) So, we are excited!

PS: Thanks on the advice on EMH early entry days... I hear that Wednesdays are a good day to go. May not see Spectro on a Wed... but I really hope to avoid big crowds. Huge crowds and 'Magical' just don't go together in my mind. LOL!!!