Walt Disney World Questions?

stewie15 · Post by **stewie15** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 6:43 pm

So i am heading out to Florida on the 7th of august (2 day drive WOOT WOOT) and will be in Orlando from the 17th to 21st and will be going to Walt Disney World for 2 days. I have been to WDW many times before but this is the last time i will be going for a while and want to make it a great trip. So instead of waiting and trying to figure out when i get i have decided to ask questions now.

1) How long would i have wait outside of the theater to get a good seat for fantasmic and would it be playing everyday that i am in Orlando or only on certain days?

2) i want to get as many pictures with as many characters as possible. And not just the princesses and mickey i am talking about everyone. villains, princes (ex Philip, eric and beast), Renaissance characters (ex Hunchback Hercules), Walt era characters (ex Pinocchio) and dark age characters (ex. robin hood). So basically everyone! So what i am asking is who can i get pictures with and where can i find them.

3) My family is going for 2 days to Magic Kingdom and Disney studios with no park hoppers. I was thinking about buying myself a pass to animal kingdom with my money. Is it worth it?

I also want any tricks that you guys know and any ride/show suggestions.

Thanks

blackcauldron85 · Post by **blackcauldron85** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:07 pm

1. Yes, Fantasmic plays every day- sometimes twice in one day. My advice is if there are two shows, go to the later show, since it will be less crowded. Be prepared to be at the theater an hour before showtime.

2. Main Street, U.S.A., at Magic Kingdom has a variety of characters throughout the day- they vary, but characters from Robin Hood and Pinocchio are common. In Tomorrowland you can meet Buzz Lightyear and sometimes Pluto (in a space suit), maybe Goofy and Chip & Dale, too, and Stitch. In Adventureland you can meet characters from Aladdin. You can sometimes meet Woody, Jessie, & Bullseye in Frontierland. Definitely grab a times guide for each park you go to when you get to the park, because it'll have meeting times.
At Hollywood Studios, you can meet Chip & Dale, Lilo & Stitch, and other assorted characters (like Daisy, Donald, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto), you can meet Mickey, you can meet Woody & Buzz...We once met Meg & Phil from Hercules at MGM...always be on the lookout for the characters, because sometimes you'll find some rarer characters.

Character meals are a great way to meet characters. If you don't already have reservations, though, it may be kind of difficult, but you could call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463) and see if you can get reservations. At Magic Kingdom, the character meals are the Princess breakfast at the castle and Pooh & friends (for all meals) at Crystal Palace. Hollywood Studios has a Little Einsteins/Playhouse Disney breakfast.

3. I think that all 4 parks are worth the money. What would your family be doing when you go to Animal Kingdom? Would you want to spend the majority of a day there? It's really up to you...I think that it's a great park, and many people say that it's not an all-day park- that you can do pretty much everything in under a day. What are you interested in? Mostly the animals, or in the rides? It's about $77 for a single-day pass to a park, so definitely decide if it'll be worth it to spend time away from your family for the day. If you're okay with spending that much money and being away from your family, then I'd say go to Animal Kingdom, because it's awesome. If you want to meet characters there, you can meet Timon & Rafiki, Koda & Kenai, Mickey & the gang, Pooh & friends...

4. Use FastPass! It is your friend! FYI- you can go to an attraction later than your designated time, but not before. Go to www.mousesavers.com- they might have some tricks for you and money-saving options. Go to WDWinfo.com to check how many times Fantasmic will be playing when you're here (my husband just said this).

Any more questions, ask!

PeterPanfan · Post by **PeterPanfan** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:36 pm

1) It plays everyday, and I would get to the seats 30 to 45 minutes before the show starts.

2) Hmm. I'm going to tell you know that you are not going to be able to see every character. Do NOT make the mistake of wasting your whole trip hunting for them. It's not worth missing the rides/shows/parades.

3) Expedition Everest, Circle of Life, Dinosar, and Finding Nemo are pretty much the only worth-while attractions there. Go to Epcot.

Have fun and take lots of pictures!!

David S. · Post by **David S.** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:09 am

stewie15 wrote: 1) How long would i have wait outside of the theater to get a good seat for fantasmic and would it be playing everyday that i am in Orlando or only on certain days?

According to the hours currently listed on the official wdw site here, http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/ca ... e=20080801

Fantasmic! is not only playing every night, but is scheduled for 2 performances on the 3 nights during your stay that the park is open until 10 PM, with shows at 9 and 10:30 PM each night (click on the date for Fantasmic! showtimes)

The 10:30 is no misprint; they can't start the first show until 9 because it's not dark enough at 8:30 this time of year, and they need at least 90 minutes between start times. So even though you will not be able to get in line for any rides after 10, no one will attempt to make anyone leave the park at 10 and in fact you can usually walk right into the second show at a few minutes before it starts and get a better seat than you would have getting to the first show 30 minutes early.

For this reason, I always recommend the second show (which rarely fills up) on nights when they have two shows, because if they consider it crowded enough to have 2 shows, then it's all but a given that the first show will fill up before it starts, and be at "standing room only" even sooner.

There are only 2 scenarios in which I would recommend seeing the first show, on a night in which there are 2.

a) if they are expecting it to have lightning and/or heavy rain during the time the second show is scheduled, and the weather is great for the first show, then the first show may be the best bet. There is the possibility the second show could be canceled and/or modified to the HEAVILY shortened "inclement weather version". Guest relations at the front of any WDW theme park can go to weather.com and get the latest hour by hour forcast for Orlando, with chance of rain/thunderstorms for each hour.

b) If you have already seen everything you want to see at the Studios before the first show starts, and you have plans to do anything after you leave the park (such as park hop to another park, shop at Downtown Disney, etc), then it may be best to see the first show as you would be leaving the park earlier this way. This would also give you the option to see the show twice, if you were inclined to.

But, if the weather looks good for the second show, and you have NOT seen and done everything you wanted at the Studios that day at the time you would need to go get your seat for the first show, than I STRONGLY recommend the second show, if you are there on a day with 2 shows.

For me personally, I like riding rides/seeing attractions up until 10, then heading over to Fantasmic for the second show (if it looks like weather won't be an issue).

From 8 PM all the way until 10, everything will have shorter lines while most park guests are already seating/watching the first show. And then the time you spend watching the show itself will be on the park's time and not take away attraction time, because nothing else in the park is even open during the second show. For instance, Star Tours and Muppet Vision are usually walk-ons during the first show, Great Movie Ride will have a shorter line than in the peak of the day, and even if RnR Coaster and Tower of Terror still have lines, by then I've hoarded up some extra fastpasses all day long and can walk on both of those before heading into that second Fantasmic! show.

The more hours you can devote to the attractions, the more likely your chances of being able to do ALL of them (and it can be tricky seeing ALL the shows in the same day, as you have to make sure all the times line up - as things like Beauty and the Beast, Indy, Lights Motors Action, and Playhouse Disney only run at select times each day. Be sure to pick up a Times Guide as soon as you enter each park!).

Also, if you are inclined to savor things like the large, excellent, Walt Disney: One Man's Dream exhibit and not merely rush through it due to time constraints, every extra minute helps.

I also recommend this strategy for Spectromagic in the MK on any night it is scheduled for 2 performances - weather permitting of course. Rather than lose so much attraction time by having to get a good spot for the first parade, you can usually get an awesome spot for the second in Frontierland right as the parade is approaching. It's MUCH more intimate and special, as the characters are MUCH more likely to come over and say "hi", then when you're packed into a huge crowd like sardines which usually seems to be the case during the first parade.

It is not uncommon for me to have a whole block almost to myself near the CBJ during the second parade, especially when it steps off at park closing time (as opposed to one hour before)

Also, Adventureland is usually practically deserted during the first Spectro, with even Pirates, Magic Carpets and Jungle Cruise often total walk-ons!

2) i want to get as many pictures with as many characters as possible. And not just the princesses and mickey i am talking about everyone. villains, princes (ex Philip, eric and beast), Renaissance characters (ex Hunchback Hercules), Walt era characters (ex Pinocchio) and dark age characters (ex. robin hood). So basically everyone! So what i am asking is who can i get pictures with and where can i find them.

My best advice here is to pick up a Times Guide as soon as you enter each park. These list the updated park hours for that day, show times for shows and attractions that run only at scheduled times, times that attractions are open if those hours are shorter than park hours (some open late and/or close early), parade and firework hours, restaurant hours, and most importantly for your question, the hours scheduled for the various character meet and greet locations at that park.

