Please help tweek our plans for Magic Kingdom

[Cinderellie]

Hi. 10 days til we leave for WDW!
I need some expertise from those of you who have been to Magic Kingdom WDW before. I've done some research and received some great advice from people here already. I've put together the following plans for Sunday and Thursday when we're planning to be at Magic Kingdom (not sure what time Sunday as we're driving down from Canada - leaving Friday night - probably checking in between 3 & 6pm?) Here's what we're thinking of so far:

Sunday April 23rd
Arrive at Fort Wilderness on Sunday afternoon & set up camp (Reservations made).
Go into Magic Kingdom Park Park Hours: 9:00am - 12:00am (Evening Extra Magic Hours)
Walk up Main Street USA – admire Cinderella’s Castle. Circle the hub to get our bearings of Magic Kingdom (location of various Lands)
Go to Tomorrowland-Get FP for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.
Go to Stitch’s Great Escape. Go to Tomorrowland Indy Speedway?
Go on Tomorrowland Transit Authority? (Laurie go get Space Mtn FP when available – then dh & dd go on it)
Stake out space for watching SpectroMagic Parade & Wishes (where is best place? What time to be there?)
9pm "SpectroMagic" Parade
10pm Wishes™ Nighttime Spectacular

Thursday, April 27th
Magic Kingdom® Park
Park Hours: 9:00am - 11:00pm (Morning Extra Magic Hours)
Walk down Main Street USA.
Go to Adventureland – stop at Jungle Cruise (FP) and Swiss Family Tree House. Cut over to Frontierland-Get FP for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Go on Splash Mountain (FP). Go over to Tom Saywer Island.
Go to Liberty Square – Get FP for Haunted Mansion. Go to Hall of Presidents (air conditioned & educational). Liberty Square Riverboat? (If no line & need a slower paced break)
Go to Fantasyland – Get FP for Micky’s PhilharMagic. Go to Cinderella’s Golden Carousel, It’s a Small World, Peter Pan’s Flight, & Ariel’s Grotto.
2pm? Stake out location to watch the parade. Sit down & have snack, drink, relax (where is best spot?)
3pm Share A Dream Come True Parade
Skip Mickey’s Toontown Fair (Went to Tomorrowland on Sunday)
7pm @ Polynesian Resort - Disney's Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show
(Reservations made)
Watch the Electrical Water Pageant from Poly’s beach around 9 or 9:30?
Look around Polynesian Resort & relax a bit – Enjoy our last night at Disney before heading home. (Anything in particular to do after dinner other nearby in addition to these 2 events?)
Watch Wishes at 10pm form the Poly's beach (find the "sweet spot" by walking along the sidewalk next to the beach until the castle becomes clear of the trees and obstructions.)

Since it's been 25 years since I've been there & my dh & dd12 have never been, we could really use some advice on this plan for these 2 days (I'll post the other days as I prepare them & after reviewing comments about these ones). We will be flexible & go with the flow. Depends on lines, Fastpass times, what we see & want to do etc, but I figure it'll be good to have an idea of what we plan to do... Have we missed any must do rides? Are we trying to do too much in a certain period of time? What about the plan for what Lands to see when? Any comments, ideas or tips are appreciated. My hubby says this is our once in a life-time trip to Disney, so I want it to be very special & magical!

 

[dzneelvr]

My advice would be to check out the rides for FP and continually grab those as the day goes on. Then just cruise through MK and take it all in. In fantasyland I didn't see space mountain on your itinerary; and the transport cars that continually run around FL are a great break and give you a birds eye view of FL--do them. In Adventureland POTC will be in rehab until July, so that's the only bummer I see. A few more things to consider: Country Bears Jamboree is a must for our family--has been since DS and DD were small. a great spot to watch the afternoon parade is on the curve on main street just to the left of Tony's as you are walking out of the park. The floats have to slow down to make the wide curve and you get some extra "Kodak moment" time. We make a ressie for Tony's to coincide with the time to stake out our area. I totally agree with monorailing it over to the Poly for Ohanas--we do that too and then come back to the park to catch any attraction that was too busy during the core hours. Remember to use the FP continually throughout the day--you would be surprised how much you can do and see while waiting for your confirmed time. We'll be WDW-ing it beginning June 22!! woo hoo!!

 

[rlovew]

Sunday April 23rd
Arrive at Fort Wilderness on Sunday afternoon & set up camp (Reservations made).
Go into Magic Kingdom Park Park Hours: 9:00am - 12:00am (Evening Extra Magic Hours)
Walk up Main Street USA – admire Cinderella’s Castle. Circle the hub to get our bearings of Magic Kingdom (location of various Lands)
Go to Tomorrowland-Get FP for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.
Go to Stitch’s Great Escape. Go to Tomorrowland Indy Speedway?

