Have on hand: A copy of Sehlingers Unofficial Guide, and maps of each park, as well as web access to: WDW Official Site, and the Steve Soares Site for show times.
1. Use the guide book to determine the best times of the year to visit. I buy an annual pass, and plan my visit so that I can use the pass for at least two visits. For example, visiting the second week of December with a new pass; and using the pass again during the last week of November or first week of December of the following year, before the pass expires. (Then repeating this schedule during subsequent years.) This saves on admission prices and usually gets me a resort room discount as well.
2. Make a chart, using the Disney web site, writing down opening times, closing times, parade and big show times (Fantasmic, IllumiNations, etc.), and AM & PM extra magic hours for each park during the days I plan to be there. I also note the days for the Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom. (I make this chart on one sheet of paper.) I then determine the park most likely to have the smallest crowd for each day of the week, using my chart as well as the Info. in the Guide Book. I avoid parks with extra magic hours.
3. I make a list of all the attractions I would like to experience for each of the four parks, noting the time it takes to do the attraction (Info is in the Guide Book), as well as anticipated queue waiting time (always allowing more time than I expect the wait to actually be), adjusting for fastpass time savings when practical. (Examples from my planning chart for the Magic Kingdom: Haunted Mansion 9+21, Tiki Birds 16+14, Pirates of the Caribbean 8+27.) I also allow plenty of time to travel from location to location in the parks. (Example: Stroll from Jungle Cruise to Transit Authority:25 minutes.)
4. Using the park map I plan out a route that will take me to each attraction on my list, avoid backtracking, use fast passes only when such use will not make for long backtracking, include meal stops (one hour each), on my planned route, and allow for visiting attractions during parade times while not crossing a parade route. Where show times are needed (for the Studios and the Animal Kingdom especially), I use the Steve Soares web site.
5. The only things left to do now are to make my room reservation; and having planned where and when Id like to eat, I make table service reservations where needed on the very first day Disney will accept meal reservations. (I have never had any problem with this at all.) I also order my ticket for the Circus at Downtown Disney, if I plan to see it during the current trip; a Christmas Party ticket, and any meal reservations that involve special seating such as the Christmas Processional or Fantasmic!.
NOTE: I usually spend five nights on site, arriving at about 11:00 am on the first day, and staying at my resort until I can move my luggage into my room. Then I use the remainder of the first day at Epcot. The next full four days are used for each of the four parks, with an extra long day at the Magic Kingdom ending with the Christmas Party. I never park hop, and I never take a break in the afternoons. (But my days are well planned, and Im never in a rush. Easy does it for me.) This plan gives me extra time at Epcot and the Magic Kingdom, as well as a full day at the Studios and the Animal Kingdom. The day I visit the Animal Kingdom is also an excellent evening to visit Downtown Disney.
Works for me.
1. Use the guide book to determine the best times of the year to visit. I buy an annual pass, and plan my visit so that I can use the pass for at least two visits. For example, visiting the second week of December with a new pass; and using the pass again during the last week of November or first week of December of the following year, before the pass expires. (Then repeating this schedule during subsequent years.) This saves on admission prices and usually gets me a resort room discount as well.
2. Make a chart, using the Disney web site, writing down opening times, closing times, parade and big show times (Fantasmic, IllumiNations, etc.), and AM & PM extra magic hours for each park during the days I plan to be there. I also note the days for the Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom. (I make this chart on one sheet of paper.) I then determine the park most likely to have the smallest crowd for each day of the week, using my chart as well as the Info. in the Guide Book. I avoid parks with extra magic hours.
3. I make a list of all the attractions I would like to experience for each of the four parks, noting the time it takes to do the attraction (Info is in the Guide Book), as well as anticipated queue waiting time (always allowing more time than I expect the wait to actually be), adjusting for fastpass time savings when practical. (Examples from my planning chart for the Magic Kingdom: Haunted Mansion 9+21, Tiki Birds 16+14, Pirates of the Caribbean 8+27.) I also allow plenty of time to travel from location to location in the parks. (Example: Stroll from Jungle Cruise to Transit Authority:25 minutes.)
4. Using the park map I plan out a route that will take me to each attraction on my list, avoid backtracking, use fast passes only when such use will not make for long backtracking, include meal stops (one hour each), on my planned route, and allow for visiting attractions during parade times while not crossing a parade route. Where show times are needed (for the Studios and the Animal Kingdom especially), I use the Steve Soares web site.
5. The only things left to do now are to make my room reservation; and having planned where and when Id like to eat, I make table service reservations where needed on the very first day Disney will accept meal reservations. (I have never had any problem with this at all.) I also order my ticket for the Circus at Downtown Disney, if I plan to see it during the current trip; a Christmas Party ticket, and any meal reservations that involve special seating such as the Christmas Processional or Fantasmic!.
NOTE: I usually spend five nights on site, arriving at about 11:00 am on the first day, and staying at my resort until I can move my luggage into my room. Then I use the remainder of the first day at Epcot. The next full four days are used for each of the four parks, with an extra long day at the Magic Kingdom ending with the Christmas Party. I never park hop, and I never take a break in the afternoons. (But my days are well planned, and Im never in a rush. Easy does it for me.) This plan gives me extra time at Epcot and the Magic Kingdom, as well as a full day at the Studios and the Animal Kingdom. The day I visit the Animal Kingdom is also an excellent evening to visit Downtown Disney.
Works for me.
