Park planning for short trip

[tzolkin]

10 years and this is my first "planning" thread, but there are a bunch of factors that I haven't encountered before--

Trip is shorter (we usually do two weeks), F&W at Epcot (the final weekend), MK closing at 6 most nights, AK has changed, etc. My family likes to be flexible and decide what we like to do the day of, but the new FP system makes that more of a challenge since I feel the need to plan at least part of each day to ensure we get some FPs.

Any advice on which of these are the bigger issues, which should be prioritized, avoided, etc?

We are planning 4 park days (Nov 10-13), but I just purchased tickets that included a free day so we may go to a park the evening of our arrival (Thurs). I was considering Epcot since that's the only "non-weekend" day we will have, but is F&W just always crazy busy in the evening and should be avoided? Are several late mornings/early afternoons a better option and we should forget being there at night this trip?

Would two rope drops at AK be a good idea? Is an evening also a "must-do" now with Pandora?

Since the trip is so short, we decided to stay at a value resort and will likely spend most of the full 4 days in the parks hopping around. During our longer trips we usually spend more time enjoying the resorts and go at a more leisurely pace. (Typically EMH in the morning, ride as much as possible by 11, and then the rest of the day/evening is completely flexible.)

 

[loves to dive]

I think you should be fine at F&W on Thursday night, I've been at night during the week and yes, it is busier than the day but not horrible.
Rope drop on AK should get you off FOP by around 9:15 to 9:30 so in theory if you can't get a FP for that, you could grab one for Navi, do rope drop and probably be able to ride most of the other rides stand by with no loner than a half hour wait. Evening at Pandora is worth seeing, the lights do make it pretty but if you can't fit it in, it won't be the end of the world.
Since you have been before, you know your family's must dos and I'd just try to FP those, we go often so even our must dos aren't set in stone, if we miss them we know we will be back.

 

[Oneanne]

I also added an extra day to my park ticket thinking I'd go over to EPCOT my arrival evening (probably won't be getting to POP 'till around 7pm-ish) for a walk around WS and Illuminations, totally forgetting it'll be a Friday night (11.10) at F&W. Ugh... I suppose I can just hang out in FW and do SE and LwL.

 

[tzolkin]

I think you should be fine at F&W on Thursday night, I've been at night during the week and yes, it is busier than the day but not horrible.
Rope drop on AK should get you off FOP by around 9:15 to 9:30 so in theory if you can't get a FP for that, you could grab one for Navi, do rope drop and probably be able to ride most of the other rides stand by with no loner than a half hour wait. Evening at Pandora is worth seeing, the lights do make it pretty but if you can't fit it in, it won't be the end of the world.
Since you have been before, you know your family's must dos and I'd just try to FP those, we go often so even our must dos aren't set in stone, if we miss them we know we will be back.

I appreciate the input. We really love Epcot, so that would be my preference for that evening, but if it will be crowded AK to check out Pandora would be another option (but don't think I could get any FPs for our first day)

Right now I'm thinking:
11/9 Thurs-
--evening at Epcot (FPs maybe) depending on arrival time

11/10 Fri-
--AM EMH at MK (FPs here)
-- Epcot before noon for F&W
-- rest of day flexible

11/11 Sat-
--RD at AK (FPs here)
-- maybe Poly for early dinner/Trader Sam's
--PM EMH at MK

11/12 Sun-
-- AM EMH at HS (FPs here)
-- Epcot afternoon for F&W

11/13 Mon-
-- AM EMH at AK (FPs here)
-- some combination of MK & Epcot until closing

I also added an extra day to my park ticket thinking I'd go over to EPCOT my arrival evening (probably won't be getting to POP 'till around 7pm-ish) for a walk around WS and Illuminations, totally forgetting it'll be a Friday night (11.10) at F&W. Ugh... I suppose I can just hang out in FW and do SE and LwL.

Yup, final weekend of F&W plus MK closes at 6pm. I'm imagining it will be packed. This is what's making this trip seem more complicated to me...

 

[barbliny]

My personal recommendations ...

11/9 - there is no reason not to get FP+ at least for a Tier 1 (Frozen Ever After or Test Track would be the most difficult to find short standby lines during your stay - Soarin's extra theater has made a big difference in wait times). If you're running later than expected, try to move the FP+ back.

11/11 - I would forego getting FP+ here at AK ropedrop, unless you can get your hands on those impossible to get FOP ones!! Otherwise, most everything else is walk-on in the mornings now with the introduction of Pandora. Even if you head right to Pandora and ride FOP and Navi standby, if you are in the front of the pack you should not have too long waits and still be able to ride the other headliners with reasonable standby lines. Pandora has really pulled focus from the rides in the rest of the park in the first couple of hours.

11/11 - Your FP+ would probably work better here, at MK. With so many party days and early closings, this nighttime EMH is going to pull a lot of people into MK. If you save your FP+ for the evening hours prior to EMH starting, you at least assure that you will ride 3 headliners even with the crowds.

11/12 - If you use your FP+ in HS make sure you try to get a FP for something at Epcot after you use your 3rd FP in HS.

11/13 - This is the most likely day for getting a FP+ for FOP for your trip - however, the morning is much less likely than later in the day. This would be the first FP+ I would try to get on your 'booking' day.

I have a few short trips planned this fall - and it is infinitely harder to plan these now!! I also have major FOMO and have a hard time dropping a park from my plans even on a short trip!

 

[tzolkin]

My personal recommendations ...

11/9 - there is no reason not to get FP+ at least for a Tier 1 (Frozen Ever After or Test Track would be the most difficult to find short standby lines during your stay - Soarin's extra theater has made a big difference in wait times). If you're running later than expected, try to move the FP+ back.

11/11 - I would forego getting FP+ here at AK ropedrop, unless you can get your hands on those impossible to get FOP ones!! Otherwise, most everything else is walk-on in the mornings now with the introduction of Pandora. Even if you head right to Pandora and ride FOP and Navi standby, if you are in the front of the pack you should not have too long waits and still be able to ride the other headliners with reasonable standby lines. Pandora has really pulled focus from the rides in the rest of the park in the first couple of hours.

11/11 - Your FP+ would probably work better here, at MK. With so many party days and early closings, this nighttime EMH is going to pull a lot of people into MK. If you save your FP+ for the evening hours prior to EMH starting, you at least assure that you will ride 3 headliners even with the crowds.

11/12 - If you use your FP+ in HS make sure you try to get a FP for something at Epcot after you use your 3rd FP in HS.

11/13 - This is the most likely day for getting a FP+ for FOP for your trip - however, the morning is much less likely than later in the day. This would be the first FP+ I would try to get on your 'booking' day.

I have a few short trips planned this fall - and it is infinitely harder to plan these now!! I also have major FOMO and have a hard time dropping a park from my plans even on a short trip!

Thanks! Lots of great suggestions.

Especially for the 11th. I was just assuming I should get morning FPs so we could get more than 3 total, but that makes a lot of sense to use them when MK is busier.

I also would have assumed Soarin was the most important FP at Epcot. We have not done Frozen, so I may try for that. (We will definitely want to do TT, but are willing to go single rider if necessary.)