Disneyland AP regulars going to WDW for first time in September. Looking for advice on passes etc.

[SteveMP]

Hello all,

My name is Steve, I stumbled upon this site when doing some searching and hoping you can help me with some planning questions. Me, my wife and 2 teenage daughters have had DL annual passes for about 10 years or so and go a few times per year. Sometimes a day trip(less than 2 hour drive), sometimes for 2-3 days. So we have been on everything many, many times, seen all the shows, parades, fireworks etc. Now I have the opportunity to take the family on a business trip to Orlando in September for the week. The family really wants to see Universal Orlando, as we are also Harry Potter fans, which leaves 4 days for WDW. What I am wondering, is as DL AP holders for years, would a 4 park magic pass to WDW be a good purchase for us? This would give us 1 day in each park for the best price. OR should I splurge on the park hopper action( quite a bit more out of the budget). I am just wondering if we would only need half a day in one park, and want more than a day in another, like magic kingdom. And are there rides in any of the parks that I should just skip altogether to save time for other things? For example I heard Thunder Mountain was very similar? Any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks
Steve

 

[Robo]

Big Thunder Mtn IS very similar.
Pirates at DLR is better than MK's.
Fantasmic! is far better at DLR.

 

[jessiegirl1982]

We have Signature AP's and also going to WDW in September. No Universal for us, though (my son is only 3). We are actually going to upgrade to the Premier while we are there because the difference in upgrading is under $100 a ticket. In your case, I would stick to the 4 day non PH (you can always upgrade to PH once you are in town). We usually end up skipping a lot of MK attractions because of the usually better counterpart in DL.

 

[mariemarie]

You're just like us! Two teenagers and parents who are Disneyalnd regulars. We spent Memorial Day week in WDW, and had the best time. In the MK, I would suggest completely skipping Space Mountain in WDW. No music and definitely inferior to DL. Big Thunder is in a prettier setting, but basically the same ride. We all liked Splash Mountain more in WDW. There are some funny differences for teens to care about, but mine both thought Dumbo was way more fun in WDW because of the setting. Tea cups are nowhere near as nice in WDW. They have a rain cover, so it's not as pleasant. In all honestly, the coolest part was just walking around and seeing the different layouts in MK versus DL. I think dedication at least 8 hours here i a good decision.

For Hollywood Studios, a couple of hours is all you need. Rock and Roller Coaster is great. Tower of Terror is worth it now, since we've lost ours! The Indiana Jones show is really fun. Toy Story and Star Tours are the same, except the lines. If you get there early, you'll finish up really quickly.

Animal Kingdom will take you awhile. The only thing that's truly similar is Dinosaur, which is not as good as DL Indiana Jones ride.

Epcot deserves some time. Aside from Soarin, it's really different from anything we have in DL.

If you have any specific questions, please ask. We literally spent our whole week comparing and contrasting the two. Impossible not to when your kids feel like they have grown up in DL!

 

[HydroGuy]

Hello all,

My name is Steve, I stumbled upon this site when doing some searching and hoping you can help me with some planning questions. Me, my wife and 2 teenage daughters have had DL annual passes for about 10 years or so and go a few times per year. Sometimes a day trip(less than 2 hour drive), sometimes for 2-3 days. So we have been on everything many, many times, seen all the shows, parades, fireworks etc. Now I have the opportunity to take the family on a business trip to Orlando in September for the week. The family really wants to see Universal Orlando, as we are also Harry Potter fans, which leaves 4 days for WDW. What I am wondering, is as DL AP holders for years, would a 4 park magic pass to WDW be a good purchase for us? This would give us 1 day in each park for the best price. OR should I splurge on the park hopper action( quite a bit more out of the budget). I am just wondering if we would only need half a day in one park, and want more than a day in another, like magic kingdom. And are there rides in any of the parks that I should just skip altogether to save time for other things? For example I heard Thunder Mountain was very similar? Any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks
Steve

Hi Steve - I too am a DLR AP holder (well, I let mine lapse last year but will be buying another one next month).