However, there are still some character locations not always listed on the times guides. For instance, the Three Caballeros can sometimes be found at Mexico at Epcot (or at least Donald in his Caballeros costume) yet this isn't always listed on the guides.

Also, there are some greetings that appear to be somewhat spontaneous and unscheduled. In the Magic Kingdom's Toontown, I often see some of the more alleged "obscure" characters randomly appear in a little pathway between the train station and the exit of Mickey's Judge's Tent (such as, the Penguins from Mary Poppins, Marie, Sheriff of Nottingham, Prince John, Gideon, Foulfellow, even Gepetto, Pinocchio, Baloo, and King Louie!)

Therefore, since you seem to be interested in meeting as many characters as possible, in addition to the Times Guides listings, it would not hurt to ask one of the cast members you see "escorting" the various characters throught the park for any additional locations happening that day not listed on the Times Guide. When you find yourself in Toontown keep an eye open for that little alleyway/path between the train tracks and the Judge's tent, but I wouldn't wait around all day at that location without asking a character CM because it doesn't always happen there...

3) My family is going for 2 days to Magic Kingdom and Disney studios with no park hoppers. I was thinking about buying myself a pass to animal kingdom with my money. Is it worth it?

If your taste is like mine and enjoy animals I would definetely say yes, especially if you mean going on a third day. If you try to cram it into a half day at the expense of half a day at one of your other two parks, you won't get to see and do everything that each park you'd be doing that day has to offer.

On the other hand, if you've been to the MK and Studios before and it isn't a high priority to do everything in those parks this trip, and don't mind only doing a half day at AK, than go for it! But ideally, each park deserves at the very least, a full day's attention.

AK has a unique combination of Disney style entertainment like Tough To Be A Bug, Dinosaur, and Everest, with rides, shows, and exhibits featuring live animals. The Safari is absolutely AMAZING, the best ride of it's kind I've ever experienced. There are a lot of self guided animal trails/exhibits, that are beautifully done, where the more time you put into them, the more you will get out of them (Oasis, Tree Of Life/Discovery Island Trails, Paganini Forest Trails, Maharajah Jungle Trek, Conservation Station, Affection Section)

Of the shows, they are all well done. Two are Broadway style (Lion King and Nemo) with singing and dancing. Pocahontas has the Colors of the Wind song but prominantly features live animals, as does the excellent Flights Of Wonder bird show. I'm a huge fan of both these shows, and unfortunately Poca will be closing forever in September.

AK is a beautiful park, certainly my favorite zoological park I've ever visited. But with its dose of "Disney magic" sprinkled into the mix, it really is more than just a zoo.

It's actually my third favorite of the 4, on a good day challenging Epcot for #2 (MK is my fave).

The only negative thing I can think of is that as most attractions are outdoors, it's the hottest of the 4, and also the worst to be in on a rainy day. On a day when the weather is to my taste, the AK experience is quite sublime as I love being outdoors, seeing animals, and I also love the lush vegatation and atmosphere of this park. I'm a big fan of it's background music loops, too, particularly in Asia, Discovery Island, Oasis, and Africa.

In an ideal scenario, I would recommend a day for each park, especially if you want to make the most of this trip as you say and have apparently never been to AK before. If you will be in Orlando 4 days and can get the money in your trip budget before you leave, I would STRONGLY recommend getting a 4 day ticket and seeing Epcot as well, especially since you say you won't be back for awhile.

Also, if you can get the park hopper, what I like about park hopping is even if you do a full day at each park, you can still park hop to another park if your park that you did that day closes earlier. For instance, AK is always the first park to close, so when I go there, I like park hopping to the MK after AK closes, as MK is usually the last to close (although in slower seasons when MK closes at 8, Epcot is, since Epcot has a fixed 9 PM close)

If you do pay for an extra day so you can go to AK, it would of course be cheaper to add this to your 2 day ticket (so you would in effect be buying a 3 day ticket) as I'm pretty sure it's cheaper that way than paying for a single day ticket seperately. I am not sure if you can add days to the 2 day ticket at the cheaper rate after you buy it, or if you would have to know up front that you would be going the third day. But I do know they advertise that the price gets cheaper per day the more days you buy, so there is a way you could do the AK without paying the single day ticket price, quoted above at 77 bucks!

I also want any tricks that you guys know and any ride/show suggestions.

Well, a lot of my "tricks" as far as various one-day touring plans for each park, based on hundreds of visits, can be complicated and is a lot of info to take in at once, and a lot of that would vary based on the individual's taste in attractions and pace the person likes to go at anyway. So I'll try to stick with the basics.

a) As blackcauldron85 so eloquently stated, Fastpass is your BEST friend! I cannot stress this enough, especially since your time there will be limited. If your goal is to see and do as much as possibile, every minute you theoretically spend waiting in, for example, a 100 minute standby line for Splash Mountain, is a minute wasted that you could be doing other things that don't have Fastpass. Such as: other attractions, shows, meeting characters, eating lunch, etc. If you get a fastpass for Splash (or anything), depending on the length of the Fastpass queue, you're usually on the attraction in 15 minutes or less, and often walk right on!

b) IF you can handle long hours, I recommend being at the parks before they open and staying until they close. With just one day alloted for each park you'll be visiting, TIME is going to be your biggest obstacle that could prevent you from seeing and doing everything you want, and showing up at 11 AM would hurt the cause even more.

The first couple hours each day, and the last few each night, are the most EMPTY at the parks (and this is especially true for the first and last hour).

The middle of the day will be the most crowded.

You can walk right onto things during those times that have HUGE waits in the middle of the day, so by missing the first or last hour, a person is, in essence, actually missing more than an hours worth of attractions. For instance, if I am at the Kingdom before the gates open and go straight to Fantasyland, starting with Dumbo and then hitting the dark rides next, it usually takes me somewhere between 70 and 90 minutes to finish all 8 attractions in that ENTIRE section, going at a leisurely pace!

The same is true for whatever section you start with - if you start with Tomorrowland, Space Mountain, Astro Orbiter, and Speedway are good ones to knock out early, as those build long lines and in the case of the later two, do not offer Fastpass.

Likewise, if you start on the western side of the park (Frontierland/Liberty Square/Adventureland) you can get a lot of rides in on BTMRR and Splash before the lines build, and by hitting Pirates and Mansion early, you can avoid midday lines on those two as they don't offer Fastpass.

Also, the earlier you get there, the sooner you can start collecting Fastpasses while they still have SHORT return times. You can get your next Fastpass after the first return time arrives, or at 2 hours after you got your last fastpass (one hour at AK), which ever comes first. So the earlier you get there, the better chance you will have of getting to do everything - if you get there late, you might not even be able to get a Fastpass for everything as there is only a limited allotment of FPs for each FP attraction. If any attraction ran out before you could get it's FP, you would have no choice but to use the standby line for that attraction.

Like blackcauldron85 mentioned, even though the Fastpasses have a first time and a second time printed on them and give the appearance that you must use them in the hour between those two times, in actuality, it is only the first time that matters - you can't use it early, but they are accepted ANY TIME between the first time and that attraction's closing time!

For example, in my Fantasyland example above, I may start with Dumbo and then do Peter Pan's Flight, which is still a walk-on 15 minites into the day. So I ride it as a walk-on but often still get a Fastpass anyway, NOT to come back between 10 and 11 AM or whatever time it says, but to save it for later that night when I am doing "encores" in Fantasyland and the standby line is 60 minutes or so, and I can use that FP to walk right on it!

(Maybe one time out of 200, a cast member will be new and try to not accept the fastpass "late" because they are misinformed - in the unlikely even that would happen, just politely tell them you know for a fact that it is accepted until the attraction closes on the date issued, and ask to see another CM or coordinator if there is still a problem - you WILL get your ride!)

In my experience, Space Mountain is usually the attraction where the FP return time gets longest the fastest, so if you want to ride it a lot I suggest hitting it early, especially since it tends to go down a lot. Naturally, if you hit it right when the gates open, you can usually ride it multiple times in a row without having to use Fastpass, and of course can still get Fastpasses for it anyway to come back for more later.

Fastpasses are offered at the following MK attractions:

Peter Pan's Flight
Winnie the Pooh
Mickey's Philharmagic
Space Mountain
Buzz Lightyear
Jungle Cruise
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Splash Mountain

When I was last there in April, they were also available at Stitch, but rarely needed - I think I read talk of them being discontinued for this attraction but I can't remember for sure.

