Help planning December trip with minimal walking

[Caitlin_K]

Hello! Looking for feedback on a low-key itinerary. We are planning a trip the week of December 15th with two adults (one with a foot condition that limits walking/standing - but she does NOT want to use a wheelchair) and two six-year-olds who also don't love to walk. We are staying off-site around 20 minutes away and will have a car. We are trying to do a few special things but overall limit costs.

• Any suggestions to help balance our itinerary or further reduce walking and/or costs?
• Anything vital that we are missing?
• Anything that looks impossible to get?

Currently considering three-day tickets without park hopper, arranged as follows:

MK on Sunday (party day):
- rope drop It's a Small World
- then Haunted Mansion *IF* the kids are feeling it
- meet Cinderella
- then any other Fantasyland rides with <20 minute wait or so. I am assuming we won't do Peter Pan or the Snow White ride
- stop at Gaston's tavern for cinnamon rolls somewhere in there
- end at the Fantasyland railroad stop and ride railroad back to Main Street
- monorail to lunch at Steakhouse 71
- monorail back to MK TTC
- either return to resort, or head back to park for a few more rides. We may split up and have half the party take the car and the other half stay for a while and Uber home.

Nonpark day on Monday (not a party day)
- hang out at resort
- off-site princess makeover (we think this will be less complex to schedule than BBB)
- drive to GF, see gingerbread house
- dinner at 1900 Park fare (hoping to meet Cinderella again... this seemed easier to book and less complex than dining in the castle)
- monorail to Poly
- Dole whips for dessert
- watch fireworks Poly beach (can we do this as offsite guests?)
- monorail back, drive back to resort

HS on Tuesday (my son is obsessed with Star Wars):
- rope drop Mickey and Minnie's railroad
- ride Star Tours if the wait is less than 30 minutes or so
- build your own Lightsaber at Tatooinne Traders
- walk to Star Wars area
- ride Smuggler's Run if the wait is less than 30 minutes or so
- I am assuming we won't ride Rise of the Resistance
- walk around Star Wars area and enjoy the atmosphere
- build a droid
- lunch at the Star Wars cafe area
- either return to resort, or do a few more rides or shows. We may split up and have half the party take the car and the other stay.
- SciFi dinner Fantasmic package, or 50's cafe if we can't get ADR for SciFi
- Fantasmic

Nonpark day on Wednesday (not a party day)
- hang out at resort
- visit Disney Springs
- go to lego store
- early dinner at T Rex Cafe
- possibly stay to watch tree lighting

MK on Thursday (party day):
- try for the virtual queue for Tiana
- rope drop Pirates *IF* the kids are feeling it
- ride Big Thunder Mountain if the wait is less than 30 minutes or so
- I am assuming we won't do Tiana and Jungle Cruise due to wait times
- ride railroad to Fantasyland
- walk from Fantasyland RR station to Tomorrowland
- ride any Tomorrowland rides with <20 minute wait or so. We are too short for TRON and Space Mountain
- quick service lunch at Cosmic Ray's Cafe
- either return to resort, or do a few more rides or shows. We may split up and have half the party take the car and the other half stay for a while and Uber home.

Nonpark day on Friday
- possibly do Hoop de hoop revue? Worth it?
- Try to get a reservation at Kona at the Poly around 9:30
- watch fireworks from beach (if we are allowed to as outside guests)

I would love any feedback you have!

 

[msmayor]

A lot depends on what your definition of "limited walking" is. IMO it doesn't matter what wait times are, visiting any park involves a lot of walking. Our days are typically in the range of 20-23,000 steps and I'd probably guess a 'limited' day would still have somewhere more than 10,000.

 

[Caitlin_K]

So, we were able to go to a political rally where we stood in line for 3 hours before we got in (basically walking forwards slowly for about 3 hours). She was able to do it because she really wanted to attend the rally, but she needed the next day off to recover.

I am wondering if she can sit on a bench or something while the kids and I stand in line, and then join us once the line is shorter? Or is that looked down on at Disney?

She has planter fascitis and fibromyalgia, so a lot depends on the day.

 

[jo-jo]

A lot depends on what your definition of "limited walking" is. IMO it doesn't matter what wait times are, visiting any park involves a lot of walking. Our days are typically in the range of 20-23,000 steps and I'd probably guess a 'limited' day would still have somewhere more than 10,000.

To agree with msmayor, just walking from transportation to the first ride is a lot of walking with a sore foot.
Would she consider a rollator? Benches are far and few between these days.

 

[StarCruzer]

I am wondering if she can sit on a bench or something while the kids and I stand in line, and then join us once the line is shorter? Or is that looked down on at Disney?

This is definitely an option. You just need to let the Cast Member at the queue entrance know before you get in line. Usually they let parties reunite at the spot in line where the Lightning Lane merge happens.

 

[Caitlin_K]

Right now, she doesn't want to consider any mobility aids, but maybe after the first day she will reconsider?

I thought maybe I could talk her into us getting a wheelchair "to hold our stuff", and having it as a back-up but she is really against it.

 

[lovethattink]

The Monday at GF, you might get a 2 hour parking permit. You wouldn’t have enough time to dine, look at gingerbread stuff then go to poly for dessert and fireworks.

Also, there is a lot of walking from the TTC parking lot to the monorail or ferry, even if you can take a tram. I’ve noticed, at least at Epcot, that trams often don’t start running until 10am-ish.

I have plantar fasciitis and the Hoka Clifton sneaker has been a game changer for me at the parks. If your friend has a boot, I’d suggest bringing that for after a park day.

