I feel so lost....

[Simply Sue]

Found this wonderful forum looking for info to help plan our trip in late Feb 2016. I've been reading lots of great info but it seems the more I read the more I realize how little I know. Sure could use some experienced help in recommending must see, must things to do, must places to eat.

My husband and I are currently booked the 22nd thru the 25th at POR for our first trip to DW. We're not exactly spring chickens so kiddy attractions and meet and greets will not be on our list of must do's. Arriving about mid day on the 22nd. We understand there will be extra magic hours for Epcot on the 23rd and MK on the 24th. Currently we're planning on visiting AK on our arrival day so we'll only have a half day there. Epcot on day 2 and MK on day 3. No park hopper.... plan to stay at one park per day.

Questions:
Is AK worth visiting for half a day?
Keeping in mind we are only spending one day here what are must see/do for Epcot?
Only one day in MK, what are must see/do's?
Attractions most valued to use FP+?

Dining recommendations?

Ugggghhhh... I should of booked through a travel agent. LOL

 

[Hibiscus]

Guide to FP+ (including recommended usage) located here.

I love AK and could spend a whole day there. Other people skip it entirely. Different strokes.

Your other questions are very subjective. You might want to familiarize yourself with some menus & look up reviews on any restaurants that interest you.

 

[NickEslick]

When my family of 4 goes, Mother, Father, Brother (24), Me (21), we only really do 4-5 hours in AK and I think you can do even less then that. What it sounds like you would want to do there would be Everest, Kilaminjaro Safari, and MAYBE dinosaur and MAYBE Kali River Rapids. However the other things that are must dos for me if you have never done them is the shows. Finding Nemo and Lion King and then there are other smaller shows that are not must-dos but are very cool still. Usually my mom, dad and I will wake up early for the morning extra magic hours at AK just to do Everest and the Safari, and if we are there late enough maybe either Lion King or Nemo but they don't usually start those shows until 10 or 11 I believe. Fastpasses in AK I would say get Everest and the Safari and either Finding Nemo or Lion King show if you want to do one of these.

For EPCOT I would definitely do Test Track and Sorin' with your Fastpasses. If you both have the stomach for it check out Mission Space. It is a great ride but can be every intense, although they have the first version which is very intense, and another version now which is less intense but I have never done it before so I can't give you an opinion on that. The only other thing that is a Must-do for me is walk through World Showcase and take your time, and check out everything you find interesting.

My only advice for MK is try to do as much as you can in 1 day. Everything there is cool and fun.

For dining, are you more into quick service style? or Table Service meals? If table service do you have the budget for signature restaurants?

 

[Serenebean]

DH and I like going to AK for a half day. We aren't rushing over there early or anything, but we liked Expedition Everest and Dinosaur is a good ride. We did the Lion King Show as well. Also wouldn't miss the Safari. You can FP EE, Dinosaur and Safari.

For Epcot, I would definitely suggest Soarin with a FP. Test Track is a fun ride, but I enjoy Soarin a bit more personally and you can only FP one or the other. I like to hit Spaceship Earth as well. Mission Space is a must do for most people and you can use a FP for it. I also spend a lot of time in the World Showcase walking around. Not sure if the Frozen ride will be open then, but I think you will be able to FP it if it is.

MK must see/dos for me personally are Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, BTMRR. I'm looking forward to Peter Pan and 7DMT this year. Peter Pan was closed for refurb the last time we were there and 7DMT wasn't quite open yet. Definitely FP 7DMT if you want that. We also chose Peter Pan and Splash Mountain. Im banking on using a 4th FP for Space Mountain.

I see DHS isnt in your plan. Honestly, I enjoy that park more than AK. Any reason you chose AK over DHS? Its a full day park for me, but a lot of people say it is a half day for them. If you arrived for the afternoon I think you can still get a good day out of it. Toy Story Midway Mania is fun along with TOT, Rock N Roller Coaster and Fantasmic. Definitely FP TSMM.

Dining - are you looking for sit downs or QS? If you want sit down for MK there aren't may options however Liberty Tree Tavern should be open by then as well as Skipper Canteen. We are going to try Columbia Harbour House for lunch in MK (Counter Service). Epcot I would pick a country and eat there. We are trying Via Napoli this time. AK has Yak and Yeti - not my style but lots of people like it. If you do decide to go to HS instead they have a lot of fun restaurants - 50's Prime Time and Sci Fi come to mind for not crazy expensive sit downs.