MK attractions that can build a long line during the day and DON'T have Fastpass:

Dumbo
Snow White
Teacups
Small World
Barnstormer
Mickey's House/Meet Mickey
Minnie's House
Toontown Hall Of Fame Tent (character greeting)
Speedway
Astro Orbiter
Pirates
Haunted Mansion
Magic Carpets

Attractions that are usually a walk-on, short wait, or in the case of a show, you usually get in the next one that starts, even in the middle of a crowded day:

Tiki Room
Treehouse
Tom Sawyer Island
Country Bear Jamboree
Riverboat
Hall Of Presidents
Donald's Boat
Tomorrowland Transit Authority
Carousel Of Progress
WDW Railroad

Keep in mind that the Main Street Vehicles don't publish their hours in the Times Guide, but are usually off the street by noon, with the horse car often finished even earlier, such as 11 AM or sometimes even earlier!

The Omnibus, Fire Truck, or Jitneys will, on some days, occasionally come out again in the late afternoon, but NEVER the horse cars.

Another advantage of being at the park early is you get to see the Welcome Show at each park. Just walk as far into the park as possible before the posted opening time. When you come to the rope, this is where the show will take place. The MK show is in front of the train station, and is my fave of the 4 welcome shows, followed by AK.

c) If you will be staying on resort property, I recommend participating in the extra magic hours program, which is exclusively for resort guests and of no extra charge for them. Each day of the week, one of the four parks either opens one hour early or closes 3 hours later than the posted opening or closing time, with select attractions operating. This is a way to extend your time in the parks and not have to push as hard during the day. The schedules are available on the official website and also available at each park's Guest Relations. Each park usually has at least one early entry day and one after hours day per week - sometimes more during peak seasons.

On the flip side, if you are NOT a resort guest and if it is high priority for you to feel like you "have the park to yourself" with a bunch of walk-ons the first hour, you might want to avoid the parks on their early entry day, UNLESS that day turns out to be the best day to be in that park for OTHER reasons (such as a later closing time, extra Spectro/Fantasmic shows, etc)

d) if going from open to close would be too taxing and stressful, just take your time and enjoy what you see at your own pace to the fullest. I often visit the parks by myself so I am used to going at a fast pace, but when family members and friends come to visit me, I enjoy slowing down as sharing the magic with them and making memories is more important for me that cramming in every last attraction. Of course, in those instances, I do try to help them see as much as possible at a pace they are comfortable with, because they are on vacation while I am a seasonal resident.

The most important thing is to have fun!

Have a nice trip, and if you have any other questions before you leave, don't hesitate to ask!

Jeffel · Post by **Jeffel** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:55 am

I saw a load of 'rare' characters when I was at Hollywood studios. They all just turned up out of nowhere in the central bit, near the hat, at about 3pm.

Oh, and you know in Epcot there's that thing where you can queue up for an hour to see Mickey, Goofy, Pluto etc with the professional photographers? Well if you go right round to the exit and enter the building you an find some people milling about (e.g. Belle) and there's no queue at all as it wasn't mentioned in the times guide.

David S. · Post by **David S.** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 5:02 pm

Thanks for the info, Jeffel!

I'm a big fan of those sort of random, unannounced character appearances because they are a spontaneous surprise, and also because the lines are short!

Another place I've seen this occasionally is the little alley between Italy and American Adventure at Epcot. I got to meet a lot of "rare" characters like the Country Bears there, and also the "Fab 5" with little or no wait!

Another fun place to see the Country Bears (and also Brer Rabbit and Brer Bear) is the Frontierland Hoedown show at the MK, which is never listed on the times guide, but sometimes (but not always) takes place in the afternoon, on the main Frontierland street. The characters interact with guests watching the show, although they don't have a line for autographs and photos afterward.

One time Liverlips McGrowl spent about two minutes tossing his dishpan back and forth to me like a frisbee and it was the highlight of my day!

stewie15 · Post by **stewie15** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:04 pm

WOW thanks everyone!!!! You all have been such help to me. I have a lot of time on my hands before my trip and am now planing to write a guide with all your info on it. I cant even express how great full i am to you guys. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

Kram Nebuer · Post by **Kram Nebuer** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:00 pm

David S. wrote:From 8 PM all the way until 10, everything will have shorter lines while most park guests are already seating/watching the first show. And then the time you spend watching the show itself will be on the park's time and not take away attraction time, because nothing else in the park is even open during the second show. For instance, Star Tours and Muppet Vision are usually walk-ons during the first show, Great Movie Ride will have a shorter line than in the peak of the day, and even if RnR Coaster and Tower of Terror still have lines, by then I've hoarded up some extra fastpasses all day long and can walk on both of those before heading into that second Fantasmic! show.

...

Also, if you can get the park hopper, what I like about park hopping is even if you do a full day at each park, you can still park hop to another park if your park that you did that day closes earlier. For instance, AK is always the first park to close, so when I go there, I like park hopping to the MK after AK closes, as MK is usually the last to close (although in slower seasons when MK closes at 8, Epcot is, since Epcot has a fixed 9 PM close)

Wow, that was a terrific guide, David S.! You certainly are an expert in Disney theme parking!

I just wanted to quote David because everything he said was true, as we just experienced the delights of his tips a few weeks ago. First of all, if weather permits, DEFINITELY see the SECOND showing of Fantasmic. It is A WHOLE LOT less crowded (the end sections aren't even filled up at all and cast members purposely direct you away from them) and you don't need to get there super early for a good seat. As he said, its better to come late because you get a seat more towards the top. We've found the first few rows of the theatre aren't the best for this kind of show.

We knew we wanted to wait for the second show to see more attractions during the first show and it was a very wise idea. The line for Toy Story Midway Mania (a terrific and incredibly fun new attraction!) had been 80 minutes the whole evening (probably more earlier in the day) and since we waited until Fantasmic started, the line ended up being only about 20 minutes! After that, we needed to be in the Fantasmic area around 10 pm to get in line for the show, so we went straight to Tower of Terror and got right into the pre-show and spent probably about 5 minutes in the line at the loading area.

Also, if you have a couple of bucks for another ticket or another park, I'd recommend spending it on upgrading your park tickets to hoppers. Since you've been to Disney before, I feel it's not necessary to limit yourself to one park each day. You can just do your favorites for whatever your family chooses and leave the okay/clunker attractions for a later trip when they'll be more exciting simply because it's been quite some time since you've experienced it. On our last trip, we originally only had one day in Disney World (I had one day left on an old park hopper and my brother and sister had free tickets from when they worked at Disney) and we tried to cram all the parks in one day. I do not recommend this as you'll find a large chunk of your time is devoted to traveling rather than waiting or line or experiencing attractions. We ended up getting tickets for a second day and having another fun day of hopping!

Another tip about park hopping: Try and be a little creative. Unless you're set on doing a whole lot of park attractions, try seeing other sides of Disney by choosing different parts of the world to travel to. Consider what resorts are connected to the parks. For example, we were park hopping from Animal Kingdom to Epcot and rather than taking a bus right to Epcot, we took one to the Yacht and Beach Club resort. The ride was a little longer since it stops also at the Boardwalk Resort and Swan and Dolphin, but we got off and took a nice stroll through the resort and walked to the World Showcase entrance of Epcot. We got a look at one of the Deluxe Resorts and got right into World Showcase. You can also use this as an opportunity to dine at other places other than the park restaurants.

Also, some creative park hopping can also lead to time saving. On my senior trip, we were told to go to Epcot after Animal Kingdom by a certain time. My school brought 800 students, so the line for the Epcot bus was HUGE. Luckily my friends and I got in line for the bus before everyone else decided to leave AK, but others weren't so lucky. Some other friends who were WDW theme parking veterans were smart enough to take the Yacht and Beach Club shuttle and walked to Epcot rather than waiting in the long line.

I hope you have lots of fun on your trip! It's so exciting to just be there that you sometimes feel like you're not really there and then you don't fully appreciate it until you're back at home...reflecting back on your journey to others. Have lots of fun and whatever you decide to do, make sure you enjoy every minute of it!

David S. · Post by **David S.** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 1:34 am

Kram Nebuer wrote:
Wow, that was a terrific guide, David S.! You certainly are an expert in Disney theme parking!

Kram,

Thanks for the kind words! I don't really consider myself an "expert" because I still have much to learn! I know almost nothing, for instance, about the table service restaurants, because I'm not really a "foodie", and have not explored most of the resorts except the ones on the monorail loop near the MK and in the Epcot/Studios area serviced by the friendship boats.

