Should I skip AK on our holiday trip?

[Suzanne74]

First off, let me start by saying we all love AK and go one or two days every trip. We tend to go for at least 7-8 nights so this usually isn't a problem.

We just booked a last minute trip going the Sat after Thanksgiving for only 5 nights. We are staying at GF and will be on the dining plan. This is our first time going during the holidays so I want it to be more about the holiday stuff and relaxing at the GF then commando ride hopping.

So far this is my plan:

Sat: MK, check in at GF, 1900 for dinner, back to MK
Sun: AK during the day - Narcossee's at night (dd at Neverland club)
Mon: MGM all day, Osborne lights at 6pm then late dinner at Spoodles
Tues: relax at resort, (dd is doing cooking and tea party) then MVMCP at night
Wed: Epcot all day, CP package (LeCellier lunch) 5pm CP and tree lighting and illuminations at night.
Thurs: Leave by noon for airport


I feel like I am pushing everything I want to see at Epcot all in one day which is very hard and very tiring, esp for a 6yr old and even more so because we will be at MVMCP the night before. I have heard AK isn't so decorated or that special during the holidays but on the otherhand it won't be so darn hot which is a huge plus. I have thought of knocking out AK all together and doing Epcot Future World that day. This allows us to sleep in after MVMCP and do only the countries the last Epcot day with the CP package.

My other thought was to go to Epcot early on my MGM day, do Future World, eat an early lunch at Coral Reef and then take the ferry over to MGM around 2pm for parade, some rides and osborne lights. Then skip Spoodles that night. This would also allow us to sleep in after MVMCP and only do the countries. But this option also means we have to add the hopper option to our passes. Something we normally do but didn't this time since we only got 4 day passes and didn't plan on commando park hopping. UGH!!

Suggestions PLEASE!!!

 

[Sea Turtles]

We love the AK and had a very similar schedule in December '06. Unfortunately the AK was sacrificed for more time elsewhere to enjoy the whole holiday theme. We were a little sad but we had an '07 trip already planned so that helped a lot in deciding not to go to the AK. If you don't have a future trip planned I'd allow a few hours to hit up the AK's headliners. Have a great trip!

 

[kimkarli]

It looks like you have a good plan. We are doing AK for 1/2 a day on our Dec. trip.

 

[haleofafamily]

We couldn't skip AK because for some of our children it is their favorite park. I would decide based on what your family likes to do best. We usually tour in a low season and it is relatively easy to hit all four parks in a 5 night stay.

 

[Suzanne74]

I am sorta in the same boat. We all really love AK which is why the decision is hard. It pretty much comes down to either skipping it this time and keeping the non-hoppers we have or pay the extra $135 for 3 of us and get the hoppers and figure out how to squeeze a 1/2 day in there. Normally we always get hoppers but since this is only a 4 day ticket and we are staying at the GF (expensive) I decided to get base tickets.

A part of me thinks $135 isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things and gives us flexibility but then the other part of me thinks that amount of money just to squeeze in AK somewhere isn't worth it and will then avoid us running around too much. UGH!!!

 

[DizCaptain]

One thing you could try is to take a morning or an extra magic evening to do the things you want to do in Animal Kingdom. What we do is go over at opening and hit the major things (Finding Nemo, Everest, Dinosaur, etc.) and then if we have time before 11 or so we will go on other things. The rides are never busy at opening in AK so don't bother with fast passes. The sad thing though, is that tusker house made a great breakfast there and now it is no more.

 

[haleofafamily]

After you are home will you regret not spending the extra $135 to go to one of your favorite parks? That's what I would ask myself.

 

[DisneyHolidayFan]

If you are attending CP at 5:00, you will really have to hurry to make Tree Lighting ceremony (Lights of Winter) at 6:00 p.m. We usually only go to AK every other year. There are so many wonderful things to see at Epcot during the holiday season. One day will be difficult.

 

[fAnnF]

I love AK at the holidays. The characters are dressed for Christmas. Mickey and Minnie in their matching sweaters. Goofy dressed as Santa, Pluto dressed as a raindeer, and Donlad dressed as a lumber jack.

 

[johde]

Another option would be to add a 5th day to your tickets (only about $3 a person) and do a few things in future world for a couple of hours late morning the day you are going to MVMCP. Or if you think you have missed something you could go to the park for a couple of hours the day you are traveling home. With the 5th and 6th days being so cheap it's could be worth it for 2 or 3 hours in the parks.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I love AK and on the Saturday after Thanksgiving last year, I got some great photos with characters dressed in their holiday garb and no lines! It seemed as if there were fewer people at AK. You've got to go to Camp Minnie Mickey to see the Campin Carolers. They're so much fun to watch!

 

[nettii]

We are going at the same time! And all our parks are the same except for Monday we are doing Epcot and Wed we are doing MGM. We were there in May and skipped AK so we havnt seen the new Nemo show so we will do it this time. Have a great trip!

 

[jordanyosh]

I would spend the extra money for the hopper option. If for nothing else, peace of mind. Just knowing you have options if a park is too busy may be worth the extra 135.

 

[bluefairy13]

I would spend the extra money for the hopper option. If for nothing else, peace of mind. Just knowing you have options if a park is too busy may be worth the extra 135.

I agree, although I feel guilty telling you to spend more money. I know it is so expensive and understand if you don't want to, but for me, the hopper is the most important option, because it just takes away so much stress. We only ever want a few hours at AK, and love the rest of the day to go somewhere else.

 

[RyMickey]

We plan on spending the most time at Epcot for the four days we are there this upcoming December. We've never seen AK at Christmas (and we haven't seen the Nemo show yet either), so we're going to go there one morning and split that day with MGM to see the Osborne lights at night.

The last time we went over Christmas (which was 10 years ago) Epcot definitely felt like it had the most to offer over Christmas. Each country had its own Santa who would tell stories about what Christmas "means" in each country. It felt like there was the most "Christmas" stuff to do there.

 

[Dancind]

Our visit to AK last December was one of the highlights of our trip. We like to see the animals, and they are much more active in the cooler weather. We spend a lot of time on the trails watching them and taking pictures, and our safari was a really good one. Of course, we also got to try out Everest and see the Nemo show for the first time. I don't remember much about the Christmas theming, however.

 

[dsnymomof4]

We have done AK twice in December and loved it. In addition to the characters in their Christmas outfits, the tree outside the entrance is so amazing - filled with animals. The parade was also wonderful - different for the holidays. It was so nice to be able to tour AK without the 90 degree temps. I would recommend adding the PH because the parks have shorter hours in December and if you want, you could jump over to a park with EMH to catch the nighttime activities. Good luck!