Help planning for mid-March trip--first timers to WDW and USO!

[allimaree]

We've been to Disneyland many times but never Disney World! Since we're coming all the way from AZ, we figured we would try to do it all but we only have 4.5 days. My kids are 13 and 15 so they'll be fine with that many long park days in a row but I'm not sure about my husband.

We are doing Universal Studios and Islands of adventure in one day on Monday, March 13. Then Disney parks the next 3.5 days. Our flight leaves about 6:00 pm Friday so I'm not sure when we'll need to leave to get to the airport. We currently have 4 day non-hoppers because hopping at WDW makes me nervous but I'm sure I can learn. We are staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge starting Monday night after Universal.

Current reservations:
Tuesday - HS
Wednesday - MK (with extended evening hours)
Thursday - AK
Friday - EP

I'm thinking I need to switch AK and EP so we have a longer time at Epcot. Which would you do for only half a day if you had to pick one? Or how would you switch that up if we get hoppers?

We will do early entry each day and prioritize rides over shows. Especially rides we can't do at Disneyland. We're pretty good at Genie+ at DLR but it seems pretty different at WDW. Are there any parks you would think we don't need it?

(Excuse my old signature. It's vintage but it makes me happy.)

 

[allimaree]

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[dieumeye]

I’ve got a WDW trip coming up in March. But I’m a west coast Disneyland regular, so all I know about WDW is from research and hanging out here.

I’d think about moving Epcot to Thursday and AK to Friday. AK closes earlier than the other parks and has fewer rides, so it would be easier to do on a shorter day. That is also assuming you want to spend time doing Epcot rides and touring World Showcase.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I’d think about moving Epcot to Thursday and AK to Friday. AK closes earlier than the other parks and has fewer rides, so it would be easier to do on a shorter day. That is also assuming you want to spend time doing Epcot rides and touring World Showcase.

I agree with this unless you want to see pandora at night - which is a valid reason for keeping AK on Thursday.

Also, what is your transportation situation? If you'll have a car, you'll be all packed up and leaving for the airport from your last park, so Epcot that day will be fine. But if you'll be leaving bags with bell services and and need to get back to AKL to catch your ride, having AK on the last day will be closer.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Anyone have any thoughts?

WDW is huge, and it's a lot to cram into 3.5 days, so pack your patience with each other!!

What I tend to do for each park is have everyone in the party list their "must do" thing for that park, and then their "would like to do" items. I make sure we fit in everyone's must do and then what we can of the other things (especially things that are on more than one person's list).

 

[PollyannaMom]

We are doing Universal Studios and Islands of adventure in one day on Monday, March 13.

Are you staying on site?

And are you Harry Potter fans?

 

[Minniemoo15]

Can you add a 5th day to your tickets and go to Extended hours at Epcot after you check in on Monday? You can get a lot done during those and they are a great perk of staying deluxe.

 

[allimaree]

I agree with this unless you want to see pandora at night - which is a valid reason for keeping AK on Thursday.

Also, what is your transportation situation? If you'll have a car, you'll be all packed up and leaving for the airport from your last park, so Epcot that day will be fine. But if you'll be leaving bags with bell services and and need to get back to AKL to catch your ride, having AK on the last day will be closer.

We will not have a car so that's another good reason to switch Epcot and AK. I was kinda leaning that way anyway. Thanks!

 

[allimaree]

Are you staying on site?

And are you Harry Potter fans?

We are staying at Loews Royal Pacific on Sunday night to get the free unlimited express passes on Monday. Big Harry Potter fans which is why we are trying to do both Universal and WDW.

 

[allimaree]

Can you add a 5th day to your tickets and go to Extended hours at Epcot after you check in on Monday? You can get a lot done during those and they are a great perk of staying deluxe.

