How would you "spend" your days?

[mom2grace]

Cast: Me, DH, & DD. DH and I have been to WDW twice before, this is DD's first trip. She will turn 5 during the trip.

How much time would you spend at each park/DTD?

We should be ready to "tour" about 2pm on our first day and have until about 5pm on our last day. Plus 4 full days. We will not be going a water park. We will have hoppers. Do you see Spectro, Wishes, and Illuminations during each trip? We are not "commando" and will return to WDW in 2-3 years.

How would you allocate your time??? I don't know how much time to allot to each park!

TIA!!!!

 

[maxiesmom]

Well, it would depend on many things. Are you staying on site? Are you going to take advantage of EMH? When are you going? I guess I'm saying more info please!

 

[mom2grace]

Well, it would depend on many things. Are you staying on site? Are you going to take advantage of EMH? When are you going? I guess I'm saying more info please!

Thanks Maxiesmom!

Staying at ASMo, will not do EHM, going 5/3-5/8.

 

[maxiesmom]

If you don't plan on using EMH, I would be at a non EMH park at opening. You can get sooo much more done in the morning that later during the day.
With a 5 yr old in tow, you will want to take an afternoon break, for your own good. Disney is a place where if you need a nap, take it! No sense in getting over tired, that is not fun. With hoppers you can switch parks too. For instance, EPCOT in the morning (lots of walking), MGM in the evening (lost of sitting at shows).

I always plan to do the evening events, but not every night, and if someone is tired or cranky, forget it. Like you said, you are coming back, there is no need to stress about missing something. If you miss Illuminations, it will give you something to look forward to next time.

 

[Mimi Q]

I would go to Magic Kingdom the first day- nothing like seeing the castle as soon as you get to WDW. I would do another day at MK, one day each at Epcot and AK, and a day and half at MGM. I have two girls myself and this schedule has worked out well for us. Don't miss Fantasmic at MGM as well as Illuminations and Wishes. My 4 yo DD LOVED Wishes. I think she saw it 3 times in November.

 

[jann1033]

since we always do emh at least one per park per trip you shot my theory but since you have 4 full days, one full day per park. first ( partial )day I'd go to which ever park will be open latest, first full day I'd probably spend at ak or mk, depending on your daughter's interests, last day I'd do what ever you loved again( we usually hop around on the last couple days). since you are not doing emh i would skip that park for that day if i could but wouldn't sweat it to much. just don't do MK on a Sat.afternoon ( only place that is ever packed during off season when we go) unless you don't mind standing around and being shoved around

i do find the earlier we get there the more we get done, even moving at a not so fast pace we finish most big things by the end of emh plus about 1 hr, then take our time and see everything else( except last trip was our first to ak and 1 1/2 days was not long enought there for us).

spectro, wishes and illuminations are musts we do if we at all possibly can and since she hasn't seen fantasmic i'd go but we generally don't need to do that every trip,

midday breaks etc, i really think depends on your family. we never have, even with our kids at 6yrs. but they are troopers. we also always ate a sit down lunch and took our time plus the kids seemed to eat better knowing they were in the park and weren't waiting to rush off to get there( breakfast) or tired ( dinner). off season( when we go) hrs are shorter and you really need 3+ hrs to imo make it worthwhile to go to the resort...to much time. we just ( when the kids were llittle) left when we were tired ( usually at closing!) plus off season is not crowded nor as hot. being flexible goes a long way here imo. don't over do but imo we can swim any where so that's not a high priority esp. on a shorter trip for us

most of all have fun and since you plan on returning, just enjoy what you can do

 

[mom2grace]

I would go to Magic Kingdom the first day- nothing like seeing the castle as soon as you get to WDW. I would do another day at MK, one day each at Epcot and AK, and a day and half at MGM. I have two girls myself and this schedule has worked out well for us. Don't miss Fantasmic at MGM as well as Illuminations and Wishes. My 4 yo DD LOVED Wishes. I think she saw it 3 times in November.

Why do you give a day and a half to MGM? It is DH & my least favorite park, and we don't have cable, so DD doesn't really know the Playhouse Disney characters. But, I do know that the shows eat up a lot of time.

Do you kids like Epcot? I do, but DH is thinking DD won't be so thrilled with it.....I thought we could simply leave if she's bored....I love to eat around the world!!

 

[mom2grace]

i do find the earlier we get there the more we get done, even moving at a not so fast pace we finish most big things by the end of emh plus about 1 hr, then take our time and see everything else( except last trip was our first to ak and 1 1/2 days was not long enought there for us).

DH & I love AK too! We will probably go at least twice!
spectro, wishes and illuminations are musts we do if we at all possibly can and since she hasn't seen fantasmic i'd go but we generally don't need to do that every trip,

midday breaks etc, i really think depends on your family. we never have, even with our kids at 6yrs. but they are troopers. we also always ate a sit down lunch and took our time plus the kids seemed to eat better knowing they were in the park and weren't waiting to rush off to get there( breakfast) or tired ( dinner). off season( when we go) hrs are shorter and you really need 3+ hrs to imo make it worthwhile to go to the resort...to much time. we just ( when the kids were llittle) left when we were tired ( usually at closing!) plus off season is not crowded nor as hot. being flexible goes a long way here imo. don't over do but imo we can swim any where so that's not a high priority esp. on a shorter trip for us

We will probably get a stroller, we live in Indiana, and won't be used to the heat, and DD is very skinny, but just today we measured her to 42" with her socks on! YEA!!! We are doing a mixture of sit-down lunches and dinners.

I know that we won't do any water parks, and I hope DD won't want to swim, but we will if she wants too!
most of all have fun and since you plan on returning, just enjoy what you can do

Thanks, any other advice going with younger kids?

 

[mom2grace]

With hoppers you can switch parks too. For instance, EPCOT in the morning (lots of walking), MGM in the evening (lost of sitting at shows).

That's a great tip about Epcot/MGM!

We are definitely planning on breaks, DH and I did breaks even on trips before kids. DH of course didn't want to, but somehow he always fell asleep before I did!