WDW Newbie

[queso2992]

Hey guys! New poster here on the WDW side. I'm an experienced DL visitor, with only one trip to WDW 18 years ago, when I was 7. I have the opportunity to accompany my dad to Orlando in April (assuming I can take a day off work). I feel like it's stupid to not go when hotel costs will be covered, right?

So here's where I need some advice. Sorry if this is long! As of right now, I'm planning to go Thursday evening, 4/27. I'll be at the parks on Friday, 4/28, and Saturday, 4/29. I'll have to travel back on Sunday, 4/30, but it could also be a park day? Any ideas on how to split up the park days?

Some background information: I've never been to Animal Kingdom. My mom will be with me; she doesn't like the huge roller coasters, but I do. She's cool with going along for anything and will wait for me on any rides that she doesn't want to ride. I know we won't be able to experience everything, so just the highlights, I guess!

Also coming from DL, I'm pretty clueless on FP+, wait times, single rider lines, and such, so if anyone has extra advice, I'd love to hear it! Thank you so much!!

 

[gap2368]

do you want to do all 4 theme parks if so ( If you do get park hopper)


MK has a lot of rides, I have heard that some are like the ones at DL

AK has a few good rides and a lot of animals ( I can do this park in 90 minutes but I have gone a lot I think this could be a half day park, but can easily be a full day park with the show and trails)

DHS I think can be a hard fay park the fireworks at night are really cool and fantastic is need ( I have heard it is similar to Disney land one but not sure)

EPCOT can be a two day park all in it self if you are into the world show case ( I have a friend that can spend 2 or 3 hours in each country )

your mom may have a lot of fun at EPCOT and AK and you since you like roller coster may like DHS

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

I'd for sure do a day at Magic Kingdom and one at Epcot. If you can swing a third park day, do two days at Magic Kingdom and one at Epcot. Hollywood Studios is under a lot of construction right now and honestly, Animal Kingdom isn't a must-see. It isn't even a full day park for a lot of visitors. Park hoppers are worth looking into, but I think for a first time visitor it'll be trying to fit in too much, and the travel to/from parks can be tedious because you can't just walk to a different park like you can at DL. Magic Kingdom and Epcot both have things are appealing to everyone, and plenty for your mom to do while you're on the rollercoasters.

There are only three rides with Single Rider, and that's Rock n' Rollercoaster in Hollywood Studios, Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom, and Test Track in Epcot. My advice? Don't try and do everything.

 

[Bobb_o]

First of all for your departure day you can probably squeeze in DHS because of the 5 rides the only 2 you don't have in California are the Great Movie Ride and Rock'N'Roller Coaster. That way if you don't hit Midway Mania, Star Tours, or Midway Mania it doesn't feel like you're missing out. The thing about DHS is you have to pay attention to the show schedules to make efficient use of your time.

I'm assuming you'll want to head to Epcot and doing it in one day is a huge endeavor. If you try and do "everything" you will be exhausted so try and figure out what your must do attractions are. You can save a lot of time by skipping Soarin' and Test Track has a single rider line if you want to use your tier 1 FP+ for Frozen Ever After. I would recommend skipping Ellen's Energy Adventure because it's just so long and you're most likely only going to be there for 1 day. The same could be said for Journey Into Imagination, not because it's long but because it's not great unfortunately. As far as countries go you'll definitely want to eat in the World Showcase and there's plenty of good options. A lot of the shops are, to me, a bit disappointing but make sure to stop by the "big" ones like the Mitsukoshi Department store in Japan. Also, don't overlook Impressions De France, it's the most underrated non-ride at WDW to me. As far as Friday vs Saturday I'd say hit Epcot on Friday but don't forget to check things like EMH.

For your other park day it sounds like you want to do Animal Kingdom. There's not a lot of rides so having 3 FP+ is definitely enough. I would suggest doing the Safari first thing at rope drop to try and catch the animals at an active time. Dinosaur might disappoint you because it's just a retheme of the Indiana Jones ride but it's enjoyable. Expedition Everest is one of my favorites and has a great queue. To me AK is the least stressful park so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

For FP+ if you're staying onsite you can book 60 days out, otherwise 30 days out. Once you go through your first 3 you can book an additional 1 through the app (High priority will most likely will be gone but they pop up sometimes due to cancellations and other things like that) and continue to do so to try and get a 5th, 6th, etc. In terms of timing you don't want to have them be too early (because lines will be shorter) but you don't want them to be too late (since it'll prevent you from trying to get a 4th or 5th)

I personally like www.easywdw.com and find his guides to be great. They give a great overview of FP+ strategy, the kind of wait times to expect, and general touring strategies.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Here's the FP FAQ thread from the FP sub forum:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/fastpass-frequently-asked-questions.3491680/

If you are booking FPs for a ride that your Mother decides not to ride, you can use her ticket/MB to ride again using her FP entitlement.

