Advice for short trip

[mekay1012]

I have planned a mom/daughter trip July 16-19. Our plane lands at MCO at 7:50 am and our plane leaves on July 19 around 5:00. Right now, my plan is to go to Disney Springs on our last day so we will have about 2.5 days to see all 4 parks. Does anyone have suggestions for how to make the most of our time at the parks. I definitely want 1 full day at Magic Kingdom. The main purpose of this trip is Rockin' Roller Coaster (my tiny 11 year old is finally tall enough to ride). Although, we would love to see the new Toy Story land if it is open, I don't think we will be devistated if we miss it. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. We do have park hoppers.

 

[rznhal]

Work your fast passes! And find out which parks open early/close late....(even though I read somewhere that the extra magic hour can make a park so much busier it negates the extra time?!?) if you have hoppers you could just take advantage of the hour then move to another park....

I’m interested in your responses....our trips are going to be short for the next few years have fun!!!!!!

 

[NJlauren]

We almost exclusively do short trips. With our vacation time and schedules it just seems to be what we can fit in. From 2.5-4.5 park days are about our average.

Get a plan. If she is 11 she can probably help plan and decide what she wants to do. Does she do early mornings? Are late nights and fireworks important? Personally I wouldn’t try to do it all it seems like you go often (if you’re making a trip to go on RnR, it’s an assumption I’m making). So pick what’s most important and do those.

I agree with the above work the FP system, get a 4th as soon as you scan your 3rd, try to use early morning to your advantage. July will be hot so are you taking mid day breaks? If not maybe lunch at a TS to cool off an get a break?

Our longest trip in 6 years in in March and it’s 4.5 Park days, short trips aren’t bad, but they do leave you wanting more!

 

[eeyoresmom]

Would you consider getting a 4 day ticket? The 4 day one park per day ticket is the same price as the 3 day hopper and I think you can do a lot at AK and HS that last day. I wouldn't park hop in your situation. It takes a fair amount of time, especially if you are using Disney transportation. I really like DS but only as a diversion on really long trips. Depending on if you are staying onsite and what the EMH schedule is like I think you should go to Epcot on your arrival day. Then you have to decide which park between HS and AK you would prefer a full day at.

 

[mekay1012]

We almost exclusively do short trips. With our vacation time and schedules it just seems to be what we can fit in. From 2.5-4.5 park days are about our average.

Get a plan. If she is 11 she can probably help plan and decide what she wants to do. Does she do early mornings? Are late nights and fireworks important? Personally I wouldn’t try to do it all it seems like you go often (if you’re making a trip to go on RnR, it’s an summation I’m making). So pick what’s most important and do those.

I agree with the above work the FP system, get a 4th as soon as you scan your 3rd, try to use early morning to your advantage. July will be hot so are you taking mid day breaks? If not maybe lunch at a TS to cool off an get a break?

Our longest trip in 6 years in in March and it’s 4.5 Park days, short trips aren’t bad, but they do leave you wanting more!

We go once every 2-3 years. We were just there last summer, but it will probably be 2 years before we go again. We can do early mornings or late nights, but not both (unless we are able to get a nap in during the day). I will definitely get her to help me plan. Its going to be a birthday present so I have a few months before we can talk about it.

 

[mekay1012]

Would you consider getting a 4 day ticket? The 4 day one park per day ticket is the same price as the 3 day hopper and I think you can do a lot at AK and HS that last day. I wouldn't park hop in your situation. It takes a fair amount of time, especially if you are using Disney transportation. I really like DS but only as a diversion on really long trips. Depending on if you are staying onsite and what the EMH schedule is like I think you should go to Epcot on your arrival day. Then you have to decide which park between HS and AK you would prefer a full day at.

Yes, I would be willing to switch to just a 4 day ticket. My concern with doing a park day the last day we leave is getting everything packed up and ready to go and still making it to a park for rope drop. We are staying onsite.

 

[eeyoresmom]

Yes, I would be willing to switch to just a 4 day ticket. My concern with doing a park day the last day we leave is getting everything packed up and ready to go and still making it to a park for rope drop. We are staying onsite.

We pack the night before or get up 30 minutes earlier the day we are leaving to toss our things in the suitcase and check them at RAC. For such a short trip in the summer I assume you won't have a ton of packing to do. I dont fully unpack for short trips either. If I have cardigans or sundresses I will hang them up but I usually leave underwear, t shirts and shorts in the suitcase. I also travel with an over the door organizer that holds all of my toiletries, make up , hair stuff in compartments ( looks like a small shoe organizer). This thing rolls up so all I have to do is hang it up in the bathroom, nothing gets unpacked.

