4 Parks in 1 Day on Veteran's Day - IMPROMPTU ADVICE NEEDED!

[IanDLBZF from MCMagic]

Ok, I just found out that my college is doing a trip to Animal Kingdom next weekend, and as a result I have decided to do all FOUR parks in one day on Veteran's Day (of ALL days they decided to go on Veteran's Day). Just waiting for details on times were a expected to depart campus for AK and head home from AK so of course I expect the challenge will start at MK and end at AK. Rules and game plan follow:
Rules

• For each park, must do, at a minimum, best 2 out of 3 E-Ticket Attractions per park
  
  
  • At MK, at least 2 must be a “mountain” (i.e. Thunder/Splash/Space/Seven Dwarfs Mine Train)
    
    
  • At AK, must also do one or both attractions in Pandora, and must see at LEAST one Tree of Life Awakening or Rivers of Light
    
    
  • Time limit - 9 hours
    

Game Plan (arrival at AK will be at 11:00 AM) (^ indicates must do at least two out of three, * indicates must do one or both)

Bus from AK to MK

Park 1/4 - Magic Kingdom

• FP+(?) - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train^
  
  
• Lunch - TBD
  
  
• FP+ (12:50-1:50) - Space Mountain^
  
  
• FP+ (1:55-2:55) - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad^
  

Must leave MK by 2 PM!

Monorail or Ferry to TTC, then Monorail to Epcot (check for FP on phone)

Park 2/4 - Epcot

• Single Riders - Test Track^
  
  
• Mission Space (Green Team)^
  
  
• FP+ - Soarin
  
  
• Go to at least one or two F&W kiosks
  

Must leave Epcot no later than 4:45 PM!

Friendship Boat from Epcot to HWS (check for FP on phone)

Park 3/4 - Hollywood Studios

• Star Tours^
  
  
• Single Riders - Rock’n’Roller Coaster^
  
  
• FP+ - Tower of Terror^
  
  
• Dinner - TBD
  

Must leave Hollywood Studios by 6:15 PM!

Bus from HS to AK (check for FP on phone)

Park 4/4 - Animal Kingdom

• Navi River Journey*
  
  
• Flight of Passage^*
  
  
• Kali River Rapids^
  
  
• Dinosaur^
  
  
• Rivers of Light (7:15 PM)
  

Thanks so much!

 

[hiroMYhero]

Only pre-book 2 MK FPs and as soon as you enter the FP#1 line, book FP#3 for Soarin’ if available.

 

[crzy4mickey]

I think MK is open until 2am on the 11th so maybe end with MK? But double check to be sure. We'll be in MK that night!

 

[Lesley Wake]

I honestly don’t know if that schedule will work, especially with the late arrival and your rules to hit 2 e-ticket rides.

Transport: I think you are underestimating the travel time between parks using Disney transport. You need to consider the delay to get on a bus, possibility that it could be full and need to wait for another one, and longer travel time. Best to take Uber’s.

MK-Can you get an earlier FP? Remember you can use them within 15 min of the end time.

Transport MK-Epcot: you are going to go thru security twice this way. So, need to account for that, plus delays getting a monorail/boat. It took us 30 minutes going the reverse direction (no security stops), and we were lucky with getting monorails almost immediately. May be faster to walk to Contemporary and get an Uber.

Epcot: should be able to do Single Rider TT and Mission Space. I wouldn’t do Soarin because of the long pre-show and waits to board even with a FP. It’s also out of the way and TT and MS are right next to each other.

Transport Epcot-HS: you are considering a max 90 min from leaving Epcot to leaving HS. It took the boat 30 minutes, again being lucky about getting on right before leaving.

HS: doing it in late afternoon will mean limited FP availability (if any), and longer lines due to only having 4 rides open. If you are committed to this park order, I would skip trying to get a FP at Epcot and instead try for HS. Single rider for RnRC can also be hit or miss, especially on a high crowd day.

Transport HS-AK: absolutely get an Uber here!

AK: do you have to hit Rivers of Light? I doubt there will be time to go on any rides between park arrival and the show. Both Pandora rides will have long lines. If your bus is leaving at a particular time you can’t really take advantage of getting in line right before park close.

 

[IanDLBZF from MCMagic]

I think MK is open until 2am on the 11th so maybe end with MK? But double check to be sure. We'll be in MK that night!

MK has EMH until 2 AM, for day guests the park closes at midnight.

 

[TinkSassy]

I would agree with Uber for transport. My average transport time was never less than 35-45 minutes between points last week (and I had good luck with transport coming quickly).

Also, start earlier if you can with the FP+

Curious if you can get this to work and see Pandora! I didn't make it to AK but those lines are challenging.

 

[IanDLBZF from MCMagic]

I'm not able to get an earlier BTMRR FP at MK. Secondly I plan to not use Uber this trip. However, let's see how Pandora goes.

 

[bbowers]

Best trip I ever took was a 4 park 1day trip with my best friend...in the rain. Have a great time!

