Touring Plan for December 26, 2016 - January 1, 2017, PLEASE REVIEW

[js]

Hi.

We are going to Disney December 26-January 1. Arriving at 8:30 am by plane on December 26 and staying at SSR Treehouse Villas.

Today was my FP morning. Drove my dd-22 to bus stop (her backpack is huge and heavy) and made it home about 6:57 am. Ran upstairs to my room to put everything out on my bed with my notes, input my email and PW into MDE and waited until my iPhone said 7 am and hit Enter.

Thank you to the poster on these boards that said to make sure you have a pen and paper next to you since this was a BIG help! I very much needed them both!

I've been talking about our touring during this busy time, especially FP selections for months with my family, maybe longer. Last week, while we were having Sunday dinner in the dining room, I even took out the list of all the FPs, Tiers, and my Touring Plans from TP to review with my family, and I have to say I was surprised they seemed somewhat into it.

My ds is away in college and my dd is in law school so I send group e-mails to my dh, dd and ds. I ask opinions. Sometimes I get answers, sometimes I guess they are too busy for these important decisions!!

I then talk to my dd/dh when we are home at night. Talk about getting up early, FP in conjunction with dinners, travel during this busy time, etc. Then last night, I'm quiet in the Living Room, while they are in another room watching TV and my dh asks if I'm sleeping since I'm not lol'ing at Modern Family...HELLOOOO, I'm on the dis and making sure I am set and armed for my very important 7 am deadline tomorrow morning (now TODAY).

With all this said, do you think ANYONE of them even texted me this morning to see how I (WE) made out? The only person that texted me was my dm (karensi) at 6:55 am to wish me luck..thanks mom!

We are only going to three parks, staying at SSR, Treehouse Villas.
Please take a look and give me honest opinions.

We plan on being at RD every morning. Thinking it will be 7 am opening and we will be at the gates about 6:15/6:30 am for MK, Epcot and AK.

Tuesday, December 27
Epcot: We plan on RD Epcot, leaving around 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm and back for an 8:35 pm dinner and Countries. I am worried about travel to/from Epcot and SSR. Will it take approximately 2 hours each way leaving Epcot at 1:30 pm and coming back for our 8:25 pm dinner? We plan on staying until park closes, now at 12:30 am.

RD
Single Ride Test Track
Soarin
10:05 am FP - Living with the Land
11:25 am - Test Track, all together
Ellen
1:15 pm FP - Spaceship Earth

Leave Park and back to SSR

8:25 pm - Dinner at Via Napoli
Stay in Countries and possibly watch Illuminations

Wednesday, December 28
Hang around resort
7:00 pm - Made Ressies at Splitsville for Bowling and Dinner
I also have a Wishes Cruise I booked with someone else for my family of 4 but
trying to see if anyone wants to take my reservation since I want to keep my Splitsville ressie.

Thursday, December 29
Animal Kingdom: We plan to be at AK at Rope Drop and leave at/after lunch. We do not plan on returning in the evening.

RD
Kali River Rapids (not sure if we will do Kali, depends on if weather and if we want to get wet)
Or
Expedition Everest
Tough to be a Bug
11:35 am FP - Expedition Everest
12:35 pm FP - Safaris
1:45 pm FP - Dinosaur

Leave Park

7:15 pm Dinner at DTD, Frontera Cocina

Friday, December 30
Magic Kingdom: We plan on RD leaving about 12 pm, having dinner at our resort, SSR at Turf Club at 5:25 pm. We plan on staying at MK until 2:00 am. The kids (18 and 22) are looking forward to doing this since we have never stayed that late in a park together.

MK Morning
RD
Peter Pan
Pooh
Small World
Haunted Mansion
Splash
People Mover
Carousel of Progress
Hall of Presidents

Leave at/after counter service lunch to head back to SSR

5:25 pm - Dinner, SSR Turf Club. Eat and head back to MK

8:40 pm FP - Big Thunder Mountain
(Do you think we will be back in the park by 9:30 pm to make this FP from our dinner at 5:30 pm at SSR with all the traffic on this day?)
9:35 pm FP - Space Mountain
Pirates
Jungle Cruise
11:00 pm FP - Buzz

Hopefully after 11 pm - 12:00 am the crowds may clear a little and we do what we can/want according to the crowds.

