What's the best way to exit the park after Wishes?

[Gregandmel]

We've never stayed to watch Wishes and would really like to be able to do this next time we are at the MK. What's the best "exit strategy" afterwards? Are the busses pretty good about running regularly? We plan on staying at POFQ and just wondered what to expect? Thanks!! :mickey:

[Disney Doll]

The best "exit strategy" is take your time. Shop, take in main street at night, people watch, and let everyone else be part of the exiting stampede. Once the worst of the crowds clear you can head on out to catch your bus. I figure I'd rather be shopping Main Street than waiting in a long bus line.

[drummerboy]

The best "exit strategy" is take your time. Shop, take in main street at night, people watch, and let everyone else be part of the exiting stampede. Once the worst of the crowds clear you can head on out to catch your bus. I figure I'd rather be shopping Main Street than waiting in a long bus line.
What she said.

[Pastcastmemberdaughter]

The best "exit strategy" is take your time. Shop, take in main street at night, people watch, and let everyone else be part of the exiting stampede. Once the worst of the crowds clear you can head on out to catch your bus. I figure I'd rather be shopping Main Street than waiting in a long bus line.


This is what we usually do as well. We will also sometimes stop and get an ice cream sundae or float on Main St, grab a bench, and people watch from there. It's a nice relaxing way to end the day.

[bruin1344]

The best "exit strategy" is take your time. Shop, take in main street at night, people watch, and let everyone else be part of the exiting stampede. Once the worst of the crowds clear you can head on out to catch your bus. I figure I'd rather be shopping Main Street than waiting in a long bus line.

:thumbsup:

if you are in a real rush, stand near exits while show is going on

[ransam]

the best exit strategy is to get in line out of the park...take in the atmosphere...enjoy the fact you're at Disney!!...take your time.. try not to run into the person in front of you and if you get bumped from behind, turn around and introduce yourself and ask where they are from...start singing Small world, and see how many people join in with you!!... You're in DIsneyworld..Don't be in a hurry..in a week or so you'll probably be stuck in some office wishing you could be stuck in that line!!!

[LarryBoy]

View Wishes on a night with EMH. Then you can stay in the park and ride stuff.

[mouseketeer mom]

The worst lines are in the stores after Wishes. I will never shop after Wishes again! What we did last trip was stop at Aloha Isle for a Dole whip and sit down for 15 mins to eat it and watch the crowds start to exit and the cleaning crew emerge. That was a great plan.

[Wrigley]

We always take our time exiting the park since there is a mad rush to the exit. We usually do some shopping on Main Street until the crowd starts to thin out. Sure, the stores are kinda crowded as well, but I'd rather be shopping than creeping along to the exit to just stand and wait for a bus!

[joonyer]

Never stayed to watch Wishes? You don't know what you are missing. Watch it one time from inside the park, up close and personal, right on Main St. in front of the castle, and you'll never want to miss it again. It's the purest essence of Disney Magic to me, and my favorite thing about visiting WDW.

But if you are just not a fireworks person, and aren't entranced by Didnay magic and music, and you just have to get back to your resort as soon as possible, then:
Either leave before wishes, and watch it from outside the park (not as magical), or don't try to leave at all right after Wishes (eat, shop, or ride if park is still open).

Otherwise, you'll be caught up in the mad rush and long bus lines.

We always watch Wishes from inside the park (I want to be as close as I can), then, even if the park is closing, we take our own sweet time leaving, even up to an hour, shopping (not necessarily buying), getting a snack or just people watching. Beats trying to walk out in the middle of a mob and waiting in a long line for a bus. Even if it means we get back to our resort a few minutes or even an hour later. we don't care, we're on vacation!

[Daddy Mouse]

I want to be the last to leave.

[grumpyguy]

we always want to be the last to leave anyway.
but,to give an answer to your question...
slowly.:thumbsup:

[crltkcagle]

We watched it on the side of the castle and it was the perfect place. People were not trying to rush out of the park so we just sat there eating our popcorn and icecream until the crowds thinned out some.

[Imagineer1981]

as everyone has said, enjoy the park, take in the atmosphere and relax. Depending on the night, wishes doesn't signal park close, go hop on a ride real fast!

[Lakin]

Begin to run 5-10 seconds before the ending. Everyone waits till the end to go to the bus, so make sure to get your head start!

[tjstrike]

View Wishes on a night with EMH. Then you can stay in the park and ride stuff.


This is a very good idea, 3/4's of the park will leave after wishes and you can head back in to ride rides. Also, try to watch it from one of the monorail resort beaches one time too, or catch them while your on one of the boats. We did that our last trip. :thumbsup:

[andreallybadeggs]

Push, shove, curse, preferably have a stroller with you so you can use it as a battering ram.
Or choose a night to watch Wishes when you're relaxed and don't care if it takes an extra hour to get back to the resort. Then it's no longer an ordeal or just one more thing to check off your Disney to-do list; it's magic. :mickey:

[dreaming of wdw]

I want to be the last to leave.

:ditto:

[spoiledraf]

What's the best way to exit the park after Wishes?

Quickly!

