If you can't get up for EE and you have little kids

[Selket]

When is the best time to hit the parks, especially the MK? We never make it up in time for EE and MK will probably close at 6 pm or so when we are there in May. We usually end up getting to the parks about 10-11 am. I don't see how a person can take the advice of coming back to the room to nap and swim in the afternoon unless you get up early with the parks closing so early. Is the MK (and other parks too) generally less crowded between 10-2 or 2-6 pm? Just wondering if we should hang out at the hotel (AKL) until after lunch then head over....get our swim done in the morning. Seems like the only park we'd be able to hit in the evening would be EPCOT, and maybe MGM.

Our kids will be 16 months and 5 yrs old when we're there in May. Thanks for any advice!

Carol G.

 

[Matty_Disfan]

EE days are when the parks are most crowded. If it is an EE day at MK and you can't get there at opening, then forgaddaboudit!

Do another park.

I'd suggest that you do get there at EE. Do your kids really sleep that late? Wow, I used to be rearing to go at 6:00am, and my parents were asleep. But I guess their sleep is a blessing if you like to sleep in.

At any rate: Avoid an EE park if you can't get there for Early Entry. Parks are most crowded from 11:00am until 4:00pm. Just to let you know.

Maybe you should start waking them early for a week before you arrive to get into the flow of things.....

 

[Selket]

Ah yes, I didn't mean to imply that we'd go to a park on an EE day if we could avoid it because I know that park would be the most crowded - especially in the morning. I just meant that it is unlikely we will take advantage of EE. I might be able to get my 5 yr old up and out for EE but everyone likes to sleep-in when they get the opportunity. I'll be the one up at 6 a.m. anxious to go! I might try to get him up for EE at the MK but that would be it.

I'm not sure we'd be able to spend a full day at the park - by that I mean 8+ hours straight. Just wondering if it would be better to hit a non-EE park in the afternoon and stay until it closes rather than hit it mid-morning through early afternoon. Yes, it does seem like a lot of money to buy park passes for 3 people just to spend 4 hours in a park! Clearly we aren't touring "commando style."

Carol

 

[clutter]

I've taken my dd at 3, 4 and 5 years old and NEVER done EE. (Of course, we go off-season.) We've always done parks from maybe noon to anywhere from 8 to 10 pm. When we were with relatives our first trip, dd napped in the stroller for a while, so I brought a book and found some airconditioning to relax in. (that was may, and it was pretty hot that trip.)

Because we've gone off-season, we've rarely had problems with long lines.

You know your family. We're slower starters and get going in the evenings, so not doing EE worked just fine for us. Of course, one day, I'd like to get there for rope drop...

 

[eeyore0062]

If you aren't going to EE mornings, then I would suggest going to whatever park had EE morning the previous day. At MK, always start in Fantasyland, as that is where most of the kids want to be. Then move from there to Toontown, but grab a FP for Buzz before that time. If you can avoid the Tomorrowland Raceway, do it! It is slow loading, and the kids can't reach the pedals to drive it anyway.

Also, if there is anyway to go offseason, you will benefit more if you don't plan to use EE mornings.