Going planless during Christmas week-- crazy?

[Abra Cat]

Hi all-- my family will be at WDW 12/15-22, so we're just coming up on making our FP+ choices in another week, and I'm finalizing our itinerary in anticipation. I'm a mega-planner, and I usually have our entire trip mapped out, but on this trip we're using park hoppers for the first time in a very long time, and it's throwing me off. Usually we do one day at each park, with an extra day at MK, and splitting Epcot into Future World one day and World Showcase another, for a total of six park days-- it typically works very well for us.

With park hoppers on this trip, we've split up most of our days, so we'll have visited all the parks at least once in the first four days. I figured we could then use our last two days to visit whichever parks we feel like we've missed something at or want to ride something again. Great in theory, but at such a busy time, it worries me to not have a plan.

Correction-- we have half a plan for these days, give or take:

On 12/20, we have no plans in the morning and early afternoon, heading to AK around 4PM since we've never seen it after dark (closes at 7PM, and we have a reservation at Tusker House for 6:55)

On 12/21, we have a completely open day, other than dinner at our hotel at 6:25 of our final night.

So, what do you think? I can make FP+s for days 1-4 and leave 5 and 6 up in the air, or I can guess where we might like to go those days, and plan as usual. This would be so much easier if we could still go in September... kids and their darn school!

Thanks in advance!

 

[danny1649]

I would go ahead and plan your FP's as soon as you can. You are going at extremely crowded time. So if you wait you might not be able to get FP's for attractions you really enjoy or time you can live with.Each day you are at WDW from start of visit until end of visit each day will be more crowded.This is my personal opinion and other Board Members may give you different advice.

 

[nuzmom]

We typically have APs so I understand "hopping", but remember hopping takes TIME and that equates to less park time. It can work and it can be a big waste of time. For us, hopping makes the most sense when we rope drop a park in order to ride a headliner and then hop to another park for the main part of the day. Or we spend the day in one park to hop over to another to catch a late night entertainment/show.
Anyway, to answer your question - I would DEFINITELY make some sort of FP+s for days 5 & 6. I'd choose your family's favorites and/or headliners.
Why not? If you have them and decide to do something else, you can just change them and it will be the same as not having made any. But, if you decide to use even one of them, it could mean eliminating a long wait, which could be the difference between riding a favorite and not riding.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I think I would make some FP+ for days 5 and 6 just in case. You don't have to use them and can always try to change them if your plans change. I would definitely go for your must-do's for days 1-4, so if you decide to change plans on 5 and 6, it won't matter so much.

 

[PAcpl]

Yeah, as other posters have said if there is something you want to do I would book it ASAP. If you're ok with just bumming around the parks, people watching and maybe shopping then I wouldn't worry about it. A crazy week like that it is either go commando and plan everything or take a breath and just soak everything in. There is no middle go with the flow option Christmas week.

I would book your must do's on the days you're not sure about. If you get to them earlier in the week then switch them to something on the questionable days. But if you don't get to them you will still have a solid backup. Worse comes to worst you see something you really want to do twice and miss something you didn't care for as much anyway.

 

[Abra Cat]

Thank you-- I feel like this is kind of the answer I was hoping for. The Type A planner in me has been cringing at the idea of not having a plan.

I would go ahead and plan your FP's as soon as you can. You are going at extremely crowded time. So if you wait you might not be able to get FP's for attractions you really enjoy or time you can live with.Each day you are at WDW from start of visit until end of visit each day will be more crowded.This is my personal opinion and other Board Members may give you different advice.

 

[Abra Cat]

That's more or less what we plan to do-- open the EMH AM park, and then head to the park with the lowest crowd level. We'll have our car and are staying at a monorail resort, so hopefully that will help lessen the lost time.

We typically have APs so I understand "hopping", but remember hopping takes TIME and that equates to less park time. It can work and it can be a big waste of time. For us, hopping makes the most sense when we rope drop a park in order to ride a headliner and then hop to another park for the main part of the day. Or we spend the day in one park to hop over to another to catch a late night entertainment/show.
Anyway, to answer your question - I would DEFINITELY make some sort of FP+s for days 5 & 6. I'd choose your family's favorites and/or headliners.

Great point-- I guess changing the plan is better than having none. Thanks!

Why not? If you have them and decide to do something else, you can just change them and it will be the same as not having made any. But, if you decide to use even one of them, it could mean eliminating a long wait, which could be the difference between riding a favorite and not riding.

 

[Abra Cat]

Thanks everyone-- I think you're all right on making the FP+s just in case. I *want* to be more spontaneous when I vacation, but maybe Christmas week isn't the time... Thanks again!

 

[lovndisney12]

We are going about the same time, for the same reasons (darn school!) and have a similar strategy. I echo what everyone else has said and would get your FP+ times and don't use or try to swap out if you end up changing where you want to be. I'm going to get my FP+ times for later after lunch (or evening) since I figured that leaves the option to rope drop another park in the morning allowing for more flexibility. This will be our third Christmas trip but first with FP+ which has made it a little trickier to plan. I'm still expecting rope drop to be our best friend when it comes to managing crowds.