There is no such thing as a half-day park

[MuddyTires]

AK and DHS are, to me, half day parks. Yes, there are things I skip, but I doubt there is anyone out there who wants to do every single thing in either park. These parks have been half day parks since my first visit. And my experience and opinion is just as valid as any other.

lol, the poster wasn't suggesting your experience and opinion isn't valid, just correctly pointing out that referring to AK and HS as half-day parks is misleading. To experience everything both parks have to offer would certainly take more than a half-day. But of course many choose not to experience everything those parks have to offer.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

For them, it is a half day park. Are we now required to withhold opinion on a message board because someone else might not share it? I don't think we can demand that posters phrase their posts a certain way in this kind of instance. New visitors doing proper research can determine for themselves if a park is going to be a half day park for them or not.

 

[nighttowll]

I understand what you are saying. I always try to tell people asking about time that it takes on average X number of days to do 75% to 100% of everything once. Then they can look at all the options available and estimate how much time they need based on how much they plan on doing.

AK gets reported as a half day park all the time on here, but that is only because, as you pointed out, they are skipping 1/2 the park.

It is kind of misleading to people who have never been before to just say, "oh, you only need 1/2 day." It's similar to saying Epcot is a 1/2 day park because all you choose to do are the headliners, skipping the less popular rides, innovations, and World Showcase. Epcot is a 1/2 day park to many people who do exactly what I just described. However, if anyone tried to make blanket statements that Epcot was a 1/2 day park, there would be an uproar. For some reason, we tend to use one set of rules for Epcot and MK where time gets based on completing the majority of what is available, and a second set of rules for HS and AK where time is based not on completing most of what's a available once, but on completing only the highlights once.

Do many families spend a 1/2 day at the park and have a great time? Yes. But are they experiencing all the attractions available? No. Even a commando would have a very hard time fitting in every show and every ride before lunch, much less everything else. Plus the average family isn't commando touring anyway.

So if someone asks, "How much time do we need to see only the headliners." Then 1/2 day is a fine answer. However, if they ask, "How much time do we need to see AK." I wish people would be more clear in saying only about 1/2 the park appeals to many families, so about 1/2 a day is pretty common, but if you wanted to actually see everything you'd need more like a day to day and half.

I know we were fooled by the half day thing years ago on our first trip. Everyone kept saying AK was a 1/2 day, so that's all we scheduled, and we ended up regretting it because we couldn't fit everything in. We ended up changing our schedule so that we could go back and finish. Now AK is never a half day for us, and we don't walk all the trails or get all the character signatures. We almost never make it to the petting zoo, and I have yet to see the Flights of Wonder show because we always run out of time. I can't imagine the amount of attractions people are skipping to make it into a half day. I'd never want to do that, and we have no way of knowing what a new first time visitor will like or not, so no way of knowing if they will be happy skipping 1/2 the park or get there and regret not scheduling more time as I did my first trip.

 

[Kellykins1218]

For us, Epcot is absolutely a 1/2 day park. Our younger children are completely bored by most of the attractions especially WS. Sorry, but having a few kid stations is not going to keep them interested and I didn't pay all this money so they could come to Disney to color. The rest of the day we re-visit one of the other parks.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I have never understand the idea of a half-day park either.

We usually arrive half an hour before park opening at both HS and AK, stay all day, and are usually waiting in line for a ride at park closing time, and still don't do everything we want to do, much less everything there is to do.

I get that everyone has different goals for their theme park visits, but to generally label the parks as half-day parks doesn't really do them justice. Kind of like labeling a grocery store a "Milk and Bread Shop."

 

[DisGirl819]

I think its tough to say how long a person should spend in each park because it is highly dependent on the family or person going. For us, we go to DHS every 3 trips or so, there just isn't enough there to entertain our whole family for very long and its our least favorite park. We choose to spend our time in Epcot and MK, and AK, which is my kids' favorite. We could easily make AK a two day park for us, but my kids love the boneyard, which is a full day activity for us sometimes. It all depends what a family's priorities are for their trip and what they like doing. I do agree that people should judge what there is to offer for themselves, but being a first time visitor they don't know, even by looking at park maps. I didn't know that the Boneyard existed for a couple years and now its all we do sometimes. Its not always easy to find the things that there are to do in every park and not everyone wants to do the same things as other families.

 

[kristainohio]

For us, Epcot is absolutely a 1/2 day park. Our younger children are completely bored by most of the attractions especially WS. Sorry, but having a few kid stations is not going to keep them interested and I didn't pay all this money so they could come to Disney to color. The rest of the day we re-visit one of the other parks.