 

[Simply Sue]

Thank you Nick for your recommendations. As for dining we're definitely table service for our evening meal. We have Narcoossee's reserved on our day at MK. I understand AK closes somewhat early in the evening so we are considering taking the water taxi from our resort to Disney Springs for dinner on that evening. Where we'll eat is undecided as well as our Epcot dinner. Budget.... hmmmm, we're not budgeted for Victoria & Albert's (nor plan to dress for) but could if we wanted. All suggestions are welcome.

 

[BebopBaloo]

It's really a personal preference in a lot of ways. When you say 'kiddie,' please keep in mind that there aren't kiddie rides like at Busch Gardens, Kings Dominion, Six Flags, etc. type theme parks. The rides that even the smallest children can ride, were made for the entire family to ride and enjoy with them. There isn't a single buckle your kid in and watch from the railing type ride in all of Walt Disney World.
There's no way that you are going to be able to see everything you want, in the amount of time that you are there. And that's totally ok. You can go over and over and still not see everything. Here are few things that I would recommend for a first trip. Again though..personal preference is just that..personal..so your mileage may vary.

Magic Kingdom - Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Dumbo, Peter Pan (FP+), Winnie the Pooh, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain (can be hard on the back), Small World (it's iconic and historic..Mary Blair was a great artist), Enchanted Tiki Room (nostalgia for old school), really everything in the Magic Kingdom goes on the list. Enjoy history? Try Carousel of Progress. My favorite quick service place is Columbia Harbour House. My favorite table service there is breakfast at Crystal Palace.

Epcot - Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, The Seas with Nemo, Soarin', Test Track, World Showcase. Favorite eats - Chefs de France (table service), San Angel Inn (table service) and fantastic theming right next to Gran Fiesta Tour, and definitely L'Artisan de Glace (gelato. best. ever. gelato. and non dairy options that are so so so so so good). France has fantastic quick service food and snacks. A lot of people really enjoy Sunshine Seasons in the Land pavillion for quick service lunch. It's not my favorite because it feels so chaotic, but they do have a lot of options and it's right in-between Soarin' and Living with the Land.

Animal Kingdom - Kilimanjaro Safari, Dinosaur is fun but super loud and jolting. Mainly I love seeing all the animals and just enjoying the immersion of the park. Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo are both great shows, though very different. With only a half day, I would recommend Festival of the Lion King. Nemo takes up a larger chunk of time. Flights of Wonder is also a cool show, but more something like you might find elsewhere. I like Yak and Yeti quick service. There are a lot of new places that I haven't had the opportunity to try yet in the Africa section of the park. Flame Tree BBQ is also good and a quick service spot.


Hope that helps! Best advice I can give though is just make some FP+ and then relax and enjoy whatever you happen upon. Don't stress over it!

 

[NickEslick]

Thank you Nick for your recommendations. As for dining we're definitely table service for our evening meal. We have Narcoossee's reserved on our day at MK. I understand AK closes somewhat early in the evening so we are considering taking the water taxi from our resort to Disney Springs for dinner on that evening. Where we'll eat is undecided as well as our Epcot dinner. Budget.... hmmmm, we're not budgeted for Victoria & Albert's (nor plan to dress for) but could if we wanted. All suggestions are welcome.

So Narcoossee's is a great choice. My family and I usually stay at the Grand Floridian and go there on our first night. Sometimes we will even go a second time if we stay long enough.

As for Epcot if you would like to try some amazing French Food and have a great French experience with waiters and waitresses from France check our Monsieur Paul. It is an amazing meal, but is a signature restaurant and can get expensive although with 2 people it may not be terrible. Also you don't have to follow a dress code because it is in a Theme Park. Another couple options for EPCOT are Rose & Crown which is a fish and chips table service meal. There are many other options besides fish and chips of course but those are my favorite. And that is located in the England Pavilion. One last suggestion is Via Napoli in the Italy pavilion which has amazing pizza.