Indy Speedway will have a very long line. I am not sure about your children's ages but I have never thought this ride was worth the wait unless you have small children. The ride consits of driving around a very long track(on a rail) in cars that top out at about 5 mph. It has a horrible smell from the cars fumes and the pedals can be very hard to push f you end up in the wrong car.

Go on Tomorrowland Transit Authority? (Laurie go get Space Mtn FP when available – then dh & dd go on it)

You will need to add in going on Buzz itself as getting the FP in the evening will mean at least an hour wait for the time slot to open up. You will be able to get FP for Space only once your passes for Buzz are available for use (and I would get the FP for Space before using them) or about 2 hours after getting them for Buzz, since the park closes at 9 to the general public according to the hours you posted you might not have any availablity for a FP to Space.

Stake out space for watching SpectroMagic Parade & Wishes (where is best place? What time to be there?)
9pm "SpectroMagic" Parade
10pm Wishes™ Nighttime Spectacular

I like to watch from main street, plan to be there about 1/2 and hour early to find a spot. If you find one close to tomorrowland and leave right after the parade you can head into Tomorrowland to ride something before wishes. I find that if I am not worried about seeing the fireworks centered around the castle that the backside of Cosmic Rays is a great and uncrowded spot to watch wishes.

Thursday, April 27th
Magic Kingdom® Park
Park Hours: 9:00am - 11:00pm (Morning Extra Magic Hours)
Walk down Main Street USA.
Go to Adventureland – stop at Jungle Cruise (FP) and Swiss Family Tree House. Cut over to Frontierland-Get FP for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Go on Splash Mountain (FP). Go over to Tom Saywer Island.
Go to Liberty Square – Get FP for Haunted Mansion. Go to Hall of Presidents (air conditioned & educational). Liberty Square Riverboat? (If no line & need a slower paced break)

Many times Adventureland doesn't open until 10. I would start by going on Splash and Thunder- if you are there when the park opens you don't need to worry about a FP yet. Then go to Fantasyland (it will be the place to get crowded the fastest afetr Tomorrowland) and get a FP for Pan, go on IASW, Ariel's Grotto, and the Carousel whiule waiting on FP. Then do Philharmagic.

Go back to Liberty Square and do the Huanted Mansion. If it is before 1 get a FP for Jungle Cruise and then go to Tom Saywer to wait it out. Go on the Jungle Cruise and then Tree House. If you have time catch a showing of the Tiki Birds or Bears. Then find a spot in Fronteerland to watch the parade. You will then have the afternoon to do anything else you want before heading to the Poly.

Skip Mickey’s Toontown Fair (Went to Tomorrowland on Sunday)
7pm @ Polynesian Resort - Disney's Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show
(Reservations made)
Watch the Electrical Water Pageant from Poly’s beach around 9 or 9:30?
Look around Polynesian Resort & relax a bit – Enjoy our last night at Disney before heading home. (Anything in particular to do after dinner other nearby in addition to these 2 events?)
Watch Wishes at 10pm form the Poly's beach (find the "sweet spot" by walking along the sidewalk next to the beach until the castle becomes clear of the trees and obstructions.)

 

[MissionMouse]

An important note about MK EMH is only specific rides are open and do not break off to Adventureland or Frontierland since their closed. The rides which will be available are:
Astro Orbiter
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Cinderella's Golden Carrousel
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
"its a small world"
Mad Tea Party
Mickey's Philharmagic
Peter Pan's Flight
Snow White's Scary Adventure
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Space Mountain
Stitch's Great Escape
Tomorrowland Indy Speedway
Tomorrowland Transit Authority

ALSO
Mickey's Toontown may contain many pre-school rides but it does provide character encounters at Mickey's Judge's Tent and around the train station if this is of interest.

Staking out a spot for the parade could involve more than just sitting down. From our experience other individuals may intrude into your space within the last 15 minutes as if they were there first...just to alert you to this behavior. Also, this parade actually start in Frontierland, wraps around the castle circle on the Tomorrowland side and exits near the Firestation on Mainstreet after it wraps around the Tony's Restaurant side of the other Main Stree circle. Best location is subjective but a front row seat is best with the parade facing you. I prefer the being in the Train Station circle directly facing the castle.

 

[Cinderellie]

Thanks so much for all your suggestions so far! I knew I could count on you guys! Any other ideas or things you see here that we should change?? (Or comments about the other comments...) Please help this newbie! Cinderellie

 

[NCHeel23]

I need some expertise from those of you who have been to Magic Kingdom WDW before

I would say that you came to the right place!

I go in 11 days for the first time

 

[jswalker1981]

Normally in the morning, Splash and Thunder Mtn have no lines, so if you get there when the ride opens, you don't have to get a FP. Also, if you find a paintbrush on Tom Sawyer's Island, you can get an extra FP to either Splash or Thunder Mtn, but you will have to be one of the first boats over to find one.

 

[jswalker1981]

I would say that you came to the right place!

I go in 11 days for the first time

Congratulations!!! You will have a great time, the Magic of Disney wouldn't allow you not to have a good time!