Struggling with MK FP+ choices

[fizzymint]

Hi all!

It's coming up on our 60 days, but I'm stumped on what to do for our Magic Kingdom fast passes. We aren't coaster people, so the only two "exciting" rides we're doing are Space Mountain (for the darkness novelty) and Splash Mountain, but we do plan to do pretty much everything else we can.

It's our only day in MK, so we plan to get there at rope drop and stay the whole day. Peter Pan's Flight will be closed, so I'm not super sure what we should focus on -- whether we should get early fast passes and try for refresh, whether to absolutely secure fast passes to Space and Splash Mountain later in the day, or what?

Haunted Mansion is my favorite ride so I was considering getting one to that even though it's not one of the longest lines typically, but I could really use some advice from the experts! I've been so excited about this trip and have everything else pretty well planned out, but MK is stumping me!

Thanks for any help!

 

[gatorlisa]

If you are going to be there at rope drop, then I would recommend riding stand-by for the first couple of hours, with your fastpasses beginning around 11 or 12. You can usually ride with very short waits for the first couple of hours the park is open. I would recommend fastpasses for Splash and Space if you want to do both of those. If Peter Pan is closed and you aren't really interested in Thunder or Seven Dwarfs, then it doesn't really matter what you use for your third. Most everything else should be available as a 4+ fastpass during the afternoon. If Haunted Mansion is your favorite, I would book the third one there, to make sure you get at least one ride in with limited wait (it's also one of my favorites and I usually have a FP for it).

 

[BrianL]

Well, firstly, don't worry too much about it. MK is the easiest park to pick FastPasses for as there are so many options. If you are not coaster people, but you are doing Space Mountain, honestly I don't see why you wouldn't do Big Thunder, or actually 7 Dwarfs Mine Train. The latter is a very smooth and mild coaster with a very cool dark ride scene int he middle and a smaller one at the end. It's certainly less rough than Space, which is probably the roughest and most intense coaster at MK.

Haunted Mansion can certianly get long lines. I'd probably FP it but also ride it again using standby. That way you can see the cemetery as well. It's not a bad choice for a FP, that's for sure.

Jungle Cruise is one that gets long lines, as does Pirates sometimes, though Pirates moves quickly. These are solid choices too.

Have fun!

 

[fizzymint]

We were planning on Space Mountain for the darkness element, but if Seven Dwarfs has some cool dark ride moments and is much smoother, then I can probably convince the party to switch! Do you think it’s the least motion sickness inducing of the coasters?

Thank both of you for the help! I was thinking of scheduling early so we could use them up quickly and try to get new ones throughout the day, but I think I will aim for afternoon instead.

 

[BrianL]

We were planning on Space Mountain for the darkness element, but if Seven Dwarfs has some cool dark ride moments and is much smoother, then I can probably convince the party to switch! Do you think it’s the least motion sickness inducing of the coasters?

Thank both of you for the help! I was thinking of scheduling early so we could use them up quickly and try to get new ones throughout the day, but I think I will aim for afternoon instead.

7DMT is relatively mild, certainly compared to teh very rough Space Mountain. It takes very smooth banked corners, and then comes to a slow lift sequence with animatronics. It's short, but pretty. Then there is more coaster, but it really is smooth. Probably a step up from Barnstormer, and down from Big Thunder.

Space jerks you around a lot. While it's not that fast, you cannot prepare for the turns and sudden drops. Motionsickness kind of varies from person to perrson, but 7DMT is generally considered less intense.

 

[Ben E N]

Well, firstly, don't worry too much about it. MK is the easiest park to pick FastPasses for as there are so many options. If you are not coaster people, but you are doing Space Mountain, honestly I don't see why you wouldn't do Big Thunder, or actually 7 Dwarfs Mine Train. The latter is a very smooth and mild coaster with a very cool dark ride scene int he middle and a smaller one at the end. It's certainly less rough than Space, which is probably the roughest and most intense coaster at MK.

Haunted Mansion can certianly get long lines. I'd probably FP it but also ride it again using standby. That way you can see the cemetery as well. It's not a bad choice for a FP, that's for sure.

Jungle Cruise is one that gets long lines, as does Pirates sometimes, though Pirates moves quickly. These are solid choices too.

Have fun!

