Disney Planning! - what do you think

[Dave_uk]

With September hours now up what do you think to my basic plan. Going to be making my ADR’s next Monday …. Exciting times


Saturday 4th Magic Kingdom 9am-10pm Spectro magic 9pm. Wishes 10pm.
No dinner plans.
Sunday 5th Epot 9am-9pm (illuminations 9pm) Magic kingdom 9am-1am
7pm Coral reef restaurant.
Monday 6th Animal Kingdom 8am-5pm EMH.
5:30 Boma Restaurant.
Tuesday 7th Blizard Beach 10am-5pm (Epcot Illuminations 9pm )
6pm Rose and Crown Pub.
Wednesday 8th Sea world 9am-6pm
8pm Planet Holllywood.
Thursday 9th Magic Kingdom EMH 8am-9pm
7pm The Wave.
Friday 10th Islands of Adventure
No dinner plans.
Saturday 11th Hollywood Studio’s 8am-7pm ( Illuminations )
5:30 50’s Prime Time Café.
Sunday 12th Typhoon Lagoon 10am-5pm ( Fantasmic Hollywood Studio’s )
6pm Sci Fi Dinner.

Monday 13th Universal Studio’s.
No Dinner Plans.
Tuesday 14th Epcot 8am-9pm EMH
7pm Nine Dragons restaurant.
Wednesday 15th Free Day ( Animal Kingdom EMH 9am-8pm
No Dinner Plans.
Thursday 16th Aquatica ( Fantasmic Hollywood Studio’s 8pm )
6pm Hollywood and Vines.
Friday 17th Free Day (Epcot EMH 9am-12pm )
7pm Restaurant Meerakesh.
Saturday 18th Magic Kingdom
8:05am Crystals Palace Breakfast Character meetings.

 

[2Tiggies]

I think you have done well from the point of view of covering all parks very fully. I just wonder if your days are not too full. A rope drop start until closing is a long day when you still have to exit the parks and make your way back to resort. It is very doable, but you may want to follow it with a late start the following day. For example, Sunday the 5th you will need to be up around 7 if you want to be there for park opening and if you want to stay until 1 am you won't be back at your resort until after 2 am. Still to shower etc and get into bed but you plan on being at AK the following day at 8 am and doing EMH.

You can still do all the EMH if you would like to but it could be worth breaking i;n the middle of the day for return to your resort to swim, sleep and then head back to the parks for the evening EMH.

I also like to go go go, so you may just have really good stamina, but it looks pretty hectic to me and I don't think I would cope with that - especially for 2 weeks. It is hard to convey the right tone in text, so please forgive me if this sounds like criticism, which it really isn't - just a suggestion from someone who had to modify a similar schedule a few days into a first trip once upon a time.

Do want to add though, you have a great string of restaurants lined up. I hope you get everything you want!

 

[Dollyrar]

My girlfriend and I used to live by the phrase "We'll sleep when we're dead", but that was before our first WDW commando trip together!
We hardcored the parks every day for the first week, similar to your plan below, and my normally very healthy girlfriend suffered a nasty dose of exhaustion which wiped her out for a few days. 9am-9pm in the roasting hot Florida sun may seem like a dream on paper, but with walking 10+miles a day it can be very dangerous no matter how much water you drink. Luckily we took it much easier after this, and still had a great time.
I would also recommend factoring in afternoon naps or a trip back to the pool each day before returning for the fireworks etc, especially on the middle days when you're doing three of the parks in a row (such as your first three days MK-Epcot-AK)
You have some good eats set up there though, and you've slotted a water park in every couple of days at least, which should be a welcome relief to those sore feet!
Sounds like you have the makings of a great time for all though with what you guys are going to do! x

 

[torsie24]

Those hours are just the opening hour for reference and not the hours you are going to be in the parks for, right?

I would pass out and need 2 days off after a day and of half of that kind of commando-ing.

If you've done it before then awesome, you'll see SO much, but if this is your first time then I really think you want to cut your hours down, by at least half,

 

[torsie24]

Rather than just say "cut it down" like I did, I'll change a few days to what we'd do so you know what I mean. Trust me, this will still mean you see plenty, and still get tired out daily.

Saturday 4th Magic Kingdom 9am-10pm Spectro magic 9pm. Wishes 10pm.
No dinner plans.

Definitely get to MK for the opening show, you'll be up super early anyway. Plan to maybe stay for CS lunch, wait for any FPs for the afternoon and then head out. You might still be going by the parade but it is HOT by then, and you'll be on UK stime still. Also a Saturday with wishes and spectro means the crowds will pour in mid-afternoon. So you wanna be heading the opposite way.

Afternoon break.

If you feel like it then you could go back to MK just for Wishes/Spectro get your spot and hour in advance, maybe more if you want to be on Main Street.

Sunday 5th Epot 9am-9pm (illuminations 9pm) Magic kingdom 9am-1am
7pm Coral reef restaurant.

The weekend is the busiest time for EPCOT, especially during F&W as the locals love it, so I'd personally do AK this day and EPCOT tomorrow as Monday is an awesome day for EPCOT (everyone's at MK). If you are having a 7pm dinner then I'd get to the park Early afternoon, maybe shop in the morning or see a different park.

Monday 6th Animal Kingdom 8am-5pm EMH.
5:30 Boma Restaurant.

