Itinerary Questions - split stay May 2024

[Jsharp13]

Hello DISboard! I hope this is the right place to post these detailed itinerary questions. If not let me know where I should ask! I'm sure I'm pretty silly for planning out these details this far in advance, but I promise there are reasons: it could affect the type of tickets I get (reg. vs. hopper, and number of days), and maybe even number of nights at each resort. So, I am trying to consider how to budget and plan, and those factors could weigh into that!

Mom and 14 year old son, we've been once in 2022 and once in 2023. Planning last week of May, Memorial Day week 2024. I am hoping / planning for a split stay at AKL (totally new for us, a dream of mine, and would be a total surprise for DS if I can hide it!!!!) and ASMu (went last year and my son wanted it again this year!)

Our touring style: 2022 trip was the first time there in 10 years, so essentially we were newbies. Went with friends, seasoned Disney veterans. We did alot but it was really hot and SO busy b/c it was Spring Break / Easter Week! Our 2023 trip was Jan / Feb, nice temps and low crowds. We rode almost everything non stop, and basically did parks from sun up to sun down!

We want a more leisurely trip this time; more time to just waste time. With a 14 year old boy, we like some fun, kiddy, cute things (he asked for Crystal Palace breakfast again!), but also the thrills (plan to ride GotG three times) and unique things (Giddeons cookies, Aerophile). Also, maybe once or perhaps twice will we wake up for Rope Drop. I understand the benefits of it, but a teen boy likes to sleep in. I can get myself up at 7 and grab a few G+ rides for us. I think our time will be better spent during those later hours this trip, and plan to stay as late as we can / park close / get in line just before close every day! I will get G+ every day, and pay for ILL as needed.

My opinion (in just these few trips), there is no WRONG way to Disney, just thousands of great ways, that are all quite different!

Plan 1: 2 nts AKL / 3 nts ASMu. Reg ticket, no hopper.

Sunday: flight lands 11:30 am. Lyft to AKL. Guess we arrive maybe 1 pm? Explore the resort, lunch, maybe bread service Sanaa lounge, shop, see animals. Afternoon / Evening Disney Springs. Fun dinner, shopping, Aerophile, Gideon's.
Monday: Boma Breakfast, pool time, Epcot until 11 (EEM).
Tuesday: Check out AKL, Visit AK. Stay as long as we feel like. Back to ASMu, check out room, swim if we'd like, relax, dinner at ASMu. (not sure the best way to handle this: leave luggage and later Lyft with luggage to ASMu, Lyft to ASMu, hold luggage there, and then go to AK from ASMu, or let bell services take the luggage - which means it may not arrive until 5 pm)
Wednesday: MK (would maybe like to rope drop or get a pretty early start). Stay until maybe 12, 1, 2 pm. Back to ASMu strictly to swim, and NAP. Tonight we will do After Hours at HS! 7 pm - 1 am.
Thursday: We are tired! MK today, but the latter part of the day. Would like to close out MK as late as possible, so maybe MK from 2-10 pm.
Friday: Depart for home. Flight will likely be later ( 7 pm, so we need to leave ASMu around 4 pm??). Not sure what to do with ourselves this day! Half the posts say go to a park on your last day and half say, don't even think about it. We previously had a 4:30 flight, and ended up just hanging at the pool for a few, but it was kind of inconvenient and not relaxing. Part of me would just rather get more out of Disney on that last day!
*Issues: only one half day in HS which is one of our favorites. Maybe I should add it onto Friday?

Plan 2: 2 nts AKL / 3 nts ASMu. Hopper Tickets.

