To get free tickets or not! WWYD?

[castleview]

Ok, my parents are coming with us to WDW. We planned MGM for Sunday. My mom has a friend who is willing to give us free passes (I don't think she works for WDW, but a travel agency outside the park). Can't argue that, right?

Now, my mom calls and says her friend will meet us Sunday at 10:30. I'm flipping out because I have small kids and I like to get to the park as early as possible. I'm wondering if it's worth just paying for the tickets rather than having to meet this woman. What do you think? Shut up and stop whining...or get my own tickets?

 

[Muffy]

As tempting as it is to get free tickets, 10:30am is much to late for me. I would try to meet her the evening before. Have a great time!

 

[pooch]

I'd let the kids swim & play at the resort & meet the woman at 10:30. MGM is not huge, you'll have time to see it all and free is, well, FREE. WDW is an expensive trip no matter how you look at it.

IMHO, I'd take the freebies and say thanks!

 

[I Love Pluto]

Free - the price is right! Meet the woman at 10:30. Thank her over and over again. When you're finished, thank her once more!

 

[karliebug]

My motto has always been- "If it's free, It's for me!"

 

[Illuminations_Rocks]

I think only you can know what's going to work best for you. You know your kids - if they're going to want to nap in midday and you need to go back to the hotel, do you want to lose the morning time? Or, is the chance of saving some $ more important. It's really the efficiency cost for you - is it worth it to lose a few hours of park time for the savings?
Personally, I'd lose a few hours. MGM isn't my favorite park. A few hours less of it wouldn't kill me. I enjoy the shows there the most, and a few of the rides, but if I miss some, oh well, I missed them.
Maybe you could do a character breakfast that morning? Then you'd get the cost savings but still get to be up and at 'em, feeling Disney magic, earlier... plus you'd get a few character meets out of the way.

 

[dqpowell]

Life is too short to wait around for folks who can't drag their butts out of bed before 10 o'clock. Be there before opening, tour the park for an hour and a half, then meet up at the entrance and use the free passes for Epcot or MK the following day. You still get the benefit of the free day, and don't miss out on the early-morning touring advantages on Sunday.

David

 

[seashoreCM]

If you are spending five or more days in the theme parks during this vacation, then free single day tickets are of dubious value unless there are enough for one or more people to use all vacation long.

If each person gets one free ticket for day number six or seven only, then your family saved just two dollars per person.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/dispass.htm

 

[Robo]

...Be there before opening, tour the park for an hour and a half, then meet up at the entrance and use the free passes for Epcot or MK the following day. You still get the benefit of the free day, and don't miss out on the early-morning touring advantages on Sunday.

If you are spending five or more days in the theme parks during this vacation, then free single day tickets are of dubious value unless there are enough for one or more people to use all vacation long.
If each person gets one free ticket for day number six or seven only, then your family saved just two dollars per person.

The above two posts are DEAD-ON!

 

[dqpowell]

If each person gets one free ticket for day number six or seven only, then your family saved just two dollars per person.

Excellent point. Assuming the OP has already purchased (or will purchase) multi-day tickets, a free single-day pass is worth a dollar or two at most.

David

 

[CarolA]

Life is too short to wait around for folks who can't drag their butts out of bed before 10 o'clock. Be there before opening, tour the park for an hour and a half, then meet up at the entrance and use the free passes for Epcot or MK the following day. You still get the benefit of the free day, and don't miss out on the early-morning touring advantages on Sunday.

David

If your mom's friend has to be there with you then this won't work. If these are some type of "employee" tickets (and you aren't sure so they could be) then the CMN has to let you in they don't just give you the passes.