7 and a half days at WDW!!!

[joedplumber]

Let the August 2016 planning begin.

We are commando type people when we visit WDW (Stay open to close no EMH)

Here is our plan for 7.5 days in the parks

.5 Day 2pm to close – EPCOT World Showcase

1 Day EPCOT (No World Showcase)

1 DAY MK (Main Street USA, Tomorrow Land, Fantasy Land)

1 Day MK (Adventure Land, Frontier Land, Liberty Square)

1 Day HS (Hollywood Blvd, Sunset Blvd, Streets of America)

1 Day HS (Pixar Place, Echo Lake)

1 Day AK (Africa, Asia)

1 Day AK (Dinoland, Tree of life)

Just wanted to get peoples thoughts as to whether this is a doable schedule with the new FP+ and all. The goal is to do this at a laid back pace and really be able to stop and smell the flowers and enjoy everything around us. Also, we do enjoy watching the fireworks but the family has no interest in the parades what so ever. My kids will be 11 & 8 and are "meh" when it comes to the parades as well as myself and DW (light parade excluded) lol. We always have breakfast at our rental and 1 TS and 1 QS every day.

 

[TeresaNJ]

It looks good to me. Of course, you're going to have the people coming on saying AK is only a half day park, let alone two full days, but I'm a two dayer at AK. I like to take the time to smell the roses, as you say, and really take everything in.

 

[MataHari22]

Looks good to me, except I would do one of the HS days as a MK day. So many more attractions at MK. HS is really getting skimpy. For me, it'll be a 3/4 day this year. Hope you have a great time.

 

[momofboyz3]

We are more of a one day DHS family. But, everyone's style is different. We are WP people so would substitute one DHS day for a WP. Also, LOVE AK but one full day is enough as we love some pool/resort/DTD time.
~ Again, everyone's style is different but, this is what works for us. We love down time. And I also schedule one TS per day & 1 QS
Have fun planning!

 

[DisneyHardin]

With so much being closed at DHS right now, I would also probably switch out the second DHS day for another MK day. We always do 3 MK days and still sometimes run out of time for all the things we want to do there.

 

[itchin2go]

With so much being closed at DHS right now, I would also probably switch out the second DHS day for another MK day. We always do 3 MK days and still sometimes run out of time for all the things we want to do there.

Have to agree. Hard to fill up one day at DHS these days, and they keep closing more things.

Similarly, it's hard to fill up a day in Future World in Epcot. We would rather spend multiple mornings in FW, and then multiple afternoons in WS. But then, we like World Showcase a lot.

 

[joedplumber]

The other benefit of this is we will be getting a total of 6 FP+ reservations (3 per day) since we are visiting each park twice.

 

[cdhale]

Going in August, have you considered the water parks? Otherwise, that looks doable with FP+. Make all your pre-arranged reservations for as early in the day as possible to increase your chance of adding more at the parks.

 

[nilla]

I would do it differently (only 1.5 days in Epcot? WHAT? ), but it certainly looks doable to me.

However, due to FP+ tiering, etc., you probably won't be strictly adhering to the areas of the park you've pre-selected. No big deal.

 

[itchin2go]

I would do it differently (only 1.5 days in Epcot? WHAT? ), but it certainly looks doable to me.

However, due to FP+ tiering, etc., you probably won't be strictly adhering to the areas of the park you've pre-selected. No big deal.

I was thinking something similar, as far as dissecting Epcot.

If OP is doing only World Showcase on one day, what FPs are there to make?

 

[joedplumber]

Was thinking to do a test track FP+ since it's close to World Showcase.

 

[hbr930]

I agree with PPs that I would do another day at Magic Kingdom in place of HS or AK. A full day at AK is always enough for us. HS was always our favorite park & we'd always spend 2 or 2.5 days there, but with all the closings & changes taking place next year, it is probably a 1 day deal for now

 

[nicki.momof3]

Sounds like an OK plan - not one we would follow but OK. You don't need to be commando to do your plan.

My changes would be:
1. For the life of me I can not figure out why you would only do future land while at Epcot. With the tiered FP+ system you will be spending a ton of time in line for either soarin or test track and on the WS day you will have no FP+. I would do future world in the mornings and WS in evening.
2. I would also only make HS a day and a half (again because of tiered FP+). I would add the extra evening to WS. I could go to WS every night.
3. I wouldn't rule out the fantasy parade at the MK. It is very cool- not your regular parade floats.
4. I would would leave every park at noon and not return until 5pm. Hit your pool in between.
5. Cut a AK day and add in a water park or cut a HS day and add two days at waterparks

Have a great trip. Commando is not my style. I love a mid day break at the hotel to swim, rest, shower, and refresh for the evening. Disney will always be there I personally so no reason to run yourself into the ground.

