Only four park days with 7 year old

[TexasKiwiPrincess]

We only have four park days. I am thinking two at the Magic Kingdom, one at Epcot and one at Animal Kingdom. Our four park days will be Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. We are staying at the Wilderness Lodge, which I understand is closest to the Magic Kingdom. We do not have park hoppers, but are doing the Dining Plan. I have to make dining reservations in a few days.

Main Questions:
What are the best days to do which parks?
What are the must-do restaurants and at what times? (thinking of at least character meal at Kingdom Tusker house on the AK day.
For fast passes, how do we know where we are going to be and when? Don't want to have to run across a whole Disney park to get to a ride at a certain time.
I know that afternoon "breaks" are helpful, but am concerned about taking 3+ hours out of a park day? My daughter cannot go from 7am till 10pm (??) without some sort of break... not sure that I can either!

Hi Tiffany! Welcome to the Dis Boards and congratulations on your upcoming trip!


My girls were 5 & 7 when we visited the first time as a family. Even though I asked them what they wanted to do, it was challenging because they didn't know what was there! We made a "Top 3" list for each of them and then left a lot of room for flexibility. There is Disney Magic everywhere you turn, and you will have a wonderful trip!

My humble suggestions:

Sunday: either Magic Kingdom or Epcot. It looks like the local Orlando schools start back August 14, so it is less likely you will have large local crowds on Sunday August 27th.

Monday: Animal Kingdom. Park hours show that AK has Extra Magic Hours in the morning this day. I recommend taking advantage of the cooler temps in the morning and getting an early start. We Loved! our character meal at Tusker House in AK. We scheduled it as an early lunch, I think it was the earliest time available for lunch, which was awesome because it turned into a Brunch-type meal. The girls were able to have Mickey waffles and eggs while the adults enjoyed sampling the rest of the buffet.

Tuesday: Magic Kingdom. I agree with the Previous Poster that mentioned Extra Magic Morning event if it's in your budget. This event allows you to enter Fantasyland early and ride several popular rides before the park opens for the day. There is also a buffet style breakfast included. I recommend Be Our Guest for Lunch which is a Quick Service dining credit. The food is delicious, the themeing is even better, and you can pre-order your food for faster service.

Wednesday: Magic Kingdom or Epcot. Crowds most likely will be lowest in the middle of the week, so either park should be manageable.

Breaks: We did not leave the park for our breaks. I planned to see the longer shows/attractions after lunch as our break. My girls are very much into Princesses. We were able to schedule a visit to the Bibiddi Bobiddi Boutique inside the castle and get dressed up with a princess make over. I scheduled this for early afternoon so they would get a little break in the air conditioned salon. Other options in MK include Mickey's Philharmagic in Fantasyland, Carousel of Progress in Tomorrowland, Laugh Floor in Tomorrowland, and Hall of Presidents in Liberty Square. In Animal Kingdom you could see Festival of the Lion King as a midday break, or the Finding Nemo show. We also enjoyed the train ride out to Rafiki's Planet Watch. In Epcot, the movie the American Adventure is a favorite spot for a break. There is also a movie in the Canadian pavilion. Another tip that helped us out, the Baby Care Centers are a great place for kids to take a short break. It was so hot that my youngest daughter started to feel sick! We headed over to the Baby Care Center, found a big chair, and cooled off for a good 30 minutes. She was 7 during that trip and everyone at the BCC was very accommodating.

Meals: We had an early dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table, which was enjoyable, but not worth 2 table service dining credits to me. CRT was fun to do, but I have no desire to go back. I think Be Our Guest and Skipper's Canteen are the best Table Service options in MK. We've never been to Crystal Palace. Epcot has so many restaurants, and Quick Service dining locations! I would check out the Disney Restaurants forum on the Dis Boards for more information. Garden Grill is a great character meal in Epcot. Tusker House in AK was very good and one we want to do again.

Fast Passes: Figure out what you want to Fast Pass and plan park touring around those times. I usually plan our Fast Passes for late morning to early afternoon, that way we can start using our rolling FP around 4:00pm The Fast Pass window is an hour long, so there isn't really a mad dash across the park. Keep in mind where you want to eat lunch and schedule your Fast Pass for the closest ride around the time you plan to eat lunch. For example, my girls love Starlight Ray's in Tomorrowland for lunch so I scheduled our Space Mountain Fast Pass for 11:20-12:20. We were able to ride Space Mountain and then have lunch. We rode the People Mover and Buzz Lightyear after lunch before heading over to the Monster's Inc Laugh Floor to sit for a few minutes.

I hope this helps! Everyone does things a little differently, and honestly there's no one "right way." It depends what is right for your family. Try not to stress, plan a couple of things to anchor your day and leave the rest of the day flexible and open.

 

[BigredNole]

You can't say to prepare for the heat enough! We travel on occasion in the summer so we know, yet it still blindsided my daughter this July. She sent me a text that she thought she was having a heart attack, she got that dehydrated. My dsil knew what happened, thank goodness, but she still was scared.