My top advice based on your post:

1. Do not park hop. There is enough to do in each park to last a day. Except for maybe DHS and if so you will be glad for a short day on one of your four days.

2. Be careful scheduling Universal and WDW back to back. Sept is still pretty hot there and you will risk burnout. If possible, schedule Universal before your business event and WDW to allow some rest days. I did this myself in March with my wife. We had four days at WDW before my conference for 3 days. She rested up during by conference and we went back to WDW for 2 days after my conference.

3. Avoid EMH (Extra Magic Hour) parks - Sounds like you will not be staying at a Disney hotel so it is a no-brainer to make sure you visit parks on days with no EMH.

4. There only 5 rides at WDW that are 100% identical to DLR: ITTBAB, TSMM, ST, Little Mermaid, Soarin' (which now has a different ending between WDW and DLR - so not 100% the same).

5. I would not plan to skip any rides except for the 5 identical ones I just mentioned. But I would prioritize the rides unique to WDW over DLR.

6. Make you learn how to use My Disney Experience and book your FPs ASAP - 30 days before your trip if not staying at Disney.

7. Book at least a couple dining reservations (ADR). If I were you I would book Sci-Fi Dine-In at DHS for lunch and if you get lucky, Be Our Guest for lunch or dinner at MK. In fact if I were you I do some research now and decide which parks you want to visit which day. And I would book ADR's ASAP - like now. If you want to book more just ask for advice. I would be careful about booking more than one ADR per day just because it sucks a lot of time to do sit down meals and you will be time constrained.

If possible plan DHS on your day #3 (or #2) as you will likely finish earlier there and it will be good to get a breather. Go back to your hotel or go see a movie or something and rest up for your final day(s).

 

[purple figment]

HydroGuy (who posted while I was writing this response) wrote a guide for WDW vets planning a visit to DL, but since you're familiar with DLR you can use it in reverse to give you an idea of the differences and similarities between the two resorts that can help in planning:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/a-dlr-guide-for-wdw-vets.1162599/

DW involves a lot more planning than DL. If you are going in September of this year you are already within the 180 days for making dining reservations. Fast Passes can be booked 60 days in advance if you are staying at a Disney resort or 30 days in advance if you are staying offsite. There is a detailed Fast Pass sticky at the top of this forum.

Robo who posted upthread (post #2) has links in his signature to excellent maps and a sticky with everything you need to know about tickets. You can start with one park per day magic Your Way tickets and add hopping if you decide to go to a second park. Unlike DL and DCA, the DW parks are farther apart and require travel time of 30 - 45 minutes to get from one to another.

Special events in September include the Food & Wine Festival in Epcot which is much bigger than the one at DCA and the Halloween parties (MNSSHP) at the Magic Kingdom and Halloween Horror Nights at Universal.

The disboards has numerous forums to help with planning visits to the theme parks, dining, resorts, transportation, and a Universal Studios forum as well:
https://www.disboards.com/

 

[HydroGuy]

Here is what I would prioritize for a DLR vet like yourself and only one day at each park:

AK:

The hot new ride is Flight of Passage and it is incredible. Plan one of your days for AK and be there 60 minutes before park opening. Not 60 minutes pulling into the parking lot but 60 minutes standing at the gates. Ride FOP first through standby.

Do not miss Expedition Everest
Festival of the Lion Kind and Flights of Wonder shows are worth your time - skip the Nemo show.
New Rivers of Light show is worth your time if you have done everything else and are still there at night.


DHS:

Do not miss Rockin Rollercoaster - sort of like California Screamin but much better IMO
Tower of Terror - more different from DCA TOT than you would think and with the random drop sequence - so every ride is different
Indiana Jones stunt show

As others have said, TSMM and ST are same as DLR. Even if you skip ST, it is worth walking over there to see the AT-AT Walker they have at the ride.
If you are Star Wars fans, you might enjoy the Star Wars Launch Bay - we did!


