Park planning

[madmumof2]

I think I've got most things sorted, just need to wait until I can book, but since it's been a long time since I've been, and there are lots of new rides and attractions, I wondered if I could get your expertise on working your way around the parks.

I'm definitely planning on going to MK, MGM, (will not call it that 'other' name lol) Seaworld and the Universal parks. Maybe Animal Kingdom and Epcot if we can.

I know it's best to get fast passes for the big rides, and I fully intend not to queue, but what would be the best plan? Which rides to fast pass first, an order of rides to do?

IE, fast pass thunder mountain, go on Splash mountain while you wait, fast pass Haunted Mansion, go on Thunder mountain etc.

Knowing the DIS, I'm sure someone has recorded just this! lol So it would be great to see them, and peoples itineraries if they're willing to share.

Sorry for blabbing on lol. Basically, what's the best, most efficient way of working your way around the main parks, meaning no queueing and managing to get on all the rides you want/eat in all the places you want at least once! lol

I want this holiday to be perfect for my babies as it's their first time and I don't want to be stressing because I don't know where I'm going in the park and missing rides we really wanted to go on.

Having a 6 and 3 year old walking all day will mean not spending all day in the parks most of the time, so I want to make the best of the time we're there.

 

[rickhasco]

Best advice would be following...
1) Make sure you are there at rope drop
2) Check the Show Times early to plan your day
3) Have a plan in place to head for most popular rides 1st and get them out of way before Parks fill up. eg.at MGM, do a right and head straight for Aerosmith & TOT.
4) If there are 2 popular rides next to each other as the above, and if both are Fast pass, ride the one with shorter standby time & FP the other eg. if 1 is 5 mins and other is 15 mins, FP the 15 min ride as by time you've done 1st, you can walk straight to front of Queue on the 2nd. This works early in morning but not when it's busy when there may be a 5 min Standby by FP is 3 hours later
Hoep that helps

 

[Pegasus928]

I think the first thing I would be doing if I was with a 6 and 3 year old is hiring a buggy/stroller.
The fastest route to a stressful day would be to make them walk, and it doesnt sound as if you plan on taking a leisurely stroll around the parks tbh.
The first time we went we planned - the other times we didn't bother because we realised how things changed almost as soon as you enter the park. The kids see a character they want a picture with, queues are longer than you had anticipated, unscheduled toilet breaks, the list goes on.
Planning is good to a degree but you have to be flexible and expect the queues.
Kenny

 

[wicket2005]

How I tackled each park is in my trip reports which I know you have read , however, this is going with two sons who are old and not with little ones.

When we first went to Orlando my youngest was 5 and he could do most of the rides, though I remember not doing Splash with him (unbelieveably I didn't want to do it, so his height would have probably been okay). In your case, I would look at all the rides you can all do together, looking at the minimum height requirements, then formulate a plan based on this.

The best rides for your DS would be the Fantasy area of MK and this is where the longest lines for the shortest rides can build up. On a first visit, with your kids, I think I would be tempted to get to the park early and hit this area first for the kids, then consider the fast passes for the main attractions. I have always wanted to give the kids the best holidays I can so at Orlando I would concentrate on what we could all do together, then what 3 of us could do and then just what 2 of us could do with height restrictions. I would also factor in second visits to mop up those rides you have not done so nobody regrets going home after not doing a ride/show they wanted to do.

Hiring a stroller for your DS would be a good idea or to save time buying a cheap one from Walmart and taking it in with you. This would also allow you to get from a to b quicker. Also ignore the characters/shops till after you have done some rides. Disney usually have some characters in as you enter the park but it delays you and lines will build up. Just catch the characters when you can after you have got the bulk of your rides done.

As you know the little ones will tire easily so it is important to try and put rest breaks in or cool down times. Most of the parks have the kids play areas (either water or dry) where you can just let them loose for a while.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I agree that as a general rule getting to any park at opening times is a good idea and means in theory you can ride some of the attractions with little need for waiting around.

