What Was The Best Time For the Magic Kingdom?

[MrToadsWildRide]

I came across a map from Nov. 1996 and it got me thinking.

When was (in your opinion) the best era for the Magic Kingdom?

Looking at this map, 1996 seemed like a pretty good year.

You had:
Main Street Cinema; Steamboat Willy (hey, it all started with a Mouse)
Enchanted Tiki Room was NOT under new Management
Diamond Horseshoe Saloon Revue (cause you couldn't get a HDDR ticket)
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (get some wind in your willows)
ExraTERRORestrial (scariest ride every, and Stitch-free)
Skyway (best view in the park)
All four mountains were in place
SpectroMagic (I've seen the MSEP since it's inception, so a change would be nice)
The central hub wasn't a concrete and astro turf parking lot. (wasn't there a place to sit too)
The Birthday Cake Castle (at least I can say I saw it, but now I can't un-see it)

You didn't have:
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (at least you actually went under the sea, Ariel)
That magic shop on Main Street (as opposed the never-ending merchandise shop)
WED Way People Mover (why drop Walt's name?)
The Canoes (I recall watching a bunch of people row like made in pouring rain)
FastPass+ExtreemEdition; Because you didn't need it in Nov. of 1996

I didn't do any research for this posting, other than coming across this map. But I'd say (castle aside) 1996 was a pretty good year.

 

[Disneylover99]

I'd say now is the best time. I love the New Fantasyland expansion from a few years ago. And the hub redevelopment looks great!

 

[disBEAST]

The best time for the MK is whenever I am there

 

[MrToadsWildRide]

I love the New Fantasyland expansion from a few years ago.

Supposedly there's a new Seven Dwarf's attraction, but I have yet to get a FastPass+ for it and I've never seen a wait time under 70+ minutes, so I can't confirm this.

In fact, we were recently on Splash Mountain when it broke down and we had to be evacuated. (a first for me) They gave us all paper FastPasses to ride any ride we wanted to ride over the next 30 days or so. Well any ride we wanted to ride, as long as we didn't want to ride the Seven Dwarf's Mine Train ride. They actually printed that on the FastPass. "Have fun anywhere in the Disney solar system, but not on the mine train." (that's a 2010 reference, if you get it, I feel sad, I mean glad for you)

But, since I asked your opinion, you are right. (cause you can't be wrong about what you like)

 

[rpb718]

It was our first trip to WDW with the kids, and we did most of the attractions that are now gone - with the exception of the Skyway. I can't remember if the kids were too young and didn't want to go on it, or we just didn't have the time, but I figured we could get to it the next trip. So fast forward to the next trip which was a few years later, and the Skyway was gone. So we missed our chance for that one.

We've been to Disney at several times during the year, mostly just DW and myself, but the last time we were at Disney while Christmas decorations were up was when they still had the garland stretching across Main Street - and the pictures we took looked so grand. We're planning to go in November this year, and I already know I'll be missing it.

 

[AllieBoo]

What was the WED Way PeopleMover? I always thought the peoplemover and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority were the same thing.

 

[gap2368]

What was the WED Way PeopleMover? I always thought the peoplemover and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority were the same thing.

it is the same thing I think they do a little less talking now then before they did a refurb maybe 2? years ago

 

[Barbanellie]

I came across a map from Nov. 1996 and it got me thinking.

You had:
All four mountains were in place
View attachment 155240

Excuse my ignorance, but what is (or was?) the 4th mountain? I can only think of Splash, Space and Big Thunder.

 

[MrToadsWildRide]

What was the WED Way PeopleMover? I always thought the peoplemover and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority were the same thing.

Pretty much the same thing. It's just that it was called WED Way People mover

WED, as in Walter Elias Disney.

Why drop Walt's name from the title?

Odd.

Then again, why change Journey Into Imagination?

 

[MrToadsWildRide]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is (or was?) the 4th mountain? I can only think of Splash, Space and Big Thunder.

Lost my abacus. You are correct. There are only 3 mountains.

