WDW Railroad- Is this true?

[Dory41]

I read somewhere (I think it was the Unofficial Guide) that if you hop on the railroad right at opening, you'll arrive at Splash Mountain as fast as those who were waiting for the rope drop on Main Street. Has anyone tried this? If this is true, it sounds like a relaxing way to be one of the first in line.

Aloha!

 

[tkay]

I've read that too, but we have never tried it. I would like to know the answer to that question also.

tkay

 

[mugglemom]

Okay who posted my best secret?

Yep it is true. We did it last year and arrived very quickly and were the first ONLY people to ride on the Pirates. Every boat was empty! We then went right on to Splash Mountain followed by BTM and Splash Mountain again before there was any line at all!

It was sort of like being the only people left on earth and somehow the lack of people made it seem very strange!

 

[EmmasGrammy]

Yes it is true BUT you have to be on the first train of the morning. Sometimes the line for the train is very long and sometimes (but very rarely) the engineer has to wait for the train to fill up before leaving the station. Once your train gets to the Frontier Station you must run like the wind to be among the first to ride Splash Mt. I would not call it exactly "relaxing" but you do save a few foot steps.

Have fun!!!

 

[iloveeeyore]

Does this work even at the most crowded times of year? Are these rides open for EMH?

EmmasGrammy, My mom is also Emma's Grammy!

 

[tar heel]

This is a great strategy for crowded times. I guess you could do it on an emh morning, but we always either go to emh or don't go to MK on those mornings. Those rides are NOT open during emh. If you go to emh, come down to the rope drop in Fantasyland before 9 a.m. and hoof it over to Frontierland with the droves of people.

 

[EmmasGrammy]

Dear iloveeeyore,

I don't know your mom, but she must be COOL!!! LOL

I'll bet she loves her Emma as much as I love mine!!!

Thanks for sharing!!!

From the day I learned I was being given the precious gift of a grandchild, I hoped and prayed that I wouldn't be called GRANDMA!! Emma came up with "Grammy" all on her own. I was pushing for "Na-Na"!

 

[LibertyBelle]

Sorry all, but with the addition of the Character morning show this is no longer the case. The characters arrive on the "Show train" which is modified to accomodate the show and is not used in daily operations. Once the show is finished that train will leave (empty) and head back to the roundhouse. The first train that will be loading passengers will be sitting just outside main street station and will not be able to get into the station until they have been called on the radio that they are clear of all techs and entertainment crew. Then they will come into the station to load the first train of the day. These days the walking guests are at Frontierland first. Even on Magic Morning days when there is no show, the first train of the day will sit just outside main street until about 8:55 and then pull in to load. You will be among the first group of people on, but you will not be the first... Prior to the morning show the train would arrive at the frontierland station before the people that waited at rope drop.

 

[donac]

Two summers ago when there was no early entry, we got to the park around 9:10 and the train was just getting ready to leave so our grop ran up the steps and caught the train. When we got off and went to SM it was a no wait walk on. When our boat pulled into the exit area of SM there was no one waiting so we got to ride again. That was one of our special moments for that day.

Dona

 

[lentesta]

Dory41, was this really in the Unofficial Guide? A recent version?
With the new opening procedures in place, it's almost certainly not the quickest way to get to Frontierland.

I'm getting sweaty palms just thinking about it. Must go find my Guide now......ooohhhhh.....stress headache.

If anyone can find this in a 2003/2004 edition of the Guide, please let me know and I'll post a correction to the website immediately.

Thanks!

Len

 

[MaryKatesMom]

My daughter really wanted to ride the train first thing (we were second through the ticket reader) so we did but I can't imagine it would be faster. We sat there for quite awhile waiting for the train to fill. Did allot of people watching.

I must have been a minimum of 10 minutes.

 

[mugglemom]

I am not sure if the show you refer to is the one we saw last March or not. The characters sang and danced up by the train station to open the park. We were maybe 15 people back in line of our line. We enjoyed the show, I sobbed happy tears just to be back at Disney with my family! We went through the security search. It was fairly quick. We went to the train station and rented a locker and put our jackets and evening clothes away.

This took maybe 15 minutes in total. I think we used the restrooms too. We then got on the train and left very quickly.

I was busy getting into the park so I do not remember where the characters went or if they took a train away.

It worked very well for us but it was not an EE day. We definately beat the crowds to SM, TM and Pirates.

 

[Dory41]

So does this mean that if I got on the first train there would already be a line by the time I get to Splash Mountain? Or would I still be among the first to arrive?

Len,

I have the 2004 edition of the Unofficial Guide (great book, btw!). I think that I remember reading about it in more than one section but I do know that it mentions the railroad in the Splash Mountain touring tips on page 444. Hope this helps

Aloha guys!

 

[julieannbabe]

Originally posted by mugglemom
I am not sure if the show you refer to is the one we saw last March or not. The characters sang and danced up by the train station to open the park. We were maybe 15 people back in line of our line. We enjoyed the show, I sobbed happy tears just to be back at Disney with my family! We went through the security search. It was fairly quick. We went to the train station and rented a locker and put our jackets and evening clothes away.

This took maybe 15 minutes in total. I think we used the restrooms too. We then got on the train and left very quickly.

I was busy getting into the park so I do not remember where the characters went or if they took a train away.

It worked very well for us but it was not an EE day. We definately beat the crowds to SM, TM and Pirates.

after the show finishes some of the characters walk down the stairs and into town square, then go to their photo spots for a little while. That was how I got to meet and walk with my favourite character dopey to his photo spot.
though some people don't bother - they just wanna be at the front of the rope drop at the castle!

 

[LibertyBelle]

Originally posted by Dory41
So does this mean that if I got on the first train there would already be a line by the time I get to Splash Mountain? Or would I still be among the first to arrive?

You will still be "among" the first to arrive, but there will be a line. I doubt there would be more than a 5 minute wait, but most people dash there first from rope drop so you will see a significant amount of people already there when you arrive.