Sunday: flight lands 11:30 am. Lyft to AKL. Guess we arrive maybe 1 pm? Drop luggage and bus to AK; park till 8pm.
Monday: Boma,, pool time, Epcot until 11 (EEM).
Tuesday: Check out AKL, leave luggage (or Lyft with luggage to ASMu). HS park, morning, early afternoon. Back to ASMu, check out room, swim if we'd like, relax, dinner at ASMu.
Wednesday: MK (would maybe like to rope drop or get a pretty early start). Stay until maybe 12, 1, 2 pm. Back to ASMu strictly to swim, and NAP. Tonight we will do After Hours at HS! 7 pm - 1 am.
Thursday: We are tired! MK today, but the latter part of the day. Would like to close out MK as late as possible, so maybe MK from 2-10 pm.
Friday: Disney Springs. Depart for home. Flight will likely be later ( 7 pm, so we need to leave ASMu around 4 pm??). Not sure what to do with ourselves this day!
* My issues here are: we've hit parks on our travel day / arrival day on both prior trips and we were Exhausted! I mean, we start off our Disney trip already out of steam! So visiting AK that day is a big task. Finally, no Disney Springs until our very last day. Which means any snacks we buy there just come home with us (can't enjoy on vacay), last minute shopping just gets jammed into carry ons, etc.

Plan : 3 nts AKL / 3 nts ASMu. Hopper Tickets.

Sunday: flight lands 11:30 am. Lyft to AKL. Guess we arrive maybe 1 pm? Explore the resort, lunch, maybe bread service Sanaa lounge, shop, see animals. Afternoon / Evening Disney Springs. Fun dinner, shopping, Aerophile, Gideon's.
Monday: AK morning, pool time, Epcot until 11 (EEM).
Tuesday: Boma, Check out AKL, HS park. Back to ASMu, check out room, swim if we'd like, relax, dinner at ASMu.
Wednesday: MK (would maybe like to rope drop or get a pretty early start). Stay until maybe 12, 1, 2 pm. Back to ASMu strictly to swim, and NAP. Tonight we will do After Hours at HS! 7 pm - 1 am.
Thursday: We are tired! MK today, but the latter part of the day. Would like to close out MK as late as possible, so maybe MK from 2-10 pm.
Friday: Depart for home. Flight will likely be later ( 7 pm, so we need to leave ASMu around 4 pm??). Not sure what to do with ourselves this day!
*I feel like I'm not using much of the hopper here and my son says he's not that interested to bounce from one park to another. He's happy doing all we want at a park, and then heading back to the report to swim, relax, snack, hang out, teen stuff. So, I'm less inclined to do this. But, we still have a leisurely arrival day, two trips to HS. Adding Friday as a park day would increase the cost more as a hopper ticket.

Thank you to any and all for tips or advice!

 

[Marthasor]

I would consider the following (it's a modification of your 3/3 split, but only getting a standard ticket as it doesn't look like you are going to get a lot of value out of a hopper):

Plan : 3 nts AKL / 3 nts ASMu. Base Tickets

Sunday: flight lands 11:30 am. Lyft to AKL. Guess we arrive maybe 1 pm? Drop luggage and bus to AK; park till 8pm.
Monday: Disney Springs morning, Fun early lunch, shopping, Aerophile, Gideon's pool time, Epcot until 11 (EEM).
Tuesday: Boma, Check out AKL, lyft to ASMu, drop luggage, HS park. Back to ASMu, check out room, swim if we'd like, relax, dinner at ASMu.
Wednesday: MK (would maybe like to rope drop or get a pretty early start). Stay until maybe 12, 1, 2 pm. Back to ASMu strictly to swim, and NAP. Tonight we will do After Hours at HS! 7 pm - 1 am.
Thursday: We are tired! MK today, but the latter part of the day. Would like to close out MK as late as possible, so maybe MK from 2-10 pm.
Friday: Depart for home. Flight will likely be later ( 7 pm, so we need to leave ASMu around 4 pm??). Consider a late breakfast and, perhaps, Fantasia mini-golf - you could do Topolino's (so good!), Ale & Compass or Trattoria and then head over to Fantasia (via Skyliner if eating at RIV or boat/walk if eating at an EP resort). You could also do a fun breakfast at one of the monorail resorts and then just explore those resorts - Poly and CR both have great gift shops. Whispering Canyon at WL also has a great breakfast and then you could boat to MK and take the monorail around.

