new advice-- which of the four parks would you skip??

[jenniferma]

HI-- we are going to WDW next year the week after Thanksgiving. We are debating whether to get the 3 day passes or the 3 day park hoppers. I was wondering what you all thought-- if you HAD to skip a park, which would you skip?

We've skipped Epcot our last two trips and I really want to try it this time. It will be me33, DH34, DD5, DD3. We pretty much travel for the characters (our kids love them) and for the food!

thanks in advance for your advice! (DD5 loves the smileys)

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

If I had to choose, I would skip Animal Kngdom. It's a nice park but it is the smallest.

 

[LightBurnsBlue]

If you're going for the food, I'd definitely NOT skip Epcot...they have the best out of all four!

So...it looks like MK and Epcot are must sees. If you have to decide between MGM and AK, I think it will depend on your children. My aunt and uncle have two kids about that age. They love animals, and AK was their favorite park. AK is one of my favorite parks as well, it is great for a relaxing, low-key day. The safari is great, as is the It's Tough to Be A Bug 3D movie. Also, they have this great petting zoo that kids can spend hours at.

I would only recommend MGM if they like to sit and watch shows. The have some really great shows for little kids, but the rides that MGM is famous for (ToT, RNR) are definitely not for little kids.

Both parks have characters. I've never eaten much at MGM, but I have eaten at the Flame Tree BBQ at AK, and it is great. The food network has done specials on how good their food is.

Hope this helps! Have fun planning!

 

[MainStreetFan]

It would be Epcot for me. I really enjoy the slower pace of Animal Kingdom and the characters and shows. If I had to do Epcot, then I would skip MGM. Same old thing and with little kids, the coasters aren't doable for you anyway.

 

[goofy4tink]

I would spend the extra for hopping abilities. Then I would do MK one day (at least!!), Epcot another day, AK one morning and then the afternoon/evening at MGM. Of course, if it were me, I would go for the 4 day pass with hopping and then spend the fourth day in the park I had enjoyed the most. I know a lot of people think that AK is the easiest park to bypass, but I don't feel like I've done WDW until I've been to AK for even just a few hours. I have my favorite things to see/do there..nothing that takes more than 4 hrs total and with little ones that would be plenty of time to spend there.

The funny thing is this....I was there from 11/29-12/5 (left very early on 12/5 so that doesn't really count as a day). I was there by myself, met up with some friends...I spent a fair amount of time in MK, a bit of time in MGM and a ton of time in World Showcase. A few hours in AK..mostly to get some things my dd had asked for for Christmas, but no time in FutureWorld at Epcot. I finally went there on Sunday afternoon, the day before I left. I must have spent about an hour there...rode Spaceship EArth and Imagination with Figment...then walked to MGM for the Osbourne Family lights...but that was it. It's different every single trip I take I guess.

 

[kupperman]

If I were going with 2 small kids, I would skip MGM. Not enough things for the little ones in my opinion.

 

[skent10]

I would spend the extra for hopping abilities. Then I would do MK one day (at least!!), Epcot another day, AK one morning and then the afternoon/evening at MGM.

I agree. If you can swing it, I'd park hop and have AK and MGM share a (long) day. MGM doesn't have the rides for your kids, but it does have some great shows if they can sit through them, including Playhouse Disney.

If park hopping is not an option, then I'd have to reluctantly skip MGM. AK is a wonderful park, and I feel like my kids might actually "learn" something while they're having fun. And AK would be an easy day, so you could do MK as your long, exhausting park day.

 

[Tigger2252]

If I had to skip a park I would skip MGM based on your children's ages. There is more for little ones to see and do at AK IMHO. MGM is a lot of fun for pre-teens and teens because of the thrill rides.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

If I were going with 2 small kids, I would skip MGM. Not enough things for the little ones in my opinion.

This is exactly why we skipped MGM on our very recent trip. Having a baby along, it was less attractive to us than the other three.

 

[T-i-double-g-err]

I'd probably bail on MGM. We have three children under 10, so at MGM we have very few attractions we would actually visit. We've got a little longer trip, but only plan to spend a morning at MGM.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

At any other time of year, I would tell you to skip MGM due to the kids ages. However, you are visiting the week after Thanksgiving. If you skip MGM, you will miss the Osborne Lights in the evening.

To be honest, if I were you, I'd spring for the hoppers, if possible. I would do two parks a day with a nice afternoon rest in between the parks. Have fun!