 

[NJlauren]

We go once every 2-3 years. We were just there last summer, but it will probably be 2 years before we go again. We can do early mornings or late nights, but not both (unless we are able to get a nap in during the day). I will definitely get her to help me plan. Its going to be a birthday present so I have a few months before we can talk about it.

So often, but not that often. Do you want to hit RnR more then once? More then one day? If so you need hoppers, personally i love hoppers, i like to eat at Epcot most nights. So i always have them.

Park hours aren’t officially out yet, but I checked touring plans and Kenny the Pirate and the 16th I would do Hollywood studios and Epcot (you have park hoppers and you the trip is for RnR). You can take the boat or walk between its your arrival day so i think if its for RnR you def want to get that in. I also think HS doesn't have enough for a full day but that's just me (Toy Story land will be open, so I would guess HS will be crowded every day and if you want to see Toy Story land I would try to FP on your last day) . Maybe after head to Epcot for dinner and to do your favorites.

The 17th I would do full day MK, Depending where your staying take a mid day break or do a TS lunch to get out of the heat.

Then the 18th I would do Animal Kingdom and HS another ride on RnR, and see your favs in Animal kingdom.

If it was me, we would only do 3 parks, or do one park with reduced time which is what i have here for you with Epcot, 2.5 days is not enough time to really do all 4 parks well, so whats the priority. That's how I plan at least, I say I must do xyz this trip make sure I do them and everything else is gravy.

For the last day it really depends what time do you want to leave to get a 5pm flight, 2ish? So you would need to be done wit the parks by 1 to get back to the hotel, are you taking DME? We used to do park days the last day but stopped but that's just us. We take an easy morning get breakfast any last minute shopping, this trip we have a 3pm flight and will plan to head to the airport about 1230, it just didn't seem worth it to me to add a day.

 

[tbholc81]

If you are using DME it picks you up 4 hours before departure time so for you 1pm. Not sure if you would think a park is worth it that day.

 

[My3SweetSuns]

If you are using DME it picks you up 4 hours before departure time so for you 1pm. Not sure if you would think a park is worth it that day.

This recently changed to 3 hours again.

 

[My3SweetSuns]

I have a short trip planned with my oldest son for March. We fly in March 3 at 9am; fly out March 5 at 6pm.
I’m not doing hoppers, I believe they take up too much time for travel...
But I am doing EMM - which you might want to consider - there’s a thread here exclusively devoted to info on it. It’s a paid ticket, but is very limited and you can ride 7DMT as much as you want.
I’m also doing the Star Wars dessert party & I scheduled a character meal to make the most of our time (we have to eat & he will be forced to take character pics with me...lol).

I’m hoping this weekend packs a lot of fun memories for us...and I hope yours does, too.
Good luck!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Yes, I would be willing to switch to just a 4 day ticket. My concern with doing a park day the last day we leave is getting everything packed up and ready to go and still making it to a park for rope drop. We are staying onsite.

We've done many short trips. Personally, I would stick with the hoppers. Unless you are staying at an MK or EP resort (or AKL) and transportation to a park is easy, I find going to a park on our last day to be really stressful.

If you keep the hoppers, I would go to AK on your arrival day (you could always hop to another park in the evening if you finish there early), MK on a full day and then park hop between DHS and EP on another full day to keep transportation to a minimum.

 

[mekay1012]

I have a short trip planned with my oldest son for March. We fly in March 3 at 9am; fly out March 5 at 6pm.
I’m not doing hoppers, I believe they take up too much time for travel...
But I am doing EMM - which you might want to consider - there’s a thread here exclusively devoted to info on it. It’s a paid ticket, but is very limited and you can ride 7DMT as much as you want.
I’m also doing the Star Wars dessert party & I scheduled a character meal to make the most of our time (we have to eat & he will be forced to take character pics with me...lol).

I’m hoping this weekend packs a lot of fun memories for us...and I hope yours does, too.
Good luck!

I am hoping there is an emm on the Tuesday we are there. That's something I definitely want to do.

 

[tbholc81]

This recently changed to 3 hours again.

Thanks, good to know

 

[kiramay]

I had a short trip in June (4.5 days) and a 3.5 day trip with my sister coming up in June.