Mainly I hang out at, and am into, the 4 parks, and, less often, the water parks, mini-golf courses, Disney Quest, AMC, Virgin Megastore, or Downtown Disney Marketplace (ie World Of Disney)

My biggest area of knowledge is the 4 parks and their attractions and design elements, and also how to do as many attractions as possible in the time you have, because I'm an attraction junkie! But even there, I am always experimenting and learning new things!

I just wanted to quote David because everything he said was true, as we just experienced the delights of his tips a few weeks ago. First of all, if weather permits, DEFINITELY see the SECOND showing of Fantasmic. It is A WHOLE LOT less crowded (the end sections aren't even filled up at all and cast members purposely direct you away from them) and you don't need to get there super early for a good seat. As he said, its better to come late because you get a seat more towards the top. We've found the first few rows of the theatre aren't the best for this kind of show.

Regarding Fantasmic - actually, I didn't mean to encourage people to arrive late, or a minute before it starts. Although I've been told it's EXTREMELY rare, and never seen it personally, I've been told by a CM that there is a slim chance the second show could fill or be standing room only, especially if there is evening magic hours going on that night during an extremely peak season. I just meant there would be more seats available a few minutes before the show starts, for the second show then there would be 30 minutes before the first show!

As for the CMs directing people away from the corner sections, I've seen that. However, in my experience, If you tell them you'd rather sit towards the bottom of an empty section to have an unobstructed view/lower seat, than be at the top of a middle section, they will let you - or they are supposed to, anyway. I like sitting about 10 rows up, in front of the left screen, if I get there right before the show starts and the middle sections are full.

Being an independent free spirit type, one of the things that took some getting used to compared to other park chains, is someone is always "guiding you" to a certain seat, etc.

However, I have found things that may appear on the surface to be "out of reach" are often quite easy to get. All you have to do is ask politely!

I am refering specifically to things like the front seat of the Disney coasters as well as dark rides like Pirates and IASW. The place to make this request is with the "grouper", who says "How many in your party?" and then would normally assign you a place to sit. They are encouraged to try to accomodate requests because, after all, it's good hospitality and your dime is the one paying for magical memories!

In fact, on Everest and RnR coaster, they even have a front row queue roped off near the grouper. The only way to get in this line is to ask to be placed there, but most people don't know it exists because it is not advertised with any signage.

stewie15 · Post by **stewie15** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:39 pm

I am happy to report that i am going to all 4 parks 2 of which i will be going all alone (unless you count pal Mickey). This is very exciting because i can do all the running around, pin trading and character searching i want. I also wont be missing much with my family. All they will be doing is sitting by the pool, watching Disney channel and shopping and i will have gotten enough of this the previous week. David S. the list you made of the MK attractions with/without fastpass was so great and was wondering if it wasn't too much trouble you could do it again with the other 3 parks. If you don't have time or have other things to do i completely understand. And once again if anyone has any more tips/tricks please let me know. Thanks a lot everyone with your help this is truing into the best trip to Disney i will ever have.

David S. · Post by **David S.** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 7:25 pm

Stewie,

I am happy for you that you will be going to all 4 parks and not missing anything with your family!

I will be happy to help.

EPCOT

Like Magic Kingdom, Epcot is a park where most of the attractions are continuous loaders. Basically, the only things that occur at a set time besides character greetings are Illuminations: Reflections On Earth, (the awesome fireworks finale at park closing time), the various live performers throughout World Showcase, and the Fish Feed, Dolphin, and Manatee presentations at the Seas pavilion. As always, get a times guide for more info (although the presentations inside the Seas are usually just listed on a sign on the second floor of the pavilion)

Keep in mind World Showcase will not open until 11 AM, and most of the Future World attractions will usually close at 7 PM, EXCEPT Spaceship Earth, Mission Space, Test Track, Soarin', and The Seas (ride), which usually close at 9. On extra magic hour nights, many additional Future World attractions stay open until 9, since they have to staff these after hours anyway. As always, check times guide the day you are in the park for accurate, up to date, info.

Epcot is a park with PLENTY of walking. All of the official "attractions" can be done in a day. However, there are a lot of self-guided exhibit areas, and live performers that, if one wanted to see and do ALL of this, would be difficult if not impossible to cram it all into a day. (more info on these features not listed as "attractions" below). I would sugest doing all the major stuff, and picking and choosing among the rest that which interests you the most. Enjoy what you do to the fullest, in the moment, rather than constantly worrying about time or trying to make it a "do everything" race against the clock.

As always, the best bet for doing as much of the park as possible is to be there before the gates open and staying until closing, if you have the energy to do full days!

Fastpass - less of an issue and less needed here than at MK, but with two HUGE exceptions - Soarin' and Test Track!

Soarin WILL run out of Fastpasses before the day is over, usually even on light attended days, and it is not uncommon for the standby line to reach lengths of 120 minutes or more!

For this reason, I recommend getting your Soarin Fastpass as soon as possibile! If you do it right when the park opens, you might be able to walk right on it, and if you want, get another FP for a second ride later.

(I should point out here that every attraction at all 4 parks has an electronic wait time posted at that attraction. These are electronically monitored and usually very accurate for most of the day. However, later at night, they often stop updating these as the lines get shorter, but the sign still has the longer wait time. For instance, in the MK, Big Thunder might say 45 minute wait right before closing but in actuality be less then 10! So, if you see a long wait time late at night, I recommend asking the CM outside the attraction if the sign is up to date, rather than be put off by the long listed wait time)

Anyway, back to the Epcot Fastpasses - the other attraction that may run out of FPs early (but usually not AS early as Soarin) is Test Track. Test Track also has a single riders queue as well as a Fastpass and standby queue. In the single riders queue, they will put you wherever the empty seat is, and will be (understandably) much less likely to honor a front seat request then they would in the standby or Fastpass line. This is, of course, only a concern if you have a seating preference. Note that if you are by youself, you do not HAVE to use the single rider line. The fastpass line is usually quickest, but the single is usually faster than standby. The single line helps CMs fill each seat that would have gone out empty otherwise, and, as tradeoff, guests without a FP get on the ride quicker than they would in standby. Also, parties can split up to ride as singles to save time, but they can not expect to ride together. They have to sit where the single empty seats are.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to get that Fastpass early for Soarin. On EXTREMELY crowded days, I've seen them run out before noon, although they usually last at least a little bit longer!

Here is a complete list of Epcot attractions featuring Fastpass:

Soarin
Test Track
Mission Space
Honey I Shrunk The Audience (usually not needed)
Living With The Land (usually only offered on very high attendence days)
Maelstrom (Norway - the only World Showcase attraction offering Fastpass)

Here is a list of Epcot attractions that do NOT offer Fastpass where the line may theoretically back up a bit during the peak of the day, but will usually go down late in the day:

Spaceship Earth
The Seas With Nemo and Friends (ride)
Living With the Land (on days without fastpass)
Journey Into Imagination (although to be honest, this line doesn't seem too bad even during the peak of the day)
Gran Fiesta Tour starring Three Caballeros (Mexico)

Actually, since Gran Fiesta is in World Showcase and most people do Future World first, this line will get longer as the day goes on, but is often a walk-on between 11 and 12 (when World Showcase first opens) as well as the 8-9 PM hour before Illuminations/park closing. However, even in the peak of the day, the line is usually not unbearably long.

Attractions that do NOT offer Fastpass that you can usually get into the next cycle even on crowded days (the only wait will depend on if you just missed a cycle or not, when applicable)

Universe Of Energy (aka Ellen's Energy Adventure)
Circle Of Life
Image Works (Imagination post-show exhibit)
Innoventions (self guided exhibit space in the centre of Future World)
Epcot 25th Anniversary Exhibit (found in Innovations building down the hall from character area)
Wonders Of China - 360 degree film
American Adventure - animatronic/multimedia show
Impressions de France - 180 degree film
O Canada - 360 degree film
Friendship Boats - these are, for some reason, not listed as an "attraction", even though they are a ride. They take guests back and forth across the World Showcase lagoon, and usually close around 7 or 7:30 PM

A note about Mission Space - there are now two versions of the ride. You will be given a choice when entering. The original version spins rapidly creating the effect of high G-forces pushing you into your seat. (like a gravitron ride at a carnival). The non-spinning version has the exact same story elements, and believable motion, minus the spinning. Use your best judgement based on what you think you can handle. I'm a roller-coaster junkie but personally prefer the non-spinning, as the spinning made me dizzy and a bit light-headed.

