**~~***The Official June 2017 Thread***~~**

[ArielSRL]

I just tried to paste in a picture. It did not work out well.

If you go to the Disney website and select Park Hours, the AK hours have been updated.

Yeh, if you read my edit above, I saw it. Blech....not happy.

 

[JennLTX]

Where did you see this posted? I looked on the TA calendar and it had not changed.

ETA: Just saw it on the Disney site. Ugh...I don't like that. I seriously doubt we get there by 8. Maybe I can try for 8:30, but we have MK the night before and I was going to do OUAT that night (Happily Ever After on Sunday night) and that is usually 45 min after Wishes....so if Happily Ever After is at 10, then 10:45 for OUAT. I didn't want to do HEA and OUAT on the same night because that is a lot of waiting around for my boys, and I really like to do several attractions at night so I don't really want to leave early. Ugh...I probably shouldn't complain about more hours but I was going to try to hit the safari at RD with no FP and now I'm not sure what to do.

I'm not sure my plan is even going to work since it's one of our first days there and I won't be surprised to see the FP+s already booked. Plus, there's a part of me that absolutely cannot believe I'm planning over a third of the trip around Animal Kingdom. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE that park, but having it go from "Half Day Then Hit the Pool or Blizzard Beach Park" to "Up Before Dawn / Back After Sunset Park" is pretty insane.

 

[JennLTX]

We are going to Disney World for the first time June 6-12. My daughter will be turning 10 while we are there. It is just the two of us and I am very excited. I went to Disneyland when I was 18 but have never been to the Florida parks. We are staying at Pop Century and doing the dining plan.

June 6th Arriving Dinner at 1600 park fare
June 7th Magic Kingdom Dinner at BOG
June 8th Hollywood Studio Lunch Mama Melrose Fantasmic package
June 9th Magic Kingdom (Birthday) Dinner Ohana
June 10th Epcot Dinner Garden Grill
June 11th AK Dinner Tusker House
June 12th Departure day

I'm excited. I am also a little nervous I will pick the wrong fast passes but I'm sure it will be good.

You and the Birthday Girl are going to have a BLAST. And really, there's no such thing as the "wrong" fast passes as long as you're picking the things you want to do!

 

[Ferrentinos]

I'll be at AK one day in June so now I know that day will be an 8am opening. We are planning an AM EMH day on July 5th there - but those hours haven't changed. What is the thought about that? Think that July 5th and beyond will also get changed? Not that it will modify our plans - we are early risers and have a chill night the night before anyway - just curious what you guys think.

 

[ArielSRL]

I'm not sure my plan is even going to work since it's one of our first days there and I won't be surprised to see the FP+s already booked. Plus, there's a part of me that absolutely cannot believe I'm planning over a third of the trip around Animal Kingdom. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE that park, but having it go from "Half Day Then Hit the Pool or Blizzard Beach Park" to "Up Before Dawn / Back After Sunset Park" is pretty insane.

I'm thinking maybe we can get there by 8:45 and then KS won't be too crazy by then? Ugh, I just don't know but maybe everyone will be at Pandora....

 

[JennLTX]

I'm thinking maybe we can get there by 8:45 and then KS won't be too crazy by then? Ugh, I just don't know but maybe everyone will be at Pandora....

Is this a regular 8:00am park opening day? Then I wouldn't think the wait would be too bad at that point.

 

[SgtTibbs]

I'm thinking maybe we can get there by 8:45 and then KS won't be too crazy by then? Ugh, I just don't know but maybe everyone will be at Pandora....

For comparison:

45min after opening, 7DMT will have an hour wait time maxing our at a two hour'ish wait later in the day.
45min after opening Frozen Ever After will have a 50min wait maxing out at an hour and a half'ish wait later in the day.

(These are approximations of course)

 

[JennLTX]

For comparison:

45min after opening, 7DMT will have an hour wait time maxing our at a two hour'ish wait later in the day.
45min after opening Frozen Ever After will have a 50min wait maxing out at an hour and a half'ish wait later in the day.

(These are approximations of course)

With Pandora in play, wouldn't KS's waits be a bit lower than normal during the first couple of opening hours? Not arguing, just speculating. What I know about predicting wait times would probably fit on the back of a postage stamp with room to spare.

 

[AZMermaid]

I read somewhere that AK is also having AM EMH every day- but that is not on the WDW site, so maybe it was someone speculating. I hope so. These are my AK plans....

