Strategy re: Splash and Merida

[KathyNY76]

We go to MK this (Superbowl) Sunday 2/2! Sadly, a quick 1 day trip (doing Epcot on Sat at least). AND, my kids' (5 & 7) first trip.

Long and convoluted questions below...

Before going I asked each kid for their must do so I could get FP+. Son's was Peter Pan, daughter's was Splash and both wanted Haunted Mansion. Unfortunately, wouldn't let me choose Splash b/c of renovations (even though it is supposed to be open by 2/2). So I got 7DMT (b/c I knew it was the hot ticket), PP and HM. I figured if Splash was open, we'd head there first thing and do standby b/c our first FP for PP isn't until 10:30.

At this point, I'm happy with our FPs as they are in the same general area and work perfectly with our BOG lunch FP.

And we planned on going to Adventureland to see FOF from there (the kids are interested, but don't want to waste time staking out seats and sitting to watch it), and then doing things like Country Bears, Shooting Arcade, Carpets etc during the parade.

NOW, my lovely daughter tells me she MUST meet Merida?!?! SO, my question!!

Do we still head over to do PoC, Splash and BTMRR first thing (we won't do RD, but will get there right around 9am), THEN head to Merida and then over to Peter around 10:45/11?

OR

Do we go to Merida first thing, then maybe Small World before hoping on PP at 10:30. And save Splash, BTMRR and PoC for the afternoon during the parade? I'm just worried we will have to wait forever for all 3 of those even during parade time.

Thoughts?
(Again, sorry for the length of the question. Editing down is not my strong suit!)

 

[kiltclan]

Looks like we'll both be there this Sunday! Heres my vote,

Visit Merida first, she tends to get a long line and there will always be kids wanting to see her. Wait for Splash after the superbowl actually starts because alot of the people "big" enough to go on it will have cleared out to watch the game.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Merida meets at 9:15 am so I wold head there first.

If you did arrive 15 minutes earlier (for rope drop at 8:45 am rtaher than 9 am) you would have time to do Splash, then meet Merida and not miss a beat; although it's a little bit of walking.

How about swap out Peter Pan for Tunder Mnt?

HM - 9:15 - 10:15
then
Thunder Mnt - 10:15 - 11:15

Arrive and head straight to Peter Pan, standby, then go to Merida. After Merida knock out things in Fantasyland with a small standby wait (Pooh, Philharmagic, Dumbo, Barnstomer) then hit your HM FP+ towards the end of the window. After that, head over to Thunder Mnt and use your FP+.

If Splash is up an running, you could do that via standby before your Thunder Mnt FP+ (around 10:20 am) and likely wait less than 15/20 minutes.

 

[Luv2Run]

Not to split hairs or anything, but Sunday is 2/1 not 2/2, so if you're searching FP+ for 2/2 thinking that it's Sunday, then that could be confusing you. Just thought I'd throw that out there just in case you had booked FP+ for 2/2 thinking you'd be there that day, but you'll actually be there on 2/1 instead.

 

[KathyNY76]

Not to split hairs or anything, but Sunday is 2/1 not 2/2, so if you're searching FP+ for 2/2 thinking that it's Sunday, then that could be confusing you. Just thought I'd throw that out there just in case you had booked FP+ for 2/2 thinking you'd be there that day, but you'll actually be there on 2/1 instead.

No worries. That was just a typo above. I was checking the right dates when booking FPs.

Hmm, good thought about switching things in the morning and then doing BTMRR on FP. I'll look into that.

I'm awaiting our blizzard, so not much to do but stay inside and work on scenarios!

kiltclan - see ya there!

 

[MouseMomx2]

Lines for Splash do not tend to be very long in January and February. They may be a bit longer than normal because of the reopening, but I would still head to see Merida first.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

FWIW, when we were at Disney in mid December, we rode Splash twice and BTMRR 4 times in the first hour the park was open. However, POTC was having operational issues (which I believe are ongoing) and was down most of the time we were there. So, I would head to Frontierland and do Splash and BTMRR, and then head to Merida. Your line for Merida will be longer than if you show up at RD, but not too terribly so if you head to see her around 10. There seems to be a lull around then, with the RDers having worked through the line and the later arrivers not yet at the park.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

I would do Merida first (when you are dry)

 

[KathyNY76]

Thanks so much, all!

I was able to get a BTMR FP for after lunch. So we'll head to PP first, then I'll take her to Merida while Dad takes son to Pooh and/or the carousel or something.

We'll do Frontierland for the beginning of FoF parade and then hit those rides.

Dewdrop makes a good point, too, about the wetness issue! While the weather looks to be mid-high 70s and sunny (which is perfect shorts and T weather to a NYer!), I don't relish the thought of being wet in the morning when temps are likely in the 60s!!

 

[KathyNY76]

In case anyone is interested, we had great success!

We got there right after the crowd had cleared from RD and headed straight to Peter Pan. About a 20 minute wait, we rode it and were over to Merida's line by about 9:45. DH took DS to Small World and walked right on while we went to Merida. We waited about 3 minutes outside the garden then got let in. About 5 minutes in line, got some great interaction with her (she was far and away the best face character we had over the two days, Gaston a close second), DD shot a bullseye and we were out and walking back to the rest of the family by 10am. WAY before I had planned.

I had switched our PP FP to BTMRR, so after lunch (BoG!) and FPing Haunted Mansion, we headed for our 2:45 BTMRR FP and got on 5 minutes early. Got off, walked right over that wooden bridge just as the FoF parade started. The kids stood right behind a stroller on the edge and had a perfect view - the dragon even breathes fire when it first enters there. Then we walked over to Splash where we had our longest wait of the day at about 25 minutes. It was perfect! We did try PoC after that and it was down, but that gave us a good excuse for a Dole Whip break!

We went back to the resort for rest/dinner and came back just as Electrical Parade was starting. But my kids saw Mickey and then said 'let's got hit some rides!'. PoC was back running and they walked right on. I didn't get on b/c the stress of rescheduling our cancelled flights (NE snowstorm) and eating dinner too fast had given me an upset stomach. I did not relish the thought of a dark, closed in ride I couldn't escape, so I happily hung out in Adventureland virtually by myself looking around in the fresh air! We did SO much in our one day at MK and the advise here really helped. Thanks, again!