Exhibits - Furure World

In addition to Innoventions and Image Works, and Epcot 25th exhibits listed above, most of the Future World pavilions have post show exhibit space (except Energy and Land) that are not listed as attractions. You do NOT have to only do these after doing the main attraction, they can be accessed through the pavilion exit doors any time a guest wishes, and can be found at:

Spaceship Earth
Mission Space
Test Track
Imagination (listed as Image Works attraction)
The Seas

The area in the Seas especially is brimming with things to do, especially if, like me, you enjoy animals and animal exhibits. This is where you can walk through the windowed corridor to see the HUGE aquarium tank, which features several varieties of fish, sea turtles, sting rays, sharks, and dolphins. It is here that the dolphin and fish feed presentations take place, with times listed on a sign nearby.

The manatees (one of my favorite) have a seperate area, and usually a keeper will give a talk about manatees 15 minutes before and after each hour.

There are other smaller exhibits in this area as well as the entrance to Turtle Talk With Crush.

Exhibits, entertainment, and characters - World Showcase

The following countries have art galleries and/or live entertainment not listed as official attractions. Times are on the times guide and on a sign outside each pavillion. I may not remember all the live entertainment off the top of my head, and the live performers usually get one (or more) days off each week. I will list any characters I remember seeing at these countries. This is NOT a definitive list. Check times guides and ask CMs!

Mexico - In addition to the ride, there is an art gallery at the entrance to the pavillion, and Mariachi Cobre, a mariachi band. You can meet Caballero Donald here, and sometimes the other 2 show up

Norway - After Maelstrom, there is Spirit Of Norway, a short movie set up as sort of a "post-show". An art gallery can be found inside the Stave Church, and Spellmann's Glijde (sp?) plays Norweigian folk music. I think you may be able to meet princesses in the restaurant.

China - In addition to the 360 degree film, there's an art gallery adjacent to the waiting area for the movie, and Si Xian, Chinese folk music. Last but not least, the Dragon Legend acrobats are among the most popular of the WS performers, and usually takes place every day. This show takes place outside the pavilion, but on rainy days is moved indoors. Mushu and Mulan can be found here.

Germany - no official "attraction", but there's live music inside the restaurant (during the day, if the restaurant isn't full, guests are usually allowed to come in and watch the show in a designated area, even if they aren't buying a meal!) There's also a miniature train garden on the edge of the pavilion on the Italy side. Snow White and Dopey (and maybe other dwarves) are often meetable to the left of the pavillion

Italy - no official attraction. Live entertainment includes Sergio (a juggler/clown) and sometimes the World Showcase Players (comedy troop). I've occasionally seen Pinocchio characters here, and also sometimes there are random greetings featuring random characters between Italy and USA.

American Adventure - in addition to the main show, there's an art gallery inside the pavilion. Live entertainment includes Voices of Liberty and a Fife and Drum corps.

Japan - no official attraction. There's a Tin Toy exhibit in an art gallery in the castle in the back of the pavillion, and live entertainment includes live drumming and sometimes a candymaker who amazingly twist candy material into various animal shapes

Morocco - no official attraction. There's a small art gallery in the first building on the left, a band, Mo'Rockin, and I think there's some sort of entertainment inside the restaurant in the back of the pavilion. Aladdin, Jasmine, and Genie can be found here.

France - In addition the the movie, there is a small art gallery in the film's waiting area, and on some days, a live performer outside the pavillion who stacks chairs and stands on them (Server Amusement). I've seen Belle, Beast, and Marie here. I think Aurora and possibly Quasi can sometimes be met here as well.

UK - no official attraction, but British Invasion is an excellent Beatles cover band! The Pooh characters can be met inside the toy shop, and I think also maybe Alice and Poppins characters.

Canada - in addition to the movie, Off Kilter is the live band. I've occasionally seen Brother Bear characters outside the pavillion.

If you are reading this now, I'll try to post detailed info about the other two parks soon! The main FP attractions in the other 2 parks are RnR coaster, Tower Of Terror, Star Tours, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Expedition Everest, Killimanjaro Safari, Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl, and sometimes It's Tough to Be A Bug.

Here's an addition to the MK info I provided in the last post:

MK attractions most likely to close before park closing (check times guide)

Main Street Vehicles - usually off street before noon
WDW Railroad - always closes before fireworks, conductors know when the last train leaves each station
Tiki Room - often closes in the evening before park closing - check times guide and sign at attraction entrance, which is the case for everything else on this list.
Country Bear Jamboree - often closes late in the evening, before park does.
Tom Sawyer Island - "closes at dusk". The time on the times guide is when the last raft takes guest to the island. Then they give you a few minutes to explore before they start "sweeping" the island (ie, asking everyone to head for the raft dock). They sweep from back (the fort) to front.
Hall Of Presidents - usually closes before park does
Riverboat - closes early, usually last boat goes out at 8 PM or earlier - times guide and sign list last departure time.

Everything in Fantasyland, Toontown, and Tomorrowland is usually open until closing time.

The Cinderella Carousel will close 15 minutes before Wishes starts, and, if Wishes takes place before park closing time, will reopen shortly after the show is over.

stewie15 · Post by **stewie15** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:08 pm

David thanks so much and i look forward to more info you have.

I do though have another Question. The Spectromagic parade is not listed on the MK calender on the Disney website from the 17th to 23rd (the days i will be going). Only dreams come true is listed. Does that mean it will not be happing while i am there?

David S. · Post by **David S.** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:21 pm

Sadly, it won't be.

I see on the rehab schedule at

http://www.allears.net/tp/rehabs.htm#august

that they are making repairs on the Liberty Square Bridge at this time resulting in not having Spectro on those nights. (Aug 15-29) That's a real shame, I'm sorry about that, and it's certainly not common at all for the parade to be down during summer season.

If you're arriving in Florida before the 15th, maybe you could do your MK day before then if you want to see Spectromagic?

BTW, the site I linked to, http://www.allears.net , is a GREAT source for detailed WDW info.

Also, there are a number of guidebooks available like the Official Birnbaum Guide to WDW and several "unofficial" ones that can give you tips, ideas, and info about the attractions. A lot of stuff that is for sale, of course, but then again, most bookstores let you sit down and skim through books, and libraries often have these as well

I'll post more on AK and the Studios soon.

stewie15 · Post by **stewie15** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:08 pm

Hi I have another question already (i am just filled with those). Where are the best spots to see: Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade at AK, Disney Dreams Come True Parade and Wishes Nighttime Spectacular at MK, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth AT Epcot and New! Block Party Bash at Disney studios. And how early would i have to get there to get a good spot.

Thanks!!!!

PeterPanfan · Post by **PeterPanfan** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 6:03 am

I don't know about spot locations, but I would get to each parade around 20-30 minutes early.

David S. · Post by **David S.** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 12:22 am

stewie15 wrote:Hi I have another question already (i am just filled with those). Where are the best spots to see: Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade at AK, Disney Dreams Come True Parade and Wishes Nighttime Spectacular at MK, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth AT Epcot and New! Block Party Bash at Disney studios. And how early would i have to get there to get a good spot.

Thanks!!!!

Stewie,

Sorry it took me awhile to reply. I've been busy the past few days.

Before I answer, I wanted to mention this site here:

http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/index.htm

which has an excellent listing of WDW entertainment schedules, INCLUDING character times, for the 4 parks. Keep in mind, he posts these hours on a week by week basis, so they won't necessarily be accurate for when you'll be there - but it will give you a rough idea of what you can expect.

The short answer to your question regarding viewing locations is that it really depends on personal tastes. Some spots are more popular (and therefore more crowded) than others, and most spots I've tried have some advantages and some disadvantages.

As far as the second part of your question, (how long in advance to get there) that really depends on the spot itself, and how crowded the park is on that particular day or night.

I'm probably not the best person to answer that part - I have a habit of doing attractions until the last possible moment and showing up for these things around 5 or 10 minutes before they start. Sometimes I get my "ideal" spot, sometimes not. It's a risk I can afford to take because I visit often and there is no pressure to make any given show as close to "perfect" as possible. Besides, being on the tall side, I can usually see pretty good over people's heads regardless of my spot.

I'll try to answer as best I can regarding "good" spots, but again, this is subjective according to personal tastes:

WISHES

Obviously, the most popular viewing area is in the "Hub" area in front of the castle, and where the "Hub" blends into Main Street. Most shells are shot from an area in back of the Kingdom, with additional shells shot from the rooftops of Fantasyland next to the castle. Thus, by being in front of the castle, when you look towards the castle you can see all of the shells. You also get a GREAT view of Tinkerbell's flight from this area. One thing to keep in mind here, is the castle is VERY tall, and if you're RIGHT in front of the castle, it will block part of the view. So I would recommend backing up a bit to somewhere on the Main Street side of the Walt/Mickey "Partners" statue, and watching closer to the Main Street buildings.

