Park hopping, ADRs and mixed generation families?

[jendej]

Here we go!

Who's going: Me (34), DH (35), MIL (55), DD1 (12), DS (5), DD2 (turns 4 on our trip!)

Park days and ADRs:

• Sept. 20: MK (BOG 8:15 AM)
• Sept. 21: HS (Mama Melrose 11:55 AM)
  
• Sept. 22: MK (CRT 1:25 PM)
• Sept. 23: AK (Tusker House 5:20 PM)
• Sept. 24: EP (Garden Grill 8 PM - might try to find earlier ADR this day so we don't miss Illuminations)

Given all this information, how would you recommend breaking up our park days? Obviously we have ADRs in one park per day, but we do have the park hopper option.

I've linked my current (albeit incomplete) plans to my park days and ADRs above. As you can see I have some really packed days (HS and EP) and some really lean ones. Is it best to keep it like that, or try to find a better balance among all days using park hopping, etc.?

Thanks in advance for all your help!

 

[SG131]

Ok so I'm no expert with touring plans, but I have learned quite a lot about fastpasses. You can't get a FP for Frozen ever after before 11 am. Also a fastpass window is one hour. So if you get your first fastpass for 9am, your next can't be scheduled until 10. At most they will let you on 5 min early at 9.55. You have a few overlapping fastpasses. Also, the great movie ride will be closed by the time you go.

Also, you can't get a FP during EMH hours. Your safari fp appears to be during that timeframe.

 

[pitpat]

only looked at HS day, but it looks brutal and somewhat unrealistic. That is a rough day for a 5 and 3 year old. And unless you're splitting up, you can;t really do Fantasmic and Star Wars fireworks.

 

[jendej]

only looked at HS day, but it looks brutal and somewhat unrealistic. That is a rough day for a 5 and 3 year old. And unless you're splitting up, you can;t really do Fantasmic and Star Wars fireworks.

Thanks for taking a look! Is there anything you would recommend I delete or move to another day (both of my MK days are just partial days right now)? I should have probably mentioned that this will be my first time ever at WDW and DH and MIL's since he was a little kid, so any input is appreciated.

 

[pitpat]

Thanks for taking a look! Is there anything you would recommend I delete or move to another day (both of my MK days are just partial days right now)? I should have probably mentioned that this will be my first time ever at WDW and DH and MIL's since he was a little kid, so any input is appreciated.

looking at day 3 MK, I just don't like their plan at all. It has you walking back and forth all over the place and riding the teacups before Buzz? It predicts a 1 minute Jungle Cruise wait at 9:15am? No waits all day over 7 minutes?!?!

I would recommend reading over these cheat sheets, just for a better understanding of some things: http://www.easywdw.com/forums/showthread.php?36037-Cheat-Sheet-Touring-Plans-Spring-2017

 

[jendej]

Ok so I'm no expert with touring plans, but I have learned quite a lot about fastpasses. You can't get a FP for Frozen ever after before 11 am. Also a fastpass window is one hour. So if you get your first fastpass for 9am, your next can't be scheduled until 10. At most they will let you on 5 min early at 9.55. You have a few overlapping fastpasses. Also, the great movie ride will be closed by the time you go.

Also, you can't get a FP during EMH hours. Your safari fp appears to be during that timeframe.

Thanks! I don't actually have any fastpasses yet. My travel agent is going to work on those as soon as the booking window opens up on the 21st, so I'll add those later. I'll delete the great movie ride and hopefully that will make our plan slightly less "brutal" lol.

 

[tlmadden73]

Looking at some of those plans .. they are VERY optimistic, if not unrealistic for a group that large that includes two pre-schoolers.

I would bank on maybe doing HALF of what you have planned. Meals will go longer than expected (and you will want them to for the rest), lines will be longer than expected, kids will want to re-ride things or have a meltdown or just need a nap/break in the afternoon .. the kids and grandparents will move slower than you expect (not to mention crowds/congestion slowing you down too).

Just -for example .. looking at your MK day.
Even with ZERO wait on the carousel. Getting on it, off it, and then walking down to Country Bear Jamboree will take longer than 13 minutes. It will probably take 13 minutes just to walk there.

Looking at your second MK day .. WALKING to just the queues (not even riding)-- Mad Tea Party, then Dumbo, then Barnstormer, then Speedway would probably take more than 23 minutes.

I don't see the need for hoppers either as you have full days planned for each day, with reservations in the park AND you are hitting all the parks.

My thoughts? Ditch the plan. That plan could work if it was just you and your husband.

Go with three fast passes in the morning that are close together (in the same "land"), use your ADR for a long lunch ( rather than a super early breakfast or too late dinner) to rest and recharge and be flexible from there on out with a few key rides you are targeting and utilize the "4th" (or more) fast passes to keep you from waiting in too long of lines.

For example,
I've targeted Tom Sawyer's Island on every one of my trips in the afternoon but have never made it there with my preschooler for one reason or another. But .. I know Buzz lightyear is his favorite ride and I make sure we hit that EVERY time.

 

[SG131]

Thanks! I don't actually have any fastpasses yet. My travel agent is going to work on those as soon as the booking window opens up on the 21st, so I'll add those later. I'll delete the great movie ride and hopefully that will make our plan slightly less "brutal" lol.

You have the frozen sing-a-long listed twice so cutting one of those out should give you a little more time in HS. Also, make sure you account for time to sign your kids up for the Jedi training at 9 when the park opens (assuming they want to participate).

Unless your travel agent can go on at 7am EST the day your window opens up, I recommend trying to make the reservations yourself. At least for flight of passage which has been very hard to get, especially on days with early magic hours. If FOP is a high priority have a backup plan for a different day.