Tink

 

[Mickey76]

As much as I would hate having to skip a park, I'd skip MGM. Expedition;Everest is opening at Animal Kingdom next April and EPCOT has Soarin' now, which I haven't been on. MGM hasn't had any really good upgrades since the last time I was there in 2002, so for that reason, I'd skip it.


Have a great time!

 

[Skylarr29]

If I had to choose, I would skip Animal Kngdom. It's a nice park but it is the smallest.

Actually , techinically AK is the largest.

 

[taxmom04]

We just returned from our first family trip to WDW the week after Thanksgiving. I would also spring for park hopper and do as another poster
stated and go to MGM and AK in one day or do a half day at Epcot.
Definitely don't skip Soarin' and Turtle Talk with Crush at Epcot.Epcot has less characters and is the least fun for little ones in my opinion, but does have great restaurants. But we liked the food at AK and have heard great about the restaurants there that we didn't get to try.
MGM has Playhouse Disney, Voyage of Little Mermaid and Osborne lights but our family very much enjoyed Animal Kingdom.

If at all possible make your park days for the Sun. after Thanksgiving until
Tue. or Wed. The crowds really picked up after Thurs. My sister and her family went to AK the Sun. after Thanksgiving and said it was practically empty. They also went back Mon. morning and said the same thing. We ended the week at AK on Sunday and it seemed a lot more crowded than
what she had experienced a week earlier.

 

[CindyT]

I like all of the parks, but if I had to give one a miss, it would be Animal Kingdom. We have never spent more that a few hours there.

 

[disneymama73]

I like all of the parks, but if I had to give one a miss, it would be Animal Kingdom. We have never spent more that a few hours there.

DITTO! I just asked my DD's ages 4 & 6 which they prefer, and they both shouted MGM! There is lots for little ones to do! Mine love Playhouse Disney Live!, the Beauty and the Beast show (don't miss Four for a Dollar - an acappella group that does the "preshow"), the Animation tour, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Muppets 3D movie, the Great Movie Ride, the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground, Fantasmic and they immensely enjoyed the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights.

So there you have it - out of the mouths of babes. I have to agree with them, too.

 

[Supercod]

Get hoppers, and do the following AK 1/2 day and Epcot 2nd part of day and then MK 1 day, then Epcot 1/2 day and MGM 2nd part of day, in whatever order suits you. Every park has something for everyone, kids will love Little Mermaid Voyage thing at MGM and me not a kid and I love this one also, but then I had a thing for Ariel since I was a teenager LOL Also MGM have got Playhouse Disney, the Car Stunt show (if you had boys they would love it, girls don't for the most part), MGM easiest place to meet Mickey without a queue I think, you should get a good half day.

And in past I would have said skip Epcot but Sorin worth it now and of course at night they do have a great fireworks show, plus good choice of eating places but avoid Mexico for eating, really bad service and poor food.. We where on the dinning plan and ended up leaving before desert as things where that bad!

Animal Kingdom shouldn't be missed with kids, they will love the safari, it's though to be a bug, festival of the lion king, dino land usa has great rides also... And best of all someone some place started a rumour that the parks not good so is never as busy as the rest. 4 times I have been I make sure and got at least 3 times during my trip, mind you I do the same for the other parks but that's not the point LOL

 

[lucincia]

HI-- we are going to WDW next year the week after Thanksgiving. We are debating whether to get the 3 day passes or the 3 day park hoppers. I was wondering what you all thought-- if you HAD to skip a park, which would you skip?

We've skipped Epcot our last two trips and I really want to try it this time. It will be me33, DH34, DD5, DD3. We pretty much travel for the characters (our kids love them) and for the food!

thanks in advance for your advice! (DD5 loves the smileys)

It depends on what kind of trip is this? Are you trying to see as much as possible or try to enjoy as much as possible?

With my family, if we have 3 days, we know we will be going back sometime soon, and with kids that age, I would say 2 days at MK and 1 day at Epcot, and skip MGM and AK all together. Maximize fun and character times for your kiddies and throw in some princess character dining if your DDs are into that.

 

[skuttle]

I'd skip MGM. It's my least favorite.

 

[HopperFan]

We usually skip on trips (except MK) because we go often enough that we don't need to rush to hit them all......except on long trips then we have gone to all........anyway the park we skip the most is MGM. Mostly because some of the attractions are just tiring to us and we are ready for change. Stunt show just isn't enough.