This would be my Sunday plan, lazy morning (you've been up late for wishes the night before, then head to AK for 1pm or 2pm, most people leave after the parade so you will do well to be there for the end of the day, allow youself more than half an hour to get from AK to AKL if you are getting the bus at closing time. Always took as less but remember you need to be at your restaurant 15 mins before your ADR time. Also by moving AK to today you avoid a busy EMH day.

Tuesday 7th Blizard Beach 10am-5pm (Epcot Illuminations 9pm )
6pm Rose and Crown Pub.

3 or 4 hours will be plenty on BB, and you'll definitely want some time to wash/relax in the cool afterwards, so make sure you're there for opening if you do want to see everything, and definitely if you want a sunbed.

EPCOT will be busy on a Tuesday so if you are watching Illuminations get a spot early.

Wednesday 8th Sea world 9am-6pm
8pm Planet Holllywood.
Thursday 9th Magic Kingdom EMH 8am-9pm
7pm The Wave.

The MK willl be very busy by mid morning because of the EMH, so if you do go then go late afternoon when poeple are leaving (after the parade). Maybe spend the morning at DHS (you haven't been there yet!!)

Friday 10th Islands of Adventure
No dinner plans.
Saturday 11th Hollywood Studio’s 8am-7pm ( Illuminations )
5:30 50’s Prime Time Café.

If this is a day to see F!, then go only for that and dinner, as the park will be rammed on a F! day if there are only a couple a week like last year. (Americans don't have hopppers) If it's not a F! day then I would personally get a lunch ressie, be there for the opening crush and get my TSM fps, enjoy the park while it's reasonably quiet and then escape to a restuarant at 1/2pm when the crowds have arrived. Don't miss One Man's Dream!

Sunday 12th Typhoon Lagoon 10am-5pm ( Fantasmic Hollywood Studio’s )
6pm Sci Fi Dinner.

This day looks great, TL is great at opening, we go straight to the shark tank, had it practically to ourselves which was lovely. What time is F! on at? See the second showing if there are two. I'd schedule dinner for at least 2 hours before start time.

I won't do any more, I hope I haven't offended you, but just wanted to explain what I'd do as I whole days at parks just won't be beneficial. (Excluding the odd day, like at US,SW where you can't hop to others.) The last thing you want to do is leave a park through exhaustion and then think about it negatively. Or get up in the morning and not want to head out.

Also, if you are going to do AM EMH at WDW, go jsut for the EMH and then leave by 11am, it just gets so crowded compared to non EMH days that they are only worth it if you are going to do the full EMH hour and then not much after that. Actually avoiding EMH makes for a more productive trip. (Excluding evening ones as they can be great.

 

[Dave_uk]

Hi firstly let me say a big big thank you to every one for your reply they are all such a help. Secondly I am on my phone so it will only be a qui k reply.

The plan now thinking about it need a big of a change.

Is there any where I can find what park is best to go to on what days. We go sep 4th to sep 18th?

Emh are they not worth doing then? I keep Reading difrent things... Should I visit the park that had emh the day before?

Park hopping is it worth it...or just a wast of time traveling???

Rwally thanks again every one on here has made my holiday so thank you so so much!!!

 

[torsie24]

My advice would be to sign up for tour guide mike!!

His good day/bad day guide is worth WAY more than $18 in my opinion, and that is just a tiny bit of what's on his site.

As I said I'd avoid AM EMH unless you plan to be in at exactly 8am no later, and out by 11am latest. Otherwise you're just stuck with all the other Disney resort guests who don't have hopper tickets.

We did a couple of PM EMHs and they weren't bad at all though, especially not later on once the people who ahd been there all day had got tired out.

 

[Dave_uk]

My advice would be to sign up for tour guide mike!!

His good day/bad day guide is worth WAY more than $18 in my opinion, and that is just a tiny bit of what's on his site.

As I said I'd avoid AM EMH unless you plan to be in at exactly 8am no later, and out by 11am latest. Otherwise you're just stuck with all the other Disney resort guests who don't have hopper tickets.

We did a couple of PM EMHs and they weren't bad at all though, especially not later on once the people who ahd been there all day had got tired out.

Is it the automated vacation planner I need to sign up to?

Thanks again

 

[torsie24]

Is it the automated vacation planner I need to sign up to?

Thanks again

Follow the links from the DIS and you'll save a couple of $$.

 

[2Tiggies]

Hi Dave

I can't advise on the Tourguide Mike question, but I will add my bit about EMH and park hopping.

I really love them, but there is a strategy to using them.

First of all, as Torsie said, EMH in the morning are really worthwhile if you get there as soon as they open the park. Basically it gives you a head start. By the time the other guests arrive at normal park opening you have done most of the must do's near the entrance and worked your way ahead. The parks do get busier on EMH days though - much busier than a non EMH park would be. This is where the park hopping comes in. As Torsie said, get there early work your way around until 11 or 12 and then move to a different park. Or even use this as your break to go back to the resort a few hours to eat, and rest and head out later to another park.

I have never been in slow season so have always had the crowds but the benefit of extended hours. September hours aren't too bad and the longer hours make park hopping workable without losing half your day travelling.

Don't just ditch your original itinerary completely though. It is quite good - just a bit too hectic. Use it as a framework. You just need to work in relaxing and recharging time. What is the size of your party and do you have children with you?

 

[2Tiggies]

Follow the links from the DIS and you'll save a couple of $$.

Do you prefer TGM to the UG? TGM costs a little more and just wondered if you prefer the style and approach of TGM, etc. It's purely opinion I'm after here as I was about to get a new sub for UG - just waiting for my FairFX card so I can do it without forex fees this time. I like to have an open mind so while still considering ....