1 Day Dream Trip.....Please help!!!!

[Dawn Green]

My daughter, who is now 15, has always wanted to go to Disney. Unfortunately, I have never been able to afford the trip. Well, we have the opportunity to be in Orlando with family and we are staying at The Fountains Resort in Orlando....we have literally 1 day open and being that close to Disney, I cannot NOT fulfill this dream for her (FINALLY).
Looking for suggestions of free to do stuff in area....and I'm working on coming up with extra money for maybe a 1 day pass....if so need all the help/suggestions I can get for which park/strategies etc...

Thank you so much for ANY input!! I'm sooooo excited!

 

[bryanb]

For free stuff, it's mostly going to be centered around Disney Springs (the shopping district at WDW) or in the resort areas. I could think of many ways to make a day of those activities, but hopefully you'll have a chance to actually visit a park.

As for which park to visit on a one day pass, do you and your daughter have any particular special interests that would lend themselves to a particular park?

Most people would recommend Magic Kingdom if you've never been . It is the park that started WDW and features the iconic Cinderella Castle and some of Disney's most famous attractions. I would try to make the most of your day by getting there as early before the park opens and staying late for the fireworks show and the short lines at the end of the night. You'll find the lightest lines in the earliest and latest parts of the day.

I'd definitely ask some questions in the budget boards on this forum, as some people have really great tips on how to make the most of your time and dollars at Disney. Happy to answer any questions or go into more details!

 

[Dawn Green]

For free stuff, it's mostly going to be centered around Disney Springs (the shopping district at WDW) or in the resort areas. I could think of many ways to make a day of those activities, but hopefully you'll have a chance to actually visit a park.

As for which park to visit on a one day pass, do you and your daughter have any particular special interests that would lend themselves to a particular park?

Most people would recommend Magic Kingdom if you've never been . It is the park that started WDW and features the iconic Cinderella Castle and some of Disney's most famous attractions. I would try to make the most of your day by getting there as early before the park opens and staying late for the fireworks show and the short lines at the end of the night. You'll find the lightest lines in the earliest and latest parts of the day.

I'd definitely ask some questions in the budget boards on this forum, as some people have really great tips on how to make the most of your time and dollars at Disney. Happy to answer any questions or go into more details!

 

[Dawn Green]

I think we have decided on MK....it will be the most representative of the magic, I feel. Now I have to study up on how to pack the most in for the day. Thank you for the advice!

 

[cgattis]

You can get some more specific tips if you say what dates you’ll be there...

Also, I took my DD for her 15th birthday too and it was magical

 

[Dawn Green]

We will be there March 31

 

[cgattis]

That’s not a holiday or a race weekend, so that’s good. Some park hours should be published by now, so that will help you see what time open and close are planned (although it can always change, so keep watching). I also don’t think Sunday is an extra magic day for Magic Kingdom, so you won’t have an hours worth of on-site hotel guests in front of you. Looks like a good start!!!

 

[Dawn Green]

That’s not a holiday or a race weekend, so that’s good. Some park hours should be published by now, so that will help you see what time open and close are planned (although it can always change, so keep watching). I also don’t think Sunday is an extra magic day for Magic Kingdom, so you won’t have an hours worth of on-site hotel guests in front of you. Looks like a good start!!!

Perfect!! Thank you

 

[DisDreaming4116]

Good choice with Magic Kingdom. Have a tentative plan in place for the day. Not something you have to strictly adhere to but a guideline so you don't forget a bunch of things while in the busyness of the moment. Familiarize yourself with FastPass+.
Also, know you cannot do everything in one day and have a wonderful time!

 

[cgattis]

I’d also suggest you look at the attractions (rides, shows, meet and greets) and try to sort of prioritize them—that way some folks on here could help suggest specific touring order strategies and Fastpass suggestions. For a one-day trip, a good plan can really make a world of difference in how much you accomplish.

 

[Sdolores]

Be sure to secure FP as soon as you can. My advice would be to start your FPs at 11am then noon and 1. This will give you 2 hours in the morning when crowds are light to knock out a few rides and then use your 3 FPs. BE sure you bone-up on how to secure your 4th, 5th, 6th etc FP. MK is the best of the 4 parks for this and since your dd has never been you should have great success with this.

 

[littledebbie335]

Definitely familiarize yourself with the map of the park ahead of time! It's easy to get overwhelmed by trying to want to do it all, but don't forget to just soak up the magic! Since it sounds like you're trying to do this trip on a budget and you only have one day, I would not book any TS meals.