Sat 6/10
1. Rope drop Safaris (Touring plans says if we get there at 7:15 we will have a 13 minute wait. I don't really agree with this... but it will give us wiggle room later I guess)
2. Gorilla Falls trail- I know, I know. Why do this at 7:30AM? I am debating switching this to EE, but we have 1.5 days at AK and this minimizes walking. I also feel like it will be cooler and the animals will be more active? I don't know, this might change. It says it is open for EMH, if it isn't, I guess we will go to EE instead.
3. Everest using FP- if we don't need the FP, which we probably won't (right? thoughts? at 8:45?), we will ideally switch this to an evening Safari FP. I am thinking it will be early enough to do so.
4. Meet Russel on the way to Pandora- depending on time
5. Navi River Journey with FP
6. Lion King at 10AM. If we get here at 9:40ish, will we have trouble getting in?
7. Tusker House ROL breakfast at 10:35AM
8. Meet Louie and Baloo
9. Flights of Wonder 12:30
10. Kali with Fastpass
11. Back to resort (AKL) for rest (1:30/2:00), maybe maharaja jungle trek before we go, maybe when we get back
12. Return around 5:00- eat at resort before returning.
We have about 3 hours to explore, ride the safari in the evening, hopefully with a FP before queuing for ROL. I am thinking we will get ice cream or something and get to our seats around 8:15 for the 9:15 show? After ROL, we will try to see Tree of Life Awakenings and walk through Pandora before returning to the resort.

This is going to be a late day for my kids. They usually go to bed between 7/7:30 and by 8:00 on vacation. I feel like they won't be in bed till at least 10:30, more likely 11. I don't think they have ever been up that late. They are only up past 8:30 like 3-4 times a year. I hope they nap on our break but I just don't know.... This is the only day we are planning on getting a stroller for my 5 year old. So hopefully that helps some too.

Sun 6/11- travel day
I am planning for the morning, but realistically, if we are dead tired... we could just get there around 9 for Flights of Passage. Originally I had the Meet Disney Pals as the first FP. But... then I started to think, if we like Navi and we want to rope drop it this day, this is a lit of criss crossing. If I put FOJ first, we would already be there if we decided to rope drop Navi instead of EE. Now I am like... with such a late night, maybe I should just not plan on even getting there until 9 and give us the buffer of getting there a bit later. Ugh!!! Anyway, this is today's plan.

1. 8AM rope drop EE- when this was a 9AM opening, DD and I were going to meet Pocahontas here because she will probably hate EE. Now I guess we will just wait.
2. Maharajah jungle trek (if not done the day before)
3. Flight of Passage with FP 8:30-9:30, ideally
4. Meet Disney Pals with FP 9:30-10:30, ideally
5. Tricera Top spin/boneyard/fossil games
6. about 45 min open time here, maybe explore Tree of Life, maybe lunch if hungry
7. 12:00 Nemo show with FP
8. Lunch
9. Leave at 1:30ish, flight at 5:30PM

 

[AZMermaid]

With Pandora in play, wouldn't KS's waits be a bit lower than normal during the first couple of opening hours? Not arguing, just speculating. What I know about predicting wait times would probably fit on the back of a postage stamp with room to spare.

I would think so too- at least for the first hour or so

 

[Amy M]

We have a 2 halfish days at AK. The first day we are booking FPs at AK. We are planning to arrive around 3:00 and stay until whenever (we have an off day the next day). I have always done EE and KS fastpasses. For this trip we want to see ROL and Pandora at night. Thoughts on getting ROL FP? We have another AK day that we will rope drop, but not book fastpasses. My question is what to fastpass? EE, KS, and one Pandora ride or EE or KS, ROL, and one Pandora ride? I don't know what to expect with ROL.

 

[AZMermaid]

Are you okay with the later ROL? If not... my understanding is it is basically impossible to see the first one without a FP or Dining Plan package. Not impossible, but 2-3 hours of waiting. I think I would do ROL, Pandora and KS and do Standby for EE.

 

[JennLTX]

I read somewhere that AK is also having AM EMH every day- but that is not on the WDW site, so maybe it was someone speculating. I hope so. These are my AK plans....

Sat 6/10
1. Rope drop Safaris (Touring plans says if we get there at 7:15 we will have a 13 minute wait. I don't really agree with this... but it will give us wiggle room later I guess)
2. Gorilla Falls trail- I know, I know. Why do this at 7:30AM? I am debating switching this to EE, but we have 1.5 days at AK and this minimizes walking. I also feel like it will be cooler and the animals will be more active? I don't know, this might change. It says it is open for EMH, if it isn't, I guess we will go to EE instead.
3. Everest using FP- if we don't need the FP, which we probably won't (right? thoughts? at 8:45?), we will ideally switch this to an evening Safari FP. I am thinking it will be early enough to do so.
4. Meet Russel on the way to Pandora- depending on time
5. Navi River Journey with FP
6. Lion King at 10AM. If we get here at 9:40ish, will we have trouble getting in?
7. Tusker House ROL breakfast at 10:35AM
8. Meet Louie and Baloo
9. Flights of Wonder 12:30
10. Kali with Fastpass
11. Back to resort (AKL) for rest (1:30/2:00), maybe maharaja jungle trek before we go, maybe when we get back
12. Return around 5:00- eat at resort before returning.
We have about 3 hours to explore, ride the safari in the evening, hopefully with a FP before queuing for ROL. I am thinking we will get ice cream or something and get to our seats around 8:15 for the 9:15 show? After ROL, we will try to see Tree of Life Awakenings and walk through Pandora before returning to the resort.

