I'm gonna ask this and hope for answers

[bkerney]

Me and the family (2 adults, 2 kids (6,2)) going to WDW in early May....May 6-10. My question is I really want to do everything, including lounging at the pool, seeing Downtown Disney. Will I have enough time to do all of them in 5 days.

How long will each park take? I've never been to WDW so I"m guessing MK will take the longest. In Epcot, I plan to skim the different Pavillions and focus on the rides.

I guess my question is how much time should I allot for each park?

Any advice/thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[java]

You won't do it all in 5 days but you can do alot of it. Now I don't know hours in early May- so that may hamper your spending as much time in a park as we do in the summer... But on a blitz tour we spend a day at Epcot/MK/half at AK/back to Epcot/half at MGM and usually head back to EPCOT- my kids like Test Track, MS and Soarin.......
With the ages of your kids you will want to spend more time at MK I would guess. We sqeeze swimmming in during our mid day break- which you will need with the kids it is a lot of action for them. Are you staying onsite? More info would help... But in all the guide books they show a Blitz tour guide- basically a park a day what to skip what to see- Fast Pass is your friend!!

 

[DisneyGeek2000]

Usually a 2yo in the mix sets the pace for the family....

will you be able to be on the go from 7am (at the bus stop) to 11pm? Thats the only way you will even come close to seeing and doing it all in 5 days.....

Have you been to WDW before, or is this a first trip?

I wouldn't rush it, you will end up regretting it, IMHO.

 

[cleo]

You'll struggle to do it all in 5 weeks let alone 5 days!

That said, the minimum time I would plan for each park is 2 days at MK, 2 days at Epcot, 1 day at MGM and 1 day at AK.

I'd structure 5 days this way:
1 day MK
1 day Epcot
1 day MGM
AK until closing, then hop to Downtown Disney whe the park closes
Pool day with a hop into a park (preferably MK with you children's ages)

Not necessarily in that order.

 

[DisneyDotty]

Welcome to the boards, BTW!
First--please don't be discouraged by the answers here--IMO, no way can the parks be "done" in 5 days with pool lounging time and a 2 yo thrown in! However, you can certainly get a taste of the magic, and have a wonderful time as long as you say to yourself--"We will be back! We will be back!"
We spend the most time at the MK--2 days minimum. Use fastpasses, make some ADR's for character meals so you're not wasting time otherwise in autograph lines. Try to get to Fantasyland during a.m. EMH--you can hit all the rides there if you're early.
Are you staying onsite? You can really cut down on travel time to MK by staying at a monorail resort.
Don't sweat it if you don't hit DTD--lots of Disney shops--much of the same stuff as in the parks.
Have a great trip!

 

[bkerney]

Thanks for all the answers!!! Much appreciated.

 

[airtime]

Please - don't try to do everything in 5 days. I promise that you will be sorry. The worst thing you can do is get tired out and cranky - there will be no Disney magic after that happens.

Get up early every day that you are going to a park. If onsite, take advantage of your morning EMH privileges. After that park starts to fill up, hop somewhere else or take your mid-day break. If offsite, avoid any park with morning EMH that day. At any rate, don't try to go too long into the afternoon, especially with your young kids. Get out and get lunch, get back to your room, take a short nap, and maybe a swim. After about 3 hours (avoiding some of the busiest and hottest time of day in the parks from noon to 5 pm), get back to it. You (and more importantly, your 2yo!) will stay fresh the whole trip, and you'll be touring in the times when the waits are the shortest. If onsite, take advantage of your evening EMH to see even more on short waits.

Following this strategy, you will be able to experience all of the major attractions of all four parks in your 5 days without exhaustion. Plan on coming back, since there is so much to do beyond the highlights!

One note - make sure the kids understand why you are taking mid-day breaks well ahead of time. Prepare them for your trip by talking about your plans with them and why it's important to pace yourselves. Otherwise you may wind up with full-scale rebellion on your hands.

I recommend getting the Unofficial Guide to WDW and planning to follow its touring plans (with appropriate modification). Take advantage of the early morning and late evening periods when waits are short to maximize your chances at the headliner attractions. Do not waste this valuable time doing anything but riding big rides (or ones that build long lines like Dumbo, PPF, or Winnie the Pooh). Take advantage of baby swap where available. Do your homework - know the parks ahead of time and what you plan to do so you do not waste this key time planning instead of doing.

Assuming you are doing 4 days in the parks, I would spend a total of 1-1/2 days at MK, 1 at Epcot (you won't really get to enjoy WS much, but that's the price of a short tour - besides, small kids tend to find it boring), 1 at MGM, and 1/2 at DAK.

Have a great trip, and keep the emphasis on having fun rather than getting things done!

Tim, who wishes he was riding RnRC right now instead of sitting in his office typing this.