Are you staying at an onsite resort? That affects the booking window for FPs.

And, if you have visited the San Diego Zoo while on your trips to SoCal, you can skip the trails at Animal Kingdom and focus on the rides and shows. Festival of the Lion King is a highlight.

@HydroGuy from the DL Boards has previously posted suggestions for DLR vets going to WDW. I think he's currently planning a WDW trip... perhaps he can drop by with some tips.

 

[sharonabe]

Something you may want to look into is the Express Bus service for park hopping. It is an extra cost, and it is currently in a testing stage, so there's no guarantee it will still be around in April, but it has been very well received, so chances are it will. With this service, the buses leave from WITHIN each park and take you INSIDE the next park, so you skip the walking out of the parks to bus/car AND security checks. It is also on a schedule, so you can plan for your hop without wondering when the next bus will arrive. It is a significant time saver when hopping at WDW.

 

[HydroGuy]

Hey guys! New poster here on the WDW side. I'm an experienced DL visitor, with only one trip to WDW 18 years ago, when I was 7. I have the opportunity to accompany my dad to Orlando in April (assuming I can take a day off work). I feel like it's stupid to not go when hotel costs will be covered, right?

So here's where I need some advice. Sorry if this is long! As of right now, I'm planning to go Thursday evening, 4/27. I'll be at the parks on Friday, 4/28, and Saturday, 4/29. I'll have to travel back on Sunday, 4/30, but it could also be a park day? Any ideas on how to split up the park days?

Some background information: I've never been to Animal Kingdom. My mom will be with me; she doesn't like the huge roller coasters, but I do. She's cool with going along for anything and will wait for me on any rides that she doesn't want to ride. I know we won't be able to experience everything, so just the highlights, I guess!

Also coming from DL, I'm pretty clueless on FP+, wait times, single rider lines, and such, so if anyone has extra advice, I'd love to hear it! Thank you so much!!

I will chip in some ideas. Feel free to bounce back your thoughts.

1. Consider spending one of your full days at Epcot. It is the most unique of all the WDW parks compared to DLR. Try to ride Mission Space as there is nothing like it at DLR. I have yet to ride Frozen Ever After but it is all the rage right now I understand. You and your mother would probably enjoy American Adventure in World Showcase.

2. If you had to skip a park, I would be tempted to skip MK. MK is of course similar to DL in so many ways. I really like MK myself and would never suggest skipping it to anyone else. But with you being a DLR vet and having limited time, you would be an exception.

If you decide to go to MK, top things to try and see IMO are PhilharMagic and the new Seven Dwarves Mine Train. If Hall of Presidents was open that is something else that is worth doing, but it is closed until June I believe. For nostalgia from DL, Country Bear Jamboree and Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse are worth your time. And for some long time ago nostalgia, Carousel of Progress (which I do remember from DL when I was very young).

3. I agree with the PP about AK. I personally love Festival of the Lion King at AK. That is a show I would suggest you plan to see. Skip the nature trails. See Flights of Wonder if you can. For sure ride Expedition Everest. Dinosaur is worth the time as well. You can do this park in a half day when you are crunched for time. For others with more time I suggest a full day there.

4. DHS has always had a similar vibe to DCA for me. I have not been since they have started all the new construction there and am concerned the feeling has changed. Rockin Rollercoaster is a perfectly themed ride that frankly belongs in DCA. Do not miss RnR. It is just so perfect. ToT is worthwhile and better than what was at DCA (and has now inexplicably been changed to Guardians of the Galaxy). TSM and ST are identical as a PP has said. The Indiana Jones stunt show is worth your time if you have the time. Again, a half day when crunched for time is enough.

