Space Mountain after EMM or Stay in Fantasy Land?

Walt Disney World Touring Plans
1

Hello!
I’ve been following the recent discussion about RS and FPP and it has led me into rethinking my TP on the day where we have EMM tickets in MK. I’m looking for advice/experience, especially with regards to the best way to ride SM using RS.
We are a family of 6 with 4 kids between ages 4 and 9.
I had originally planned to “optimize” my TP using split FPP for SM and using RS (since the little one’s can’t ride) but that might not be possible now.

Instead, I have two scenarios in mind.

Scenerio 1: Do not get any SM FPP’s and head straight over to SM standby from around 8:45am. We’ll be in the park for EMM BUT - will we be allowed over to tomorrowland before the RD crowds? Ride SM twice using SB/RS and also get on Buzz without FPP reservations. Come back to Fantasyland for the breakfast around 9:40. I like the prospect of getting SM out of the way early with minimal wait and not having to use FPP but it involves a lot of backtracking which might be hard with kids and what if we don’t make it before the RD crowd?

Scenerio 2: STAY in Fantasyland after EMM to visit the princess, ride small world, etc. with minimal waits, have breakfast at Pinnocchio around 9:40. Finish Fantasy land, then make our way around to Tomorrowland for early afternoon. Get FPP for both adults and use RS (but then, what to do with the two little ones’ unused FPP’s?). This plan involves the least amount of backtracking but will add time to some of the other wait times (dumbo, barnstormer, but I can plan to get FPP’s for some of those).

We want to be able to leave the park between 2:30 and 3 for an afternoon swim/rest. We’ll do Liberty Square, Fronteirland and Adventure Land on another day. We’re staying at Wyndham Bonnet Creek for our trip in May so I still have 45 days before I can make FPP reservations.

Any advice/experience would be appreciated.
Thanks!

2

They won’t let you over to Space Mountain early anymore (we were able to do this when EMM first started, but last time there was someone blocking the pathway who sent us back), but you will get over there in plenty of time at RD. We followed your Plan #1 and it worked out really well. Got to breakfast around 9:45ish and I scheduled all my FPP for Frontierland starting at 9:45ish.

3

I debated tomorrowland vs fantasyland myself for my recent EMM. Finally decided to FPP SpaceM, Buzz and Talking Mickey (on the way out for the afternoon). My group got hangry by 7:20, so we ate early, after riding SDMT couple times and Merry go Round. Then did small world, 1 ride PP, 1 ride WtP (which is all we would have wanted anyways) during EMM and when park opened, were on our way to Barnstormer (limited to no wait), skipped Dumbo (weren’t feeling it) and had very limited (5min) wait on Under the Sea. We were going to go on Speedway, but the line was 30+min by 10am. Had our first FPP for SM at 10, rode peoplemover, then used FPP for Buzz (even the FPP line was longer than normal). Wandered towards front of park (some shopping) and did Meet Mickey at 12:00 and left the park for pool time.

This was a good plan for our group. I was surprised by how fast the speedway line filled up…jumped from 30 to 40min while we were watching. I might consider this in your fastpass plans if you don’t need a Talking Mickey. No other FPP were needed for Fantasyland.

4

Sorry, ate at 8:20, park opened at 9am. No princesses for our group…if that was a priority, might RD that one as park opened.

5

Thanks for your experience! Was Small World open during your EMM? I heard it sometimes is but not guarantee.

6

good to know, thanks!!