Disney Springs is a good way to go on your Animal Kingdom day. I am not personally a fan of much of the food in AK. There are hundreds of options in Disney Springs. I would suggest looking at the list of restaurants there on the WDW website and you can also check out the menus if you'd like.

The one restaurant that is probably my favorite on the whole planet is California Grill. It is also a signature restaurant but is definitely worth it. If you would like more info on it let me know. I go twice on every vacation.

 

[Mikie]

Thank you Nick for your recommendations. As for dining we're definitely table service for our evening meal. We have Narcoossee's reserved on our day at MK. I understand AK closes somewhat early in the evening so we are considering taking the water taxi from our resort to Disney Springs for dinner on that evening. Where we'll eat is undecided as well as our Epcot dinner. Budget.... hmmmm, we're not budgeted for Victoria & Albert's (nor plan to dress for) but could if we wanted. All suggestions are welcome.

From Animal Kingdom, if you enjoy a variety of foods and trying new things, I'd highly recommend getting an ADR at Boma at nearby Animal Kingdom Lodge for dinner that day. It is closer than going back to resort then water taxi to Springs, the AK Lodge is very pretty to explore and my whole group really enjoyed the food there.

However, if you read up on Boma & aren't interested, your plan is very good. The water taxi is relaxing and fun, Disney Springs has good restaurants too, and y get to go shopping after dinner

In Epcot, grab a times guide upon arrival and take note of some times for the various performers in World Showcase so you can be sure to catch a few when you're nearby. Leave lots of time to simply wander & soak it all in. Catch the a/c shows in America, France, Canada if you'real hot and need to give your feet a rest (I mean, they're good shows too!)

I suggest checking out EasyWDW.com and specifically reading the "Cheat Sheets", which give you an idea how to approach each park (work your way left to right, catch this attraction in the morning, avoid this in the middle of the day, etc) You definitely don't have to follow them step-for-step, but they give a great general plan.

 

[HadesTX]

We usually only spend about half a day at Animal Kingdom. It works for us. If it wasn't for one or two of the rides I might even skip it. It's a nice park, just not a priority for us Like Epcot or MK.

Leave plenty of time for the World Showcase at Epcot (if that's your kind of thing..). I love going through all the shops & checking it all out. Morocco is one of my favorites.

Have a great trip!

 

[minnie mum]

I checked my favorite crowd calendar ( easywdw.com) and your plans have you going to the least recommended park every single day. I assume you picked them to take advantage of the EMH hours, but be aware that those will each be the most crowded parks because of EMH.

It makes sense to go to AK on your arrival day. Even though it closes early, crowds ease up considerably after midafternoon, making lines shorter. The headliner attractions that you will want to try to see will be Kilimanjaro Safari Expedition Everest, Dinosaur and the Lion King. After that try to seevIts Tough to be a Bug, Nemo the Musical, and either Pangani Forest Trail. Be wary of Kali River Rapids- you WILL get soaked, which may not be magical in February. For dinner, consider one of the restaurants at AKL. Jiko, Boma, and Sanaa are all very good, but different experiences.

Epcot, especially since it has EMH should be easily doable. Soarin will be closed, but you should be able to do all of the rides that you want to do by lunch time, then spend the afternoon and evening touring World Showcase. Have a look at the various restaurants there ( check out the menus on Allears. net) to decide which one appeals most. Our dinner at Spice Road Table was the dining high point of our last trip.

MK- just realize that it is impossible to see everything in one day and head for the ones that appeal to you.

A simple touring guide for each park can help plan out each day, helping you to avoid long standby lines. I like to use the Cheat Sheets at easywdw.com. They are a simple guide, and if there is a ride or show on the guide that you don't want to do, just skip it and go to the next. The cheat sheets also discuss how to prioritise your FPs, and how to pick which ones are the most useful.

Mesaboy also has an excellent thread that explains everything you need to know about FP+. Here's a link:http://www.disboards.com/threads/fa...ed-priorities-and-strategies-part-ii.3326057/

 

[phyllis1966]

Thank you Nick for your recommendations. As for dining we're definitely table service for our evening meal. We have Narcoossee's reserved on our day at MK. I understand AK closes somewhat early in the evening so we are considering taking the water taxi from our resort to Disney Springs for dinner on that evening. Where we'll eat is undecided as well as our Epcot dinner. Budget.... hmmmm, we're not budgeted for Victoria & Albert's (nor plan to dress for) but could if we wanted. All suggestions are welcome.