IF the park will remain open after the show, a disadvantage to this location is thousands of people will be rushing towards the exit of the park as soon as the show is over, and if you want to stay until closing, you may have to walk against this flow, like a salmon swimming upstream, in order to get to your next attraction.

If you plan on leaving after the fireworks, or if the show begins AT park closing time, this is not an issue.

I have seen the show from several conceivable places, in all of the lands, and even from some locations outside the park. I often mix up where I view the show just for variety or to try new things. Sometimes it's just a matter of watching it where I am in the park when it starts, or watching it near the attraction I want to do when it ends.

So, in addition to the most popular spot listed above, here are a few more that I personally enjoy:

* Viewing Wishes from Fantasyland - I like this location for a number of reasons. Fantasyland is my favorite section of the MK or ANY WDW park, as it's the most "magical" one to me and gives me that "young at heart" feeling the most. So, watching in the very heart of my favorite section of the World is special for me, and the fact that many of the Fantasyland characters are represented in the show enhances this spot as well.

Also, Fantasyland is the closest you can get to the shells in back of the park, so this location gives a nice, unobstructed view of these. The spot directly in back of the carousel and next to the Dumbo entrance gives the best "symetrical" view of the show from Fantasyland, but the path between Mad Tea Party and Dumbo also gives a nice view.

Also, the crowds are not nearly as mobbed here as on Main Street/Hub, and being in close proximity to the Fantasyland attractions (all of which are among my favorites in the park) allows me to hop on one of them as soon as the show is over, with no wait!

One "negative" some may find with the Fantasyland location is that you have to keep turning your head to see the Castle shells, especially from the symetrical location behind the carousel. This can particularly be tricky for those not familiar with the show, as they won't know when to turn around - but I've seen the show so much that I can view it here without missing anything. Also, depending on where you are standing, Tinkerbell may not be easy to spot.

* Viewing Wishes when riding Dumbo! - This is a REALLY magical way to see the show, but not always easily accomplished. It's something I generally don't do if the line is really long, because it can be REALLY tricky to time it where you're up there during the show. If your timing is off on the late side, you could spend most of the show in line, with a partially obstructed view of the show, and struggling to hear the soundtrack over the other guests chatting in line - with no guarantee you'll get your flight before the show is over.

On the other hand, if you're about to reach the "grouper" and the show hasn't started yet, one can always step aside and give people cuts until right before the show starts.

While there can be distracting disadvantages to attempting a Dumbo ride during a fireworks show, the payoff is that if one DOES get to ride during the show, you are airborne with an AMAZING view of the fireworks exploding all around you, practically everywhere you look, while simultaneously riding a Disney classic. It can truly be a magical, storybook, moment.

My most memorable experience EVER with this was on New Years Eve, 2006/2007. I arrived at the ride right before the fireworks started and it was a WALK-ON! So the CMs were letting the few of us on the ride just stay on the ride everytime it landed as there was not even enough people in line to fill up the 16 Dumbos, even with people staying on. As the show progressed, there was no one in line at all, yet, there were THOUSANDS of people packed tightly on the ground, the crowdest I have ever seen Fantasyland during the fireworks.

So I got to ride Dumbo during the entire show, and right before the midnight finale, one of the CMs stopped the ride for us at the top so we could have a perfect view of the Grand Finale without having to land during that moment! Truly unforgettable and overwhelmingly magical!

This past New Year's Eve, the line looked about 30 minutes long right before the show started, so I watched it from the ground nearby. But I was able to concentrate better on the soundtrack and pacing of the show, so either way works good for me.

* Wishes from Frontierland/Liberty Square or Tomorrowland - There are a number of locations in these lands that provide a good view of the show and close proximity to these land's attractions after the show.

I am personally fond of watching along the River in Frontierland, directly across from the Riverboat and all of it's lights. You can see the reflection of the fireworks in the water, as well as the reflection of the Riverboat lights, from this location. This spot is usually pretty empty, quiet, and peaceful, and there is often a nice, cool, breeze from being next to the water. The only downside is, you can't really see Tinkerbell from this location, although she may be visible from other spots in Frontierland.

Tinkerbell hints: (Spoiler) If you are unsure of when to look for Tink, she appears about 2 minutes into the show, right after Jiminy Cricket says "and it all starts with a wish!" If you don't see her at this point, she was either not visible from your spot, or she didn't fly due to weather or tech issues.

For other opinions on Wishes locations, click here: http://allears.net/tp/mk/mk_fworks.htm

DREAM COME TRUE PARADE

I used to watch it in Frontierland, but the crowds are almost always bad there due to the close proximity to Thunder and Splash. I have since discovered a really nice spot at the very end of the route in front of the Emporium and Barber Shop (after the parade goes past the train station, right before it enters the backstage gate) in which I can usually get front row right before the parade gets there (about 20 minutes after it steps off). The spot across the street, by the Fire Station, is usually reserved, so the trick is, if one is on the "wrong" side of the street (coming from Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Toontown, or the River side of Frontierland/LS), one would have to make it down to the train station and cross the street before the parade gets there and the crosswalk gets closed. If one is coming from Adventureland or the Adventureland side of Frontierland/Liberty Square, all one has to do is take a short cut through the Emporium and you can get to
this spot easily without having to cross the parade route.

It is even possible to see the parade in Frontierland near the beginning, and briskly cut through Adventureland for a complete second viewing in this end-of-route location in front of the Emporium next to the barbershop.

Of course, if you visit during the bridge construction and they therefore have to modify the route, none of this info will probably be of any help in that scenario. Ask a CM for the revised route!

ILLUMINATIONS

The most popular spot is "front and center" directly across the lagoon from the American Adventure. Since the ground is heavilly sloped, I can usually get to this spot 15 or 20 minutes before showtime (or even later!) and get a good spot in the very back seeing over everyone's head. But that's when I'm alone and can find a small one person spot.

On nights with favorable wind conditions, they open the VERY bottom of this section, right by the water/rail, but people in this section are required to sit on the ground so as not to block the view of those behind them. If they do get clearance to open this frontmost section, it's usually about 15 minutes before showtime. If you want a spot here, just be at that rope before they open it. There will be a CM down there to answer questions about when that section will open, or IF it will open.

There are actually several good spots all around the lagoon. If you see several people in an area, that likely means it's a good spot. Less crowded areas usually have some sort of visual impedement, such as a tree, or some other obstruction blocking some of the fountains.

JAMMIN JUNGLE PARADE

Again, it comes down to personal taste. Since one of my favorite things about the parades is a chance to interact with the characters, I like to view this in a spot that is not crowded and easy to get into the front row.

ALSO, due to the fact that the pathways of AK were originally not designed to support a parade, there are a NUMBER of locations along the route where guests can only stand on one side of the street. You can spot these locations because only one side will have a rope to stand behind or tape on the ground, the tape indicating the spot which guests must stand behind.

Since a crowd on one side of the street and not the other means ALL of the characters' attention will be focused on your side, my favorite spot then, is a spot with relatively lighter than packed crowds and guests only on one side.

I have had good luck with a spot between the Pizzafari restaurant and the small gift shop GOING TOWARDS AFRICA - NOT the main two gift shops at the front of Discovery Island because that area will be PACKED! The one I am talking about is right past the Pizzafari restrooms going towards Africa. There is a gate leading to backstage in this location.

Another spot that's worked well for me is the bridge leading into and out of Africa.

In both spots, I've usually been able to get front row shortly before the parade steps off. Once the parade hits the street, it may be hard to get to these locations depending on how close it is to reaching them, as they may not be letting guests through if it's right about to get there. Also, if you're in Africa when it starts, it will probably be impossible to get through to these spots.

Another good thing about these spots is that, if one wanted to see a second viewing in just a few minutes after it ends, all you have to do is cross the bridge into Africa for a second viewing, as the parade begins and ends there. (this viewing will be more crowded than the first, though, as Africa is one of the most PACKED spots)

In addition to Africa, the long stretch of area all the way from Pizzafari, in front of the Camp Minnie-Mickey path, in front of that first main gift shop, going towards the front of the Tree Of Life, in front of the second main gift shop, in front of the DinoLand USA path - all of these areas always seem packed whenever I've passed them right before or during the parade.

BLOCK PARTY BASH

I've only seen this once and am not the best person to give "Tips" on it. I had used my strategy for the now sadly defunct Stars And Motor Cars parade, and as usual got what seemed to be a perfect spot right by the backstage gate on the side street right off Hollywood Blvd - right where the parade hits the street. Unlike the old parade, which took a good ten minutes to pass, this one was over in about one!

