Critique my plan

[dr&momto2boys]

We have a split reservation coming in March/April and it's soon time to book FP+s. Since things constantly change, I need a lesson on our best strategy. (I have been reading about it too.)

First- Do I trust Touring Plans website? I notice it has me doing things in an order I would find counter intuitive based on my old TGM training. (I've been there since the days of TGM being the best guide, but I still cling to some of the old concepts. What I wouldn't do to return to the days of paper FPS!)

Second- Is there any chance we'll get any Pandora ride FP for either pat of our trip since it's split (not giving us a long window) and also at Easter time? 4 nights, 2 days at Universal, and then 4 more nights.

Now for the die-hards who have hung in this long and can give very specific advice...Please critique and offer advice for my plans-

1. The day we arrive (6 adults and 7 kids ages 4-14), we should get to AK around 11. According to TP we should be able to ride Kali River Rapids and do the Jungle Trek before lunch at Yak & Yeti at noon.
We'll try for a FP for EE at 2pm. We'll fill the afternoon with shows and walk through Pandora area to see it and eat QS dinner or snacks. We would like to get a FP for the Safari just before dusk- supposed to have special effects, right? And then also get a FP for RoL since the timing will be pretty close to the Safari. We'll return the next day for early entry to experience Pandora, and Dinoland area.

Will put the other days' plans below in comments to make it more manageable.

I APPRECIATE all advice! It's tough to keep this group organized so we can accomplish a lot and make everyone happy. Thanks much for the help!

 

[dr&momto2boys]

2. Day two starts at early entry AK. Assuming we can't get FP for Pandora rides, TP has us doing the River first and then estimates a 47 minute wait for FoP. Is that REALLY the best strategy? We'll try for a 9:15 FP for EE and hope to use it before 10:15. Then the young ones will take a twirl or two on TriceraTop Spin and the others will use a 10:15 FP for Primeval Whirl. The littles and chaperone go to the Bone Yard and the rest use 11:15 FP for Dinosaur. Then we're out of there for a pool/rest break.

After dinner at the Wave 5:10 & 5:30 ADRs for our split group, we want to go to the MK to do what we can in Tomorrowland (we'll see after our time at AK IF we can get any FPs) and also see the Happily Ever After

 

[dr&momto2boys]

3. Easter
Not an EE day at MK, but be there for rope drop. With Tomorrowland hopefully out of way, TP has us rushing over to Adventureland (Magic Carpet, Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion), then Barnstormer, Dumbo, Little Mermaid, before using a 10:15 FP for SDMT around 10:30ish. Then standby for BTMR and Splash with a FP before noon. Then PoTC followed by QS lunch or snacks and Peter Pan with a 2pm FP. Nothing planned until 4:20pm BOG reservation. Finish Fantasyland at our leisure and go back to the hotel around 7:30pm.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

4. Epcot at rope drop but not early entry.
Rush to Soarin', go on the Land, FP for TT, Mission Space, The Seas with Nemo (TP says 27 min stand by- really?! We'd probably skip it then.) The Seas, QS lunch, explore World Showcase. Will there be an Easter egg hunt?, Frozen Ever After with 2pm FP, Tutto Italia diner at 4:30, then Figment and 6:30 Spaceship Earth on the way out. Get to hotel early to do laundry and pack to move to Universal EARLY the next day.

Would you recommend spacing FPs out like this, or some other plan? Thanks!

Trying to create a relatively easy pace for older adults and little kids and just the fact that there's 13 of us. So mixing shortest wait times with a reasonable order to minimize walking too.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Hoping someone plays along!

 

[dr&momto2boys]

At least writing this out is making me rethink my plans...and other than what I don't know, they sound pretty good.

After two days/ one night at Universal we plan to check in to Boardwalk and have dinner at Trattoria al Forno and catch up on laundry before getting back to the parks the next day. At this point of our trip we'll be down to just the 7 of us in our immediate family. (2 adults and 5 kids ages 4-13.) We're split into two studio rooms, so we're taking advantage of using the DxDDP for 4 and sharing the credits between the 7 of us over the next 5 days. (Read: more dining reservations coming up.)

