Magic Kingdom LAST?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

[loveysbydesign]

In fact, we jumped around a lot.

We were not planning to get park hoppers since this is our 1st trip. We figured we'd take an afternoon break and then return to the same park. Also I know AK closes early but we figure that would be a good day for us to go back to Windsor Hills and swim in their pool and go on the waterslide. I think my kids will want to spend alot of time at their pool. Since it's our 1st trip I know that we won't get to see everything, especially because my dh is just as moody and irrational as a child when he gets hot and tired-LOL!

 

[mdoc]

I don't agree with going to MK last. On our last trip I went with Tour Guide Mike's recommendations for least crowded park on any given day to decide where we would go and in what order. My kids are a older now (12, 9 and 6) than they were when we first went to Disney, and we do all of the parks now, but when they were very small, we didn't go to Epcot and MGM because we didn't think there was enough there to hold the kids' interest. In retrospect we may have been wrong about Epcot, but there's no doubt that MK was the park they loved the most (by far!) when they were small. If we only had a couple days to spend in the parks, we'd spend a couple days at MK, because that's what the kids wanted. As the kids got older and the trips got longer (hooray!) we added other parks, but we still spend multiple days at MK. I'd hate to save MK for last and then have it rain or have a child get sick or something like that. I do think it's important to try to figure out least crowded days at any given park and plan accordingly, but I think it's foolish to say let's do MK last so the kids won't be disappointed with the other parks. If the other parks can't hold their own, better to skip them, IMO.

 

[Disney Fool]

We leave on May 9 for our 1st family trip to WDW.

That's the key, too. It's your first trip. You are bound to "not get it right" the first time. That's why we all keep going!!! Don't stress about it. Do what feels right. If your kids want to see the MK first, do it. They'll find things to like a the other parks also. While you're there, be sure to take time to literally stop and smell the roses: You'll be going during the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. Enjoy. http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guides/epcot/events/ep-flower-garden.htm#hm-FG

 

[CinRell]

We always do the MK first and last...I could go there everyday if I had the chance!!!

I can understand if you have kids that may be a little tough..

Me too Me too Me too.. we do it first and last and I could go there everyday too!!! I just haven't found anyone that agrees with me on any of my trips yet

 

[CinRell]

Thanks for all the great advice! I'm having a really difficult time trying to figure out where to go on what day. We arrive at 1:30 p.m. on Tues. the 9th and stay at WH til Mon. a.m. then we cruise on RCCL's Sovereign from Mon. 15th-Fri. 19th. Then we stay at Palms Suites Lakeside from Fri. til Mon. when we fly home. (It's our 10 yr. anniversary and we never had a honeymoon as the travel agency went bankrupt 2 wks. before we got married...so this is like the hm we never had!) My kids also want to go to SeaWorld. My son's 7th bday is on Sat. 13th so I'm sure he'll want to go to MK that day.
I had thought we'd go to the parks in this order:10th-MK, 11th-MGM, 12th-Epcot, 13th-MK, 14th-AK, 19th(day we get back to port from cruise)-MGM, 20th-SW, 21st(last day as we fly home in a.m. on 22nd)-MK.
My kids also want to go to Typhoon Lagoon but I don't know if we can fit it in! Since we are scheduled to arrive on the 9th at 1:30 p.m. I figure we will just hit the grocery store, check-in and hang at the pool at WH for the rest of the day. I'm afraid to plan to go to one of the parks the day we arrive since we probably won't get into the orlando area til at least 2:30 (after getting our lugggage and driving from the airport) I had originally only planned 1 day at MGM but since we'll be there during SW weekends I thought we could do 1 1/2 day...1 day before cruise and once again on the day we get back to port. Do you think this would work?

I've not read all posts so maybe this was suggested but I don't think you'll need 2 days for MGM... however you might want to do EPCOT the second MGM day instead... AK can very well be a half day trip so you might be able to fit Typhoon Lagoon in that day

 

[Jobie]

Hi all, We leave on May 9 for our 1st family trip to WDW. I just picked up a copy of the Unofficial Guide to WDW 2005 for $3.99 at the Ollie's store near me. As I read through it I noticed it says to go to MK last!!! I'm afraid my kiddos (ages 6 and 3) would have a heartattack if we go there last!!!! it says the other parks will be a let down if we do MK first. Any advice on this subject is appreciated!

Do not worry too much. My wife and I both do not like MK too much, but we love the other parks a lot. If I were you, I would plan what days to go to what parks by the projected attendance levels. This way no matter what you will be able to enjoy your stay.

Anyone know the link to the Unofficial WDW Guide that shows which days are the best to go? (I have forgotten it).

 

[loveysbydesign]

I've not read all posts so maybe this was suggested but I don't think you'll need 2 days for MGM

We were originally only planniung for 1 day at MGM..however I'm afraid that if we only go 1 day and it's during SW weekends that it will be way too busy for us to do everything. So I thought we'd do one day midweek before our cruise and then go on Friday (1st day of SW weekend) after we get back to port and drive back to Orlando. Is this doable?

