Single mom; juggling whether to extend stay, upgrade resort, or add park

[DLgal]

The one thing overlooked the most and the most important to most kids.... The slide matters as well if they are resorts that had will have one. I can rank them but the one resort that some say has the best pool has the worst slide.

In what universe is the Pirate ship slide "the worst?"

It's the longest slide at any WDW resort, and it's super thrilling too. And that little kiddie pool with slides in back is perfect for timid kids.

The "worst" is the Wilderness Lodge slide. Holy boring slide, Batman! Even the moderates have better slides than WL.

 

[CocoHeart]

Tough decision and as Brian Noble said, your kids are going to have a good time even if you stick to the original schedule. You can't do it all, believe me we have been going at least every other year since 1982 and still have not done it all. Only you know your boys and their interests so other than GoTG, you would be the only one to know if they would find Epcot fun. Do you think they are only into rides or would they enjoy the World Showcase section?

In an ideal world where money wasn't an issue, I'd add that extra park but I wouldn't pay the extra for Pop even if money wasn't a problem. They can ride the sky liner without staying in Pop. I don't think it's worth the extra money but then, we have never had an issue with the buses. Heck, we have always park hopped and used the buses plus take a few hours out in the afternoon for some resort time.

I know they would love GOTG!

They also love aquariums and I’ve heard there’s an awesome one there. We’re big Nemo fans, and they would absolutely LOVE the test track. Other than that I need to look a little closer into the rides. But they also all love Christmas too and I’ve read EPCOT is really nice around the holidays with a processional and the different countries telling stories and such!

(*I* love food but I know it’s not about me and my kids aren’t very adventurous eaters unfortunately! )

With my oldest in middle school (and me having to go during during non peak times for *reasons*) Id like to not have to pull them out of school as much.

I’m just not sure when we’d be able to swing it again. Or maybe the next time we go to FL they’d like to check out universal and such.

My brain is going into overdrive about all of this

 

[CocoHeart]

In what universe is the Pirate ship slide "the worst?"

It's the longest slide at any WDW resort, and it's super thrilling too. And that little kiddie pool with slides in back is perfect for timid kids.

The "worst" is the Wilderness Lodge slide. Holy boring slide, Batman! Even the moderates have better slides than WL.

I’m sorry.. which slides are we talking about? POP or Allstar?

Thanks! I’ve been researching a good bit but finding out new things every day

 

[DLgal]

I’m sorry.. which slides are we talking about? POP or Allstar?

Thanks! I’ve been researching a good bit but finding out new things every day

None of the value resorts have pool slides. These are at Deluxe resorts.

 

[CocoHeart]

None of the value resorts have pool slides. These are at Deluxe resorts.

Got it. Thanks!

 

[loves to dive]

None of the value resorts have pool slides. These are at Deluxe resorts.

Moderates have them as well except POFQ.

 

[DLgal]

Moderates have them as well except POFQ.

POFQ has a slide. It looks like a sea serpent.

I was saying that the Pirate Ship Slide and the Wilderness Lodge slide are at Deluxe properties.

 

[Brian Noble]

My brain is going into overdrive about all of this

You absolutely will drive yourself to distraction if you get wrapped up in the "should I do this or that" game. No matter what you have planned, there is always something else that looks like fun, and it's easy to get trapped into having to pick the "right thing."

Here's another way to think about it.

One question we often get is "What are the things I *have to* do when I go?" If you wait long enough, eventually everything at WDW will be in the answers people give, and no one could do all of those things even if they had a month, let alone five or six days.

The secret is: absolutely nothing is a must-do. There is no single thing at WDW (or, for that matter, Orlando) that will make or break a vacation.

What matters is that you are spending focused time with the people you love away from life's day-to-day cares. The theme parks, resorts, restaurants, etc. are all the stage on which that happens. More or less anything you choose to do will be a fun way to spend that time.

 

[yeahdisney]

Hmmm. I would chose longer stay first. Then the upgrade. I really don’t care where I sleep. Much to DH horrors
And as long as I am only riding the buses a couple of times a day. Then I am fine. With whatever.
But if I need to rope drop. And I am going to need to invest in an Uber to get me there. Then that skyliner, if it running that early would come back into play. The money I would use for Uber could be the hotel money.

 

[Cadiewampus]

I would swap AK for Epcot, personally. AK is pretty ho hum for that age group.

But I'd also upgrade to Pop.

I was going to say upgrade to Pop as well and swap MK for Epcot. Don't really care about MK but of course I am 63 and not 6-13

 

[Skippyboo]

I would add extra park day for Epcot and move AK to fly out day especially if you have a late flight. I would keep your All Star reservation and wait for any discounts for later part 2023 and then decide to upgrade to Pop. The room layouts are basically the same. You would get Skyliner access to Hollywood and Epcot.

 

[princesscinderella]

I don’t think you necessarily need to add a day to your trip but instead change your tickets to park hoppers. Make your HS day an Epcot day so you have access to the virtual queue for guardians. Do a half day in the at Epcot got back to the room for relaxation and naps and then spend the second half of the day at HS. Hollywood Studios park starts to empty out after 5pm. We did this plan just last weekend and we got on Rise in 30 minutes, Toy Story mania was 5 minutes and slinky was 30 minutes at park closing and we entered with only an hour and half from closing. If you got there earlier you could do more rides. Your animal kingdom day you could hop to one of the other three to see what you want to do again or one of the nighttime shows.