Four Parks In 1 Day - How Would You Do It?

jhaig

Not The First To Pass This Way
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Oct 3, 2007
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if we wanted to visit all four parks in one day, what do you think would be the best way to accomplish this? Would you start in the morning at the park with extra magic hours? And how would you best utilize WDW transportation?
 
We almost did all 4 in one day (and could have easily) but instead of going to Epcot we went back to Magic Kingdom because there was more we wanted to do there. We started at the park that opened the earliest and ended with the park that stayed open the latest. We only planned 2-3 things at each park to hit and we ended up being there from 8am-midnight. It was crazy but fun! However, we drove to each park to cut back on time waiting for buses. We did Magic Kingdom 8-11:30; Animal Kingdom 12:30-3:30; Hollywood Studios 4:30-7 and then went back to Magic Kingdom from 8-midnight. I would figure out which park is open the latest to start and plan on hitting that one last and the starting at the park that opens first (if it's the same park then pick the one that opens next earliest)
 
What a fun idea! I would definitely utilize EMH. Do you want to try and maximize the number of rides you see in each park or just say that you did it? I wonder if you could effectively rope drop two parks in one day? Perhaps Studios and EPCOT since you can walk between them and don't have to rely on a bus. For instance, rope drop Studios and ride TSMM, walk to EPCOT (about 30 minutes) and rope drop Soarin then ride TT using single rider line. Do some other rides in Future World and then get an early lunch World Showcase before heading back to Studios. (If you luck out with the boat being at the dock when you are walking in either direction, take the boat instead to rest your feet). Ride ToT and RnRC and Star Tours using FP. Take a bus to AK. See what FPs are available and maybe ride Everest with single rider. Go to Festival of the Lion King. Currently, this park tends to empty out early so you might luck out arriving late afternoon. Take bus from AK to MK. Have dinner ADR at BoG. See what FPs are available. Stay late and see if the crowds thin out. This sounds like a fun challenge. I might want to try it.
 
It depends on what you want to get done at each park on the order I would do things.

This is my plan if I am not too concerned about doing a lot of attractions and relaying on WDW transportation:
  • AK: Hang out about 1-2 hours to do Safari, EE, and Dinosaur (FotLK possibly) before busing to DHS
  • DHS: Go to Star Tours and then check times for TSM or RnR. If the lines are under 60 minutes and I do not mind waiting, I would grab a cupcake from Staring Roles and wait in line. If I do not feel like doing TSM or RnR, I might watch Muppets. After this I would walk or boat to Epcot.
  • Epcot: Snack my way around WS for a late lunch before heading to Living with the Land or TT (SR line), then on my way to the other ride stop at SE. Afterwards, take the monorail to MK.
  • MK: MSEP, QS dinner (Depends on my mood) and anything else will depend on my mood that day.

If I want to get in as many rides as possible that I love:
  • DHS: RD and ride TSM, then RnR, and then head for Star Tours. If time is good, maybe Muppets. Grab a muffin or cupcake for a snack as I head for the exit and walk or boat to Epcot.
  • Epcot: The only attractions I would probably want to make sure I did would be TT and SE so I would probably head to TT for SR line and then do SE. After I would take a walk through WS grabbing my favorite foods to make a lunch on. If I end close to IG, I would probably walk to one of the hotels and catch a bus to AK. (If I was closer to Mexico I would walk to the main Epcot exit and take a bus to AK).
  • AK: Later in the day so I would see about what time the Safari attraction was closing and plan for one of the last rides of the day. I would probably do SR line for EE and try to see FotLK and possible do Dinosaur. Once I was done, I would head for MK by bus.
  • MK: I would plan FP+ for the last three hours in the park, but around MSEP/fireworks. My wants here would depend on what I road on other days of the trip or had FP+ for. I would probably want to try Pirates, JC, BTMRR, HM, Buzz, and CoP. I would grab a QS meal to eat while waiting for MSEP and/or fireworks.
 

I've done it, but not really to see how many rides I could get on. I spent most of the morning in AK, then the afternoon in MK. Did some rides in both. Then headed over to Epcot early evening (single rider TT, then walking around World Showcase) thru Illuminations, then walked to DHS for one ride on TSM and the late (10:30) Fantasmic.
 
I have absolutely done it. We were staying at the Dolphin so started at HS then took boat to Epcot. From there took Monorail to MK then Bus to AK. And yes, we rode rides in all parks. It was a low season day but had so much fun!
 
This sounds like so much fun! I also agree using EMH to your advantage - that would give you much more park time and less waiting on attractions!!!
 
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We have done it also. We started at the Studios, then went to AK, then to Epcot and ended at MK. We did rides in all four parks. I'd say the biggest key to getting it done was to drive our own car and not use Disney transportation. We started at RD and left the last park between 12 and 1.
 
We did it on Christmas day one year. Started at Cinderella's royal table for breakfast before the park opened. Then before we left there decided we wanted to do a late lunch in Epcot so we stopped at City Hall before we left and ended up with Chefs de France. Went from there to AK just to see what we could get on, left there for Epcot had lunch then walked to HS. We had dinner late that night at Artist Point. This was before FP+ and the parks were def not as crowded. We were staying at BWI and used Disney transportation, car, and our feet.

A Christmas I will never forget woke up about 5am to open presents and get to MK and just winging it the rest of the day with our 3 kids.
 
We did the following on June 6 between noon and midnight. The key was to having fast passes at one park (DHS) then hitting the other 3 a few hours before closing time. Lines are much shorter late in the day than any other time:

Noon- arrived at DHS and caught the end of the Star Wars motorcade. Rode Tower 3x, RnR and Star Tours.

3:30 - drove to the McDonalds on Sherbeth Rd for lunch.

4:30 - Arrived at AK. Rode Dino, Everest 4x, Kali and Safari.

8 pm - Arrived at Epcot via Monorail. Rode Test Track and watched Illuminations. Bought some stuff in Mouse Gear. Returned to MK via Monorail.

9:59 pm- Boarded the MK ferry. I now have a new favorite place to watch Wishes from.

Until midnight - Rode Space, Splash & Big Thunder 2x.
 
I would pick a day when DHS has mopening EMH and ride TSMM, RnRC, ToT and ST,

at 10am I'd boat or walk to Epcot and do TT, MS and use my FP for Soarin.

At 1 pm I'd go to AK and ride KS and EE and catch Lion King.

At 5 pm I'd go to MK and ride whatever doesn't have a crazy line and end the day with Wishes.
 
I was thinking of finishing at MK since we are staying at the Poly. Figure that we'll be tired and close to our room.
 












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