It's hard not to stress out with the overwhelming amount of information to sort through, but don't worry, we all love to help!

Narcoossee's is great. I also think Disney Springs on your AK day is a nice idea. I hear that Boathouse and Morimoto's are both really good. On your Epcot day, maybe try a restaurant in the World Showcase? There are so many options: we like La Hacienda in Mexico, Via Napoli in Italy, restaurant Marrakech in Morocco best, but have also enjoyed dinners in France, U.K., and Japan. We loved Le Cellier before it went signature, now it's not worth the crazy prices to us.

Others have made good recommendations for rides - we are folks who prefer AK over DHS. Flights of Wonder is a really fun bird show that's a family favorite.

You still have plenty of time to read here and plan before your trip. You will have a great time!

 

[caroline1851]

Is AK worth visiting for half a day? YES. not sure if you're roller coaster people or not, but ds13 loved Expedition Everest. We love dinosaur. Safari is a must do and Kali river was good (might not be worth it in Feb though because you might get wet) It's Tough to be a Bug is fun. The gorilla are amazing on the Pagani trail. I've never been to the Lion King or the Nemo show but I've always heard they are amazing. Definitely plan to do one.

Keeping in mind we are only spending one day here what are must see/do for Epcot? Test Track and Soarin is about it in my opinion in Future World. Then spend the rest of your time in the World Showcase.

Only one day in MK, what are must see/do's?
Peter Pan, It's a Small World, haunted Mansion, Pirates of Caribbean, Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, People Mover, Buzz Lightyear, 7 Dwarves Train.

Attractions most valued to use FP+?
EPC-Get a fp for Test Track. Love this ride!
AK-get a fp for Safari, Expedition Everest and Kali. Then either ride Dinosaur stand by or after using the first 3, go to a kiosk and get one for Dinosaur.
MK-MUST get to park 30 min before rope drop. Go straight to Peter Pan. Have FP+ for 7 dwarves and 2 of the mountains. After you've used those, you can get another.

Dining recommendations?
We went to WDW in 2008, 2010 and 2015. These are the restaurants we liked: Whispering Canyon, Sci Fi Dine in Theater, Tusker House lunch, CRT breakfast, Coral Reef, Teppan Edo, the pastry shop in France (forgot name). In general, food we didn't care for: Crystal Palace, Counter service in Mexico and China, Sleepy Hollow (waffles), ABC Commissary, Pizza Planet,

 

[MarkinMA]

Lots of great advice here and all over this board...my $.02 is realize that there is NO WAY you can do/see it all, or even all the "must do's" in that amount of time, so don't even try. This is what leads people to never want to go back. Decide what kind of vacation you want, and plan for that. Are you "Up first thing and go all day people" or "Want to go and relax" types? Realize that Disney World is HUGE and keep researching and decide what you want to do, but keep in mind - no way to do it all.

That said - Animal Kingdom is great - if you're not into rides they have awesome shows. I'll second Flights of Wonder, and Lion King is awesome. Nemo is great too...The safari is a must do as well...(its sort of a ride, but not like a coaster).

Please check out the crowd calendars - if you can 'zig' when everyone else 'zags' it makes your experience so much better. Maybe counter intuitive to not take advantage of EMH, but when everyone else is...it leaves other parks less crowded...and that's a BIG thing. So try to plan accordingly.

Narcoossee's is one of, if not, my favorite place to go. If you make a reservation around Wishes time, you can go out on the deck and enjoy the show with a pretty straight on shot of the fireworks (some of the other places you can see them outside the park, have the fireworks off center). The music is piped in as well, and is so relaxing to enjoy the fireworks, then just head back to your dinner...no mass exit from the park and wading through the people at the resort transport lines. Not to mention, their fillet is outstanding.

Whatever your plans may be, remember to stop and smell the roses (sometimes literally). Enjoy the parks for what they were meant to be - a place to enjoy, not rush past all the fun little things to appreciate. All the parks are much more than just the rides. My list of must do's includes sitting on bench for a few minutes and simply enjoying the atmosphere. But to each their own.