This exactly. For us, Epcot is not even 1/2 day. We have young children and they just aren't interested. Plus, I feel that Epcot needs some major love and updating.

 

[asmit4]

So someone asks you - as they ALWAYS do on the boards---
I'm new here and planning our first trip. Our plan was to spend 4 days in Disney and 2 at U/S. How would you recommend we split up our time?

Sorry-but I won't be telling them to spend an entire day in AK or DHS. I just won't be. I feel that for the majority of people I know- first timers and 20th timers....AK and DHS are 1/2 day parks and Epcot and MK are 2 day parks- or at least an entire day.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Experienced AK for first time a long time ago--- and it was and still IS a 1/2 day park. PERIOD. (FOR ME)

AND it's a 2 day park FOR YOU. Quantify your statements also

I never cared for Animal Kingdom, but on our honeymoon, my husband really wanted to go since he had never been there before. We went there first thing. We would pass an attraction, he would ask me what it was like, I would tell him, and he would tell me whether or not it interested him. More attractions than not didn't interest him. It was probably 2 hours later that he asked me if that's all there was to the park. We left. For us, it is absolutely a half-day park. I also think most people who come here asking for advice and tips know that they are getting people's opinions and all it takes it one person saying he spend 2 full days at Animal Kingdom to prove that it is someone's opinion and not fact.

Between you, me, and the fence post, I think DISNEY believes AK is a half-day park... at least to most guests. Otherwise, I don't think they would have moved the parade to so late in the day in an attempt to try and keep the guests later.

For us, Epcot is absolutely a 1/2 day park. Our younger children are completely bored by most of the attractions especially WS. Sorry, but having a few kid stations is not going to keep them interested and I didn't pay all this money so they could come to Disney to color. The rest of the day we re-visit one of the other parks.

Epcot for me is actually two half-day parks, which I know sound like one full day, but isn't. I don't care anything about Future World East (Ellen, MS, TT) And only a select few things in Future World West (Soarin', LWTL, Turtle Talk with Crush, Imagination). And, of course, I enjoy Spaceship Earth. Since I'm a rope dropper, I get all of this done before World Showcase opens, get bored,and want to hop. My husband loves Epcot, so when I'm with him, I don't leave. When I'm alone, though, I will hop to another park. Then,on another day, usually shared with DHS because it's so easy to hop and I spend most of my time there, I will take the afternoon and hop to World Showcase.

 

[asmit4]

I will clarify and say because we have a toddler- we do 1/2 days at Epcot, and AK, skip DHS and spend almost all our time in MK. That's just how we roll.

In time though I think we will spend more time at the others.

 

[Kalea]

I agree with the OP.

People not familiar with the parks should probably not budget less than an entire day at each. It's easy to leave once you've realized you've done everything you wish to do. But it can be much harder to carve out more time for a park you realize you've underestimated.

 

[ampersand]

We don't have kids and I'm pretty sure we'll be able to knock out Epcot in a day (incredibly leisurely), AK with time to spare on it's day, and the same with HS. We want to see all of the shows at the latter two, but who cares about characters? We're adults. I don't want to snuggle up to some stranger (disney hired or not) who is essentially cosplaying. That's weird for me. If it's not for you, by all means more power to you have fun. But it sure ain't my thing. I don't generally care about parades either and find them incredibly pointless and boring for myself. They're great for kids though, just like characters.

The post above me is why we're planning a day per "lesser" park, with an extra day for F&W at Epcot. We intend to knock out Epcot attractions one day and enjoy F&W the other without even trying to get near attractions so it's less stress and less line waiting. And who knows, maybe we'll want to do things more than once at AK and HS. They're still getting a day just to be safe, even though since we're going to be rope drop people, I'm pretty sure we could knock them out in a matter of 4-5 hours tops. We did it with DCA with no problem at all.

 

[srauseo]

For them, it is a half day park. Are we now required to withhold opinion on a message board because someone else might not share it? I don't think we can demand that posters phrase their posts a certain way in this kind of instance. New visitors doing proper research can determine for themselves if a park is going to be a half day park for them or not.

If a new visitor does research by coming to Disboards and is told by numerous posters that AK is a half-day park without any qualification, that is a problem. What the OP is suggesting is that just saying "AK is half day park" isn't very helpful. Good advice would be - "my family spends a half day at AK but we skip this and that and aren't interested in a lot of the rides or my kids aren't tall enough, etc.". Then the new visitor has helpful information that can help them make a determination as to what will work for their family.