 

[saskdw]

We would never go to WDW for that short of a stay, but you're plan is easily doable.

Our typical stay would be 14 nights with 10 day Hoppers.

3 days MK
3 days Epcot
2 days AK
2 days DHS

Leaves 4 days to enjoy the resort, DTD, and other things like water parks and mini-golf.

You might find 1 day is enough at DHS with the current transiton it's going through. Really not enough there to keep busy for 2 full days, unless you want to do things multiple times.

 

[itchin2go]

Sounds like an OK plan - not one we would follow but OK. You don't need to be commando to do your plan.

My changes would be:
1. For the life of me I can not figure out why you would only do future land while at Epcot. With the tiered FP+ system you will be spending a ton of time in line for either soarin or test track and on the WS day you will have no FP+. I would do future world in the mornings and WS in evening.
2. I would also only make HS a day and a half (again because of tiered FP+). I would add the extra evening to WS. I could go to WS every night.
3. I wouldn't rule out the fantasy parade at the MK. It is very cool- not your regular parade floats.
4. I would would leave every park at noon and not return until 5pm. Hit your pool in between.
5. Cut a AK day and add in a water park or cut a HS day and add two days at waterparks

Have a great trip. Commando is not my style. I love a mid day break at the hotel to swim, rest, shower, and refresh for the evening. Disney will always be there I personally so no reason to run yourself into the ground.

Agree with so much of this. I don't understand segregating the WS/FW days. It's so easy to do FW in the morning and WS in the afternoon evening.

I don't really understand segregating the other park areas either. I guess to have this as a plan is ok, but as others have said, it may not work out so well in practice.

I also agree with breaks, but I know there are some who view breaks as sacrilege. If you can go go go, more power to you. I try to view it more as a marathon and not a sprint. If we try to do too much in one day, the next day suffers.

But you know, my plans never end up working out perfectly. The actual trip ends up looking much different, but I do think there's value in making plans.

 

[kenny]

Not sure if u are getting hoppers or not. If so would split it up and switch parks for night time. Keeps it fresh and new

My suggestions would be cut 1 day off HS. Don't see that as 2 days with all the closures. Use that day for more MK or EP depending on what u like more

Also for AK I would chnage it and not pair Africa and Asia if u r doing 2 days. Those are where u will spend most of your time. Don't see tree of life and Dinoland as a full day. Do discovery island and Africa and Asia dinoland as 2 days

Otherwise u can do all of AK in 1 full day and use hat 2nd for Mk and epcot

 

[joedplumber]

Thanks everyone for the input. Think I will then throw the 1/2 day to HS and use 2 days at EP spending 1/2 of the day in WS X 2 and the other 1/2 in FW X 2.

In terms of pools and WP. Family is not into either at all. DW has a phobia of public pools and water parks. She would still do them but it would be less of a family experience. The kids are not very interested in the pool as well since they are in a pool or splash zone daily at summer camps.

Lastly, in the end, I think the FP+ reservations will truly dictate what areas of the park we visit each day. lol

 

[itchin2go]

Thanks everyone for the input. Think I will then throw the 1/2 day to HS and use 2 days at EP spending 1/2 of the day in WS X 2 and the other 1/2 in FW X 2.

In terms of pools and WP. Family is not into either at all. DW has a phobia of public pools and water parks. She would still do them but it would be less of a family experience. The kids are not very interested in the pool as well since they are in a pool or splash zone daily at summer camps.

Lastly, in the end, I think the FP+ reservations will truly dictate what areas of the park we visit each day. lol

Yeah, we're not into waterparks either.

 

[honeybunches]

We're not park-commando people, so I am tired just looking at your list. I was wondering if you are planning to do those days in the sequence you posted, or mixing them up? We usually alternate parks each day, then repeat. I like to leave the last day open for my kids to choose what they really want to do before they leave -- even if it's something we've already done. As for the water parks, my DH won't do them either. So I'm taking the kids to BB and he's going to get a nap. Your wife might like that little bit of time to herself!

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Do you have any days off scheduled? Open to close for 7 straight days sound exhausting.

If you are staying until close you will be able to get a lot done as the lines get really short.