If Genie+ and 2 kids, rope drop with ETPE or go later and stay later?

[Jen81NYC]

What is your current plan?

ooh, glad you asked! Would love to get input on it, haha.
Monday: We get to hotel probably mid-day or even earlier (coming from a DCL and I believe it disembarks early). Have MK tickets booked but not sure we're going to the parks that day. Alternative would be to hang out at Poly and get to bed early. There are technically late Epcot hours this day (but again, we have MK tickets so if we go, would need to first go to MK and then stay up late enough to hop to Epcot).
Tuesday: Magic Kingdom. Early dinner at Skipper Canteen
Wednesday: Animal Kingdom. Lunch at Tusker House (not wedded to this though). There are late MK hours this day.
Thursday: HS. Lunch at Prime Time Cafe.
Friday: Epcot. MK dessert party that night
Saturday: 6pm return flight but do have MK reservation.

We have park hoppers although not sure how much we'll use them.

 

[snikki]

ooh, glad you asked! Would love to get input on it, haha.
Monday: We get to hotel probably mid-day or even earlier (coming from a DCL and I believe it disembarks early). Have MK tickets booked but not sure we're going to the parks that day. Alternative would be to hang out at Poly and get to bed early. There are technically late Epcot hours this day (but again, we have MK tickets so if we go, would need to first go to MK and then stay up late enough to hop to Epcot).
Tuesday: Magic Kingdom. Early dinner at Skipper Canteen
Wednesday: Animal Kingdom. Lunch at Tusker House (not wedded to this though). There are late MK hours this day.
Thursday: HS. Lunch at Prime Time Cafe.
Friday: Epcot. MK dessert party that night
Saturday: 6pm return flight but do have MK reservation.

We have park hoppers although not sure how much we'll use them.

Personally I would take full advantage of those late night hours. At 6 and 9 my kids would be able to hang but they wouldn't be able to do openings and closing every night. Even at 16 my DD requests some sleep in days!

I would do:

Monday - MK - Start stacking G+ at MK at 7 am. Go to MK when you get there do what you can along with your G+ and do late night hours at Epcot.
Tuesday - Epcot - Sleep in (but start stacking some G+ around 7-8 am) and go to Epcot whenever you get up. I've heard of people doing so much during those late night hours that you may not have as much to do at Epcot (other than WS) and not hitting RD won't be a problem.
Wednesday - MK - RD. Do a midday break or naps. Stack G+ during your break. Hit MK late hours. You'll probably be completely done with MK after the late hours since you can get so much done.
Thursday - AK- Sleep in, use G+ to stack rides and stay through closing. The park gets very empty the later it gets and you can get so much done. Plus it isn't open as late as other parks so it can be an earlier night.
Friday - DHS - RD. MK dessert party.
Saturday - I would probably do DHS before heading home (or just relax by the pool) since you have had plenty of MK time.

 

[sponica]

Since you have the allotment for arrival day, I'd try and go.

It depends on what your traveling party is like, but what I might be inclined to do is get to the hotel and see if the room is ready. If the room ISN'T ready, stow the luggage with bell services, grab some lunch and just go to MK. Grab a lightning lane for whatever is readily available that's not an insane wait or go to MK and let the kids run around Tom Sawyer Island, watch the country bears and the parade. The things that don't require waiting but still let you take in the scenery.

If the room IS ready, go to the room and hang out by the pool and then see what everyone's mood is. I think it's still worth visiting to knock out "experiences" more than rides. The Tiki Room, the country bears, or what have you.

 

[Jen81NYC]

Personally I would take full advantage of those late night hours. At 6 and 9 my kids would be able to hang but they wouldn't be able to do openings and closing every night. Even at 16 my DD requests some sleep in days!

I would do:

Monday - MK - Start stacking G+ at MK at 7 am. Go to MK when you get there do what you can along with your G+ and do late night hours at Epcot.
Tuesday - Epcot - Sleep in (but start stacking some G+ around 7-8 am) and go to Epcot whenever you get up. I've heard of people doing so much during those late night hours that you may not have as much to do at Epcot (other than WS) and not hitting RD won't be a problem.
Wednesday - MK - RD. Do a midday break or naps. Stack G+ during your break. Hit MK late hours. You'll probably be completely done with MK after the late hours since you can get so much done.
Thursday - AK- Sleep in, use G+ to stack rides and stay through closing. The park gets very empty the later it gets and you can get so much done. Plus it isn't open as late as other parks so it can be an earlier night.
Friday - DHS - RD. MK dessert party.
Saturday - I would probably do DHS before heading home (or just relax by the pool) since you have had plenty of MK time.

