Help! How do I do Disney in 2 days? Strategy and Advice Needed, Please.

[giginator]

No way will you be able to do all of your list. Maybe half.... Disney is too big and you not enjoy it to the fullest trying to cram it in. It will make for tired and cranky children

 

[eyehartdisney]

If you have the funds for it, I would recommend doing MNSSHP (Mickey's not so scary Halloween party) if only for the rides. If you aren't interested in the characters at all, you can knock out pretty much all of those MK headliners in one evening. This way you could *maybe* go over to AK in the morning, and do the safari, and probably dinosaur, and then come over to MK and still get everything done.

 

[maryj11]

I think you should focus on just 3 parks. If you have the extra money get tickets for the MNSSHP. You could go to MK which wont be to crowded since it closes around 7:00 for the party then be there for the party.You may have your children to sleep a little later so you can last through the party. Second day maybe go to AK in the morning then take a break at your resort and head out to a park that is open late.

 

[SplashMo]

Day 1 MK in the morning and HS in the afternoon.
Day 2 EPCOT and AK if time permitted. MK for electrical parade and wishes fireworks.
And should I use FASTPASS+ for MK or HS in the afternoon?


This sounds good to me. I think Jedi Training Academy is out. Other than that.

Day 1 ROPE DROP MK and use FP+ for DHS TSMM.

Day 2 rope drop EPCOT with a FP+ for SOARIN and ride TT at open. walk around Epcot. Arrive at AK at 3 perhaps? ride rides and then go to MK.

 

[aacvacation]

You cave and buy a 3rd day at 10 pm on your last night.

 

[goeva]

Day 1 MK in the morning and HS in the afternoon.
Day 2 EPCOT and AK if time permitted. MK for electrical parade and wishes fireworks.
And should I use FASTPASS+ for MK or HS in the afternoon?


This sounds good to me. I think Jedi Training Academy is out. Other than that.

Day 1 ROPE DROP MK and use FP+ for DHS TSMM.

Day 2 rope drop EPCOT with a FP+ for SOARIN and ride TT at open. walk around Epcot. Arrive at AK at 3 perhaps? ride rides and then go to MK.

Oh, no. Kids really want to be able to go to Jedi Training Academy.
I better come up with a new plan.

 

[1 DISNEY FAN]

Oh, no. Kids really want to be able to go to Jedi Training Academy.
I better come up with a new plan.

If you want to do Jedi training you need to be at hs before rope drop to sign up for a time slot(this will take 15 mins). If you get there late there will be NO time slots left. It is very popular. Then Jedi training will take an hour out of you day as you need to go there 20 mins before your traing time and the training show lasts about 30mins.

 

[SplashMo]

Your first plan was very good so I am sure you will come up with another.

One idea:

DAY 1 : MK - EPCOT (USE FP+ in Epcot for SOARIN or TT) (You might miss one ride at Epcot or maybe not)
DAY 2: DHS - AK- MK (Use FP+ in DHS)

You would want to check park hours etc and run it past the board for advice.


My two cents is skip dinosaur ride...

 

[johde]

Oh, no. Kids really want to be able to go to Jedi Training Academy.
I better come up with a new plan.

I will be honest, for me, Jedi Training and Fantasmic for me is the toughest pair to work around.

If money isn't an object, I agree with the previous poster that adding MNNSHP would be useful. OK trying to do almost everything with MNSSHP

Day 1 RD AK
Ride KS, then Dino, then KRR (I'd skip KRR unless you're prepaid to possibly be soaked).
Hop to MK (should be about 1:00) Make afternoon FP+ for 7DMT, PP either BTMRR or Splash Mountain

Day 2.
Start at DHS immediately signup for Jedi Academy Make FP+ for TSMM,Star Tours and GMR. Spend day at DHS. Immediately after Fantasmic

Hop to EPCOT for EMH. You've got a shot at getting most of your list done in the time left + EMH Start with Maelstrom (if you're not too tired, take the long way around briefly looking at the countries) & Turtle Talk, Then hit Soarin, TT, and finally SE on the way out to your bus (I'm assuming you're using Disney transportation.).

