Which land to explore in the Magic Kingdom with limited time?

[Zomp]

On our trip in November, our flight gets in at 2:30pm. If everything is on time we should do a quick grocery run and be checked in at Bonnet Creek between 4-5pm. Our first night is a Saturday which means MK is open until 10pm but we have reservations at Kona Cafe at 8:30 so I'm hoping we'll have about 3 hours in the park.

I'm hoping we can get Fastpasses from 5-6, 6-7, and 7-8pm to ride a few rides. But I'm wondering which land we should try and do (the logic being if we can complete most, if not all, of a land in 3 hours when we do return for a full day we have the option of skipping it).

I don't think we could do Fantasyland. In my opinion there are too many attractions to see.

I think Tomorrowland is a good option. We could get FP+ for Space Mountain, Buzz, and the Speedway. Or maybe get one to meet Mickey Mouse on the way in. Stitch, CoP, TTA, and Monsters don't typically have long waits.

Another option could be going to Adventureland. We could do Pirates, Jungle Cruise, and maybe carpets of Aladdin with FP and wait in standby for the Tiki Room. We could probably do that and have enough time for an attraction or two in FrontierLand or Haunted Mansion.

I could also be talked into doing Splash Mountain, Big Thunder, and Mansion for FP+ then seeing what we could conquer in Adventureland.

Thoughts?

 

[Flamingeaux]

This is what we are planning for our arrival on 11/14 Saturday this year. We will get to WDW around 3PM and we will check in and unpack. We will try to get to MK around 5:00 to 5:30. We will grab something to eat and hit 7DMT and a few other rides before we get a spot for Wishes and hopefully the Anna/Elsa castle lighting ceremony.

 

[Jennytoon]

Tomorrowland is easily do-able, but I don't like it for exactly that reason -- aside from Space, rides there tend to be either readily available SB or with FP day of. So it makes a good fall-back for any time you're in the park and things aren't going as planned somewhere else, and I'd rather keep it in my back pocket to use then rather than do it on arrival day.

I think Splash, Big Thunder, and Mansion is a nice set. Having those done gives you an opportunity to do the non-ride attractions in Frontierland [that you don't fit in on arrival day] later, mixing it up a bit. I would put Splash first so that if you get wet you have time to dry off before dinner. Also I would put it first because I think it is the most desirable FP (see below).

If you did decide to go to Adventureland I would not use a FP for carpets -- the line is rarely long enough to require one. I would use it for one of the rides in Frontierland instead.

One thing I would keep in mind is that there are two routes to doing more than your FP+ that you originally booked. The first is to simply do attractions like Tiki's or HoP that don't have long waits. The second is to put your FP in decreasing order of priority so that you can try to snag a 4th. What I mean is -- let's say Splash is the FP that tends to have the least availability and you're going for Splash, JC, and PoC. Put Splash first. As soon as you get off of Splash, check out the lines on the other two. If you can ride one SB, do it and then try to reschedule that FP for something useful later. If not, try to move the second FP up -- your Splash window will not block the move anymore because you already used that one. Repeat with the third. Shifting around this way may allow you to get in a 4th FP from the kiosks by JC.

 

[canadiandisneynut]

I would head over to Frontierland and do Splash Big Thunder and then roll into Adventureland for sure. Fantasyland I fear will be too big of an undertaking for that time

 

[dprincessmom]

Agree with Frontierland - also start the trip with the train ride around to Frontierland - kind of a little warm up to the vacation.

 

[wookiebeck]

Agree with Frontierland - also start the trip with the train ride around to Frontierland - kind of a little warm up to the vacation.

I Really like this idea. Main St. train station to Frontierland Station. Splash Mtn, BTMRR, then work way toward front of park with PotC and JC. Have fun!

 

[Lucius Best]

I think Tomorrowland is a good option. We could get FP+ for Space Mountain, Buzz, and the Speedway. Or maybe get one to meet Mickey Mouse on the way in. Stitch, CoP, TTA, and Monsters don't typically have long waits.

