Looking for expert strategy please!!! 2, possibly 2 day + 2-3 hours first wdw visit

[kcchica]

Hi. Looking for a couple quick strategies or list of must hits for the parks.

Here are my trip details

My brother and I (20's)
First visit to WDW for both
Frequent DL visitors

Will be there Next Wed and Thurs, possible for a couple hours tuesday night depending upon my brother's flight in and if we can manage a few hours, he doesn't arrive until 5pm to mco, and mgm and mk are open until 10pm, so will it be worth a hald day pass for maybe 2-3 hour visit?

I am there for a convention so I will be able to buy 2-day hoppers, and possible a late entry one day if we think it will be useful.

We are not staying on site, we are staying at the orange lake resort, (through my job), so no options to change, and again its our first time to florida, so I am unsure how staying there will affect our park trip. I realize we don't get early entry or e-ride ticket stuff for sure.

We definitely want to do mk, mgm and epcot, I think we should hold off on AK for another trip, when we will be able to plan a long week or so trip.

We enjoy roller coasters and fast rides, but also love the atmosphere too, since we grew up going to DL often.
SHORT listt of Fave rides from cali, if this helps
Space moutain
Splash moutain
Haunted mansion
Pirates
California Screamin
Soaring
Mullond madness
Tower of terror looks good but haven't been able to ride yet
loved former ride= people mover, was a fave of ours growing up

Again looking for words of wisdom, must hits for different parks, what not to bother with on this short of trip, etc... how to transfer from different parks, if we hit more than one a day (we will have a rental car to park there)

Thanks
kc

 

[bajanswife]

with 3 friends, all of us mid-30s. We won't be doing as many thrill rides (not my idea - I love em!) - probably more shows.

We actually have 3 days, but want to hit all 4 parks, so we will have to park hop as well, and we will have a car (offsite).

I have been approaching this by trying to answer these questions:

- which night-time shows do I want to see (Illuminations at Epcot, Fantasmic at MGM or Wishes at MK)? Answering this question will determine where you end up for the last part of each day, including the Tuesday.

- which days will be most crowded where i.e. what is the early morning entry schedule?

Bear in mind that Epcot can handle crowds well because it is so big - I would plan my MK day meticulously, and let Epcot fall where it may. However, if your main Epcot focus is test track and mission space (the 2 main thrill rides), then plan them for minimum waits, and do the World Showcase for Illuminations (if that's what you want) at another part of your trip.

If you're not doing the MGM shows, just the thrill rides, then you can go at park opening, get ToT and RnR coaster out of the way, walk around and enjoy the theming, then move on.

If you're not into parades, you'll find the rides at MK easier to get on during parade times. The popular rides here are Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Big Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, and I think Pirates of the C'bean, Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh as well.

I haven't researched park hours for May because we're going in October, so I don't know how late the parks will be open. If they will be open til 9 or 10 then you should be OK. I'd plan the best times to hit the most popular rides, then let the rest of the trip fall around that - walk around and enjoy the atmosphere when the ride times are longest - and use Fastpass!

That's about as specific as I can get for now. My approach will be a bit different, since my companions won't want to do the thrill rides - but they might do the ones in the MK since they aren't really "big" thrills, ya know? Still, I might get Fastpasses for the MGM ones and test track at Epcot and go do them alone! I think we'll all skip Mission space - too afraid of the dizziness/sickness that everyone's talking about!

 

[kcchica]

Well It looks like Epcot is open 9-9 tues- thur and mk and mgm are open 9-10 on tues and 9-9 wed and thur.

We really don't do shows at all or parades. I woudl be interested in hearing opinions on the shows, but most likely won't plan our trip around them, we will just see the ones wherever we end up I guess...

Thanks for the input, that is certainly some good information to consider...

thanks

any more expert advice out there?

 

[bajanswife]

I'm not sure if it's worth going to a park for only 2 - 3 hours, so you could have dinner at California Grill (Contemporary resort), timed to coincide with the Wishes fireworks display at MK. There's an observation deck, the story and music is piped in, and from all accounts the view is fabulous. CG is a great restaurant too. You could do Downtown Disney first, pop over to CG for dinner and Wishes, then hit Pleasure Island for a while.

