What day to use MM?

[Belle Ella]

The OP is going during President's Week and lots of CA schools are out for the week. The crowd calendars she posted indicate large crowds for most of her visit.

I don't think the park will be packed like at Christmas but it will be busy.

Aha!! I knew there was something that I was totally forgetting Thanksies.

 

[Mugglemama]

Just going to share my experience because it might be relevant enough to be useful to you...

We went July 5th-9th. We used MM on the first available MM day (we were there Mon-Fri). It was a complete waste of time. Here's why:

The days previous, which were NOT MM days, we got in line at the security tables 1 full hour before DL opened. On those days, we were first in line at the security tables. Our first hour in the park was great..we were some of the first people in the park, the crowds seemed very minimal for the first couple of hours and we got TONS done!

On our MM day, we also arrived 1 full hour before DL opened, which meant we were in line at 6am! We had to wake up at 4:30 am to make that happen. We got to the security tables and there were already 30+ people in line. By the time we were allowed in, the lines were FAR longer than they had been on the non MM days. We walked quickly back to FL as soon as we were permitted to, but still, our wait for PP was about 5 times longer than it had been on the non-MM days. Same story with Matterhorn, Dumbo, and Alice. FL was packed and uncomfortable.

If you're lucky enough to catch an already not-so-busy week, then MM would likely be great. But personally, I am loathe to do them again during any week where crowds are high. So much effort to get there so early (we have 4 kids), and when it came down to it, our lines were much longer than on non-MM mornings.

So, just food for thought. Maybe our experience was an anomaly.

 

[ShaunaM]

...that is why I orginally wondered if we should do ou MM on a day that less busy...KWIM? WE can MM on a super crowded day competing with xxx people or MM on a slower day and compete with x people. ahhhhhhh....... what to do I wish I had a crystal ball.

 

[Belle Ella]

If you're lucky enough to catch an already not-so-busy week, then MM would likely be great. But personally, I am loathe to do them again during any week where crowds are high. So much effort to get there so early (we have 4 kids), and when it came down to it, our lines were much longer than on non-MM mornings.

See, I wholeheartedly disagree with that although that is my personal opinion. Yes, during a busy time your MM will still be busy. But it is still worth it to take advantage of it if you have it. Otherwise you'll be entering the Park on a crowded-MM day and even if you were the first one in you'd have to compete with the crowds that were already there for an hour or more. It may not be as helpful as a MM on a slower day, but it still gives you an advantage.

ETA: That's totally crazy that you were there at 6a and already that many people were lined up at the security checkpoint. 6a is when I always arrive for my MM and I've always been there alone for at least fifteen minutes to a half hour, and this has been for busy and non busy seasons as well.

...that is why I orginally wondered if we should do ou MM on a day that less busy...KWIM? WE can MM on a super crowded day competing with xxx people or MM on a slower day and compete with x people. ahhhhhhh....... what to do I wish I had a crystal ball.

What you put right there is exactly why I use my MM on a Saturday. If a slower day means I have to compete with x amount of people and a busier day means I have to compete with xxx amount of people I would want that extra bit of help on the busy day.

 

[ShaunaM]

See, I wholeheartedly disagree with that although that is my personal opinion. Yes, during a busy time your MM will still be busy. But it is still worth it to take advantage of it if you have it. Otherwise you'll be entering the Park on a crowded-MM day and even if you were the first one in you'd have to compete with the crowds that were already there for an hour or more. It may not be as helpful as a MM on a slower day, but it still gives you an advantage.

That does make a lot of sense.

What you put right there is exactly why I use my MM on a Saturday. If a slower day means I have to compete with x amount of people and a busier day means I have to compete with xxx amount of people I would want that extra bit of help on the busy day.

I guess where i am still foggy is would I cover more ground competing with x than with xxx. I get that it gives me an edge but I wonder ultimately if I would get to do more in my 60 minutes if I had less people to compete with; KWIM

I am really torn as there are very obviously valid reasons to go either way.

Chew some more

 

[ShaunaM]

...would it be realistic to cover during MM?

 

[Belle Ella]

I guess where i am still foggy is would I cover more ground competing with x than with xxx. I get that it gives me an edge but I wonder ultimately if I would get to do more in my 60 minutes if I had less people to compete with; KWIM

I am really torn as there are very obviously valid reasons to go either way.

Chew some more

I do know what you mean. But I'll repeat what my personal experience has been: I saw far more people go in for a MM on a weekday than I did on the Saturday that I went. It was ridiculous the difference. Maybe I'm crazy and that was the anomaly, but it's been that way for everyone one of my trips where I've been there for a Weekday and a weekend MM.

...would it be realistic to cover during MM?

I have always been able to cover every single ride in Fantasyland at least once (minus Dumbo but not because of time, but because I'm not a fan of it). But keep in mind when I go, I am the first one in line at the gate and the first one to cross the drawbridge into Fantasyland, lol. I usually end up doing a few twice and then I relax and wait until normal opening. I never go in to Tomorrowland as I leave my MM strictly for Fantasyland and then I usually do MTTMM right after (another reason I choose Saturdays I guess).

 

[ShaunaM]

....I am not sure if we are impressive enough to be ath gates by 6:30 am. Your advice is sage though
Thanks

 

[Mackysmycat]

I am not sure if we are impressive enough to be ath gates by 6:30 am

LOL good one! I totally hear you on that one. That's us too. Getting to the parks by 8 is going to be a chore for us!