Please help me decide how to spend our one free day

[saraheli]

We are going on a disney cruise at the end of the month and will have 3 days after the cruise in Orlando. We are staying at the Hilton Bonnet Creek. The day of disembarkation we plan to just check into the hotel and hang out by the pool. Next day we plan to go blizzard beach. On our last day our flight home is not until 9pm. I am having a hard time figuring out what to do that day. Originally I thought we could spend the day at Animal Kingdom as we have not been since Pandora opened but I am reading that it seems unlikely I will get fast passes for FOP, so we would be contending with trying to go at rope drop (there are no EMH that day). Not sure its worth the $500 price tag for just that one day if I may be waiting 2 hours in line to go on the ride?! Whats your suggestion/advice, I have changed my mind a 100 times. I'm torn between just spending another day at the pool, going to another water park, or trying our luck at Animal Kingdom or maybe even another park.

 

[heidijanesmith]

That's a lot to spend for one day at a park, I am not sure there are any FOP FP+ left. We had a hard time getting one at 60+ days.

I would go to a water park that day.

 

[wdwjeffc37]

You could always resort hop using Disney transportation. Visit Animal Kingdom Lodge to see the animals, do the resort monorail loop to visit the resorts there, take a boat to Wilderness Lodge, go over to the Boardwalk and hang out. You could plan a meal at one of the resorts or snack around each resort. I don't know how you feel about Disney Springs (we really don't care for it), but there are entertainment and meal options there. Miniature golf at one of the Disney courses can be fun. I agree that $500 is a lot for just one day at a park. There are tons of things at WDW that are low cost or free. Have fun! Cheers!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

I would second resort hopping or even going to Fort Wilderness and doing some of the activities there.

Don’t waste your $ on 1 day in a park.

 

[EdmondD]

On one hand, you've already spent a huge amount of money on a vacation (I'm guessing this Disney cruise is for four people) and so what's another $500 for a day in the park. On the other hand, you've already spent so much money on vacation, how can you possibly justify another $500!

Will you be back to Disney within the next 12 to 18 months? If so, I'd say don't spend the money.

If not, I say go see Pandora! Navi is just okay, but get there early and enjoy FoP and soaking in that beautiful new land. Yes, the line is long, but it's not crazy if you get there pretty early. Then do your other AK favorites. You'll be ending your Disney vacation with a great park day. What better way to end it?

We're having a similar discussion - we have a Universal/Sea World/legoland trip planned next year. We're debating doing one Disney park day. Since we went twice in 2017 and are going in May of 2020, I think we're just going to Disney Springs instead. But if we didn't plan to be back in awhile, I'd cough up the money.

 

[No.1000]

If it were me, I would trade and do a park on the second day when I would have the whole day and then do BB on the day I fly out. The water parks close early and I could never make it for a whole day at the water park.

Last summer we got a one day park hopper ticket and could add the water park for 2 extra days for $15. Not sure if it was a FL resident deal or not, but it is worth looking to see if you can get a special deal.

 

[glocon]

AKL or MK for sure.
I say go for it.... it will be hard to stay away when you’re so close...

 

[ArwenMarie]

I would do a day in MK

 

[gharter]

If you want to do a park, I would agree with pp and move the park day to the 2nd day and do AK. There is a lot to do there even if you don't get to do FoP.
I would move BB to the third day when you leave. You will leave BB earlier than yuo would want to leave any of the parks.
This way you also get to see the evening show in what ever park you decide to do.
Or you could skip the park, resort hop or do Disney Springs.

 

[saraheli]

If you want to do a park, I would agree with pp and move the park day to the 2nd day and do AK. There is a lot to do there even if you don't get to do FoP.
I would move BB to the third day when you leave. You will leave BB earlier than yuo would want to leave any of the parks.
This way you also get to see the evening show in what ever park you decide to do.
Or you could skip the park, resort hop or do Disney Springs.

I thought about doing blizzard beach on last day but we will have already checked out of our hotel. Not sure I'd want to travel straight from blizzard beach to airport without washing up? I know they have showers/changing area but not sure how comfortable of an option that would be.

All these responses are making me even more confused! Ack!

 

[gharter]

I thought about doing blizzard beach on last day but we will have already checked out of our hotel. Not sure I'd want to travel straight from blizzard beach to airport without washing up? I know they have showers/changing area but not sure how comfortable of an option that would be.

All these responses are making me even more confused! Ack!

Of course, your alternative is to leave the theme park hot and sweaty and head to the airport.

 

[hiroMYhero]

I thought about doing blizzard beach on last day but we will have already checked out of our hotel. Not sure I'd want to travel straight from blizzard beach to airport without washing up? I know they have showers/changing area but not sure how comfortable of an option that would be.

All these responses are making me even more confused! Ack!

Are you doing the 7-day Fantasy? Have you ever cruised and then gone into a park after a pampered 7-day Cruise?

It really isn’t the most relaxing way to end a cruise vacation. We did this after the Fantasy and also off a non-Disney cruise. With careful planning we had a nice SWW Studios day the day after our cruise. You’d need to have a well-planned Park day or choose a slower type of day.

You may also want to check out Volcano Bay. With its theming, my CM friend says it’s like being in Hawaii.

 

[KittyKitty]

Many years ago I went to MK for one day after a Princess Cruise out of Ft Lauderdale. I asked for the " I can't believe it costs so much" ticket. I couldn't not go when it was so close.

Go for it. Go when you can stay a full day.

 

[Minnie368]

I just posted this over on the DCL board...

We had a 9:00pm flight that ended up being delayed even later. We went to Disney Springs and shopped and had lunch, went to Winter Summerland mini golf, headed to the Poly for a Dole whip, then rode their ferry around the loop. It was a really fun day!

We would’ve loved to do a park but couldn’t justify the cost because it was the day we got off the ship and it would’ve made the day too crazy to try to be there by park opening. We did this instead and it was a fun day and a great end to our trip.