Best Day of Week to Visit Magic Kingdom ?

[22go]

We are headed to Magic Kingdom in a few weeks and will only go to the park one day. Is there a best day of the week to attend Magic Kingdom where the crowds may be a little lighter? Does anyone know where we could purchase a single day ticket without standing on line in the park? We are staying at the Grande Vista but they only sell 3 day or more passes - same as AAA. Thanks!

[Big Matt]

Go any day of the week when there aren't early extra magic hours. That is when any Disney resort guest can get in an hour early. It makes it crowded, uses up the fast passes, and just plain stinks for everyone else.

Here is the calendar. Just type in the dates when you want to go.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/cal...dDate=20090713

For tickets, you can buy single day tickets at any Disney Resort or at the tickets and transportation center. You can also just buy them on line.

[rickandcindy23]

Free info at www.touringplans.com:
Monday and Wednesday are the best days for Magic Kingdom. Get there at 8:30, Main Street USA, for your best chance of hitting the popular rides with no waits.

I subscribe to that site, but they have the crowd calendar free for a few weeks. It's like $8.95 for a year, and it's well worth it for the touring plans. This is the site owned by the guy that writes the Unofficial Guide to Disneyworld.

[ldanna]

In July, everyday is full. But, if you arrive early, you will be able to go to the most wanted attractions with just a few minutes in line.

Program yourself: if Magic Kingdom will open at 9am, you have to arrive at the parking lot at 8:30am. It will take at least 30 minutes from the moment you park your car, get the tram, then the monorail or the boat, clear security and finally enter the park.

Once you enter the park, cross it and go as far away as possible from the entrace, people usually start their day at MK near Main Street. Go to Pirates of os the Caribean, Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain, or even Space Mountain (oposite the others if you check the map).

Use FastPass, it helps a lot. But at 4 or 5pm, there will be no FastPasses left, keep this on your mind.

If you arrive early, you will have lunch at 12pm, wich means you will be able to grab a table at any restaurant. After 1pm, you will seat on the floor.

Don't forget to check with your kids where they want to go

[rickandcindy23]

Good advice from Idanna.

About Fast Passes: Even though they have a time printed, you can go after that time, but not before. So the time doesn't really expire, as the pass would make you think. It will say something like Return between 1:05-3:05, but if you return at 8:30, they still welcome you. There are also times on the Fast Passes that say when you are eligible for another Fast Pass. I recommend getting more as soon as you can.

I would still be through the turnstiles by 8:30. That means parking at 8:00.

[Swice]

Just understand that the "Magic Kingdom" is the most crowded park at Walt Disney World everyday. Even during the "slow" months, there will be lines at the Magic Kingdom (especially in Fantasyland where you'll find "Peter Pan's Flight," "Snow White's Adventures," "Dumbo," and "Pooh").

Epcot has the attractions that "move" the lines the fastest.

[vkrn]

At www.touringplans.com click on free sample plans. I used this when I went the last time. Good information, IMHO
http://www.touringplans.com:/tp2/UG2....php?PageID=16

[littlestar]

From my personal experience, Saturday's are always crowded. Also, the Extra Magic hours (Disney resort guest) days are more crowded.

[Redrosesix]

Originally Posted by littlestar

From my personal experience, Saturday's are always crowded. Also, the Extra Magic hours (Disney resort guest) days are more crowded.

I totally agree with this, Saturdays are always crowded even in the slow weeks -- remember these are days that local residents have available to use their Annual Passes. Sundays are also usually more crowded at MK than weekdays, partly because they usually have evening EMH.

By the way, if we are there in time for rope drop (about 8:30, so you need to be go through the parking tolls by 8 am) we usually get more rides done in the am than we do in the rest of the day put together. We immediately hop on the train and go to the first stop at Frontierland.

[JimIg23]

We were just there, went to MK on Sat and Tues, Tues was less crowded, but it could have been a fluke. Tues was still crowded and long lines.

I dont know if your heart is set on disney, but for about $99 pp you can get a 7 day pass to universal instead, you can go a couple of days a few hours at a time.

[JimC]

Space Mountain is closed until mid November. Hall of Presidents just reopened. We had a preview of it last week. The show is spectacular.

The busiest days at MK are weekends and days with Extra Magic Hours - EMH (In July early hours are on Tuesday and Thursday and late hours are Sunday and Friday). This month I would go to MK early on Monday or Wednesday. How to tour depends on ages of children (if any) and your interests.

Tickets can be purchased on-line at Disney's site.

[mecllap]

Buy a ticket online on the web before you go -- sometimes undercovertourist.com is the best way to go, or use the WDW site. Or mousesavers.com. Expect it to be very hot and crowded, if you really mean in the next several weeks. Expect to do one attraction an hour, if lucky, maybe only one every hour and a half or two hours. Prioritize which attraction(s) you want to do the most and head there first thing in the morning (be sure you make "rope drop" -- don't go on an Early Magic Hour day, unless you stay on property). (I recently got back from an early to mid-June trip, and the "Magic" has pretty much gone, because of the over-crowding and heat -- and I'm a Disney-holic). Take your time, realize you can only do a few things in a day, enjoy the landscaping and visual effect of the place, use water-spray bottles, and lots of Patience.

[JimIg23]

Originally Posted by mecllap

(I recently got back from an early to mid-June trip, and the "Magic" has pretty much gone, because of the over-crowding and heat -- and I'm a Disney-holic). Take your time, realize you can only do a few things in a day, enjoy the landscaping and visual effect of the place, use water-spray bottles, and lots of Patience.

We just returned also and DW and I had the same experience, and thought the very same thing (it was the first time we bought those water spray bottles!). We agreed next time we go to Orlando we are going to bring the kids to Universal, which is less than half the price.

[MikeM132]

Originally Posted by 22go

We are headed to Magic Kingdom in a few weeks and will only go to the park one day. Is there a best day of the week to attend Magic Kingdom where the crowds may be a little lighter? Does anyone know where we could purchase a single day ticket without standing on line in the park? We are staying at the Grande Vista but they only sell 3 day or more passes - same as AAA. Thanks!

I used "tourguidmike" last time we went to WDW. It cost about 20 bucks, but was really worth it. That guy is a true expert and is up-to-the-day current. You indicate the kind of stuff you like (ie thrill rides, parades, etc) and he makes up an agenda for you based on parks, days, crowds, attractions that are open, wait times, etc.. It gets right to the details of time to arrive at park, get in this line while somebody else goes over and gets a fastpass, etc.. It DOES NOT rush you around, like it kind of sounds from this description, but was, BY FAR the best use of time I ever had at WDW in many trips. I got that site at wdinfo.com (good source of WDW info).