How many days in each park do you recommend?

[alleghator]

We're going next March ... Saturday to Saturday, staying offsite at a very nearby timeshare. My kids will be one week shy of 7 (we'll be celebrating her birthday there) and 4-3/4. It's our first family trip to Disney World.

I had been thinking 2 days MK, 1 day each for EP, DS, AK. But, I'm reading more and more and wondering if 2 days in EP, also, would be good.

I wasn't planning to go into the parks on our initial travel day or ending travel day, and taking Wednesday out of the parks ... maybe Downtown Disney or something. But, that doesn't leave enough days to do 2 each in MK and EP, and 1 each DS and AK.

I haven't booked our airfare yet, so I could always try to do something early enough to tour a bit on our first travel day (but I don't want to exhaust everyone right off the bat) or late enough to tour a bit on our last travel day (but I don't want to go home frantic and tired). I'm so torn.

What do you all think? I'm not sure how much my kids will want to linger through Epcot, and if it weren't for all the walking that park requires, I wouldn't really even consider it a two-day park for this first visit.

Do you try to tour on your travel days, or do you use them to settle in initially or relax before going back home? I'm planning to take a break for lunch, swim, nap each day (other than our AK day, where we'll tour straight through the whole day and leave for dinner and the evening).

Looking for tips and adviced from the experienced! Thanks!

--Heidi

 

[tlbwriter]

Well, I'm not very experienced, but I can tell you that I plan to spend no more than half a day (if that) at AK. And at least 2 days at MK. If I were going to spend more than one day at any other park, it would be Epcot.

 

[Mom to Will and Finn]

I think two days at MK is a must with kids that age. Depending on your children's personalities I'd do two days at either AK or Epcot. My ds loved Epcot but a lot of people said their kids didn't. Also, my family loves AK, but there are others that don't.

 

[Christine]

We really enjoy AK; however, have never needed to spend more than half the day there. I usually go to a water park in the morning and then head directly to AK (getting there at 2:00 and staying until closing). Might be tough with really young ones though.

I would definitely do 2 days at MK. Epcot might be a day and half. I enjoy strolling around there, but my kids don't necessarily want to spend more than one day there.

 

[alleghator]

We're early-rising types. So, we'll be at each park before opening. I have the Unofficial Guide firmly in hand and have agreement from my husband that we'll be following touring plans semi-religiously for at least the first half of each day (he's a mathematician, so once the logic of avoiding 3 extra hours in lines was laid out for him in the book ... he jumped right onboard with me).

So, I think we can do AK in one-day pretty handily. Leaving there around 4 or 5-ish.

Maybe an extra half-day for Epcot would be good ... to not try to stay up for Illuminations and all on a day already spent walking, walking, walking through the park.

My MIL is buying our tickets ... so I'll have to see if she's going to get us 5-day or 6-day passes. It's probably worth it to spring for the extra day, anyway. Just to have the flexibility to add a half-day of touring somewhere on one of the travel days or on our "take a break" day.

--Heidi

ps. Thanks for your thoughts ... keep the info coming!

 

[Sadie]

I would do 2 days at MK and Epcot. Then 1 each for the rest. When we went to Epcot the 1st time we only made it to the bridge going to the different countries! The next time we did make it to the countries but felt REALLY rushed. This time we're doing 2 days MK and Epcot and 1 day each MGM, and AK. This is only our 3rd time at DW and I am so excited!! And there is not much difference money wise between 5 & 6 day tickets. Maybe you could just mention that to you MIL. By the way that is very nice of her to buy your tickets!!

 

[pjlla]

I respectfully disagree with the previous posters who said you don't need more than 1/2 day for AK. We have done it a full day (9am - 5pm) on our previous two trips and still feel like we haven't seen everything! If you are new to WDW, then I would recommend scheduling a full day at AK. If you are finding you don't need to see anymore, then you could alway park hop elsewhere. But definitely plan on two full days at MK, especially with your kids. ...............P

 

[pezpam]

What works for us is to start each of our 1st 4 days at a different park, then spend any remaining time going back to things we missed or want to do again or whatever. MK is first - how can you beat that first glimpse of the castle to start off a WDW vacation?

If it was me, I'd also see if I could afford to upgrade to Park Hopper tickets - maybe offer to cover the cost difference for your MIL. I have been to WDW with DD (now 7) 3 times and none of the trips has been the same as far as what she liked and wanted to do again and again. For example - On our first trip, we finished MGM in about 2 hours, but this time she tried and LOVED ToT and RnRC and we wound up spending almost 2 full days there. The PH option allowed us to head to each park knowing that we could always hop somewhere else if we wanted to.

The choice of parks is SUCH a personality-driven thing that noone else can make that choice for you and you may find that you change your mind once you get there and get into the vacation......

 

[newholidayx2]

DS13 & I are planning:
Tues - lunch at MK, night at AK
Wed - morn at MGM, night at MK
Thurs - morn at MK
Fri - morn at AK
Sat - morn at EpCot
Sun - 11am enter countries just for an hr or so to see them less crowded, night MGM
Mon - EpCot night
Tues - AK night
Wed - MK night
Thurs - EpCot night
Fri - MGM (or wherever we need to return to)

 

[The_Disney_God]

Go to MK on Friday. Usually less crowded.

 

[pixiepower1971]

I would go for 6 days park hopper.
Every trip with my 6 and 8 year old is different. I would allot 2 days for MK, 1 for Epcot, 1 for DS and 1 full day for AK.

That would leave you some time to park hop if you finish early one day or the park is really crowded. You can use your final day to get anything you missed or , like we do, hit our favs at every park!

If your flights allow I would even plan to get an 8 day pass...we always hit the parks the days we get there and leave if there is time.

Its nice to have the extra time not to rush.

Our trips always seem to be 1 day in MK , 1 day at AK followed by night at MGM, 1 day at Epcot, final day finishing MGM and anything else we missed. Many times we are done Epcot early and we hit another park for awhile and come back for Illuminations. Some days my girls get lost in Innoventions and other days they don't. They are not thrilled with WS except to go get chocolate in Germany.

Have fun!

 

[caribear]

Lots of good info already posted. I think a 2nd day at Epcot all depends on what you would like to do while you are there. If your kids will enjoy stopping at all the kidcot stations is World Showcase, then I think you need 2 days. If you are just going to breeze by the countries and only go on the boat ride in Mexico and Norway, then maybe you only need 1 day. My dd is only 2 1/2 and she loves Epcot, so we spend a lot of time there.

I also agree that AK is basically a whole day park, especially with young children who enjoy animals. We usually go from 9:30-2:30 and that is without seeing any of the shows!