Best way to see everything at MGM in a day???

[TFrauts]

:mickey:Exactly the same as my Epcot question!:mickey:
Hi there!! We will be at Disney for the first week of August! I really only want to spend 1 day at each of the parks! If we have extra time, we will definitey go a second day, but my question is, can anyone give me a 'rough itinerary' for doing MGM in a day! I am mainly concerned with being able to get on all the rides, without the crazy line-ups....and taking full advantage of fast passes! We can always go back another day after animal kingdom, and do the shopping etc!! I would really like to be able to do the rides in one day!! Is this possible?? Does anyone have any tips about where to start the day, etc?? THanks sooo much!!

[snifflesmcg]

It can be done but you are going to be rushed. First off, start with the things you want to see most. What I would do is print out a park map and map out the route thru the park that you are going to take skipping the ones that don't interest you as much. If you have time, you can always go back and finish up. That's my best advice.

[Friend of Figment]

Buy the Unofficial Guide and follow their touring plans.

[elmjimmlm]

I have read that if you do a park counter clockwise that you can see more in less time.

[Guya103]

I have read that if you do a park counter clockwise that you can see more in less time.

Wow, that is very interesting. The more I think about that with a map in front of me, the more it seems true. The majority of the crowds seem to move in the opposite direction. Great idea!:mickey:

[emmingo]

We've never had a problem doing MGM all the way through, even without a plan (though I've never gone at an INSANELY busy time), mostly because it has less rides, and some older shows that a lot of people don't seem to do every single time (like Muppets 3-D and the Indy show).

I think the key is just know where you want to be when, and plan on getting to shows 15 mins to a half hour early (with Indy and the car one), but I agree that doing the park counterclockwise works fairly well, as it seems that TOT and RnRC empty out right around Fantasmic. If MGM has a parade, and you don't have little kids, it also helps to go and do the Big People Stuff during the parades (this works at other parks, too, but because MGM is so much smaller, I think it works better here). Also, there are a LOT of attractions you can shave if there is no time (Narnia, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, etc).

I think most people make MGM a half-day park and then go again at Fantasmic (an HOUR early, if you want to see this, no exceptions), so it never seems as crowded.

[FutureCorpsFan]

I have read that if you do a park counter clockwise that you can see more in less time.

I'm not sure that theory would hold up at MGM since the popular rides start in the right hand side of the park. We always start by trying to ride or get FPs for Tower and RRC.

You can certainly do it, with all scheduled shows in a long day, especially if you are starting out early.

[DREAMADREAM93]

I dont know how exactly, but we always manage to do everything we want to do at MGM in 1/2 - 3/4 of a day. We do the big stuff first and usually go back and do them mulitiple times by saving up FPs. You can do all of the shows to pass the time. There are some things though that we never do because we either don't like them, or they're kind of pointless like Drew Carey, Narnia, and in most cases the IJSS. We make sure to cover ToT, M3D, R&RC, ST, LM, and GMR. Other than that, we dont stress too much if we don't get to everything else.

JOrdan :]

[Goes4FastPass]

MGM is a half day park - especially when there are 2 performances of Fantasmic.

[KAJUNKING]

Buy the Unofficial Guide and follow their touring plans.

thats what im going to use on my sept trip, im not buying the guide im going to touringplans .com and subscribe there, its the unofficial guides website

[PirateLover]

Hmm. Well you can't do EVERYTHING in one day. I just don't think it's possible because of the amount of shows they have there and the times that they are scheduled. I can finish the park by evening but I don't do everything. I hit ToT and RnR multiple times (usually get a fastpass for one, ride the other, maybe hop over to Great Movie Ride or walk through Walt Disney One Man's dream if it isn't time for my pass, then get another pass for later)

Then I'll hit up the continuous shows like Voyage of the Little Mermaid or MuppetVision and also Star Tours. We usually only do one stunt show (Indy or Lights Motors. We prefer Indy) and don't do the Backlot Tour anymore. If you've never done it before you might enjoy it, but it's a shadow of it's former self.
I have no kids so I don't do Play House Disney and I will never set foot in Sounds Dangerous again and the Magic of Animation isn't so magical anymore so that doesn't leave much left for me to do unless I want to hang around and see Fantasmic! Which seems to be losing some of it's flair for me.

[Meteora]

Well, you might not get to do everything--the timing of the shows can make it difficult--but you can certainly do most things. You might want to pick two or three shows that you really want to see, and schedule those in, keeping in mind that you should arrive at least 15-20 minutes early for each one.
Make sure you grab a times sheet when you walk into the park. A few of the things at MGM have different operating hours than the park itself--I believe Voyage of the Little Mermaid opens a little earlier and the backlot tour closes a little earlier.

In my experience, the crowded attractions have been, in order from most crowded:
R'nR
ToT
Great Movie Ride
Star Tours
Little Mermaid

We find that the Muppets, Sounds Dangerous, and the backlot tour tend to be walk-ons. Hope that helps!

[CaptSmee]

MGM is a half day park - especially when there are 2 performances of Fantasmic.

1/2 day? We spend almost 2 full days at the park! It can easily be seen in 1 full day. Get there early, checkout the times of shows you want to see (there is usually only 2 or 3 Extreme Stuntshows per day) and hit the remaining attractions around the shows. We usually get fastpasses for RNRC & TOT, but if you could hit those 1st and get them out of the way with not much wait as well.

Getting the Unauthorized guide is a good idea as well, but you can get a lot of the same information by doing some research right here on Intercot!

[wilshade]

If you want to focus on rides, then by all means get fastpasses right off the bat for ToT and RRC. Check the show times for the day and prioritize what you want to see.

One thing I always do when I go to WDW is to check at Guest Relations at my hotel the night before and see if I can get the show times for the next day, and then do my planning while I am sipping a beer at the lounge.

[thejens]

I find this the most difficult park to manage due to all the shows. Definitely get the show times and plan accordingly. To do it all you'll have to prioritize. I found the Unauthorized Guide to be great for the other parks, but just good for this park due to the shows. Definitely head to TOT and RR first, do one, fast pass the other. Then the other rides. I'd pick the show according to your kids. Mermaid for Girls; Indy for boys etc. The Backlot tour is fun for kids. Muppets is fun. Don't do the Playhouse unless you have toddlers. Now that I've seen most things in the park and found most pretty lacking I'd probably make this a half day park, back to the hotel for swimming and then do the Fantasmic with a 7:00 p.m. dinner.

[larandtra]

If you focus on the following and use FP wisely you can do the major attractions and some side stuff in 1/2 to 3/4 of a day, particulalry if you use EMH:
TOT, RNRC, GMR, Lights/Motors/Stunt show, Little Mermaid, Star Tours.
Those are the major ones now that they have removed WWTBAM(still not thrilled about that).
Then if you have a chance to hit One Mans Dream, Narnia, Playhouse Disney( if you have kids) & Beauty & The Beast.
The Drew Carey sound show is bad and needs to be replaced. Indiana Jones is not necessary with the other stunt show in place now. Backlot tour is average at best. If they would bring back the Animation Tour it would make it more worth it.
I just dont see the Studios as much more than that.
But, as much as we go, we know what we want to and dont want to do and spend other time people watching and walking through shops. The Studios are right up there with AK as far as ease of touring. Just be prepared because the Studios can be unbearably hot.

[LoriMistress]

Buy the Unofficial Guide and follow their touring plans.

100% in agreement.