 

[Jsharp13]

I would consider the following (it's a modification of your 3/3 split, but only getting a standard ticket as it doesn't look like you are going to get a lot of value out of a hopper):

Plan : 3 nts AKL / 3 nts ASMu. Base Tickets

Sunday: flight lands 11:30 am. Lyft to AKL. Guess we arrive maybe 1 pm? Drop luggage and bus to AK; park till 8pm.
Monday: Disney Springs morning, Fun early lunch, shopping, Aerophile, Gideon's pool time, Epcot until 11 (EEM).
Tuesday: Boma, Check out AKL, lyft to ASMu, drop luggage, HS park. Back to ASMu, check out room, swim if we'd like, relax, dinner at ASMu.
Wednesday: MK (would maybe like to rope drop or get a pretty early start). Stay until maybe 12, 1, 2 pm. Back to ASMu strictly to swim, and NAP. Tonight we will do After Hours at HS! 7 pm - 1 am.
Thursday: We are tired! MK today, but the latter part of the day. Would like to close out MK as late as possible, so maybe MK from 2-10 pm.
Friday: Depart for home. Flight will likely be later ( 7 pm, so we need to leave ASMu around 4 pm??). Consider a late breakfast and, perhaps, Fantasia mini-golf - you could do Topolino's (so good!), Ale & Compass or Trattoria and then head over to Fantasia (via Skyliner if eating at RIV or boat/walk if eating at an EP resort). You could also do a fun breakfast at one of the monorail resorts and then just explore those resorts - Poly and CR both have great gift shops. Whispering Canyon at WL also has a great breakfast and then you could boat to MK and take the monorail around.

Thank you, I will consider this. 6 nights would be the longest we have gone, with the extra night at Deluxe (but maybe I can go the DVC rental route).
Thanks for these great ideas on departure day. I'm on the fence about throwing a park in there. We do like mini golf but wonder if it'll be roasting hot and then we have to get on a plane . These are great ideas for breakfast and some activities before we leave!

 

[BarlowFamily]

We want a more leisurely trip this time; more time to just waste time. With a 14 year old boy, we like some fun, kiddy, cute things (he asked for Crystal Palace breakfast again!), but also the thrills (plan to ride GotG three times) and unique things (Giddeons cookies, Aerophile). Also, maybe once or perhaps twice will we wake up for Rope Drop. I understand the benefits of it, but a teen boy likes to sleep in. I can get myself up at 7 and grab a few G+ rides for us. I think our time will be better spent during those later hours this trip, and plan to stay as late as we can / park close / get in line just before close every day! I will get G+ every day, and pay for ILL as needed.

My opinion (in just these few trips), there is no WRONG way to Disney, just thousands of great ways, that are all quite different!



Plan : 3 nts AKL / 3 nts ASMu. Hopper Tickets.

Sunday: flight lands 11:30 am. Lyft to AKL. Guess we arrive maybe 1 pm? Explore the resort, lunch, maybe bread service Sanaa lounge, shop, see animals. Afternoon / Evening Disney Springs. Fun dinner, shopping, Aerophile, Gideon's.
Monday: AK morning, pool time, Epcot until 11 (EEM).
Tuesday: Boma, Check out AKL, HS park. Back to ASMu, check out room, swim if we'd like, relax, dinner at ASMu.
Wednesday: MK (would maybe like to rope drop or get a pretty early start). Stay until maybe 12, 1, 2 pm. Back to ASMu strictly to swim, and NAP. Tonight we will do After Hours at HS! 7 pm - 1 am.
Thursday: We are tired! MK today, but the latter part of the day. Would like to close out MK as late as possible, so maybe MK from 2-10 pm.
Friday: Depart for home. Flight will likely be later ( 7 pm, so we need to leave ASMu around 4 pm??). Not sure what to do with ourselves this day!
*I feel like I'm not using much of the hopper here and my son says he's not that interested to bounce from one park to another. He's happy doing all we want at a park, and then heading back to the report to swim, relax, snack, hang out, teen stuff. So, I'm less inclined to do this. But, we still have a leisurely arrival day, two trips to HS. Adding Friday as a park day would increase the cost more as a hopper ticket.

Thank you to any and all for tips or advice!

