My touring plans - first 5 days - v1

[torsie24]

Hi everyone!

I keep forgetting that this trip isn't still 2 years away, and having little panics!

We arrive 5 days before the wedding, and for those first days will have 6-12 people with us at each park visit.

I'm SUPER excited about these days, but also super nervous, as I feel their good times are resting all on my planning and touring!

My parents leave the day after the wedding, so they literally only have one visit to each park, so I want them to experience (what we consider to be) the best of each park, and as they've been in the past and have been to DLP there are a few rides they won't want to miss - BTMRR, HM, Muppets (my Dad LOVES the Muppets), also they've not been to AK before, and both love Animals so I want them to see as much as possible here.

The other guests with us as mostly first timers, with longer trips ahead of them, so we're keen not to panic them into thinking commando is the only way to go, but also want to make sure they understand how fastpass works etc.

So here goes:

Arrival day:

• Land MCO (with my parents, and Jacks best man and his wife)
• We're all staying at AKL, so get the ME together.
• Hopefully arrive at AKL around 6/7pm.
• Jack and I need to head to DTD to activate our APs. My Dad will probably be in a grump from flying economy, so I will leave them at the AKL pool/bar and if Jack's friends want to come to DTD with us then they can, but they've never been to the USA before, so they may be shattered from their first long haul journey.
• We're going to eat an Earl!!!!
• Head back to AKL, dip in the hot tub or straight to bed.

Day 1 - Magic Kingdom

• Meet everyone in the AKL lobby at 8am (although I wouldnt be surprised if we all text each other at like 6am and have a walk around the resort early!)
• Get the MK bus at around 8.10am
• Go "wow" and "ahhh" when we see the GF/Wedding Pavilion
• Watch the opening show! I loove it!
• Head down Main Street, I'm so excited to see everyones face the first time they see the castle! Hopefully we can get some group PP photos.
• Head into frontierland via Liberty Square (Jack likes this route best, so has stipulated this is the way we'll take our guests)
• Grab a Splash FP, then ride BTM, then back to Splash.
• Ride Pirates then over to Haunted Mansion.
• Into Fantasyland where Jack is keen to take his best friend onto Small World, which we know he'll hate. I'm keen to see the changes though! If any of the other rides don't have mega lines then we'll ride them, but if not then my must do for everyone is definitely Philharmagic!
• A quick tour through Tomorrowland, although it'll probably be gone lunchtime by this point, and will be pretty busy, so we might not get on anything, but I'll be happy that my parents have done their 'must dos' and that our other guests can know their way around.
• We can leave whoever isn't ready to call it a day in the park, but Jack, my parents and I will have to leave at around lunchtime to head over to the GF (my Mum wants to see our reception room) and then walk over to the wedding pavillion and the planning office.
• Head back to AKL where we need to do a couple of wedding bits, hopefully grab an hour by the pool before...
• 7.30pm reservation at Jiko with my parents
• Early night, as it's another rope drop tomorrow!

Day 2 - Animal Kingdom

• Meet in AKL lobby - 8.15am
• Get the bus around 8.30am
• AK Rope Drop
• Jack is going to head quickly to EE for FPs while I guide everyone at a more leisurely pace towards Dinosaur. We don't want to ever make anyone rush anywhere, hopefully Jack will get back to Dinosaur at a similar time to when we arrive having admired the tree and some animals on the way.
• Ride Dinosaur - Jack's favourite Disney ride.
• Move on to EE, if the standby is 10 minutes or less we'll queue there as I do like the queue, if not we'll use our FPs.
• Head over to the Safari. If the wait is long we'll grab some FPs and enjoy the trails and have a chill out.
• Spend the rest of the AK time we have looking at the animals, and enjoying the park.
• Suit fitting at AKL at 3pm.
• No plans for the night, I'm sure we'll be keen to take it easy.

Day 3 - EPCOT

• Meet in AKL lobby - 8am
• Get on bus around 8.15am
• EPCOT rope drop
• Whole group is going to have to bear the crush to Soarin'. Which we'll ride standby first thing, I'm hoping I can ask for us all to wait and sit in B1.
• Jack will take everyone on Living with the Land, whilst I hot foot it over to Test Track for FPs.
• Tour the Seas, then go ride Test Track.
• I'm not sure what our plans will be for World Showcase. It may be a case that we split up from people, it really depends what my parents want to do. I know my Mum is keen to see the boardwalk, so we might walk out there and sit and get a cake and coffe at the Boardwalk Bakery.
• Our Welcome Meal is at WCC at 5pm, so we're going to meet people at 4pm at the Magic Kingdom front entrance, and others at 4.30pm in the WL lobby. As yet I don't know if we'll go straight to the MK from EPCOT, or if we'll make it back to AK to freshen up.
• Have Welcome Meal

Day 4 - Hollywood Studios

• Meet in AKL lobby 8am.
• Bus 8.15am
• DHS rope drop.
• Jack is going to get to the front of the crowd and do the TSM FP run
• I'm going hang back with everyone else and we'll take a gentl stroll to Tower of Terror
• We'll all ride ToT, which is going to be the highlight of the theme park touring, as my Mum has been telling everyone how brave she's going to be, and I'm sure it'll be very funny!
• Head over to TSM, if it's not our Fastpass time then we'll visit One Man's Dream.
• My Dad wants to watch Muppetvision, so we'll do that.
• Same as Day 1, a few of us will have to leave as we have the wedding rehearsal at 3pm, but other people can stay behind.
• After the rehearsal I need to check into the GF, and get my luggage moved over. I'll also say goodbye to Jack and not see him again until I walk down the aisle!!
• My bridesmaids and I will enjoy the GF luxury, and maybe nip into the MK if we get itchy feet!
• Jack is as yet undecided what he'll do.