For MK, do all the Lands open at the same time? Hoping not and that we get to Splash when Adventure Land opens or there about.

How is my travel time to/from MK in afternoon and what about SSR back to MK from a 5:25 pm dinner?

Saturday, December 31
Sleep In and hang around resort

8:30 pm - Dinner at DTD at the Boathouse

If you got through this far, I VERY, VERY much appreciate it and please let me know what you think, honestly. I am trying to give myself two hours travel each way. Is that enough? I usually give us an hour but that is when I'm even staying closer than SSR.

Thank you!

 

[js]

Hi all!

I know my post is long, but a year of planning to make sure we try to stay ahead/away from the crowds has me ending up
with the above itinerary. Do you agree this should work and what would you keep or change.

I have us in DTD a lot of evenings since we are staying at SSR and don't have to deal with waits for the bus.

Thank you all so much!

 

[Animal]

Be sure not to miss the New Year's Eve Eve fireworks at MK. RD combined with staying late may be a bit stressful, but if yall are up to it, sounds fun.

At Via Napoli, be sure to get one big pizza and share. Best value on property!

 

[Karin1984]

I don't know anything about what is feasible or wise when you are staying at the busiest time of the year, but things I wondered about:
- What will you do your first day, if you plan to hang out at the resort all day, why not take a later flight? If you're not going in the parks, why be there at 8:30 in the morning. Unless that's the only option, of course, I don't see the logic.

- You have 3 park day tickets, without hoppers, is that correct?

- Is Test Track together your 3rd FP ? Will you try to get into Frozen Ever After?

- Per day, are these your must dos and leave after, or for example, if you have time in AK also explore the trails, or see a show, etc.?

- I would go back to AK instead of DTD, provided all the evening entertainment is up and running.

- I wouldn't do Kali in the morning, regardless if December has agreeable weather, you will get drenched and then be drenched for a while.

- What time is your dinner on the 30th, you say 6:25 and 5:25.

- If you don't have park tickets for the other days, I would see the fireworks from the MK hotels.

 

[js]

Be sure not to miss the New Year's Eve Eve fireworks at MK. RD combined with staying late may be a bit stressful, but if yall are up to it, sounds fun.

At Via Napoli, be sure to get one big pizza and share. Best value on property!

Thank you. We plan on heading back to SSR in early afternoon/late morning and then back to MK after our SSR Turf Club dinner.
My dh and I may be tired but my kids are 18 and almost 23 so they can do this no problem LOL

We love Via Napoli and since it opened has been our staple. When my ds was in HS, I was the one that oversaw and booked his HS Baseball team
Spring Training Trips at ESPN. I booked Via Napoli one year and they had the whole team and parents at the long table in the middle. I LOVED we
took up the full table and they were so wonderful to work with since they let me preorder and pay. Anyway, yes, we love Via Napoli too!

I think with the kids wanting to do 2 am and the fact that we haven't done it all together, we will all be up to it. I hope we see the fireworks although
it isn't incorporated into my planning but if we feel like it we will. We live in NY and have seen firsthand many Macys fireworks and Thanksgiving
Parades in the city. Sometimes we will watch the fireworks but not too often. I know it is the NYE fireworks that night and I'm just
looking forward to when they are done since I'm hoping the park empties out at that time LOL

 

[js]

I don't know anything about what is feasible or wise when you are staying at the busiest time of the year, but things I wondered about:
- What will you do your first day, if you plan to hang out at the resort all day, why not take a later flight? If you're not going in the parks, why be there at 8:30 in the morning. Unless that's the only option, of course, I don't see the logic.

- You have 3 park day tickets, without hoppers, is that correct?

- Is Test Track together your 3rd FP ? Will you try to get into Frozen Ever After?

- Per day, are these your must dos and leave after, or for example, if you have time in AK also explore the trails, or see a show, etc.?

- I would go back to AK instead of DTD, provided all the evening entertainment is up and running.

- I wouldn't do Kali in the morning, regardless if December has agreeable weather, you will get drenched and then be drenched for a while.

