AKL in September with a 3 year old - some planning questions

[Jess_S]

Hi everyone. My husband, 3 year old son and I just booked a 5 night trip beginning September 20. I got an amazing deal on AKL and we are super excited.

I haven't been to WDW in more than 10 years (not since I did the college program), long before FP+. I've gotten a lot of great tips from the boards, but there are some things that are not covered. I'm going to put all my questions in this thread. But if you think I should split them up and post them in different forums, I'm happy to do that.

Here I go:

• Based upon my memory and various crowd calendars, I'm expecting that there will be low to moderate attendance during our trip. How important is it to book fast passes ahead of time when attendance is light?

• We're planning to focus on rides that my son will enjoy, but I am interested in Expedition Everest and the Seven Dwarves Mine Train since those rides are new to me. What's the best strategy for getting on these rides without a FastPass? (Is it even possible to get on the Mine Train without one?) On vacation, my son tends to pass out from exhaustion for an hour or two each day -- but at unpredictable times. I was thinking DH and I could take turns doing one or two rides during that time.

• Since we booked within the 180 day window, our ADR options were very limited. (Side effect of free dining maybe?) I was able to get some of the things I wanted by booking at odd times. I've been told to keep checking back as things open up when people finalize their planning. Is it worth checking back for character breakfasts? Do people ever drop their ADRs for those?

• We will need a rental car before and after Disney, but could save a little bit of money if we turned in the car when we arrived in Orlando and rented a new one when we left. (It would also add hassle, so it's truly a mixed bag). For those who have stayed in AKL, thoughts on how much of an asset the car would be?

Thank you!

 

[nalajms]

1. Sept is low crowd, but that does not mean walk on for popular rides. I'd book FP, even if it's the night before. Why wait 10m if you don't have to?
2. 7DMT - use 1 fast pass. Take DS up to the line and ask for a rider swap. One parent uses the FP. The other uses the rider swap thru FP line. Rider swap can be used when he naps.
3. ADRs - yes, lots of cancellations 45 days out and a week out. Whether it's worth it or not is up to you. I check when I'm on the PC and have free time. I don't obsess over it.
4. Rental car - not much use if you're going to MK. Convenient if you decide to go from AKL to Port Orleans for dinner and then back to AKL. No point driving to AK since the walk from the bus is faster, same for DHS. Epcot if you go in the evenings, you can find parking towards the front.

 

[Lucius Best]

1. Yes, Sept is lower crowds, but you'll still see lines getting longer after 11am or so. Definitely book FP+ in advance. The only ones that fill up would be 7DMT and TSMM. Most others you should be able to modify the night before.

2. Rides like that will also have short lines at rope drop. 7DMT is very popular and will have crazy lines all day. EE has single rider line as an option (although they sometimes close it if the park is not busy).

3. Keep checking, I guess? Poke around the "Restaurants" board, there are threads with good restaurants where you can usually walk in or get a last-minute ADR (we've had luck with Grand Floridian Cafe, Kona Cafe, Trails End).

4. We always rent a car, because I don't like waiting for buses. You could wait 1 minute, you could wait 15-20 minutes. So quick to drive to AK/HS/Epcot. Downside is you'll have a longer walk to the gate than if you take the bus. Parking is free for on-site guests. Often a bus is standing room only, can be a pain if you have a 3yo and a stroller, and your bus rides are longer on average because of AKL's location. Going to MK we'll usually take bus, because it goes right to the gate. If you drive to MK, you're parking at TTC, and will need to take monorail or ferry. If you are park hopping or plan on visiting other resorts, having a car is awesome.

 

[maryandtyson]

You will LOVE AKL! We have stayed there twice. We always have a car, but I think you're okay without it. The furthest park is MK, and it's not that convenient to drive there with TTC.

Still book FP+, but you may find you don't really need them. We went in April and only used three or four FP the whole week. Check the crowd calendars to plan your days.

Keep checking for ADRs. AKL has great food. Definitely eat at BOMA. Both breakfast and dinner are excellent.

 

[Best Aunt]

My experience at AKL Jambo (March 2014 and March 2015) was that the seats on the buses often were filled at Kidani. By the time the buses got to Jambo, it was standing room only. You may want to keep the car. If you drive to Magic Kingdom you have to park at TTC and take ferry boat or monorail, but that still might be easier than standing during the ride to the Magic Kingdom.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

We love AKL! I think you will have an awesome time.

How tall is your son? He may be tall enough for 7DMT. The height requirement is only 38" and many 3 year olds are tall enough to ride.

We had a car at AKL and only used it to travel to other resorts for ADRs. If you are traveling only to the parks and don't have ADRs at other resorts, I would not rent a car. I don't think it is necessary.

People drop ADRs all the time. I pull up the MDE app each morning to check for ressies (By now, I have gotten practically everything I want). Follow the September dining cancellations thread on these boards. People often post when they plan to cancel ressies.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

My experience at AKL Jambo (March 2014 and March 2015) was that the seats on the buses often were filled at Kidani. By the time the buses got to Jambo, it was standing room only. You may want to keep the car. If you drive to Magic Kingdom you have to park at TTC and take ferry boat or monorail, but that still might be easier than standing during the ride to the Magic Kingdom.

Do you think it would be worth walking to Kidani to raise chances of getting a seat on the bus? I know it is a long walk, but so is the walk to the parking lot to get the car.

 

[Jess_S]

Thank you all for the helpful information. We are really excited to stay at AKL. I thought it would be out of our budget, so it was a nice surprise when I found a deal that made it affordable. The savings from turning in our rental car during our time at Disney is minimal so you have sold me on keeping it. Being able to drive to other resorts to eat is a nice benefit and standing on a bus with a toddler definitely won't work.

I will have to measure my son when we get to FP booking time. He's small for his age,so not sure if he will clear 38 in time. Is the mine train scary for young kids?

 

[maryandtyson]

I'd try the bus and see how crowded it is. We've never had to stand. Maybe we travel at less crowded times.

 

[Jess_S]

If we didn't need the car before and after our stay at Disney, I definitely wouldn't be renting one just for Disney. We'll probably use the bus sometimes and the car sometimes depending on which seems more convenient. I actually don't mind walking at all -- especially since DS is still stroller-aged. If we had to carry him, the closer shuttle stops would be more of a factor.