A few more practical things. Your first night is Thursday night. Check park hours but MK is usually opened latest so that could be a good choice. Using the nifty FP+ at WDW you might be able to score some good FPs for MK that night. You could hang around and watch the fireworks show. Not as good as DL's recent fireworks shows, but if you like fireworks think about it. Depending on when you go in April, DHS may also be open latish and could also work for Thursday night. AK usually closes early and is not a good choice for that night. Epcot always closes at 9PM every day of the year and would probably not be good choice either.

IMO you should do Epcot on Friday or Saturday and plan for it to be a looooooong day. DHS could also fit in Sunday morning. That would leave AK for Friday or Saturday. Maybe Epcot on Friday and then plan to be a bit tired after a long day with lots of walking so AK on Saturday and not a full day?

Somewhere in there make a couple dining reservations. There are tons of choices at WDW and any suggestions I give will for sure leave out many good options. If you have time to dine at DHS we have always enjoyed Sci-Fi Dine-in for its sheer originality and decent burgers. I wish they put one of these in CarsLand at DCA (there was a rumor at one point about that, but alas it did not happen). At AK Yak and Yeti is fun and different too. MK has surprisingly limited options that are truly worthwhile and the better options are hard to get in on short notice. Epcot has a zillion options especially in World Showcase. It is hard to go wrong in WS. You might consider going on the WDW website and making reservations for a few of these once you figure out which parks on which days. You can cancel later if you change your mind.

@mesaboy2 has a great FP+ thread. It is worth learning how to make FP+ work for you and he does a great job giving practical advice.

At some point you will need to bite the bullet and download the Disney MDE app to your smartphone to manage your dining and FP reservations while at the parks, as well as to get Disney's report on current queue lengths. In my experience it is pretty slick.

Three single ride options at WDW - Expedition Everest (almost always quite fast), Rockin Rollercoaster (often takes equally long or longer than standby so do not get too excited about it) and Test Track (usually saves a lot of time and worthwhile).

Consider signing up for TouringPlans. I always do at WDW myself. I use their Lines app at WDW and often at DLR too. It can give you some good projections when you are otherwise flying blind as a near newbie at WDW. They can create itineraries for you if you want. I have always preferred RideMax for that so maybe check out RideMax too.

 

[MichelleWDWfan]

I would definately suggest MK and Epcot 1 full day each. MK has the most rides, and many are different then what you have at DL.
You could do 1/2 day at Hollywood Studios and 1/2 day at Animal kingdom.
If you like fantasmic then you will want to a morning 1/2 day at AK & your evening 1/2 day at Hollywood Studios

I'm an annual passholder for WDW. I went to Disneyland in 2015 the 1st time, it was exciting to see the differences between
Magic Kingdom and Disneyland park! You can fastpass almost everything in Magic Kingdom. Make a My Disney Experience account online
and then download the My Disney Experience app for your phone, you will use it in the parks to make additional fastpasses.

As PP has said, you will choose your 1st 3 fastpasses of each park day online ahead of time (I suggest 9a, 10a, 11a or 8,9, 10 if a park opens at 8.
Once you use those 3, then you go onto your app on your phone at the park, choose another, ride that ride, then choose another etc, etc.
You will save SO much time and be able to ride ALMOST every attraction using fastpass.

In Magic Kingdom definatly fastpass Seven Dwarves Mine train (small roller coaster, not scary) as 1 of your 1st 3 pre planned fastpasses. They usually run out of Fastpasses for that ride and the line is a long wait if you don't fast pass it.

In Animal Kingdom, Festival of the Lion King show is a must do, as well as Expedition Everest (big roller coaster), and the Safari
You will also want to Fastpass Dinosaur (It's ride system is the same as Indiana Jones ride in Disneyland park)

In Epcot, you'll want to fastpass Frozen ride ahead of time, fastpasses run out for this ride.
You could skip Soarin since you have that at DL, unless it[s a must do for you.
You'll definately also want to ride Spaceship Earth (slow moving ride), and
Mission space (green team non spinning side, or orange team spins to give you the g-force take off feeling)
and Test Track. You can fastpass test track after you have used your 1st 3 fastpasses.
Epcot has tiered fastpasses so when you schedule them ahead of time you will only be able to choose
1 of either Frozen, Soarin, Test track ahead of time but can fast pass the others after you use the 1st 3 of the day.
Then you have 11 countries in the World showcase. Spend your morning in the front of the park riding rides, and then head to World showcase, to browse the countries. There are only 2 rides in World showcase (Frozen in Norway) and a boat ride in Mexico (u can't fastpass the Mexico ride)

For Hollywood Studios they have tiered fastpasses as well. If you like Fantasmic at DL, it's at Hollywood studios, and the shows are slightly different. You will LOVE the seating at Hollywood Studios, you don't have to sit on the ground like at Disneyland and there is tons of seating not a bad seat in the whole stadium.

