***1st Week of December Thread ADR Plans, Park Hours, and dealing with Pop Warner***

[rasadkowski]

I saw that too. Very promising, though it's still lower crowds than it will be for most of our trip I think. I told my DH he and the youngest can go through bag check with the stroller, and I'll take the 7yo with no bags through the line then book it to the kiosk with the extra bands.

I'm still trying to decide whether booking a FEA FP then hoping like hell we can get SDFP for TT and Soarin is a better plan then getting FP for Soarin/TT (using baby swap we split them!) and booking it to FEA at RD. That one in particular is making me crazy...

Good plan!!

 

[Meeko5]

We're planning on doing both, but in the afternoon. I'm wearing a poncho on Kali; it's so much fun that I can't *NOT* go on it! LOL

So you've done it with a poncho before? What kind? I'm bringing good ones for us all, but was thinking a disposable one just for this ride would do so we dont have to lug wet thick ponchos around afterwards... Thoughts?

 

[rasadkowski]

MK: Peoplemover for sure. Just so classic and relaxing. (2nd would have to be Gaston's Tavern for a cinnamon roll and LeFou's Brew. SO GOOD)
HS: It was Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground SO SAD that is gone now - luckily I got pics of both kids (and me!) on "the ant" last year. Now I don't know!
AK: Dino dig area - we spent about 30 min there last trip and the boys coulkd have spent hours. just wish they would let parents bring drinks in because that would be so much more tolerable with a beverage
EP: Strolling the WS with a drink in hand - kids loved the trains in Germany too. And feeding the ducks!

Hmm.... Maybe I have been to hs when I was a kid?! I though the honey I shrunk the kids was at universal!! I love the pic of me and my sister on the ant! Is one newer?? Where is the place that used to have the bates motel. I think there was a jaws ride? Or some boat ride with fire?! I must be imagining things..

 

[Iowamomof4]

I also agree that you need to consider how much "free time" it is reporting for the day. In my AK plan posted there was only like 23 minutes I think, and that doesn't seem like enough! But that corresponds with many other comments about optimizing the order of things so I'm not crossing the park as much, which should result in more free time. Plus I think I'll remove some items and save them for another day when I return later in the trip.

Sure I can explain the FPs in TP! It's located at the top of the page, before your plan. In the screenshot below for one of my in process MK TPs, you can click "Add Reservation" and then the drop down menu directly above popped up. I then selected Space Mountain (based on the TP recommendations you see below) and the arrival window start time. Additionally, you can click where I've circled for "Advanced Options" and then tell it how many FPs you will have for that day in the park. I just have the standard 3 FPs because this is a park hop day for me and I'm currently planning to use advance FPs at the later park (Epcot) and SDFPs at MK in the morning.

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One thing I discovered as I worked on touring plans for AK, is that it actually divides up pretty well by lands and I was able to schedule us in Asia and Dinoland on one day and then Africa on another day. Maybe since you're doing the Wild Africa Trek on one day, you'd like to spend the rest of your day exploring just Dinoland and Asia, then when you come back for your second day you could focus on the things in Africa you didn't get to see the first time. AK has SOOO much to look at, you really don't want to rush through it if you don't have to.

 

[rasadkowski]

Really hard to pick one!!

MK: People Mover.
EPCOT: World Showcase (lol--is that cheating?)
AK: Festival of the Lion King
HS: ?? (my thoughts all go to FP things!

I've never even thought of people mover being a favorite! So many suggest it! It was on our plan but now I know we really need to get to it! And as for your Epcot choice.... Ehh, we'll let it slide .. But I agree, I love the entire ws!!

 

[Candycane83]

Hmm.... Maybe I have been to hs when I was a kid?! I though the honey I shrunk the kids was at universal!! Is one newer?? Where is the place that used to have the bates motel. I think there was a jaws ride? Or some boat ride with fire?! I must be imaging things..

I think part of that is in universal and part in DHS.

 

[rasadkowski]

One thing I discovered as I worked on touring plans for AK, is that it actually divides up pretty well by lands and I was able to schedule us in Asia and Dinoland on one day and then Africa on another day. Maybe since you're doing the Wild Africa Trek on one day, you'd like to spend the rest of your day exploring just Dinoland and Asia, then when you come back for your second day you could focus on the things in Africa you didn't get to see the first time. AK has SOOO much to look at, you really don't want to rush through it if you don't have to.

I completely agree!! ( even though I've never been ..but based on your and @Lisa F 's suggestions, I'm going to go with this route. Thanks!

 

[rasadkowski]

I think part of that is in universal and part in DHS.