Hi there! I love the plans you have for your mother-son trip next year! And I agree, there's no wrong way to Disney...just thousands of great ways. What my DS8 and myself may love another mom and son the same age may not and vice versa. You bolded it, so my suggestions are going to keep in my making this trip more relaxed. It also sounds like this might be a yearly trip, so no need to do it ALL, especially since it can't all be done.

I splurged on AKL (rented DVC points!) for one of our trips and was so happy with that! We had a Savannah view studio, but I would go again with any view. The resort is so wonderful. I do highly recommend that. If it's in the budget I would do 3 nights at each. AKL has great activities to enjoy as well. We love doing the bead activities. Maybe look at the schedule for that when you arrive and fit a couple of activities in. There are 8 different free activities, about 30 min to an hour long each (some you finish much quicker and can leave when finished... I think we only stayed a full hour for drumming because it was so fun). There is a completion bead when you finish them all, but we spread it out and did two activities on each trip until we got around to all 8. Just an idea. It's not just for kids. We've seen adult couples, sans kids, collecting beads. AKL villas have a very uncomfortable pull-out couch bed. DS will be happy to have the murphy when you switch to ASMu.

We don't find value in the park hopper tickets. It's time-consuming to hop, and can feel like a little much in one day. We've also stopped doing all 4 parks on each visit. Even on a week-long trip. I know we'll be back and I prefer to slow down and focus. There's a lot to do outside of the parks and DS is at an age where he would swim all day. So I have three park days and the after-hours in these plans. I'd suggest you each pick your top 5 (ride, show, experience) for each park and make sure to do those. They can be 5 repeats of attractions you've already done on previous trips or new things to try. DS and I like to know we'll get to do the things we're most looking forward to, and there's always a chance we do more.

Plan : 3 nts AKL / 3 nts ASMu. 3 day ticket + after hours at HS

Sunday: flight lands 11:30 am. Lyft to AKL. Guess we arrive maybe 1 pm? Explore the resort, lunch, maybe bread service Sanaa lounge, shop, see animals. Afternoon / Evening Disney Springs. Fun dinner, shopping, Aerophile, Gideon's.
Since you've done parks on arrival day on previous trips, switch it up and see how you like a more leisurely start. It sounds like you are looking forward to a lot at Disney Springs. Heading there on your first day is a great way to start your trip.

Monday: AK morning, pool time, Epcot until 11 (EEM).
I'd drop AK this morning. Enjoy exploring AKL this morning. Breakfast at Boma. Check out a couple of bead activities. This resort is a splurge for me. I don't think you need to spend every minute here, but I like to make time to just sit and watch the crazy flamingos etc. EEM at Epcot is worth it! We had a fantastic time during those extra hours.

Tuesday: Boma, Check out AKL, HS park. Back to ASMu, check out room, swim if we'd like, relax, dinner at ASMu.
This would be the third night at AKL.
This should be your third and final night at AKL. I'd get up and go to AK or MK on this day. I know just changing all your plans around. That's what would work best for us. I'd wait to see if we really wanted another day at HS after the party night. I'm guessing Tron at MK is a priority for DS. If so, I might actually skip my favorite park this trip (AK) and just do E and MK days plus HS party.

Wednesday: MK (would maybe like to rope drop or get a pretty early start). Stay until maybe 12, 1, 2 pm. Back to ASMu strictly to swim, and NAP. Tonight we will do After Hours at HS! 7 pm - 1 am.
Rope drop MK and after hours at HS?! That sounds exhausting! If this is your third wake-up at AKL and the day you swap to ASMu, I'd check out and see if bell services can move your luggage. Go enjoy Disney Springs a little more today. AKL has a painting class on Wednesdays from 1-3, that looks fun to do together if your son is into that. Or head to a monorail resort. Monorail snack crawl. You can rent a motorized boat and enjoy the lake just you and your son. Talk about peaceful. After Hours will be so fun! Give yourself plenty of travel time to be at the park by 7pm.