These are all great calls. I was thinking the same thing. I would hope for Jungle Cruise as a 4th, evening, fastpass. I have generally had fine luck getting it as a 4th one when booking it around 2 pm, and with the OP going in mid-January, I would expect them to have an easier time than I do with my summer trips.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Make it easy on yourself when booking FPs to keep them central to lands that are close to each other. I plan on visiting Fantasyland and Tomorrowland one day and then Frontierland, Adventureland, and Liberty Square on our second visit to MK so our FPs will be done accordingly. It stops you from having to go clear across the park. Having a FP at Buzz Lightyear and then having to walk all the way over to Haunted Mansion and then back to say It's a Small World, can be tiring. Keeping them close together makes it so much easier to get from one FP to the next! Good luck and have a blast!

 

[fizzymint]

Make it easy on yourself when booking FPs to keep them central to lands that are close to each other.

I hadn't thought about that! Ok, based on all the great advice, I think I'm going to try to snag 7 Dwarfs, Splash, and Haunted Mansion, afternoonish.

Thanks for the help, all!

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I hadn't thought about that! Ok, based on all the great advice, I think I'm going to try to snag 7 Dwarfs, Splash, and Haunted Mansion, afternoonish.

Thanks for the help, all!

Splash and Haunted Mansion are fairly close to each other in Adventureland and Liberty Square. 7 Dwarfs is in Fantasyland of course. Book that one first or last to keep your travel time across the park easy. Have fun!

 

[Ben E N]

Splash and Haunted Mansion are fairly close to each other in Adventureland and Liberty Square. 7 Dwarfs is in Fantasyland of course. Book that one first or last to keep your travel time across the park easy. Have fun!

Considering you have at least an hour between FPs, I wouldn't stress too much about the exact order. Yes, tomorrowland to adventureland can be a bit of a walk, but with fantasyland being pretty central, there is little stress getting from there to anywhere else in an hour's time.
I would book mine train as the earliest FP, though, because the fantasyland rides have short lines early in the day, but they build quickly. A plan centered around either doing the tomorrowland or fantasyland rides without FPs first, followed by mine train, and then the other rides would give you the most bang for your buck.

 

[LSUfan4444]

If you're going to be at MK for rope drop, only have one day and plan to be there a while I'd say to schedule your FP+ fairly early but be strategic about how you schedule them.

For example. I'd definitely schedule one of your FP for Mine Train so I'd do something like

RD - One of the princess meet & greets (if thats in your plan)
if not
RD - Space Mnt
Standby - Buzz
FP (9-10) - Speedway
Meet Merida
FP (10-11) Pooh
Standby - Enchanted Tales with Belle
FP (11-12) Mine Train - start scanning your next FP as soon as you tap for Mine Train and look to schedule Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Thunder or Splash and let them dictate which land you go to next.

 

[Ben E N]

FP (9-10) - Speedway

As of 1/2/19, speedway will be going away for a long, long time

 

[Randomsoulshine]

I hadn't thought about that! Ok, based on all the great advice, I think I'm going to try to snag 7 Dwarfs, Splash, and Haunted Mansion, afternoonish.

Thanks for the help, all!

When we go in June we are fast passing Splash, Thunder Mountain, and Haunted Mansion. If you choose to ride Space here’s a tip that really works. Use one hand to hold handle bar that comes between legs. Use the other hand to press down slightly on the top of your head. I know this sounds crazy but our Space Mountain doesn’t have a head rest to lean back on and it really helps to stabaize. It makes a jerky coaster much more doable especially if you aren’t huge coaster people. It really is a fun ride. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[LSUfan4444]

As of 1/2/19, speedway will be going away for a long, long time

Totally missed that shes going in January...which is why she needs help with her FP+ LOL.

Swap speedway for Pooh and swap Pooh for a meet & greet...I'd still stick with the strategy of early FP+ in one area of the park then scanning ASAP for the third FP+, seeing whats left and letting that dictate what land you head to next.

 

[fizzymint]

If you choose to ride Space here’s a tip that really works. Use one hand to hold handle bar that comes between legs. Use the other hand to press down slightly on the top of your head. I know this sounds crazy but our Space Mountain doesn’t have a head rest to lean back on and it really helps to stabaize. It makes a jerky coaster much more doable especially if you aren’t huge coaster people.

You have no idea how much I appreciate this tip!! Thanks! (I have a big problem with motion sickness but force myself to go on the ones that aren't TOO bad anyway. It's usually spinning/coasters that go around in circles that get me.)

I would book mine train as the earliest FP, though, because the fantasyland rides have short lines early in the day, but they build quickly. A plan centered around either doing the tomorrowland or fantasyland rides without FPs first, followed by mine train, and then the other rides would give you the most bang for your buck.

Perfect, thanks! I think this is what we're going to end up doing. I have so much more clarity after this thread!