Quickie....which park to skip!

[xipotec]

So its been less than 6 months since our last visit but I really need to go back! The kids are finally old enough to have caught the fever, and they keep asking when we will return.

So I am thinking a small trip next November or January.

Thing is , its too expensive to do more than 3-5 days. So we have to cut out a few things.

So here are the hard questions DIS members!

1. If you could only visit 2 parks which ones would you choose and why?

2. Which month would you go? Nov Dec Jan?

 

[prudence64]

My personal preference would be Epcot and DHS. I'm not sure my daughter would let us get away with not going to MK though.

If you want nicest weather, I'd opt for November. Christmas spirit, December. Lowest crowds - jan.

 

[dd50]

I would go to MK and Epcot. I would go in December because it is all decorated for Christmas.

 

[niffer5150]

it depends. my preference would be to go to MK and epcot. however, my family is just us adults and one teen who is into travel and food. if she was smaller, i'd probably cut epcot and got to animal kingdom instead.

 

[cheesemouse]

We'd pick MK and DHS. Or maybe MK and Epcot. Hard call. I'd probably go in November if I had the choice. Warmer weather and the holiday decorations are up most of the month.

 

[nkereina]

We went the week before Thanksgiving this past year and it was perfect. Low crowd time after Veterans Day/Jersey Week and before Thanksgiving, nice weather - not too hot and not too cold. I'd pick November. IMO, December seems like it gets more and more crowded every year. And in January you have to contend with some downright cold temperatures, shorter park hours, and lots of refurbs.

As for which two parks, so tough! I guess MK has to be one of them, and the second would be a toss up between Epcot and DHS. DHS has our favorite rides, but we like to stroll around the WS some nights. Although, I guess if I'm on a short trip there wouldn't be much time for leisurely strolls!

Are park hoppers out of the question? I think a short trip is the perfect scenario for PH passes.

 

[henry72]

I would go in December. We loved going at this time of year with the Christmas decorations and low crowds.

As for parks, you didn't say how old your kids are but I would pick MK (because that really is what I think about first when I think Disney World) and second would be Epcot. My kids have loved this park each time we went and it is easy to spend lots of time in World Showcase.

 

[frozengurl]

This would be tough for me.... I'd probably skip Epcot, only because for us it is my girls least favorite park (even though I LOVE WS) and then I'd probably skip HS! We just have an animal lover in our family so AK is a must do for us... Plus, her new favorite ride is expedition Everest! Also, my vote is November!

 

[krd315]

We struggled with this for our Sept trip this year. I would skip AK and DHS but my grandkids were not happy with this suggestion as we usually do all 4 parks on each trip and they have favorites in each park. So we are doing 2 day tickets with park hoppers to catch all 4 parks and then 2 nights of MNSSHP. We will be able to sleep in on party days. We have never done park hoppers but the grandkids are a little older now and I am hoping it works well for us.

 

[North of Mouse]

So its been less than 6 months since our last visit but I really need to go back! The kids are finally old enough to have caught the fever, and they keep asking when we will return.

So I am thinking a small trip next November or January.

Thing is , its too expensive to do more than 3-5 days. So we have to cut out a few things.

So here are the hard questions DIS members!

1. If you could only visit 2 parks which ones would you choose and why?

2. Which month would you go? Nov Dec Jan?

I would visit first week of Dec. We found the crowds to be very manageable and the weather (except Dec. 2010) the years we have gone is nice.

Our two favorite parks are Epcot and MK, Next would be DHS, last AK.
Hard to explain why, as everyone likes the parks for their own personal reasons.

 

[Ariel on Land]

how old are the kids? If they're on the younger end, I'd say MK and either DHS or AK, my preference would lean towards DHS, but that's pure preference, just depends on you and your kids' interests. If they're a little older, possibly EPCOT. EPCOT just doesn't have as much IMO for the younger set.

THis next trip for me is just with my 3 year old, so I pretty much expect 75% of my time to be in MK!