Epcot:

Lots of cool things here but IMO not much in the category of do not miss

Go hear Voices of Liberty sing and then go on the American Adventure attraction (make this a high priority - nice in the afternoon when it is hot out)

Prioritize these:
Mission Space (Orange side if you can handle it) - this is going under refurb soon - not sure if it will be open in Sept.
Test Track
Spaceship Earth


MK:

Do not miss:
Seven Dwarves Mine Train (either get a coveted FP or do this at rope drop)
Philharmagic
Monsters Inc Laugh Floor
Hall of Presidents
Splash Mtn (clearly better at MK than DL)

If you make the new Happily Ever After fireworks show work in your schedule, it is really good. Similar in a lot of ways to Disneyland Forever with the use of projections.

For DL nostalgia...
People Mover
Carousel of Progress
Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse
Country Bear Jamboree

It is totally fine to skip POTC and Buzz Lightyear.

If you have time, IMO still worth it to do:
Jungle Cruise
Haunted Mansion
Space Mtn (not as good as DL, but also a totally different ride experience)
Big Thunder Mtn RR

 

[minniegirl19]

Everyone has given really good advice but I'm going to say not to miss the beauty and the beast show at studios as well. Be careful while planning park days you don't want to plan an mk day on a Halloween party day because then you miss extra hours in the park and the fireworks. The post that mentions the 5 similar rides between the two is 100% correct. The others will still be worth riding because yes they might be the "same ride title" but the differences are fun to see between the two parks. I also am in favor of not hopping so you can maximize your time in the parks. Have fun!

 

[MommaBerd]

I will take the opposite side of getting PHs and would strongly suggest looking at the operational hours, including party nights, for your trip and THEN decide if you think it is worth getting hoppers in advance. On party nights, the MK closes at 6:00, which doesn't give you as much time as a non-party day. So, most people who don't have PHs won't go to the MK => crowds are lower (until around 4:00 when the party guests start arriving- like at DLR). THEN on a non-party day, the reverse is true. with PHs, you can go to the MK on a party day for the first half of the day and then hop to another park (e.g., Epcot) for the evening. If you don't plan to spend a full day at DHS, again you can hop to another park to fill in the time.

It is a constant debate here whether PHs are worth it, and it's often suggested to wait until you are there to purchase. But, by purchasing them in advance, I am able to strategically plan our hops to maximize our park time and to get our money's worth. Keep in mind that it DOES take some time to travel between parks.

You know your budget and how your family likes to tour. I just wanted to present an advantage or two of hopping. Hope you have a great trip!!!

 

[sharonabe]

@HydroGuy Speaking of the MNSSHP, do you know if this is any different at WDW from DL? Is there any reason the OP should be looking at possibly buying tickets?

If you opt not to do the party, then because of the MNSSHP schedule and the possible shorter day at HS, I agree with MommaBerd that PHs might be a good idea. Schedule your HS day for a non-party day at MK and hop over to MK that evening for Happily Ever After fireworks and some night-time rides. Then schedule your MK day for a party day, but watch for early EMH if not staying on property, and hop that evening over to AK or EP. That leaves you with a full day each in EP and AK. If your MK day can be your last day, you will have a better idea of which of those two you want/need more time.

 

[HydroGuy]

@HydroGuy Speaking of the MNSSHP, do you know if this is any different at WDW from DL? Is there any reason the OP should be looking at possibly buying tickets?

I have never done either so have no idea. Special ticketed events like these do not appeal to me.

 

[Fangorn]

Hi Steve. Another Steve here who grew up at DL.

Lots of great advice already, but the one thing that you really need to be prepared for, coming from a DLR perspective, is the sheer SIZE of WDW.

Disneyland and Magic Kingdom may be similar, but MK is roughly twice the size of Disneyland park. At Disneyland it's not that big a deal to get from Space Mountain to Splash Mountain. At MK, that is a serious hike. You don't want to be criss-crossing the park. Check out the maps - attractions are not in the same relative locations at the two parks. Some not even close. It can really mess with your head at times.

Epcot is 3 times larger that MK.

