Game Plan Thoughts?: 9 Days WDW+Universal

[disneyinthespringtime]

Thoughts on this rough itinerary for either last week of April or first week of May 2020?

Kids will be 12 and 8; DH will not tolerate RD to park close even if the kids could last that long. Likely would do HEA at MK and the glowing of Pandora at night at AK but otherwise skip late night things. An important note is that while I realize some are anti-resort days, my family all agreed from our last visit that we wish we'd spent more time actually enjoying the resort so I need to plan that in here.

• Sat - arrival day; enjoy resort (Royal Pacific for the express pass benefits)
• Sun - Universal
• Mon - Universal
• Tues - Resort day until mid afternoon then move to AKL (if we can get a good rate)
• Weds - HS (Is one day enough for this once SWGE opens? Or will we really need two? We did not do HS at all last time.)
• Thurs - MK
• Fri - resort day at AKL; (MAYBE late afternoon evening at HS?)
• Sat - AK
• Sun - resort in AM; fly home in afternoon.

I realize that omits Epcot; we did FW last time and I feel like it we'd benefit more from extra time at HS than from Epcot.

Background:
We went to WDW for the first time last year for a "one and done"; but am now really itching to go back again while the kids are still younger. Most specifically, we really liked avoiding summer and the holiday insanity of crowds which meant we had the kids skip school for week - I'd like to do it that way again but DD will be in Middle School in we do it later than spring 2020. So...thinking May 2020 might be a good time.

This time though we'd want to visit Universal as the kids & DH are huge Harry Potter fans but I don't want to go all the way down there and skip WDW. Plus DH is a big SW geek. I'm trying to pencil out budget thoughts before proposing this to DH!

 

[mamaofsix]

Did you mean to say Universal for the first Sunday and Monday? (Not HS?)

I am all for lots of resort / rest days. That's how we like to do things, too. We never do more than 2 park days without a rest/break day in between.

 

[disneyinthespringtime]

Did you mean to say Universal for the first Sunday and Monday? (Not HS?)

I am all for lots of resort / rest days. That's how we like to do things, too. We never do more than 2 park days without a rest/break day in between.

Yep! Thanks!
Fixed it now.

 

[hes122]

Would you consider doing EP as your Friday park (you mentioned maybe doing HS)? If you're not that much into Epcot, then I think a 2nd day at HS would be fine. Nobody knows how much time SWGE will take up right now so theoretically planning additional time there is good IMO.

 

[disneyinthespringtime]

Would you consider doing EP as your Friday park (you mentioned maybe doing HS)? If you're not that much into Epcot, then I think a 2nd day at HS would be fine. Nobody knows how much time SWGE will take up right now so theoretically planning additional time there is good IMO.

Yes. If we felt we'd "done it all" in HS after 1 day, then I'd either skip doing the parks at all Friday or else do a bit of Epcot. Either way, to hedge bets I'd plan to get a 4 day ticket though.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

I really thought my kids would be sad this time not doing disney but there was so much to do at us. The two days was not enough I think we spent most of one day in potter. My kids didnt miss it like I thought they would.

If you are going to disney for sure I would stay at disney at the first and last days for the free airport shuttle, and you can save at universal you get the ride pass both days for one stay.

 

[Wild4Walt]

You'll really enjoy AKL and there is quite a bit to do at the resort - activities by the pool, sip and paint for those over 21, night viewing for all ages. Boma is great as it has something for all palates.

Your plans look good - When I split with UO, I always do Universal 1st and just for a few days. RPR is one of my favorites too - so beautiful and the pool there is awesome!

I'd keep an eye on SWGE opens - depending on crowd levels you may want to change your parks around some but I think you have a solid plan.