 

[IanDLBZF from MCMagic]

Updated game plan! Due to time constraints I have decided to remove the rules for this challenge.
Game Plan (arrival at AK will be at 11:00 AM)
Bus from AK to MK
Park 1/4 - Magic Kingdom

• FP+ BTMRR (11:00-12:00)
• 11:30 AM - Move It Shake It
• FP+ POTC (12:00-1:00)
• Lunch - TBD

Must leave MK by 1:15 PM!
Monorail or Ferry to TTC, then Monorail to Epcot (check for FP on phone)
Park 2/4 - Epcot

• Single Riders - Test Track
• Mission Space (Green Team)
• FP+ - Soarin
• Go to at least one or two F&W kiosks

Must leave Epcot no later than 4:00 PM!
Friendship Boat from Epcot to HWS (check for FP on phone)
Park 3/4 - Hollywood Studios

• Star Tours
• Single Riders - Rock’n’Roller Coaster
• FP+ - Tower of Terror
• Dinner - TBD

Must leave Hollywood Studios by 6:15 PM!
Bus from HS to AK (check for FP on phone)
Park 4/4 - Animal Kingdom

• Navi River Journey
• Flight of Passage
• Kali River Rapids
• Dinosaur
• Rivers of Light (7:15 PM)

Everything will be "time permitting" due to serious time restraints. May have to just condense this to three parks. But then again this will be a test run of my capabilities for a trip on 11/21 where I am doing Epcot/HWS/AK in one day (doing a "thrill ride challenge").

 

[hiroMYhero]

Updated game plan! Due to time constraints I have decided to remove the rules for this challenge.
Game Plan (arrival at AK will be at 11:00 AM)
Bus from AK to MK
Park 1/4 - Magic Kingdom

• FP+ BTMRR (11:00-12:00)
• 11:30 AM - Move It Shake It
• FP+ POTC (12:00-1:00)
• Lunch - TBD

Must leave MK by 1:15 PM!
Monorail or Ferry to TTC, then Monorail to Epcot (check for FP on phone)
Park 2/4 - Epcot

• Single Riders - Test Track
• Mission Space (Green Team)
• FP+ - Soarin
• Go to at least one or two F&W kiosks

Must leave Epcot no later than 4:00 PM!
Friendship Boat from Epcot to HWS (check for FP on phone)
Park 3/4 - Hollywood Studios

• Star Tours
• Single Riders - Rock’n’Roller Coaster
• FP+ - Tower of Terror
• Dinner - TBD

Must leave Hollywood Studios by 6:15 PM!
Bus from HS to AK (check for FP on phone)
Park 4/4 - Animal Kingdom

• Navi River Journey
• Flight of Passage
• Kali River Rapids
• Dinosaur
• Rivers of Light (7:15 PM)

Everything will be "time permitting" due to serious time restraints. May have to just condense this to three parks. But then again this will be a test run of my capabilities for a trip on 11/21 where I am doing Epcot/HWS/AK in one day (doing a "thrill ride challenge").

As soon as you enter the BTMRR FP line, go on your phone and book for Soarin’ or whatever is available at Epcot. You can have a FP for Epcot even though you still have the POTC FP.

When in the FP line for FP#3, look and book for FP#4. Always stay ahead of your FP rides by looking for the next FP when in a queue.

 

[anomamatt]

Not to mess with your schedule, but I would do it differently... I know you need to start and return to AK. But I would do the following:

(1) AK to DHS bus
(2) Do DHS, then take friendship boat to EPCOT international gateway
(3) Do EPCOT (IG to front entrance) then go to MK via monorail -- important note: you won't need to re-do security at MK this way
(4) Do MK, bus to AK and do AK.

The plan above cuts out one security check point.

 

[johnsgrl]

You might want to check out the threads on this board about ToT and the issues they are having right now, we waited 45 minutes with a FP+ to get on the ride. They have been running only one side causing much longer lines and that side has gone down rather frequently. Other than that good luck with your plan, it sounds like a lot of fun!

 

[IanDLBZF from MCMagic]

FINAL UDPATE BEFORE TOMORROW'S TRIP!
Game Plan (arrival at AK will be at 11:00 AM)
Bus from AK to MK
Park 1/4 - Magic Kingdom

• FP+ BTMRR (11:00-12:00)
• 11:30 AM - Move It Shake It
• FP+ POTC (12:00-1:00)
• Lunch - TBD

Must leave MK by 1:15 PM!
Monorail or Ferry to TTC, then Monorail to Epcot (check for FP on phone)
Park 2/4 - Epcot

• Single Riders - Test Track
• Mission Space (Green Team)
• FP+ - Soarin
• Go to at least one or two F&W kiosks

Must leave Epcot no later than 4:00 PM!
Friendship Boat from Epcot to HWS (check for FP on phone)
Park 3/4 - Hollywood Studios

• Star Tours
• FP+ - Midway Mania
• Dinner - TBD

Must leave Hollywood Studios by 6:15 PM!
Bus from HS to AK (check for FP on phone - either FOP or NRJ)
Park 4/4 - Animal Kingdom

• Navi River Journey
• Flight of Passage
• Kali River Rapids
• Dinosaur
• Rivers of Light (7:15 PM)

 

[tinkermom_of_two]

Depending on walking ability, you may want to consider just walking the route from Epcot to HS - might be quicker than the boats - and remember to look for that next fast pass ASAP- ie check for the fast pass for HS while waiting through Soarin preshow, instead of waiting until you leave Epcot. Also, once you scan at your first MK fastpass scan point, you can try to refresh your next pass to an earlier time instead of killing time waiting for that second fast pass. At AK, if there is more than one time for Rivers of Light, you might have better luck getting into the second show with less time spent waiting to guarantee a seat. My kid and I have done a few 3-4 park challenges, and those are a couple of ideas to help- good luck! Refreshing your MDE app to look for fast pass times will be your best friend.