Of course!! Haha

 

[areno79]

So you've done it with a poncho before? What kind? I'm bringing good ones for us all, but was thinking a disposable one just for this ride would do so we dont have to lug wet thick ponchos around afterwards... Thoughts?

I think one of the disposables would be fine for that ride (and Splash too!) I actually have a pic from the time we went in October where DH is in front of me on Splash with a sweatshirt and hood on because we went in the AM when there was no line and it was chilly out! LOL

I'm actually contemplating buying a thicker poncho instead of the disposables in case of rain. The only issue is drying the reusable ones off...it's kind of a pain whereas the cheapies you can just throw away.

Hmm.... Maybe I have been to hs when I was a kid?! I though the honey I shrunk the kids was at universal!! I love the pic of me and my sister on the ant! Is one newer?? Where is the place that used to have the bates motel. I think there was a jaws ride? Or some boat ride with fire?! I must be imagining things..

Yes, that ride was at Universal! Not sure if they ever had it at US Orlando, but when I was a kid we went to US in CA and did the backlot tour, where we saw the Bates motel, Jaws, and a "flash flood"!

 

[Talby]

So are any of you planning to ride the safari at 'sunset'? any idea what the optimal time would be?

We are VERY interested in this!! It looks like December sunset is around 5:30, so I'm thinking that might be a good time? It says it runs until 6:00 at the moment, so maybe anything in that 5:30-6:00 range?

I've never even thought of people mover being a favorite! So many suggest it! It was on our plan but now I know we really need to get to it! And as for your Epcot choice.... Ehh, we'll let it slide .. But I agree, I love the entire ws!!

We've actually never experienced People Mover!! I've just heard so much positive all over these boards since joining. With that many people singing its praises, it's really high on our list of non-scheduled shows/FP stuff.

 

[Meeko5]

Hmm.... Maybe I have been to hs when I was a kid?! I though the honey I shrunk the kids was at universal!! I love the pic of me and my sister on the ant! Is one newer?? Where is the place that used to have the bates motel. I think there was a jaws ride? Or some boat ride with fire?! I must be imagining things..

Jaws was at Universal - The shrunk the kids playground has always been at disney (MGM studios, now Hollywood studios) but it was MUCH larger before. They downsized it years ago then closed it last year. So bummed!

 

[Meeko5]

Yes, that ride was at Universal! Not sure if they ever had it at US Orlando, but when I was a kid we went to US in CA and did the backlot tour, where we saw the Bates motel, Jaws, and a "flash flood"!

the backlot tour thing was AWESOME at universal - we loved that ride so much. That and the Twister attraction.

I haven't been to Universal in like 15 years. I'm waiting for the kids to be tall enough for more stuff. Or an adult only trip

 

[erikawalker]

I've kind of been saying this all along. Even if every room at every disney resort is booked up full due to all of the promos disney has run (mostly free dining, which also accounts for the ADRs being booked up as well... and then the only blackout period for the free dining is pretty much while pop warner is there so they are filling a ton of value and moderate rooms that might otherwise go unfilled without the free dining promo) but none of the offsite hotels are that full, the parks still won't be that full. Park capacity is way beyond hotel capacity. Universal is running promos through end of March (they keep going through my FB feed). It was slow in the summer, it is slow right now (and I know everyone says this is a slow time but i went September 19-26 in 2014 and the place was packed, the party was packed, everything felt packed! I did fine with FP's on what we wanted to ride but I was not expecting the amount of waits I saw posted at most of the rides) and I don't see why everyone thinks it will SUDDENLY be packed first two weeks of December. Josh at easywdw said he is basically no longer doing crowd calendars because it is impossible to predict and anyone who is posting them is making a wild guess... that Disney had previously been releasing crowd information to bloggers but has been tight lipped for the past several months, probably because attendance is down and they do not want to post the numbers about exactly how much because it might freak out investors.

Attendance is down for a lot of reasons - foreigners can't afford it due to their own economies, the zika virus thing and honestly the alligator thing didn't do them any favors either. Disney has also been raising prices like gangbusters lately and they may have found the point at which attendance starts to finally decline in response. This $79 admission for up to 6 people with an AP thing is not something I've heard of before IMO and is a sure sign to me that attendance is still down and predicted to be down for the near future (through the end of the month). The loss of MSEP right before the christmas season says to me that they are not expecting enough admission to carry the costs on it either. I think we are going to see an uptick for food & wine though, people love that and it runs concurrently with MNSSHP, which makes it a GREAT time to go (we went before F&W opened last time...or it opened on our last friday, but that is not something kiddo would enjoy so we ignored it... F&W is opening much earlier this year). I think that is why we are seeing more FP+ gone at the 30 day window, like peter pan... also because that falls over a holiday weekend.