 

[Shughart]

Definitely familiarize yourself with the map of the park ahead of time! It's easy to get overwhelmed by trying to want to do it all, but don't forget to just soak up the magic! Since it sounds like you're trying to do this trip on a budget and you only have one day, I would not book any TS meals.

See I disagree, I would go for one big big bang experience meal and then just have a snack or two as needed. Like what about breakfast at CRT? Can you swing it? It's $$$ but maybe Parents/Grandparents can pitch in and call it birthday/Christmas this year. Or maybe lunch at BOG? They are both beautiful atmospheres and experiences. I would have loved it still at 15. If castles/princesses aren't your thing, maybe a different character meal. Then you can pick some rides to go on, characters to see, catch a parade and fireworks. Magic Kingdom to me, really is THE Magic.

 

[SG131]

See I disagree, I would go for one big big bang experience meal and then just have a snack or two as needed. Like what about breakfast at CRT? Can you swing it? It's $$$ but maybe Parents/Grandparents can pitch in and call it birthday/Christmas this year. Or maybe lunch at BOG? They are both beautiful atmospheres and experiences. I would have loved it still at 15. If castles/princesses aren't your thing, maybe a different character meal. Then you can pick some rides to go on, characters to see, catch a parade and fireworks. Magic Kingdom to me, really is THE Magic.

Lunch at BOG is right around the same price you would see at any of the counter service locations. You can used touring plans reservation finder (free) and you should have some luck. Right around the 60 day mark people start to firm up their plans since onsite guests can make fastpasses and usually have reservations to cancel.

I’ll agree with the previous posters, definitely spend a little bit of time reading the first few posts on the fastpass faq thread on this site. That will really help you maximize your time. I also recommend making time to see the afternoon parade since you’ve never seen a Disney parade before. You’ll get to see a lot of characters up close and the parades are pretty amazing in my opinion. Since you only have one day I wouldn’t spend much time stalking a perfect parade or fireworks viewing spot, but I would make sure you’re somewhere in front of the castle for HEA and so you can see tink fly!

Do you want to focus on the classic rides, thrill rides, a mix of both, character meets? What do you think she would enjoy the best? Along with the classics, one of my favorite rides is splash mountain, because what amusement park doesn’t have a log flume ride so you can really see the Disney difference compared to any other amusement park in that ride.

 

[Shughart]

Can you still use the BOG lunch hack where you make individual reservations and then just sit together? That was a popular one. Wherever you decide to eat, you can make your reservation 180 days in advance, you just need to have a card on file in case you are a no call/no show. You do not need to have a room booked or tickets purchased to do this. You can do it in MDE.

 

[littledebbie335]

Lunch at BOG is a great idea! It's kind of like a Quick Service + because they bring the food to you, but it doesn't take as long as a true table service meal, and costs less.

 

[princesspaigey]

I'd actually recommend a pre-park opening breakfast at Be Our Guest. Touringplans Reservation Finder can help you find one, as well as checking frequently. If your reservation is for before 9 am, you can into the park early. Being there when it's nearly empty is magical.

I'd try to get as close to 8 am as possible, then after breakfast, head to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It's a fun, smooth rollercoaster. We were able to ride it once before the park even opened when we did this 2 years ago. If the hours are changed to 8 am opening though this isn't possible and the reservation isn't worth it. Lunch would be a better choice in that case.

The rest really depends on what FP+ you're able to get and what you both are into! Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and Space Mountain are the bigger rides that you'll want to catch early or have a FP+ for. Peter Pan's Flight isn't a thrilling ride but it's magical to me and popular with kids. It's A Small World. The Haunted Mansion is definitely an iconic must-ride.

I'd plan shows for the afternoon if it's hot and to rest, try to book additional fastpasses for after, grab some food, and then enjoy the evening there. Don't be afraid to take a break in the park such as at Tom Sawyer's Island to rest without leaving! Jungle Cruise. Pirates of the Caribbean is best at night to me. I also like the Astro Orbiter at night though the height scares me a little. Look through the rides and shows and pick a couple must-dos! Make those the priority and have some "if we feel like it" plans as well, but don't force it and enjoy the moment. There are also characters as well if your daughter would like that.

Find a spot to relax for the parades and fireworks, maybe with an icecream and if you're not exhausted, wait out the crowds leaving. It'll be much more peaceful leaving if you just sit until it calms down a bit. But make sure to rest mid-day if you want to make it this far!

Also, if you want to do a table service meal, I'd recommend 1-3 for the rest and waits will be pretty high then, and possibly hottest part of the day. Could be any temperature in March in Florida.

I hope it's magical for both of you ❤