- What time is your dinner on the 30th, you say 6:25 and 5:25.

- If you don't have park tickets for the other days, I would see the fireworks from the MK hotels.

Thank you Karin, I appreciate your post.

Yes, an arrival of 8:30 am was our only feasible option with regard to airfare. The 5:50 am or so flight the day after Christmas was quite less
than the rest of the flights for our family of four so that is our option.

Our three day tickets are without hoppers although we have very old 10 day Water Parks and more options still available on the very old
non-expiring tickets.

My family of four has kids ds-18 and dd-22 (almost 23). They have no desire or care if they see FEA. I figure we will do RD to TT single rider
and then for our FP, go as a family. They kids want to ride it twice.

In AK, if it isn't wall to wall people we will explore trails or see a show but we have been at least once sometimes twice a year so nothing is
that important that we must see. The difference with this trip is that since I have been going in the 70s, it's our first time going between
Christmas and New Years.

I don't think we are doing Kali at all so I am going to take that off my list. It is not a priority for anyone in my family and I actually hate the ride and
wouldn't even go on with them. I do not like getting wet. I wear a poncho in Splash and make sure I am fully covered.

Dinner on December 30, was 6:40 pm, then I was able to change to 6:25 pm and then last night was able to change again to 5:25 pm.
This now gives me, I hope, enough time to get from SSR Turf Club back to MK for our first 8:40 pm FP.

I like the idea of seeing the fireworks from other hotels and I actually have a Wishes cruise but they are not that important to us any longer. I may be ditching the Wishes cruise on December 28, not sure yet. Looking for 1-5 people for the cruise still so I'm not sure.

We may watch the NYE fireworks in MK on December 30 and will see Illuminations if we can but no going to plan for it.

My main concern is trying to stay ahead/away from the crowds as much as possible, thus us not taking busses when we aren't going to a park. I do want to keep my Splitsville reservation since we don't bowl as a family and think having two teams against each other will be fun and bonding for us since the kids are in school so we all have very busy lives.

Thank you so much and I look forward to hearing from others.

 

[thelittlemermaid2]

MK Morning
RD
Peter Pan
Pooh
Small World
Haunted Mansion
Splash

I think it will be good to to PP and Pooh first, but I would put haunted mansion and splash both before small world while the morning crowd levels are still lower. SW is fast loading and holds a lot so the line goes much faster

8:40 pm FP - Big Thunder Mountain
(Do you think we will be back in the park by 9:30 pm to make this FP from our dinner at 6:30 pm at SSR with all the traffic on this day?)

This should be manageable, but plan on getting to the park around 9 to get through everything and to BTMR by 9:30. Dinner will have to be a little quicker than normal, but not crazy rushed

Hopefully after 11 pm - 12:00 am the crowds may clear a little and we do what we can/want according to the crowds.

I feel as if you are banking on people leaving and 12:00-2:00 being fairly empty, but I want you to be prepared if this does not happen. While things such as Dumbo do have significantly reduced lines due to small children leaving, the rides you are planning on doing will be where everyone will head after fireworks. I would plan on over-hour waits for that night, and if I'm wrong you can be pleasantly surprised

 

[js]

I think it will be good to to PP and Pooh first, but I would put haunted mansion and splash both before small world while the morning crowd levels are still lower. SW is fast loading and holds a lot so the line goes much faster


This should be manageable, but plan on getting to the park around 9 to get through everything and to BTMR by 9:30. Dinner will have to be a little quicker than normal, but not crazy rushed


I feel as if you are banking on people leaving and 12:00-2:00 being fairly empty, but I want you to be prepared if this does not happen. While things such as Dumbo do have significantly reduced lines due to small children leaving, the rides you are planning on doing will be where everyone will head after fireworks. I would plan on over-hour waits for that night, and if I'm wrong you can be pleasantly surprised

Thank you. Your morning MK switch of my touring makes sense. I'll put it in my TP and see what happens when I switch it up.

Let me ask you, does Adventure Land open the same time as Fantasyland?

Yes, I had hoped, but not counted on, crowds dissipating after midnight but that may not be the case. That is why I wanted my
FP up through 12 am. Maybe we can do Presidents, CoP, PeopleMover, etc. after midnight.

