3 night Disney trip strategy?

[Daniella_t]

Hi all! I'm new to this forum. I'm going to be doing a quick Disney World trip from 9/28-10/1. I'll be staying at the Dolphin. I have been to Disney many times as a child and teenager, but this is the first time I've been back in years. I'll be traveling with a group of 5 adults - 3 guests late 20s, and my parents It seems like Disney these days needs lots of planning. I want to pack as much in as I can, while still being able to enjoy dining, etc. This is my itinerary - do you think it's doable? Keep in mind I plan on getting a 2-day park hopper.

Day 1 (9/28) - check in at hotel, spend day by the pool. I have an ADR at Yachtsman Steakhouse for 7:40.
Day 2 (9/29)- Animal Kingdom. Table service lunch, check out rides, Expedition Everest, World of Pandora, etc. Than I'd like to head off to Epcot and maybe check out a bit of the Food & Wine festival. I have an ADR @ Coral Reef for 8:15 pm, than I'd like to watch the Illuminations fireworks.
Day 3 (9/30) - Magic Kingdom. I'd like to get in all the major rides - all the "Mountain" rides, Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan's Flight, It's a small world. I have a TS lunch for noon at Skipper Canteen than a 6:40 TS @ Tony's Town Square. After, I'd like to check out Happily Ever After fireworks.

Do you think this schedule is too ambitious? I haven't used the Fast Pass system in years and it seems as if Disney these days requires a LOT of advance planning. Also - I may be crazy but does anyone think it would be possible to squeeze in an hour or 2 at Hollywood Studios? I was thinking *maybe* the morning before Magic Kingdom, as it's open until 11 PM and I could maybe do a morning at HS. I can always scrap the MK lunch and grab something at HS. Would that give me enough time to get in the main MK rides? If anyone has any thoughts that would be much appreciated - I want to make the most out of my limited time at Disney! Love it there Thanks!!

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

Do you have fastpasses for your park days? If not I would suggest rope drop for Avatar - FOP. In August we arrived at the gate and hour and 15 minutes or so prior to a 9 am opening and were off the ride by 9:12.
We aren't really table service dining people ourselves but you will be hard pressed to find someone that recommends Tony's on this forum...it doesn't seem to be a favorite.

 

[Tigger's ally]

We will be there the 27th for three nights as well. We usually do three nights in the fall for F&W. Don't know your age but we are lower 50's and I don't think your plan is too ambitious at all. Here are my suggestions.

Day 1- Love the Yachtsman, it was the fave before the Boathouse came to DS. If you like DS, I would think about changing just because of the outside seating evening/night. Wonderful scenic dinner. But, Yachtsman is really good too.

Day 2- I would do AK in the morning and head off for lunch at F&W. You can sample your way around lunch. Trying to hit it in the evening/night is when it is really crowded on weekends. The locals will be out in force on a Friday night. Those nights are the ones you hear bad stories about. After you sample lunch is when you can head over to Studios on a boat from the IG. Let your food settle whilst you cruise over You can cruise back when you're done (too bad the Gondola's aren't done so you could vary your trans). I would keep my Coral Reef Supper and watch Illuminations from a safe spot not in the midst of the party that is F&W.

Day 3 looks good but that is one really long day. if it were me I would exit the park for dinner before returning. Maybe monorail to the Wave or Kona or boat over to the new Geyser point or WCC.

As far as rides, if you go at RD you will get in what you want.

 

[JessicaW1234]

Hi all! I'm new to this forum. I'm going to be doing a quick Disney World trip from 9/28-10/1. I'll be staying at the Dolphin. I have been to Disney many times as a child and teenager, but this is the first time I've been back in years. I'll be traveling with a group of 5 adults - 3 guests late 20s, and my parents It seems like Disney these days needs lots of planning. I want to pack as much in as I can, while still being able to enjoy dining, etc. This is my itinerary - do you think it's doable? Keep in mind I plan on getting a 2-day park hopper.