At the time, I didn't realize that it stopped in certain areas for long periods of time, and that these stops are considered the "highlight" of the parade. Naturally, one of these areas is on Hollywood Blvd, one of the most crowded spots of the route! So, to really experience everything this parade has to offer, there's unfortunately probably no way to avoid crowds.

I think there's another stopping area further along the route, which in my experience with the parades at this park, are highly crowded all the way up to and including the exit gate next to Star Tours.

ELECTRICAL WATER PAGEANT - Although not found in a park itself, I am a big fan of this underated, often overlooked colorful nightime water light parade, which takes place on barges in Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake. I also really enjoy the electronic soundtrack which is highly reminescent of the incomparable Main Street Electrical Parade (no longer at WDW).

The Electrical Water Pageant can be seen just outside the MK, and at the boat docks at the Polynesian, Contemporary, and Grand Floridian Hotels (which are all accessible from the monorail system), as well as in the Wilderness Lodge/Fort Wilderness area.

Since you don't have to be in the park to view this, it's basically free. Even if someone didn't go to a park on a given day, they could theoretically go see this show. In my experience, the MK parking turnstyles have stopped collecting money at this time of night (although this isn't an issue for me as parking is covered in my annual pass). So, one could theoretically park, ride the monorail to a resort boat dock and watch the Pageant! For more info, including the usual schedule, click here:

http://allears.net/tp/ewp.htm

candydog · Post by **candydog** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:00 am

David S. wrote:DREAM COME TRUE PARADE

I used to watch it in Frontierland, but the crowds are almost always bad there due to the close proximity to Thunder and Splash. I have since discovered a really nice spot at the very end of the route in front of the Emporium and Barber Shop (after the parade goes past the train station, right before it enters the backstage gate) in which I can usually get front row right before the parade gets there (about 20 minutes after it steps off). The spot across the street, by the Fire Station, is usually reserved, so the trick is, if one is on the "wrong" side of the street (coming from Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Toontown, or the River side of Frontierland/LS), one would have to make it down to the train station and cross the street before the parade gets there and the crosswalk gets closed. If one is coming from Adventureland or the Adventureland side of Frontierland/Liberty Square, all one has to do is take a short cut through the Emporium and you can get to
this spot easily without having to cross the parade route.

It is even possible to see the parade in Frontierland near the beginning, and briskly cut through Adventureland for a complete second viewing in this end-of-route location in front of the Emporium next to the barbershop.

Of course, if you visit during the bridge construction and they therefore have to modify the route, none of this info will probably be of any help in that scenario. Ask a CM for the revised route!

Oh! I can help here! the new revised route is that the parade will begin at the town square gate and head up Main Street. When it reaches the hub in front of the castle, each float will travel around the hub and stop. When all of the floats have formed a line around the hub and come to a complete stop, the first float will lead back down Main Street followed by the others. All of the floats fit around the hub (minus the castle float which won't be in the parade).

This was done so the floats wouldn't have to travel over the bridge while it was being repared, but the shorter route will mean bigger crowds.

David S. · Post by **David S.** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:08 am

For Stewie or anyone planning a WDW trip, here is some info on

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Animal Kingdom is a beautiful park with 3 main types of attractions:

Continuous loaders - It's Tough To Be A Bug, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Wildlife Express (train) to Rafiki's Planet Watch, Kali River Rapids, Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl, Triceratop Spin

Scheduled Shows - Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends, Festival Of the Lion King, Flights Of Wonder, Finding Nemo. Once the last show for the day is over, these attractions are closed for the day.

Self-Guided Trails/Exhibits - Oasis Trails, Discovery Island Trails/Tree of Life, Pangani Forest Trail, Maharajah Jungle Trek, Habitat Habit, Conservation Station, Affection Section, Boneyard (Dinoland playground)

Fastpass

One nice thing about FP at Animal Kingdom is (assuming this hasn't changed since I was there in April) the longest you will have to wait before getting another fastpass is 1 hour after you got your last one. At the other 3 parks this maximum time is 2 hours. Of couse, if your return time is, for example, 30 minutes after you got the fastpass, you can get your next one when that time arrives, in 30 minutes. At all parks, you can always get another fastpass for any fastpass attraction after your return time arrives regardless of whether you used your fastpass yet. The computer doesn't keep track of when you actually use your fastpass; it just keeps track of when you get them, and when you can get another.

The following attractions offer Fastpass. The first two listed, Everest and the Safari, are the most popular and are the most likely to go the quickest and/or run out:

Expedition Everest
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Dinosaur
It's Tough To Be A Bug (usually only on the most crowded days)
Kali River Rapids
Primeval Whirl

Primeval Whirl is a standard carnival spinning Wild-Mouse style coaster. Kali is a basic river rapids ride, although it has great theming and the lush jungle ambience (of both the ride and the queue) is extremely well done. Everest, the Safari, Dinosaur, and Tough To Be A Bug are IMO Disney classics not to be missed! The Safari is the best of it's kind I've ever seen - keep in mind it usually closes before the park does.

Like Test Track, Rock and Roller Coaster, and I believe Toy Story Midway Mania, Everest offers an optional single riders line, which may be quicker than standby during crowded parts of the day but not as fast as Fastpass. Parties who use this line are seperated in order to fill single leftover seats, and unlike the Fastpass and standby lines, riders who use the single riders line cannot make seating requests (such as front or back)

Of the attractions that don't offer Fastpass, there aren't many in which crowds are likely to be a major issue, other than some of the shows can fill up before the start time. (namely, Nemo and Lion King). In my experience, the shows later in the day are less likely to fill up early than the ones during the peak of the day.

Sometimes during the peak of the day the line for the train can back up a bit, at either station. It's generally not that bad, though, as trains come in every 5 minutes or so. If you are at Rafiki's Planet Watch, that train is the only way back to the rest of the park, so if you are cutting it close making it back in time for the parade, or a show, remember to factor in some time for the train ride back, and for the possibility that if the line backs up, you may miss the first train that boards.

I enjoy all 4 of the shows. The LK and Nemo are more theatrical and Broadway-esque, Pocahontas has some of those elements (singing) but both it and Flights Of Wonder feature live animals, giving them a more "nature" feel and the charm of seeing the live animals in action.

Keep in mind the Pocahontas show is sadly closing forever on Sept 27. There is also an animal training session for the Pocahontas show open to the public, usually at 12:55 PM, and it is listed on the times guide for AK along with the showtimes for all the shows.

The trail/exhibit attractions never have a line or a wait time, you just do them when you want. Just like the Epcot exhibits, one can spend as much or as little time as one wishes on these, but IMO, the more one puts into them, the more they will appreciate them. They help put the "Animal" in Animal Kingdom.

The Oasis trails are the beautiful, lush pathways at the very front of the park, which feature live animal exhibits. Many people rush past these to see the Welcome Show "The Adventure Begins" at the entrance to Discovery Island, which begins a few minutes before the park officially opens. Then there is the mad rush of the "rope drop" after the welcome show, with most people either going for Everest (to the right) or the Safari (to the left). I am admitedly a rope-drop type, but I always like to go back to the Oasis later, to see the animals.

(A note about the Oasis and Discovery Island Trails - although they technically close at park closing, most of the animals usually get put away around "dusk").

The Discovery Island Trails feature beautiful landscaping and live animal exhibits. They also provide the best views of the incredible Tree Of Life. My personal favorite of these trails for viewing the Tree Of Life is the one in which you enter right next to the Tough To Be A Bug entrance. It's the path that branches off to the left when the queue goes to the right. This path is kind of obscure and a lot of people don't know it is there or how to get to it, but it goes RIGHT up to the Tree, and you can really see and identify the intricate animal carvings up close! There is another entrance to this trail on the path leading to Africa - on the right, just past the otter exhibit.

Pangani Forest is the African-themed trail in the Africa section featuring African animals. You enter it near the safari exit, and it usually closes before the park does. Includes okapi, duiker, hippos, meerkats, gorilla, birds, fish, to name a few.

Likewise, the Maharajah Jungle Trek is the Asian version featuring Asian animals, found near the exit of the rapids ride - usually closing before the park does. Includes komodo dragon, tapir, bats, tigers, various Asian deer and cattle, and birds, to name a few. Also there are siamangs and gibbons near the trail exit.

Both of these are EXTREMELY well done in their theming and take zoological exhibits to a higher level of theming, presentation, habitats, and showmanship, just as the Safari does the same for animal safari type rides.

