Help deciding which parks which days for me

[FSU Girl]

I’m trying to decide what parks to go to for my upcoming trip in January. We are staying one night at the Polynesian before moving over to wilderness lodge for 2 nights. We have annual pass and it’s my husband me and my two kids 2 and 5.

Right now I have us doing:
Tuesday Arrival day: magic kingdom
Wednesday: magic kingdom again after breakfast at 1900 park fare (figure we’d check out get on the monorail to breakfast and then monorail over to magic kingdom. We’d eventually go back to hotel to move our car to new resort.
Thursday: Hollywood studios with lunch at Hollywood and vine.

I’d like to go to animal kingdom but I’m not sure where to fit it. Should we do animal kingdom instead of a second day at magic kingdom? Or should we park hop on the day we do Hollywood studios and go there after lunch? Park hopping on our hotel switch day seems difficult with needing to move the car and luggage. We go home on Friday but will have returned our strollers in the morning so probably won’t go into a park that day.

 

[Dug720]

Should we do animal kingdom instead of a second day at magic kingdom?

I'd personally do that - and even as a child that would have been my preference because I love animals, so Animal Kingdom is right up my alley.

But if your 2 aren't as into animals, that might not work for you.

 

[Upatnoon]

What is the schedule for Extended Evening Hours during your visit? That could help you visit a couple of parks in one day with a big nap in the middle.

 

[Marthasor]

I would check park hours. AK typically closes quite early. Perhaps consider AK before hopping to DHS.

 

[kwdw]

I'd suggest AK on your Thursday in the morning until you have done what you want - and then head to HS for late afternoon/evening. Change your meal at HS to sometime that might count as dinner, not lunch. With the age of your kids - two days at MK feels fine. I would take your car over to GF for the character meal, then to Wilderness lodge - and then boat over to MK. I think your kids will like the boat ride as an adventure (before they are exhausted later in the day)