Day 1 (9/28) - check in at hotel, spend day by the pool. I have an ADR at Yachtsman Steakhouse for 7:40.
Day 2 (9/29)- Animal Kingdom. Table service lunch, check out rides, Expedition Everest, World of Pandora, etc. Than I'd like to head off to Epcot and maybe check out a bit of the Food & Wine festival. I have an ADR @ Coral Reef for 8:15 pm, than I'd like to watch the Illuminations fireworks.
Day 3 (9/30) - Magic Kingdom. I'd like to get in all the major rides - all the "Mountain" rides, Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan's Flight, It's a small world. I have a TS lunch for noon at Skipper Canteen than a 6:40 TS @ Tony's Town Square. After, I'd like to check out Happily Ever After fireworks.

Do you think this schedule is too ambitious? I haven't used the Fast Pass system in years and it seems as if Disney these days requires a LOT of advance planning. Also - I may be crazy but does anyone think it would be possible to squeeze in an hour or 2 at Hollywood Studios? I was thinking *maybe* the morning before Magic Kingdom, as it's open until 11 PM and I could maybe do a morning at HS. I can always scrap the MK lunch and grab something at HS. Would that give me enough time to get in the main MK rides? If anyone has any thoughts that would be much appreciated - I want to make the most out of my limited time at Disney! Love it there Thanks!!

Hi! Do you have a my disney experience account? If so, have you made any fastpass reservations yet? You can do it online once you have purchased your tickets. If no, once you have purchased your tickets, go with your outlined schedule and make them for those rides. You'll wait much less if you do this in advance of your trip.

Rather than cut back on your MK day, consider going to HS on arrival day for a couple of hours. With fastpasses in place, there is not so much to see that you couldn't get that done.
I just came back from a stay in August- if you have any questions

 

[Tigger's ally]

Rather than cut back on your MK day, consider going to HS on arrival day for a couple of hours. With fastpasses in place, there is not so much to see that you couldn't get that done.
I just came back from a stay in August- if you have any questions

OP said she just had two day hoppers so going on arrival day would mean changing tix.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

It's all doable, but my concern is you say you "plan" on getting a 2-day park hopper. Do you have your ticket? If not, I suggest buying it ASAP, linking it to your MDE account and booking your FP+. Your chances of getting Pandora FP+ at this point are slim to none, but it's worth a shot and you'll most likely be able to FP+ EE. I would plan on rope drop to get on the Pandora rides. You can also FP+ the mountains in MK to avoid long standby times. Those FP+ will be hard to get day-of.

 

[Upatnoon]

Day 3 will be a challenge. It will require rope-drop and key fastpasses to avoid spending the day in line.

 

[Octoberbaby]

It's doable, but if you haven't booked fast passes, it will be hard. Also, I would cancel Coral Reef, and enjoy the food booths.

 

[elaine amj]

Day 2: table service lunch plus coat reef dinner means not much stomach room for F&W snacks. Also Coral Reef 8:15 means you won't finish dinner until 9:15/9:30. Illuminations is at 9pm. You would need to snag a spot by 8pm. I would highly recommend snacks for dinner, staking out a spot by the railing in Canada. That's the only spot where I have enjoyed Illuminations. The FP+ viewing area wasn't good IMO.

Day 3: doable but lots of go go go. I agree about hitting DHS first. ToT is unique and RNRC is fun. Also I recommend Star Tours be strategic about FPs and learn the refresh technique to get same day FPs.

HEA is worth every effort.

 

[sharonabe]

Day 1 (9/28) - check in at hotel, spend day by the pool. I have an ADR at Yachtsman Steakhouse for 7:40.
Day 2 (9/29)- Animal Kingdom. Table service lunch, check out rides, Expedition Everest, World of Pandora, etc. Than I'd like to head off to Epcot and maybe check out a bit of the Food & Wine festival. I have an ADR @ Coral Reef for 8:15 pm, than I'd like to watch the Illuminations fireworks.
Day 3 (9/30) - Magic Kingdom. I'd like to get in all the major rides - all the "Mountain" rides, Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan's Flight, It's a small world. I have a TS lunch for noon at Skipper Canteen than a 6:40 TS @ Tony's Town Square. After, I'd like to check out Happily Ever After fireworks.

