Help me plan a last minute trip May 15-16

[otmba23]

I am hoping to get some guidance on an upcoming, fairly last minute trip to Disney. Thanks everyone in advance for reading this and for your help. I feel like I am drinking from a fire hose trying to maximize our short trip (see below)

I was just asked to speak at a conference and we decided to add on 2 days at the end for my family to join. They will be arriving in the early afternoon on the 14th and we will be staying the 15th and 16th. We are staying at the Yacht Club (where my conference is behind held, so this is non-negotiable). I have 2 day park hopper passes purchased. My children are 6 and 3 and it's their first time at Disney and me and my husband's visit in 15+ years (hence the drinking from a fire hose analogy)!

1) My original plan was to have the 15th be our MK day (recommended due to crowds) and the 16th be our Epcot day (again recommended), but now I am wondering if it is better to do both mornings at the MK and then do evenings at Epcot, since it's walking distance from the Yacht Club? I definitely want to check out the Flower & Garden festival and honestly, I think we'd spend most of our time doing that and walking around the World Showcase vs. doing any rides. My 3 year old is too short for Test Track and Soarin and my 6 year old is pretty averse to fast rides, so I don' think there's too much there that would interest them ride-wise at Epcot (unless I am wrong about this. Maybe some shows?). I know my 6 year old would enjoy looking at the flowers and my 3 year would like some of the play areas and just walking around. We are going to avoid HS because of Star Wars weekend.

So the major question is: should we do both mornings (May 15th and 16th) at MK or skip MK on the 16th and do Epcot all day? I have some FP+ booked on the 15th, but I can try and move things around depending on what we decide.

Thanks in advance for any guidance you can provide.

 

[HopperFan]

- Assuming you keep Friday a MK day.
- I probably would do MK in the morning 16th if you can get there early, do a few hours for things you may have missed or repeat likes.
- Head back to your resort and enjoy the pool for a few hours since you are staying at a hotel with one of the best. Maybe lunch at pool.
- Get dressed and head to EPCOT mid afternoon to enjoy the World Showcase, let kids go to the Kidcots at each country.
- Have a dinner booked in EPCOT so you will be done before Illuminations.
- Watch Illuminations and head back to your hotel.

EDIT: Now if you sit close to the International Walkway to watch Illuminations then immediately head back towards your resort ..... if you ask at hotel ahead of time for a good spot so you know where to head ............. you could watch the Star Wars Weekends fireworks from around your hotel which I believe start at 9:30 or 9:45, have heard both. They are AWESOME!

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

I think MK both mornings is a good idea. If you end up staying at MK all day on Friday you could do that too and just hit Epcot on Sat afternoon if necessary. Are either of your younglings Star Wars fans? That's the first Star Wars Weekend at DHS - just mentioning it in case any of you are interested in it....

 

[Rosebud123]

I would do MK both mornings, from RD - 2. I'd come back to the hotel to swim until 5:30, and then head back out. One night I'd head to Epcot and the other night DHS. On the day that you go to Epcot at night, use your FP's in the MK. On the day that you go to DHS at night, use your FP's there. (Toy Story for sure, then whatever other two you think your kids would like.) DHS has a lot of stuff for kids to do. I'd do the evening entertainment at both parks.

The other option is full day in the MK one day (with 4 hours break) so you can see Wishes, and then a DHS (w/FP) morning, break, and a night at Epcot.

You only have two days so it's not like they're going to get super tired from two days of touring.

 

[Rosebud123]

Sorry, I just saw what you wrote about Star Wars weekend. I still think you could have a great morning there w/FP+!

 

[lauradis]

- Assuming you keep Friday a MK day.
- I probably would do MK in the morning 16th if you can get there early, do a few hours for things you may have missed or repeat likes.
- Head back to your resort and enjoy the pool for a few hours since you are staying at a hotel with on of the best. Maybe lunch at pool.
- Get dressed and head to EPCOT mid afternoon to enjoy the World Showcase, let kids go to the Kidcots at each country.
- Have a dinner booked in EPCOT so you will be done before Illuminations.
- Watch Illuminations and head back to your hotel.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/calendars/2015-05-15/

Magic Kingdom is open from 9am till midnight.

