Can't Make Up My Mind

[Vallie]

My DBF and I are spending one day at Disney Jan 7th. This is the day of the marathon.

The park is open at 9am and with EMH closes at 11pm.

Right now i have a base ticket and we are planning on spending the whole day at MK
However I started thinking this is going to be a very long day and I dont want my DBF to get bored!

I was thinking to get a park hopper upgrade and maybe hit animal kingdom at 9am till 1pm and check out dinosaur and EE

However at an extra 45/pp it seems really pricey!

Am I crazy to do this? Are we better off just sticking to MK?

Keep in mind this is our first trip and we are not too familiar with the transportation system and I heard on the day of the marathon the traffic is greatly effected.

What would u guys suggest?
Also am I even able to upgrade to a park hopper even though I have already purchased the tickets?!

 

[gismo1554]

I think you can upgrade to a parkhopper once purchased.

I would personally think MK will take you all day anyway as its your first time there. There are a lot of big rides as well as the smaller ones, and to be honest it would probably be easier that day just staying in the one. Traffic is awful on Marathon day, especially around MK. To get to Animal Kingdom from MK takes a good 45 mins at the best of times. If you do want to Park Hop I'd suggest going to EPCOT as a)this is a more adult park b)transport doesn't use the roads it just uses the monorail so alot quick c)there are some really great rides such as Soarin' and Mission Space

 

[kathmzh]

I actually think MK is a two-day park if you really want to do it right. If it's busy, and you really want to see everything, you'll need the whole day.
I suggest breaking up your day by leaving the park for a while mid-day and going to one of the resorts for a nice meal. How about Animal Kingdom Lodge? You can see the animals from the resort viewing area and have a nice meal in the restaurant there. You can relax there for a while, then take the bus back to the MK. Good luck with your decision and have fun!

 

[Shells9]

I agree with everyone who says it will be easier to stay at MK. Get a map before hand and familarize yourself with it, and mix in things that you think your DBF would be interested in, with things that he might not be so much into so it's mixed up a little.

Another suggestion would be the resort monorail loop -- you can do that easily from MK. Take a break and shop at the concourse at the Contemporary, check out the game room there, or use the money you have would toward hoppers to rent a water mouse and cruise around the lake for a while.

Enjoy your day!

 

[gismo1554]

I agree with everyone who says it will be easier to stay at MK. Get a map before hand and familarize yourself with it, and mix in things that you think your DBF would be interested in, with things that he might not be so much into so it's mixed up a little.

Another suggestion would be the resort monorail loop -- you can do that easily from MK. Take a break and shop at the concourse at the Contemporary, check out the game room there, or use the money you have would toward hoppers to rent a water mouse and cruise around the lake for a while.

Enjoy your day!

Fantastic idea! Hadn't thought of the water mice. Also there are boats to all the resorts from the Magic Kingdom dock which is a nice little ride over. Wilderness Lodge is very pictureque and worth a look around just for the architecture (and if like the group of adults I went with last year) you like scavenger hunts ask at reception for the Hidden Mickey Hunt. Its completely free and you can relax a little as you search for the Mickey Mouses hidden throughout the hotel. Also if you want a really good steak and don't mind paying a bit extra go in to Artist Point and have a meal. The Buffallo Steak they have there is fab!

 

[Vallie]

thanks so much for your input and opinions! the scavernger hunt sounds fun.. do they have this at all resorts?

I personally don't mind just staying at MK for the one day I'm just worried that DBF will get bored as he likes more thrill rides

 

[skier_pete]

I recommend spending the day at MK, I cannot imagine running out of things to do there in a single day. Some good suggestions above as well.

One thing about Disney thrill rides, they are not as thrilling as most "serious" thrill rides at regular amusement parks. I love thrill-rides and the Disney ones are pretty tame. To take him over to AK, there is really only Expedition Everest and maybe Dinosaur that I would put in the "thrill" category. Not really worth the extra money IMHO.

However, in my book, Space Mountain is the best "thrill" at MK because it is in the dark. Not a high-powered coaster, but the dark makes it seems much worse than it is. If he's into it, make sure to RIDE BOTH TRACKS. There are TWO completely separate tracks on Space Mountain, and they are very different. One is very hilly, the other has lots of turns. Usually, one is being used for the FP line, and the other is for the stand-by line.

SkierPete

 

[hniki234]

Even though WDW doesn't have a bunch of thrill rides, I think your DBF will enjoy MK. There's tons to do at MK, and as many PPs have mentioned MK is more of a two day park to get to everything. I also agree about Space Mountain. It's not super-fast, but it is in the dark and its a lot of fun. Plus, you have Splash Mountain (not much of a thrill ride but there is the drop) and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (again not too thrilling but fun). There are other rides he might get a kick out of, too. Like Buzz Lightyear. My DBF enjoys the competition of that ride.

 

[Chester's Mum]

Any chance you'll be back again sometime?

You could just go for the gusto and get a 7 day with park hopper and no expiry. It makes this trip more expensive, but you'll have six days left over for your next trip. And take it from the people on these boards, once you've been there, you WILL want to go back.

Oh, and by the way, they increase the price every year or so. So your next trip will be at this years prices.

 

[gismo1554]

thanks so much for your input and opinions! the scavernger hunt sounds fun.. do they have this at all resorts?

I personally don't mind just staying at MK for the one day I'm just worried that DBF will get bored as he likes more thrill rides

I know that Animal Kingdom Lodge has one of the scavenger hunts but not sure about any of the other hotels.

 

[Vallie]

Any chance you'll be back again sometime?

You could just go for the gusto and get a 7 day with park hopper and no expiry. It makes this trip more expensive, but you'll have six days left over for your next trip. And take it from the people on these boards, once you've been there, you WILL want to go back.

Oh, and by the way, they increase the price every year or so. So your next trip will be at this years prices.

Well this year we're going just for a day after our cruise. I'm hoping after my DBF gets a sneak peak we can go back and spend a whole week in disney for our vacation next year! a girl can dream right

 

[Vallie]

Update:

My BDF and I are actually planning if we get to our resort early enough on the 6th we may purchase a ticket to one fo the other parks (either animal kingdom or MGM) and spend the afternoon-close there

So Hopefully we can do that! I just wish we had more days!