Your 8:15 Coral Reef ADR means you will probably miss Illuminations. You can't see it from The Seas Pavilion, so you'll have to make your way back towards the World Showcase. With an 8:15, I wouldn't expect you to be finished eating before 9:15 (and maybe later), and then the walk over to WS, and Illuminations is done. Either make this ADR earlier or find something else over in WS. Spice Road Table has outdoor seating where you should be able to watch Illuminations and is usually an easy ADR.

I agree with PP to make F&W your late lunch and do Future World in the evening. As for AK, at this point, unless you are at AK at least an hour before opening, you'll either have to skip the new Flight of Passage or spend all your time waiting in line for it. Lines are easily an hour to two hours about 15 min after opening.

If you decide to hit HS before MK, I would move your Skipper ADR to the evening and skip Tony's. You can probably get FP+ for just about anything at MK except Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. If you want to ride it, be at MK at 8:00 and position yourself at the rope to Fantasyland and follow the crowd. Then head to Peter Pan. Going to HS will almost guarantee you don't ride 7DMT or Peter Pan unless you can get a FP+ for it.

I know you said you wanted to enjoy eating, but in all honesty, doing two TS meals on park days will take away a lot of time for doing attractions. You need to "budget" about two hours for each meal. They probably won't take quite that much time, but when you figure getting to them, waiting for your table, ordering, eating, paying, and then getting back into the fray of touring, it will come close.

 

[elaine amj]

Peter Pan is not too bad as a same day fast pass. More challenging with the size of the group though especially since u have to search one at a time. The thing is u would have to choose which ride u apply this strategy to. Big Thunder is usually a walkon in the last 30 mins. In March 2016 (with heavy spring break crowds), we rode BtMr 3 times in a row in the last half hour all in standby. Then, 5 mins before close, raced to 7 Dwarves entering the line 1 min before closing and being the very last passengers of the day.

 

[trivan]

You have the benefit of going when crowd levels will be very low. I would take advantage of rope drops for one of the FP rides. For 3 days trips, I would get a FP for an hour or so after opening, do Rope drop and then use the FP for the next ride. When I get to go crowd levels are typically 7-9 so rides like Expedition Everest can be up to 60 mins or longer w/o a FP, so account for waiting in your plans. If you haven't seen FOP waits are over 120 mins on some days so good call on heading to AK on a school day.
Agree Illuminations won't be doable with a 8:15 reservation.
HS for my family is getting the 3 rides done in the morning. We get FP for Rocking roller coaster, rope drop Toy Story, head to Rocking roller coaster, then Tower of Terrior. We found the longest wait is for Rocking Roller coaster. We're generally out of HS within 90 mins and head to another park.

 

[Daniella_t]

Thank you all so much! I really appreciate your tips and suggestions. I haven't booked any park tickets yet - I should get on it, because I'd like to start reserving fast passes! I reserved Coral Reef and Tony's because as a 6 year old visiting Disney, my brother and I seemed to love those spots....but now that I'm 29 I may enjoy something different I'm keeping all your suggestions in mind and probably re-scheduling a few things. This is a bit of a whirlwind trip to Florida. 3 nights in Disney, 3 nights at Universal, and 3 nights visiting family in S. Florida (I'm from Canada...always love coming to florida!!) thanks again everyone

 

[elaine amj]

Are crowd levels at the end of September low nowadays? From all I've heard, Fall is the new busy season. I was there from mid August for two weeks and even at the beginning of our trip, crowds were surprisingly low - a theme I have heard throughout the summer.

That said - be warned that "low crowds" at Disney is still a LOT of people.

Also, buy your park tickets ASAP. You have already missed out on the hot FP+s and are unlikely to get Flight of Passage or Seven Dwarves now without endless stalking. There are still a lot of FPs left though - just maybe not all at exactly the times you want. On siters started booking at 60 days out and offsiters could book from 30 days out.