Habitat Habit, Conservation Station, and Affection Section make up the Rafiki's Planet Watch section of the park, which is ONLY accessable by taking the Wildlife Express Train in Africa. Rafiki's Planet Watch, and the train, usually close before the park does.

Habitat Habit is the trail that connects the Rafiki train station to the other 2 exhibits. The only animals on this trail are cotton top tamarins.

Conservation Station features indoor exhibits which include insects, reptiles, and amphibians, and also shows some behind the scenes stuff and a rainforest presentation with headphones. Also, throught the day, keepers do animal presentations of various animals in which guests are often allowed to pet these animals. These can occur both inside and outside the building.

Affection Section is outside the building (on the left, right next to the presentation stage). Guests can view and pet a wide variety of animals, including Goats, Sheep, Sicilian Miniature Donkeys, Dexter Cows, Pigs, and Llamas. They usually put the animals away in the hour before Planet Watch closes, I guess around "dusk".

I like it best when the park closes at 7 or 8 PM, rather than 6 or 5 PM. With the late closings I find I can take more time enjoying watching the animals in these various exhibits, and still see most (if not all) of the shows, the parade, and of course the rides and Bug 3-D Flik (no pun intended

When the park closes at 5 PM I usually have to skip some of the attractions because if I try to do them all it feels too rushed.

So of course I disagree with people who say there's not enough to do at this park or that it's a "half-day" park!

Of couse, the sooner you get there, the best chance you have of seeing everything you want to see.

Besides the shows that take place at scheduled times, the following attractions usually close before the park does. As always, refer to Times Guide:

Safari
Pangani Forest Trail
Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki's Planet Watch
Habitat Habit
Affection Section
Conservation Station
Maharajah Jungle Trek

One last note about the turnstyles for anyone who likes being early:

For some reason, lines often seem to build up at the turnstyles before opening more here than the other parks. They seem to have fewer turnstyles or something. And they usually don't open until 15 minutes before opening time/rope drop - 10 minutes before the welcome show.

So if anyone ever gets there early and is greeted with a HUGE, HUMONGOUS line at the turnstyles, and is concerned this will cause them to miss the welcome show or rope drop, here's a tip:

The turnstle on the FAR right has a "Cast Member Entrance" sign, but in my experience anyone is welcome to use it. If THAT line looks too long, there is a turnstyle just to the left of this reserved exclusively for a Character Breakfast entrance. HOWEVER, when the rest of the turnstyles open 15 minutes before the park does, they USUALLY convert this "breakfast" turnstyle into a regular turnstyle. There have been times when I was running late for opening and saw unbearable lines, and just went and waited for the breakfast turnstyle to convert over to a regular turnstyle, and ended up being one of the first guests in the park

. Of course, when relying on this last-ditch effort to make it into the park for the welcome show, it helps to ask the Cast Member staffing that turnstyle if it will be being used that day as a "regular" (non-breakfast) turnstyle when the others are.

And here is some info on:

DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

This is another park some people consider a "half-day" park, and I respectfully disagree!

It has fewer "attractions", than the others but many of the attractions have relatively long running times, and a higher percentage are shows that appear only at scheduled intervals than at any other park.

So, just because there are a fewer NUMBER of attractions than the other parks, that doesn't mean there isn't enough CONTENT to fill up a day, because there certainly is.

This park has come a long way from when it opened in 1989 with like 6 attractions!

More than the other 3, the Studios is a "show park".

Which means, it takes some planning by guests who want to see all or many of the shows and only have one day to visit the park.

My best advice for those wanting to see a lot of shows here is to start checking the showtimes on the times guide as soon as you get there - other things can then be worked around the shows.

Timing can be tricky here, though. For example, I often find myself finishing up an attraction, and a show I want to see can only be seen in say, 25 minutes. There aren't a lot of attractions here that you can do in less than 25 minutes, so there are often little pockets of time like this that can get "lost" in trying to coordinate times.

Studios Attractions That Offer Fastpass

Rock and Roller Coaster
Tower Of Terror
Star Tours
Voyage Of The Little Mermaid
Indy Stunt Show
Lights Motors Action (on some really crowded days)
Toy Story Midway Mania

In my experience, RnR is the most popular fastpass and the most likely to run out early, followed by ToT. Of course, I haven't been back since Toy Story opened. Being new and popular, that's probably one to get early as well. RnR Coaster also has an optional single riders line, like Test Track and Everest. (described above) I think I read the new Toy Story ride has this too.

(Note that while Little Mermaid is a live show, it runs more or less continuously, with a few performance breaks. I've missed my FP time before, and been allowed to use it at a later show.)

Continuous loading Attractions that don't offer FP in which the line may build up during the peak of the day:

Great Movie Ride

Backlot Tram Tour (but not as much as GMR, unless a Lights Motors show just let out - then again, with Toy Story open now, and that pathway open again, the crowds for this may have picked up since my last visit)

Journey Into Narnia:Prince Caspian (this is only a guess - it opened since my last visit but it's very close to Toy Story)

Continuous loading attractions that don't offer Fastpass but you probably won't have to wait much:

Muppet Vision 3-D (but this could build a crowd in the middle of a crowded day where one could theoretically miss the next show and have to wait an extra 15 minutes or so)

Sounds Dangerous starring Drew Carey

Animation Tour

Self guided and/or Exhibit areas that you can just walk in anytime:

Walt Disney: One Man's Dream
Honey I Shrunk The Kids Movie Set Adventure

Also, the Animation Tour, Backlot Tour, and Sounds Dangerous all have post-show exhibits that can be accessed through the exit doors.

Shows that run on a set schedule with limited times:

Beauty and the Beast
Playhouse Disney
Indy Stunt Show
Lights Motors Action Stunt Show
Fantasmic!

As mentioned, the Little Mermaid live show runs more frequently, but still has some performance breaks throught the day.

We discussed Fantasmic in an earlier post. These others, especially the stunt shows, could theoretically fill up before the show starts, particularly in the middle of a crowded day.

There is also other outdoor live entertainment that occur at set times, such as Jedi Training Accademy, and High School Musical. I'm not sure if Disney officially considers these "attractions".

Of the live shows, (besides Fantasmic, of course!) my faves are Beauty and the Beast followed closely by Mermaid. Both are classic with great songs, and both take a different approach. B&B is in a large partially outdoor amphitheatre and is very "Broadway-esque".

Mermaid is indoors and has more special effects, including some nice puppetry work. Both are top-notch!

If you've seen Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, My Friends Tigger and Pooh, Little Einsteins, or Handy Manny, then you have a good idea of what to expect from the Playhouse Disney show, which is targeted at Preschoolers. It may be enjoyable seeing the puppets of the various characters, though.

The two stunt shows are totally different from the more Disney-esque shows.

Indy has more physical stunts and some explosives and stuff.

Lights Motors Action has high speed vehicles and plenty of fast action. Both are very well done.

Great Movie Ride is perhaps the attraction that mostly resembles a classic MK or Epcot attraction, with its large cast of animatronics. I love the final large AA scene!

Star Tours is a classic, fun simulator; Muppet Vision another classic 3-D movie-based attraction.

RnR Coaster and Tower of Terror are of course two extremely popular and well-themed thrill rides, located close to the Beauty and the Beast and Fantasmic theatres on Sunset Blvd.

Being a hardcore Disney fan, especially of the Walt-era, I LOVE the Walt Disney: One Man's Dream Exhibit. This often goes overlooked by many guests in their rush to get to the more "well known" attractions, but anyone who is fascinated with Walt Disney the man, as well as Disney, the company, will really enjoy this. It actually seems larger in scope than the Walt Disney Story which used to be on Main Street in the MK. I could easily spend at least an hour just looking at all the exhibits telling the story of Walt's life, his journey as a pioneer in animation, live action, TV, and eventually inventing Disneyland, the world's first theme park. There's a nice section on Walt Disney World and how Walt's brother Roy made sure WDW got built after Walt's tragic passing. The exhibit concludes with an excellent film that is a tribute to Walt's life and work, which runs for approximately 15 minutes and runs continuously.

The Animation Tour is not as good as it was when they were actually animating DACs here. There is, however, a short film with some funny antics from Mushu, lots of post-show exhibits, and a drawing academy. The post-show area is also one of the major character greeting areas at this park.

I have not seen the new Toy Story or Prince Caspian attractions yet, so I can't comment on those.

Besides the shows that take place at scheduled times, the following attractions usually close before the official park closing time (see times guide):

Backlot Tram Tour
Honey I Shrunk The Kids Movie Set Adventure

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