Must See and Do - First Timers

[BeachRocker]

Will be at WDW for 7 days with my wife
and (2) boys 8 and 10yrs

We are trying to plan for our first time to WDW - We arrive this Saturday!!!

OK.. so what should be our top 5 or 6 Must sees and dos for each park.

Thanks!!!!!

 

[RllngRckBrw]

here are my few for each park:


MK: Pirates, Buzz Lightyear, BTMR, Splash Mountain

Epcot: Soarin, Soarin, Soarin!!! Test Track, Turtle Talk, Nemo and Friends

MGM: Tower of Terror, Great Movie Ride, Indiana Jones, FANTASMIC!!!

AK: Safari, Lion King, Dinosaur, Nemo, Bugs Life

 

[JessiMommy]

MK: Buzz Lightyear, Pirates, Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Spectro Magic & Wishes, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT miss Wishes!!

EPCOT: Spaceship Earth (if it is open), Soarin, Turtle Talk w/ Crush, all of World Showcase, Illuminations

Hollywood Studios: Tower of Terror, Rock n Roller Coaster, Indiana Jones, Beauty & the Beast (Especially the preshow... arrive 25 minutes early), Fantasmic

Animal Kingdom: Expedition Everest, Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo the Musical, Safari, Tough to Be a Bug

Have an awesome time.

 

[FoggyToad]

First and foremost, please do not skip any of the four parks. You will hear some people say such and such park is not worth my/our time so we don't go there anymore. FALSE! Each park has something special that your family will love and you must experience each one.

Okay, having said that here are my recommendations based on the information you gave about your family:

MK: BTMR, Splash Mtn, Pirates, Haunted Mansion. Peter Pan, Buzz Lightyear, the parades and fireworks

Epcot: Test Track, Soarin, Nemo and Friends, Crush's Turtle Talk, Norway's Maelstrom, Illuminations, lunch at one of the wonderful table service countries in the WS

Disney Studios: Tower of Terror, Fantasmic, Indiana Jones, RnR Coaster, parade

AK: Dinosaur, Lion King, EE, Safari, A Bug's Life, Nemo, parade

Be sure to arrive at park opening and HAVE FUN!

 

[ArmyWife3-4]

MK: Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, CRT Dinner, Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan, and...(can I have 6???) Mickey's Philharmagic

Epcot: Malestrom at Norway, SOARIN!!!!, Living with the Land, eating around the world (does that count as 1???), Seas with Nemo and Friends

AK: Safari, Maharajah Jungle Trek, Finding Nemo: The Musical, Festival of The Lion King, It's Tough to be a Bug

MGM: Muppet Vision 3-D, Great Movie Ride, Stunt Show (DH liked that, your sons probably would too!)

 

[Peaches1111_00]

It all depends on what your family is into. If they're into thrill rides, then hit the thrill rides. My family isn't, so we can skip stuff like Everest at AK, but Pooh and PeterPan at MK is NOT possible to skip.

MK: Philharmagic!, PPan, HMansion, Pirates, BUZZ!, maybe Jungle Cruise, take the train all the way around the park, and I love Tiki Room and CoP. Try to get a Dole Whip if you can (even a simple ice cream sandwich tastes better at Disney). For thrills, do the 3 mountains.
Epcot: Malestrom, TTrack, Spaceship Earth, Soarin' (we recommend getting Fast Passes early!!), Explore future world a little, and hit up some of the candy/food stores to try a little from everywhere around the world. If you're into thrills do Mission to Mars.
MGM (DHS): Great Movie Ride, Stunt show, Indiana Jones show, Backlot Tour; if you're into thrills do ToT, Startours, and Rn'R
AK: KSafari, KRRapids, Bug (in the tree); thrills do Dinosaur and EE. For a cool dining place, eat at Rainforest Cafe.

For each park, try to get each parade and firework show at least once in your trip. I highly recommend sitting next to the fence in Epcot at least 30-60 min before Illuminations starts so you can see.

 

[Lilo312]

Everyone has given you some great ideas to start with. But remember to leave in some down time, days to sleep in late, pool time, simply R & R time.
Trying to get it ALL in - in one trip may be too much -there's just sooo much to see and do - and you'll end up needing a vacation after your vacation.

 

[mmorizio]

Lilo 312 is correct. Take a deep breath, and Do not worry about the must-see's or the must-do's. The difference between the WDW theme parks and all of the others (including the Universal Parks) is the richness of detail - there is literally something to enjoy everywhere you look. In fact, the Animal Kingdom and the World Showcase section of Epcot are really not about rides (though they have some) as much as they are about the small exhibits, nooks and details that are everywhere.

By all means, utilize the FastPass system, see Soarin', Philharmagic and the Tower of Terror, but be sure to take time to smell the hidden Mickeys.

Whenever I speak with someone who has made their first visit to WDW with small children, she tells me that her kids' favorite "attraction" was the hotel pool!

 

[1000th happy haunt]

And the first park you go into, go to the guest relations counter (i.e. city hall at the Magic Kingdom) and request a "first visit" pin to wear.