Eeek - sorry I know it's a long post! So well done if you've read it.

Please let me know if I'm missing anything, or you think my plans need changing.

 

[2Tiggies]

Hi Torsie

I am finally sitting down today to have a good read through your plans. I saw you posted this thread earlier today but to my frustration I knew I wouldn't have time to read it until later this evening.

Firstly, before I go through it, I know you feel that you are responsible for your guests having a good time but honestly, that's not something for you to worry about (easier said than done, I know). The primary reason they are there is for YOU. People get a lot out of Disney with minimal planning and they will all find their own comfort zone as far as touring and pacing goes.

I am going to sit and read through your plans now and see if there are any extra suggestions I can make, but please keep in mine with anything I post, I have never done Disney with more than one other person so a group of 12 may be a bit beyond my capabilities to help out

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

I think that they sound just great and you have been very considerate of everyone's needs. I love that route for the magic kingdom - I really don't think I have ever done that abd might just try it out!! Make the most of your planning and enjoy it. I know that we will enjoy reading it!

 

[2Tiggies]

First of all, do you solemnly promise to post lots of wedding photos when you get back? If you don't I'm not willing to help you

Arrival day plans look

I think using ME together as a group will be great fun - you'll feel like it's your own coach with the whole bunch of you sitting on there. Are you all staying at AKL?

Good idea about splitting up and doing your own thing on arrival as everyone will handle the travel differently. Jack's friends might surprise you. Having never been to the USA before they may well be on a high when they arrive and really want to go to DTD with you.

Just looking at your mornings. You are doing rope drops every day (good move!). I wonder if you should aim to leave earlier than 8 am for your MK and DHS days though. All it takes is one person to lag by 10 minutes, miss one bus and you could end up with the tail end of the opening show. I can see this part of the MK day is very important to you and wonder if it's better to be too early and stand around with your friends and enjoy the company for 20 minutes, rather than worry on the way about being late. You only get to do the first day for the first time once, if you know what I mean. AK is a fair ride from MK.

Are there no takers for Space Mountain for the first day? We found if you hit SM first it's walk on and it takes a while for the crowds to move through to Frontierland and Splash and BTMR stay walk on for a good 40 minutes after the park opens. It may even be an option to grab FPs for Space Mountain first if you do want to squeeze it in. If not, ignore me.

Just make sure your guests know how and when (and when not) to use FP and they will be fine in the afternoon.

AK day looks great. I doubt you will find less than 10 minutes wait at EE by the time you have ridden Dinosaur so you will probably need your FPs. Are you going to skip Kali River Rapids, FOTLK and Finding Nemo or will you just see what you can fit in where during the morning?

Your Epcot day looks great. Good move to do Soarin first. It's the only way I think WS lends itself beautifully to splitting up as there is no real strategy to touring if you aren't bothered about characters and shows. The Flower & Garden Festival will be on too so you may find some of your guests want to linger around the centre of the park and enjoy the butterfly garden and all the other beautiful flowers and topiaries.

DHS: If you plan on the TSM FP run, I would leave AKL at 7.45 am. We were there in October, at the gates at 8.45 and there was such a mob for TSM that when we got there (no dithering, just went directly there) the FP line was .... well you couldn't see the end of it and the SB wait time at 9.05 am was already 50 minutes. It may have been a really busy day for some unknown reason, but I don't know how people ride it without jeopardising the other headliners unless they are there ridiculously early.

Tell your dad I also love the Muppets

I can't see much wrong with your plans. I don't think they are commando at all and this will, very importantly for first timers, allow your friends to take in some of the wonderful details around them. You do miss a lot when you rush through and you have a nice balance going there. Quality not quantity. Way to go Torsie.

 

[torsie24]

Wow! Thanks for all the feedback!!

I'm glad you guys don't think it sounds too commando-y as we don't want to scare people!

Lee, I think you may be right about leaving AKL earlier, thank you.

Re: space mountain - my mum really doesn't want to ride this, everyone else will be back again another day, and without her there wouldn't be a wedding so we're going to skip it until a later day. I've never ridden the WDW version, just DL and DLRP so I'm really keen to have a go! It's not forgotten just later in the plan. her must do's are BTM & HM so they are top of my list.

Thanks again for taking the time to help me! I promise you'll be sick of my photos by the end of the TR for this trip!!!