TheMaxRebo
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2008
Just wanted to share quickly our experience with this event. We attended on Thursday, February 20th and it had the Cinderella "extras"
Actually, as I type this up, I am not being really quick, but here is the cliff notes version:
- got to ride Carousel, Peter Pan, Mine Train 2x, Winnie the Pooh, and Tea Cups, and then rope dropped Space Mountain
- breakfast food was ok and plenty of it but organization at the food location was a bit of a disaster
- based on crowds that day, super glad we did this as only way to get done as much as we did so would definitely recommend when crowds are high/shorter trip with not a ton of MK park days
Detail
We took the bus over from Caribbean Beach and got there about 7:15 - we went over to the area and it wasn't really clear which line we needed to be on (which was for this vs for early dining reservations) so had to ask a few people to get to the correct line. Then we got checked in, but they didn't specifically say we then had to get on another line to get our bracelet before lining up to get in, but we figured it out and were in line to get into the park at 7:27 (not a huge deal, just a few signs or CMs directing people would have helped)
We then had a few issues (our end, not Disney's fault) as my son announced he needed to go to the bathroom - but there is none in that area and we would have had to go all the way back out and to the other end on the entrance to go by guest services and recheck in and stuff and just concern about timing of all that - so he said he could wait until we were let in and use the ones near City Hall. Also at this point, my youngest flipped out a bit as she refused to wear the bracelet saying it bothered her (and she actually slipped her hand out of the bracelet), but CMs informed us she needed to wear it. (this is the first time something like this has happened with her - she is totally fine with magic bands, so not sure what it was about this bracelet that set her off). So once the park opened I took my son to the bathroom and then we spent the next 10+ minutes trying to calm my daughter down/think up some way around this. We finally calmed her down and were able to get towards Fantasyland where there was a line of people to get into the area as some people didn't pick up their bracelets so were just checking in there and that held up the line of everyone else who had already gotten their bracelets. ... so between all of this, it was already 8 by the time we got into Fantasyland. So not the most productive first 5th of our time ... things then greatly improved
Part of what got my daughter calmer was agreeing to ride the carousel first. So we did that with no wait (although they were waiting a bit to let more people come to ride so still felt like not the best use of our time to just be sitting on a non-moving carousel, but whatever). We got to ride and everyone had fun. We did see some of the Cinderella characters out (the mice, the stepsisters, and the fairy Godmother) but no one else in my family had any interest in meeting them so we didn't. I did notice at least once a CM was very active in telling people that no lines could be formed to wait to meet the characters, they were just roaming and set for just quick interactions, not formal meets
After the carousel we rode Peter Pan with like a 2 min wait which was great! then we went over to Mine Train and the wait said 20 mins, we waited about 17. Once off we saw the wait time down to 15 mins we rode again and only waited like 10. We then rode Winnie the Pooh, and then the Tea Cups and then got in the area to line up to "rope drop" into Tomorrowland to ride Space Mountain. They held us there and then finally at 9am let us walk slowly behind them and then another CM held us for a little more while people form the main entrance came over and we got merged in with them - actually flet like the main entrance folks got a bit ahead of us which was a bit annoying (wasn't expecting a huge headstart or anything, but at least to be even) and then was like a mob to get filed into the entrance, but in the end we got on Space Mountain and were off by 9:25 so really can't complain. (also had another issue her in that my wife's cell phone fell our of her pocket
We then went to Cosmic Ray's for breakfast and the organization there was not great at all. Huge lines waiting for the hot food which was being served to you at the counters, took way too long, they ran out of coffee (and even if we had gotten any only had the little creamers) and like 1/2 the CMs were over by the coffee (I guess trying to figure out how to get more?) rather than dealing with guests. Once we got food it was hot and was plenty of it and decent tasting, just the organization made everything very inefficient. The "fixin bars" were set up with cold foods - meats and cheeses and fruits and they also had oatmeal - but they only had plates, no bowls, so not sure how one was to eat the oatmeal. They can pastries out along the sides and they all had Cinderella embellishments was a nice touch and they were all pretty fresh and good tasting.
I know I might be giving an overall negative take on breakfast, but honestly "what" was available was all pretty solid for an included meal and plenty of options, etc. - just the organization was not good at all and they need to rethink this
Overall I am really glad we decided to do this. The crowds that day were crazy - 55 mins for Small World, constantly 40+ for people mover, etc. - (was the end of a holiday week and I am sure the fact Splash was down for refurb and then Pirates was down most of the day just due to issues I am sure didn't help) and just feel without this we would have gotten very little done. During the day we did use our three FPs (Big Thunder - which was carrying 130min waits at times), Haunted Mansion, and Jungle Cruise, and then also did Tiki Room and met Mickey. Later we we split up as my wife and our youngest did Carousel again (and then People Mover) while I took the older to to do Underthe Seat that had a posted 20 min wait but CM said that was incorrect and was actually 45 mins, so decided to do Dumbo which said 25 mins and CMs assured us that was correct - but it wound up taking us 50 mins! and that is it until fireworks. (we did take a mid day break which we might not have if we didn't do EMM).
So in someways a negative that it almost felt paying for an extra event was necessary, but we did this instead of adding on more days and/or having park hoppers and I think for us the trade off was worth it and, especially if going duirng a extra busy time, we would do again.