Without MNSSHP
Day 1- RD DHS Make Jedi Academy, Make FP+ for TSMM, Star Tours and GMR. By no later than 1:30-2:00 get on bus to DAK (it closes at 5:00). Ride KS, if there is time ride Dinosaur and/or Kali. Then Hop back to DHS for maybe one more attraction and Fantasmic.

Day 2. RD EPCOT Ride Soarin and TT immediately. After finishing everything else up, hop to MK with FP+'s like above. spend the rest of the day through Wishes there.

 

[HockeyMomNH]

I think that with only two days your best option might be to do one full day at Magic Kingdom. There is a ton of stuff to do there, and even though your kids have been to DL, the rides are all different with the exception of Little Mermaid which is pretty much exactly the same ride in both parks.

For your other day I would rope drop DHS so that your kids can do the Jedi Academy. I would plan your three FP+ there in the morning. You could always take the boat over to Epcot in the afternoon for a few hours to experience that park. (you probably wouldn't get to do Soarin' but you might be able to get a FP+ for Test Track or Malestrom when you get there. Soarin' is also exactly the same as the DL version).

I would boat back to DHS in the evening for Fantasmic.

 

[babydoll65]

Looking at the easywdw schedule, epcot is open on the 21st at 8am. If you go at rope drop you could set up your three fps there, ( not sure if your kids care so much about the back half of the park) then hop to animal kingdom to maybe get your 4th fp (maybe the safari) and finish the day there. (Park closes at 5). I would leave mk for the 22nd since (so far) it's considered a recommended day and is open till 10pm.

 

[delgrec]

I think that with only two days your best option might be to do one full day at Magic Kingdom. There is a ton of stuff to do there, and even though your kids have been to DL, the rides are all different with the exception of Little Mermaid which is pretty much exactly the same ride in both parks. For your other day I would rope drop DHS so that your kids can do the Jedi Academy. I would plan your three FP+ there in the morning. You could always take the boat over to Epcot in the afternoon for a few hours to experience that park. (you probably wouldn't get to do Soarin' but you might be able to get a FP+ for Test Track or Malestrom when you get there. Soarin' is also exactly the same as the DL version). I would boat back to DHS in the evening for Fantasmic.

I agree with this plan. We are going for two days over Christmas break (12/28 and 29) and will be doing one day at MK and one day at Epcot. But we have been there recently so there is no pressure for us. I also agree with previous suggestions of getting tix to the Halloween party.

 

[KrisSoFla]

It'd be super tough to do all that in 2 days. I recommend ditching Animal Kingdom as it has the least stuff you want to see and transportation to it is more difficult.

I have done 3 Parks in one day in october. It went like this:

Opening rope-drop at MK. Monorail to Epcot around noon. Friend Ship to HS around 4. I actually walked back to Epcot of Illuminations after Fantasmic! but I wouldn't try it with two young kids.

Do you have any interest in MNSSHP. That is why MK is closing at 7 that night. If you bought tickets you would have more time and very short waits for rides.

Disregarding that for now, I would:

First day: Epcot in the morning, at rope drop, then Friend Ship to DHS. Have your FP+ setup for DHS rides you want most (although JTA will be difficult if they want to participate. For that you need to do HS first, but F! isn't until night - Catch-22 there). Ride your DHS rides, then sit for Fantasmic!

Second day: MK, all day. You cold maybe squeeze in a morning at AK, but it'd be tough. Might be long days for a 5 year old. Plus, I don't recommend putting in that many hops as they take time away from your park time.

Good luck with it. I think you'll have a great time no matter what!

I think this is great advise if the price of tickets fits into your budget and there is an interest there. We love MNSSHP- Wait times are usually* shorter for rides

 

[Delirium]

The worst thing you can do is try to cram on too much in those two days. A lot of what you should do depends on what nighttime spectaculars you consider to be priority. If you are indifferent on the parade and Wishes at MK, I would do that on party day, as the crowds would be lower. Then you could hop to Epcot and get a couple of hours there.

 

[goeva]

I'm feeling a lot more confident to do this now.
Thanks for helping me with this. You guys ROCK!
No plan for MNSSHP. Even though MNSSHP sounds really awesome.
We're going to Disney cruise right after WDW. I don't want to get too tired to enjoy the cruise.
I have narrowed down my list.
Here is my new plan...

