How many days in each park?

[Sweets156]

Hello everyone! I have a question for you Disney Veterans. We have a 9 day and 8 night trip scheduled for May 2013. Which means we have 7 full days for the parks. My itinerary now has us visiting each park twice. Do we really need to schedule two days for each park? It's an adult trip. I've been there plenty of times but DF hasn't seen WDW since she was little. The reason I ask is because I really would like to visit Universal one day and want advice on which park we should only visit once. Thanks in advance!

 

[kris4360]

Animal Kingdom you can get through in one day for sure. Even HS is a one day park for us.

 

[danceintherain]

Yeah...I think AK gets dropped pretty quickly in that case.
If you can manage some park time on either your arrival or departure day, you can make up for anything you may have missed.

It also depends on what time of year you're going, and whether or not you're going to take a break during the day.

 

[ZoZo]

Here's what I'd do for a seven-day trip (this is just my personal preference):

2 days MK
2 days AK
2 days Epcot
1 day (or a half-day) DHS

You'll get lots of different answers, depending on the likes and dislikes of the poster. If your friend has never been before, I'd plan on one day per park, then decide which one(s) you want to go back to! My favorite parks (MK and AK) might not be yours -- and only you can decide what you like the best, regardless of the advice of all of us DISers!

 

[Neesy228]

You'll get lots of different answers, depending on the likes and dislikes of the poster. If your friend has never been before, I'd plan on one day per park, then decide which one(s) you want to go back to! My favorite parks (MK and AK) might not be yours -- and only you can decide what you like the best, regardless of the advice of all of us DISers!

I agree with this statement 100%. You'll know when you get there what you want to visit more than once!

For me personally: 2 MK, 2 EP, 2 DHS and 1 AK.

Have a great trip!

 

[JJsmama]

Especially for an adult trip, (well, actually for any trip) I would get park hoppers, go to each of the parks at rope drop, EMH, and then go to Epcot most afternoons. We always do MK at least 2 or 3 times because it is just the most magical for us. W always leave in the early afternoons though because it just gets too crowded. Usually we take a break and then go to Epcot. AK and DHS are definitely one morning parks for us. We may do two mornings at DHS this year b/c TSMM is two son's and Nana's favorite. Epcot is so big that taking several slow hours a day there, you will still find stuff to see.

 

[Amber1111]

HS is always our first park to get dropped, but we don't ride a lot of the main attractions. We have small kids so we do the kiddie attractions and sight seeing. AK is next on the list to get chopped. We make sure to spend at least 2-3 days in MK though.

 

[parkhopping]

Since your DF is relatively new to WDW, I suggest waiting until you get there and have been to each park once. Then decide which park you don't feel the need to repeat. If it were me, AK would get dropped...or I might even drop DHS as well and split a day between MK and Epcot, giving me 2-1/2 days in each of those parks. But that would just be my personal preference. You may get down there and decide you'd really like more time at DHS or AK.

You might also consider building in a rest day in the middle of your trip to swim, relax, and recharge. 7 straight days of touring would be a bit much even for me, and I'm pretty young and energetic!

 

[KNovacovschi]

I would go with 2 days MK, 2 days EP, 1 day AK, 1 day HS & 1 day DTD & resort day.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[FlightlessDuck]

This is what I would do:

MK: 2 days
HS: 2 days
Epcot: 1 day
AK: 1 day
Islands of Adventure: 1 day

Note: My family dislikes Epcot.

 

[bluejasmine]

This is how we will do our Sept 7 1/2 day trip

Arrive around 11am have lunch at EOS and shop DTD dinner at WGPC
1st day MK
2nd day EP
3rd Day Blizzard beach and dinner DTD
4th day half day AK, swim at resort dinner at AKL
5th day TL and dinner at EP
6th day HS dinner at EP
7th day MK

See we will play in EP those nights we have dinner before and after dinner as well, its our fave park and we always have to MK first and last!

 

[rainynight]

I would do 3 days at Magic Kingdom, 2 at Epcot, and either 2 at Animal Kingdom and skip Hollywood Studios (none of us like that park) or one day each at AK and HS. That gives you plenty of time to take Magic Kingdom and Epcot slower and not feel so rushed.

 

[BayouMickey]

I agree with pp.. 2 mk, 2 ep, 1ak, 1hs, 1dtd or resort, last day revisit your favorite..

 

[Gumbo4x4]

As others have said, you'll figure it out as you go. Everyone's tastes are different.

Without the kids, I'd probably spend the same amount of time in the water parks, Epcot, and AK as we did with the kids. I'd probably spend more time at DHS, and may not go to MK at all.

 

[ConvenientTruth]

Everyone is different....

For us...

2 days at Magic Kingdom
1 day at Animal Kingdom
Morning at Blizzard Beach/Afternoon at Disney Quest
1 Day at Hollywood Studios
1 Day at Epcot
Morning at Typhoon Lagoon/Movie afternoon

That's a typical week for us

 

[momto2inKC]

Since you're wanting to do Universal too, i'd do 2 MK, 2 Epcot, 1 HS, 1 AK, 1 US and then leave one open day to decide which one you'd like to spend more time at.

 

[Sweets156]

Wow, thank you all for your input and opinions! I made a mistake in my original post - two days at every park except Animal Kingdom. The two days I have scheduled, one of those days the park is open until 11:00pm. I'm wondering if we are there at park open, if we can and will see everything in one day. Maybe we can shave off a day if we add park hoppers and split a day up between two parks. A lot of you say one day at HS - I happen to think HS is one of the best parks because of the thrill rides. I'm rambling...

 

[KittyKat1978]

I also have 7 days in the parks and this is what I am doing.

MK 2 days
Epcot 2 days
AK 1.5 days
HS 1.5 days

I will also go to DTD on my AK day in the evening as AK closes early.

The last time I went I only had 6 days in the park and did 1.5 days in each park.

 

[katt789]

I have to say that I usually spend 1 day in AK, or even a half day there. I also use the DHS day as a "swim" day and go back to the hotel in the middle.
Epcot I can spend a whole day, but can also switch it up and park hop to MK.

I would personally do something like this:
Day 1: arrive
Day 2: mk
3: dhs
4: epcot
5: ak/eve at MK
6: Universal
7: MK again
8: Park hop to the places with what you liked the most. I usually do all the parks but Epcot, start at AK, hit up EE, then FOTLK, hop to DHS, do ToT, B&tB show, RnR, then head to Mk to end off the triip
9eparture

Obviously, I prefer spending time at Mk, so that's where I put majority of my time. You can definitely set aside the last day for park hopping and do whatever you want there!

 

[hgeisler]

Here's what I'd do for a seven-day trip (this is just my personal preference):

2 days MK
2 days AK
2 days Epcot
1 day (or a half-day) DHS

You'll get lots of different answers, depending on the likes and dislikes of the poster. If your friend has never been before, I'd plan on one day per park, then decide which one(s) you want to go back to! My favorite parks (MK and AK) might not be yours -- and only you can decide what you like the best, regardless of the advice of all of us DISers!

Us too!