 

[psufamilyluvsdis]

if you don't get to see everything this trip, it will give you a perfect excuse to go again. We tried to do everything our first trip years ago, and I still remember how tired I was and I was 10 yrs old!LOL! I would definately do MK and MGM with your little ones and then take it as it comes. Take a day and enjoy the pool at your resort if staying onsite and then that night go to DTD. Whatever you do you'll have a great time, it's WDW! Just don't overdo it and need a vacation when you get home you might never want to go back if you make it an exhausting vacation! Have a wonderful time!!!

 

[skiwee1]

No way will you be able to do all that in 5 days. I have a hard time doing all that in 2 weeks! If you want to lounge by the pool or visit DtD then you will have to take time away from something else. Magic Kingdon is a 2 day park because that is the park your kids will like the best. Animal Kingdom can be done in a 1/2 day though I'd skip it all together with only 5 days at WDW. Epcot and Future world can be done in a day and so can MGM. We go to WDW twice a year for around 2 weeks each time and still don't try to do it all.

 

[Luv2Travel]

Well said airtime.

Everyone has given great suggestions that I totally agree with.
In short: Go early, have a plan, take breaks, and don't even try to do it all in 5 days! We've been a dozen or more times in the last 6 years and have yet to do it all. That's what's so great about WDW in my opinion, and it keeps bringing me back every year. Hope you have a great vacation!

 

[goofy4tink]

Nope, there is no way you'll be able to do 'everything' in 5 days. But, you will be able to get a lot done. I would plan on spending at least one whole day in MK. As far as Epcot goes...I would not spend as much time there. I would start in Futureworld and see how it goes. Your kids are the age that might get bored there...same thing with World Showcase. A lot of the attractions at Epcot are more for older kids. You wouldn't want to try M:S or TT with the little ones, so that cuts down on some time.
MGM has a bit more for the younger crowd....Playhouse Disney if fun, Little Mermaid. I would almost split a day between MGM and Epcot. You can take a boat between the two. I would start at Epcot, take the boat to MGM and then the bus from there back to your resort.
AK is never a full day park for us....there are those who disagree. We like to get there at park opening...EMH if possible. Then we stay until about 1ish and go back to our resort, swim, eat and then head to a different park. With the ages of your kids, you are going to want to spend a bit more time at MK...so plan on that.
DTD is fun....great shopping, but not a lot for the kids. My dd, 12, likes to go so she can talk me into buying her stuff!!! But that's pretty much the only reason.

So....sample plan, based on a Sat arrival, departure on Thursday...
Sat...arrival...eat lunch, visit Epcot/Mgm
Sun...MK,
Mon...AK, MGM
Tues..DTD/Epcot
Wed..MK or something along those lines

 

[IwannaseeMickey]

We went in Oct. for our first trip and did a Sat. night to Sat. morning trip with a 5 and barely 3 (non napping). We stayed very busy each day and took one day for rest and then the Halloween party that night and did one water park. On Friday we had to purposely plan a time to get to the POR FQ pool, like from 3-4:30...we had no other time to get it in. We also only went to Epcot 2 evenings but really just ate and saw the fireworks, we really didn't have much time to look around.

You can stay as busy as you want. We by no means saw everything or every ride, even though we went to MK for a full day, a whole evening and then a morning before we left.

There's alot of things to do!

 

[DisneyObsessed]

As others have said, there is no way you can do it all. That being said, I would play it by ear. Let you and your kids decide what you're going to do and when. It won't be any fun if the kids are tired and cranky. It will just bring you down too. I know there are some here who will disagree with me, but we go without a plan. Sure, we make some ADRs, but for the most part we take each thing as it comes. Remember, it's a vacation. You're supposed to relax. We have had friends come back, saying they need a vacation from their vacation. Doing it the way we do, we have never felt that way. I hope your trip is all you want it to be

 

[JulielovesDisney]

You'll be able to get most of it done, but definitely not all of it. If you take advantage of Extra Magic Hours and Fast Pass, then you'll be able to get most of it done.

For us, we usually spend 1 day in Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and MGM. Usually a 1/2 day in Animal Kingdom, not much that interests us at that park. Then we'll usually go back to the resort and relax the rest of the day, then maybe head over to Downtown Disney for dinner and some shopping. Then our last day, we revisit a park or two and redo shows and rides that we missed or want to go on again.

Have fun, and remember: Don't try to cram all those activities into your trip. If you family get tired and cranky, then it'll ruin the trip. Do everything in the moment, and play things by ear. If some people are tired, go back to the resort relax, then hit the park again later. You can always plan another trip, and focus that trip on doing the things you missed last time.

 

[loopner67]

I've gone twice for only 4-5 days and we've gotten a lot done. BUT we don't relax as much and count things out like Downtown Disney to get more park time in. You'll have to prioritize based on what you want to do.

That said...

