Critique My 1-Day M.K. Plan

[mirak]

Here we go, my plan for a family of 4 with two boys ages 4 and 7, for the Thursday in February prior to President's Day Weekend, for a one-day whirlwind tour of Magic Kingdom. We're staying the two nights at Wilderness Lodge.

7:30 am: Arrive at Park Entrance for 8am EMH opening.
8:00 am: Trample over cast members to get to 7DMT.
8:20 am: Peter Pan
8:40 am: Buzz Lightyear
9:00 am: Be ready for opening of Liberty Square for Haunted Mansion
9:30 am: BTMR
10:00am: Splash Mountain (First FP+)
10:30am: POTC
11:00am: Jungle Cruise (Second FP+)
- Fit in SFR Treehouse while in AL, time permitting
11:30am: Grab lunch to go and head to Tom Sawyer Island
1:30 pm: Pirates League
2:30 pm: Speedway (Third FP+)
- Select another FP+ for favorite ride so far
3:00 pm: Parade (go to AL for start of parade, then hit Splash or BTMR or HM again)
- Small World sometime in here.
- Philharmagic sometime in here.
- FP+ ride sometime in here.
6:30 pm: Dinner Reservation at LT Tavern
8:00 pm: Lights Parade
9:00 pm: Wishes
- Try to hit Space Mountain or other rides as time allows in the evening amongst the parades.

As you can see, I'm trying to hit all our top rides at least once by 11:00a.m., and burn my 3 FP+s by early afternoon so that I can nab at least one more. My boys will really want to do the Speedway even though it's pretty lame and the lines are long, so that's why I FP+ it for early afternoon.

I don't plan to waste time waiting in line for prearranged character greetings - we'll try to meet up with characters as we go.

I'm counting of low to moderate crowds that day.

Thoughts?

 

[ghtx]

This looks like a good plan. Busy morning, but with low February crowds still could be done (you might have to end up skipping one of those rides, and maybe come back later in the afternoon).

I'm wary of this:

I don't plan to waste time waiting in line for prearranged character greetings - we'll try to meet up with characters as we go.

Most of the character greetings are in "prearranged" queues - there aren't many characters just walking around anymore. If you don't care about seeing characters, that's fine, but I wouldn't plan on spontaneously running into a bunch without any waits.

 

[afwdwfan]

Doable, but it won't be easy with a 4 and 7 year old. Especially with so much walking across the park. If it were me, I'd probably spend the morning focusing on Fantasyland / Liberty Square / Frontier Land before lines get long and try to set up a 4th FP+ for Buzz later in the day after the first 3 are used.

You could be hard pressed to make it out of LTT in an hour and a half and see the parade at 8 if the restaurant is busy. But at least you can usually find a spot along the route in Frontierland near LTT right up to the start of the parade if you are cutting it close.

 

[mirak]

Thanks. Yeah, I'm anticipating that I'll probably need to bump one of those morning rides to the afternoon. I'm hopeful I can at least get those first three rides knocked out during EMH, but once the park opens generally, all bets are off.

We'll also probably get sucked into a character line somewhere along the way, but I'm going to do my best to manage expectations in advance (reach an agreement with wife to only hop in short lines, etc.)

Based on my current itinerary, I want to grab some lunch somewhere in Adventureland or Liberty Square and take it to-go for a picnic over on Tom Sawyer Island. Any suggestions for "American" style lunch in those areas that will be farily quick and easy to get?

And where's that shortcut from Adventureland over to Liberty Square? That could really come in handy.

 

[wisblue]

Does anyone know when the refurbishment of Splash Mountain is scheduled this year? It seems like it is often closed from early January until late February or early March.

Some of that looks like it would be pretty tight with 2 small kids. Like going from 7DMT to PP back to Buzz and then all the way back to Liberty Square all in an hour. Or getting on and through the Speedway at 2:30 and then all the way over to Frontierland for the start of the parade.

 

[lustergirl]

Whatever you decide to do celebrate for me. That day is my birthday

 

[Alesia]

Based on my current itinerary, I want to grab some lunch somewhere in Adventureland or Liberty Square and take it to-go for a picnic over on Tom Sawyer Island.

Are you sure you can do that? I don't think you can take food on the ferry to TSI. Also, the restaurants aren't really equipped for to go lunches.