As far as Magic Kingdom goes I completely agree that Fantasyland is where you should head first, can see no reason why you shouldn't be able to get on most of the rides there within the first hour.

It is very common to see a lot of people head for the most popular rides first and this is very true of Universal, where at IOA they will rush to Hulk and Spiderman and at US they will go to Shrek and Jimmy Neutron.

One thing worth bearing in mind is some areas at the parks do not open at 9am, for example at Universal Studios Woody Woodpecker, Barney and Curious George do not open till 10am - which can be a disadvantage if you want to head to quieter areas of the parks and beat the queue's.

Mickey's Toontown Fair at MK also doesn't open till 10am

 

[madmumof2]

Thanks everyone, all of your replies have really helped. I'm starting to think I definitely need to bring another adult with me! lol The size difference of a 3 and 6 year old is big, so I wouldn't want to upset DS. If I'm on my own, then if DD isn't big enough, no one gets to go on.

There's not much point in staying off site either, so no doubt we'll be staying at POP. The magic hours will be a godsend if we're going to be stopping every hour or so which, I think, is better than hours walking with a break midday then walking again.

I will definitely be going with a flexible plan, I just wanted to make the most out of our time at the parks. I know what I'm like, if I don't have it written down I'll forget, and we'll end up coming home having missed lf the rides because of me, and I don't want that lol.

Thanks again.

 

[wicket2005]

The magic hours will be a godsend if we're going to be stopping every hour or so which, I think, is better than hours walking with a break midday then walking again.

QUOTE]

Hiya, remember though that the parks that are running the magic hours are extremely busy or at least the evening ones are. We have sometimes been in MK when it has extra evening hours and the lines are horrendous. I would recommend visiting the Disney parks on the day after an extra hours day for that particular park. Though I think some people here have found the extra hours morning to be not as busy but then can you move that quickly to get out on a morning with 2 kids?

 

[madmumof2]

Hiya, remember though that the parks that are running the magic hours are extremely busy or at least the evening ones are. We have sometimes been in MK when it has extra evening hours and the lines are horrendous. I would recommend visiting the Disney parks on the day after an extra hours day for that particular park. Though I think some people here have found the extra hours morning to be not as busy but then can you move that quickly to get out on a morning with 2 kids?

Thanks for that, I wouldn't have thought of that. I assumed people would not go to a park on magic hours day (if off site). lol.

Would it still be worthwhile to just go for a morning, say for a meal, or a couple of rides, then chilling at the hotel? How busy is the actual magic hour before parks open?

I don't think I'll be doing many of the parks at night, although I will definitely be watching wishes, and MNSSHP. We can have a lie in the next day lol.

Another thing I needed to know was ADR's. Or character breakfasts. Do you get one just for staying at a Disney hotel? How far in advance do you have to book, how do you book, and are there any that can be a last minute thing?

I'm asking as I know what dates I want to go but will be booking late, next summer, so may not get the exact dates. I should do, but just in case, it will be great if my children can have at least one character interaction.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Thanks for that, I wouldn't have thought of that. I assumed people would not go to a park on magic hours day (if off site). lol.

Would it still be worthwhile to just go for a morning, say for a meal, or a couple of rides, then chilling at the hotel? How busy is the actual magic hour before parks open?

I don't think I'll be doing many of the parks at night, although I will definitely be watching wishes, and MNSSHP. We can have a lie in the next day lol.

Another thing I needed to know was ADR's. Or character breakfasts. Do you get one just for staying at a Disney hotel? How far in advance do you have to book, how do you book, and are there any that can be a last minute thing?

I'm asking as I know what dates I want to go but will be booking late, next summer, so may not get the exact dates. I should do, but just in case, it will be great if my children can have at least one character interaction.

As you are on site I would go to the early magic hours and then do exactly as you say - stay until it gets busy and then head back for a pool break!!