 

[dr&momto2boys]

5. We plan to do Epcot EMH with no FPs then hop to DHS later with our FP+s reserved in advance.

Question- what time does the Frozen ride open? TP let me put it in for early entry but I think I read it doesn't open until 10.
Since we'll be entering at the WS entrance, we would head there first if it's open during EMH. Otherwise Test Track, Soarin', Probably Nemo, Maybe Figment depending on time and hit Frozen on the way out at 10am.

But wait- we've got Garden Grill lunch at 11:30, so then what should the plan be for Frozen? Will we want to ride it twice anyway?
Then pool/break time before DHS.

Toy Story with 5:30 FP, Star Tours 6:30 FP, then Sci Fi dinner at 7pm, ToT FP at 8 and watch the Star Wars fireworks on the way out.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

6. EMH at MK
TP has us heading to Buzz first, AstroOrbitor, Mad Tea Party, Speedway, Dumbo, Barnstormer, and Little Mermaid before using 7DMT FP at 9:15ish. The Pirates, BTMR with 10am FP, and 27 minute standby estimate for Splash at around 10:15am. Reasonable so far?
11am lunch at LTT, 12:30 Haunted Mansion with FP, then anything without a big wait time and head back to hotel around 3:30ish if desired. Dinner at Ale and Compass at 7pm. Probably time for more laundry!

 

[dr&momto2boys]

ALMOST DONE...

7. DHS rope drop (Although this is AK early entry day. IF we haven't got a Pandora FP AND can get one this day, I MIGHT switch.)
Trusting TP again... RnR at rope drop then Tot with 9:30 FP, Star Tours with estimate of 11min wait, Red Carpet Dreams with 25 min wait, lunch at '50's PT Cafe at 11:20am. TSMM with 12:45FP the just shows and low wait stuff. Star Tours FP at 4:45 for a second ride if it really was a low wait earlier in day.
Back to hotel to do laundry and pack.
End stay with Bon Voyage breakfast the next day.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

We could do Fantasmic the first DHS night and just watch the Star Wars fromm outside Beaches n Cream the last night. I know the view will be obstructed but I *think* they play the music out there...no?

 

[Eccle]

2. Day two starts at early entry AK. Assuming we can't get FP for Pandora rides, TP has us doing the River first and then estimates a 47 minute wait for FoP. Is that REALLY the best strategy? We'll try for a 9:15 FP for EE and hope to use it before 10:15. Then the young ones will take a twirl or two on TriceraTop Spin and the others will use a 10:15 FP for Primeval Whirl. The littles and chaperone go to the Bone Yard and the rest use 11:15 FP for Dinosaur. Then we're out of there for a pool/rest break.

After dinner at the Wave 5:10 & 5:30 ADRs for our split group, we want to go to the MK to do what we can in Tomorrowland (we'll see after our time at AK IF we can get any FPs) and also see the Happily Ever After

My experience doing FP for February was that FOP was impossible to get unless you could go to at least 60+3. Navi River is easy to get. And I can't understand the logic of doing River first, from looking at wait times on the app FOP is at 2 hour wait by opening whereas Navi River queues are never as long and don't build as fast. I'd do FOP at rope drop (get there an hour before opening seems to be the advice) then get FP for Navi River

 

[Eccle]

3. Easter
Not an EE day at MK, but be there for rope drop. With Tomorrowland hopefully out of way, TP has us rushing over to Adventureland (Magic Carpet, Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion), then Barnstormer, Dumbo, Little Mermaid, before using a 10:15 FP for SDMT around 10:30ish. Then standby for BTMR and Splash with a FP before noon. Then PoTC followed by QS lunch or snacks and Peter Pan with a 2pm FP. Nothing planned until 4:20pm BOG reservation. Finish Fantasyland at our leisure and go back to the hotel around 7:30pm.

