Can we do ALL this in 1 day at MK??

[annabelle]

We've only got ONE day at the MK... I tried my best to narrow down the rides/attractions my family (of 5) would like to see. Is this pushing the limit?

ADVENTURELAND:
>magic carpet ride
>pirates of carr.
>swiss family treehouse

FRONTIERLAND:
>tom sawyer island
>big thunder

LIBERTY SQUARE:
>hall of presidents
>haunted mansion

FANTASYLAND:
>cinderella's carrousel
>dumbo
>small world
>mad tea party
>adv. of winnie the pooh
>mickey's philharmagic
>peter pan's flight
>snow white
>storytime w/belle

TOMORROW LAND:
>buzz lightyear
>indy speedway
>space mtn

TOONTOWN:
>barnstormer
>toon park
>country house

ALSO-----> share a dream parade, cinderellabration & wishes

I could whittle this down even further... but it would be hard since everything listed would be a blast for our 9 yo son and 4 yo daughter. DH and I could maybe split up and divide and conquer... but I would love to enjoy all of it together as a family.

If this is even remotely doable, what order would we do this in? Which ones would we use "fastpass" on?

(BTW, we're staying off site 10 mins away. We don't have any character meals planned but plan on being at the park from the time it opens to the time it closes.)

Thanks for any advice!!

 

[annabelle]

I forgot to mention we'll be at Disney this summer around June 20th... thanks a bunch!

 

[pixieprincessmom]

If the lines aren't bad it can be done. Looking at your list I'd start at Fantasy land and get DH to go get FP for Buzz or Big Thunder. Indy Speedway lines can sometimes be unbearable. Give it a try, cut out rides as you need to. Have the kids make a list of a few MUST sees, then work out the rest.

 

[sweetpeakaris]

I am not sure. But if you guys have the energy and the lines are'nt bad, I think you can! We did the entire park in one day, but my family has a ton of energy.

 

[avaughan]

We visited WDW this past October with our 5 year old DD and 3 year old DS. I am not an expert on how much you can see in a day, but my thought is trying to do all of that in a day during a busy time of the year is going to be difficult. You did mention dividing and conquering, which might be an idea. Depending upon how tall your 4 year old is, they might not meet the height requirements for Big Thunder, Splash Mountain and Space Mountain, which would free up time to do a ride like Dumbo or the carousel. Just make sure you have a good plan for meeting back up - I almost blew that with my husband this fall.

My one other suggestion is for you to rethink the all day at the park plan. In October it was still hot and the kids were getting tired by lunch time. We took a mid day break and then went back at dinner time. The one night we stayed late for MNSSHP (which would probably be comparable to closing time during the summer), both of the kids were wiped out the next day and we ended up doing very little of what I had planned for the day. (We had to be up early for the princess breakfast at EPCOT and only did 2 rides at MGM and left.) So, if you do make it all day at MK, I would plan on the next day being tough, especially on your little one.


I know it is hard to pick and choose, especially when the kids would enjoy everything. Good luck with your trip.

 

[annabelle]

We visited WDW this past October with our 5 year old DD and 3 year old DS. I am not an expert on how much you can see in a day, but my thought is trying to do all of that in a day during a busy time of the year is going to be difficult. You did mention dividing and conquering, which might be an idea. Depending upon how tall your 4 year old is, they might not meet the height requirements for Big Thunder, Splash Mountain and Space Mountain, which would free up time to do a ride like Dumbo or the carousel. Just make sure you have a good plan for meeting back up - I almost blew that with my husband this fall.

My one other suggestion is for you to rethink the all day at the park plan. In October it was still hot and the kids were getting tired by lunch time. We took a mid day break and then went back at dinner time. The one night we stayed late for MNSSHP (which would probably be comparable to closing time during the summer), both of the kids were wiped out the next day and we ended up doing very little of what I had planned for the day. (We had to be up early for the princess breakfast at EPCOT and only did 2 rides at MGM and left.) So, if you do make it all day at MK, I would plan on the next day being tough, especially on your little one.


I know it is hard to pick and choose, especially when the kids would enjoy everything. Good luck with your trip.

Big Thunder and Space Mountain were for the 9 year old... definitely NOT our 4 year old. I knew it would probably be a lot for one day... we'll probably end up picking and choosing once we get there.

Also, our next day after MK is going to go something like this: sleep in, eat, swim, sleep some more, eat again ... and if we have any energy after that, maybe play some putt putt at our resort. That's it. So that should help.

 

[slo]

I don't want to seem like a balloon burster, but we go in Sept. when it is pretty slow at WDW and I can honestly say that we wouldn't be able to do all this in one day. If you try to do all this, I think you all will be exhausted and your kids may be crabby by the end of the day.

You didn't say when you were going - are you going when the park closes at 9pm? That will help, we go when the park closes at 7pm. Keep in mind, if you are going to be there when the park closes at 9pm you have to keep in mind your wait times for Spectromagic and Wishes. If you want a good spot for Spectomagic you need to claim your spot 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours before the parade starts. If you want a good spot your Wishes, you need to claim your spot immediately after Spectromagic. All this takes up your whole night. I would ask your kids what is most important for them to do and definitly do those. If you have time for other things then it's a bonus.

I have been taking my DD at the ages of 2,3,4, & 6 and she has yet to go to Tom Sawyers Island, The Swiss Family Treehouse, Storytime w/ Belle, Hall of Presidents, and Alladins Magic Carpet ride. We just never have enough time. Please don't be upset about what I am telling you. I just want to see you have an enjoyable trip. Take care!!

