lovewdwfun
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2011
- Messages
- 256
A couple of months ago, I asked for advice on this board on taking a trip to Disney over the week of the 4th. I wasn’t sure how crazy it would be. We driver 20 hours from Michigan with 4 kids (we usually drive) and planned the trip 65 days out.
I’m happy to report back that we had a wonderful time! My son has a DAS (although he doesn’t do FoP or some of the big rides) so our experience may be different than others. We hit the parks early (9ish, but didn’t worry about making rope drop) and used FP, Refresh, and DAS. The longest we ever waited was about 20 minutes in line, if that. We had no issues getting tables at quick service places and dining reservations were much easier to get than when we usually go in late August. We skipped the parks on July 4th and did the dessert party on the 3rd.
The big issue was the heat. I usually go the last week of August and this week was so much worse. I learned that we can handle that week just fine from a crowd perspective, but the heat is brutal and we had to go back to our room each day for a break. I wouldn’t shy away from that week because of crowds, but I may try our April or February break next time to avoid the heat!
Other thoughts:
- Rider Swap worked out well for us; we did not need FPs for the entire group
- Our first stay at Fort Wilderness couldn’t compare to DVC. We will not be going back.
- Toy Story Land was so much better at night without the brutal heat. People aren’t kidding when they say it is HOT. My littlest loved AS2! My five-year old with special needs went on Slinky as his first real roller coaster and loved it.
- The Frozen show at DHS was outstanding. We went to an 8:30 show in the evening and the main male actor was hysterical. Much of it was ad-libbed or seemed so and was so much funnier than I’d remembered. My husband laughed so much I think he cried.
- Line waits are really inflated at EMH. We saw the TT wait go from 30 minutes to 70+ and went on anyway. It was a 30 minute wait. We then went on a second time right before closing and waited about 10 minutes (walked right into the vehicle selection room) instead of 70.
- GG PPO breakfast was very good. We had no issues seeing all the characters, eating, and being first in line for Soarin. We actually had to wait about 10 minutes to go on.
Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for the advice to go - it was such a fun trip and we didn’t spend any more time in lines than we do the last week of August!
I’m happy to report back that we had a wonderful time! My son has a DAS (although he doesn’t do FoP or some of the big rides) so our experience may be different than others. We hit the parks early (9ish, but didn’t worry about making rope drop) and used FP, Refresh, and DAS. The longest we ever waited was about 20 minutes in line, if that. We had no issues getting tables at quick service places and dining reservations were much easier to get than when we usually go in late August. We skipped the parks on July 4th and did the dessert party on the 3rd.
The big issue was the heat. I usually go the last week of August and this week was so much worse. I learned that we can handle that week just fine from a crowd perspective, but the heat is brutal and we had to go back to our room each day for a break. I wouldn’t shy away from that week because of crowds, but I may try our April or February break next time to avoid the heat!
Other thoughts:
- Rider Swap worked out well for us; we did not need FPs for the entire group
- Our first stay at Fort Wilderness couldn’t compare to DVC. We will not be going back.
- Toy Story Land was so much better at night without the brutal heat. People aren’t kidding when they say it is HOT. My littlest loved AS2! My five-year old with special needs went on Slinky as his first real roller coaster and loved it.
- The Frozen show at DHS was outstanding. We went to an 8:30 show in the evening and the main male actor was hysterical. Much of it was ad-libbed or seemed so and was so much funnier than I’d remembered. My husband laughed so much I think he cried.
- Line waits are really inflated at EMH. We saw the TT wait go from 30 minutes to 70+ and went on anyway. It was a 30 minute wait. We then went on a second time right before closing and waited about 10 minutes (walked right into the vehicle selection room) instead of 70.
- GG PPO breakfast was very good. We had no issues seeing all the characters, eating, and being first in line for Soarin. We actually had to wait about 10 minutes to go on.
Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for the advice to go - it was such a fun trip and we didn’t spend any more time in lines than we do the last week of August!
