HS Touring Plan review -- Updated Plan!

[princesspaigey]

Hello! Myself, my husband, and my daughter (7) are bringing her best friend (8) who has never been. We are also celebrating BF's birthday while there, since it's just a couple weeks before we go. My husband's parents are also coming with us.

We are staying at Ft. Wilderness. This trip we are only going to HS on Tuesday, 3/12 since my husband and parents have never been and my daughter and I haven't been to TSL. We're coming back in June for MK and Epcot. Went to AK last summer.

Old plan:

Arrive by 7:45 am for a 9 am open. (excluding grandparents)
BYO breakfast
Driving

RD Slinky Dog Dash
Alien Swirl
Meet Woody and Jessie
Meet Buzz if time
FP+ TSMM (9:10 - 10:10)
FP+ ToT (10:10 - 11:10) *grandparents joining us around this time**
FP+ Star Tours (11:10 - 12:10)
Dining Reservations at Sci-Fi for 11:30.. trying to push a little later
Sign up for Jedi Training, ideally for 2:10; or 5:10, 6:10
Indiana Johns show (trying to get 4th FP)
Jedi Training if possible

Leave park to nap at resort.

Return to park in time for 5 pm BatB show
Jedi training if not earlier
Muppets show
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
QS dinner
Fantasmic (trying to get 5th FP)

We'd also love to meet with Mickey & Minnie but may not have time. May try to get another character M&G in the evening if the lines are low enough.

--
Is this reasonable? Anything I should try to fit in or replace? I may be a minority but I'm so sad the Great Movie Ride is gone!

This next morning, we're ending our trip with the last breakfast of the day Cape May Cafe breakfast.

Thanks for any feedback!

Updated Plan!

Arrive by 7:30 am for a 9 am open.
Grandparents joining us around 10-10:30.
BYO breakfast
Driving

(TSL 9 am - 11 am)
RD Slinky Dog Dash
Alien Swirl
FP+ TSMM (9:10-10:10 trying to move closer to 9:30)
M&G Woody and Jessie or Buzz (if time)

ADR at Sci-Fi for 11:20

Sign-up for Jedi training
1:15 pm Indy show (Maybe w/ Sci-Fi Milkshake to go!)
Star Tours
Muppets (if time)

FP+ ToT (2:05-3:05)
FP+ RnR (3:05-3:05)
4:00 BatB show
4:50 or 5:15 VotLM show
6:10 Jedi Training w Backlot Express dinner
M&G Mickey n Minnie (if time)
Fantasmic (4th FP+ if possible)


If everyone's tired, we can head back after Jedi Training or after Mickey M&G and skip Fantasmic.

 

[Calee]

So you are only doing 1 park day? I wouldn't leave to nap. If you get a 210 jedi training, you wont be to the car until at least 310. And then to make it back for a 5 beauty and the beast show you would need to leave your resort by 4. I think your itinerary is too tight to go back to nap, plus with only 1 park day I wouldn't waste the time.

Also I would try to sign up for jedi training earlier. The sign ups arent that that far from star tours so maybe go by there on your way from TOT to star tours?

 

[princesspaigey]

So you are only doing 1 park day? I wouldn't leave to nap. If you get a 210 jedi training, you wont be to the car until at least 310. And then to make it back for a 5 beauty and the beast show you would need to leave your resort by 4. I think your itinerary is too tight to go back to nap, plus with only 1 park day I wouldn't waste the time.

Also I would try to sign up for jedi training earlier. The sign ups arent that that far from star tours so maybe go by there on your way from TOT to star tours?

Good plan for sign up, thank you! I don't want to return for a break but husband does. Maybe since the end of the day is a lot of shows, I can convince him to stay. We may not make it to Fantasmic! Hmm.

 

[KayaWildfire]

Another thing to plan in Jedi Training is that you have to show up at least 30 minutes in advance of your show(I think its 30, that's what it was last time we did it). So if you end with the evening Jedi shows, seeing Beauty and the Beast could present a problem and make your nap even shorter.

 

[tlmadden73]

You can sign up for Jedi Training that late in the day? I had always thought it was a "first thing in the morning" type of deal - if anything just so you can pick your time.