 

[DVCcurious]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is (or was?) the 4th mountain? I can only think of Splash, Space and Big Thunder.

The barnstormer was considered the 4th mountain. This way you could tell your little kid they got to ride one of the mountains at MK.

 

[MrToadsWildRide]

The barnstormer was considered the 4th mountain. This way you could tell your little kid they got to ride one of the mountains at MK.

Really? Gah! Wrong again.

I stink at this. Good thing odor does not transmit across the net. (yet?)

 

[Disneylover99]

Supposedly there's a new Seven Dwarf's attraction, but I have yet to get a FastPass+ for it and I've never seen a wait time under 70+ minutes, so I can't confirm this.

It's very popular. I enjoy it. The best time to go on it without a fp is at rope drop and I've heard late at night has shorter waits.

 

[DVCcurious]

Really? Gah! Wrong again.

I stink at this. Good thing odor does not transmit across the net. (yet?)

Actually I just completely made that story of the "4th mountain" up. That's why I have my signature warning! DVCcurious's facts are not always reliable!

 

[Aliceacc]

The best time is the time--- whenever it is-- when you and your family are healthy enough-- physically and economically-- to take a trip to WDW.

From "The Way we Were", as sung by Gladys Knight:

"

"The Way We Were / Try To Remember"

Hey, you know, everybody's talkin' about the good old days, right
Everybody, the good old days, the good old days
Well, let's talk about the good old days
Come to think of it as, as bad as we think they are
these will become the good old days for our children..."

 

[epcotty]

I went around that time, do miss some of the old attractions from around then (Dreamflight, Skyway (sky still looks like there's something missing without it to me), Main Street Cinema without a store inside, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, SpectroMagic, 20,000 Leagues, etc). However it's still really good now and I still enjoy it a lot

 

[sharadoc]

Loved that birthday cake castle!

I liked the early 90's, which is pretty much what you listed, just still had the 20,000 Leagues Ride, and a Country Bear Vacation overlay.

There was like 3 or 4 character shows around the parks, and there was Mickey's Birthdayland which became Toontown. A character show at Birthdayland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and front of Castle. The atmosphere in those days was so great, there was always something going on when you turned any corner. Characters just randomly wandered around, we have pics with ones like King Richard, Brer Fox, lots of cool obscure ones.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I preferred MK before FP- was replaced with the current system. I loved MK then - could get there early, hoard FPs and ride, ride, ride.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Best time for us may have been 2013. That was back when MNSSHP had low crowds and we met so many characters and had walk on rides, including Space Mountain. We also were in the trial FP+ system for that entire trip, so we got to use our Magic Bands AND get paper fastpasses, and we got a FP for the BOG lunch. Good times. Good times.

 

[pa. dad]

I came across a map from Nov. 1996 and it got me thinking.

When was (in your opinion) the best era for the Magic Kingdom?

Looking at this map, 1996 seemed like a pretty good year.

You had:
Main Street Cinema; Steamboat Willy (hey, it all started with a Mouse)
Enchanted Tiki Room was NOT under new Management
Diamond Horseshoe Saloon Revue (cause you couldn't get a HDDR ticket)
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (get some wind in your willows)
ExraTERRORestrial (scariest ride every, and Stitch-free)
Skyway (best view in the park)
All four mountains were in place
SpectroMagic (I've seen the MSEP since it's inception, so a change would be nice)
The central hub wasn't a concrete and astro turf parking lot. (wasn't there a place to sit too)
The Birthday Cake Castle (at least I can say I saw it, but now I can't un-see it)

You didn't have:
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (at least you actually went under the sea, Ariel)
That magic shop on Main Street (as opposed the never-ending merchandise shop)
WED Way People Mover (why drop Walt's name?)
The Canoes (I recall watching a bunch of people row like made in pouring rain)
FastPass+ExtreemEdition; Because you didn't need it in Nov. of 1996

I didn't do any research for this posting, other than coming across this map. But I'd say (castle aside) 1996 was a pretty good year.

View attachment 155240