All the forum info I am seeing on Merida is old. I get that I can say “meal” @ Cosmic Ray’s for whatever time to fit into my personalized plan. But when? Is it still a must to go right at RD to avoid 30+ lines? I can’t find good line info on characters. When does she take breaks? We will be there level 8 day in June. Thoughts? Observations on line?
Google “Kennythepirate”. You will find everything you ever wanted to know about WDW characters!
Extremely informative.
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Thinking of hitting 1-2 rides before? Since she does not come out till 9:15 anyway? HmmmMMM.
Yes, Kenny is great. But it just says “get there at rope drop.” I can’t find up-to-date info on how bad the lines are for her later in day, or am I fine to go 9:25 after two rides, or did I just add 40+ minutes to wait by not getting there right at RD.
I wish I could help! We visited Merida after lunch at Cosmic Rays (around 12:30pm) and waited about 15 minutes. But, we were there the week before Christmas on a level 3 day. (MVMCP that evening)
Are you able to FP her so that you could RD your other stuff?
No fpp for merida
I have been trying to figure this out also
Just asked similar question over @ KTP. HMMMMmmm. I think I will do like Dumbo & Mermaid, then head to Merida. If we skip Merida, my daughter will notice. If we skip Winnie the Pooh or Jungle Cruise, she won’t care.
I am also looking to see Merida–it’s a high priority for my daughter. I have been researching this, and playing around with various tour plans, and it seems to make the most sense to line up for Merida right at RD.
If Merida is a high priority for your family, I say go there immediately as recommended by Kenny. If you start lining up at 9:15 (when her M&G starts) or later, you may not make a cut off for the line.
The waits for Under the Sea and Dumbo should not be significantly worse when you’re done with Merida. If you have 2 adults, perhaps one could wait on the Merida line while the other takes the kids in a ride or 2.
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Just one adult. What’s the cut-off? When are you going, Rosie? If you rem, report back on this thread on how it went, would you?
We are going over Spring Break.
I believe the characters get breaks every 45 minutes or so, and so only a certain number of people are allowed on that line, and then the character takes a break when they get to the last person on that line. Then a new line is formed for after the break.
Since there are people lining up before 9:15 you could risk not making the cutoff for the first line. I have not done a nonFP M&G before so I am basing this on what I read in the forums.
Chrhenry I have an update! 
We went to see her on Thursday, and the crowd level was 10, and the park opened at 8. We got in line by 8:50, and were the 4th family in line, and we were done by 9:25, I think.
By 9:15, I heard someone say the wait was 35-45 minutes—there had to be 20-30 families on line by that point.
If the park opens at 9, you should probably wait for her before doing anything else.
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I guess you have to balance what you’ll miss by not doing rides at RD, vs standing in line for 35-50 minutes just waiting for her. Will you have to stand the same time later in the day or will it be longer? Tough call, but it’s important to your daughter, so that’s a key factor. Sounds like you’ll be standing in a long line no matter what time you go.
Another good time to catch her may be when she comes back from her break in the afternoon. If you have more than one MK day, you can see FOF parade one day and the other day, line up a little early to see Merida before the afternoon set. We did this one day and had very good luck.
Took your (and others’) advice, saw her at Rope Drop. We were first, other RDers were 2nd, 3rd. She was a blast, very lively. DD5 loved it. DS7 liked shooting the arrows after, anyway. It meant we couldn’t do everything on my plan (well, her plus teacups and Pooh which my kids decided last 2nd they would perish if we didn’t do), but oh well, we hit almost everything else.
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