Ah I love this but I don't know if i have it in me to change up all the park reservations, especially considering I have a few ADRs. Any suggestions that keep with the park days I have now by any chance? Really really appreciate the input! And getting more and more sold on using the late nights when possible.

 

[snikki]

Ah I love this but I don't know if i have it in me to change up all the park reservations, especially considering I have a few ADRs. Any suggestions that keep with the park days I have now by any chance? Really really appreciate the input! And getting more and more sold on using the late nights when possible.

I see. If that's the case just stick to your plan and sleep in when you need to.

Monday - MK - Start stacking G+ at MK at 7 am. Go to MK when you get there do what you can along with your G+ and do late night hours at Epcot.
Tuesday - MK- Sleep in (but start stacking some G+ around 7 am). Do dinner at Skipper Canteen and leave the park whenever you guys are tired since you have the dessert party later in the trip.
Wednesday - AK - RD. I know people say G+ isn't needed at AK but I would do G+ there in the morning and then do a midday break or naps after Tusker House lunch. Stack G+ during your break and head to MK a little early, do the LLs and do MK late hours. You'll probably be completely done with MK after the late hours since you can get so much done.
Thursday - DHS - Sleep in, use G+ to stack rides and stay through closing. Prime Time lunch. The park gets lower wait times the later it gets.
Friday - Epcot - RD. Take a break before the MK dessert party.
Saturday - I would probably do DHS before heading home since you have had plenty of MK time and not as much DHS time.

***Since you aren't wedded to the Tusker House lunch you could make Wednesday a DHS RD day and still do DHS on Thursday. Then do AK on Saturday before flying home.

ETA: We do a mix of sleep in days and RD days (pre G+ anyway) and we've never had an issue. Late night lines are comparable to RD lines and have low waits.

 

[Jen81NYC]

I see. If that's the case just stick to your plan and sleep in when you need to.

Monday - MK - Start stacking G+ at MK at 7 am. Go to MK when you get there do what you can along with your G+ and do late night hours at Epcot.
Tuesday - MK- Sleep in (but start stacking some G+ around 7 am). Do dinner at Skipper Canteen and leave the park whenever you guys are tired since you have the dessert party later in the trip.
Wednesday - AK - RD. I know people say G+ isn't needed at AK but I would do G+ there in the morning and then do a midday break or naps after Tusker House lunch. Stack G+ during your break and head to MK a little early, do the LLs and do MK late hours. You'll probably be completely done with MK after the late hours since you can get so much done.
Thursday - DHS - Sleep in, use G+ to stack rides and stay through closing. Prime Time lunch. The park gets lower wait times the later it gets.
Friday - Epcot - RD. Take a break before the MK dessert party.
Saturday - I would probably do DHS before heading home since you have had plenty of MK time and not as much DHS time.

***Since you aren't wedded to the Tusker House lunch you could make Wednesday a DHS RD day and still do DHS on Thursday. Then do AK on Saturday before flying home.

ETA: We do a mix of sleep in days and RD days (pre G+ anyway) and we've never had an issue. Late night lines are comparable to RD lines and have low waits.

Thanks! I’m feeling calmer about the trip! Although I just read we may be land sick the day or two after the cruise, which threw me for a loop, but I’m just going to cross everything that won’t happen to us? I’m finding Disney planning to be such an odd mix of “you must plan a bunch of stuff X days in advance but also you can’t plan key stuff until day of!” I almost wish it was one or the other—feels like a bit of worst of both worlds to me, tbh. But thanks so much again for the input!!

 

[sponica]

Thanks! I’m feeling calmer about the trip! Although I just read we may be land sick the day or two after the cruise, which threw me for a loop, but I’m just going to cross everything that won’t happen to us? I’m finding Disney planning to be such an odd mix of “you must plan a bunch of stuff X days in advance but also you can’t plan key stuff until day of!” I almost wish it was one or the other—feels like a bit of worst of both worlds to me, tbh. But thanks so much again for the input!!

I did a 4 day cruise and then the parks, I don't remember being "land sick". It was definitely weird being BACK ON LAND but I think the bus ride helped redo my equilibrium. (we disembarked from the boat, took the bus to MCO then picked up a rental to our hotel. Spend the PM at seaworld without a problem)