DAY 1 : MK - EPCOT (USE FP+) – HS (Fantastic!)
DAY 2: HS (Use FP+) - AK (Safaris) - MK (Electric Parade, Wishes Fireworks)

MK
Peter Pan’s Flight
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Dumbo
Haunted Mansion
Big Thunder Mountain
Splash Mountain
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

Hollywood Studio
The Great Movie Ride
Toy Story Mania
Jedi Traning Academy

EPCOT
Soarin’

Animal Kingdom
Kilimanjaro Safaris

Still unsure how about doing Kilimanjaro Safaris in the afternoon.
Think it's worth it? or skip and spend more time in MK?

 

[SplashMo]

I'm feeling a lot more confident to do this now.
Thanks for helping me with this. You guys ROCK!
No plan for MNSSHP. Even though MNSSHP sounds really awesome.
We're going to Disney cruise right after WDW. I don't want to get too tired to enjoy the cruise.
I have narrowed down my list.
Here is my new plan...

DAY 1 : MK - EPCOT (USE FP+) – HS (Fantastic!)
DAY 2: HS (Use FP+) - AK (Safaris) - MK (Electric Parade, Wishes Fireworks)

MK
Peter Pan’s Flight
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Dumbo
Haunted Mansion
Big Thunder Mountain
Splash Mountain
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

Hollywood Studio
The Great Movie Ride
Toy Story Mania
Jedi Traning Academy

EPCOT
Soarin’

Animal Kingdom
Kilimanjaro Safaris

Still unsure how about doing Kilimanjaro Safaris in the afternoon.
Think it's worth it? or skip and spend more time in MK?

That looks great. Safari closes at 5 (sometimes earlier). You could add Kali River if you had ponchos. But you might still get drenched.... or skip AK all together...

 

[goeva]

That looks great. Safari closes at 5 (sometimes earlier). You could add Kali River if you had ponchos. But you might still get drenched.... or skip AK all together...

I think I'm gonna skip AK.
Thanks, SplashMo.

 

[fairy8i8]

Okay! Here it is. What do you all think?

MK
Peter Pan’s Flight
Under the sea mermaid
Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train
Dumbo
Haunted Mansion
Big Thunder Mountain
Splash Mountain
Pirate of Carribbean
Monsters, INC
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Wishes Fireworks

Hollywood Studio
The Great Movie Ride
Toy Story Mania
Star Tours
Jedi Traning Academy
Indiana Jones
Fantasmic!

EPCOT
Soarin’
Turtle Talk with Crush
Test Track
Maelstrom
Spaceship Earth

Animal Kingdom
Kilimanjaro Safaris
DINOSAUR
Kali River Rapids

I am honestly surprised that people don't think you can easily do all of this in 2 days. Do they go at Christmas or not follow a touring plan? We did over 20 rides in MK from 9-3 in May, which is about as busy as October. Honestly, taking the time to go to Epcot to just see Soarin is a waste for the time you will spend in transit with your "new" plan. I like this old one a lot better.

Also, you never know what will interest your kids. I planned meals around 2 days in MK. We didn't have park hoppers as I planned just 1 day in each other park with our 4 year old son. DHS and AK turned out to be his favorites. Because we road 20 rides the first day at MK, he was totally bored the second MK day and kept asking to ride Star Tours. Next time we will get park hoppers.

I would suggest rope drop EMH Tuesday for Epcot. Do Soarin, Test Track, and Spaceship Earth the first hour or so. The hard thing about Crush and Maelstrom is that they don't open until later, so if you wanted less crowded touring in another park, you would need to skip these. If you want to do them, then you will have plenty of time to take the Nemo ride down to the Seas pavilion, watch Crush, and then stroll over to Maelstrom. You could catch an early lunch in the showcase and be done by noon.

Head over to the Studios where you have FP+ for Toy Story, Star Tours, and the Great Movie Ride. See Indiana Jones and then you would actually have time for a midday break and dinner at the hotel. Rest, swim, and then come back at 7:30 for Fantasmic! If you want a chance at Jedi Training, then you could maybe do standby, but it is more likely that you would need to skip Crush and Maelstrom and take a Taxi from Epcot. Even that won't guarantee it. You really need to be there at rope drop in front if you want a guarantee.

