Strategy for day at MK on an MNSSHP night

[M2J3]

Hi all! For our Sept. 12-19 vaca, I was planning on following easywdw recommendations to go to MK for the day on a MNSSHP night (we do not have tickets for the party) to take advantage of lower crowds (we are park hopping over another evening for MSEP/Wishes).

Generally, we are rope drop, mid-day break, return in afternoon for a few hours, late dinner ADR kind of people. We have BOG 8am, planned to tour 9am -@noon, break at hotel, return @4pm to tour until 7pm (using our 3 FP+s) then head to CM for 8:30 ADR. (This will be a long day/late night & my DD6 will need a rest to make it through!)

Now I'm second-guessing this plan, as I've come to realize party guests can enter as early as 4pm. Will crowds be substantially larger 4-7pm with early-arriving party guests? Will we face long lines just to get back in the park at 4pm? Am I forfeiting much lower "12-4pm crowds" in an effort to escape the heat (I've always thought of 12-4 as highest crowd time, but maybe not on a party night...). Would it be better to stay in park after lunch with early afternoon FPs, then head back to resort @3 or 4pm for rest, & go straight to CM ADR that evening?

Anyone have experience or advice that could help? I'd play it by ear but have to schedule my FP in one week & need to finalize plans! TIA!

 

[LisaCM614]

Hi! We are a RD, break and return in the afternoon type of family too! I can tell you my experience with just that scenario from early October 2014.

Our Rope Drop Morning was similar to any other Rope Drop morning - I wouldn't say it was easier but it was nice.


We experienced significant lines at 4pm to enter the park. The lines were backed up from the turnstiles to the monorail ramp. However, the park was fairly empty. Party goers know they can get to Magic Kingdom early and will want to utilize their time. We went to the left and went to Adventureland, we walked on Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Carribean and Big Thunder Mountain. We could have walked on Splash as well but we were going out to dinner and didn't want to get wet! We rode Haunted Mansion with a bit of a line (maybe 10 minutes or so). At that point we were about done - our morning at the Magic Kingdom we had already experienced Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. We rode IASW and the carrousel and then left for the night - it was definitely before 7pm at this point. The kids were starting to get antsy. My kids are big rule followers and the Cast Members had started to ask if we were staying for the party. My kiddos didn't want anyone thinking we were sneaking so at that point it was just easier to go.

Hope that helps!

 

[ruthies12]

I haven't done it personally in the past but have similar plans this December on Christmas party days. I think reentering the park at 4 will be a pain, If I were you I would just stay in the park until 3ish, or whenever you feel done, and then take a rest then head straight to your ADR. Maybe try to plan as many as indoor rides as you can during the afternoon to avoid the heat as much as possible.

 

[DonaldDuck77]

Last year, with our DD8 and DD6 (at the time), we went rope drop to 7 no problem. Had a sit down lunch at BOG as a "break". Party days a perfect for not taking "leave the park" breaks with the early close. If you can't make it until 7, I would just go as long as you can and then just leave for the day. Getting back in at 4 with the crowd of party guests would not be worth the break to me.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Try to come back into the park before 4, to beat the rush of party goers. As for crowds, they are considerably smaller on party days, even after 4. Just as an example: when we came into the MK at 4 for our party day, we went straight to Splash Mountain. The posted wait time was 20 minutes, and we waited less than that. On non-party days, the usual wait time was 50 min. or more in the afternoon.

 

[M2J3]

Thank you all for your responses. I think I am leaning toward staying after lunch and breaking late afternoon, as I don't know that we could get back much earlier than 4pm to beat the incoming gate lines and still get a decent rest in Now to rework the FP+ plans for the 67th time! Aargh!

 

[LisaCM614]

Thank you all for your responses. I think I am leaning toward staying after lunch and breaking late afternoon, as I don't know that we could get back much earlier than 4pm to beat the incoming gate lines and still get a decent rest in Now to rework the FP+ plans for the 67th time! Aargh!

I think that is a good plan. With a nice late ADR at CM's you'll be able to get a good rest and you won't have to rush anywhere.

 

[once]

Oops, post deleted. I posted in the wrong thread.

 

[smitch425]

Be aware that party days could see higher crowds during free dining periods. With the hopper (or WP&M) requirement, there will likely be many people taking advantage of those days at MK, causing it to be more crowded than usual.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Be aware that party days could see higher crowds during free dining periods. With the hopper (or WP&M) requirement, there will likely be many people taking advantage of those days at MK, causing it to be more crowded than usual.

We were there during free dining in October, and we saw a big difference in crowd levels. Our party day definitely had lower crowds.

 

[smitch425]

We were there during free dining in October, and we saw a big difference in crowd levels. Our party day definitely had lower crowds.

There was no hopper requirement with free dining last year. This year, you had to purchase the hopper or WP&M option to get free dining.

 

[M2J3]

There was no hopper requirement with free dining last year. This year, you had to purchase the hopper or WP&M option to get free dining.

Yep, I've thought about (ok, been tortured by) the same possibility. That hopper everyone will have this year could change everything! But, there's just no way to know for sure -- too many unknowns! too many variables! -- & FP+ demands a choice be made! So, I have about one more week to toss around every possible scenario for every day of our 6 day trip and then... I'll close my eyes & pull the FP trigger!

 

[BradyBrenMom]

Yep, I've thought about (ok, been tortured by) the same possibility. That hopper everyone will have this year could change everything! But, there's just no way to know for sure -- too many unknowns! too many variables! -- & FP+ demands a choice be made! So, I have about one more week to toss around every possible scenario for every day of our 6 day trip and then... I'll close my eyes & pull the FP trigger!

I feel your pain I've become decidedly OCD about planning our trip and am also trying to work around the MNSSHP dates too. I think I have flipped the days (and reservations) for MK and HS with Fantasmic at least 3 times for our upcoming visit, debating whether it would be worse to be at MK on a weekend with MNSSHP or DH on a really high crowd level day. It's so hard to guess the lesser of two evils when you're trying to predict crowds. Good luck and hope you get all the FP+ times you need!

 

[M2J3]

I feel your pain I've become decidedly OCD about planning our trip and am also trying to work around the MNSSHP dates too. I think I have flipped the days (and reservations) for MK and HS with Fantasmic at least 3 times for our upcoming visit, debating whether it would be worse to be at MK on a weekend with MNSSHP or DH on a really high crowd level day. It's so hard to guess the lesser of two evils when you're trying to predict crowds. Good luck and hope you get all the FP+ times you need!

Thanks! & good luck to you, too!