 

[practicallyperfect77]

My $.02.....I would pick the week before Thanksgiving. The reasoning is that Thanksgiving is late again this year so it's almost like 4 weeks worth of visiting gets crammed into 3 weeks. I arrived Thanksgiving Day this past year and stayed through the following Thur. I had never been at that time before, but it was more crowded than I thought a rated 4 day would be. Before Thanksgiving the decorations are up, you still have MVMCP (if you want to attend) and weather is typically good. As for parks I would pick MK and HS, but only you know yourself and your kiddos. Another though - instead of hoppers you could also go to two other parks and then do a MVMCP one night. You can get into MK at 4 on party nights. Although I think hoppers would actually be cheaper. those are $59 + tax....last year MVMCP tickets were $62 for ages 10+ and $57 for 3-9.

 

[SashaFarce]

My personal choices would be Epcot and AK. As far as when to go, I would choose to go whenever the crowd calendar says less people would be there no matter the month.

 

[amberpi]

I'd go the first week of Nov. I did it a year ago and the crowds were very low. Also, we got to do F&W and see the Obsbourne lights, etc. It was pretty brilliant.

BTW, I could and have done all 4 parks with little stress in 2 days, but it very much depends on if you are a family of folks that need to see everything or at this point want to hit your faves. I do RD and probably spend 2-3 wonderful hours in AK. I'm usually one of the first on KS, then hit EE single rider most often (its just me and DH), do it again, may hit KRR depending on temperature and attitude, then Dinosaur then a possible PW hit. We are back at the Swan or CR (we fight over resorts!) for pool time and a rest and lunch by 12-1. We hit Epcot in the late afternoon, with FP+ that's where we will make reservations one day and MK the second. Sometimes we go to MK in the late afternoon and hit a few rides and then monorail it over to Epcot in the evening, but since we always get park hoppers, we use them to their fullest and its pretty common for us to hit 3 parks in 1 day. At DHS its similar, we hit the headliners at RD, now with FP+ we will make our FPs for MK in the very late afternoon and still be able to catch Illuminations and then have a nice dinner, but we don't mind eating late.

This might not work for your family, but we know what we want to see at DHS, TSMM, TOT and RRNC. After that, we can leave, sometimes we do Star Tours. But we exploit RD as much as possible.

Have a lovely trip!

 

[prisjoyce]

Definitely November and MK. The second park depends a lot on the age & interests of your kids. For our family, I think HS would edge out Epcot, but just barely.

Enjoy your planning!

 

[hsmamato2]

also don't automaically decide that more than 3 days it too expensive before checking your options...ticket wise, it's cheaper to do more days - you can probably find hotel deals, for us, it's more about getting there for costs....

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We'd go another time of year and do 1 day each at Animal Kingdom and Blizzard Beach. AK is our overall favorite, and 2 or more people in our family enjoy EVERY SINGLE ride at BB - something we cannot say of any other Disney park.

If we were stuck with cold weather, AK and Epcot.

 

[scholastica]

I'm grappling with this myself, except I am going in a month. We aren't doing Disney but just visiting the parks while down there.

I am planning to do MK for sure but I am split between HS and Epcot. We are 2 families with 4 kids between 3-7. I think Epcot is nice because kids and adults are happy. But then HS has some great thrill rides and shows. Personally, I am leaning more towards Epcot cause we like to drink and the Mr. isn't one for more than 1 or 2 shows. Plus it makes it easier to send our bored husbands off to drink around the world and take the kids on whatever they want.

We are skipping AK all together because I don't feel it is the best way to spend my precious few days at Disney since I have a membership to my local zoo. No they don't have the safari or EE but it is a nice zoo and I am not huge on the AK as it is.

Bottom line for me Magic Kingdom and Epcot. If you can squeeze in the third day then by all means to HS. I would also go in November when the weather is lovely and not everyone is going for Christmas.

 

[MrsDuck]

MK and EPCOT! (or DHS depending on your kids).

Any of the months work depending on which dates you choose.

 

[kittyab]

We'd pick MK and DHS. Or maybe MK and Epcot. Hard call. I'd probably go in November if I had the choice. Warmer weather and the holiday decorations are up most of the month.

November is an awesome time to go!

Our favorite parks were MK & EP.