6 days in May, how to choose park days

[ewasilau]

We're planning our first trip to WDW in 5 years, so have never had to choose our parks 60 days out in order to pick our FPs. Our FP day is approaching in 2 weeks, so I want to be prepared! I would love a little input on which parks to get FPs in for which days, or any input on how much that even matters.

Our first day is Wed May 9, and we arrive at MCO at 10 am. I assume we could get FPs somewhere starting at 1 pm, though am inclined to do 2 pm or later, just to be safe. Or should we do a lot later? Kids want to do EP or HS the first day so we can just walk over. EP is a 5 that day, according to Touring Plans, and HS is a 2. Overall rating that day is a 4, so does the park rating even matter? Neither park has EMH that day. Which to choose? Or should it depend on what FP we can get?

For the rest of the trip, we will use 2 days for AK FPs, 2 days for MK FPs, and 1 day for either HS or EP, whatever we don't do on Day 1. (We have a 9 pm flight on day 6 - so not quite a full day there.) We have PHs, so overall park day doesn't matter.

Also, do you like to get your FPs for later and RD at a different park? Or get morning FPs and then hop later to somewhere not too busy...

Tentative plan - any thoughts?
Wed May 9 - HS fastpasses
Thurs May 10 - RD at either MK or AK, fastpasses at one, likely hopping later (no EMH at either park that day)
Fri May 11 - MK EMH RD or AK RD - fastpasses for one or the other?
Sat May 12 - sleep in a little, do a character breakfast, FPs for the afternoon, maybe at EP?
Sun May 13 - HS EMH RD or MK RD and then fastpasses for afternoon at AK
Mon May 14 - hope to RD, but it's check out day - FPs for MK or AK, whatever we can't get earlier in stay

Any thoughts? Am I approaching this all wrong? It's very challenging to think about ADRs too!!

Thanks for any input!!

 

[Robo]

If you were to give this assignment to 10 different posters (without consultation between them)
you'd get 10 different lists.

You literally can make a good case for all kinds of FP scenarios vs. park hopping.

My advice is always to arrive early.

And, in the mornings, only go to parks having AM EMH if you will be taking full advantage of that AM Extra Magic Hour.

 

[Disneylovingmomof2]

I personally wouldn’t do 1.5 days as HS. Toy story land won’t be open in May so I personally wouldn’t go there for more than a day but that’s just me.
Do you have any ADRs planned yet? If you are planning on meals I would make reservations now so you can plan your FP around them.
I plan my day based on ADRs, if we are staying for a night show, going back to resort and staying in or going back for a night show,etc.
Sounds like you’re staying at Boardwalk or BC. I would do a 1.5 days at Epcot and 1 day at HS.
We were just there and did 7 park days - our 3 MK days I did FP mainly early, one day we did an early lunch at CP so I planned FP around that. One day I had the MK dessert party planned so I did early FP, we went back to the resort for a bit and then went back into MK at night.
I like to also plan my MK FP by location- for example have Splash and Big Thunder together—Peter Pan and Mine Train together—Buzz and Space together, etc.
AK I like to eat at Tusker House and do safari while we’re in Africa. Also you’ll need to book a FP for FOP for one day and Navi River for the other because they are tiered.
If you want to ride Frozen then get a FP for that and get your 4th FP for Soarin or TT, I find Frozen a much harder 4th FP to get than the other two, although I prefer Soarin personally.
Really though I’d make any must do restaurant reservations and then go from there!

 

[Tksolomom]

I would do AK one day later in the week to ensure getting FOP faspasses.

 

[GunnarCharles]

My overall strategy was to book 3 fastpasses around 10, 11, and noon. That way we could rope drop a park in the morning, get to a couple attractions without FP, and then use fastpass on the others. Or for certain attractions like FoP, rope drop it and have a fastpass for later that morning. By having parkhoppers, I would just look around to see if there were any good fastpasses available that day in other parks once my 3 were used. That way I had a plan for the mornings/early afternoon but could kind of leave my late afternoons/evenings up to decide on the fly.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I’m surprised Epcot is that high a predicted CL. Wed is usually a slow day and Ep has PM EMH the night before which makes it a good strategic choice.

I would say go to Epcot Wed to enjoy dinner and WS and a few FPs but I’m biased since that’s our plan for the Wed before.

I like the pps suggestion on how to approach FPs. That’s generally what we do (other than AK where we’re trying to get FOP for as early in the morning as possible to minimize backtracking).