DHS/Epcot strategy suggestions (w/4 yo and infant)

[tlmadden73]

I have another short trip coming up (I've decided to take my family on frequent short trips (every year)(like 2 park days) instead of one large trip ... since my son (and now daughter) are still young (and I feel a long trip would just wear them out). Once they get older .. sure . longer trips will be in the works.

Anyway. Trying to figure out a good game plan with my wife, son (will be 4 1/2) and daughter (will be 5 1/2 months) for an upcoming trip in end of March. Just struggling how to plan to do some fun stuff, but taking into account having an infant that can't go on everything and may slow us down (and who knows how busy the parks will be).

My general plan is
DAY 1 - DHS - planning on hopping to MK (and maybe hop back if there is SW fireworks)
DAY 2 - Epcot - all day (maybe hop to MK depending how the day is going).

DHS
My hope to get there to use morning EMH, get an early lunch and the earliest Indiana Jones show and then hop over to MK for the afternoon (since there isn't much for a Toddler to do at DHS and we were just there for a full day on our last trip)

Do I just make all fast passes for the afternoon at MK and just rely on the EMH to get on the key rides at DHS? (for my family that would be Star Tours and TSMM . .the adult ride will be skipped (or I will ride solo).. Or just make fast passes for the morning at DHS and just see what's available via the app for MK in the afternoon. I don't necessarily want to be locked in to Fast Passes at MK in case we can't make it over there when I want (infant...)

How is that new Express bus service? I am seriously considering it for this day to hop from DHS to MK quickly since I will have an infant and stroller and driving to the park.

Epcot - We have skipped Epcot in my previous few trips because I felt it just didn't have a lot for a toddler compared to the other parks. Now there is Frozen and my son is tall enough to do Soaring and Test Track ..
But what to prioritize there (thanks to the awful tiering)? I really don't know which of those 3 popular rides he would like the most. What else is good there for a 4yo besides the obvious of Nemo and Figment.

We have lunch reservations at Garden Grill and then the hope would be to just take it easy for the afternoon and leave before any night shows to rest. If we have the time/energy, we may hop back to MK again *shrug* (but I doubt it).

We are also going with a large group of several other families. And while we hope to go on some rides with them .. we mainly are each making our own plans and meeting for meals.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[Jennytoon]

I always tell people with kids to go for the Pavilions at Epcot ... The Spaceship Earth Pavilion stuff will be attractive to your son although he'll probably need an adult to help; the Mission Space Pavilion has a crawl through playground that your son is just the right age for and your daughter might get a tiny amount of mileage out of as well, and the stuff in the Imagination pavilion should be accessible to both -- your son can be more independent but I bet your daughter will like the hand-waving music-making thingies.

Sadly Innoventions is mostly empty right now (my kids always found tons to do here), but while I haven't actually been to the Colortopia exhibit I'm betting it will be at least in your son's age range.

There is a splash 'n' soak on the bridge to World Showcase, although in March it may or may not be working.

In the World Showcase the shopping is not too interesting for kids that age, but don't underestimate the appeal of the tourism department movies and the entertainment (particularly the drummers in JP).

Ride-wise I can't speak to which of the "big" rides your kids will like; FEA and Soarin' should be crowd-pleasers but Test Track will depend. For other rides, YMMV but my kids all loved the Grand Fiesta Tour in Mexico, and Livin' with the Land which you didn't mention. I would especially make sure to ride LWTL before lunch, then your son will get a kick out of being able to look down on the ride from above.

 

[tlmadden73]

I always tell people with kids to go for the Pavilions at Epcot ... The Spaceship Earth Pavilion stuff will be attractive to your son although he'll probably need an adult to help; the Mission Space Pavilion has a crawl through playground that your son is just the right age for and your daughter might get a tiny amount of mileage out of as well, and the stuff in the Imagination pavilion should be accessible to both -- your son can be more independent but I bet your daughter will like the hand-waving music-making thingies.

Sadly Innoventions is mostly empty right now (my kids always found tons to do here), but while I haven't actually been to the Colortopia exhibit I'm betting it will be at least in your son's age range.

There is a splash 'n' soak on the bridge to World Showcase, although in March it may or may not be working.

In the World Showcase the shopping is not too interesting for kids that age, but don't underestimate the appeal of the tourism department movies and the entertainment (particularly the drummers in JP).

Ride-wise I can't speak to which of the "big" rides your kids will like; FEA and Soarin' should be crowd-pleasers but Test Track will depend. For other rides, YMMV but my kids all loved the Grand Fiesta Tour in Mexico, and Livin' with the Land which you didn't mention. I would especially make sure to ride LWTL before lunch, then your son will get a kick out of being able to look down on the ride from above.