People are so sensitive on here!

 

[FLchick415]

So someone asks you - as they ALWAYS do on the boards---
I'm new here and planning our first trip. Our plan was to spend 4 days in Disney and 2 at U/S. How would you recommend we split up our time?

Sorry-but I won't be telling them to spend an entire day in AK or DHS. I just won't be. I feel that for the majority of people I know- first timers and 20th timers....AK and DHS are 1/2 day parks and Epcot and MK are 2 day parks- or at least an entire day.

Well, to be fair, the OP did specify they were talking about trips of 5 days or more. If a trip is less than that, sure.

It really does depend on each individual family and what they do and don't like to do and the ages of their children, etc. My very first trip to AK, we had no problem spending an entire day there and we didn't even do everything. Now, since I'm solo more often than not, and I have a seasonal pass, I do my favorites and then I leave. It's really all a matter of personal preference, but I can see where the OP is coming from.

 

[dawnhaze]

I think there are some times when the half-day park arguments have merit - Repeat visitors, people with medical issues that prevent them from doing certain attractions, families with kids that don't meet height requirements and/or are afraid of rides, people/families who don't like shows/live entertainment...

For most first time visitors with none of those kinds of issues to consider, I do think each park has at least an 8-hour day worth of stuff in it to do, though.

 

[PEC]

Parks are different for individuals based on their interest. Though I dare say MK is not a half day for many going to Disney the other parks all have their niches. IF recommending to somebody that I cannot get a good feel on their interest I would say do at least one day at each park. Try to hit the highlights and then some of the other things within the park and see what you really enjoyed and what you did not.
Now next comes the definition of "Full Day". MK is on about average open 9 AM to 11 PM. EPCOT 9 AM to 9 PM. DHS about 9 AM to 9 PM (varies based on time of year) AK 9 AM to 6 PM (varies based on season). As you can see a full day at MK is normally a couple more hours than EPCOT and DHS and about 5 hours compared to AK. Another words not all "Full days are the same.

 

[FLchick415]

We don't have kids and I'm pretty sure we'll be able to knock out Epcot in a day (incredibly leisurely), AK with time to spare on it's day, and the same with HS. We want to see all of the shows at the latter two, but who cares about characters? We're adults. I don't want to snuggle up to some stranger (disney hired or not) who is essentially cosplaying. That's weird for me. If it's not for you, by all means more power to you have fun. But it sure ain't my thing. I don't generally care about parades either and find them incredibly pointless and boring for myself. They're great for kids though, just like characters.

The post above me is why we're planning a day per "lesser" park, with an extra day for F&W at Epcot. We intend to knock out Epcot attractions one day and enjoy F&W the other without even trying to get near attractions so it's less stress and less line waiting. And who knows, maybe we'll want to do things more than once at AK and HS. They're still getting a day just to be safe, even though since we're going to be rope drop people, I'm pretty sure we could knock them out in a matter of 4-5 hours tops. We did it with DCA with no problem at all.

A LOT of people care about characters. I try to meet as many as I can if the lines aren't too long (or with a FP, in the case of A&E).

 

[ampersand]

A LOT of people care about characters. I try to meet as many as I can if the lines aren't too long (or with a FP, in the case of A&E).

Nobody said they didn't. I just said I don't and I find it creepysauce for myself. Loads of people care about the parades too and I just don't, at all, with the small exception maybe of MSEP and possibly boo to you. I've never seen the second one but everybody raves about it so if we have time I'll bother myself to remember it exists.

 

[sayheyrenee]

Agree 100%! I would love it if people would generally ask friends what kind of things they like or what kind of park-goers they think they'll be before giving a blanket "you need 2-3 MK days, 2 Epcot days and 1/2 each at DHS and AK", which I think people do often. I think for many types of groups, they can do all ,*they* want in 1/2 day, but that's not to say there isn't plenty of quality stuff to do to fill a day if you like a wide variety of attractions.

This is SPOT on.....and why everyone should do their research THOROUGHLY.

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

I always plan a minimum of one day in each park. We typically do 2Epcot & 2 MK days (this year 3MK days )

I never recommend to anyone to plan 1/2 days... I think that 1/2 days are fine and great, but they should be a choice that is made after the person has been and evaluated what they like/didn't like/want to do again... etc.

In other words, let them make the choice for themselves. We easily fill our days even in "half-day" parks... and sometimes it is nice to move slower and have a more relaxing feel to the day (for some reason we cant relax in MK and all have the anxiety to "do it all")