 

[erikthewise]

Hi all, We leave on May 9 for our 1st family trip to WDW. I just picked up a copy of the Unofficial Guide to WDW 2005 for $3.99 at the Ollie's store near me. As I read through it I noticed it says to go to MK last!!! I'm afraid my kiddos (ages 6 and 3) would have a heartattack if we go there last!!!! it says the other parks will be a let down if we do MK first. Any advice on this subject is appreciated!

It's ONLY A SUGGESTION. And I believe the UG presents it in that way; I even think it is presented as a suggestion from a reader. Do as you wish! I think trying to "manage" young children's responses is usually futile and always a mistake.

If you are looking for a commandment, I think "Be there at park opening" is as close as you will find in the UG. And of course you don't have to do that either.

 

[JRawkSteady]

I think that suggestion may be more for first-time kids who have never been to the parks before. This way they don't know what they're missing. I still will never go to the parks without doing MK first.

 

[Disney Crazy Debbie]

By not doing MK first you may be putting off their joy of the other parks because they are anticipating MK and are just passing time. I say do what feels right for you. You know your children/family so if MK seems logical first then do it. The only thing that I have found about MK is that week-ends are more crowded, or at least seem more crowded there than at the other parks.

Since this is your first trip - just enjoy, after all it's Disney, the most magical place on earth!

 

[goofygreb]

We always go to MK first. My kids always say it doesn't feel like we're at WDW or on vacation until we've been to the MK. We always end our trip with MK too!! If it were up to the kids that's the only park we would do!!

 

[Zoemakes5]

The answer, to me, is "it depends". The biggest "it depends" to me would be the age of the children. If EPCOT and MGM is not likely to appeal to them very much, probably because they're too little, then "taking the time away" from MK after going there can be a huge let down. If you have kids in the pre-school through early school age, I'd highly recommend waiting for the MK until you've at least had the opportunity to do a day at EPCOT or MGM. That age, I think, has less interest in the EPCOT and MGM and can get very vocal and disappointed because to them this isn't disney. I've been in lines with those families! Not fun.
If you have older kids, and there's something in particular that will appeal to them at each of the parks, it doesn't matter which you go to, they'll have something to look forward to at all of them
If you have kids that are younger, toddler to early preschool age, then it's not likely that EPCOT or MGM will be terribly appealing no matter when you go, so I'd say go whenever, it doesn't matter.
If this wasn't their first time, I think the "rules" would be slightly more lax, as they "know" whats at the parks and what to expect at each one, so not as much an issue, but I would take the UG advise for the first trip.

 

[slug]

Getting off the monorail, getting into the park, walking up main street and seeing the castle...

That's how I know that the vacation has officially started. That's the place to start.

 

[loveysbydesign]

Thank you everyone for your replies! We're gonna stick with going to MK first and may change our minds and get park hoppers if we can afford them. It's our 1st trip and if we only spend a little time in Epcot and MGM then so be it....I'm sure we'll be back in a couple years and then my kids will enjoy it more. I have 3 days planned to be at MK so hopefully they will bend and be happy to go to Epcot and MGM so long as I show them we will definitely going to MK another day before we go home. For now I just want us to have a happy vacation!

 

[Andrea]

it's just my hubby and i and if we even go to mk it will be last

 

[familyfirsttimer]

Ok, this may have been said and like many other subjects on this board, you will get a wide variety of answers.

Obviously, this is your 1st trip and that it key. Last year it was our 1st trip too. We did MGM, AK, Epcot and then MK. My kids LOVED everything. Granted, they didn't really know any better that most of the rides for them we in the MK. Tha tbeing said, our arrival day we wneded up having a few hours of downtime and took the bus to the MK, saw the castle, rose Small World and got a Mickey bar. Still, the other days, my kids were not crazy about getting to MK, they really loved the shows and characters at the other parks as well.

Good luck with what you decide.

 

[BTown]

Magic Kingdom last? That just seems cruel. It's not a trip to Disney until you've seen the Castle and ridden Splash Mountain. But that's just my opinion. All kids are different. When I was a kid, I always enjoyed Epcot just as much as MK, but I was a bit of a nerd and always had a keen interest in science. I dont think, personally, any harm can be done by taking them to MK first. Chances are, they'll want to experience as much of Disney as possible, and wont at all be opposed to exploring around a bit.

 

[mikymouse]

I would recommend the Park Hopping option so you can go to Magic Kingdom every day! My kids 6 & 4 took our first trip this march and didn't consider that we have arrived until we saw the Castle. We did Mk on our first full day, the next day Epcot and they kept asking about when we were going to Dumbo and Buzz. I figured the flexibility of the Park Hoppers is worth it, especially on the first trip. My plan next time is to always Start and Finish with Magic Kingdom Full Days and then in-between I can get them to other parks for the Morning if I promise to Park Hop back in Magic Kingdom that night. We loved ALL of the parks, so have a great time it is really awesome!

 

[shelemm]

In answer to your original question: I think it's always a mistake to leave the best for last on a vacation. So many things can go wrong. What with sickness, the weather, and other unknown factors and emergencies.

With my family, something ALWAYS seems to happen to derail our plans. We make the best of it, of course, but imagine how dumb we would feel if we purposely postponed our main goal for some kind of psychological positioning, only to miss it entirely.