Family of the Day Question

Is there any rhyme or reason to the selection of the family of the day at Magic Kingdom? I'm really hoping that my family can be selected. We're going during value season, so I'm hoping that helps. Are there any tips to becoming the Family of the Day?

Completely, totally random. I can only suggest getting to the gate as early as possible. Oftentimes, CM's will seek out Guests who are celebrating something when doing things like this.

We were picked once to ride in the antique limo for the day time parade. We were walking down main street at the opening. Many of the cast members stand on the side of the road waiving at all the guests. We stopped and asked one of the CM's to trade pins and he asked if we wanted to be in a parade. Of course we enthusiastically said yes. It was a great experience. We didn't do anything special and I am sure it is completely random.

So far we have been lucky enough to be the family of the day 3 times at Epcot and once for the first safari at AK. The best advice I can give is to get there really early (an hour or more before opening) ,engage in casual conversation with the CM's at the rope and hope for the best. The surest way not to get it is to ask for it.

Master Yoda said:

So far we have been lucky enough to be the family of the day 3 times at Epcot and once for the first safari at AK. The best advice I can give is to get there really early (an hour or more before opening) ,engage in casual conversation with the CM's at the rope and hope for the best. The surest way not to get it is to ask for it.

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My cute little son asked at the MK, and they let us do it.

happymom52003 said:

My cute little son asked at the MK, and they let us do it.

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Cute kids tend to get a pass.

While talking to a castmember in the Christmas shop, he told me that for special events, such as the family of the day, or even when they let a family stay overnight in the castle, they would be picked random. He said that the person in charge of picking that day could look for the fourth couple where the woman is taller than the man, or the 12th person they saw that day wearing Mickey Ears, or a child with red hair and freckles. It changes each day and is very random.

We were chosen to be in the Jammin' Jungle Parade at AK by castmembers. My DH, son and I were just strolling along holding hands and laughing about something -- so we were very random. My son still talks about being in the parade!:sohappy:

Pretty much just being in the right place at the right time. It's seems to usually be a matter of having good interaction with whatever CM is supposed to pick the family on that given day. And as Yoda said, that pretty much dictates getting to the park early. Both so you can have time to interact with the CM's, and also so they can get you to where you need to be on time. I.E. at MK I believe the family who opens the park has to be taken to the Toontown train station to get on the train and they ride it over from there.

dreamfinder said:

Pretty much just being in the right place at the right time. It's seems to usually be a matter of having good interaction with whatever CM is supposed to pick the family on that given day. And as Yoda said, that pretty much dictates getting to the park early. Both so you can have time to interact with the CM's, and also so they can get you to where you need to be on time. I.E. at MK I believe the family who opens the park has to be taken to the Toontown train station to get on the train and they ride it over from there.

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I don't remember exactly what time we found out we would be family of the day, but I think we arrived at MK around 8:00 (park opened at 9:00) because we had an early breakfast ADR. If I had to guess, it was probably at least 8:15 when things got started...they let us into the gates, rode us down Main Street and stopped at the castle for pics, took us to Toon Town, had a few minutes of interaction with the characters, then we all got on the train.

Thanks so much for all the info. I'm hoping we get it, based on celebrations. I'm the spinster sister taking the family. My parents, celebrating their 40th Anniversary, my brother and sister-in-law, their 5th Anniversary, my 16 month old Nephew's first visit and my sis-in-laws first visit. A whole lot of celebrating!

We've been chosen first family twice for the safari ride in AK. The first time they did pick someone else first but their whole party wasn't together. Luckily they asked us next. Then the second time the CM yelled "Jombo" (I know that is not spelled right and I'm sorry) and my hubby yelled back really loud. The CM came right over and asked if we wanted to have a private ride on the safari. We have decided that if we get picked again when we go back, we are going to pick a random family to ride with us. It's just a lot of fun to be the first family. They go really slow, stop and let you take pictures.

We got picked to be the Family of the Day at MK January 2009. It was DDs 5th birthday, so she woke up at about 5am ready to go. Suffice to say, we were at the gates a good hour plus before opening and the ONLY people there. We headed up to the 'birthday window' to get her gift card since we already had tickets. They gave her a bunch of stickers. Once we were back out front, she (unprovoked) was going up to the CMs and giving them each a sticker for her birthday. Guess she went up to the right one. Her asked her to come to the other side of the gates and had us sit on one of the benches and said he would be back in a few minutes with something special. We were figuring on a birthday hat or something similar when he came back and asked if she would like to meet Mickey.

It was a great experience - got to ride the antique fire engine down main street and back to Toontown and stop along the way for lots of pictures. Then met all the characters (see my avatar pic) and rode the train sitting with Mickey and everyone else. The train experience was great as we were on it for a good 10-15 minutes and again, we got a ton of awesome pictures - thank goodness for digital cameras! Then out front to throw the confetti and another round of pictures with Mickey. At the end DD insisted on walking Mickey to the backstage doors rather than heading for rides.

Truly a once in a lifetime experience. So, in terms of advice - getting there early, having something special going on, and being nice is about all I can recommend!