You could then do MK one of your mornings followed by Epcot World Showcase, and the Epcot thrill rides the other (Future World) followed by MGM. You could probably do the MGM thrill rides during the afternoon parade or using Fastpass, or even during the first showing of Fantasmic (catch the second show if it's on - it's supposed to be awesome!).

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[RLewis]

It'll be tough getting much accomplished in 2 or 3 hours. I would suggest MGM because it's a few minutes closer than MK, and it opened about as long (Epcot usually closes earlier).

You could use this time to see Fantasmic - however, it's essentially the same show in DL, so unless you're a huge fan, you may instead want to catch MGMs two thrill rides (rockN Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror). There easier to get into when everyone else is at Fantasmic.

The Great Movie is also unique and should also not be hard to get into at night. I like the Muppet 4D Movie (not sure if that is now in DL also?). I think the SciFi Dine-In is interesting to see. You should stop in and look at it (maybe dessert) if you don't have time for dinner.

At MK, I think you'll find the differences (between DL and WDW) interesting - if not a little disappointing. I would first go to Space Mountain (a different experience from DL), then walk back through Fantasy Land. You be struck by how poorly (compared to DL) the area is.

Walk on through to Frontierland. Most of your favorites are here, just oddly out of place. But I think the WDW layout works better. Note that Splah Mountain is the other (besides Space) big crowded attraction (alas, there is no Indian Jones or Matterhorn). Although you don't like theater shows, I would suggest the Hall of Presidents (it's more impressive than its Mr. Lincoln conterpart in DL).

Although the Pirate ride has no restaurant (like the very nice one in DL), theCastle does. I think you should try to hace lunch or dinner there.

The two big rides at EPCOT or Fast Track and Mission Space. Both good thrill rides will be busy all day. Again, like the Hall of Presidents, I think you should see the American Adventure presentation also.

Unlike DL, Priority Seating arrangements are a big deal at WDW, so youshould spend a little time thinking about it. Also, note that WDW has a much more extensive monorail system, so it can be kind o ffun to take the monorail to the Contemporary Hotel for lunch/dinner.

You transfer from EPCOT to MK on the monorail. You transfer from EPCOT to MGM by boat (or a longish walk). From MGM to MK can be more of a challenge becuase you have to take a bus to a hotel or the Ticket and Transportation Center (near MK). There are a few options, but they all take some time.

 

[kcchica]

I just want to add that we will want to do country bears, since they took them out at DL and it was a childhood fave, also it sounds like there are several different monorail routes, so we would want to try and ride them all, all the way around to see the different parks, if we are allowed roundtrip rides that is...

any more ideas.
thanks
kc

 

[RLewis]

RE: monorail:
Not exactly (ride around and see all of the parks). There are three loops
One goes from the Ticket and Transporation Center To MK (around a large lake). It goes past/through 3 hotels but does not make any other stops.
The second run aside the first loop, but it also stops at the three resorts (Poly, Grand Floridian, Contemp).
A third loop goes from the TTC to Epcot. It most follows along the main road into MK and does not go past any other resorts or parks.

This is no access to MGM or AK via monorail (nor do the monorails go anywhere near them).

All three loops are basically offer round trips. You can get on or off (or stay on all day) as you wish.

 

[dgaston]

I think Splash at WDW is worth doing, and try to see Mickey's Philharmagic, a really fun 3D movie. The people mover is now the TTA in Tomorrowland, and Space is different at WDW than Disneyland. At Epcot I like shows in the Met Pavillion, now only open seasonally, especially Cranium Command. Ellen's Universe of Energy doesn't have a DL counterpart, but it's 45 minutes long. I like the American Adventure much more than the Hall of Presidents in MK. Eating (and drinking) in Epcot can be a lot of fun.

At MGM, I love the Little Mermaid show, and the Thrill rides, and try to get on Star Tours (identical to DL). I usually do Fantasmic, although the theater setting is very different than DL.

Hope that helps!