Need help with planning first day!

[IBLarsen]

Ok, I need some advice! We will be in the parks starting Sunday Sept 27th. This is the only day that Pirates of the Carribean will be open during our trip (closing on monday for refurb). It's one of our family's favorites. We have 2 little ones, ds6 and dd4. We want to ride Peter Pan first, but then I want to head over to POTC and ride that and while we are over at that side, I want to get an FP for either Splash or Indiana Jones to use later in the day. I don't really have a plan for the rest of the day yet....But my question is, How long of a walk is it from Peter Pan to POTC? Last year during our visit, we stuck to 'lands' and then worked our way around, as it was our first visit.

My next question is if we want to see Fantasmic that Sunday night, and want to ride POTC AGAIN while heading back to that area to watch F!, how crowded do those rides get over there in New Orleans Square waiting for F! (wanting to ride early enough to still secure a spot for F!).

Thanks so much!!

 

[abouley]

It's not a far walk at all (then again we are always back and forth all over the park!). To go all the way back to splash is a ways while indiana jones is right there. I'd probably swing by indy on my way to pirates. Since the que for pirates is a fast loading one the lines usually don't get all that long even later in the day. But, it'll definitely be busier while people are waiting for fantasmic (at least it has seemed that way to me). We used to always hits POTC early in the morning but now we usually hit it more late morning and still have usually only had 5-10 minute waits. We find it more beneficial to hit all the FL rides first and work on picking up FP's. But, given that it is closed the rest of your trip, it's definitely good to make sure you get in a ride or two that first day!

 

[IBLarsen]

Thanks for that info Abouley! My main concern was that if we waited until later in the morning that POTC would be so busy. It doesn't sound like that may be the case??? So if we hit All of Fantasy land first and then headed over to POTC, would it still not be too long of a wait on a Sunday? I have no idea what to expect for crowds on a Sunday at the end of Sept. I have heard even weekends are croweded in off season?

Thanks!

 

[Hound 109]

Will you have MM priviledges on Sunday (your first day)?

How many days will you be there?

 

[IBLarsen]

We will not have MM on Sunday. Park opens at 8:00am for regular hours, and we will plan on being there at that time. We will be there Sun, Mon, Tues, Wed. (4 full days).

Since we have the little ones, we are planning on taking a break in the later afternoon on that first Sunday. We will return in the evening to do more rides and try to watch Fantasmic.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Will you have a MM for Tues.? If not I'd save PP for a non MM day ~ just head there 1st thing on Mon. or Wed. ~ if you arrive even 1st thing at regular park opening on a MM day you're likely to have a long wait for PP. Just make sure you're there early on a non MM day and head straight to PP. When we arrive on a MM day without MM privelages we head to Adventure Land 1st thing, all the MM people will be in Fantasy Land and Tomorrow Land.

 

[abouley]

Yes, it really is better not to hit PP on a MM day if you aren't there for it. Same with dumbo. Ususally the other fantasy land rides aren't too bad first thing in the morning though. There aren't a lot of "off" times at DL and it is hard to predict crowds...but I would say that if you hit a few rides in fantasy land 1st thing in the am for about an hour or so, pick up a FP to indy on your way to POTC and then hit a few rides in that vicinity until you can pick up a splash FP you should be fine! You might have to play hitting pirates again by ear depending on lines and your tolerance for lines! Monday would be a better day to hit PP if you don't have any MM days!

 

[IBLarsen]

Thanks for the the tips about PP being already crowded by regular opening on a MM morning! I will have to see if I can convince my DD4 and DS6 that is really is ok to NOT hit Peter Pan first thing. They have only been once last year at this time. But boy they already have their favs! My main goal for the day is POTC! I've kind of got a one track mind for that first day! Trying to figure out how to balance what the kids want with what I want

 

[GrandBob]

Hey, that's our first day too! And we have the same goal.

We'll be driving down from NorCal that day, so we won't arrive until late afternoon. We'll still have Mon-Thur for the rest of the parks, so my goals for that Sunday evening are:
Hit Pirates
Dinner at Blue Bayou (we have PS's)
Hit Pirates
See Fantasmic
Hit Pirates

Yeah, I like POTC too

-Bob

 

[Hound 109]

Thanks for the the tips about PP being already crowded by regular opening on a MM morning! I will have to see if I can convince my DD4 and DS6 that is really is ok to NOT hit Peter Pan first thing. They have only been once last year at this time. But boy they already have their favs! My main goal for the day is POTC! I've kind of got a one track mind for that first day! Trying to figure out how to balance what the kids want with what I want

Yep...that's why i asked about MM & the number of days.


I agree with abouley & disneymomma that going to Fantasyland first thing Sunday would be a mistake if you don't have MM.....especially if you have Monday first thing (& do you have Tues. MM?) & Wed. first thing.

If it was me....I'd grab an Indy FP first then ride BTMRR then HM (might be crowded later on) then Pirates. But....

Since it's you & NOT me....& since Pirates is a fave & you only have that one day for Pirates.....then i would do:

- Indy FP.
- Pirates
- HM
- Pirates
- BTMRR
- Pirates again (because you can )
- A second FP somewhere.....(Splash?)
- ...& maybe a snack at Pooh corner after Pooh.

If the kids absolutely HAVE to visit FL on Sunday, do it after you've maxed out your early morning touring & your FP collecting that morning. After the first or second half hour line for a 90 second ride...., then they'll be ready for lunch or nap anyway.

Then (as you know) hit Fantasyland first thing on the other mornings.

 

[IBLarsen]

Thanks Hound! After days of agonizing over this, and you all make this look so simple! See, this is why I LOVE the dis boards!

I think I will bribe my kids to forgo Fantasy Land first thing on Sunday, and do as you suggest.

I'll have to get my plan reworked and I'm sure I'll have more questions for you all regarding other plans through the week

DH thinks I'm way overthinking this...but he will thank me later when he isn't standing in long lines for everything with whining children!

I think he's a little jealous of my love affair with the dis boards

 

[disneymum58]

Here's a hint for you if your DD4 is too small for IJ or SM. You could collect FPs faster by only getting 2 for IJ then 2 for SM. Use the Child Swap pass for the 2nd parent and DS6 to ride. Do the same for SM. Your DS6 will get to to ride twice, once with each parent. Hope that makes sense.

 

[IBLarsen]

Thanks Disneymum! I think we will definatly have to do the child swap on IJ, DD4 is too small still. Although last year at 3, she was already tall enough for Splash Mtn, and LOVED it! She loved EVERYTHING, not a fear in the world! (Unlike her mommy ) She won't be happy about sitting out on IJ, if her brother gets to go, but that's how we will have to manage. DH and I passed on it last year because the little ones were too small.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Thanks Disneymum! I think we will definatly have to do the child swap on IJ, DD4 is too small still. Although last year at 3, she was already tall enough for Splash Mtn, and LOVED it! She loved EVERYTHING, not a fear in the world! (Unlike her mommy ) She won't be happy about sitting out on IJ, if her brother gets to go, but that's how we will have to manage. DH and I passed on it last year because the little ones were too small.

DD is still too short for IJ ~ that's fine by her, she does not want to ride Indy! Her fave ride is Splash! Have fun ~ aren't you so glad you found the Dis?!?