Thats a good idea I hadn't thought of. I'm worried we will be dead tired after a whole day at Universal. And I'm guessing we will want to stay at Universal until it closes (correct me if I'm wrong) since we are only doing one day there. I wonder if we would have enough time to switch hotels and still make it to enough of Epcot extended hours to make it worth paying for another day.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I'm worried we will be dead tired after a whole day at Universal. And I'm guessing we will want to stay at Universal until it closes (correct me if I'm wrong) since we are only doing one day there.

You'll very likely want to stay as long as possible, and you will definitely be tired!

Tips for Harry Potter stuff at Universal:

• Since you're staying at one of their hotels, you'll get early entry to one park or the other. (They dictate which.) Start there, head straight for the HP section, and then just before the other park opens, get in line for the train. It will put you in the back of the other park, before the crowds get there! - Then you can hop back to finish the first later after everyone else has moved on. (Plus, the train ride is different each way.)
• The butterbeer ice cream in Diagon Alley is amazing!
• Don't skip Knockturn Alley - some people miss it, and there are tons of details.
• If the people in your group don't know about the dragon, focus your camera on their faces the first time hear it start to roar, rather than on the dragon itself. (You can always get the fire pic 10 minutes later when it happens it again. But that first reaction is priceless!)

 

[allimaree]

You'll very likely want to stay as long as possible, and you will definitely be tired!

Tips for Harry Potter stuff at Universal:

• Since you're staying at one of their hotels, you'll get early entry to one park or the other. (They dictate which.) Start there, head straight for the HP section, and then just before the other park opens, get in line for the train. It will put you in the back of the other park, before the crowds get there! - Then you can hop back to finish the first later after everyone else has moved on. (Plus, the train ride is different each way.)
• The butterbeer ice cream in Diagon Alley is amazing!
• Don't skip Knockturn Alley - some people miss it, and there are tons of details.
• If the people in your group don't know about the dragon, focus your camera on their faces the first time hear it start to roar, rather than on the dragon itself. (You can always get the fire pic 10 minutes later when it happens it again. But that first reaction is priceless!)

Such great tips! Thank you so much!

 

[Skippyboo]

Flying out Friday, checking in RP on Sunday, doing Universal, IoA Monday then checking in AKL Monday night? Both Universal parks are open 9-9 on March 13, you can get in 1 hr early as onsite guests. Recommend using the hour to rope drop IoA to ride VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s since they don’t take Express pass. Universal’s Mardi Gras event will be going on with food booths and a parade in Studio side at night.

What are you doing with your luggage on Monday? Definitely wouldn’t try to do Epcot’s Extended hours after Universal. Better would be to do a second Universal day Sunday evening since your express is good for 2 days.

At WDW, want to hit Flights of Passage and Safari at AK, Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind at Epcot since those are WDW only. WDW is super big so allow for travel between hotel and park and especially if you make ADR to eat at hotels not where you’re staying. We have to connect to a park and transfer typically. Boma and Saana at AKL Jambo and Kidani are very good restaurants especially Boma breakfast

 

[Roscoe18]

My two cents - I would switch your AK/EP days - Pandora is beautiful at night, but if you have to sacrifice something for a partial day, it would be that. AK is the closest thing to a "half day" park right now, and it also opens the earliest. So for your shortest (half) day, I would definitely do that.

I probably wouldn't hop if I were you. You have a limited amount of time and if you're committed to spending all day at the parks, there's really no need to hop. If you're not used to the transportation at WDW, it can take a LONG time to get from place to place, and that's time you could be spending at the parks!

As for G+, your best bets are HS (due to the top heavy attraction list) and MK (because there are so many total attractions). Play it by ear with Epcot and skip it at AK (especially if you do indeed switch that day).

Just make sure you leave enough time to get to the airport that last day - not sure what your transportation situation is, but that's one thing you don't want stressing you out. Have fun!

 

[teach22180]

My advice is to enjoy what you do and don't try to do it all. I like the pp advice to have everyone pick a "must do" for each park. The attitude makes a big difference!