 

[mirak]

Are you sure you can do that? I don't think you can take food on the ferry to TSI. Also, the restaurants aren't really equipped for to go lunches.

Ah, see, I didn't know that. If that's true, we might pack our lunch in the stoller because I really want the boys to see TSL and the crowded lunchtime seems like the perfect time to do it.

 

[mirak]

Does anyone know when the refurbishment of Splash Mountain is scheduled this year? It seems like it is often closed from early January until late February or early March.

Some of that looks like it would be pretty tight with 2 small kids. Like going from 7DMT to PP back to Buzz and then all the way back to Liberty Square all in an hour. Or getting on and through the Speedway at 2:30 and then all the way over to Frontierland for the start of the parade.

Should be open per the schedule. Little Mermaid is going to be closed. You are right that there's too much back&forth, so I'm changing up my itinerary. Here's what I'm thinking now:

7:30 am: Arrive at Gates
8:00 am: Trample cast members to 7DMT
8:20 am: Speedway
8:40 am: Peter Pan
9:00 am: Race to Spash Mountain
9:30 am: First FP+ at BTMR
10:00am: Haunted Mansion
10:30am: Pirates
11:00am: Second FP+ at Jungle Cruise
11:30am: Lunch on TSI
1:00 pm: SFR Treehouse
1:30 pm: Pirates League
2:30 pm: Third FP+ at Pirates (just makes sense after they get all dressed up)
Grab new FP+ for Buzz Lightyear
3:00 pm: View start of Parade in Adventureland. Next:
- Hit hopefully low lines at Splash/BTMR/HM
- FP+ at Buzz Lightyear
- Grab another FP+ for Space Mountain or a favorite ride for sometime after dinner
- Small World
- Philharmagic
6:30 pm: Dinner at LTT
8:00 pm: Lights Parade
9:00 pm: Wishes
10:00pm: Back to resort

 

[RebeccaRabbit]

Sounds like a lot of fun rides your kids will enjoy!

It's definitely more than I'd expect my 8 year old to be able to do, personally, with that much criss-crossing the park. There's no way she could handle 8:00 am to 9:00 pm of constant go go go with no afternoon break (and neither could my husband! He gets cranky without his afternoon nap... ). It all depends on the kids and you know yours best. If you feel an impending meltdown, try taking an in-park break at Tom Sawyer island or in a quiet sit-down restaurant. Run-around time by the sprinklers in the Fantasyland circus area can also help kids relax.

Peter Pan can have pretty long waits even in the morning - not sure you'll be able to squeeze in Buzz there too. It's also a long trek over to Buzz from PP and then back to Liberty Square. I'd be prepared to axe Buzz if necessary - maybe come back to him later if possible (with 4th FP?) when you're over in that area anyway for Speedway.

 

[Missyrose]

You're leaving yourself no room for error for Festival of Fantasy. I wouldn't plan for an attraction after your 1:30 Pirates League. If you're done on time at 2:30 (provided they're not running late by midday), you'll want to grab a spot in Frontierland for the parade. The parade starts at 3 p.m. in Frontierland, so you'll want to be in place before that time.

 

[Alesia]

I wouldn't go all the way back to adventureland just to do the treehouse. It's a pretty good hike and with the walking to and from, it won't fit into the 30 minute time frame you've allotted for it.

 

[Alesia]

You're leaving yourself no room for error for Festival of Fantasy. I wouldn't plan for an attraction after your 1:30 Pirates League. If you're done on time at 2:30 (provided they're not running late by midday), you'll want to grab a spot in Frontierland for the parade. The parade starts at 3 p.m. in Frontierland, so you'll want to be in place before that time.

I agree. People are staking out spots an hour before the parade starts. you cannot just wander up and get a spot just before the parade starts.

Also, it should be noted that the parade can't be seen in adventureland. The parade starts on Main Street by the Fire Station.

 

[Missyrose]

I agree. People are staking out spots an hour before the parade starts. you cannot just wander up and get a spot just before the parade starts.

Also, it should be noted that the parade can't be seen in adventureland. The parade starts on Main Street by the Fire Station.