When we went to DL I didn't get to ride Pirates because it was under refurbishment, and we rode HM with the Jack skellington overlay on it.
They don't do that at WDW. Also I kept getting lost in DL park ..it is slightly different then MK.
Hope this helps and Hope u have a great time!

 

[queso2992]

Here's the FP FAQ thread from the FP sub forum:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/fastpass-frequently-asked-questions.3491680/

If you are booking FPs for a ride that your Mother decides not to ride, you can use her ticket/MB to ride again using her FP entitlement.

Are you staying at an onsite resort? That affects the booking window for FPs.

And, if you have visited the San Diego Zoo while on your trips to SoCal, you can skip the trails at Animal Kingdom and focus on the rides and shows. Festival of the Lion King is a highlight.

@HydroGuy from the DL Boards has previously posted suggestions for DLR vets going to WDW. I think he's currently planning a WDW trip... perhaps he can drop by with some tips.

Thank you for your help! The FP thread was great and I always love @HydroGuy and his help! I remembered there were posts about WDW vets going to DLR, but I couldn't remember/find the opposite.

We'll be offsite. Dad is going for a convention so his hotel will be paid for, which is a huge reason for us going then. Since I missed AK the first time I went, I really feel like I should go just to say I did. Who knows when I'll get back to WDW! But skip the trails is a great tip. I was already thinking of doing that if we end up getting park hoppers and going to all 4 parks.

 

[queso2992]

Something you may want to look into is the Express Bus service for park hopping. It is an extra cost, and it is currently in a testing stage, so there's no guarantee it will still be around in April, but it has been very well received, so chances are it will. With this service, the buses leave from WITHIN each park and take you INSIDE the next park, so you skip the walking out of the parks to bus/car AND security checks. It is also on a schedule, so you can plan for your hop without wondering when the next bus will arrive. It is a significant time saver when hopping at WDW.

Oh this is a fantastic tip!! I hadn't heard about it; do you know how much it costs? It may be worth it just to avoid some of the time wasted with park hopping. Thanks!

 

[hiroMYhero]

Thank you for your help! The FP thread was great and I always love @HydroGuy and his help! I remembered there were posts about WDW vets going to DLR, but I couldn't remember/find the opposite.

We'll be offsite. Dad is going for a convention so his hotel will be paid for, which is a huge reason for us going then. Since I missed AK the first time I went, I really feel like I should go just to say I did. Who knows when I'll get back to WDW! But skip the trails is a great tip. I was already thinking of doing that if we end up getting park hoppers and going to all 4 parks.

At the top of the FP sub forum, there are Stickies that will assist with FPs and park hopping.

Also, there is the Throwaway Room thread which many people use to open up the 60-day booking window without staying on property.

Oh this is a fantastic tip!! I hadn't heard about it; do you know how much it costs? It may be worth it just to avoid some of the time wasted with park hopping. Thanks!

It's $19 per day or $29 for a multiple day pass which will cover your two park days.

 

[queso2992]

I will chip in some ideas. Feel free to bounce back your thoughts.

1. Consider spending one of your full days at Epcot. It is the most unique of all the WDW parks compared to DLR. Try to ride Mission Space as there is nothing like it at DLR. I have yet to ride Frozen Ever After but it is all the rage right now I understand. You and your mother would probably enjoy American Adventure in World Showcase.

2. If you had to skip a park, I would be tempted to skip MK. MK is of course similar to DL in so many ways. I really like MK myself and would never suggest skipping it to anyone else. But with you being a DLR vet and having limited time, you would be an exception.

If you decide to go to MK, top things to try and see IMO are PhilharMagic and the new Seven Dwarves Mine Train. If Hall of Presidents was open that is something else that is worth doing, but it is closed until June I believe. For nostalgia from DL, Country Bear Jamboree and Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse are worth your time. And for some long time ago nostalgia, Carousel of Progress (which I do remember from DL when I was very young).

