Planning help - 3 park days or 4

[Tink_83]

I'm trying to decide if my current plan is actually a good one or not. We are a family of 5 (DD 12, DS 7 and DS 2), going the week after Easter (I am aware the crowds will be intense) and going with my mother as well. We are staying at SSR and will have a car and plan to drive to the parks instead of dealing with the bus. Right now we have 3 day park hopper tickets and were planning on:
Sunday - Late arrival
Monday - AK / Epcot
Tuesday - HS / Epcot
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - MK
Friday - Rest

As I continue to plan I'm wondering if I'm packing too many parks into the first two days and giving us too many rest days. The alternative would be to drop the park hopping and do:
Monday - Epcot
Tuesday - AK
Wednesday - MK
Thursday - HS
Friday - Rest / pack

I do want to keep my final rest day on the last day as I typically find I need time to pack up me and the kids and I have a long drive back to northern VA. My very first plan didn't have us park hopping at all but my middle child has been watching Disney Ride YouTube videos and now wants to hit everything. Anyway, suggestions and thoughts are appreciated - and I'm trying to lock in my park days now so I can book my ADRs in a few weeks when those open.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I would probably lean towards the 4-day approach. It's more efficient than hopping a couple of those days. And if can be hot in late April, so perhaps a break in the afternoon could be useful (especially with a 2yo). The downside to the 4-day 4-park approach is if you have bad weather one of the days. No way to recover for that park that day. Whichever you choose, hope you have a fun and not-terribly-crowded time!

 

[tom1944]

We do 2 park days followed by a rest day.

On your schedule Wednesday would be our rest day.

We would do 4 park days

 

[highlander357]

With your middle child wanting to hit everything, I voted for 4 days.

 

[Shellyred8]

I'm trying to decide if my current plan is actually a good one or not. We are a family of 5 (DD 12, DS 7 and DS 2), going the week after Easter (I am aware the crowds will be intense) and going with my mother as well. We are staying at SSR and will have a car and plan to drive to the parks instead of dealing with the bus. Right now we have 3 day park hopper tickets and were planning on:
Sunday - Late arrival
Monday - AK / Epcot
Tuesday - HS / Epcot
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - MK
Friday - Rest

As I continue to plan I'm wondering if I'm packing too many parks into the first two days and giving us too many rest days. The alternative would be to drop the park hopping and do:
Monday - Epcot
Tuesday - AK
Wednesday - MK
Thursday - HS
Friday - Rest / pack

I do want to keep my final rest day on the last day as I typically find I need time to pack up me and the kids and I have a long drive back to northern VA. My very first plan didn't have us park hopping at all but my middle child has been watching Disney Ride YouTube videos and now wants to hit everything. Anyway, suggestions and thoughts are appreciated - and I'm trying to lock in my park days now so I can book my ADRs in a few weeks when those open.

I would go with the 4 park days so you don't have to worry about transporting your group to a different park. Just give yourselves one solid day at each park to get everything done that you want to get done (as much as possible anyway). Going to AK on Tuesday will give you an early evening since AK closes earlier. So you can use that as some rest/pool time.

 

[We’reAllMadHere]

Since you’re staying at a deluxe, I would plan for MK and EP to be Wednesday and Monday, if possible, since you will qualify for extra evening hours. You can get a lot done in that time.

Are you planning to stay rope drop to close every day? We try to balance a bit so if we’re staying super late we start a little later the next day, but that’s not the most efficient touring. I would rather do more park days at a more relaxed pace than try to park commando (e.g., open to close, hitting all the rides as fast as possible).

 

[Headless]

4 Days. and like others said keep a balance. Schedule yourself more days in the park so you don't feel guilty when your bodies tell you it's time to step away for a little bit. Forcing through it will just lead to a miserable time whereas knowing you have the time to go back, rest a couple hours then either come back or switch to another park is so much better.

Find a good prediction calendar for crowds and plan your park days according to that along with where you might have an extended evening hour.