Day 1- We land at 9:20 am. I always estimate 3 hours from landing to walking into a park. We’re going to Epcot. FP at 12, 1, and 2:10. Biergarten at 3 pm.
Day 2- MK at 8 am EMH. FP At 10, 11:20, and 12:40 (earliest 7 Dwarfs I could get). Will definitely get a 4th and 5th fp. BOG at 12:30. Hop to Epcot for dinner at some point.
Day 3- HS. RD toy story. Maybe get a star tour ride in too. FP At 9:30, 10:30, 12. Sci Fi At 11:20. Definitely hopping somewhere.
Day 4- AK. Rd Everest and Dinosaur. FP At 9:30, 10:30, 11:30. ME picks up at 6:55 pm. Flight at 9:55 pm.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

We're doing a quick mom/son trip in February. I'm used to going for 7 nights and this will only be 4, plus my son has been asking and asking to go to Legoland. So we're doing one day starting at Epcot and hopping to AK, one full day at MK, and one day at Legoland. Our flight times aren't the best so arrival day we're just going to dinner or maybe Disney Springs. Figure a little Disney is better than no Disney.

 

[Skippyboo]

July 16 is a Monday so most people will be at MK.

If you are onsite with 60 day FP access, I would use Tier 1 FP arrival day to do RNR at HS, FP ToT then make another HS FP to use all three and then maybe go back to hotel and hit another park at night. With the heat in July, you want to be at the parks early in the mornings and in the evenings when it’s cooler and less crowded. The family with the little kids at MK probably aren’t going to make it the whole day so the ride lines first thing in the am or the end of the day will be lighter. Also in the evening you have a mess of people camping out for fireworks and shows so while people are at the hub for 2 hrs to see the Fireworks, you are walking onto Splash Mtn, Big Thunder, Pirates etc.

Pandora is better at night than the day.

 

[laundry]

We pack the night before or get up 30 minutes earlier the day we are leaving to toss our things in the suitcase and check them at RAC. For such a short trip in the summer I assume you won't have a ton of packing to do. I dont fully unpack for short trips either. If I have cardigans or sundresses I will hang them up but I usually leave underwear, t shirts and shorts in the suitcase. I also travel with an over the door organizer that holds all of my toiletries, make up , hair stuff in compartments ( looks like a small shoe organizer). This thing rolls up so all I have to do is hang it up in the bathroom, nothing gets unpacked.

Sorry if this is a stupid question as I usually think I know all of the lingo. What is RAC? I also am doing a short trip and also want to get more shopping, roaming etc. in on my last day with a flight picking up at 6:50, so I assume pickup at about 3-4.

 

[My3SweetSuns]

Sorry if this is a stupid question as I usually think I know all of the lingo. What is RAC? I also am doing a short trip and also want to get more shopping, roaming etc. in on my last day with a flight picking up at 6:50, so I assume pickup at about 3-4.

Resort Airline Checkin (or remote airline checkin)
I plan to check my luggage & check in for my flight at Yacht Club & then hit the AK and be back to Yacht 3 hours prior to my flight. We will just have to board DME.

 

[mekay1012]

So often, but not that often. Do you want to hit RnR more then once? More then one day? If so you need hoppers, personally i love hoppers, i like to eat at Epcot most nights. So i always have them.

Park hours aren’t officially out yet, but I checked touring plans and Kenny the Pirate and the 16th I would do Hollywood studios and Epcot (you have park hoppers and you the trip is for RnR). You can take the boat or walk between its your arrival day so i think if its for RnR you def want to get that in. I also think HS doesn't have enough for a full day but that's just me (Toy Story land will be open, so I would guess HS will be crowded every day and if you want to see Toy Story land I would try to FP on your last day) . Maybe after head to Epcot for dinner and to do your favorites.

The 17th I would do full day MK, Depending where your staying take a mid day break or do a TS lunch to get out of the heat.

Then the 18th I would do Animal Kingdom and HS another ride on RnR, and see your favs in Animal kingdom.

If it was me, we would only do 3 parks, or do one park with reduced time which is what i have here for you with Epcot, 2.5 days is not enough time to really do all 4 parks well, so whats the priority. That's how I plan at least, I say I must do xyz this trip make sure I do them and everything else is gravy.

For the last day it really depends what time do you want to leave to get a 5pm flight, 2ish? So you would need to be done wit the parks by 1 to get back to the hotel, are you taking DME? We used to do park days the last day but stopped but that's just us. We take an easy morning get breakfast any last minute shopping, this trip we have a 3pm flight and will plan to head to the airport about 1230, it just didn't seem worth it to me to add a day.

Thanks! This is very helpful! RNR is a big reason for the trip, but I'm not sure she will ride it more than once. If I get her there and she doesn't ride it at all, I'm not sure what I will do to her (we go to Busch Gardens Williamsburg quite often and she is hit or miss with the roller coasters). Her favorite ride at Disney is EE so I know she will want several rides on that (if thats even possible with this short trip).