If you look at a map of Epcot, you'll see that lagoon there in the middle. That lagoon is roughly 40 acres - the same size as all of Disneyland park, inside the berm. So walking around World Showcase Lagoon is equivalent to walking around the outer perimeter of Disneyland (think along the railroad track).

Have a great trip!

Steve

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Hi, I am the opposite of you. Go to WDW all the time and Disneyland whenever I can trek across the country. I would get the hopper. Reason being you will know there are some attractions you don't want to do so you can get more done hopping to a park that may be open later or want to see again. I get the hopper when I go to DL. I've noticed several Disneyland first timers at WDW hate it. I think they are looking for the storybook feel of Disneyland and get overwhelmed by the massiveness of WDW, not totally sure. I think it is best when going from one to the other to realize while similar they are also different and don't expect the one to be the same as the other. Each is magical and has it's own highlights. Hopping at WDW does take a lot more effort than at DL. You will find that WDW does move crowds faster than at DL and the fastpass system once you get used to it is so much better. Enjoy!

 

[deedubb]

I would skip the park hopper if this is your first ever time at WDW. Each park (except perhaps HS) is easily a full day park. It's also not like DL where you walk out of one park and you're facing the other. If you are staying offsite, you'll need to trek back to your car, drive to the next park, take a tram (for MK, also take a ferry or monorail), go through security again. It's a real pain. Of course, you could take a bus, but then you would have to bus it back to the original park where your car is parked.

As mentioned already, there is a lot more planning involved. Make sure you get your Fastpasses, especially Seven Dwarfs at MK and Frozen Ever After at Epcot as there will be no availability the day (sometimes even all taken 30 days before).

 

[SteveMP]

Wow, a lot of great advice so far. Thank you ALL! This also confirms one of my concerns about if a full day in one of the parks was too much time. Ok so a question on adding Park Hopper after we get there. So lets say I buy the 4 Park Magic passes that are on sale now. And we go to MK on Monday, then DHS on Tuesday and have done everything in half a day there. Can I then go to guest services and add Park Hopper for that day? Or would it be the full price for all 4 days? Or would it be too late since we already used the passes?

Thanks again ALL, this is VERY helpful.

 

[HydroGuy]

Wow, a lot of great advice so far. Thank you ALL! This also confirms one of my concerns about if a full day in one of the parks was too much time. Ok so a question on adding Park Hopper after we get there. So lets say I buy the 4 Park Magic passes that are on sale now. And we go to MK on Monday, then DHS on Tuesday and have done everything in half a day there. Can I then go to guest services and add Park Hopper for that day? Or would it be the full price for all 4 days? Or would it be too late since we already used the passes?

Thanks again ALL, this is VERY helpful.

The park hopper is flat fee. You can add it if you want while there.

I will tell you that I have parkhopped at DLR every visit 2003.

At WDW I have never park hopped. It takes too much time and the parks have plenty to keep you busy as I posted earlier. Plus their operating hours tend to be shorter than DLR hours.

 

[MommaBerd]

I am not sure how the process would work to upgrade from the 4-day Magic deal to PHs. If they upgrade them, likely they will charge you the difference between the deal tickets and 4-day PHs. THere is a ticket thread sticky at the top of this forum, so you could search/ask there. Also, are you aware of the ticket discounters like Undercover Tourist and PArk Savers? Both are trustworthy and can save you a few dollars.

 

[ucfknight]

I'm the exact opposite of you. I've been a WDW passholder since the late-80's except for a handful of years. We just visited Disneyland for the first time in March.

If you are at WDW for 4 days I would skip the park hopper. Unlike the awesome park hopping at Disneyland where you can get from Disneyland to California Adventure in 150 steps without having to go through security again, park hopping at WDW is a serious time commitment. It typically takes 30 minutes to an hour (or more) to get between the parks if you count walking to the bus, monorail, boat, or your personal car, waiting for the transportation, travel time, plus having to go through security again. Unless you do the Express Transportation which would add another $30 or so per ticket.

