There is no such thing as a half-day park

[OfTheWind]

Again, people are not all sheep. They can read posts saying posts saying to allocate a half day and posts saying to allocate a whole day and decide what to do. They can also alter their plans once they see what they like. Is anyone holding anyone hostage by suggesting that these parks are 1/2 day parks for their family? I think you're underestimating the discerning traveler.

Is it any worse to suggest that something is a "whole day park", and then people get there and find little to do? In the same way, they can choose to exit the park and do something else (which is what we have done in DHS and AK).

I just don't see the big uproar in all of this.

And with all of the attractions on YouTube now, first timers are able to see which attractions would fit their family (no height requirement being a major one) and which will not (too intense, too cheesy).

For me, all of the parks are half day parks. Meaning, we always have park hoppers and use them each trip. I get bored staying in one park the whole day. Our trips consist of multiple days at each park, but broken up over several days.

Yes. I would never go to AK without park hoppers. I would be angry if I bought a 1 day ticket there because it would be a waste of money. And I'm like you, I spend 5 hours (or less) in one park, go back to the resort to rest, head out to Epcot and then eat dinner there. I haven't done a rope drop to close park day since I was a teen.

Not to be pickier about "details", but nothing about you saying "my wife and I" indicates your gender with absolute certainty.

I love it!

Similarly, I think Universal is LESS than a half day park for us with a three year old (both parks). I wouldn't waste time and money to go over there now at all. It depends on the group and their interests is what I'm getting at. Also, I think that's what is great about Disney parks, there is plenty to do and experience for all ages and interests at all four parks!!!

I agree. Other than Seussland and the original part of Universal, there's not much. Even then I feel limited because I'm not a fan of simulators.

AK has always been a half day for me. Safari, Trails, EE, Dinosaur. Maybe Conservation Station and FOLK now that it's back.

DHS is a half day too but I typically do it twice on a trip (have AP so I can park hop).

Most of my time is MK and Epcot.

If we go to AK we hit the safari, Festival of the Lion King, Nemo and we're out. I really like DHS. Maybe because I love shows and that Hollywood feel. It's also not as hectic as Magic Kingdom. I probably spend 6-7 hours at DHS.

As a previous poster said, your definition of a 1/2 day may equal 4 hours, while someone else may consider a 1/2 day 8 hours. So really, the argument (like most arguments) doesn't matter.

 

[staceyeileen]

I also think it depends on the age/sizes of the people in your party. For us being with a 37 inch child eliminates many attractions at AK and Epcot. Essentially AK will be Character breakfast, safari, walking trail, done.

No Lion King? Nemo? Boneyard? While I agree that it depends on the party, I think that AK still has a lot to offer small children. Waaay more than Epcot.

Anyway, for us none of the parks are full day parks if the definition of that is rope drop to park close. We are usually rope drop to 5-6pm, or if we are planning on doing an evening fireworks/show we usually arrive after lunch. I think that AK, Epcot, and DHS each have enough to do for a full day, but not every attraction is going to appeal to everyone. The sheer number of attractions at MK make it a "full day" (or two) park for pretty much everyone, but honestly if I didn't have my 4yo DS I could do it in a half day and be perfectly happy.

 

[rcklein5269]

Oh really??? Let's take a look at the OP. So did you spend two half-days there or two full days? To me, 7 hours is a half day. But it sounds to me like you are calling those full days. Semantics. What is most important are the hours that you spent there. Once you communicate the hours, you have fleshed out the argument. Rather than having "nothing to do with how much time is spent in a park", it has everything to do with it. In the end, I think that you are simply slicing peoples' posts to thinly. When someone says that AK is a half day park, the are saying that they can complete the park in less time than opening to closing because there is so much "skippable" stuff there. Of course that is an opinion. But people get the gist. Take out all the time your family spent greeting characters and recalculate if the time it takes to see every attraction can be done in a day. According to Touring Plans, a well organized group can do that easily. Skip one or two things and you could be done by early afternoon. Why should this be the subject of controversy?

It's relative to the amount of time the park is open... How could you spend 7of the 8 hours a park is open and still call it a half day. That's very disingenuous. I understand you were trying to make a point but I don't think it was helpful or informative.

 

[maxiesmom]

It's relative to the amount of time the park is open... How could you spend 7of the 8 hours a park is open and still call it a half day. That's very disingenuous. I understand you were trying to make a point but I don't think it was helpful or informative.

Depending on the time of year and adding in EMHs, 7 hours can be half a day.