Epcot is open from 9am till 9pm.

I would spend Mornings in Magic Kingdom do rope drop till like lunch time, head back to hotel for breaks for little ones, then hit half of Epcot world showcase, in evening.

Repeat. The next day.

Think of the time like this 4/4/4

Four hours in Mk, four hours break, four hours in Epcot. With transportation your looking at 14/15 hr days.

 

[otmba23]

Thanks everyone for the advice - based on this I think we are going to do both mornings in the MK. Definitely one evening in Epcot (I got ADR to a restaurant in the World Showcase for Saturday evening). I can't decide if we'll do both evenings at Epcot. I am going to see if we can get a FP+ for Wishes one of the nights, which may help us decide. We can also see how the mornings go and if there is more stuff that we want to hit. I like the idea of doing one morning in Fantasyland and one morning in Tomorrowland.

I think we are going to skip DHS - neither one of my kids is really into Star Wars, I don't think they have seen Toy Story (I need to fix this) and I think they would get more out of the MK at this age (though my husband is all about SWW. Maybe he can pop over to DHS while I have the kids resting/at the pool). Good to know about SWW fireworks. We may try that for Saturday! I think we have an early enough ADR that we could be back at the walkway for Illuminations and then try for the SWW fireworks, as suggested.

Now to move some FP+ around (hopefully).

Yikes - 14/15 hours days! I'd better start resting up.

 

[DCbride]

With the age of your kids, I would consider 1 late afternoon at HSjust to see Disney Junior, see the characters from Disney junior and see the Frozen sing a long. Then you can take the boat to Epcot for the rest of the evening.

 

[otmba23]

With the age of your kids, I would consider 1 late afternoon at HSjust to see Disney Junior, see the characters from Disney junior and see the Frozen sing a long. Then you can take the boat to Epcot for the rest of the evening.

Do I need a FP for the Frozen sing-a-long? I aks because I think I would use up our FP earlier in the day at MK. Is there an attraction/character spot to see the Disney Junior Characters? (we like Jake, Doc McStuffins and Princess Sofia). I think the kids would like the boat ride idea.

 

[DCbride]

Frozen: you can use a FP but you can also wait in line, it's a theaterthat hold a lot of people. Or as soon as you get to HS check with FP kiosk to see if you can get one. There is a really nice character meet and greet right outside Disney Jr. (Which is a great interaction show with Jake and Sophia puppets) Pkus, if your dining isi not covered there is a character meal at Hollywood and Vine with those 2.

 

[juliekzp]

I agree with those recommending two MK mornings, one Epcot evening (no FPs), and one HS evening (with FPs). For your ages and interests, one evening in Epcot is enough -- Nemo, Turtle Talk, Imagination, maybe dinner at Akershus if you have a princess-lover and can get in (try disneydiningbuddy.com!). If SWW scares you away from HS, I'd do a full day (with break at hotel) at MK instead. But I also think a later afternoon/evening at HS would be great -- Disney Junior Live, Toy Story Mania, Little Mermaid show, Frozen singalong, Muppets.

 

[otmba23]

I agree with those recommending two MK mornings, one Epcot evening (no FPs), and one HS evening (with FPs). For your ages and interests, one evening in Epcot is enough -- Nemo, Turtle Talk, Imagination, maybe dinner at Akershus if you have a princess-lover and can get in (try *****************.com!). If SWW scares you away from HS, I'd do a full day (with break at hotel) at MK instead. But I also think a later afternoon/evening at HS would be great -- Disney Junior Live, Toy Story Mania, Little Mermaid show, Frozen singalong, Muppets.

Thank you! I'm still on the fence about DHS, but will decide soon. Is there a another way to get reservations at Akershus? I keep checking Disney dining hoping I'll get lucky with a cancellation, but never any luck. My daughter would love this (major princess lover)

 

[juliekzp]

Hmmm, looks like the link I was trying to provide you got *'d out (against the rules, I guess?). It's a website where you pay $8, and they will check once an hour to see if a reservation opens up. Bet you can find it by googling :-D.

Also, for a princess-lover, the Frozen sing-a-long is super cute!