One day at WDW! - What to do?!?!

[wdw4lif]

We are going to Florida to visit my parents who live less than an hour from Disney World. We are doing a day trip to WDW. We aren't staying overnight, but we're trying to decide what to do. We have the option to do one day in one park. We also are throwing around the idea of just resort hopping to see decorations, doing Disney Springs, riding the monorail, and eating a meal at a hotel, etc. Here's the other detail... it would be the Monday before Thanksgiving. November 19th. I'm just looking for pros and cons of each.

I should also mention my daughter and I will be doing a 3 day WDW trip with my mom late April, as we did last year too. Just trying to get my Disney Fix in while we're so close LOL HELP!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

It depends on your budget. One day in a park can be quite expensive. Do you want to spend $100+ per person for a day in a park? If not, I would stick with the DS, monorail, resort hopping plan. Perhaps pick an activity you know you won't be doing during your trip in April.

 

[No.1000]

It is really hard to be that close and not go into a park...just saying (from experience).

 

[LiveToTravelNicely]

In 2017, we had a non-Disney cruise out of Port Canaveral. Up until the trip, I kept saying "it's going to be hard to fly into MCO and not be headed to Epcot" (my favorite park). Well we made it to the airport hotel and I said, "I wonder how much it would cost to Uber to Epcot" and we just went with it! Expensive, yes. But I nearly cried happiness when I arrived spontaneously that evening at the Epcot entrance. We rode Figment, Spaceship Earth, strolled the WS, ate at Yorkshire Fish, and watched Illuminations. We even got a last minute FP for Test Track! So, it was worth it since we could make it happen that year financially. If you do this, pick your favorite park and do your must-dos, but don't try to over-do-it on attractions. Instead, savor it and take all the surroundings in.

 

[Spunky946]

For me hands down would be magic kingdom.

 

[Nayan]

Just an FYI...Parking at the parks went up from $20 to $25 today.

 

[MischaOz]

I would definitely do a park, especially if you haven’t been around Christmas time before!

 

[abbiesmomma]

Monorail resort hopping (and a ride over to EPCOT on the monorail) + a fun meal at a resort (character meal if you can get one?) + shopping Disney Springs can definitely get you in the Disney/Christmas spirit and take up a whole day! We have done this many times while visiting family who live in Central FL. Is it a little bittersweet to just wave at the castle? Yes. But sometimes the budget just doesn't allow for one day park tickets. This is definitely a plan that can get you a little Disney 'fix' and enjoy some of the things that you might not take the time to do when you are on a regular trip with park tickets. The Christmas Tree Trail at Disney Springs is fun and often they have other holiday entertainment going on as well. Drive over to WL and AKL and check out their decorations too-- we love getting pictures in front of all the resort Christmas trees. Obviously you aren't going to go wrong picking park tickets but rest assured if you choose the non-park option, you can definitely have a great day!

 

[CynBeth]

We have been a few times during Thanksgiving week and early in the week not all of the resorts had been decorated yet. I would do Epcot with the storytellers.

 

[wdw4lif]

Thanks for the suggestions! I know Thanksgiving week is busy, but how bad is it that Monday of the week?