Not sure how fast SDD goes, but when I went .. we got there at RD (was let in before 9:00) .. and the line for SDD was all the way to Little Mermaid! We skipped all those people and walked on TSMM (no wait).
seems like if you get there at RD you could still be waiting an hour or so!

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

I think your plan is a little cramped.

You'll want to sign up for Jedi Training early in the day. You no longer have to race right over, but I would sign up as soon as you're done with TSL so that you can get a time slot that works for your plan. There will be time slots available later in the day (that has been the case lately, always subject to change) but to get one you are sure will work I wouldn't wait until the afternoon. Also, you have to be there 30 minutes before the show. So for the 2:10 show, you'd have to be there by 1:40.

Toy Story Land, even at RD, is going to take a while. I'd allow at least 1.5 hours for SDD, Alien Saucers, and the FP for TSMM. The character meets are going to add at least another 30 minutes if not more (for both, total).

Muppet Vision closes at 6. If you keep the mid-day break, you'll need to see an earlier show, and possibly skip BaTB as well. The mid-day break is also going to eat up a lot of time, and that's okay (sometimes my crowd needs the rest more than they need to see a show/ go on a ride), but you would have to likely cut some things out of this plan for it to work.

You will likely not need a FP for Indiana Jones, so nab Fantasmic instead. Even with a Fantasmic FP you have to plan on being there early.

 

[gap2368]

Hello! Myself, my husband, and my daughter (7) are bringing her best friend (8) who has never been. We are also celebrating BF's birthday while there, since it's just a couple weeks before we go. My husband's parents are also coming with us.

We are staying at Ft. Wilderness. This trip we are only going to HS on Tuesday, 3/12 since my husband and parents have never been and my daughter and I haven't been to TSL. We're coming back in June for MK and Epcot. Went to AK last summer.

Anyway, the plan currently is...

Arrive by 7:45 am for a 9 am open. (excluding grandparents)
BYO breakfast
Driving

RD Slinky Dog Dash
Alien Swirl
Meet Woody and Jessie
Meet Buzz if time
FP+ TSMM (9:10 - 10:10)
FP+ ToT (10:10 - 11:10) *grandparents joining us around this time**
FP+ Star Tours (11:10 - 12:10)
Dining Reservations at Sci-Fi for 11:30.. trying to push a little later
Sign up for Jedi Training, ideally for 2:10; or 5:10, 6:10
Indiana Johns show (trying to get 4th FP)
Jedi Training if possible

Leave park to nap at resort.

Return to park in time for 5 pm BatB show
Jedi training if not earlier
Muppets show
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
QS dinner
Fantasmic (trying to get 5th FP)

We'd also love to meet with Mickey & Minnie but may not have time. May try to get another character M&G in the evening if the lines are low enough.

--
Is this reasonable? Anything I should try to fit in or replace? I may be a minority but I'm so sad the Great Movie Ride is gone!

This next morning, we're ending our trip with the last breakfast of the day Cape May Cafe breakfast.

Thanks for any feedback!

I would plane on TSL taking much longer then you think.

 

[princesspaigey]

Thank you everyone for your feedback! Definitely taking it to heart.

Updated:

Anyway, the plan currently is...

Arrive by 7:30 am for a 9 am open. (excluding grandparents)
BYO breakfast
Driving

(TSL 9 am - 10:30 am)
RD Slinky Dog Dash
Alien Swirl
Meet Woody and Jessie or Buzz if time
FP+ TSMM (9:10 - 10:10)

FP+ ToT (10:10 - 11:10) *grandparents joining us around this time** *moving to slightly later*

Sign up for Jedi Training

FP+ Star Tours (11:10 - 12:10) *moving slightly later*

Dining Reservations at Sci-Fi for 11:30 (trying to move later, maybe after Indy show?)

1:15 pm Indiana Johns show (trying to get 4th FP)

However they fit in after that:
BatB show
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Muppets show
Jedi training

QS dinner (recommendations?)

Fantasmic (trying to get 5th FP)

We'd also love to meet with Mickey & Minnie but may not have time. May try to get another character M&G in the evening if the lines are low enough.

--

Going to try to avoid a break. If we all need a break, we'll go at whatever time and I'll leave it up to the group whether we come back. All of our must-dos are before the Indy show, plus Jedi training. Everything else is icing! It'd like for everyone to see Fantasmic if we can make it though. Thanks for all the advice it's greatly appreciated!

