Need help deciding on Arrival Day plans

[Stephanie Schroeder]

So I'm second-guessing my current plans for our arrival day. We get into MCO at 10:30am. We have 6 day tickets and plan on 2 days at MK, 1 day at HS, EP and AK. That leaves 1 extra day. The crowd calculator shows a 5/10 for HS on our arrival day (a Friday). The others are a 2 or 3. I'm not sure if I should give extra time to HS or to EP. Have a DS-11 and DD-8. Big Star Wars fans, but with only one day at EP, not sure we can fit in the world showcase. This is our 2nd time to DW and hadn't seen that part of EP. Currently have an ADR for 50's PTC at 5pm but can change. What would you do?

 

[Cinderella94]

Where are you staying?

 

[mom2rtk]

Me? I'd go to the MK. And yes, I know you have 2 days already in the MK. It's just that much better than the other parks.

Although there is an argument to be made for hitting one of the tiered parks to get a FP for a tiered ride you couldn't schedule on your other day.

 

[hedberg1661]

I assume you don't have hoppers? Given the current state of DHS you can get most everything done in one day if you plan well giving you a second day at EC.

OR

Leave that last day and let the kids decide having been to both parks once.

 

[Daniela Rose]

Our flight gets in at 1130am. We're staying at the contemporary. We're going to the hotel and then to MK for the rest of the day. We have 7 day park hoppers and doing:
Arrival day afternoon at MK
1 Epcot
1 animal kingdom
1 HS
3 full days at MK

 

[Stephanie Schroeder]

Where are you staying?

Wilderness Lodge

 

[Stephanie Schroeder]

And yes, have Hoppers. Last time we went we crammed HS and Epcot into one day, skipping all of the world showcase. This time we have a full day for each. The FP might be a help though. Maybe if we do a FP for Test Track then hit the showcase, we would have a more relaxed EP day later in the week.

 

[DVC_Dad_Canada]

If you're big Star wars fans, I would stick to HS. My son and I spent 3 hours in the Star Wars bay alone.

 

[Candris79]

I like going to MK our first day.

 

[GillianP1301]

I would go to Epcot. FP your favourite tier 1 ride and plan to spend some time in WS. Tons of amazing options for an ADR there to replace your 50s PTC.

 

[Stephanie Schroeder]

I like going to MK our first day.

We're saving MK for mid-week. We're going to MK on my 40th birthday, with an 8:30 ADR for CRT. Want to have that be our magical beginnging at MK!

 

[Aristo-cat]

Epcot. HS is a half day park right now imo. We are also not big SW fans though and you should take that into consideration.
This next trip I have booked we planned that kind of extra time at AK to get a chance to see more there at night.

 

[KKB]

Three days at MK??!! Not for us...1 MAX.
We need AT LEAST 2 days at EPCOT. Our kids were 7-9-12 when we first took them & EPCOT was their fav from the get go--tho HS is 2nd.

 

[sharonabe]

So I'm second-guessing my current plans for our arrival day. We get into MCO at 10:30am. We have 6 day tickets and plan on 2 days at MK, 1 day at HS, EP and AK. That leaves 1 extra day. The crowd calculator shows a 5/10 for HS on our arrival day (a Friday). The others are a 2 or 3. I'm not sure if I should give extra time to HS or to EP. Have a DS-11 and DD-8. Big Star Wars fans, but with only one day at EP, not sure we can fit in the world showcase. This is our 2nd time to DW and hadn't seen that part of EP. Currently have an ADR for 50's PTC at 5pm but can change. What would you do?

IF you plan to see both Fantasmic! and the Star Wars Spectacular, you need two nights there. You could start your arrival day in the WS of EP and then head over to HS for one of those in the evening.

 

[maryj11]

I would go to Epcot. There is less to do at HS right now with all the changes they are doing.

 

[shanew21]

I would make sure you get to visit the World Showcase in Epcot at some point during your trip.

Personally, we're doing HS on our arrival day and probably aren't going back. Just not enough to do. We'll knock out RnRC, Toy Story, Star Tours, and Tower of Terror and probably bail after that. We have hoppers so if we feel we missed something we can go back, but we aren't making that park a priority.

 

[srwarden1928]

I think each park deserves its own day--that takes four. MK and Epcot easily need a second day, so if you have 6 days, I would suggest 2 MK, 2 Epcot, 1 DHS, 1 AK. MK has the most attractions, and Epcot is so big. I really don't understand the hating on DHS. It is down ONE ride (Backlot Tour), ONE show (Lights Motor Action), a playground, and "streetmosphere". They replaced a show (American Idol) with another (Frozen) and an attraction I really don't know how to describe (Art of Animation) with a meet & greet. Yes there are only five rides, but there were never more than six. The park has always focused on shows. It seems easy to fill a day there.

 

[shanew21]

I think each park deserves its own day--that takes four. MK and Epcot easily need a second day, so if you have 6 days, I would suggest 2 MK, 2 Epcot, 1 DHS, 1 AK. MK has the most attractions, and Epcot is so big. I really don't understand the hating on DHS. It is down ONE ride (Backlot Tour), ONE show (Lights Motor Action), a playground, and "streetmosphere". They replaced a show (American Idol) with another (Frozen) and an attraction I really don't know how to describe (Art of Animation) with a meet & greet. Yes there are only five rides, but there were never more than six. The park has always focused on shows. It seems easy to fill a day there.

We go during Christmas so the lights coming down eliminates the need to go at night for us (we skip Fantasmic generally), but even with that we never devoted a full day to it. There's just not a lot of draw there, and there are rumors that GMR is on its way out soon. Talk to me in 2 years and I'll probably devote TWO days to it though. Star Wars land will be my nirvana.

 

[Stephanie Schroeder]

The fact that both my DH and DS (even DD) are huge Star Wars fans is what makes it difficult. I know HS wouldn't normally take more than a day (if that), but with the SW stuff there, they might enjoy the extra time. We have an ADR with the Fantasmic Dinner package the next night so maybe we'll try to stick around for the Star Wars show on arrival day. Or maybe I could bribe them with a FP to Test Track and stay in Epcot. I might let my family decide which one . Thanks for the input!

Also, just read that with Food & Wine going on, that Friday nights are good nights to avoid the showcase area. So, it looks like we'll stick with Hollywood.

 

[loves to dive]

Play bus stop roulette and get on the first bus to arrive. I'm assuming there won't be a MK bus since you can boat there but if there is, skip it. You have hoppers so if the park you end up at is too crowded, hop on over to another one. No you won't have FPs in advance, gasp, sin I know but you can make them on the bus on the way to the park or actually do stand by line. We rarely book FPs in advance and never have any problems either booking them on the bus or doing stand by and booking some while in line. This method kind of forces you to slow and down and kind of stop and smell the roses instead of running from ride to ride.