We have recently returned with a 4 year old (and a baby) - for us character breakfasts were great - and DS then didn't need to hunt down the characters in the parks!!

You don't get a character breakfast for staying onsite i'm afraid (I know they do or did that at DLP) - You can book your adrs in advance by phone and I recommend doing so as soon as you can (It has been 180 days ahead but have a feeling that might be changing to 90 days - anybody?? )

I think bringing another adult would be great - especially if you think your two children will want to do different things. And just be prepared that they might surprise you when they get there about what rides they will or won't do - then the plan can change dramatically!!!

Enjoy planning!!!

 

[wicket2005]

Thanks for that, I wouldn't have thought of that. I assumed people would not go to a park on magic hours day (if off site). lol.

Would it still be worthwhile to just go for a morning, say for a meal, or a couple of rides, then chilling at the hotel? How busy is the actual magic hour before parks open?

I don't think I'll be doing many of the parks at night, although I will definitely be watching wishes, and MNSSHP. We can have a lie in the next day lol.

Another thing I needed to know was ADR's. Or character breakfasts. Do you get one just for staying at a Disney hotel? How far in advance do you have to book, how do you book, and are there any that can be a last minute thing?

I'm asking as I know what dates I want to go but will be booking late, next summer, so may not get the exact dates. I should do, but just in case, it will be great if my children can have at least one character interaction.

A lot of people don't plan when they go to Orlando, especially first timers - I know we didn't. However, you learn as you go along and realise to get the most out of your holiday it is best to have at least a rough idea of what you are doing.

I personally do not think EMH are a perk purely because I have witnessed how bad the park is when these hours are in operation but this is going during peak times (July). Perhaps in other times the parks are quieter. I remember seeing an hour and a half at MK just for Buzz Lightyear. What you have to remember is that Disney do own a load of hotels and that a lot of people from the USA may just be staying for a short time so to get the most from their tickets they are likely to hit the parks with the longest hours. Magic Kingdom was just heaving at the seams when we were there and we couldn't get out of there fast enough. However, I am talking about the evening extra hours. I avoid all EMH parks like the plague and deliberately visit the park that had the EMH the day before the next day. I have believe the parks are then quieter and have no problems doing everything we want in a day.

If you go to any park before it opens you will get what you want done. Sometimes this is easier said than done when everyone is feeling tired and don't want to jump out of bed early. If staying onsite you will have to factor in waiting for the bus to get you to the park early.

I wouldn't just go to a park in the morning for a meal as to me this is wasting minimum lines times. I would go to the park early and get the rides done I wanted to do, then have a meal.

I would certainly recommend chill time by the pool or in a water park. We never really bothered with this till 2006. Previous to that we usually got up at 6 am, restaurant for 7 am for breakfast then on the go till 11 pm. Then we used the hotel pool for a change and we all noticed how our batteries were recharged from just relaxing. Since then we have always tried to have a break either by the pool, in the hotel room or in a waterpark each day.

I think I accidentally visited MK on an extra hours morning once and I think it was okay. I cannot remember any significant lines that day. Usually parks start to get really busy from about 10.30 am onwards.

Wishes are lovely fireworks but we were put off them because of the sheer volume of people traffic leaving the park afterwards. Once it took us a hour and a half to get back to the hotel (staying at the Rosen Centre), there were huge lines for both the buses for onsite guests and for the ferry and monorail. It was no fun as we returned back to our hotel after midnight. As we have seen the magical fireworks with the castle in the foreground before we don't bother with them now. A few times we have watched from the ferry. We now just go and watch the Epcot fireworks which are fantastic but there isn't the problem of leaving the park.

We never bother with ADRs preferring just to eat where ever we find ourselves. With you having young kids a character meal would be nice if they like the big characters and are not frightened by them. I would also recommend doing character photos and autographs as you are leaving the park as opposed to when you are going in.

 

[madmumof2]

Thank you all so much for your advice. I'm off out now so can't reply, but will be back later to reply properly. Thank you!