How would you handle this MK day?

[disneyfam31]

I think I finally have our schedule all set and just looking for another set of eyes (besides DH) to make sure I'm thinking through the best option for the 2nd full day spent at MK. Four of us will be touring, including DD10 and DS7.

Day 7 of our trip will be our 2nd day at MK. To put this day in perspective, I'm including Day 1 of our trip, which is the 1st day at MK.


Day 1: MK (non EMH)

• Breakfast BOG 8:05 am
  
  
• Fantasyland - Belle, Ariel
  
• Liberty Square (Haunted Mansion)
• Frontierland
  
• Adventureland
  
  
• Lunch - QS @ Pecos Bill or Columbia Harbor House (around 1?)
  
  
• Fantasyland (7DMT FP+ 2:40, PP FP+ 3:55, A&E FP+ 5:00)
• Tomorrowland
  
  
• Dinner - QS (or ?)
• Parade or leave depending on kids energy level

Day 7: MK (morning EMH)
* Debating if we should rope drop at 8 am or wait until 9....will be at Universal the day before until 6/7pm, Citywalk dinner after. If we rope drop....

• Breakfast tbd / hotel
  
  
• Tomorrowland - ride Buzz, Space Mtn (and reschedule afternoon FP+)
• Fantasyland (7DMT FP+ 9:10am)
• Liberty Square if time / lines allow
• Frontierland (BTMR FP+ 10:15am)

• Lunch QS TBD
  
  
• Use rescheduled FP+ from morning for early afternoon in Frontierland/Adventureland?
  
• Pirates League (DS @ 2pm) - DH and DS to stay in that area or head to DHS for a few hours
  
• BBB (DD @ 4:10pm) - DD and I to stay in MK for rest of evening

• Dinner - CRT 9:40 pm

 

[ChloesDaddy]

It seems ambitious to tour the entire park on both days. You may want to consider visiting 2-3 lands on each day. Doing rope drop after going into the evening at Universal also seems ambitious, especially at the end of the trip and planning to go late in the evening again.

You obviously know your family better than anyone, but mine wouldn't make it to a 9:40 dinner after rope drop.

ETA - knowing what dates these are on may also be relevant to any advice others might have.

 

[pa. dad]

A few things:
Not knowing the rest of the itinerary, you can't say if you have enough rest built in to the trip. But even without knowing that, I can tell you that the energy level of the group will be a lot less on day 7. It's just a lot of walking and climbing steps and standing.
So doing less lands on day 7 than day one might be a good idea. Hopefully you can finish off a few lands on day one so you don't have to repeat them on day 7 and save some steps. I think by day 7 you have to assume a reduced energy level for some if not all of the family.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I like that you are splitting up for the second evening. I love touring with one child.

Personally, I would not miss the EMH on day 2 if you are going to be in the park anyway.

I agree that it is a lot to do all four lands in one day. Sometimes those FP+ reservations can cause some backtracking, but I would focus on 2-3 lands each day since you have two days in the park.

For example, on your first day, if you are doing Fantasyland, you could get lot done in the right side of Fantasyland (ETWB, Ariel, Meet Daisy, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald,etc.) then take the train to Frontierland to do BTMRR and Splash, then walk to Adventureland to to Pirates and JC. Then you could head back to Fantasyland for your FP reservations. Since they are all on the left side of Fantasyland and are generally lower waits, you might be able to do Philharmagic and It's a Small World and possibly HM in between your FP attractions.

Save Tomorrowland for EMH on day 2.


I know that planning is so complicated and this might not work with your schedule. Just my thoughts.

My DD(9) can last from RD until close, but we take some breaks in between (sit and eat ice cream, ride COP, sit and snack while waiting for a parade, etc.).

We often do the hardest to get FP+ on the first day in a particular park, then for day 2, we have some freedom to change up ones like BTMRR, Space Mountain, Splash, etc., depending on which ones we have already done and which ones the kids really want to do.