Thursday: We are tired! MK today, but the latter part of the day. Would like to close out MK as late as possible, so maybe MK from 2-10 pm.
Yes, sleep in. You've earned it. It looks like park reservations won't be needed at this point. I'd do something wild here. I'd leave this park day open to be spontaneous. Did you ride until your heart was content at After Hours? Great, go to MK. Still have things to ride/see at HS? Go back there today. Did you go to MK on Tuesday? Then maybe AK today. I know this plan leaves out a park, but it may feel more relaxing and give you something to look forward to for the next trip.

Friday: Depart for home. Flight will likely be later ( 7 pm, so we need to leave ASMu around 4 pm??). Not sure what to do with ourselves this day!
With three nights at each, this would change to Saturday departure, correct? I'd probably splurge on a water park day, but that might not be the right fit for you. Maybe Gideon's was out of something on Sunday afternoon. Hop on the first bus to DS and get in line to get first pick of those cookies I'm drooling thinking about right now. Resort day at ASMu and then bus to MK followed by boat to WL and dinner at Artist Point. Sounds like a nice mother-son farewell night dinner. And watching the electrical water pageant would be a highlight for me.

Saturday: Depart for home. Flight still in the evening? I like the idea of a late breakfast! If you didn't go yesterday, you can bus to MK and boat to WL for a late breakfast at Whispering Canyon. There's a hidden Mickey hunt you can do together (there's one in a rock structure that's difficult for me to find!). There are so many choices for a late breakfast Chef Mickey, O'hana, Topolino...whatever you two would prefer will be great.

Have a fantastic trip next year!

 

[Jsharp13]

Hi there! I love the plans you have for your mother-son trip next year! And I agree, there's no wrong way to Disney...just thousands of great ways. What my DS8 and myself may love another mom and son the same age may not and vice versa. You bolded it, so my suggestions are going to keep in my making this trip more relaxed. It also sounds like this might be a yearly trip, so no need to do it ALL, especially since it can't all be done.

I splurged on AKL (rented DVC points!) for one of our trips and was so happy with that! We had a Savannah view studio, but I would go again with any view. The resort is so wonderful. I do highly recommend that. If it's in the budget I would do 3 nights at each. AKL has great activities to enjoy as well. We love doing the bead activities. Maybe look at the schedule for that when you arrive and fit a couple of activities in. There are 8 different free activities, about 30 min to an hour long each (some you finish much quicker and can leave when finished... I think we only stayed a full hour for drumming because it was so fun). There is a completion bead when you finish them all, but we spread it out and did two activities on each trip until we got around to all 8. Just an idea. It's not just for kids. We've seen adult couples, sans kids, collecting beads. AKL villas have a very uncomfortable pull-out couch bed. DS will be happy to have the murphy when you switch to ASMu.

We don't find value in the park hopper tickets. It's time-consuming to hop, and can feel like a little much in one day. We've also stopped doing all 4 parks on each visit. Even on a week-long trip. I know we'll be back and I prefer to slow down and focus. There's a lot to do outside of the parks and DS is at an age where he would swim all day. So I have three park days and the after-hours in these plans. I'd suggest you each pick your top 5 (ride, show, experience) for each park and make sure to do those. They can be 5 repeats of attractions you've already done on previous trips or new things to try. DS and I like to know we'll get to do the things we're most looking forward to, and there's always a chance we do more.

Plan : 3 nts AKL / 3 nts ASMu. 3 day ticket + after hours at HS

Sunday: flight lands 11:30 am. Lyft to AKL. Guess we arrive maybe 1 pm? Explore the resort, lunch, maybe bread service Sanaa lounge, shop, see animals. Afternoon / Evening Disney Springs. Fun dinner, shopping, Aerophile, Gideon's.
Since you've done parks on arrival day on previous trips, switch it up and see how you like a more leisurely start. It sounds like you are looking forward to a lot at Disney Springs. Heading there on your first day is a great way to start your trip.

Monday: AK morning, pool time, Epcot until 11 (EEM).
I'd drop AK this morning. Enjoy exploring AKL this morning. Breakfast at Boma. Check out a couple of bead activities. This resort is a splurge for me. I don't think you need to spend every minute here, but I like to make time to just sit and watch the crazy flamingos etc. EEM at Epcot is worth it! We had a fantastic time during those extra hours.

