First Timers with a 5-yr-old

[Taylor'sMom]

We're thinking about adding a day at US and IOA this trip (both parks, same day). Going last week of April, mid-week.
It'll be DH, myself and DD who will be almost 6 (45" tall). She loves the Jaws, Twister and Jurassic park movies so I don't think we'll have any problems with those being too "old" for. Not really looking to do any of the coasters.

I'd love suggestions on a plan of attack for visiting both parks in 1 day (which first?) I was thinking we'd do US first and then IOA, clockwise for both parks and just hit the things on our list. But I'd love suggestions on a better plan. We're Disney veterans but this is new territory for us!

I think we'd like to see:
US
Shrek 4-D
Twister (will it be open?)
Disaster
JAWS
Men in Black
E.T.
Curious George play area
Mummy if we can switch-off, as she's too short

IOA
SpiderMan
Dudley Do-Right or Bilge-Ray Barges (?)
Jurassic Park River Adventure
Posidon's Fury
Suess Landing

Oh, staying on Disney property, NOT getting the express passes.
THANKS!

 

[Jonny_Duck]

We're thinking about adding a day at US and IOA this trip (both parks, same day). Going last week of April, mid-week.
It'll be DH, myself and DD who will be almost 6 (45" tall). She loves the Jaws, Twister and Jurassic park movies so I don't think we'll have any problems with those being too "old" for. Not really looking to do any of the coasters.

I'd love suggestions on a plan of attack for visiting both parks in 1 day (which first?) I was thinking we'd do US first and then IOA, clockwise for both parks and just hit the things on our list. But I'd love suggestions on a better plan. We're Disney veterans but this is new territory for us!

I think we'd like to see:
US
Shrek 4-D
Twister (will it be open?)
Disaster
JAWS
Men in Black
E.T.
Curious George play area
Mummy if we can switch-off, as she's too short

IOA
SpiderMan
Dudley Do-Right or Bilge-Ray Barges (?)
Jurassic Park River Adventure
Posidon's Fury
Suess Landing

Oh, staying on Disney property, NOT getting the express passes.
THANKS!

Yea I would say do Studious first. Water rides at IOA dont usually open till later and you woulldnt usually want them till sun is blazing down. You can probably have all that done at Studios by 1 ish maybe depending if you get at opening and then those water rides will feel good. Biggest wait would probably be Spiderman and in summertime the water rides usually have quite long lines also.

 

[Darcy03231]

As you're going during a school vacation week you definitely will need to get there prior to park opening. When we were there (peak time) the longest lines were at Spiderman, Dudley Do-Right, Popeye, Jurassic Park, Men in Black, Disaster (it was Earthquake then), the Mummy and Shrek. I would go to IOA first and do Spiderman, the Jurassic Park, Dudley Do-Right and/Popeye. Just keep in mind you will get soaked on those rides. I would then go over to Universal and do Men in Black, Disaster, the Mummy and Shrek. I'd spend the rest of the day fitting in the remaining things where I could. We found we could get a lot done by 11 am with little to no wait. After that the lines started to form. By 1 pm the lines for the bigger rides were an hour or longer.

 

[Taylor'sMom]

Thanks!

I understand it won't be non-existent crowds, but we usually go around that time of year and since it's a few weeks after Easter, after most of Spring Break and not a terribly common week for regular school breaks, I'm thinking it'll be like we usually see: Great in the morning for headliners and managable for the rest of the day.

DH can do roller coasters, but not inverted ones. He can do Tower or Terror with drops and pretty much anything else, but he CANNOT do a motion simulator like Back to the Future or Star Tours. Can someone better explain Spiderman to me????

If he has to sit it out, since DD isn’t into Spiderman at all, we could probably skip it. Am I right in thinking that if we did US first and then just Seuss, JP and the water rides at IOA that those things at IOA wouldn’t have UNBEARABLE lines (at the end of April)?

 

[Laurabearz]

I have to day I would do IOA first too...

 

[Taylor'sMom]

I have to day I would do IOA first too...

May I ask WHY you'd recommend that if we're not doing Hulk, Dueling Dragons or Spiderman?

 

[Jonny_Duck]

Thanks!

I understand it won't be non-existent crowds, but we usually go around that time of year and since it's a few weeks after Easter, after most of Spring Break and not a terribly common week for regular school breaks, I'm thinking it'll be like we usually see: Great in the morning for headliners and managable for the rest of the day.

DH can do roller coasters, but not inverted ones. He can do Tower or Terror with drops and pretty much anything else, but he CANNOT do a motion simulator like Back to the Future or Star Tours. Can someone better explain Spiderman to me????

If he has to sit it out, since DD isn’t into Spiderman at all, we could probably skip it. Am I right in thinking that if we did US first and then just Seuss, JP and the water rides at IOA that those things at IOA wouldn’t have UNBEARABLE lines (at the end of April)?

Considering Star tours imo is not much of a motion simulator considering I can sit in this chair im in right now and move more then that ride...But ya you can skip spiderman even though it is a very cool ride. The lines shouldnt be too bad but the water rides tend to be long lines. Since you cant do them early still probably your best bet would be to do US first and get it done and then do the water rides. May be some wait but I wouldnt guess more then 45 mins. Just an estimate though.

 

[Laurabearz]

May I ask WHY you'd recommend that if we're not doing Hulk, Dueling Dragons or Spiderman?

because when I started my answer you were still doing spiderman

 

[donaldduck352]

If you cant handle Star Wars-dont do Spiderman or Simpsons..They are alot more INTENSE...

 

[Lukas87]

I would start at Islands of Adventure so you have time to dry out during the rest of the day. At IOA make sure you go to Camp Jurassic/Discovery Center. These are very large children's areas with some really cool stuff to play on/with. Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls and Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges are both really cool water rides, do both if she isnt afraid, but standing at the bottom of Ripsaw can be very intimidating. Oh! Dont forget Me-Ship the Olive! A children's water play area near Popeye and Bluto's.

And yes, you can switch off at Mummy and every other ride. Just ask an attendant where "child swap" is.