 

[annabelle]

We're going mid June...

Well, the Swiss Family tree house, Tom Sawyer stuff and Presidents was for our 9 year old son who's really into history and loves the Swiss Family Robinson movie. And I guess we could nix the Alladin ride since it seems a lot like Dumbo anyway (I'll just have to have our 4 yo choose.)

I apreciate your honesty. I need to have realistic expectations from people who have done Disney with kids before. Thanks...

 

[the kabuki]

If you're staying onsite, be sure to plan your one MK day when the park has EMH evening hours.

Our family has tons of energy, and is able to see most of what's on your list. This is in Jan. when it's slower. We did pass on Tom Sawyer, Hall of pres., . Wishes fireworks wasn't super high on our list either. We didn't stake out the best seat, but watched if it started whereever we happened to be.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I've done disney SOLO and been able to do that much in one day- but we're talking early Jan and October and RUNNING from ride to ride/to get fast passes in just the right order with doing rides, etc. (and I'm talking just all the rides, not also getting good spots for the parades and such)

With 3 kids... well, we did quite a bit on our last family trip but trying to do all those rides (even with early EMH and being there all day) was only possible WITHOUT trying to see the parades. I think it would be pretty impossible (unless the park was like pretty barren at the time) to do all those rides AND make it in time (ie: very early, staking a spot and sitting there for atleast an hour or so) for good seats to watch the parades and such. That would be pushing it, IMO.

 

[annabelle]

Is it possible to have half of us stake out a spot for parades while my husband takes one of the children on some rides... then come back when the parade starts (we'll have cell phones). That would enable us to reserve our spot and also knock out some the stuff on our "punch list".

 

[cruiseonmagic]

annabelle,
You are a girl after my own heart! I went on a mission last spring break just to see how many rides I could go on, in the two hours that I had before work(if you call driving a resort boat work--I figure that they pay me to have fun!). I did this because I overheard someone saying that they only went on a couple rides all day. I was at the gate for park opening at 9am, and was able to do 8 attractions and had 2 fastpasses by 11am.

Here's how(keep in mind that you have to do a bunch of walking at first, but then you can relax):

First go directly to fantasy land and get fastpasses for philharmagic. The reason that you want to get a fastpass for this first, is that it is about a 15 min. total attraction--no sense in letting lines form at all the rides while you are inside! The first fastpasses of the day will probably say to come back between 1005 and 1105, or there abouts, and that you can get another fastpass at 1010. From there go to small world--keep in mind that if you go to the back of the park first, everyone else is sightseeing their way through. Small world is opening the beginning of may, so alot of people will be going there (but you've already got your first fastpass so you'll beat the line to small world). Small world goes pretty quickly, (and so do most of the other rides in fantasyland ) so when you are done with that, go to any of the rides that you want to go on in fantasyland--you can go from one to the other because you went directly there instead of sightseeing right off the bat. Remember that you have almost 2 hrs before your fastpass expires (and guests at the resorts tend to sleep in ).

Go from fantasyland to haunted mansion, then splash mtn, and thunder mtn. Take the train to toontown, walk to buzz lightyear, get your second fastpass of the day, then before you go back to philharmagic, go on space mtn. The clock will be ticking on your second fastpass while you are on space, and in philharmagic.

You have had a very busy 2 1/2 - 3 hours, but then you can relax and take the rest of the day as it comes--you've already done the most popular attractions at MK, and will have plenty of time to see the rest.

The key for any of the Disney parks is to be there when they open and get a fastpass for the most popular/longest attraction --even if there is no line.

Another tip: when it's time for lunch, go out of the park to center boat dock, to Fort Wilderness. It's a great boat ride and you'll be able to sit and relax on the way to lunch. The Trails end restaurant at the campground is the best value on property, bar none.

Oh, and one more thing--if your boat pilot happens to be "Bill from WV" please say hello. It's always great to meet guests from the DIS.

Bill

 

[Bella2000]

Have you checked out some of the free touring plans from the Unofficial Guide to WDW's website? Some may give you an idea and there are more detailed plans there as well. Sample Touring Plan from Unofficial Guide Website

They also have a pretty comprehensive write up on the EMH and dates etc.
Unofficial Guide Web site Extra magic Hour charts

I added the EMH info and then reread your post that you are staying off property - sorry I missed that note.

 

[cruiseonmagic]

OK just one more thing Guests ask me all the time--when is the best time to get a spot for the parades? 1-1 1/2 hrs before? No way. That cuts out too much time during the day. If you have to sit on the curb, the best time to get space for a family of 4 is... are you ready? When there are 4 left! Why waste park time? Even if you are in the second row, just get behind kids and you'll have a great view.

Bill

 

[annabelle]

I've whittled down our schedule... put the "must see" attractions on an "A" list and put everything else on a "B" list. Hopefully we'll get to everything on our "A" list, and if any time is left over we can try to do stuff off the "B" list.

>cinderellabration
>carrousel
>dumbo
>peter pan
>winnie the pooh
>small world
>mickey's phiharmagic
>minnie's country house
>pirates of the carribbean
>haunted mansion
>buzz lightyear
>space mtn
>tom sawyer island

*parades and wishes

Is this a more reasonable schedule for ONE day at MK?

 

[HomeSweetDisney]

Definately. I think you could do that list in one day, easily. Have fun!