Have a great trip!

 

[bushy23]

You have plenty of time! No worries. I recommend the Unofficial guide book, like 12 bucks on Amazon. Easy read and you learn a lot. Everyone has given great advice here so far. For AK, definitely fast pass the safari and expedition everest for the afternoon, probably dinosaur as well. Then plan your tour around those. Tough to be a bug is a great 3D show. At Epcot, they break the FP+ up into tiers, so that you can only do certain ones. So whatever major attraction you can't get, try to do that on first thing at rope drop when waits are small. So I would do test track first thing, then Spaceship earth(fast loading), then tour based on fast pass times you booked. Soarin' is awesome!!!!! Mission Space is great and the warnings only scare people off. Only difference between green and orange is that on orange you feel more g forces on your chest and face. Have fun planning and don't stress too much!!

 

[dres40]

I checked my favorite crowd calendar ( easywdw.com) and your plans have you going to the least recommended park every single day. I assume you picked them to take advantage of the EMH hours, but be aware that those will each be the most crowded parks because of EMH.

I agree with Minnie mum ... the first thing I look at when planning a trip is the crowd calendar from easywdw.com. I always try and follow Josh's advice on which parks to go to which day. There are times we go to the least recommended parks for various reasons and it's always really crowded!!

 

[eyehartdisney]

If you arrive halfway through the day on the 22nd, and intend to do AK that day, I have to ask how you are arriving. If you're flying in, say at 1pm (middayish) and taking the ME, that can take up to 2 hours. Then you get to your hotel, check in, set everything down, say a half hour if everything goes right. It's 3:30. Then you have to take a bus to the park, which can take up to 20 minutes. So it's 3:50, the park closes at 5ish. To me, that's not even worth it. Granted, this is all worst case scenarios, but I can't tell you the number of times this has happened. And this is if nothing actually goes wrong, you just have to wait the maximum time.

 

[cjparker0110]

I was just going to post exactly what eyehartdisney posted. You may want to consider something else for arrival day simply because AK does close early. I'm not sure you would get much value out of it if you only get an hour or two.

Epcot has some awesome things depending on what you're into. I would recommend Soarin' but I think it is going to be closed for refurb when you arrive. Test Track is a must do. Other than that, World Showcase may be your preferred area. I don't know if your preference is internet or books, but you can find all kinds of info about what there is in either format. I like to use the Birnbaum book (I prefer turning pages). That will give a brief description of what is there for you.

MK - Must Dos: Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean. I would HIGHLY recommend FP for Seven Dwarfs! While I haven't been there yet, I hear Be Our Guest is excellent!

 

[hsmamato2]

it sounds like you only have 3 days to visit? if so, I understand maximizing your time at the parks to see things.... if you are older,that's fine too, you are going to have a GREAT time!
All these boards are for 'crazy people' (like myself) who enjoy the details and overplanning that we find here....totally NOT necessary to have a great trip tho!
two sites that are very valuable- easywdw .com will show you the best days to pick for each park you want to visit,along with really good recommendations for each.
I suggest going here first-and planning your schedule for parks.
allears .net will provide a ton of info and photos,and menus of each restaurant. this will give you an idea of what appeals most to you,and then you can aim for those things. WDW is HUGE,and no way can you see everything in a few days,so just relax,and look for what interests you the most,from those two sites I mentioned.
The unnofficial guide is also a good book to read,and it's fun.

 

[msmama]

If you're feeling overwhelmed, my suggestion is to close this forum (temporarily) and head to your local library. Pick up a copy of the Unofficial guide to WDW (and any other WDW books that strike your fancy). Start reading those and then come back here when you have more questions.

I think there's so many folks here with so much info that it gets a little....overwhelming at times.

But, I think, yes, a half day at AK would be fine. Others depend on your personal likes and dislikes. Are you most interested in rides? Shows? I think the books will give you a good idea of what your options are!

The way my family works is to pick 3 things each (there's only 2 of us) that we'd like to accomplish on a particular day and if we get those done we consider it a successful day. I'll be honest, there's been plenty of times we haven't gotten them all done we've still had great days!