 

[nalalion224]

Everyone gave you great suggestions. I just have one that I didn't see listed.
"Walt Disney One Mans Dream"

 

[Peaches1111_00]

Don't try to cram everything into 1 trip. Leaving some things undone just gives you an excuse to go back!!! I don't think you could ever do everything in 1 trip, it's impossible. Always remember that it's your vacation and it's not worth stressing yourself to get everything done.

 

[GQ's Ghost]

My first timer advice...don't try and do everything in one vacation. This will cause you to miss more than you are seeing.

SLow down, pay attention to the little things. Notice how theres never any trash, looki at the perfectly manicured plants, tree, shrubs. pay attention to themeing, lighting, food.

Talk with the disney cast members. give a simple hello, and cath their response. Shop the shops. See the charecters. Just go visit some resorts to walk around or get a snack. Dont skip down town disney.

Do all this as you go from attraction to attraction. And you will instill the burning reason to go back over and over like we all do. The details and little things make disney, not e-ticket attractions.

Try to hard to ride all the rides, and you miss the real disney.

 

[Mickey and PSU]

As others have said, save time daily for downtime.

MK - Pirates, BTMRR, Spash Mountain, Buzz, CofP, and of course Dole Whips

Epcot - Soarin', Turtle Talk, Test Track, Mission;Space, Maelstrom, Voices of Liberts at The American Adventure, Spaceship Earth

Hollywood Studios - Indiana Jones, stunt show, Great Movie Ride, Star Tours, (RnR and Tot T if you are adventurous)

Space your time so you can see the parades and firework shows. Also, Disney Quest would be great for your family.

Above all, have fun and don't stress out if you miss something.

 

[miler1600]

I don't know if you get flamed here for saying this but I wouldn't miss Islands of Adventure over at Universal if I had an 8 yr old and 10 yr old boy.

Saying that. I think you are on the right track by hitting the highlights at all the parks.

And as someone else said on here. Don't let anyone tell you "we don't go to such and such park because...." Every park has its special things plus everyone has a different favorite park. Everyone in your family could have a different favorite.

My favorite is Magic Kingdom.

Also, if I were you, I would try to hit all the night shows at Disney. Illuminations at Epcot, SpectroMagic/Wishes at Magic Kingdom, Fantasmic at MGM. They are really amazing. My favorite thing of the entire trip was probably SpectroMagic followed by wishes, but our family had its best night at illuminations. We sadly missed Fantasmic and will not miss it next time for sure.

 

[AJ 1977]

For me, there are certain attractions that define the park for me. In other words, it wouldn't be doing Disney if I didn't do these. (Of course your likes may vary)

MK: Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, Space Moutain, Philharmagic

EPCOT: Test Track, Soarin', the WHOLE world showcase, Spaceship Earth, The Living Seas (now with Nemo and Friends)

Hollywood Studios: Tower of Terror (great great ride), RNR Coaster, Great Movie Ride, Muppets in 3D, Indiana Jones Stunt Show

Animal Kingdom: Everest (the best!), safari (we did this 8 times over two days), Nemo Musical, Dinosaur, Festival of the Lion King

Of course now that I think of it, there isn't a whole lot that I don't like. I hope you find that to be true as well.

 

[BeachRocker]

Wow... Thank you all!
Everyone has given such great suggestions.

OK! Here is our list of Must Sees and Dos

MK:
Pirates
Buzz Lightyear
Big Thunder Mountain
Splash Mountain
Haunted Mansion
Spectro Magic
Peter Pan
Star tours
Space Mountain
Mickey's Philharmagic
Wishes

Epcot:
Soarin!
Test Track
Turtle Talk
Nemo and Friends
Spaceship Earth (if it is open)
World Showcase
Mission to Mars
Norway's Maelstrom
Illuminations

MGM:
Tower of Terror
Great Movie Ride
Indiana Jones
Stunt Show
Back Lot Tour
FANTASMIC
Rock n Roller Coaster
Beauty & the Beast
Muppet Vision 3-D
Great Movie Ride

AK:
Safari
Dinosaur
Bugs Life
Expedition Everest
Festival of the Lion King
Finding Nemo the Musical

 

[BeachRocker]

Wow... Thank you all!
Everyone has given such great suggestions.

OK! Based on your input ...
Here is our list of Must Sees and Dos

MK:
Pirates
Buzz Lightyear
Big Thunder Mountain
Splash Mountain
Haunted Mansion
Spectro Magic
Peter Pan
Space Mountain
Mickey's Philharmagic
Wishes

Epcot:
Soarin !!!
Test Track,
Turtle Talk,
Nemo and Friends
Spaceship Earth (if it is open),
World Showcase
Mission to Mars
Norway's Maelstrom,
Illuminations

MGM:
Tower of Terror
Great Movie Ride
Star tours
Indiana Jones Stunt Show
Back Lot Tour
FANTASMIC!!!
Rock n Roller Coaster
Beauty & the Beast
Muppet Vision 3-D
Great Movie Ride

AK:
Safari
Dinosaur
Bugs Life
Expedition Everest,
Festival of the Lion King
Finding Nemo the Musical