Having trouble deciding which parks for which days

[shosh1530]

My son and I arrive in Orlando for our first ever WDW trip. This is a last-minute, whirlwind adventure – we arrive at 10 pm on Tuesday, will have park days Wed, Thur, and Friday, and then fly home Saturday morning. Staying at CBR with Skyliner access.

We have park hoppers and are hoping to hit all 4 parks with a focus on riding/experiencing things they don't have at Disneyland (where we've visited 4 times the past 2 years). My son has a DAS already set up, but we may also consider Genie+ some days or doing paid ILL for Guardians with spring break crowds.

I have park reservations but am doubting my choices now. We are on Pacific time, so will be dealing with adjusting to 3 hour time difference.

Wednesday - Epcot currently reserved.

• Priority is Guardians (will try VQ but willing to pay for ILL, this will be rough at 7 am due to time change)
• Hoping to ride Remy, Frozen, Test Track, Space Ship Earth
• Will take hotel break for some of afternoon
• Have early dinner reservation at Sebastian's, although could let this go if need be
• Evening plan may depend on what time we get for Guardians (how likely is it it will be later in the day? Not sure if we will try for Harmonious. DS will almost certainly want some pool time.

Thursday - Magic Kingdom currently reserved.

• Priority is Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (will try with DAS).
• Have advanced DAS for HM and BTMRR.
• DS wants to do Winne the Pooh and Country Bear Jamobree
• Lunch ressie at Jungle Skipper.
• Might try for 3 pm parade
• DS really wants to do a fireworks dessert party (still open pre-party reservations)
• Debating whether we should push for long day in the park or take hotel break and try to do MK evening another day (to avoid having to do extra bus trip)

Friday - AK reserved with plan to hop to HS for evening.

• AK priorities are Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest
• Planning to do quick service lunch/snacks at AK
• HS priorities are Slinky Dog, and MMRR. Maybe Tower of Terror.
• DS really wants to eat that the new Rodeo Roundup at HS so we have reservation for 6 pm.
• Will skip Galaxy's Edge and Fantasmic
• Might do Genie + to stack some rides at HS in evening?

A few questions:

• Is Harmonious worth prioritizing? Can we get a decent spot without any sort of package or waiting an hour in advance?
• Should we plan on Genie+ in addition to DAS for any days?
• Is the World of Animation at HS worthwhile since we are skipping Fantasmic?
• Thoughts on whether to try for a full day at MK or split it up and hop to MK for fireworks another night.
• Do crowds in the parks vary based on the day of the week? (e.g. Friday night at MK worse than a Thursday)?
• How hard is it to get a spot to watch the parade at MK? Is it worth doing Genie+ for the parade (I think I saw that as an option.
  

 

[Betsyp]

You can take a hotel break and still return to MK ...where are you staying? If not an MK hotel, sure, returning another night makes sense...

I think your days are set up well. Friday at MK is not recommended due to it being the first park most people visit first, and families often take off Friday’s (or Monday’s) when visiting WDW. That said, Friday is my last night (I’ll be there in early May), and I plan to have spend the day at Epcot and post-dinner at MK (dinner at NARCOSSEE’s). I imagine the crowds at MK won‘t be that bad as during the day, but even if they‘re not, it’s my last night and I always spend that at MK

 

[shosh1530]

You can take a hotel break and still return to MK ...where are you staying? If not an MK hotel, sure, returning another night makes sense...

I think your days are set up well. Friday at MK is not recommended due to it being the first park most people visit first, and families often take off Friday’s (or Monday’s) when visiting WDW. That said, Friday is my last night (I’ll be there in early May), and I plan to have spend the day at Epcot and post-dinner at MK (dinner at NARCOSSEE’s). I imagine the crowds at MK won‘t be that bad as during the day, but even if they‘re not, it’s my last night and I always spend that at MK

We are staying at Caribbean Beach Resort, so if we take a hotel break we'd be doing the bus two round trips unless we try do lyft/uber.

 

[Betsyp]

We are staying at Caribbean Beach Resort, so if we take a hotel break we'd be doing the bus two round trips unless we try do lyft/uber.

Oh yeah, that won’t work..You could have lunch at one of the MK resorts to give yourself a park break - I’m doing that

 

[shosh1530]

Oh yeah, that won’t work..You could have lunch at one of the MK resorts to give yourself a park break - I’m doing that

Yes, that's what I'm thinking. We could possibly watch the 3 pm parade and then head over to Poly for an early dinner and break before heading back to MK.