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Mome Rath]

Found this wonderful forum looking for info to help plan our trip in late Feb 2016. I've been reading lots of great info but it seems the more I read the more I realize how little I know. Sure could use some experienced help in recommending must see, must things to do, must places to eat.

The biggest thing I'll say is that everything is particular to the person's tastes that is answering the question. It's great to have recommendations, but it usually takes at least one trip to get a feel for what you and your husband will really like. So, for example, my favorite park is EPCOT, as I love World Showcase and all it offers visually and culturally. Some people despise it because it doesn't have rides everywhere, and each opinion is acceptable as it is just that... opinion.

My husband and I are currently booked the 22nd thru the 25th at POR for our first trip to DW.

Great choice!

We're not exactly spring chickens so kiddy attractions and meet and greets will not be on our list of must do's. Arriving about mid day on the 22nd. We understand there will be extra magic hours for Epcot on the 23rd and MK on the 24th. Currently we're planning on visiting AK on our arrival day so we'll only have a half day there. Epcot on day 2 and MK on day 3. No park hopper.... plan to stay at one park per day.

All sounds good... but as others have said there are no true "kiddie rides" at Disney, but yes, if you don't want to meet any characters, that takes care of that.

Questions:
Is AK worth visiting for half a day?

Yes, as is Hollywood Studios if you had the choice. If you like animals at all, AK is worth it. That being said it is my least favorite park, but I do love one ride there; the safari. AK is the hardest park to maneuver IMO, you can't just "look up" and get your bearings, it is the only park I still have to read the signs for directions or have a map.

Keeping in mind we are only spending one day here what are must see/do for Epcot?

The biggest thing to remember is that the park is large, and you'll do a lot of walking because of world showcase. Must do's to get the flavor of EPCOT would be Spaceship Earth, Journey into Imagination, Test Track (fast pass must), Soarin (but I believe it will be closed when you are there), and perhaps The Land, and/or the cheesy boat ride in the Mexico pavilion. Also, for me I try to catch the Voices of Liberty at the American Adventure, and watch American Adventure as well) This is the day to try any countries' food that you would find interesting, and remember it doesn't require a Table service meal, as each country has a counterservice with things to try. The Norway bakery is a fav (they also have good sandwiches there), as well as Via Napoli in Italy for a Table service meal, and the Carmel Kitchen in Germany for walk-up desserts.

Each country also has store to browse in, if you are determined to go in each, it will take a good long while to do so. We usually pick our favorite countries to linger in.

Only one day in MK, what are must see/do's?

To me, this is a harder question because it is truly a matter of taste... If you want a sitdown meal, Liberty Tree Tavern is my favorite. We always do Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan, Small World, the Carousel, Seven Dwarves Mine Train, and esp. the "PeopleMover" or TTA in Tomorrowland.

Attractions most valued to use FP+?

Depends on what you want to ride. Any of the "fast" rides are highly valuable. So, for example, Everest at AK, Test Track at EPCOT, Seven Dwarves at MK. If you want to ride Peter Pan at MK be sure to snag one, though now with the new que at Peter Pan, it is also neat to stand in line, but your time is valuable.

Dining recommendations?

This is very family and taste specific. That being said, we don't have very many "must eats." I love Via Napoli because where I live there is no real Italian Pizza places, and I truly enjoy their pizzas. I like Japanese food at EPCOT as well. Liberty Tree at MK. We hit Starbucks for coffee. I will say; don't over eat. Disney belly is no fun. Eat in a similar pattern as you do at home. At Disney we eat at most one Table Service meal a day, usually it is one every other day. I seek out at least one nice "healthy" eat per day.

Ugggghhhh... I should of booked through a travel agent. LOL

Naaahhhh... this is half the fun! Truly the biggest advice I can give is just get generally "familiar" with things. Know about MDE/MDX; My Disney Experience App and website, have an account. Know about FastPass, and go ahead and get 3 per day. Know about ADR's; Advanced Dining Reservations, and get them for whatever restaurants you feel you "must try." Grab a map for whatever parks you are going to for the day, even the night before at your hotel and just get a "feel" for the layout. The other thing is to take some time to relax and soak up the atmosphere. We love getting a snack or a drink and finding a bench to sit on and people watch for a bit.