 

[Lorelei18]

Unless you can move your Sci Fi reservation later or make sure you are at Star Tours by 11:05am, I don't think you will be able to make that work. With Fastpass I allow at least 30 min each for both ToT And Star Tours in my planning. Other option would be moving Star Tours to after lunch, and not Fastpassing Indiana Jones. OR switching fastpass for Star Tours and ToT. So, you could go to Jedi Training signups after TSL, then to Star Tours and lunch. Indiana Jones show without a Fastpass, then ToT with FP.

What are the girls priorities? I also notice you don't include Rockin Roller Coaster anywhere.

If you can get an evening Jedi Training I recommend it, it can get pretty hot midday. I'd plan to commit an hour in your itinerary to the Jedi Training. Often one of us will wait with the kids for this (since they need to arrive 30 min in advance) and the other will go grab QS dinner at Backlot. Then eat during/after the show.

 

[princesspaigey]

Unless you can move your Sci Fi reservation later or make sure you are at Star Tours by 11:05am, I don't think you will be able to make that work. With Fastpass I allow at least 30 min each for both ToT And Star Tours in my planning. Other option would be moving Star Tours to after lunch, and not Fastpassing Indiana Jones. OR switching fastpass for Star Tours and ToT. So, you could go to Jedi Training signups after TSL, then to Star Tours and lunch. Indiana Jones show without a Fastpass, then ToT with FP.

What are the girls priorities? I also notice you don't include Rockin Roller Coaster anywhere.

If you can get an evening Jedi Training I recommend it, it can get pretty hot midday. I'd plan to commit an hour in your itinerary to the Jedi Training. Often one of us will wait with the kids for this (since they need to arrive 30 min in advance) and the other will go grab QS dinner at Backlot. Then eat during/after the show.

Oh great advice! Thank you! I don't think the girls are tall enough for RNR.. but I'll measure them. I've never ridden it and I love rollar coasters but I don't want to leave them out of anything!

Girl's priorities are SDD, ToT (first time for all of us), Star Tours and Indy show. They don't know Jedi Training exists but I know they'd love it!

Love the idea of organzing the meal w Jedi training.

I'm going to see if I can modify my FP+ around. Wish we got SDD! 60+1, gone.

 

[princesspaigey]

Oh they are definitely tall enough for RNR! This changes everything! LOL.

I'm so grateful for these boards. Updated plan ASAP.

 

[Lorelei18]

Yeah, i would measure them for rockin roller coaster. My son who just turned 6 is excited he may be tall enough with his shoes on. Hoping he gains another 1/2" before our April trip to be certain. It is a lot of fun, but not too intense in my opinion. Less than ToT or Expedition Everest i think.

We almost always do an early lunch at Sci Fi. Which is why I know how 2 1/2 hrs slips by very fast. Most of the rides have some sort of preshow and take a bit of time. Ive learned to expect a slower pace at HS. But I think the girls priorities are good ones. I would definitely throw in TSMM as a priority too. Such a fun ride. And Indy is a really great show. We make time for it every year. We have found that the 6pm show works well for us because we leave for a midday break. Also, make sure you look at the time the various QS food is open as some of them close early. Often we have found they will add Jedi trainings later in the evening for busy times so have done those. But then we dont do Fantasmic. Id keep an eye on the show schedules. Good luck and have fun!

 

[princesspaigey]

Plan update:
Arrive by 7:30 am for a 9 am open. (excluding grandparents)
BYO breakfast
Driving

(TSL 9 am - 11 am)
RD Slinky Dog Dash
Alien Swirl
FP+ TSMM (9:10; trying for 9:30, 9:40..)
Meet Woody and Jessie or Buzz if time

ADR at Sci-Fi for 11:20

Sign-up for Jedi training
1:15 pm Indy show (Maybe w/ Sci-Fi Milkshake to go!)
Star Tours
Muppets (if time)

FP+ ToT (2:05)
FP+ RnR (3:05)
4:00 BatB show
4:50 or 5:15 VotLM show
6:10 Jedi Training w Backlot Express dinner
M&G Mickey n Minnie (if time)
Fantasmic (4th FP+ if possible)


If everyone's tired, we can head back after Jedi Training or after Mickey M&G and skip Fantasmic.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Yeah, i would measure them for rockin roller coaster. My son who just turned 6 is excited he may be tall enough with his shoes on. Hoping he gains another 1/2" before our April trip to be certain. It is a lot of fun, but not too intense in my opinion. Less than ToT or Expedition Everest i think.

