Need help/advice with commando itinerary

[TammiMcMan]

We're travelling 5/27-5/30 (Memorial Day weekend) on the 3-night Disney Wonder. From what I understand, the ship will get back to Port Canaveral early Sunday morning. I know that we should probably savour our relaxing vacation and fly back home on Sunday, but hey, Monday is a holiday and we're sooooo close to Disney World........

My DH thinks I'm crazy, but I gotta tell you that my kids think I'm the greatest mother in the whole world

So here is the plan, for convenience sake (and a great rate), we are renting a car from National and leaving it at the Port Canaveral lot while we cruise. After having an early breakfast, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we will be off the ship and on the Beeline by 8am Sunday morning. Arrive and check in to the Grand Floridian by 9:30am. DH is going to stay at the resort and probably spend a few hours at the spa/health club. More than likely our room won't be available yet, but that's fine because the kids and I want to go right to the parks. I believe EMH is at the Magic Kingdom this morning, so we're thinking of heading over to Epcot via the monorail. I hope it's around 10am at this point. I'll be with my DD(8). The "must do" attractions for her are:

Test Track - fast pass or wait depending on standby time
Living Seas
Imagination - Figment and Honey I Shrunk the Audience
Tour of the World Showcase - she likes shopping in Japan
Go out through the Int'l Gateway and take the boat to MGM
Rock-n-Roller Coaster - fast pass
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Playhouse Disney
Return to the GF for a 6:20 dinner with the whole family
Head into the MK to see Spectro & Wishes

Here are the "must do" attractions for DD(18) & DS(14):

Mission Space - fast pass
Test Track - do single rider line
Universe of Energy
Living Seas
World Showcase - plan at least 1 1/2 hours
Go out through Int'l Gateway and take the boat to MGM
Tower of Terror- fast pass
Rock-n-Roller Coaster - Standby line while wating for ToT
Return to the GF for a 6:20 dinner with the whole family
Head into the MK to see Spectro & Wishes

On Monday, we're going into the MK as a family. Here we'd like to head right into Frontierland and fast pass BTRR while doing standby for Splash Mountain. Go through Liberty Square and see the Haunted Mansion. Next stop would be Fantasyland and Mickey's Phillharmagic. Skip Toontown and go into Tomorrowland. Fast pass either Buzz or Space Mountain and standby line for the other one. We need to head back to the GF at 3pm to collect the car and luggage as we fly out at 6pm.

It's been a long time since we've done commando style touring and there are a lot more attractions to see now. The kids have done a pretty good job prioritizing and we've checked out the park maps so we're not wasting time running back and forth. What we have working against us is that it's a holiday weekend and also the unknown of what time we'll actually be off the cruise ship. That will be a big factor as to wait times and fast pass availability. Park hours for the Magic Kingdom are until 10pm on Sunday.

Any advice or secret tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tammi

 

[Shells9]

Can't blame you for trying to pack it all in -- I do the same thing, lol!

After having an early breakfast, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we will be off the ship and on the Beeline by 8am Sunday morning

What time does the debarkation start? I know we have waited up to an hour and a half to get off the ship with some other cruise lines, but I have never been on a Disney cruise.

Here we'd like to head right into Frontierland and fast pass BTRR while doing standby for Splash Mountain. Go through Liberty Square and see the Haunted Mansion. Next stop would be Fantasyland and Mickey's Phillharmagic

The last couple of times we have been there, BTRR was not really woth getting a FP for so early in the day. I would maybe get the FP for Philharmagic 1st thing, or some other Fantasyland attraction. JMHO.

We're travelling 5/27-5/30 (Memorial Day weekend)

Yikes, I just re-read your dates! Hope you are able to get everything done! Commando style touring is just what you will need!

Enjoy your trip!

 

[TammiMcMan]

Thanks Shells, I knew I wasn't the only one who'd try to have it all.

This is our first cruise, but from what I've read on the DCL boards, disembarking is from 7-9am. A few people have mentioned getting to the parks by 9:30 after getting off the ship. That would certainly help for getting it all done on Sunday.

I hadn't thought about getting a fast pass for the Phillharmagic. I just figured that it was a big theatre, so the line should move pretty quickly. What I can probably do is take everyone's tickets while they're in line for the Haunted Mansion and cut across to Fantasyland for the FP's.

Yeah, Memorial Day, what was i thinking? Unfortunately, it was the only time of year that worked for us this time around. Considering we hadn't even planned on going to Disney this year, I'll take it!!

Tammi