kboo
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2014
- Messages
- 4,721
This is how we do (have done) VGF and MK forever (since our kid were in strollers). The line looks rough because there isn't much space on the platform, but they've been pretty efficient getting people through security and onto the platform. for the next monorail. We were there Thanksgiving week and were lucky to miss the crazy line other than 4-5pm on a MVMCP night (it went back to the birdcage elevator, but looks like they wind it the other way now, which makes a lot of sense). Even though we were close to the elevator, we made it onto the 2nd monorail - i.e. one pulled in, platform cleared, as soon as the platform cleared, they loaded up the platform and the zigzag after security.I'm going next week too with DW and two toddlers. We are planning on using the monorail at 7am to get to MK in the morning for EE, and then using the boat to head back around noon for a break at the pool/room. Fallback is a 20 minute walk with the stroller. Hoping to enjoy the Christmas decorations between noon and 3pm, and then late at night. Any evening Park trips we will be driving after reading the boards lately-seems like a hot mess to try the MR or bus. Hoping this strategy allows us to enjoy our time at VGF.
Totally agree - we went to HS in late morning and almost didn't get on a bus because we though there were a lot of people ahead of us. Turns out they were 2 big families each with 1 ECV and there was only space for 1 more ECV on the bus. But I did feel bad walking around all the people to squeeze past to get on a bus.My last trip just over a month ago, there were some times that I was pleased with the bus & monorail transportation, and other times where it very negatively affected my stay at VGF. IMHO, at a minimum, they need to expand the bus stop to support at least 2 buses at a time, and have a better organization of where to wait for buses to DS, DHS, and DAK. Buses arriving full, especially for ECVs, is a valid issue too.
So .... because we also had LLs for Slinky dog, TSMM and ToT, we "rope dropped" HS to get in the standby line for RotR knowing that it wouldn't open until 9am at least. Even with a ride breakdown of about 15 minutes (we were already on our colors the first time, before the interrogation room), we were done by 9:20. FWIW it was the saturday after thanksgiving, we arrived at the park at 8:30, had our id's checked by 8:40 just past star tours, and were in line for rotr no later than 8:45.Multiple times in the past, I've headed towards RotR only to find out it has a delayed opening.
We usually split between an MK resort and Riviera (or BWV/BCV occasionally), and this last trip we were at VGF the whole week. It was nice not to have to pack up and move (even though we got the opposite of our room request), and I'll admit: 1) we only spent a half day/night at AK but used evening extra hours there. ODD and I went a little early (3pm) and waited in line an hour for the safari. My YDD and DH arrived later, went to Dinoland and played games and rode Triceratopspin. We met for dinner at Tiffins, then rode FOP and Everest standby and called it an early night. Could have done more but we had a 6:30 wake up time for rope dropping MK the next day, and 2) For rope dropping HS we took a car service there, did RotR, Slinky, TSMM, ToT, Millennium Falcon, Star Tours by 12:30 and then hopped to Epcot.We love VGF - as I mentioned above we’re staying there later this month and it will be our first time not doing a split stay with a Crescent Lake resort. But I just can’t rationalize staying there for long stretches of time for park-heavy trips.
We did do a lot more MK time, and we wanted to focus on Epcot and Festival of the Holidays.