Leaving in 13 days and DH wants me to change our itinerary!! (long)

[mermaidwannabe]

This will be our first trip to DW (DH, DD8, DD5, DD2.5 and me). I have been planning for almost a year (I am addicted to this board) . I have our itinerary planned and it seems great because there is flexibility in it. With that said, my DH says to me last night, "Are we going to Blizzard Beach because that sounds like a lot of fun. I want to do that.". I'm dumbfounded because I've been trying to get him involved in the plans for ...oh, a year now...and NOW, since he talked to a co-worker, he wants to do Blizzard Beach. We only have 5 full days at DW. I planned the do Epcot on Monday, MK on Tuesday, MGM on Wednesday, AK on Thursday and MK again on Friday with breaks in the day at the Poly. I have PSs made for all the days as well. DO we have time to go to Blizzard Beach, say on that last Friday? I just didn't think we would have time, but really, I don't know. Anyone have any opinions on it? Most of all, I didn't want us to be run ragged. SHOULD I even let him at this late date have any say?

 

[lucincia]

From what I heard, you don't need whole day at Animal Kingdom. Hit that on the early entrance day and just keep it to half day and hit the water park in the afternoon.

Hope this helps

 

[ely3857]

Hiya

I agree with above, Go to AK early & leave around lunchtime and have a few hours at BB.

You can relax with the young one & seen as it is your husband that wants to go let him run around all the waterslides with the older ones!



Jodie

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Thanks for the replies! Okay, now here's a question. How do I add Blizzard Beach to my tickets? I have base tickets which I was probably going to add park hopping to, but is Blizzard Beach an option?

 

[Eyore4Ever149]

First- ticket question. In order to do Blizzard Beach you are going to have to add the "Pluses" option to everyone's ticket. I dont know where you bought them- or if you are simply planning to pick them up. You can add this feature at any time during your stay. If you plan to do AK and Water park in one day you will also need to add the "Hopper" option.(actually the more I think about this, the less I am sure, maybe you wont need the hopper option, just the plus option) See www.mousesavers.com for a breakdown in how much you will add to your overall ticket purchase.

Second- Water Parks will be CROWDED in the afternoon, and can close when they reach capacity. My suggestion would be to FIRST do the water park, THEN do AK. This park thins out 2-3pm. Closes at 5pm I believe.

Third- Will you have the ENERGY to do all of this??? AND enjoy it.

 

[DebIreland]

Hiya,
If I were you, I would just pay at the gate for Blizzard Beach. The MYW plus tickets cost about 45 dollars more (over regular MYW 5-day tickets) and for that you get 3 visits to Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon or Disney Quest. You would need to go to at least two of them (or one of them twice) to justify the cost. The gate price is 32 dollars for adults and 28 dollars for children. I could be a couple of dollars out on those prices - check the myriad of choices and prices here at this mousesavers link: http://www.mousesavers.com/wdwticketprices.html#magicplus

Deb

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Hiya,
If I were you, I would just pay at the gate for Blizzard Beach. The MYW plus tickets cost about 45 dollars more (over regular MYW 5-day tickets) and for that you get 3 visits to Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon or Disney Quest. You would need to go to at least two of them (or one of them twice) to justify the cost. The gate price is 32 dollars for adults and 28 dollars for children. I could be a couple of dollars out on those prices - check the myriad of choices and prices here at this mousesavers link: http://www.mousesavers.com/wdwticketprices.html#magicplus

Deb

Thank you. Sadly, I'm so frazzled that that didn't even cross my mind. That would definitely be the way to go and I wouldn't have to add park hopping, right?

 

[marriedmarylander]

Well, AK's Early morning opening is on Saturdays and according to your itinerary doesn't look like you will be there on a Saturday.

But maybe play it by ear? If you really like AK and do the full day there, maybe go to the water park on Friday for a couple hours - MK in morning, BB, MK in evening? Or if you breeze through AK do the water park then?

 

[mermaidwannabe]

First- ticket question. In order to do Blizzard Beach you are going to have to add the "Pluses" option to everyone's ticket. I dont know where you bought them- or if you are simply planning to pick them up. You can add this feature at any time during your stay. If you plan to do AK and Water park in one day you will also need to add the "Hopper" option.(actually the more I think about this, the less I am sure, maybe you wont need the hopper option, just the plus option) See www.mousesavers.com for a breakdown in how much you will add to your overall ticket purchase.