I agree with the others that the plan is ambitious and walking will take longer than touring plan is saying especially in the heat with kids and MIL.

 

[Surgie2]

Just to comment on your Epcot day...We will be going in May with 4 preschoolers aged 13 mos-5 years. I have poured and poured over Epcot suggestions and strategies using advice here and elsewhere and what I know about Epcot from previous visits. I think you have way too much planned, particularly in WS. You have allowed only 10 minutes per country which is not nearly enough time for kids to wander the passageways of Morocco. In Japan kids can see the koi fish, do pick-a-pearl, watch the drummers live show, shop the Hello Kitty shop, etc. etc. They can get a passport stamp at each country. I use TP and totally don't understand their "10 minutes per country" plan. Totally unrealistic and not in the spirt of learning about other cultures, which is supposed to be what World Showcase is all about. I also think an 11-12-hour day, even with breaks built in, is just too long in the parks when you have young kids. To me, better let some things go for future trips than reach the point of meltdown for people of any age. And I wouldn't take kids to any of the movies in Epcot (Canada, China, the American Show) unless you are in desperate need of AC and a break. (Which you may - September is really hot and humid, which also slows most people down considerably).

I really want to let the kids take the lead on what interests them. I got a lot of good insight as to what young kids might or might not like by reading this article.
http://www.buildabettermousetrip.com/epcot-with-young-children/

 

[rer1972]

Touring plans can be a pretty cool tool to use, I've used it plenty of times, but you have to be careful how you run the optimizing and evaluation. I got about the same thing right now when I ran your first day at MK, and that was with the default settings for walking speed and waiting vs walking. The thing is this setting is pretty much based on very mobile groups that don't mind walking all over the place to get to the rides they want. In your case (as another poster noted), you will want to use the Very Relaxed setting for Walking Speed, and the Minimize Walking for Waiting vs. Walking.

After I changed the settings to Very Relaxed and Minimize Walking; touring plans will give you a much more realistic approach to touring. Be sure to add your fastpasses in there as well.

Keep in mind that those plans are more guides than plans. As another poster stated, things happen. I will usually start on the plan, and then change things up on the fly. If someone wants to ride twice, or doesn't want to actually ride something we adjust or skip to the next thing.

Good luck.

 

[jendej]

You have the frozen sing-a-long listed twice so cutting one of those out should give you a little more time in HS. Also, make sure you account for time to sign your kids up for the Jedi training at 9 when the park opens (assuming they want to participate).

Unless your travel agent can go on at 7am EST the day your window opens up, I recommend trying to make the reservations yourself. At least for flight of passage which has been very hard to get, especially on days with early magic hours. If FOP is a high priority have a backup plan for a different day.

I agree with the others that the plan is ambitious and walking will take longer than touring plan is saying especially in the heat with kids and MIL.

Thanks for the advice! Today was our first day to make FP selections and she already sent me what she got (she emailed me at 6:30 am this morning so I'm guessing she got the very best she could). I'm not worried about my mother-in-law. She's only 55 and at 5'4" and maybe 120 lbs probably fitter than me! We will have strollers for both younger kids. I'm also not super committed to sticking with a plan, but I hate the idea of not having one.

Just to comment on your Epcot day...We will be going in May with 4 preschoolers aged 13 mos-5 years. I have poured and poured over Epcot suggestions and strategies using advice here and elsewhere and what I know about Epcot from previous visits. I think you have way too much planned, particularly in WS. You have allowed only 10 minutes per country which is not nearly enough time for kids to wander the passageways of Morocco. In Japan kids can see the koi fish, do pick-a-pearl, watch the drummers live show, shop the Hello Kitty shop, etc. etc. They can get a passport stamp at each country. I use TP and totally don't understand their "10 minutes per country" plan. Totally unrealistic and not in the spirt of learning about other cultures, which is supposed to be what World Showcase is all about. I also think an 11-12-hour day, even with breaks built in, is just too long in the parks when you have young kids. To me, better let some things go for future trips than reach the point of meltdown for people of any age. And I wouldn't take kids to any of the movies in Epcot (Canada, China, the American Show) unless you are in desperate need of AC and a break. (Which you may - September is really hot and humid, which also slows most people down considerably).

I really want to let the kids take the lead on what interests them. I got a lot of good insight as to what young kids might or might not like by reading this article.
http://www.buildabettermousetrip.com/epcot-with-young-children/

Thanks! I also have to take the needs/desires of the 12 year old in to consideration too. We have a really long travel bucket list, so I don't see another Disney trip in our near future, but I also don't have FOMO. If we miss something, we miss it. I did hear from the friend who recommended our travel agent to us the she will actually put together a day-by-day itinerary for us and my friend was really pleased with the one she created for her so my new plan is to just back off and go with the flow and plan for packing, etc. Thanks again though!

Touring plans can be a pretty cool tool to use, I've used it plenty of times, but you have to be careful how you run the optimizing and evaluation. I got about the same thing right now when I ran your first day at MK, and that was with the default settings for walking speed and waiting vs walking. The thing is this setting is pretty much based on very mobile groups that don't mind walking all over the place to get to the rides they want. In your case (as another poster noted), you will want to use the Very Relaxed setting for Walking Speed, and the Minimize Walking for Waiting vs. Walking.

After I changed the settings to Very Relaxed and Minimize Walking; touring plans will give you a much more realistic approach to touring. Be sure to add your fastpasses in there as well.

Keep in mind that those plans are more guides than plans. As another poster stated, things happen. I will usually start on the plan, and then change things up on the fly. If someone wants to ride twice, or doesn't want to actually ride something we adjust or skip to the next thing.

Good luck.

I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!