This is going to be a late day for my kids. They usually go to bed between 7/7:30 and by 8:00 on vacation. I feel like they won't be in bed till at least 10:30, more likely 11. I don't think they have ever been up that late. They are only up past 8:30 like 3-4 times a year. I hope they nap on our break but I just don't know.... This is the only day we are planning on getting a stroller for my 5 year old. So hopefully that helps some too.

Sun 6/11- travel day
I am planning for the morning, but realistically, if we are dead tired... we could just get there around 9 for Flights of Passage. Originally I had the Meet Disney Pals as the first FP. But... then I started to think, if we like Navi and we want to rope drop it this day, this is a lit of criss crossing. If I put FOJ first, we would already be there if we decided to rope drop Navi instead of EE. Now I am like... with such a late night, maybe I should just not plan on even getting there until 9 and give us the buffer of getting there a bit later. Ugh!!! Anyway, this is today's plan.

1. 8AM rope drop EE- when this was a 9AM opening, DD and I were going to meet Pocahontas here because she will probably hate EE. Now I guess we will just wait.
2. Maharajah jungle trek (if not done the day before)
3. Flight of Passage with FP 8:30-9:30, ideally
4. Meet Disney Pals with FP 9:30-10:30, ideally
5. Tricera Top spin/boneyard/fossil games
6. about 45 min open time here, maybe explore Tree of Life, maybe lunch if hungry
7. 12:00 Nemo show with FP
8. Lunch
9. Leave at 1:30ish, flight at 5:30PM

It looks like EMH morning hours from 7 - 8 only include Pandora. Today. That may change, but I'm basing our plan on that. When they open the gates for the non-resorts at 8:00, I'm assuming the majority will make for Pandora, and that's the time to get out and do other stuff.

 

[JennLTX]

Are you okay with the later ROL? If not... my understanding is it is basically impossible to see the first one without a FP or Dining Plan package. Not impossible, but 2-3 hours of waiting. I think I would do ROL, Pandora and KS and do Standby for EE.

If there are still Dining Packages available, Tusker is only a few dollars more (I've got ROL on the chopping block with no financial qualms), and you can apparently earn money back if you book Tiffins and order the expensive items.

 

[Amy M]

Are you okay with the later ROL? If not... my understanding is it is basically impossible to see the first one without a FP or Dining Plan package. Not impossible, but 2-3 hours of waiting. I think I would do ROL, Pandora and KS and do Standby for EE.

That is what I was thinking based on things I have read. I know we can ride EE in the standby line on our rope drop day with no problem, we have done that before. Looks like the later show is at 10:30. I would be fine with that too. My kids are finally at ages where they can handle staying in the parks late. This was one of their requests for this trip. They want to be in AK at night.

 

[AZMermaid]

It looks like EMH morning hours from 7 - 8 only include Pandora. Today. That may change, but I'm basing our plan on that. When they open the gates for the non-resorts at 8:00, I'm assuming the majority will make for Pandora, and that's the time to get out and do other stuff.

Is that for early hours too? Was figuring because it was already scheduled everything was open?

 

[SgtTibbs]

With Pandora open from 7am to 1am on EMH days that's a lot of hours to keep things running. I hope they don't have the down time Frozen Ever After had.

 

[JennLTX]

Is that for early hours too? Was figuring because it was already scheduled everything was open?

If you look at the individual ride hours on the Disney website, it looks (for now) like it's only Pandora that's open.

 

[Senk]

We got Disney Mail today explaining the Pandora late EMH. My kids read it and were immediately like No way! We will never be up that late

I didn't see anything about morning EMH being exclusively Pandora anywhere though. I kind of assumed everything would be open.

Would doing 7 am EMH on departure day be crazy? I was planning on doing a second AK day then but 7 am is really early! Our flight is 6:25p so I feel like we could get a decent amount done before heading back to POR to catch the bus back to the airport. I'll have to figure out checkout but we will make it work.

 

[JennLTX]

We got Disney Mail today explaining the Pandora late EMH. My kids read it and were immediately like No way! We will never be up that late

I didn't see anything about morning EMH being exclusively Pandora anywhere though. I kind of assumed everything would be open.

Would doing 7 am EMH on departure day be crazy? I was planning on doing a second AK day then but 7 am is really early! Our flight is 6:25p so I feel like we could get a decent amount done before heading back to POR to catch the bus back to the airport. I'll have to figure out checkout but we will make it work.

Turns out I was completely wrong about the morning hours. Sorry everyone!