Anyway early december has always been a good time to go. moderate crowds (to me "low" crowds are like, january/february when the weather is cold and miserable and there is nothing going on special at all) with all the christmas stuff. I expect it will be like that. I don't think suddenly everyone who didn't go over the summer or in the fall is going to go that week. I think we are seeing a trend. JMHO of course, I could be talking out my butt.

I think you nailed it on the head ... and said stuff I hadn't really thought of! Thank you for sharing your insight ... I agree with it all! (and am happy that you think early December will still be low crowds as that is when we're going LOL)

 

[Meeko5]

We've actually never experienced People Mover!! I've just heard so much positive all over these boards since joining. With that many people singing its praises, it's really high on our list of non-scheduled shows/FP stuff.

It's just a classic disney thing - fast loading, relaxing, and cool to ride through Space and the Buzz rides too. We did it several times each MK day because kids loved it too!

 

[JamieOak]

@JamieOak I GET THAT!! lol Thanks so much! Oh my gosh, I was so frustrated with that part. I wasn't doing anything with the Arrival Window Start; that was the issue.

I get your rationale for wanting to do something before Africa Trek, and it looks like that is part of what makes it so back and forth? We're going to have that same dilemma on our Africa Trek day. I haven't gotten to AK yet in TP...but Epcot is mostly nailed down and 1 MK day. AK is big for us though and there's a whole lot we want to do, so I should get going on that next!! THANKS AGAIN!! I'm even more excited to get back in there and mess around some more.

Originally I had the trek scheduled for Tuesday at 8:00 when the park opened at 9am. But then EMM at MK screwed up those plans since that Tuesday was the only day I could do that. So I moved it to our 1st park day Monday, but the park now opens at 8:00! I felt it would be a waste to go straight to the trek during EMH and I should get in a ride or two first. Then I saw the park map and geez everything is so scattered! There's really not much up near TH for rides, except the regular Kilimanjaro safari. I scheduled for the 8:45 trek so I'd have to be up by TH at 8:30 and that is only enough time to walk the looong way around the park and do EE first, then arrive for our trek. And maybe grab a muffin or something along the way. Now I'm wondering if I should just go straight to the trek at 8:00 or move it later. Too many decisions!

Maybe I can go straight to Kilimanjarao Safari and ride that before our Wild Africa Trek? That's a lot of safari time, but it would save us from having to FP it later.

 

[Iowamomof4]

It's just a classic disney thing - fast loading, relaxing, and cool to ride through Space and the Buzz rides too. We did it several times each MK day because kids loved it too!

I love PeopleMover! My kids tolerate it, generally, but feel it's more of a "one and done" ride.

Okay, here's my list of things that I don't FP but love to do:

MK - PeopleMover
Epcot - I need to spend more time here to figure out my favorites, but I loved watching the performers at the France Pavilion!
DHS - I know FP+ is available, but I'm going to list Frozen Sing Along here because I don't think FP is necessary for it most of the time and I love that show!
AK - I don't actually like AK but it's complicated. I know it's a beautiful park though! I want to check out more food options the next time we're there because we only ever ate at Tusker House last trip (twice!).

 

[JamieOak]

I subbed to TP last night and put in my AK day and my MK day. It has us finishing AK at 12:45, and that's with a slow pace!
Also, I can't figure out how to enter our EMM on MK day.
Hopefully I'll get to take a deeper dive tonight; jury's still out for me at this point.

I won't let you enter anything outside of the park hours. I tried entering EMM too! So instead I just started my MK day with whatever I plan to line up for a 9:00 in Fantasyland, but then it says I'll get there at 9:11. So there really isn't a way to make it precise for that I don't think. I put in my breakfast at 9:45ish and then the rest of the day from there should be pretty accurate.

 

[JamieOak]

I purchased non-disposable ponchos for our trip. They do take up more space than the disposable ones in the bag, but I think they'll be worth it in the long run. They had great reviews on Amazon, from both hunters and theme park visitors. I think they are Totes brand.

I'm a believer in "if you are prepared for it, it won't happen." So I'm going to be prepared for lots of rain!

 

[pigletgirl]

I purchased non-disposable ponchos for our trip. They do take up more space than the disposable ones in the bag, but I think they'll be worth it in the long run. They had great reviews on Amazon, from both hunters and theme park visitors. I think they are Totes brand.

I'm a believer in "if you are prepared for it, it won't happen." So I'm going to be prepared for lots of rain!

Those are a lifesaver! Although, I do have to say, the ponchos at Disney work great too! We've had ours now for 2+ trips and I'll bring them again for 2016.

 

[Candycane83]

Not sure if everyone knows already but Festival of Fantasy FP is no more and the reserved area is now for a dining package at Tony's- replacement for MSEP dining package.