You will probably get one little to wait ride on SDMT right after your breakfast on day 1, so if your kids don't love it and want to do it twice more, you might consider changing it for something else. (My kids love it so much they would ride it 10 times in a trip so that is not an issue for us).

 

[Mamaoftwo24]

I agree with previous posters, my family of 6 would be wore out from the days before. But like one said.. You know your family the best. Your plan looks good to me though... DF questioned my decisions for our second day at MK... As I have FP for Splash and Space Mountain both days... But for us, that is our families favorite rides and I want to make sure my DD gets her fill since this is her first trip being tall enough to ride every ride in Disney...

 

[CdnCarrie]

Dinner at 9:40 at night with young kids? I can't even imagine.

 

[pa. dad]

Another thing I would say is don;t be dissapointed if you can;t get everything on your list. they do that on purpose so you come back.
And when my sons were younger, we'd do a ride and if they really liked it, we;d do it again immediately after we exited the ride. So it'd be Splash Mt, then SM again and then SM again. One Fish Two Fish was another do it again now favorite. You just can't preplan which ones they will just want to do over and over so you have to have some flexibility.
Have fun.

 

[Nancyg56]

I am just going to be blunt and say it. If by day 7 you have not rested your family, and you decide to stay late in City walk the night before, do not start early in MK. If you RD MK and go all day, you may make it to CRT at 9:40, but that meal may be a disaster r a waste of money.

If I was planning this I would split MK in half. On Day one go early as you have planned, And stay the the kids
Or I have had enough. WE usually start in FL and hit all the attractions that we can on that end of the park. On the second MK day sleep in later, relax a bit and then hit the second half of the park. There are evening activities and your meal that you do want to see or you woudl not have added such a late dinner.
I honestly think that without seeing the middle days of your trip, you are trying too hard to "get it all in", and that just is not possible.

 

[disneyfam31]

Thanks to everyone for their comments. I think it might help to understand our general approach for the rest of the trip. It's also worth noting that we have an extra family member joining us on Day 7/8 who is not with us earlier in the trip.

Also, I made a mistake - Day 1 is actually our arrival (3pm) and we only have dinner @ Ragland that night. Day 2 is our first day at MK.

Day 1: Arrival (3pm)

• Dinner ADR Ragland (6:30)

Day 2: MK (see earlier post)

Day 3: Epcot

• Breakfast ADR Akershus (8:10)
• Tour / FP+ late morning
• Head back to hotel to relax
• Come back for Dinner ADR Via Napoli (7:15)

Day 4: Water Park / Wishes

• Sleep in
• Water Park (TL or BB - TBD) - 4-5 hours max
  
• Head back to hotel to relax/change
• Dinner ADR - The Wave (7:00) (considering changing to another rest?)
• Pirates & Pals Voyage (8:45)

Day 5: Universal

• Breakfast at hotel
  
• Park from 10a - 6p
• Dinner @ Citywalk TBD

Day 6: Universal (Same as Day 5)

Day 7: MK (see earlier post)

Day 8: HS/AK

• Breakfast at hotel
• Tour HS 9-12 (a few key rides only)
  
• Lunch ADR @ 50's prime (12:25)
• Spend afternoon / evening in AK
• FP+ AK starting at 2:35
• Dinner ADR @ Tusker (6:30) (will be trying to get a dinner package for ROL)

Day 9: Depart

• 
  

 

[disneyfam31]

Dinner at 9:40 at night with young kids? I can't even imagine.

I don't love that time for dinner either, but it was all I could get on the same day when my DD was visiting BBB. I haven't been able to find another time although I keep checking. However, I am seriously considering dropping it. I'm not sure its worth the expense and I don't think the kids are going to be upset about it considering the other dining we have planned.

My kids have done late dinners like this in the past and with the proper planning it has worked out ok. I'm going to keep trying to find another time and may just drop it.

 

[Nancyg56]

You know what works for your kids. If they are okay with that late start for dinner I'd keep it. My dgd would be able to start by 8 but not much later, so I planned for her. Your kids are used to this, so why not?