Help! I've got a mental block!

[Epcotgal8]

This is crazy. I am a WDW fanatic. I read the DIS every day and have many times given people tips and helped plan their itinerary. Planning is always part of the fun for me. But we usually plan a good bit ahead and never stay less than a week. Our next "real" WDW trip is planned for a year from now. BUT, we have relatives in Fla. who have been asking us for a while to come visit. My brother and his wife who live in Flagler Beach are vacationing on Cape Cod in July and suggested (since we REALLY could use a break) coming down there, staying at their house (with pool and hot tub!) for a few days before they return and then staying a couple days to visit with them. Well, we just CAN'T be that close and NOT go to WDW so we are going to drive down stay at the Dolphin (teacher's discount and night already paid for) and get a UPH so we have two days and then will drive back to Flagler when we leave the parks the second day. We'll be arriving at the Dolphin to do "pre" checkin at about 8 a.m. on Tues. July 20 and then check out but spend the day still in WDW on Wed. the 21st. I have already gone through a bunch of sheets of paper trying to figure out what to do when. We want to just hit the highlights in each park except that we are undecided if we will even attempt AK - I love Dinosaur but have done everything else in the park many times. We won't be there Tues. in time to do EMH at MGM so I was thinking of MK and then MGM or Epcot and then back to MK for Wishes? EMH at Epcot is on Wed. I don't know whether to go for it or go to MGM (since we will want to ride the rides there the most) and then Epcot on that day. Just an example of things we will want to do in each park:

MK - Splash, BTMRR, HM, Mickey's Philarmagic or whatever it's called), Buzz Lightyear and Wishes.

Epcot - Mission Space, Test Track, Living with the Land and the WS

MGM- TOT, RNRC as much as possible lol, Star Tours, Little Mermaid, The Great Movie Ride (maybe not since we have done it a dozen times). We love Fantasmic but with such limited time and since we have seen it many times I think I'd rather save that time and do it again next trip.

Disney Quest if it rains? (Like it might not rain in July ha ha)

Boardwalk time

I think I'm just nervous since I never planned a WDW trip with this short notice, have never gone in the middle of the summer, and always have many days to plan for, not just TWO. It won't be a big deal if we miss anything (other than RNRC and TOT because kids will kill me - joking. ) We just really want a Disney fix. ANY and all ideas and suggestions will be appreciated!!!!

 

[KristaTX]

If your trip next year will fall less than a year from this more spontaneous trip, it might actually save you quite a bit of money to get annual passes on this first trip. If the timing is right, your AP's would still be good for the next trip and you wouldn't have to buy tickets again.

Read this: http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/breakeven.php

 

[Eeyore2003]

Well, I'd get there for pre-check in at 7:00 and then take the boat over to MGM for EMH and be there for 8:00 opening. From the Swan/Dophin dock, I think it might be about 10 to 15 minutes to the MGM dock. I'd plan an early lunch at either the Sci Fi or Prime Time. OR you could take the boat over to the Boardwalk and choose a resturant there for lunch and spend some time there. If you're room is ready, you could even take a short bathroom, out of the heat break.

Then go over to MK by bus, check the lines and FP's in the rides you want to do. Plan some kind of dinner. Do you want to see Spectromagic??? If not, you could probably find shorter lines during that and then see Wishes at 10:00.

The second day, I'd head over to EPCOT for EMH and spend the rest of the day there. If you didn't hit the Boardwalk on the previous day, you could always take the boat over there to end your two day "spree".

You really don't want to do that many rides at each park and by doing them using EMH, you'll have allot more of a relaxing time the rest of the day. You will probably be able to do more rides also and even that little welcomed break.

 

[Epcotgal8]

Originally posted by KristaTX
If your trip next year will fall less than a year from this more spontaneous trip, it might actually save you quite a bit of money to get annual passes on this first trip. If the timing is right, your AP's would still be good for the next trip and you wouldn't have to buy tickets again.

Read this: http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/breakeven.php

Oh, I agree Krista. I would love to be able to buy our AP's now but unfortunately with the trip being so spontaneous (and the $1,000 I have to pay since my incoming freshman in high school daughter made the dance line) I can't afford AP's right now or that is what I would do. We've had AP's in the past. Dh only lets us put "emergency" things on credit cards any more (I guess I'm the only one in the family that considers a need for a WDW vacation as an emergency lol) so I guess I'll do UPH's this time and should be able to save enough to get AP's next time which will mean another trip the following year right?

 

[Epcotgal8]

Originally posted by Eeyore2003
Well, I'd get there for pre-check in at 7:00 and then take the boat over to MGM for EMH and be there for 8:00 opening. From the Swan/Dophin dock, I think it might be about 10 to 15 minutes to the MGM dock. I'd plan an early lunch at either the Sci Fi or Prime Time. OR you could take the boat over to the Boardwalk and choose a resturant there for lunch and spend some time there. If you're room is ready, you could even take a short bathroom, out of the heat break.

Then go over to MK by bus, check the lines and FP's in the rides you want to do. Plan some kind of dinner. Do you want to see Spectromagic??? If not, you could probably find shorter lines during that and then see Wishes at 10:00.

The second day, I'd head over to EPCOT for EMH and spend the rest of the day there. If you didn't hit the Boardwalk on the previous day, you could always take the boat over there to end your two day "spree".

You really don't want to do that many rides at each park and by doing them using EMH, you'll have allot more of a relaxing time the rest of the day. You will probably be able to do more rides also and even that little welcomed break.

This is true. I also realize it WILL rain in the afternoon so the more rides we get out of the way early the better. It's just that I have been reading a lot of posts lately about avoiding EMH since it gets crowded so quickly?? Great idea about riding rides at MK during Spectromagic. We have seen various forms of it so many times (and although we love it) with such limited time, it's really Wishes we want to see. I appreciate all advice! Thank you!

 

[KristaTX]

AP's for trips in 2005 and 2006? Sounds like a good plan to me . BTW - Congratulations on your daughter's making the dance line ! And have a wonderful trip.

 

[Eeyore2003]

If you don't want to use EMH, then I'd head over to EPCOT first, eat an early lunch somewhere and then head over to MK. By the time you check in at 8:00, then catch the bus for MK and get over there, the park will be open for a while. From usually going in August, I think no matter what park you hit, you still have to get there upon opening to take advantage of getting on the rides first with the least amount of waiting. At least if you check in at the Dolphin, catch the boat over to EPCOT, you still have a chance of getting there close to the 9:00 opening. Enjoy most of the day there and pick a country for lunch, and then head over to MK later when "hopefully" the day crowd starts to leave.

Then the second day I'd hit MGM upon opening. Either way, I guess I wouldn't start at MK that first day, I think you have a better chance of efficiency to try to get to EPCOT at opening. As I'm sure you know, the rides you want to hit will line up really quickly!!!!! As far as the second day at MGM, I'd just try to get there to be in front of the line to get in to TOT and RNR right away to be able to ride it the most plus you have your FP's of course.

Since you're at the Dolphin, you can really take the boat or even walk over to the Boardwalk any time.