Second- Water Parks will be CROWDED in the afternoon, and can close when they reach capacity. My suggestion would be to FIRST do the water park, THEN do AK. This park thins out 2-3pm. Closes at 5pm I believe.

Third- Will you have the ENERGY to do all of this??? AND enjoy it.

Thanks for the tips!!!
I am wondering if we'll have the energy! I guess we can play it by ear if we just pay ticket prices at BB on the day we decide to go IF we decide to go.

 

[swilphil]

We have kids that are the same age as yours. We have yet to go to the Water Parks. We even bought a plus on the old hopper tickets, so we're saving it. If you are staying at a resort with a decent pool, you won't miss out on the water parks.

 

[SuzEm]

If it were me I'd stick with your plan to do BB on Friday, the day you are going to return to MK for a second visit. Friday is early entry day so you can hit the MK at 8 a.m and then split mid-day when it starts getting crowded and head over to BB and chill awhile. Be sure and get your hand stamped so you can return to the MK that night. In 13 days I don't think crowds large enough to close BB down will be an issue and alot of the people who arrive at 10 will be leaving around 2p, so it shouldn't be too crowded. And BB will close around 6 and you'll still have time to see the fireworks at the MK for your last night if you want to. Since you've already been there that day and you are returning with a hand stamp - it's not considered hopping.

 

[erinch]

expand your plans by a day?

Be grateful hubby's getting in to it

You may find the return to the hotel to rest works well for you. With my kids it was MORE work to get them out the door in the am, then come back for a rest, then go out again. You might see whether, with MGM in particular you might want to stay, do the attractions you want to see, then go back for a rest. That doesn't solve your BB problem.

Another option might be, unless you are itching to see BB, is to leave MGM or AK, you take the 2 younger rugrats back to hotel for a rest and lowkey swim and let DH and DD 8 go to BB. She'll be able to go on the slides and in the preteen area which the littler ones couldn't go on. Anyway, good luck, and feel free to post the whole itinerary if you want more unsolicted advice

 

[eeyore45]

or, go to Blizzard Beach (make sure you tell dh that it cost extra, and tell him how much more per person!) then at around 2 go to a park, since you have the 5 days you wont be using a park day. I too would probably chose the day you were going to return to MK. It sounds like you arent doing Park Hopping, that I would add for an extra $7 per person per day, that way you can hit any late night EMH at MK, fitting in Blizzard Beach.

I'm sorry, but I have to jump in and let you know how much our dd 8 LOVED Animal Kingdom, we were there from open to close, and still wanted more, and went back a 2nd day! Check out at allearsnet for the listing of the shows! Its really tough to see the Lion King, Pocohantas, Flights of Wonder (awesome show on conservation/birds/owls) Tarzan, and do the Safari, Tough to be a Bug, Kali River, the 2 animal treks (dd still talks about the bats, the lions, etc) we also did Rafiki, but probably will skip this next time... Now did you notice, we did this TWO DAYS, and still never got over to Dinosaur!!

Now for us MGM, the best part of that was Fantasmic, dd wasnt into RnRcoaster, or ToT, we did Beauty and the Beast, Star Tours, Stunt Show, and that was it - oh was Ariel at this park???

So, its really individual!! But, I would include your dh, let him know about the extra $$$ that may change his mind, and you can do this another viisit to WDW!!!

Its all good, ITS DISNEY!!

 

[eeyore45]

ME Again!!

wait, DD8, BB??? Is she a daredevil? My dd 8 loved the idea of the slides better than the slides - we went to TL, because it looked like there was more she would like, and she was our only, so it was all about her... mostly!!

We stayed at the Poly, with the Volcano Pool slide, she loved it, it was inside a volcano, it got dark, she screamed over and over and over, absolutley loved it... TL, went on one small slide, and that was it, she wouldnt have any part in the slides!!! Too big, too fast!! She loved the wave pool however!! So dh spent the day with her, then I talked her into the lazy river so dh could try some of the more adventurous slides... just fyi... Plus we took a rolling cooler with snacks, lunch, and we found a table and left it there, while we went our different directions...

