Help with April 18-22 Trip!

[Kmpcfp]

This will be our 4th year in a row going (our first time not going during spring break! Yay!). We booked our trip in November and are staying at Caribbean Beach Resort. Traveling group includes myself, husband, husband's mom, 5 year old, almost 3 year old, 6 month old, Our flight arrives in Orlando at 8:30 am on Monday and departs at 10 pm on Friday.

Originally we planned:
HS on Monday and see the few things that interest us that day and spend the rest of the relaxing at pool or Disney Springs.
MK on Tuesday (brunch ADR at Chef Mickey's)
EP on Wedsnesday
MK on Thursday
AK on Friday before we have to hop on bus at 7 pm to get back to airport

But ever since Disney announced opening of ROL on that Friday, we must change our plans. To what, I don't know.

Epcot is a must do for my husband.
Hollywood studios isn't a necessary to-do for us. We even considered 3 days at MK and skip Hollywood studios all together, but that first traveling day will probably be rough on little ones, and they are excited for the pool.

Help!

 

[Accident]

AK on Friday before we have to hop on bus at 7 pm to get back to airport

I like the list.. This is the only thing that stands out to me.. When is your actual flight? MDE buses tend to leave about 4 hours early now and if your late, it's not pretty.. I'd probably swap AK and HS since HS doens't matter to you and kids love animals..

 

[Kmpcfp]

It is a 10 pm flight. In my experience, they have been about 3 hours early. Either way, initially AK was Friday because they (used to) close at 6:30 at the latest.

I thought about switching the Monday and Friday schedule, but I was hoping to catch a soft opening of ROL, not sure if they will do it that early?

 

[magicaldisney]

MDE buses tend to leave about 4 hours early now

Is this new?

 

[magicaldisney]

I thought about switching the Monday and Friday schedule, but I was hoping to catch a soft opening of ROL, not sure if they will do it that early?

I personally would switch the schedule because I wouldn't want to chance there not being a soft opening and then you miss it all together.

 

[Accident]

I personally would switch the schedule because I wouldn't want to chance there not being a soft opening and then you miss it all together.

good point, I forgot about the late night soft opening on the 18th... yeah AK when you have an evening so you don't miss the new show

 

[Kmpcfp]

Do you think they would do a soft opening that early in the week? Maybe switch:
Mon:MK
Tues:MK
Weds:EP
Thurs:AK
Fri: MK

I haven't checked any crowd calendars or EMH. In my experience the EMH isn't worth it for us. We can never get there early enough or stay late enough and the non-EMH parks seem less crowded. However, we have only gone on Spring Breaks except for a long Wine and Food festival weekend in September a few years ago (which had light crowds)

 

[magicaldisney]

Do you think they would do a soft opening that early in the week? Maybe switch:
Mon:MK
Tues:MK
Weds:EP
Thurs:AK
Fri: MK

I haven't checked any crowd calendars or EMH. In my experience the EMH isn't worth it for us. We can never get there early enough or stay late enough and the non-EMH parks seem less crowded. However, we have only gone on Spring Breaks except for a long Wine and Food festival weekend in September a few years ago (which had light crowds)

This new schedule has you not going to HS, are you ok with that?

 

[Kmpcfp]

This new schedule has you not going to HS, are you ok with that?

Last time we went 2 years ago, we were kicking ourselves for going to Hollywood Studios. There wasn't a whole lot for us to do.

With the kids, the only things we would do is Toy Story ride, 5 year old on Star Wars and maybe the Disney Jr Live on Stage (though 5 year old said it looked "weird" because all the characters were together).

Honestly, I wish we were staying an extra night, but a lot of the flights coming back have already sold out.

Maybe adding park hopper would solve our problem, but isn't it an extra $60 a ticket?

 

[pa. dad]

Last time we went 2 years ago, we were kicking ourselves for going to Hollywood Studios. There wasn't a whole lot for us to do.

With the kids, the only things we would do is Toy Story ride, 5 year old on Star Wars and maybe the Disney Jr Live on Stage (though 5 year old said it looked "weird" because all the characters were together).

Honestly, I wish we were staying an extra night, but a lot of the flights coming back have already sold out.

Maybe adding park hopper would solve our problem, but isn't it an extra $60 a ticket?

We did not go to the Studios on our recent trip. they're closing more things in early April.
You could go to universal or sea world or a water park.
I'd think about doing just 2 days at the MK also instead of 3 as there are the other local attractions that are also fun?

 

[mkdwd]

Your plan is almost exact to mine! Staying at CBR 4/16-23. We've picked almost all the same park days (except Tuesday is a rest day).

 

[senadler]

MDE buses tend to leave about 4 hours early now and if your late, it's not pretty..

I wanted to see if someone could clarify this as well. My experience has been 3 hours as recently as October. Is this a recent change? We have an early lunch planned on our departure day expecting a pick-up 3 hours prior to flight time.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

We're actually going to be there the exact same dates! I have Monday as a pool day, MK on Tuesday, Wednesday is a rest day (have Cape May breakfast and Garden Tea Room booked), and Thursday we will be using our non-exp PH to spend majority of the day at AK then hop to HS to watch Fantasmic/eat at Sci-Fi.

 

[senadler]

With the kids, the only things we would do is Toy Story ride, 5 year old on Star Wars and maybe the Disney Jr Live on Stage (though 5 year old said it looked "weird" because all the characters were together).

Unless your 5 year old is a huge Star Wars fan I would skip it based on the age of your other kids, just not that much to do. I think you will get much more out of a full day at AK and more MK time.

 

[tatersalad]

I was just at Disney a week ago and the DME pickup was 3 hours before my flight as it always has been. Unless you're on an international flight which is 4 hours before.

 

[Kmpcfp]

We did not go to the Studios on our recent trip. they're closing more things in early April.
You could go to universal or sea world or a water park.
I'd think about doing just 2 days at the MK also instead of 3 as there are the other local attractions that are also fun?

When we go next year, we are adding Legoland to our itinerary, but for this year we already have a 5 day ticket, so would rather not let that go to waste.

 

[Kmpcfp]

I think we are going to do:
Mon - MK/pool/Disney Springs (depends on how we feel)
Tues - MK
Weds-EP
Thurs -AK
Fri - MK, but maybe switch and go to HS and Downtown Disney

I have read on a few unconfirmed sources that soft openings for ROL will start on 4/20.
Hopefully this works out.
I am betting on the fact my 5 year is won't be too disappointed to miss Star Wars.

 

[Kmpcfp]

I think we are going to do:
Mon - MK/pool/Disney Springs (depends on how we feel)
Tues - MK
Weds-EP
Thurs -AK
Fri - MK, but maybe switch and go to HS and Downtown Disney

Just realized our Chef Mickey's reservation is Thursday for 12:10 (forgot I changed it a couple months ago), and there are no other openings.

I really don't want to miss ROL, but changing our itinerary this close is such a hassle.