Am I using Unofficial Guide's crowd predictions correctly?

[katie111]

We're heading the Disney Nov 5-11, which I now know is going to be busy due to Jersey week & F & W. I am trying to make my plans based on UG's crowd predictions but am not sure I am using them right. Here's what he has listed and teh parks we're panning to do:

Level Best Worst Our Park
Mon 7 EP, DS AK MK
Tues 5 MK EP, DS, AK AK
Wed 6 DS AK MGM
Thurs 7 EP, AK MK EP
Fri 8 AK EP, DS MK

My biggest concern is the days that we are going to the MK. They are not lised as the best or worst parks to go to either of those days, but thise days are the highest attendance days. We plan to go early & pretty much stick to the kiddie rides. Will we be okay? I know MK on Tueday would be a better choice than Monday but the kids are dying to go there and I'm not sure I can hold them off till Tuesday. Anyone know why AK would be the worst park 3 days in a row? We're not getting hopper passes so I'm concerned about picking a park that's way too crowded & then being stuck there.

Also, I was planning to use the UG's touring guides which I've used in the past. Are these the best ones out there or are there any better ones?

Thanks!

 

[Samsma]

I do UG for the crowd levels then use RideMax for my touring plan. RideMax is really fun to play with as you get to choose the rides you want to ride, what time you will arrive, etc.

 

[mbc35]

We will be in the parks November 27-December 1. The UG picks for best and worst parks for each day of the week are the same for our week as for the week you are going, although our crowd levels are a bit different.

What I've decided to do is go to MK two days in a row. So our schedule looks like this:
M--MK
T--MK
W--DS
Th--EP
F--AK

We have 6 kids age 8 and under in the group, so we knew we wanted to spend more than one day in MK. Since UG only recommends MK as the best park for one day, we had to settle for the other day being one where it wasn't the worst park. (Monday is also my twins' birthday, so it seemed a good day to be in the MK for that reason as well.) Every other day, we are visiting the recommended park for that day.

We bought our tickets through Undercover Tourist, so we got a 6th day free with our 5-day pass. We're either going to use it to go to Epcot on Sunday evening, or we will use it one of the other evenings to go to Epcot after visiting another park in the morning. (We don't have park hoppers either.)

Hope this helps.

 

[katie111]

Switching around Tues & Friday like you did may be a really good idea. Its just that we have to be back to our hotel by about 3 for ME so I don't know if that's just too short of a day in AK. I know its the best park that day but its also an 8 for crowds overall so I just don't know how much we'll be able to get done. Definitely something to think about though.

Also, I was told on these boards that you cannot use a non-hopper pass twice in the same day even if you want to use another day of it. You may want to look into that.

 

[whogirl'smom]

We went to MK on a Sunday which was a 7 or 8 crowd level day so I was worried. However, we got there at rope drop and used the UG plan for small kids and it worked beautifully. As long as you get there early and do Fantasyland in the first hour, I think you're home free. The UG is right--after 10:00 Dumbo's line is crazy!

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

These guides confuse me. UG says not to visit MK on Sunday - while I've read (can't remember where - have too many WDW books) Sunday was a good time to visit because families usually travel to/from WDW on Sunday. And Monday was to be avoided at MK because those traveling on Sunday visit MK as their first park.

I think we'll pick some advice from UG and then use other guides as well. We're traveling on Saturday so I can't imagine waiting until Tuesday (as reccommended by UG) to visit MK. I think you have to incorporate the advice w/your family needs/wants and go from there.

Good luck and have fun planning!

 

[english rose 47]

I am using UG suggestions for Best park and fitting in with our needs! This what I came up with Epcot Fri, MK Sat, AK sun, Mon rest day, MK Tues, MGM Wed..Also will be there early but avoiding EMH in a.m. Dumbo is definately on the first thing list with no FP. Don't plan on hotel break during day will just leave after supper if 5 yr old is tired and can come back for fireworks withoiut him if we want. We may all be to tired!!

 

[momto3girls]

We're there at the same time and this is what we've decided:

Sun 11/5 - arrive around noon MK
Mon 11/6 - MGM
Tue 11/7 - MK again; 1st day expect crowds and chaos since it's also an EMH night
Wed 11/8 - rest or whatever....
Thu 11/9 - Epcot
Fri 11/10 - AK
Sat 11/11 - departure day, but will spend the AM doing what the kids want (probably MK or Ep again)

Our girls are 9, 7, and 7 and this is their first trip to WDW!

 

[Karnak]

We will be in the parks November 27-December 1. The UG picks for best and worst parks for each day of the week are the same for our week as for the week you are going, although our crowd levels are a bit different.

What I've decided to do is go to MK two days in a row. So our schedule looks like this:
M--MK
T--MK
W--DS
Th--EP
F--AK
.

My solo trip dates this Christmas season are almost exactly the same as yours. I will be arriving at the French Quarter on Monday, Nov. 27 at about noon, and leaving WDW on Saturday, Dec. 2.

I also used the UG in helping to pick my days/parks, but also made certain to avoid extra magic hours. So, my plan ended up looking like this:

Monday (afternoon and evening only) Epcot
Tuesday - Magic Kingdom all day (staying for Christmas Party)
Wednesday - Epcot all day
Thursday - Studios all day
Friday (split day) Animal Kingdom / Magic Kingdom (staying for a second Christmas Party)

Note that I will not be taking breaks in the afternoons (I take my time while touring the parks however), except for a brief stop in my room on Friday. This seemed to me to be the best use of my limited time at The World.

Enjoy.

 

[tinkerbelldec]

you didnt say whether or not you were staying on property or not. if staying on you can utilize the extra magic hours if staying off you cannot. we always stay on property and either utilize the early extra magic hour or stay away from the park that is offering extra magic hour in the am. so i would check with disney to see what parks are offering extra magic hours and either pm or am, the am park will be mobbed after 12noon. another recommendation is change your park tickets to a hopper it really isnt that much money to the total bill but definately worth it especially if you are purchasing a no-experation ticket and can reuse the days in the future you dont use on this trip. if i had a non hopper pass i would be at any park at least 1/2 hour before they open. so if my family couldnt stay the entire day i can at least go back to the hotel rest or swim for a little down time before staying throughout the night. mk is usually the only park that is really crowded, and if you arent staying at a monerail resort you have to park at the ticketing center and either have to take the monerail or the boat to the park, but if you arrive 1hour at the ticketing center you can get on the monerail and wait for mk to open at the gate if you arrive after 8:30 you have to wait at the ticketing center until 9am, and if there are a lot of people you could be waiting for several monerails or boats to get to mk. good luck and have a wonderful vacation.