Drink water. drink water. drink water!

Happened to me too. I lived in south FL all my life, been to Disney many times over the Summer. I didn't catch it on the first day, but it hit me like a ton of bricks with my DD on my shoulders. I got her down, knew exactly what was happening, and we bee-lined to Cinderella's fountain right behind the castle. Soaked my head in it, a CM saw, asked her to get me a cup of water, and explained why. Everything was fine but could have been much worse. I had been drinking water, but not nearly enough. Adults need at least 8oz per hour and kids at least 4oz per hour. Even if you don't think you do, drink it.

 

[Neverland98]

Welcome!
First off, enjoy the planning and enjoy the trip!
August will be hot and most likely you will have periods of rain (short, but intense thunderstorms). Sometimes you can just duck into a ride (the Aquarium by the Nemo ride is our favorite choice in Epcot!) or if you see the clouds rolling in midday, sometimes it's a good sign to take that midday break.
Our family liked a break when touring in the heat. You can rest, read, swim, wander the resort or hang in that beautiful lobby. A few hours break each day will recharge everyone to be able to enjoy the late night activities and evening shows.
My kids are teens/tweens, but still early risers and are used to an earlier bedtime. That was another reason a break in the afternoon helped. We would hit AM EMH or rope drop and if we wanted to be at PM EMH or a late park, we wouldn't have enjoyed it. A break allows you to take a short nap or rest, shower, change clothes, and just refresh for Phase 2!

Great suggestions on dining so far. We love the counter service at Harambe Market at AK, so another option is to dine at your resort for a CS breakfast, lunch or dinner instead of at AK. Or, hop over to AKL, and try Sannaa (LOVE!) or Boma (haven't been, but a buffet with lots of choices). Epcot has fabulous TS options. We always loved Tokoyo Dining, but they changed their menu a bit. It had prime view of Illiminations. However, there are lots of fun options in the World Showcase so definitely plan on dining in Epcot!
Free water!!!! Yes - order a cup of FREE ice water at each meal!!! We tended to skip buying soda or bottles of water and just got the free water and might refill the cup at a drinking fountain along the way. Stay hydrated!
I agree with setting priorities. Find out your daughter's "must-do's" for each park. The adults, too! Then, be sure to plan around those with FP or by hitting those attractions/meet-and-greets early or late.
If your daughter is interested in meeting characters, find out which ones, and consider a meal with them. Waiting in line for a meet-and-greet can be as time consuming as an attraction or ride, but sometimes not as entertaining. If you can see a lot at one meal, it really helps! Ages ago, when my daughter was 5, we did the Cinderella dinner at the Grand Floridian. We met the Stepmother, 2 Stepsisters, Cinderella, and Prince Charming. It was the best character interaction meal we had the whole trip!
Enjoy each moment...pause and just take some time to sit and soak up the beautyof Disney - at the parks, at your resort, or at another resort, and let the magic happen! It often comes when you least expect it and it's always unplanned!

 

[JPKnapp]

1. Definite for stroller. Or kill your back with her asking to ride on shoulders.
2. No Brainer for 2 days at MK. Interests would determine if 4th choice is Epcot or HS.
3. If there is a special party that week, seriously consider it.
4. Use table service meals at 1-3pm range for the mid day break. Don't stress restaurants.

 

[Suzanne74]

I hate to say this but if I only had 4 days with a 7yr old, I would nix the dining plan and add hoppers. There are so many really nice quick service restaurants so maybe make 1-2 sit down meals tops. They eat up so much time and are expensive. Your 7yr old much rather be on rides or playing in a pool than sitting for a long meal. I would probably do Tusker House late breakfast one day and/or Akershus late breakfast another day.

In August, a mid-day break is a must. She will love the pool.

My advice is to start at one park at rope drop. Hit a ton of rides, leave for the break when the park is at it's hottest and busiest. (1-4pm preferably) and go to the pool/relax at hotel. Then go to a different park with 3 FP for rides and a more relaxing stroll of an evening planned. We go often in August and this has always worked well for us. I am sneakers/shorts/tee in morning, bathing suit in afternoon, flip/flop and capris at night.

 

[ShellieMimi]

Food & Wine starts on 8/31, so don't plan to be in World Showcase on that day or your family will be trampled. (Kidding about getting trampled. Sort of. Not kidding about avoiding it like the plague.)

 

[Oneanne]

I agree with PP who suggested having your daughter pick her top three in each park. I did Auntie trips with my Niece and Nephew's when they were 11/12 and gave each the Disney World for Kids book so they could pick their top three and from there we just winged it (with me doing some editing to make sure we hit things I thought they would most enjoy). Also agree with hitting RD and EMH, planning mid-day breaks back at your resort for naps or swimming, and with planning in some sit-down/cool-down breaks while in the parks, be it meals or rides.

