Help with a Park Strategy for us....

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

Been 3 other times, daughter is now 12yrs old - so looking at the park strategy a little different this time!

Don't have to worry about lines for characters! (obviously still want some pics, but not the whole "must have" with autographs & such!)

Skipping Winnie the Pooh & little rides, but the classics of Dumbo & Peter Pan are still a must, and MUCH bigger rides this time too (haven't been in 5 years!)

Don't know how important parades will be to her - obviously want to see a few, but how to use parade time to our advantage too?

Going late April (22, 23 & 24) what parks what day? Going to use 1 day to split Epcot & Hollywood Studio's, 1 day Animal Kingdom (as we LOVE animals) and 1 day Magic Kingdom. Thinking of getting Hopper for all 3 days so maybe go to a EMH & stay late at MK some night!

Can you get a Hopper for only 1 day & 2 days regular passes?

Suggestions? Strategy? Thoughts? Ideas?

 

[sharonabe]

Been 3 other times, daughter is now 12yrs old - so looking at the park strategy a little different this time!

Don't have to worry about lines for characters! (obviously still want some pics, but not the whole "must have" with autographs & such!)

Skipping Winnie the Pooh & little rides, but the classics of Dumbo & Peter Pan are still a must, and MUCH bigger rides this time too (haven't been in 5 years!)

Don't know how important parades will be to her - obviously want to see a few, but how to use parade time to our advantage too?

Going late April (22, 23 & 24) what parks what day? Going to use 1 day to split Epcot & Hollywood Studio's, 1 day Animal Kingdom (as we LOVE animals) and 1 day Magic Kingdom. Thinking of getting Hopper for all 3 days so maybe go to a EMH & stay late at MK some night!

Can you get a Hopper for only 1 day & 2 days regular passes?

Suggestions? Strategy? Thoughts? Ideas?

Park hopper is all or nothing, so if you get it, it will apply to all of your days, and if you're going to split one day between EP and HS, you will need the park hopper.

Do you have all day on the 22nd and 24th?? If so, do you have any time on your arrival/departure days? Adding one more day would only be about $13 and it might give you some other options.

One of the problems you're going to have is the headliners at EP and HS. You kind of need a morning at each of these so you can do Toy Story Mania, Rock n Roller, Tower of Terror at HS and then Soarin' and Test Trak at EP.

Another possible difficulty is MK does not have MSEP on the 24th, so if you want to see this parade, you'll need to make MK on the 22nd or 23rd.

Here's one scenario:

22nd Epcot and HS (like you had planned). HS has late EMH this night, so you might get everything in you want, but if not, keep reading.

23rd MK

24th Hit the early EMH at HS if you didn't get to do some of the headliners, then head over at to AK once you're done. AK doesn't open until 9:00 and since you're staying all day, you should have time to do everything you want to do here even if you don't make rope drop.

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

Park hopper is all or nothing, so if you get it, it will apply to all of your days, and if you're going to split one day between EP and HS, you will need the park hopper.

Do you have all day on the 22nd and 24th?? If so, do you have any time on your arrival/departure days? Adding one more day would only be about $13 and it might give you some other options.

One of the problems you're going to have is the headliners at EP and HS. You kind of need a morning at each of these so you can do Toy Story Mania, Rock n Roller, Tower of Terror at HS and then Soarin' and Test Trak at EP.

Another possible difficulty is MK does not have MSEP on the 24th, so if you want to see this parade, you'll need to make MK on the 22nd or 23rd.

Here's one scenario:

22nd Epcot and HS (like you had planned). HS has late EMH this night, so you might get everything in you want, but if not, keep reading.

23rd MK

24th Hit the early EMH at HS if you didn't get to do some of the headliners, then head over at to AK once you're done. AK doesn't open until 9:00 and since you're staying all day, you should have time to do everything you want to do here even if you don't make rope drop.

Unfortunately no... flight comes in Sun night at 8:35, then drive to hotel, etc... and Sunday our flight out is 2:10, so may have the morning, but what to do with luggage if we did that?

 

[sharonabe]

If you're using ME, they will pick you up around 11:00 a.m. It would be difficult to get to a park and back in that amount of time. But if you decide it's worth it, you can check your luggage at the hotel before you leave (check it all the way to your destination) and you can leave carry-ons with the bell hop service.

If you're renting a car, I'd say put the luggage in the car and pick your park and go for it.

MK has an early EMH on the 25th, so if you can be up, packed, and checked out in time to get there at 8:00, it might be a good thing.

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

If you're using ME, they will pick you up around 11:00 a.m. It would be difficult to get to a park and back in that amount of time. But if you decide it's worth it, you can check your luggage at the hotel before you leave (check it all the way to your destination) and you can leave carry-ons with the bell hop service.

If you're renting a car, I'd say put the luggage in the car and pick your park and go for it.

MK has an early EMH on the 25th, so if you can be up, packed, and checked out in time to get there at 8:00, it might be a good thing.

That is a thought! Thanks!

 

[serene56]

Don't know how important parades will be to her - obviously want to see a few, but how to use parade time to our advantage too?s

I have only been 3 times. and one of those times was a one day visit to magic kingdom.


oh please tell me that when the kids grow up they do NOT grow out of the parades-- especially if only been 3 times?

that would break my heart---

 

[DisNikki]

Unfortunately no... flight comes in Sun night at 8:35, then drive to hotel, etc... and Sunday our flight out is 2:10, so may have the morning, but what to do with luggage if we did that?

I'm confused, are you staying Sunday to Sunday? You'll have more park days than 3, right? Or do you have non-Disney plans at the end of the week?

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

I have only been 3 times. and one of those times was a one day visit to magic kingdom.


oh please tell me that when the kids grow up they do NOT grow out of the parades-- especially if only been 3 times?

that would break my heart---

We haven't mentioned details to her yet, wanting to make sure we are going 100% first. So maybe they are important.... just covering my basis is all. I know I want to see them - but this is HER big trip as she will put it all in high gear for a HUGE softball season of over 70 games this spring/summer - so its all about her

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

I'm confused, are you staying Sunday to Sunday? You'll have more park days than 3, right? Or do you have non-Disney plans at the end of the week?

Flying in Sun 04/21
Mon Disney
Tues Disney
Wed Disney
Thur Universal
Fri other Univ park
Sat Sea World
Sun fly out 04/28

Thought about 10 day trip (Thurs - Sun) but she would miss too much school & softball!

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

Well, we just may be adding a few days at the begginging now to spend 5 days in Disney.... so if I gave the dates of:

Fri, Apr 19 - Tues 23rd or Wed 24th What would your touring plans be for me? I haven't fully talked him into it yet... but so want a not so rushed vacation so I am trying!

 

[POB14]

oh please tell me that when the kids grow up they do NOT grow out of the parades-- especially if only been 3 times?

I have a 13yo and a 12yo, and we did the AK parade this year. Twice. (That's pretty easy to do at AK!) They loved it.

 

[Prose]

I think it really depends on your kid. The first time we went DD was 7 and was totally into characters, this time she turned 13 on the trip. This time she:

- rode all the rides, even Everest, thanks to a newfound love for coasters
- wanted to spend more time shopping and buying gifts for friends, plus look for pins and vinylmations
- wanted to hit the pool for a couple of hours each afternoon so she could splash, sun and text her friends
- loved DHS and Epcot. Last time she loved AK, this time, eh
- enjoyed the MNSSHP, but other than that didn't care about parades or shows

It was definitely a different experience, but still fun. You just have to go with the flow and do a little something for everyone.