 

[lanejudy]

I am wondering if she can sit on a bench or something while the kids and I stand in line, and then join us once the line is shorter? Or is that looked down on at Disney?

This is definitely an option. You just need to let the Cast Member at the queue entrance know before you get in line. Usually they let parties reunite at the spot in line where the Lightning Lane merge happens.

I’m not sure they will allow waiting outside the queue for mobility reasons — more likely she’ll be offered a wheelchair to use in the queue. There also may not be a bench anywhere near when she needs to sit.

Honestly, there is going to be significantly more walking to get from the parking lot to the park, around the park, and back to the car than the standing in attraction queues. Would she use a scooter?

Pick a place 1 mile away from home. Ask if she could walk there…and back home…5 times.

 

[StarCruzer]

I’m not sure they will allow waiting outside the queue for mobility reasons — more likely she’ll be offered a wheelchair to use in the queue. There also may not be a bench anywhere near when she needs to sit.

Fair point. I think I would be a reasonable accomodation for fibromyalgia though, which is considered a chronic illness rather than a mobility issue.

 

[lanejudy]

Fair point. I think I would be a reasonable accomodation for fibromyalgia though, which is considered a chronic illness rather than a mobility issue.

The “need” is to not stand; actual diagnosis is irrelevant. The OP can certainly ask at the attraction queue, but it’s better to be prepared for being offered a wheelchair than expect accommodation to wait outside the queue. That generally requires starting in the queue and then leaving it instead of simply waiting outside.

 

[StarCruzer]

The “need” is to not stand; actual diagnosis is irrelevant. The OP can certainly ask at the attraction queue, but it’s better to be prepared for being offered a wheelchair than expect accommodation to wait outside the queue. That generally requires starting in the queue and then leaving it instead of simply waiting outside.

Perfectly reasonable, and much more likely than my suggestion.

 

[jo-jo]

From time to time I have issues with my foot. I find having anything to hold onto helps. At home it might be a shopping cart or a stroller. Even if she never sat in it, just walking with it might help. She could even leave it parked while you went on a ride. My DH did that in the early days

 

[Caitlin_K]

It is hard... I love her so much but she is really stubborn! And maybe she will be fine and I am just worrying about nothing, as per usual...

We have a couple of food stops loosely planned:

- Gaston's on Sunday
- Docking Bay 7 on Tuesday
- Cosmic Ray's on Thursday

Are any of these appropriate places for her to take a longer, seated break if she needs it? For instance, could she camp out at Cosmic Ray's while the rest of us do Tomorrowland and then we all meet up for lunch?

 

[Caitlin_K]

I am also thinking it would definitely be worth it for us to pay for preferred parking and try to arrive early so we get a spot closer to TTC

 

[jo-jo]

It is hard... I love her so much but she is really stubborn! And maybe she will be fine and I am just worrying about nothing, as per usual...

We have a couple of food stops loosely planned:

- Gaston's on Sunday
- Docking Bay 7 on Tuesday
- Cosmic Ray's on Thursday

Are any of these appropriate places for her to take a longer, seated break if she needs it? For instance, could she camp out at Cosmic Ray's while the rest of us do Tomorrowland and then we all meet up for lunch?

Cosmic Rays can be really noisy and busy. Maybe she could "wait" going on carousel of progress That's about 20 mins. She might be able to go through the show second time.

 

[lovethattink]

It is hard... I love her so much but she is really stubborn! And maybe she will be fine and I am just worrying about nothing, as per usual...

We have a couple of food stops loosely planned:

- Gaston's on Sunday
- Docking Bay 7 on Tuesday
- Cosmic Ray's on Thursday

Are any of these appropriate places for her to take a longer, seated break if she needs it? For instance, could she camp out at Cosmic Ray's while the rest of us do Tomorrowland and then we all meet up for lunch?

I’m not sure when in December you are going. But often during peak season, cm won’t let you sit in counter service restaurants prior to getting your food.

 

[wendydarling826]

I would encourage renting a scooter. Once you accept the fact that you can’t walk Disney without being miserable, it’s a game- changing decision. Everything in WDW is very accessible, and it makes your trip enjoyable again. My only difficulty was parking it on the bus, but all of the drivers are so helpful.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Do you have a day off between each park? Because if a 3 hour line whacked her, I literally don’t understand how 3 days at WDW won’t wreck her.

If you don’t have a day off between each park and she finally reaches that moment of having to decide if she stays at home base or rents an ECV/WC at the park- rent her the ECV, that’s your turn to be firm. Ecv or stay at the home base. So many people rent a WC and hurt themselves pushing it around WDW because they don’t understand the strain that puts on a body that isn’t used to it.

 

[Giraffe_Zen]

It is hard... I love her so much but she is really stubborn! And maybe she will be fine and I am just worrying about nothing, as per usual...

We have a couple of food stops loosely planned:

- Gaston's on Sunday
- Docking Bay 7 on Tuesday
- Cosmic Ray's on Thursday

Are any of these appropriate places for her to take a longer, seated break if she needs it? For instance, could she camp out at Cosmic Ray's while the rest of us do Tomorrowland and then we all meet up for lunch?

The time of year you are going, they usually won't let you proceed to a table at a QS restaurant w/o first having your food. That's how they make sure everyone can get a seat when needed to eat.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I’m not sure when in December you are going. But often during peak season, cm won’t let you sit in counter service restaurants prior to getting your food.

We visited in August which is a slower month and encountered some locations that required food-in-hand to access QS seating.