Hope you have a magical trip!

 

[Tiffany in Mass]

I will add that for my 6 1/2 year old we still use a stroller at Disney. There is a lot of walking and keeping him from getting tired so quickly in the heat makes it more enjoyable for everyone.

My daughter is very tiny for her age, so even though she will have just turned 7, I am keeping this as an option as well.

 

[bopper]

Always keep in mind that your child doesn't know what they dont' know. In otherwords...they know mickey and princesses, but they don't know there are fireworks at night unless you tell them or that there is a parade or Fantasmic unless you tell them.
So they don't know if they miss anything, because they don't know it exists.
So based on what your child likes, plan aroudn that and don't worry!

 

[lugnut33]

We used to go to WDW the last week of August for years and years and while it is hot it is manageable. #1 bit of advice I can give you: be sure to hit the parks right at open and hit them hard until around 1, then go back to your resort to rest. Go back, let your kid take a nap and let them swim. Your kid will love the pool!! If they want to sleep (you too!) then let them. Get in a quick meal before heading back to the parks around 6 at night. If your daughter is anything like mine, then concentrate on the Magic Kingdom. I'd highly recommend spending two of your 4 days at that park. My girls loved Animal Kingdom and it's a great park to spend a whole day at (except for that afternoon break) by taking your time to really take it all in. AK is the best themed part in the world. Then it's down to Epcot or DHS and that's something that maybe you as parents can decide. I think Epcot is more fun as an adult, but both parks are nice.

 

[Anthony1971]

at 7,8,9,10 and older and younger... the one thing your child will remember the most is the pool and the pool slide.... Take some time relax and enjoy the resort... watch the Geyser... I believe it is every hour maybe half -- been a while since I stayed at WL let her stand on the bridge in the middle she will get splashed... sit in the lobby by the fireplace and have ice cream... the DVC side has a room with games and trains (a lot of history of Walt Disney's personal scale railroad) The electric water pageant from what is left of the beech or maybe it still there?? the had laying chairs and you would also see the higher MK fireworks. As above enjoy the pool and pool parties......

 

[4evryoung]

We took a 4-day, hot, June trip with my robust 5-year old Canadian niece. Lessons learned were:
Get a rental stroller. There is very little shade in some of the parks and the stroller hood kept her cooler and protected her from the sun when we stopped or were queuing. Fair skinned children can find the Florida sun brutal.
Buy a case of water and freeze some overnight. By 10.am she needed hydration in the heat, and so did we. The stroller allowed us to carry the water easily. Grapes as snacks also helped with hydration and energy. If you are not used to Florida heat, children can have their energy sapped very quickly...
Princess dresses are very scratchy when you are hot. If your are dressing-up, wear the dresses when it is cool for nice photo opportunities (early morning or at night in air conditioning) but bring a change of clothes for when they get itchy. Again, a stroller is good for carrying this.
Magic Kingdom is a two-day park if you are taking a mid-day break (and Wilderness Lodge is only a 20-minute boat ride from the front of the MK). You can take a couple of hours back in the resort for pool-time, play and a nap without losing good ride time. If you feel you have to stay in the MK, head over to Tom Sawyer's Island for an hour where there is shade and where she can play in the Fort.
EPCOT has the least to offer young girls (despite the Frozen Ride) so I would choose the Studios where you have age-appropriate things like Beauty and the Beast Show, Little Mermaid, Muppet Vision, Toy Story Midway Mania, and the Sing Along with Frozen.
Animal Kingdom has lots to see as well as do, so it is not just about rides and this can be great for that age group. If you need a break from the park mid-day, take a bus to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. You won't be able to use the pool, but she can spend some time looking at the animals from the various overlooks and talk to the African staff who have a lot of information about the animals.
As to whether you should get the Dining Plan, I will defer to others who have done it. We didn't because we didn't feel we could predict when our niece would flag and need a nap or how much her appetite would be affected by the heat. In the 4 days we only booked two ADRs -- a Be Our Guest breakfast and dinner at the Grand Floridian's Park Fare evening Buffet with Cinderella, Prince Charming, Step-sisters etc. The food and character interaction at the buffet was great, Beast's Castle was lovely because it sparked her imagination.
If the options are stay in the park late to watch Wishes fireworks, or watch the Electric Water Pageant on the lake from the resort, consider doing the latter as both are lovely and you are closer to bed and avoiding crowds. Depending on where your room is, you may also be able to see the Wishes fireworks from the room.
Have a wonderful Wilderness Lodge stay!

 

[ArwenMarie]

Rope drop is a must. The mornings are the best hours in August IMO. There are lightning storms basically every afternoon in the summer in Orlando. Just be aware of that and take cover when you hear thunder. Plan your big must dos for the mornings as well. The pools obviously close as well during the lightning storms so just keep expectations in line for swimming, it won't always be an option right when you want to do it!