 

[jeffn5631]

I am always surprised to see how people seem to skip over AK like it doesn't exist. I am fla SP holder and this time of year go to AK at least once every week. If you plan to do AK and BB, something will have to give. Both are all day parks unless you have no other choice. Also, there is PI, Cirque Do Soleil and all the entertainment there, and TL is right across from PI and since the new section just opened, it might be better choice than BB. Hard choices to make, which reminds me, have to get my SP for TL also. Just to make your choices harder, Sea World worth seeing and that is an all day park with great entertainment.

 

[Traveliz]

I took kids similar in ages (boy 6, girl 4) last year to the Poly and I couldn't have teared them away from the Volcano Pool. Honestly I would stick with that and save BB for another time. It's alot of work to keep an eye on three little ones at a water park and have fun as the adult...Just my opinion.

Liz

 

[Anjiebaby]

You can definitely fit Blizzard Beach on the same day as one of the other parks. My DH and DS 5 did Epcot Saturday morning, Moved to BB at 2:00 rode pretty well every tube ride or slide one after another and played in the wave pool. They had to keep moving it was 1st Week of March and kind of cool. Then they left BB at 6:00 and went to MK to run from ride to ride and see Spectromagic and Wishes. Probably was a bit ambitious as my son asked his dad if they could just have a day off the next day. DH was park obsessed though so he managed to fit in 2 parks the next day anyway.
The key is be flexible. Make a plan, realize how huge these parks are then just go with the flow. I had a very detailed plan and tips which just flew out the window when we spent the first 1 1/2 hours just walking down Main St and getting into Tomorrowland. There was so much to see and the wonder of it all was amazing. We know we will go back so we are just happy at all the things we managed to fit in. I try not to dwell on what we missed.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

I took kids similar in ages (boy 6, girl 4) last year to the Poly and I couldn't have teared them away from the Volcano Pool. Honestly I would stick with that and save BB for another time. It's alot of work to keep an eye on three little ones at a water park and have fun as the adult...Just my opinion.Liz

Yes, Yes, Yes!!!

We (DH, DD7, DS7, and I) had hopper+ for our 3/22-3/28 trip, and wound up saving our waterpark/PI plusses for another trip. The Poly's volcano pool is fantastic and we wouldn't have wanted to give up any of that time -- nor feel rushed at AK (or MK, Epcot, or MGM) -- to go to either water park.

As far as AK: We didn't spend a full day at AK (we were there 8:30-1ish), but were more than happy to go back to the Poly in the afternoon and hit the pool. No way would we have wanted to board the bus and deal with the afternoon crowds at that point.

Play it by ear, and if DH still wants to go, maybe he'd go solo. Can't imagine your younger ones getting much out of BB and it sounds stressful adding it to your already nice agenda. Just my 2 cents to save your $$ (which will be way more than 2 cents). Good luck whatever you all do!!!

 

[mermaidwannabe]

ME Again!!

wait, DD8, BB??? Is she a daredevil? My dd 8 loved the idea of the slides better than the slides - we went to TL, because it looked like there was more she would like, and she was our only, so it was all about her... mostly!!

We stayed at the Poly, with the Volcano Pool slide, she loved it, it was inside a volcano, it got dark, she screamed over and over and over, absolutley loved it... TL, went on one small slide, and that was it, she wouldnt have any part in the slides!!! Too big, too fast!! She loved the wave pool however!! So dh spent the day with her, then I talked her into the lazy river so dh could try some of the more adventurous slides... just fyi... Plus we took a rolling cooler with snacks, lunch, and we found a table and left it there, while we went our different directions...

Actually, no my DD8 is NOT a daredevil. She'll go on a slide but not a reals scary one. See, this is so overwhelming because I've never been there so I don't know what to expect!! Is TL more for little ones?

And to those who love AK, yes, we may end up there the whole day too. I just don't know. First visits are fun, and I have done a lot of research, but I don't think I'll know until we are there!

I'm hoping my kids are just tickled pink with the Poly slide...maybe my DH can just go there if he wants to.

Thanks for everyone's replies. DISers are the greatest!!!!

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Okay, just read the last ones and here's my plan. Stick with my original plan and IF they get bored with the parks and the Poly volcano pool (yeah, right!!) then we will which sounds like we won't! Just thinking about it kind of stresses me out. I think we'll just take it easy and play it by ear and save $100! I keep thinking we won't ever make it back since we live in Montana but hopefully, DH and I will get the bug!!!