Epcot, Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom are all full day parks now. Hollywood Studios certainly is the only one that isn't a full day park right now with the construction going on. So unless you wanted to do 1/2 day at DHS and then park hop to Magic Kingdom, the park hoppers likely wouldn't be worth it.

Others have mentioned Big Thunder Mountain as being the same. I actually think there are pretty big differences between the two. The one in Disneyland is definitely better, but I still would ride the WDW one if you get the chance. Space Mountain is way better at Disneyland than at WDW, but again I wouldn't skip the WDW one because of this.
This same thought process goes for most of the rides that are shared between the two. It's a small world and Buzz Lightyear are better at Disneyland. Splash Mountain and Haunted Mansion are better at WDW. They are all different experiences, though, so I wouldn't miss it.

There are very few rides that are so identical that you'd missing nothing by skipping them. As others have mentioned, Soarin' is exactly the same other than the queue line and the final scene. Same with Star Tours and Toy Story Midway Mania. Unless you love those particular rides (which I personally do), if time is a major concern I wouldn't worry about missing them as they do not provide anything unique over the Disneyland versions.

Do not miss Rockin Rollercoaster - sort of like California Screamin but much better IMO

Rock 'n' Rollercoaster is fun, but it doesn't hold a candle to California Screamin'. California Screamin' is the best coaster at any Disney park in the US.

 

[SteveMP]

The park hopper is flat fee. You can add it if you want while there.

I will tell you that I have parkhopped at DLR every visit 2003.

At WDW I have never park hopped. It takes too much time and the parks have plenty to keep you busy as I posted earlier. Plus their operating hours tend to be shorter than DLR hours.

OK, thanks again. So even though there isn't as much to do at DHS, we can just relax there a bit and make the day of it. We are Star Wars fans so I suppose we could take our time with that stuff. Sometimes its nice to not be in a rush to see everything. (which is why we have been APs for so many years). and if it is a hassle to get to the other parks my wife probably won't want to deal with all of that. Thanks again!

 

[SteveMP]

I'm the exact opposite of you. I've been a WDW passholder since the late-80's except for a handful of years. We just visited Disneyland for the first time in March.

If you are at WDW for 4 days I would skip the park hopper. Unlike the awesome park hopping at Disneyland where you can get from Disneyland to California Adventure in 150 steps without having to go through security again, park hopping at WDW is a serious time commitment. It typically takes 30 minutes to an hour (or more) to get between the parks if you count walking to the bus, monorail, boat, or your personal car, waiting for the transportation, travel time, plus having to go through security again. Unless you do the Express Transportation which would add another $30 or so per ticket.

Epcot, Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom are all full day parks now. Hollywood Studios certainly is the only one that isn't a full day park right now with the construction going on. So unless you wanted to do 1/2 day at DHS and then park hop to Magic Kingdom, the park hoppers likely wouldn't be worth it.

Others have mentioned Big Thunder Mountain as being the same. I actually think there are pretty big differences between the two. The one in Disneyland is definitely better, but I still would ride the WDW one if you get the chance. Space Mountain is way better at Disneyland than at WDW, but again I wouldn't skip the WDW one because of this.
This same thought process goes for most of the rides that are shared between the two. It's a small world and Buzz Lightyear are better at Disneyland. Splash Mountain and Haunted Mansion are better at WDW. They are all different experiences, though, so I wouldn't miss it.

There are very few rides that are so identical that you'd missing nothing by skipping them. As others have mentioned, Soarin' is exactly the same other than the queue line and the final scene. Same with Star Tours and Toy Story Midway Mania. Unless you love those particular rides (which I personally do), if time is a major concern I wouldn't worry about missing them as they do not provide anything unique over the Disneyland versions.


Rock 'n' Rollercoaster is fun, but it doesn't hold a candle to California Screamin'. California Screamin' is the best coaster at any Disney park in the US.

Yeah its not that I want to skip anything. I am just more concerned with running out of time. So like what HydroGuy posted earlier is perfect, with what to prioritize. Then after seeing the stuff that isn't available at DLR (or no longer available like Country Bears, etc), then if still time can do the others for the experience. THanks!