Park Openings

[tjkraz]

I'm curious about the opening ceremonies at the 4 theme parks. I've read quite a bit about MK and AK (the animals in the courtyard), but nothing about MGM or Epcot. Has anyone ever been to the parks at opening? Worth it or not worth it?

[lllovell]

Last year, the weekend after Thanksgiving, we were at Epcot for the rope drop and the characters all drove up on the double decker bus and posed for pictures and autographs. That is all I noticed being special about it. (maybe we were not close enough to see other things happening).

It is my understanding that right now, because of the popularity of Soarin', that a CM walks everyone to the Soarin' building at rope drop to keep people from running....kind of like a moving road block that they do when the President is in town, just slowing everyone down by keeping the front people "in check".

I have never made it to MGM for any official rope drop ceremony and my sons were totally enthralled with the talking palm tree at AK, so we didn't get to the gate until the rope had already "dropped" there either! To them, that was fun just watching and listening to the tree talking to people.

Laura

[cruise-o-matic]

At Blizzard Beach, they have the "Ski Captain" of the day open the park with the first ride down Summit Plummet.

I think I read on the other boards that you have to be like the first family in line to become the "Ski Family" of the day. You get refillable mugs for everyone and one person is picked to be ski captain. Not sure how true this is though.

[withdisneyspirit]

I think Cruise is right, you really have to be first and be picked to help open for it to be truly memorable. That said, I have only seen the MK opening from the start. Usually, we are so excited about getting in, we're on the side in line when the ceremony begins :p In July, I watched the characters open the park from on the second level station area with a family. I was anxious to go in though :)

[PoohsPal]

In 2000, teh AK opening cermony was very cool. A mini character parade. In '04, some characters were out for photos, but not really a parade or anything spectacular.

[TW1]

I stumbled across a "second" opening in MK this past August.

You know how Mickey's Toon Town usually doesn't open until 10 or so. Well we were killing some time and took the path from Space Mt around to Toon town, believeing we had another 5 or 10 minutes to kill before 10.

A family with a young girl was about 100 feet in front of us and got to the rope near the train station first. Mickey and a CM were waiting there! Mickey came forward and took the little girl by the hand and, with the CM and her parents, took her on a private "tour" of his house, stopping in each room, going through the garden and straight into the Judge's Tent to his photo studio.

Since we were only a ferw feet behind, the CM let us tag along.

As we were entering his house, you could see the parade of folks who must have been waiting at the front entrance, near the Tea Cups, being led down the path by some CM's, doing the controlled "run" thing. Many fell in line behind us by a minute or so.

Also, while not a part of this trip. I seem to recall waiting for the rope drop in MGM in the street that leads to TOT and RNR. I beleive Mickey and gang were in a bus or other vehicle at this location as well, wishing everyone a great day.

[jnrrt]

We just saw the opening at Epcot, and it was the bus with all characters. This was after they had everyone waiting sing "Happy Birthday" to my daughter, so great! We followed it to the front of the dancing fountain, and then they got off to sign autographs. We, of course, ditched those characters and went to Soarin'!

And sad news at AK - we also were huge fans of Wes Palm, and he is apparently no more. The CM wasn't sure if he'd been moved to another park (and he didn't mean in Orlando) or if he was just gone, gone, but there's no more talking palm tree at AK. :(

[tjkraz]

Thanks for the info, everyone.

I have to admit one of the things that I missed when staying at BWV was walking in the front entrance of Epcot. The International Gateway is very convenient, but there's just something special about walking through that...ahem...'futuristic' entrance, seeing the fountains, hearing the entrance music, seeing Spaceship Earth, hearing the monorail roaring by overhead...

Even with those big granite slabs, it still gives me goosebumps to go in the main entrance--a sensation that the IG just can't replicate.

[TW1]

Even with those big granite slabs, it still gives me goosebumps to go in the main entrance--a sensation that the IG just can't replicate.

Gotta agree with you there. Convenience over atmosphere? A good question.

[PoohsPal]

Even with those big granite slabs, it still gives me goosebumps to go in the main entrance--a sensation that the IG just can't replicate.
Hmmmm.... Not sure I agree there. It's very possibly because my first trip to Epcot was via IG. I felt so special having my own little back door. Guess it's just because I'm a snob. ;)

[mamaprincess]

Unfortunately I do not believe we will ever be attending a rope drop. We are all sleepy heads in the morning on our vacations.

[bavaria]

Does anyone remember the old World Showcase rope drop/opening ceremony with the music from all the countries, and the doves???

I miss that - not the same to just wander around and wait for things to open...