I'd be tempted to try and have the FPs closer together earlier on so you could try and get a 4th later on. The BTMR on standby might be a reasonable queue at that time? I'd be more inclined to rope drop that as it will be a busy day

 

[dr&momto2boys]

My experience doing FP for February was that FOP was impossible to get unless you could go to at least 60+3. Navi River is easy to get. And I can't understand the logic of doing River first, from looking at wait times on the app FOP is at 2 hour wait by opening whereas Navi River queues are never as long and don't build as fast. I'd do FOP at rope drop (get there an hour before opening seems to be the advice) then get FP for Navi River

Thanks! That makes sense to me. And unfortunately also makes me doubt other parts of TP's recommendations.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

I'd be tempted to try and have the FPs closer together earlier on so you could try and get a 4th later on. The BTMR on standby might be a reasonable queue at that time? I'd be more inclined to rope drop that as it will be a busy day

We usually dash to Peter Pan and then get FPs for 7DMT, Splash, BTMR.
Maybe we should do PP first then proceed and get the FPs for the 3 above.
Hoping someone chimes in who has used TP too and tell me if these recommendations are out in left field.

 

[SanderMC]

I use TP too and here's my take:
1) You have to watch what they recommend for FP. They don't take into consideration the tiered structure of some of the parks. For example on your 1st Epcot day you mention a FP for both TT and FEA. That's impossible as they are both tier 1 rides. You'll need to rethink that.
2) While I know you can set TP to how much walking you are willing to do, I personally don't like how it takes you all over the park. I have had great success in concentrating on certain areas in certain days. Especially early in the day it doesn't make sense to me to lose precious low crowd park time to walk to the other side of the park and then back again. What I tend to do it put in everything I want to do that day, let TP generate the plan, and then move items around until I am satisfied with both the timing and the amount of walking.
3) Take the time allotments for the Pandora rides with a grain of salt. Remember that Pandora is still new; the rides haven't been open a year yet. Since TP uses past crowds and waits to help generate their wait times, there is no previous wait times for this time of year for those rides. So as a previous poster said, get at FP for Navi (I was able to get one 30 days out for a little over a week after it opened to it really isn't that hard) and if you want to ride FOP get to the park a good hour prior to park opening and do that first.

To answer one of your questions - FEA is open right at park opening and is included during EMH. FEA tends to have long lines and this is a ride you would want a FP for. You also have to remember that FEA is on the opposite side of the park from Figment and the International gateway. I'm not sure that it makes sense to do it on your way out.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

I use TP too and here's my take:
1) You have to watch what they recommend for FP. They don't take into consideration the tiered structure of some of the parks. For example on your 1st Epcot day you mention a FP for both TT and FEA. That's impossible as they are both tier 1 rides. You'll need to rethink that.
2) While I know you can set TP to how much walking you are willing to do, I personally don't like how it takes you all over the park. I have had great success in concentrating on certain areas in certain days. Especially early in the day it doesn't make sense to me to lose precious low crowd park time to walk to the other side of the park and then back again. What I tend to do it put in everything I want to do that day, let TP generate the plan, and then move items around until I am satisfied with both the timing and the amount of walking.
3) Take the time allotments for the Pandora rides with a grain of salt. Remember that Pandora is still new; the rides haven't been open a year yet. Since TP uses past crowds and waits to help generate their wait times, there is no previous wait times for this time of year for those rides. So as a previous poster said, get at FP for Navi (I was able to get one 30 days out for a little over a week after it opened to it really isn't that hard) and if you want to ride FOP get to the park a good hour prior to park opening and do that first.

To answer one of your questions - FEA is open right at park opening and is included during EMH. FEA tends to have long lines and this is a ride you would want a FP for. You also have to remember that FEA is on the opposite side of the park from Figment and the International gateway. I'm not sure that it makes sense to do it on your way out.

Very helpful, thank you!