 

[magicmountainmama]

Here’s how I would plan it, if in your shoes:

Monday - EP - rope drop and mid-day break. Come back for dinner. Grandma can head back with the little one, if needed, & you can stay and do the extended hours with the older kiddos.
Tuesday - HS - Rope drop, mid-day break, dinner in the park & maybe call it an early night bc you’ll have a long day on…
Wednesday - MK - same plan as Monday.
Thursday - rest day. You’ll need it by this point!
Friday - AK - rope drop. This is a half day park if you start early. You can get back to the hotel around 1 or 2 & have time to pack up, eat dinner at the resort, etc

 

[Tink_83]

Since you’re staying at a deluxe, I would plan for MK and EP to be Wednesday and Monday, if possible, since you will qualify for extra evening hours. You can get a lot done in that time.

Are you planning to stay rope drop to close every day? We try to balance a bit so if we’re staying super late we start a little later the next day, but that’s not the most efficient touring. I would rather do more park days at a more relaxed pace than try to park commando (e.g., open to close, hitting all the rides as fast as possible).

We are evening people (my kids go to bed late if I let them), on vacation we don't get up early and they will sleep in by then can close a park. The older kids could close MK and EP easily, the youngest will pass out in the stroller. I've decided on 4 park days and I'm most likely going to do park hoppers. DH wants to do HS and AK with the kids before he leaves for his work trip. So we will do:
Monday - HS and hop to Epcot for Dinner and rides
Tuesday - AK and probably dinner at Storybook dining
Wednesday - MK
Thursday - Epcot
Yes, I realize that's a lot of money to hop for only one planned hop day - and something I do need to consider.
Friday - mommy's day to sit at the pool and not do anything

 

[Tink_83]

Here’s how I would plan it, if in your shoes:

Monday - EP - rope drop and mid-day break. Come back for dinner. Grandma can head back with the little one, if needed, & you can stay and do the extended hours with the older kiddos.
Tuesday - HS - Rope drop, mid-day break, dinner in the park & maybe call it an early night bc you’ll have a long day on…
Wednesday - MK - same plan as Monday.
Thursday - rest day. You’ll need it by this point!
Friday - AK - rope drop. This is a half day park if you start early. You can get back to the hotel around 1 or 2 & have time to pack up, eat dinner at the resort, etc

That's a good option and one I would consider except for my husband's travel plans for work. We could still plan like I was thinking but then make the rest day Thursday and then Friday do Epcot. I appreciate this as you do have me reconsidering where that rest day should go.

 

[Tink_83]

I really appreciate all of the feedback, and I think everyone really did answer my question. We are doing 4 park days, not really park hopping (that doesn't work well for young kids) but may get the park hopper as I indicated to take advantage of the EMH at Epcot for those that want to do it and get dinner in Epcot.

Thank you all again for adding reason to my planning It's what my family was encouraging as well when we increased the number of parks the kids wanted to do so I don't know why I was balking at it so much.

 

[We’reAllMadHere]

You’ll miss Fantasmic at HS if you follow your intended plan, but that may not matter to you. I like DL’s Fantasmic better but a lot of people like the one at HS, especially because there is seating. You could potentially hop back from Epcot if Thursday to see it if there is interest.

 

[Tink_83]

You’ll miss Fantasmic at HS if you follow your intended plan, but that may not matter to you. I like DL’s Fantasmic better but a lot of people like the one at HS, especially because there is seating. You could potentially hop back from Epcot if Thursday to see it if there is interest.

That's a good point. I'm also struggling with how long I really want to keep the kids out even if we are night owls I'm not sure it's the best idea start the trip off letting them stay at Epcot until 11 pm. Whereas MK starting late, having a sit down dinner (BOG or another one depending on availability) and then letting them stay out late to get on rides seems like it's OK since it would only be one night and we could sleep in, especially if Thursday is our resort day.

That said, the list of must do rides is increasing - I may end up in a tent camping so I can afford LLPPs instead