I think the most important thing is for your family to decide what attractions in each park are the most important. Be sure to hit those and whatever else you can do would be gravy.

What's funny is once you go, you're addicted. Once you go and can't do everything, you start to plot your next trip to be sure to do the things you didn't do this time.

Hope you have a really great trip and enjoy ALL of the magic Disney has to offer. It's awesome.

 

[jultomzach]

There is NO WAY you could see it "all" in 5 days. My son is 7 and we have had 6 trips to Disney (each at least 5 days) since he has been born. There are many things we have not seen. Our last trip Oct 06, I was pleased to find "small pleasures" in parks I had visited many times. Disney is much more than the main attractions and sometimes the best joy we find is in the smaller attraction (of which there are hundreds if not thousands)! For instance, we found a small kids section in Mexico in Epcot that my son spend two hours in last trip. We had been to the Mexico exhibit every trip and never stopped there. The secret to Disney is enjoying the moment, finding unexpected surprises and in the great detail. Going too quickly, trying to see too much will not allow you to find those things and make for cranky kids and adults.

 

[aunt kelly]

When making your plans, remember to be flexible! When I planned our first trip to WDW, our children were 5 and 7 and I spent hours and hours on this board and read every tour guide and planned each and every minute of our trip. I wanted to "do it all." My planning paid off and we did save a lot of time and effort. However, I soon found out that my husband and kids had their own ideas about how they wanted to spend their time. We loved Splash Mountain and rode it over and over. Because we spent so much time at Splash Mountain, we missed some of the other attractions in MK, but I finally relaxed and said "so what, if we're having fun who cares that we don't see and do everything?" The planning helped tremendously, but I'm glad we were flexible. Our best memories were the spontaneous moments.

 

[julieannbabe]

Me and the family (2 adults, 2 kids (6,2)) going to WDW in early May....May 6-10. My question is I really want to do everything, including lounging at the pool, seeing Downtown Disney. Will I have enough time to do all of them in 5 days.

How long will each park take? I've never been to WDW so I"m guessing MK will take the longest. In Epcot, I plan to skim the different Pavillions and focus on the rides.

I guess my question is how much time should I allot for each park?

Any advice/thoughts would be appreciated.

i wanted to do everything when i first went to WDW.

Seriously when you get there and see the size of the place - 47 square miles - you will change your itenary. And maybe just do two or three of theme parks

you have got children as well.

So take your time - there is always next time.

have fun!

xjx

 

[Hannathy]

I've gone with kids those exact ages and at a busy but not extended time of year. When the parks are not open real late we found going back to the room for a break was more work than rest. Instead take a break in the park go to something were the adults can sit and relax and the little one can nap ie Hall of Presidents, American pavillion in epcot, or Carousel of progess if open, take a ride on the monorail. MOST important be there at opening and use baby swap for any rides the 6 year old wants to go on and the 2 year old can't because this also gets the older one 2 rides with a short time period and helps with the touring plan. Use Fast pass. I would skip Downtown Disney it is only stores and restaurants. I would also not give a whole day to the pool- waterpark maybe but not pool- we have pools in our town but not the Magic Kingdom. I would also not do a character meal they are ok if you have a lot of time, you don't. Pick a few characters in the park that don't have long lines see them and simply explain to the kids we can wait forever to see all the characters or we can ride_______. Mine usually picked to go do something.
Epcot countries will not be very exciting for your ages so I would skimp there maybe even skip this trip or use for nap time with the youngest.
Don't forget there are four areas that will take more time than expected but my kids loved them at that age and gave them time to unwind and play like kids - the boneyard in AK, Mickey's toontown,Tom Sawyer's Island, and HISTKids playground in the Studios.
Get two way radios or cell phones and plan on occasionally splitting up one takes the 6 year old to dinosaur and the other with the 2yr in the boneyard just digging in the sand. I would also skip table service meals not alot of fun for anyone with a two year old. I also don't get hung up on eating well balanced meals for a week. I took my nephew once and he had popcorn for lunch for a week! Guess what he grew up fine-6ft- and did the Disney College program as a Junior.
Have fun, plan and watch the video with the 6yr old especially so you know what is important to them.
We had a great trip at those ages and the easiest one was the two year old everything was an adventure to him and no whining!

 

[jennymouse]

Be prepared to split up to get more done. I just took my daughter, and two granddaughters 11yo & 2yo. The older granddaughter wants to do the big rides, etc. so my daughter and her went on their own. I toured with the 2yo granddaughter and did the stuff she was old/big enough to do. I also tried to keep the little one on her normal schedule. Her and I would go back to the villa in the afternoon so she could nap and instead of more touring after dinner, her and I would go back to the villa and go have ice cream, a bubble bath, then bed. The one day we tried to deviate from her schedule she was so tired she shoved her plate of food in the floor at San Angel Inn Restaurant. Granted, if you're not staying onsite, this is hard to do....