[TheRustyScupper]

Push, shove, curse, preferably have a stroller with you so you can use it as a battering ram.

1) We have a far better method.
. . . youngest granddaughter covers her mouth with her hand
. . . we shout, "look out, sick kid! Watch out for your pants and shirts!"
2) One would be surprised how people move out of the way.
3) Kinda like Moses and the Red Sea.

:fresh:

[Daddy Mouse]

Push, shove, curse, preferably have a stroller with you so you can use it as a battering ram.
:mickey:

:funny::rotfl::laughing:

[Darbylew]

We never miss Wishes. It is the best. After
Wishes we go in the shops along Main Street.
It gets real crowded but the busses do run late
and it depends on how crowded the park is then
they usually add more busses. POFQ being the
size that if all the seats are taken you can stand
or wait on the next bus. I think they run about
every 15 minutes. Hope this helped.
BEEEN THERE, DONE THAT AND GOING BACK IN
NOVEMBER!!!!!!! :mickey::D

[Ed]

1) We have a far better method.
. . . youngest granddaughter covers her mouth with her hand
. . . we shout, "look out, sick kid! Watch out for your pants and shirts!"
2) One would be surprised how people move out of the way.
3) Kinda like Moses and the Red Sea.

:fresh:

Crude, Rusty.... very crude. :nono:

But effective. :thumbsup:

I like it.................... :thedolls:

[wishiniwasthere]

We ALWAYS watch Wishes from inside the park. We had to leave the following morning real early once, and what we did was sit on the curb at the end of Main Street looking at the Castle. (Near the train station) After it was over, we simply headed out the exits and to our bus stop. There was actually more than one bus at almost each stop and we got on a bus immediately and were on our way. I prefer to sit right near the Castle, but that particular night, we needed to get going, and that seemed to work great for us. :mickey:

[Goes4FastPass]

The best way to leave the park after Wishes is don't leave the park.

Main Street USA is open an hour after posted park closing.

Our stratgey is watch Wishes from in front of the castle then afterwards while everyone is stampeding my wife shops Main Street because I promised her she'd get a chance "on the way out".

Meanwhile, I get a hot dog at Casey's and sit outside in view of the castle. She isn't rushing me and I'm not rushing her.

It's almost magic.

Later, we stroll down Main Street still in plenty of time for a POFQ or any other bus.

Heck, I wish we were going there tonight.

[disneyworld55925592]

you can either take your time...but dont hang around main street there will be a mob of ppl get off back into adventureland or something....or...watch the fireworks near the exit and as they are ending make your way to the busesit all depends if your a late night person

[andreallybadeggs]

1) We have a far better method.
. . . youngest granddaughter covers her mouth with her hand
. . . we shout, "look out, sick kid! Watch out for your pants and shirts!"
2) One would be surprised how people move out of the way.
3) Kinda like Moses and the Red Sea.

:fresh:

:haha: :ack: :D
You should rent that girl out.

[dizneefan67]

I have never had a problem with exiting after the fireworks but then again I just sat and let the mad rush go first! I have heard that the best viewing place is on the Railroad Station platform, then his way you are right at the exit if yu dare to try to leave. I have never done this, I just mainly do what others have done, grab a snack and sit and watch, ride or shop!
Have a great time!

Will:mickey:

[Babe the Blue Ox]

The resort monorail is a good option to leave the park quickly. The lines are always much shorter than the express. You do have one extra stop though.

[Phantom of the Park]

We were at the MK last Friday and they had EMH until 3am. I had to double check because I thought that they were mistaken. My wife and MIL and our DD(6) were going to leave right after wishes, while the older kids and myself planned to stay until asked to leave. We went to Cosmic Ray's to get a late dinner and my Wife and Co. showed up, explaining that the line to exit was all the way back to Casey's corner. So they joined us for a meal and waited out the bum's rush and left at about 11 and were back at the resort before midnight. Meanwhile the older kids and myself enjoyed the extra magic. After about 1:30, the park was pretty much deserted and we went on Splash Mountain 5x's and Thunder Mountain 3x's. We got a snack before leaving at 3:18 am. It was surreal..I usually joke about extra magic hours by saying extra magic hours of waiting, but that was one of the best times that I had since I started going.:D

[kemps@wdw]

Either stake out a spot close to the exits and duck out just before the crowds, (if you want to get out quick) or grab an ice cream and a bench and enjoy a little down-time while the crowds thin out and do a little people-watching):mickey:

[dinahvixen]

We didn't want to stay too late so that dd wasn't too crabby the next day, so we watched the fireworks from near the ramp to get on the ferry, then hightailed it to the ferry and got on the first one - we had to get back to POR. We did miss out on hearing much of the soundtrack, but for us, it worked.

[Goes4FastPass]

...Meanwhile the older kids and myself enjoyed the extra magic. After about 1:30, the park was pretty much deserted and we went on Splash Mountain 5x's and Thunder Mountain 3x's. We got a snack before leaving at 3:18 am. ...was one of the best times that I had since I started going.:D

You win the

My Cool Dad
Tore Up the Park Til 3 AM

Award.

You're your "older kids" hero!