I'm not sure why there are so many posters on this thread that seem almost aggressive in their posts. If you want more information than a poster gives you, ask! But being rude, badgering, and being argumentative is NOT the way to go about it.

 

[surferdave]

Depending on the time of year and adding in EMHs, 7 hours can be half a day.

That makes DHS a quarter day park for me!

 

[JimmyV]

It's relative to the amount of time the park is open... How could you spend 7of the 8 hours a park is open and still call it a half day. That's very disingenuous. I understand you were trying to make a point but I don't think it was helpful or informative.

This shows the difference between the external view versus the internal view and highlights why terminology fails us in this discussion. Actual experiences mean more than terms and to that end the point is both helpful and informative. Internally, spending 7 out of 8 hours at a park is a full day, or close to it. Externally, touring for a mere 7 hours a day at WDW is a half day. As long as posters don't flesh out what they actually did and how they apply common terms, we don't know what they mean. But when we reduce the discussion to hours instead of undefined terms, we all get on board the same train. That is both helpful and informative. I would venture to guess that many (most?) people who leave AK at 2:00 would consider that to be a half day. But that is 6 hours. You call my post disingenuous for suggesting that 7 hours might be a half day. But what say you about 6 hours? See how difficult it is to define a "half day" without knowing more? Disingenuous? I think not.

 

[amg35]

This thread is hysterical.

Some of you have to be lawyers or on some sort of debate team the way you keep arguing your points.

 

[mummabear]

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.

 

[mummabear]

I can't remember if I read that Epcot is a 1/2 a day park in this thread, but I can't see how anyway. How can one not get sucked into WS...the snacking, beverages, shopping, music and the charaters...I will never understand.

We find WS boring. Maybe for people that don't travel internationally it is interesting but I have no interest in walking around fake countries.

 

[Amirah95]

We find WS boring. Maybe for people that don't travel internationally it is interesting but I have no interest in walking around fake countries.

Wow!

 

[quigs3]

We find WS boring. Maybe for people that don't travel internationally it is interesting but I have no interest in walking around fake countries.

This makes me think of "The Middle" when the Hecks went to Disney. Mike got really upset, because all he wanted to do was go to Paris in the WS. He said it would be the only opportunity he would ever have to take Frankie to Paris!

 

[itchin2go]

We find WS boring. Maybe for people that don't travel internationally it is interesting but I have no interest in walking around fake countries.

I wouldn't assume so much about others ...

 

[SoarinSC]

Bottom line is that posters who say that this park, or that park, are only half days should qualify the reasons they think that way. And, people who are visiting Disney for the first time should experience everything they possibly can and make their own decisions versus assuming someone’s opinion is fact (and that includes mine).

I agree, any first-timer should just see for themselves. I didn't particularly care for DHS and stayed only a couple of hours, but I wouldn't dissuade someone from ever going...they may love it.

 

[ZoZo]

What!!!??? You don't spend 45 minutes in the "Hello Kitty" section of the Mitsukoshi Department Store every time you go to Epcot??!! Blasphemy!!

Hee hee! I always do this! A girl's gotta love her some HK.

 

[DisneyFave]

We find WS boring. Maybe for people that don't travel internationally it is interesting but I have no interest in walking around fake countries.

My DH feels the same way as you, but I travel internationally a few times a year and ABSOLUTELY LOVE WS! You get the fun ambiance/food without the hassles of jet lag and airports and immigration lines I think it serves its purpose, which is to make people feel acquainted enough with the foreign atmosphere that the idea of visiting the real place seems more enticing. I credit my desire to pursue an international relations degree to my childhood visits to EPCOT.

 

[mswhittaker]

AK and HS are both 1/2 day parks for our family.

AK just gets too hot and stinky in the afternoon. And, I personally find HS to be boring beyond the coaster. I will give HS credit though - in the winter when they have the lights, it is phenomenal and I'll happily suffer through the boring daytime to get to that in the evening.

 

[scrappymel]

We are definitely in the minority, but we usually spend 2 days in AK, at least one in DHS and only 1/2 a day at EPCOT.... just enough to do future world. Different strokes...

 

[nkereina]

We're two adults who have no interest in characters and limited interest in shows. We usually do a half day at AK, and a full day at DHS because we like the more "thrill" rides at DHS.

OP is correct in that if you meet every character, see every show, and visit every attraction that it will indeed take longer than a half day. But in reality, every party will have show/characters/attractions that are intentionally skipped due to no interest. This ultimately shortens the time to a half day for many people. So essentially, OP's post is just opinion too.