I was able to move my dinner to 5:25 pm with my first FP at MK being 8:40 pm so I have until 9:40 pm to make it there, hopefully that will now work.
I'll let you know what happens when I move my touring around on TP.

 

[js]

thelittlemermaid: I changed the touring plans to put HM and Splash before SM and it added a little over 30 minute longer wait so I think I
am going to keep as-is for now but I appreciate your suggestion.

 

[ArielSRL]

You will be missing all the AK nighttime stuff. Is that not a priority to you? If not, all good. Just didn't know if you realized what you would be missing.

 

[js]

You will be missing all the AK nighttime stuff. Is that not a priority to you? If not, all good. Just didn't know if you realized what you would be missing.

Thank you.
No the nighttime AK is not a priority to us and we would rather not have to get back on a very crowded bus in a very crowded park.
We would rather walk or take the very crowded boat to the very crowded DTD and eat and drink LOL

 

[gatorlisa]

You have asked if the lands in MK open at the same time. The answer is, it depends. If you are going on a morning EMH day, then no. Only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are open during the morning EMH. If you are going on a normal day, then yes, all lands open at the same time.

 

[js]

You have asked if the lands in MK open at the same time. The answer is, it depends. If you are going on a morning EMH day, then no. Only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are open during the morning EMH. If you are going on a normal day, then yes, all lands open at the same time.

Thanks. Right now there is an EMH but between Christmas and New Years the park should be opening at 7 am, thus my confusion lol

Im hoping that the lands wont open same time so we can get a good start on Splash.

 

[Cindy Woods]

Wow...we will be there the exact same week and our plans and FPs and dinning preferences couldn't be any different!! I know this is going to be the busiest week of the entire year yet we are going!!! CRAZY....but you only live once.

My question is...what time would you (DIS members) recommend going into the park on NYE at EPCOT? I don't want to go at 8am being we will be there all day. But what is the latest you would push it being that the parks reach 100% capacity on NYE?

 

[js]

Wow...we will be there the exact same week and our plans and FPs and dinning preferences couldn't be any different!! I know this is going to be the busiest week of the entire year yet we are going!!! CRAZY....but you only live once.

My question is...what time would you (DIS members) recommend going into the park on NYE at EPCOT? I don't want to go at 8am being we will be there all day. But what is the latest you would push it being that the parks reach 100% capacity on NYE?

Hi. See you at the parks! lol
Will you have kids or are you adults. My kids are 18 and 22.

Although I changed my NYE plans from us originally going to Epcot at RD, leaving at lunch to go back to SSR and then to Yachtsman for 9 pm we were still going back to Epcot after Yachtsman. From all the reading I had been doing, it will be very unlikely it will be closed to resort guests in the evening.

Would you mind posting your itinerary. I would like to compare. Where we are staying, SSR, has a ton to do with our dinners at DTD. Im trying to avoid the busses as much as possible when I can, which is another reason Im trying to see if anyone wants to take my 1-5 spots on my December 28 Wishes cruise. I just dont want to take the bus and deal with the traffic.

 

[Cindy Woods]

We are staying at SSR too so maybe we can meet up even though our plans are different Thank you for your info on NYE. We are hitting it hard that whole week. HS on Tuesday, MK on Wed, Epcot on Th, AK on Fri and Epcot on NYE again. We have CG ressie on Fri night. Hoping to watch the NYE pre-show on the 30th at MK from the Contemporary. We are doing V&A's on NYD for dinner and leaving for the Disney Cruise on Jan 2nd. Our only down time is thurs eve bc we will be leaving Epcot around 6 pm and New Years Day. It's going to be crazy busy so best laid plans may take on a life of their own...lol.

Where are you from? We are from San Diego

 

[Cindy Woods]

Hi. See you at the parks! lol
Will you have kids or are you adults. My kids are 18 and 22.

Although I changed my NYE plans from us originally going to Epcot at RD, leaving at lunch to go back to SSR and then to Yachtsman for 9 pm we were still going back to Epcot after Yachtsman. From all the reading I had been doing, it will be very unlikely it will be closed to resort guests in the evening.