Wow .. great suggestions about Epcot .. I had forgotten about the wonder of the pavilions! I remember those from my childhood in the 80s. I assumed a lot of those things were gone with the loss of sponsorships (and the new attractions like Mission Space and Test Track). or just retired because they were outdated. Sad about Innoventions. I remember that being fun too. The pavilion activities will be a nice "attraction" too that we can do as a family without having to swap the infant.

I had forgotten about Living with the Land .. we definitely will try and hit that right before Lunch! I didn't realize Garden Grill overlooked the ride.

Sounds like we should have more than we can do in one full day with a slow-moving group.

Thanks.

 

[tlmadden73]

Anyone have any suggestions on Hollywood Studios?
Will EMH and the first few hours be enough to get a few rides in of Star Tours, TSMM, GMR without a FastPass? Am I better off just using my Fast Passes at MK for the mid-afternoon then?

Also . .has anyone used the Express Bus service from DHS to MK? How was that (how long did it take .. I know the two parks are pretty far apart).

 

[NileNellie]

I'd save your fastpasses for MK. Since you will be at HS early, that should give you enough time to knock out the more popular attractions with minimal wait. It's pretty much a guarantee that MK will be busy in the afternoon so it would be nice to have fastpasses for that time.

 

[tlmadden73]

I'd save your fastpasses for MK. Since you will be at HS early, that should give you enough time to knock out the more popular attractions with minimal wait. It's pretty much a guarantee that MK will be busy in the afternoon so it would be nice to have fastpasses for that time.

Thanks .. that does feel like a good option .. especially if I can get a Fast Pass for one of the big rides (7DMT) ..

 

[elaine amj]

With regards to Epcot, I expect to spend a great deal of time at the Seas pavilion with my 3.5 yr old niece. Aside from the huge aquarium and the cute Nemo ride....there is Turtle Talk with Crush which is amazing

For DHS, do TSMM first thing at rope drop and you should be fine with the others. I can't see why you can't get all that done really quickly.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I'm gonna be the opposite vote...baby may or may not be a good sleeper by 5 1/2 months, so you and your spouse may or may not be ready for rope drop. So, I'd plan both of my FPs for your 1st park plans, figuring that these FPs are scarcer (since there are way less rides) and you may never get to the 2nd park (kids get sick, cranky, overheated, hungry, needs naps, etc). I'd book FPs for 10:00am, 11:00am, 12pm (or 1:30pm) in each park...and then you could hit lunch (or do lunch before last FP) and afternoon/evening plans...MK will have some FPs left, no matter when you get there...maybe not the most desired ones, but any you get is a bonus...

In DHS, I'd book TSM, Star Tours, and GMR since these are the 3 rides you definitely want to ride...
In EPCOT, I'd book Spaceship Earth (or Mission Space if child is old enough and interested enough), Soarin (and do parent swap so you get 2 rides), and Livin with the Land - I wouldn't bother with FEA b/c that would mean you'd be going into WS and back before lunch in the Land. And EPCOT walking is killer, for both parents and kids (and sometimes babies won't sit in the stroller, so you might be doing that walk while carrying the baby and pushing the stroller, which is brutal)...

 

[tlmadden73]

Thanks for all the advice!

I got my fast passes this morning and while I've done this before .. I am still shocked at how quickly some of the early morning times for the "big" rides fill up even at 7:00 AM at your 60 day window.

Since my infant is a great sleeper .. I think getting up and going for EMH or Rope Drops won't be a problem. Here's hoping.

I opted to go with this:
DHS - EMH to ride the rides we want TSMM, Star Tours etc.
Head over to MK after 12:30 (let's hope they are still doing that Express transportation!) and we got Fast passes for:
Buzz, Peter Pan, Seven Dwarves (one after the other) and then see what else we can FP for the rest of the day.

Epcot -
As the Frozen times weren't available until mid-afternoon I just opted to go with a 11:00 AM Soaring Fast Pass with the intention of hitting Test Track and then Frozen immediately after at Rope Drop.
We will spend the rest of the morning on the "east" side of the park ... Mexico, Ellen's Spaceship Earth .. whatever our pace allows.
For the other two fast passes I grabbed SE and Living with the Land.
Around 11:00 AM we will hit The Land .. and do Soaring, Living with the Land right before lunch, then lunch at Garden Grille.
Then see what else we can FP for the rest of the day.
We plan on spending the afternoon at the west side of the park .. The Seas and Imagination pavilion .. probably not venturing into World Showcase again.