Tuesday: Boma, Check out AKL, HS park. Back to ASMu, check out room, swim if we'd like, relax, dinner at ASMu.
This would be the third night at AKL.
This should be your third and final night at AKL. I'd get up and go to AK or MK on this day. I know just changing all your plans around. That's what would work best for us. I'd wait to see if we really wanted another day at HS after the party night. I'm guessing Tron at MK is a priority for DS. If so, I might actually skip my favorite park this trip (AK) and just do E and MK days plus HS party.

Wednesday: MK (would maybe like to rope drop or get a pretty early start). Stay until maybe 12, 1, 2 pm. Back to ASMu strictly to swim, and NAP. Tonight we will do After Hours at HS! 7 pm - 1 am.
Rope drop MK and after hours at HS?! That sounds exhausting! If this is your third wake-up at AKL and the day you swap to ASMu, I'd check out and see if bell services can move your luggage. Go enjoy Disney Springs a little more today. AKL has a painting class on Wednesdays from 1-3, that looks fun to do together if your son is into that. Or head to a monorail resort. Monorail snack crawl. You can rent a motorized boat and enjoy the lake just you and your son. Talk about peaceful. After Hours will be so fun! Give yourself plenty of travel time to be at the park by 7pm.

Thursday: We are tired! MK today, but the latter part of the day. Would like to close out MK as late as possible, so maybe MK from 2-10 pm.
Yes, sleep in. You've earned it. It looks like park reservations won't be needed at this point. I'd do something wild here. I'd leave this park day open to be spontaneous. Did you ride until your heart was content at After Hours? Great, go to MK. Still have things to ride/see at HS? Go back there today. Did you go to MK on Tuesday? Then maybe AK today. I know this plan leaves out a park, but it may feel more relaxing and give you something to look forward to for the next trip.

Friday: Depart for home. Flight will likely be later ( 7 pm, so we need to leave ASMu around 4 pm??). Not sure what to do with ourselves this day!
With three nights at each, this would change to Saturday departure, correct? I'd probably splurge on a water park day, but that might not be the right fit for you. Maybe Gideon's was out of something on Sunday afternoon. Hop on the first bus to DS and get in line to get first pick of those cookies I'm drooling thinking about right now. Resort day at ASMu and then bus to MK followed by boat to WL and dinner at Artist Point. Sounds like a nice mother-son farewell night dinner. And watching the electrical water pageant would be a highlight for me.

Saturday: Depart for home. Flight still in the evening? I like the idea of a late breakfast! If you didn't go yesterday, you can bus to MK and boat to WL for a late breakfast at Whispering Canyon. There's a hidden Mickey hunt you can do together (there's one in a rock structure that's difficult for me to find!). There are so many choices for a late breakfast Chef Mickey, O'hana, Topolino...whatever you two would prefer will be great.

Have a fantastic trip next year!

Oh my goodness, thank you SO MUCH! You spent a so much time giving me some great ideas and so much to think about it here. While I'm not sure 100% applies (as you said, kids of different ages), it really helped me look at some different perspectives. For example, as you said, AKL is a splurge and something special, so I think I agree with building in more time just to savor that resort and all that I am paying for. I have to look up those different activities too!

I'm so happy to hear that AKL is a good splurge for us. Of course it isn't for everyone; it's not convenient to anything, etc. But I think it fits what we would like to try this trip!

And, even though I was leaning that way, I think I will abandon the hopper this trip. I just don't think I'll get my money's worth on this one.

I'm not sure an additional night is in budget, but I will look. Our last two trips in 2022 and 2023 were actually 5 nights too. But, we did do a park on arrival day for each. The first trip we even spent a whole entire day in Universal, so that was only 3 Disney days, in the heat, and spring break crowds. Even then I still feel like we saw and did SO MUCH! But, the cost was, we ran ourselves ragged for sure! And, as such, value resort made lots of sense because we literally showered and crashed there.

Again thank you x 100! I am going to read and re-read this, digest and think on it. Appreciate your time and details so much!