Actually, FoF starts in Frontierland and works its way to Main Street, but regardless, I would be where I wanted to be in Frontierland by 2:30ish because the parade rolls through there at 3 p.m. sharp.

 

[Alesia]

Actually, FoF starts in Frontierland and works its way to Main Street, but regardless, I would be where I wanted to be in Frontierland by 2:30ish because the parade rolls through there at 3 p.m. sharp.

That's right.

 

[mirak]

The way I've got it set up, we'll be in Adventureland for SFR Treehouse, Pitates League, and POTC all in one early afternoon block. That leads right into the parade. I don't plan to waste time staking out a spot for the parades. The kids will get a fine view from my shoulders. We'll watch a little of it and move on.

And I think I've built in lots of breaks. We'll spend a good hour chilling on Tom Sawyer Island, Philharmagic show in the afternoon, dinner at LTT, and I'm sure we'll get some other little snack breaks in, too. I've got two energetic little boys. They'll be dog tired by the end of the night, but happy I think.

 

[afwdwfan]

Makes sense. I think you'll find it helpful that you've cut some of the criss crossing out of the schedule. The best idea for lunch on TSI will definitely be just taking something into the park with you.

Also, I think you're aware and just had it down wrong, but you had the 3pm parade marked for Adventureland... You'll have to duck over to Frontierland for that. I think you'll be just fine doing as you plan for the parade as long as you are fine with a so/so view from the back of the crowd.

I think the most important suggestion I can give though is to be prepared to adapt and modify on the fly. Some of the time windows could be tight, so be prepared to make adjustments as you go if something takes a little bit longer or the kids aren't as cooperative as you'd like.

 

[MrInfinity]

Here's what I'm thinking now:
7:30 am: Arrive at Gates
8:00 am: Trample cast members to 7DMT
8:20 am: Speedway
8:40 am: Peter Pan

Fantasyland, then Speedway, then back to Fantasyland? No. Leave Speedway till later nix it here, just go to PP and save yourself a long wait there.

9:00 am: Race to Spash Mountain
9:30 am: First FP+ at BTMR

You don't need a FP to BTMR at 9:30 on an EMH day. On EMH days, everyone is in Fantasyland/Tomorrowland and Frontierland is vacant when it opens.

10:00am: Haunted Mansion
10:30am: Pirates

Somehwat ok, but you're going back to HM, then clear across Frontierland (again) to hit Pirates.

11:00am: Second FP+ at Jungle Cruise
11:30am: Lunch on TSI
1:00 pm: SFR Treehouse

Ignore Treehouse in your planning. Pick it up in passing whenever.

1:30 pm: Pirates League
2:30 pm: Third FP+ at Pirates (just makes sense after they get all dressed up)

Grab new FP+ for Buzz Lightyear
3:00 pm: View start of Parade in Adventureland. Next:
- Hit hopefully low lines at Splash/BTMR/HM

Why? This is now the heart of the day. Lines at Splash/BTMR will be long not short.

- FP+ at Buzz Lightyear
- Grab another FP+ for Space Mountain or a favorite ride for sometime after dinner
- Small World
- Philharmagic
6:30 pm: Dinner at LTT
8:00 pm: Lights Parade
9:00 pm: Wishes
10:00pm: Back to resort

I so want to sit down w you and hash this out w a pencil and paper. I think you involve too much criss-crossing and it can be done way more optimally.

And you've missed the Tiki Room. Surely this is an oversight and you're not going to spend most of a day in Adventureland and not see the Tiki Room.

Also I think with kids 4 and 7 you've got it a little too tight. You're missing a snack. Even if you have breakfast before, being there at rope drop they'll be hungry well before 11:30. And you're leaving out the many bathroom breaks and other stuff that are just slower w kids.

 

[ghtx]

Are you sure you can do that? I don't think you can take food on the ferry to TSI. Also, the restaurants aren't really equipped for to go lunches.

Yes you can. TSI is a great place for a picnic lunch! I like to eat at the old boardwalk/gazebo, that has a great view of the Haunted Mansion and the riverboat passing by.

 

[Alesia]

Yes you can. TSI is a great place for a picnic lunch! I like to eat at the old boardwalk/gazebo, that has a great view of the Haunted Mansion and the riverboat passing by.

But can you take open plates of food from a CS restaurant on the ferry?