Would you mind posting your itinerary. I would like to compare. Where we are staying, SSR, has a ton to do with our dinners at DTD. Im trying to avoid the busses as much as possible when I can, which is another reason Im trying to see if anyone wants to take my 1-5 spots on my December 28 Wishes cruise. I just dont want to take the bus and deal with the traffic.

Oh, and our kids are 13 and 20

 

[Cindy Woods]

Hi. See you at the parks! lol
Will you have kids or are you adults. My kids are 18 and 22.

Although I changed my NYE plans from us originally going to Epcot at RD, leaving at lunch to go back to SSR and then to Yachtsman for 9 pm we were still going back to Epcot after Yachtsman. From all the reading I had been doing, it will be very unlikely it will be closed to resort guests in the evening.

Would you mind posting your itinerary. I would like to compare. Where we are staying, SSR, has a ton to do with our dinners at DTD. Im trying to avoid the busses as much as possible when I can, which is another reason Im trying to see if anyone wants to take my 1-5 spots on my December 28 Wishes cruise. I just dont want to take the bus and deal with the traffic.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/january-2-2017-—-4-night-bahamian-

Hi. See you at the parks! lol
Will you have kids or are you adults. My kids are 18 and 22.

Although I changed my NYE plans from us originally going to Epcot at RD, leaving at lunch to go back to SSR and then to Yachtsman for 9 pm we were still going back to Epcot after Yachtsman. From all the reading I had been doing, it will be very unlikely it will be closed to resort guests in the evening.

Would you mind posting your itinerary. I would like to compare. Where we are staying, SSR, has a ton to do with our dinners at DTD. Im trying to avoid the busses as much as possible when I can, which is another reason Im trying to see if anyone wants to take my 1-5 spots on my December 28 Wishes cruise. I just dont want to take the bus and deal with the traffic.

We are staying at SSR too so maybe we can meet up even though our plans are different Thank you for your info on NYE. We are hitting it hard that whole week. HS on Tuesday, MK on Wed, Epcot on Th, AK on Fri and Epcot on NYE again. We have CG ressie on Fri night. Hoping to watch the NYE pre-show on the 30th at MK from the Contemporary. We are doing V&A's on NYD for dinner and leaving for the Disney Cruise on Jan 2nd. Our only down time is thurs eve bc we will be leaving Epcot around 6 pm and New Years Day. It's going to be crazy busy so best laid plans may take on a life of their own...lol.

Where are you from? We are from San Diego

 

[Cindy Woods]

Hi. See you at the parks! lol
Will you have kids or are you adults. My kids are 18 and 22.

Although I changed my NYE plans from us originally going to Epcot at RD, leaving at lunch to go back to SSR and then to Yachtsman for 9 pm we were still going back to Epcot after Yachtsman. From all the reading I had been doing, it will be very unlikely it will be closed to resort guests in the evening.

Would you mind posting your itinerary. I would like to compare. Where we are staying, SSR, has a ton to do with our dinners at DTD. Im trying to avoid the busses as much as possible when I can, which is another reason Im trying to see if anyone wants to take my 1-5 spots on my December 28 Wishes cruise. I just dont want to take the bus and deal with the traffic.

So you will be at Epcot on NYE and you are a DVC member? So we can meet at the new DVC area at Epcot?

 

[Cindy Woods]

Hi. See you at the parks! lol
Will you have kids or are you adults. My kids are 18 and 22.

Although I changed my NYE plans from us originally going to Epcot at RD, leaving at lunch to go back to SSR and then to Yachtsman for 9 pm we were still going back to Epcot after Yachtsman. From all the reading I had been doing, it will be very unlikely it will be closed to resort guests in the evening.

Would you mind posting your itinerary. I would like to compare. Where we are staying, SSR, has a ton to do with our dinners at DTD. Im trying to avoid the busses as much as possible when I can, which is another reason Im trying to see if anyone wants to take my 1-5 spots on my December 28 Wishes cruise. I just dont want to take the bus and deal with the traffic.

I hear you on the bus issue...Uber??? lol I'm already stressed about taking the bus back to SSR on NYE...ugh...