Day 2, Start at Animal Kingdom EMH. Do Safaris and Dinosaur. If you want do Kali right at 9. Transfer over to Magic Kingdom. Have FP+ set for Mine Train, Peter Pan, and one of the mountains. Ride others with short lines in between and then use your 4th FP option to keep adding rides. We were able to get FP+ for a time 5 minutes from the current for some less popular rides. You can enter 5 minutes before your time, so we just walked over and rode it. You may have some waits for a few things but you will be able to ride you MK list and more if you use the rotating 4th FP no problem before Wishes! And what a great send off to your cruise!

I would say the only thing questionable on your original list is Jedi Training. If it's a top priority, then be consigned to longer lines elsewhere. You could start in DHS, hop to Epcot, and then hop back for F!, but that is a lot of travel and you would face longer lines overall. Good luck!

 

[fairy8i8]

Sorry to post again, but I read your new plan, and I really think going to MK without FP+ is a mistake, especially when you compound the day with hopping TO the park with morning EMH. Going to 3 parks each day is really going to tire you out, even if you skip AK and only do 2 the second day. You will probably come away thinking that trying to do it all in 2 days is not worth it, and the way you have it, you would be right.

1. MK without Fastpasses is going to be a zoo regardless of the busyness of the day if you plan to ride the Mine Train. easywdw showed how even if you are fighting the crowds to be at the front of the pack at rope drop, everyone is walked there, so it is immediately a 60 minute wait. By the time you are done, other rides will also have long waits. This is very inefficient, and you will be walking into and with the crowds the entire day. While crowds may be lower at MK that day, they will NOT be lower at the Mine Train first thing in the morning, and waiting for that will push up the waits you see everywhere else.

2. Hopping TO Epcot in the afternoon on a day with morning EMH is the least advised option on any website. You will being going to the busiest park at the busiest time of day. Even with FP+, you will be walking through swarms of people, and honestly, FP+ lines are longer in the afternoon than in the morning- sometimes with waits out of the FP+ line as people think they have a reservation, but don't, and fight with the CM about it. Because this is the busiest park of the day on Tuesday in the afternoon, you will just be adding stress to an already stressful morning of trying to ride Mine Train in the MK that morning without FP+.

3. There are other more relaxing options if you are willing to be at the parks at 7:45am (and you will even have time for afternoon breaks if you like) You will also be able to do MORE than is on you list if you like by going to Epcot morning EMH Tuesday and AK on Wednesday and then hop to another park later in the morning. The rub is that you would probably miss Jedi Training.

4. Looks like Jedi Training is a must do. I understand. I was at the turnstiles at 8:15am for a 9:00am opening, and we booked it to the sign up right away. You gotta do what you gotta do.

You could do everything if you just switch your days, and it would be much more relaxing.

Tuesday - DHS (use FP+ here for Toy Story and 2 others) - AK (use 4th FP+ for Safaris or the lines get shorter for all rides during and after the parade at 3pm) - Fantasmic!

Wednesday - Epcot (Standby, so don't be late!), have early lunch in World Showcase - MK (must have FP+ for Mine Train, Peter Pan, and Big Thunder Mtn or Splash Mtn, get 4th FP+ as you go after the first 3) stay until Wishes!

Yes, you do 2 jumps the first day, but AK tends to be the best park to jump to as it is less busy in the afternoons than the other parks. Because it closes early, you are sure to make it to Fantasmic! too.

 

[J and R's mom]

Keep in mind it will take about 1.5 to 2 hours to get from one park to another.

Starting from somewhere inside the park when you decide to leave, to the tapstiles, to the long walk to buses or boats and then the waiting, and then the transit time, then the new walk to security check, then tapstiles, then the walk through the park to the next attraction. Transportation is a time zapper. All of that with little ones in tow.

Your most recent plan looks doable...and much more realistic for a happy (not stressed) two days.

Best advice...just don't over-do. It can be miserable for the kiddos. They've never been before so they won't be upset to have to skip some of the attractions since they won't know what they're missing.