So many changes at the Magic Kingdom

My wife and I decided to go to the Magic Kingdom this past Sunday, a trip we make quite often as we live here in the Orlando area.  We came to see the new FP seating areas in front of the castle primarily.  There are so many changes happening in the Magic Kingdom and it's far more than just ticket prices, although they've gone up too!

Please forgive my unsteady hand yesterday, I get a little eager when I hit those turnstiles!

We haven't been to the Magic Kingdom since right around Christmas.  The crowds have been so thick over the last two months that wait times were above 2 hours for the popular rides.  Some may say that a 2 hour wait for Space Mountain is not a big deal, but how about lines for not so popular rides?  Have a look at our pictures of the Carousel of Progress lines and then the HUGE line for the People Mover this past December!!

I realize the pictures above don't look very much like the winter weather most people are used to, but I assure you this is Winter in Florida.  The lines were crazy, I don't ever recall seeing a line like this for the People Mover.  WOW! 

Our trip yesterday was much better in regards to crowd levels.  We had our three fast passes which included the very cramped seating on the mine train as well as Jungle Cruise and The Haunted Mansion.  We also managed to get on the People Mover, The Carrousel and Country Bear Jamboree.



Cramped, but a great ride!

The areas we came to see were not a disappointment, although we did not stay much past dark for the fireworks.  The areas you'll see in our pictures are in front of Casey's Corner (10) and Plaza Ice Cream Parlor (8) as designated on the maps below.  Also the area designated (P) for Parade Viewing is changing, but not yet completed.

 The areas are open for general use during the day with no restriction.  We found guests lying in the shade of trees and shrubs and standing at the rails to watch an ongoing show at the castle stage area.  The grass is artificial, soft and comfortable to relax on.  The areas offer great views of the castle and are a welcome change to the landscape, especially since they simply covered up areas previously occupied by water.

The pictures actually taken in front of Plaza Ice Cream Parlor (8)  Moving forward from here we found the "Partners" statue covered by four wooden walls.  The area was under construction for new walkways and more artificial grass.  There appears to be a fountain being installed as well.  The crowds were light on this particular day, but traffic seems to flow well around this hub even with the construction barriers in the middle.



Once we had left the area in front of the castle and began our connection to our scheduled fast passes we found a very nice new area in front of It's A Small World that had several short 'stumps' with receptacles in each where people all sat around charging their gear.  There appear to be multiple receptacles and plenty of seating.  The trees in the area provide plenty of shade.  This is a great addition for todays guest who carries rechargeable cameras and cell phones.

We finished our day on the People Mover and watched the sunset over Astro Orbiter.  It was a great day and it was time for us to head over to one of the resorts for some dinner and drinks.

See you next time....

Guests Without Bags

 Doug