I think Tomorrowland is a good idea. Personally on our trips, there is usually one MK day where we rope drop Fantasyland and other MK days we will rope drop Thunder/Splash/Adventureland. An arrival day afternoon would be good to bang out Tomorrowland. Like you said, Space/Buzz/Speedway will definitely have waits in the afternoon, the other rides typically will not.

In any event, note that your FP+ windows cannot overlap, but you can return 5 minutes early and supposedly up to 15 minutes late. And your FP+ windows can overlap your ADRs.

 

[Zomp]

Tomorrowland is easily do-able, but I don't like it for exactly that reason -- aside from Space, rides there tend to be either readily available SB or with FP day of. So it makes a good fall-back for any time you're in the park and things aren't going as planned somewhere else, and I'd rather keep it in my back pocket to use then rather than do it on arrival day.

I think Splash, Big Thunder, and Mansion is a nice set. Having those done gives you an opportunity to do the non-ride attractions in Frontierland [that you don't fit in on arrival day] later, mixing it up a bit. I would put Splash first so that if you get wet you have time to dry off before dinner. Also I would put it first because I think it is the most desirable FP (see below).

If you did decide to go to Adventureland I would not use a FP for carpets -- the line is rarely long enough to require one. I would use it for one of the rides in Frontierland instead.

One thing I would keep in mind is that there are two routes to doing more than your FP+ that you originally booked. The first is to simply do attractions like Tiki's or HoP that don't have long waits. The second is to put your FP in decreasing order of priority so that you can try to snag a 4th. What I mean is -- let's say Splash is the FP that tends to have the least availability and you're going for Splash, JC, and PoC. Put Splash first. As soon as you get off of Splash, check out the lines on the other two. If you can ride one SB, do it and then try to reschedule that FP for something useful later. If not, try to move the second FP up -- your Splash window will not block the move anymore because you already used that one. Repeat with the third. Shifting around this way may allow you to get in a 4th FP from the kiosks by JC.

Sound advice. Thanks. Didn't consider moving up some FP's is the lines are minimal. Will have to get used to using the app while we're there.

Agree with Frontierland - also start the trip with the train ride around to Frontierland - kind of a little warm up to the vacation.

This sounds like a great idea but one of the people we're bringing is a first timer. I don't know why but I have it in my head that everyone who walks in for the first time needs to take a stroll down Main Street.

 

[MrsDuck]

Frontierland and Adventureland would be my two picks. Honestly, I'd probably start with Adventureland and take your time. If you make it to Frontierland, great.

 

[eyehartdisney]

I think you're overestimating how much you're going to get done that day. I would try to get a reservation for dinner inside the park, so you wouldn't need to leave, or eat counter service.

 

[marielynn724]

I second Tomorrowland because you can easily do everything you want (especially if you score a FP for Space Mountain) and I like the idea of having no pressure for the arrival day since you're tired from traveling. Plus, I like how Tomorrowland gets all lit up in the evening as it gets dark.

 

[lroger01]

If I were you and bringing a first timer with me, I'd pick the 3 attractions that Disney does best and not worry about sticking with one land. For me, those three would be POC and or Splash (similar type of ride), Space Mountain (the queue alone is pure Disney), and Jungle Cruise. In between those FP+'s I'd try to add Mickey's Philharmagic, Small World, People Mover, and Laugh Floor. I'd focus on the FP 3 though and let the rest of the afternoon just be a newbie flow - take pictures, watch street characters, browse shops, hop into a short attraction line, etc.

Seeing more of the park will help a newbie "get" Disney and also reveal long standby waits making it easier to get them up for rope drop!

I'd also keep the Kona ressie. You're newbie will get to ride the monorail through the Contemporary, see a deluxe resort, and eat in a nice restaurant. You can always go back to MK after dinner, or view the fireworks from the beach. All in all, a very nice way to build Disney love in a newbie.

 

[scarslegalcounsel]

I like lroger01's idea of the stuff Disney does best, or the most "disney" thing, especially if you've got a first-timer. For me that means Adventureland and Liberty Square, probably hitting the Mansion, Pirates, and Jungle Cruise and maybe Splash Mountain if the line is short or there is a fastpass available. Those rides all have great queues and are longer, more immersive experiences.