Plan A or Plan B for first timers at WDW - Memorial Day Weekend

[Howtojimmyk]

Hello all! I've been lurking these boards for quite some time and feel that I'm more than prepared. When it comes to planning, I am definitely a type A person but I want to be able to cut loose during the time we are at the parks and I feel like I can do that if I'm well prepared before we go.

My wife and I are taking her thirteen year old little brother as a birthday gift. Both of us have been to WDW when we were little kids but that was almost twenty years ago!

We are going from Friday, May 23rd to Tuesday, May 27th and are staying at Pop Century. We opted to add park hopper and I will probably rent a car for the time that we are there to avoid any long waits for transportation (unless you dont think it's necessary).

What I need your help on is the last bit of details, which parks to go to on what days! I tried referencing EasyWDW and Touringplans and for the most part, we're going to have to deal with crowds no matter what so I'm not sure if my hemming and hawing will make much of a difference:


Plan A - the EMH plan
Friday - Hollywood Studios all day (for Star Wars)
Saturday - Epcot all day
Sunday - Magic Kingdom all day and evening EMH
Monday - Animal Kingdom AM EMH then wherever her brother wants to go in the afternoon
Tuesday - I reserved a breakfast at 8am at Crystal Palace to get in the park before opening but then it's whatever park her brother wants to go till our flight in the evening

Plan B
Friday - Hollywood Studios all day (for Star Wars)
Saturday - Magic Kingdom all day (to avoid EMH on Sunday)
Sunday - Animal Kingdom in the AM, Magic Kingdom in the late evening to take advantage of extra magic hours
Monday - Epcot all day
Tuesday - same as plan A


Basically, the wrench is how bad EMH hours increase crowds? If they really do affect crowds negatively then I'll go with Plan B. But if they don't affect them that much, I'll go with Plan A. I was trying to save Magic Kingdom towards the end of the trip but I also don't want to compete with crowds. BUT if crowds are going to be large no matter what, then I wont care

 

[athumann]

You are going to get many different opinions but here's my 2 cents. I like plan B better. Although Saturday is usually the day to avoid Magic Kingdom, if you plan on arriving at rope drop you should be fine. I really like Magic Kingdom toward the beginning of the trip, it just makes it more magical. Plus late night EMH's are less busy than early morning. The early EMH hours are fine if you leave after that hour is over otherwise the park that has the EMH gets really packed by mid morning or so.

 

[HopperFan]

Star Wars Weekend on Friday is a YES YES YES. Read all you can on it, be there early and if you are wanting a signature from actor .... you'll need to be there in middle of night.

Last year we did all day at EPCOT on Memorial Day and felt the crowds were very reasonable, as was our Tuesday at Animal Kingdom.

Magic Kingdom is probably just as busy either Saturday or Sunday but I would def take advantage of late EMH.

POP Century - sometimes we use the bus and sometimes we drive to parks other than Magic Kingdom. We use the bus for there unless it's the last day and we have checked out.

 

[Howtojimmyk]

Thanks for the replies so far!

I loaded up ADRs for both plans so I can change once I make a decision. I'm beginning to realize that ADRs are filling up fairly quickly so I want to make sure I claim good times before that happens.