Let me know of any questions/more details you want.
Actually, as I type this up, I am not being really quick, but here is the cliff notes version:
- got to ride Carousel, Peter Pan, Mine Train 2x, Winnie the Pooh, and Tea Cups, and then rope dropped Space Mountain
- breakfast food was ok and plenty of it but organization at the food location was a bit of a disaster
- based on crowds that day, super glad we did this as only way to get done as much as we did so would definitely recommend when crowds are high/shorter trip with not a ton of MK park days
Detail
We took the bus over from Caribbean Beach and got there about 7:15 - we went over to the area and it wasn't really clear which line we needed to be on (which was for this vs for early dining reservations) so had to ask a few people to get to the correct line. Then we got checked in, but they didn't specifically say we then had to get on another line to get our bracelet before lining up to get in, but we figured it out and were in line to get into the park at 7:27 (not a huge deal, just a few signs or CMs directing people would have helped)
We then had a few issues (our end, not Disney's fault) as my son announced he needed to go to the bathroom - but there is none in that area and we would have had to go all the way back out and to the other end on the entrance to go by guest services and recheck in and stuff and just concern about timing of all that - so he said he could wait until we were let in and use the ones near City Hall. Also at this point, my youngest flipped out a bit as she refused to wear the bracelet saying it bothered her (and she actually slipped her hand out of the bracelet), but CMs informed us she needed to wear it. (this is the first time something like this has happened with her - she is totally fine with magic bands, so not sure what it was about this bracelet that set her off). So once the park opened I took my son to the bathroom and then we spent the next 10+ minutes trying to calm my daughter down/think up some way around this. We finally calmed her down and were able to get towards Fantasyland where there was a line of people to get into the area as some people didn't pick up their bracelets so were just checking in there and that held up the line of everyone else who had already gotten their bracelets. ... so between all of this, it was already 8 by the time we got into Fantasyland. So not the most productive first 5th of our time ... things then greatly improved
Part of what got my daughter calmer was agreeing to ride the carousel first. So we did that with no wait (although they were waiting a bit to let more people come to ride so still felt like not the best use of our time to just be sitting on a non-moving carousel, but whatever). We got to ride and everyone had fun. We did see some of the Cinderella characters out (the mice, the stepsisters, and the fairy Godmother) but no one else in my family had any interest in meeting them so we didn't. I did notice at least once a CM was very active in telling people that no lines could be formed to wait to meet the characters, they were just roaming and set for just quick interactions, not formal meets
After the carousel we rode Peter Pan with like a 2 min wait which was great! then we went over to Mine Train and the wait said 20 mins, we waited about 17. Once off we saw the wait time down to 15 mins we rode again and only waited like 10. We then rode Winnie the Pooh, and then the Tea Cups and then got in the area to line up to "rope drop" into Tomorrowland to ride Space Mountain. They held us there and then finally at 9am let us walk slowly behind them and then another CM held us for a little more while people form the main entrance came over and we got merged in with them - actually flet like the main entrance folks got a bit ahead of us which was a bit annoying (wasn't expecting a huge headstart or anything, but at least to be even) and then was like a mob to get filed into the entrance, but in the end we got on Space Mountain and were off by 9:25 so really can't complain. (also had another issue her in that my wife's cell phone fell our of her pocket
We then went to Cosmic Ray's for breakfast and the organization there was not great at all. Huge lines waiting for the hot food which was being served to you at the counters, took way too long, they ran out of coffee (and even if we had gotten any only had the little creamers) and like 1/2 the CMs were over by the coffee (I guess trying to figure out how to get more?) rather than dealing with guests. Once we got food it was hot and was plenty of it and decent tasting, just the organization made everything very inefficient. The "fixin bars" were set up with cold foods - meats and cheeses and fruits and they also had oatmeal - but they only had plates, no bowls, so not sure how one was to eat the oatmeal. They can pastries out along the sides and they all had Cinderella embellishments was a nice touch and they were all pretty fresh and good tasting.
I know I might be giving an overall negative take on breakfast, but honestly "what" was available was all pretty solid for an included meal and plenty of options, etc. - just the organization was not good at all and they need to rethink this
Overall I am really glad we decided to do this. The crowds that day were crazy - 55 mins for Small World, constantly 40+ for people mover, etc. - (was the end of a holiday week and I am sure the fact Splash was down for refurb and then Pirates was down most of the day just due to issues I am sure didn't help) and just feel without this we would have gotten very little done. During the day we did use our three FPs (Big Thunder - which was carrying 130min waits at times), Haunted Mansion, and Jungle Cruise, and then also did Tiki Room and met Mickey. Later we we split up as my wife and our youngest did Carousel again (and then People Mover) while I took the older to to do Underthe Seat that had a posted 20 min wait but CM said that was incorrect and was actually 45 mins, so decided to do Dumbo which said 25 mins and CMs assured us that was correct - but it wound up taking us 50 mins! and that is it until fireworks. (we did take a mid day break which we might not have if we didn't do EMM).
So in someways a negative that it almost felt paying for an extra event was necessary, but we did this instead of adding on more days and/or having park hoppers and I think for us the trade off was worth it and, especially if going duirng a extra busy time, we would do again.
Let me know of any questions/more details you want.