I hope your DS grows that extra half inch. My DS was so excited to go on Primeval Whirl (I don't know - all my kids love it - I found them under rocks). He just hit the bar last trip a couple weeks before his 6th b-day. The CM at the entry measured him and it was a solid measure - his normal shoes, no funny business on our part. But the CM inside spotted him the minute we came up the ramp. She gave him stink eye the whole way. She pulled him over to measure him again but there was no question that he hit the bar. She was trying to adjust it to get it to show he was too short, but it was pretty clear he was tall enough. I don't know what her issue was, maybe the entry CM had been letting in kids who were too short, I don't know. It was funny, but only because the sticks were consistent and he was allowed to ride. If your son's close just prepare him for the possibility that the measure may not go his way.

 

[princesspaigey]

Yeah, i would measure them for rockin roller coaster. My son who just turned 6 is excited he may be tall enough with his shoes on. Hoping he gains another 1/2" before our April trip to be certain. It is a lot of fun, but not too intense in my opinion. Less than ToT or Expedition Everest i think.

We almost always do an early lunch at Sci Fi. Which is why I know how 2 1/2 hrs slips by very fast. Most of the rides have some sort of preshow and take a bit of time. Ive learned to expect a slower pace at HS. But I think the girls priorities are good ones. I would definitely throw in TSMM as a priority too. Such a fun ride. And Indy is a really great show. We make time for it every year. We have found that the 6pm show works well for us because we leave for a midday break. Also, make sure you look at the time the various QS food is open as some of them close early. Often we have found they will add Jedi trainings later in the evening for busy times so have done those. But then we dont do Fantasmic. Id keep an eye on the show schedules. Good luck and have fun!

Thank you so much! I hope he's able to get on! I thought the height restriction was higher, my daughter is a few inches over it now and her best friend is taller than she is! Just switched our Star Tours FP+ over to RnR!

Hope you have an amazing trip!

 

[Lorelei18]

Thank you so much! I hope he's able to get on! I thought the height restriction was higher, my daughter is a few inches over it now and her best friend is taller than she is! Just switched our Star Tours FP+ over to RnR!

Hope you have an amazing trip!

You as well!

 

[Lorelei18]

I hope your DS grows that extra half inch. My DS was so excited to go on Primeval Whirl (I don't know - all my kids love it - I found them under rocks). He just hit the bar last trip a couple weeks before his 6th b-day. The CM at the entry measured him and it was a solid measure - his normal shoes, no funny business on our part. But the CM inside spotted him the minute we came up the ramp. She gave him stink eye the whole way. She pulled him over to measure him again but there was no question that he hit the bar. She was trying to adjust it to get it to show he was too short, but it was pretty clear he was tall enough. I don't know what her issue was, maybe the entry CM had been letting in kids who were too short, I don't know. It was funny, but only because the sticks were consistent and he was allowed to ride. If your son's close just prepare him for the possibility that the measure may not go his way.

I know, my DS also wants to ride Primeval Whirl!

 

[Lorelei18]

Plan update:
Arrive by 7:30 am for a 9 am open. (excluding grandparents)
BYO breakfast
Driving

(TSL 9 am - 11 am)
RD Slinky Dog Dash
Alien Swirl
FP+ TSMM (9:10; trying for 9:30, 9:40..)
Meet Woody and Jessie or Buzz if time

ADR at Sci-Fi for 11:20

Sign-up for Jedi training
1:15 pm Indy show (Maybe w/ Sci-Fi Milkshake to go!)
Star Tours
Muppets (if time)

FP+ ToT (2:05)
FP+ RnR (3:05)
4:00 BatB show
4:50 or 5:15 VotLM show
6:10 Jedi Training w Backlot Express dinner
M&G Mickey n Minnie (if time)
Fantasmic (4th FP+ if possible)


If everyone's tired, we can head back after Jedi Training or after Mickey M&G and skip Fantasmic.

I would try to squeeze in Star Tours before your lunch ADR if possible, after TSL. The line should still be pretty short. Other than that, I think your plan is coming together!