New MK Welcome show debuts Jan. 9th

[rteetz]

"With more guests arriving early to the Magic Kingdom park, we are enhancing the morning arrival experience by opening Main Street USA earlier than the rest of the park.
Guest will be able to get a head start on their day they as enjoy the early morning charm of Main Street USA with photo opportunities, breakfast options and shopping before the park officially opens.
A new welcome show will debut at Cinderella Castle stage Jan 9th"

Thanks to @yulilin3 for this

 

[Madonna3]

It was only a matter of time. I had wondered for years why they didn't do this. So many people there ready to spend and tour and you can't do it until exactly 9:00am and by then you're racing off for one of the big attractions you didn't fastpass anyway.

 

[Hoodie]

Good to know. Thank you!

 

[Redcon1]

I thought they already opened Main Street earlier than the lands. I remember being there waiting for the rope drop at the edge of Main Street. Or maybe that was DL.
Sometimes it all blurs together.

 

[Boski]

It was only a matter of time. I had wondered for years why they didn't do this. So many people there ready to spend and tour and you can't do it until exactly 9:00am and by then you're racing off for one of the big attractions you didn't fastpass anyway.

I agree. Seems like a no-brainer: 1) hold everyone outside of the park and then release them to hit up a attraction first bypassing the shops or 2) have them wait inside the park where the shops are so they can spend money while they wait.

 

[MamaBelle4]

Yay! Super excited!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

They did this at Hong Kong Disneyland - where Main st opens at the listed park opening time and the other lands open after that (they opening in phases, not all at once). There they had the character meets that are locate in the Main St area open then as well - so wonder if they will do that here too

Interested to see what this means to pre-park opening ADRs as for us, getting those "empty" Castle pictures was a main draw

 

[rteetz]

I'm interested to see how this is too. I loved having the train station be part of the show. All the characters arrived on the train and you had the family that helped open the park. It's just such an awesome show that I'm going to miss. I don't know if a "welcome" show in front of the castle will have the same affect.

 

[Madonna3]

They did this at Hong Kong Disneyland - where Main st opens at the listed park opening time and the other lands open after that (they opening in phases, not all at once). There they had the character meets that are locate in the Main St area open then as well - so wonder if they will do that here too

Interested to see what this means to pre-park opening ADRs as for us, getting those "empty" Castle pictures was a main draw

my guess is it will be a whole lot easier to get a morning ADR at those places now.

 

[rteetz]

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...r-day-at-magic-kingdom-park-begins-january-9/

 

[bigmac5]

Walt Disney World Railroad is closed for rehab starting on Jan 9

 

[mom2rtk]

my guess is it will be a whole lot easier to get a morning ADR at those places now.

You and I might like it if it's easier to get an ADR. But that means less demand and I'm not sure if Disney will like it.

I'll be curious to see how this pans out. If it's wall to wall people, it doesn't sound very pleasant. They fill Main Street at DL most mornings before dropping the internal ropes to the other lands. It's not very fun really, just packed in people. But I couldn't even tell you if their shops are open. I know photos wouldn't be possible since everyone is really squished into that limited space.

 

[rteetz]

Walt Disney World Railroad is closed for rehab starting on Jan 9

That is why they are debuting it then. Moving the show to the castle has been rumored for a very long time now.

 

[Bobb_o]

I don't know if it was just me getting their early but I always felt like I was closer to the train show and it was more intimate.

I can't judge a new show til it happens though. Hopefully it will be good.

 

[MommaBerd]

I'm personally not a fan of this idea, and I'm with @Bobb_o, being in front of the train depot just feels/felt more welcoming. And there was just something magical about Mickey arriving on that train!

Currently, if you are there at rope drop, you *will* experience the show. However, if you are on Main Street in a shop or waiting at the rope to WhateverLand because Johnny wants to go on a ride, you will not get to experience the show. And for my family, it will become just another castle show (that they have no desire to see) as opposed to a grand welcome into this world of fantasy and fun.

But, for others, this may be a welcome change. (Ha - pardon the pun!) I'm sure there are many frustrated guests who arrive at park open only to find they can't get through the tapstiles because the front area is packed with people already. (Trying very hard not to stomp my foot, pout, and say, "No! I don't like it!".)

 

[UKDisneyJoe]

Dissapointed at this. Never saw the welcome show in person and was hoping to do it on our next trip. Also an early ADR in MK now has less appeal as we were hoping to get a nice photopass shot with fewer people around and thats not happening now if this stays about. Next it will be a breakfast party with preferred area for the welcome show at a cost of $?

 

[Missyrose]

Will be sad to lose the current Magic Kingdom Welcome song, but I am very much in favor of this change. It's a much better setup for guests to have the space and activity of Main Street with which to wait and I think the new welcome show in front of the castle could make for fantastic photos. I said this on the Theme Parks board, but I wonder if this change means Casey's will serve breakfast year-round?

 

[MK2010]

I'm going to miss the old welcome show. I guess I haven't been paying attention because this is the first I've heard of it. Not good news to start my 2017. :-(

 

[Q-man]

I thought they already opened Main Street earlier than the lands. I remember being there waiting for the rope drop at the edge of Main Street. Or maybe that was DL.
Sometimes it all blurs together.

They do it this way at DL.

 

[jdub coasterfan]

I like the idea. They do this at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and it is a huge advantage during the peak season. On all the park literature it states that the park opens at 10am but the England section of the park opens usually at 9:15am and then the rest of the park has staggered openings to help spread the crowd. I like getting through the turnstiles early on at parks and being able to spend time in the park even if there are no attractions open yet. As long as it doesn't create a massive line up at the ropes at opening time. I feel there may be a fairly large number of people who would not mind not even seeing the show, possibly just because they've seen it previously.