How do you tour MGM park?

[suevee]

We have been to WDW several times now and when I tour MGM I often leave feeling I am missing something. Especially since the Hunchback of Notre Dame Show is canceled.

How do you tour this park to get the most out of it? We are planning a new trip and I would like to give this park one more chance. Thanks

 

[ListenToCKY]

The past couple of years, we rode the Tower of Terror, Rock n' Rollercoaster, and Star Wars a lot. We also watch the Muppet show, Sounds Dangerous, 100 Years Of Magic (starting last year), and Fantasmic (at night of couse). Last year, the Great Movie Ride was closed during our visit, but in 2001, it was open. This year, I want to go on the Backlot Tour. I saw it on the 100 Years Of Magic video we have, and it looks like fun. It'd also be sweet to do the Who Wants To Be A Millionare thing.

 

[Darian]

Suevee, I think ListenToCKY has the right idea... you want to be systematic about your tour of the park. The studio tour is a must to get the real "feel" of this park. There are some real historical gems out there in the back lot... lots of movie props and Walt's personal airplane is there as well. (my personal fave... ok ok so I'm an aviation nut. we'll just move on.)

Being from socal, its fun to walk up the "hollywood blvd" replica and joke about "hey, where are all the bums and prostitutes... " well I guess that really isn't funny, but you do get to see Anaheim Produce. Browse around the shops, take in a meal at the Brown Derby (the real one is gone....) enjoy some of the shows, take the tours, ride the rides... see the exhibits. Heck, even do the Drew Carey "sleep in the cool dark" show. Thats not what its really called and in fact I like it quite a bit. A controversial topic on the dis lately.

The place is like a giant playground! Try to walk to the familiar locations using _differernt_ route... that way you see more scenes and sides to the park.... if you walk only on the same road, it becomes a rut and it makes the park seem a lot smaller than it actually is.

Darian

 

[Beanie]

We usually just start with Rock N roller coaster, Tower of Terror and then move on to the Playhouse Disney, Disney Animation, Little Mermaid and WWTBAM...then we head over to the backlot or if we are almost ready to go, we take in Star Tours, Drew Carey and Indiana Jones...

 

[QuickGold]

You might consider checking out these Touring Guides for MGM

 

[johnpaulsw]

I would also suggest doing Magic of Disney Animation and One Mans Dream. They are both worthwhile in my opinion.

John

 

[suevee]

thanks for all the great replies! Will definitely check the MGM site.

 

[jaygatz]

Let's see....

I start at Tower of Terror, and after riding, turn to the right to ride RnRC. After that turn to the left for ToT. Then right for RnRC, then left for ToT, then right, then left, then right, then left, then right, then left, and so on. This is the greatest plan I have ever devised!!

 

[bobcat]

LOL jaygatz !

Since there are so many shows at MGM we pick up a show schedule first. As we walk to RnR I doa quick scan of the show times and figure out what shows we want to see and when. Pick up a FP for RnR, DD rides while DS and I wait. (Hopefully he will try it this year) Then we head to our first show of the day. We fit everything else in around the show times.

 

[tjkraz]

IMO, MGM is the toughest park to plan since there are so many shows. Your touring plan will often be dictated by shows you want to see, the times that they are running, and how early you have to arrive for each show.

We usually make a habit of hitting Star Tours and Muppetvision first. Conventional wisdom says that RnRR and ToT are most people's first stop. So the other side of the park is relatively empty for some amount of time after opening (depending on the season). From there, we just kinda play it by ear. Maybe Backlot Tour or the Indiana Jones show if the timing is right.