Having itinerary doubts - EMH opinions needed

[tmfranlk]

Well, we leave in 7 days and I am sitting here analyzing the itinerary. I had things all planned using the "day-after-EMH" strategy, but I am starting to rethink it. I keep going back and forth between two options and was hoping someone might have an opinion.

The basics:
Who: Me, my 1yo DD and 8yo sister
Where: Pop Century
When: March 28-April 3 (park days 3/29-4/2)

Option 1: Arrive at prior day's EMH park just before opening. Stay until early afternoon. Some days return to hotel to swim/nap. Other days, hop to second park in time for 2:00-ish lunch. Stay through night time show.

Option 2: Arrive at EMH park for EMH. Leave by noon. Return to hotel for swim/nap. Hit second park in time for 2:30-ish lunch. Stay through night time show.

Factors affecting decision: DD and I will be coming from CA so there's a 3 hour time difference. We are flying in on the red eye so will have all of Sunday to start adjusting. DD has been taking one nap a day lately, usually lasting about an hour and goes to bed around 6:30 (note: this has held true on recent trips to Disneyland). DSis would like to swim some, but it is not a requirement. I also want to be able to see all of the parades and the night time shows. DD will have no problem napping and going to bed in the stroller or hip carrier - she has done it many times at DL.

I'm so confused, you would think I hadn't been to WDW 5 times in the last 3 years (though it is the first one with DD and with 2 kids along for the ride).

Thanks in advance for any advice you might have!
Tia

 

[laurabelle]

I'll be there soon, sounds like it's going to be very busy this spring break season! Whether you use EMH or not depends on how much is open that your group is interested in, and how late you plan to stay out the night before. We also plan much longer breaks, EMH or not. We'll eat an early lunch in the parks, maybe do one more attraction, then head back to the resort to swim/nap, get ready and go to a non-EMH park around 4:00-5:00 have an early dinner (before 6:00) and enjoy the fireworks. The longer breaks help avoid meltdowns, and it sounds like the longest lines of the day are in the middle of the afternoon. If there's an afternoon parade you haven't seen, I'd personally decide if it would be better to skip going out that evening to stay through the afternoon. It's worked for us, we've been going since our kids were toddlers/preschoolers.

 

[tmfranlk]

Thanks, laurabelle. I had considered that too, but it's those darm parades. I just don't want to miss them. DD loves the music and characters and DSis would be upset if we didn't see them (not to mention, I love them too!). We may just using our hopping time as breaks.

Who knows what I'll decide. Maybe it's just last minute planning jitters.

 

[jl3614]

Assuming the 1yr old does sleep well in a stroller, your schedule will be most affected by the 8yr old.

I don't travel a lot, but it has always been more difficult for me to adjust moving east several time zones than going west. I know for many people a 3 time zone change can take 2, 3, or even 4 days to adjust to.

Because of that, I would suggest option 1, at least for the first few days of the week. If the early entry time is 8:00 AM, you would have to be up by 6:30 or 7:00, that is 3:30 AM on your body clock - too early for most people. Give yourself the extra hour.

Just my opinion.

 

[XStAnt]

The question on using EMH really depends on whether you'll get up in time to take advantage of the extra hour. If you are able to get up early enough to be at the EMH park a few minutes before 8:00 am, then I recommend doing EMH. You are only in the parks for 5 days and it sounds like you want to pack in a good deal of activity. Since you also want to take a midday break you should try to maximize park time. That extra hour in the am can help tremendously. Because you have the afternoon break your family can "recover" from having to wake up so early.

On the other hand, if you won't get to the parks until 8:30 am, go to a non-EMH park. You've already lost the advantage of EMH and no point in dealing with the larger crowds.

One suggestion about park hopping under either plan: leave yourself plenty of time to get to the next park. You want to get there in time for the parade. This may also mean getting there early enough to get a good viewing spot. Give yourself at least an hour to switch parks. Think about the time it might take to go from MK to MGM: you are at the back of MK by SM. You have to walk to the front of the park and exit, wait for a bus, ride the bus to MGM, enter MGM's turnstiles, and walk through MGM to a spot to see the parade. This will easily take longer than 30 minutes.

Also, your plan calls for eating lunch at the second park by 2:00 or 2:30 and then catching a 3:00 parade. You'll never make the parade with lunch at that time, even if it is counter service. Eat lunch at your first park and then hop to the second park in time for the parade.

Good luck and have fun.