3. I agree with the PP about AK. I personally love Festival of the Lion King at AK. That is a show I would suggest you plan to see. Skip the nature trails. See Flights of Wonder if you can. For sure ride Expedition Everest. Dinosaur is worth the time as well. You can do this park in a half day when you are crunched for time. For others with more time I suggest a full day there.

4. DHS has always had a similar vibe to DCA for me. I have not been since they have started all the new construction there and am concerned the feeling has changed. Rockin Rollercoaster is a perfectly themed ride that frankly belongs in DCA. Do not miss RnR. It is just so perfect. ToT is worthwhile and better than what was at DCA (and has now inexplicably been changed to Guardians of the Galaxy). TSM and ST are identical as a PP has said. The Indiana Jones stunt show is worth your time if you have the time. Again, a half day when crunched for time is enough.

A few more practical things. Your first night is Thursday night. Check park hours but MK is usually opened latest so that could be a good choice. Using the nifty FP+ at WDW you might be able to score some good FPs for MK that night. You could hang around and watch the fireworks show. Not as good as DL's recent fireworks shows, but if you like fireworks think about it. Depending on when you go in April, DHS may also be open latish and could also work for Thursday night. AK usually closes early and is not a good choice for that night. Epcot always closes at 9PM every day of the year and would probably not be good choice either.

IMO you should do Epcot on Friday or Saturday and plan for it to be a looooooong day. DHS could also fit in Sunday morning. That would leave AK for Friday or Saturday. Maybe Epcot on Friday and then plan to be a bit tired after a long day with lots of walking so AK on Saturday and not a full day?

Somewhere in there make a couple dining reservations. There are tons of choices at WDW and any suggestions I give will for sure leave out many good options. If you have time to dine at DHS we have always enjoyed Sci-Fi Dine-in for its sheer originality and decent burgers. I wish they put one of these in CarsLand at DCA (there was a rumor at one point about that, but alas it did not happen). At AK Yak and Yeti is fun and different too. MK has surprisingly limited options that are truly worthwhile and the better options are hard to get in on short notice. Epcot has a zillion options especially in World Showcase. It is hard to go wrong in WS. You might consider going on the WDW website and making reservations for a few of these once you figure out which parks on which days. You can cancel later if you change your mind.

@mesaboy2 has a great FP+ thread. It is worth learning how to make FP+ work for you and he does a great job giving practical advice.

At some point you will need to bite the bullet and download the Disney MDE app to your smartphone to manage your dining and FP reservations while at the parks, as well as to get Disney's report on current queue lengths. In my experience it is pretty slick.

Three single ride options at WDW - Expedition Everest (almost always quite fast), Rockin Rollercoaster (often takes equally long or longer than standby so do not get too excited about it) and Test Track (usually saves a lot of time and worthwhile).

Consider signing up for TouringPlans. I always do at WDW myself. I use their Lines app at WDW and often at DLR too. It can give you some good projections when you are otherwise flying blind as a near newbie at WDW. They can create itineraries for you if you want. I have always preferred RideMax for that so maybe check out RideMax too.

Amazing and so helpful as always, HydroGuy!

Looking at park hours, each day we'll be there (Thursday-Sunday) is basically the same. MK and Epcot 9-9, DHS 9-8, and AK 9-7. It's pretty safe to say that we won't make it on Thursday evening, just because we will travel after work. But Friday and Saturday will be full of Disney fun! Then I'm undecided about Sunday. It'll depend on when our flight is.

Here's my interest, based on what I know now:

Animal Kingdom - ride Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, and maybe see a show?
DHS - Great Movie Ride, RnR, and the REAL ToT
Epcot - Frozen Ever After, Mission:SPACE, Spaceship Earth, Test Track, World Showcases
Magic Kingdom - the castle, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, then as many of the DLR rides to compare

This could totally change, but that's what I'm thinking now. It seems most agree that AK and DHS are not full day parks and could easily be combined or done in shorter time frames. Maybe one of those two with MK for one day, Epcot for one day, and try to fit the 4th park in on Sunday for a few hours?

I already downloaded the MDE app! So now I have DLR and WDW on my phone! I plan to watch wait times some until then, but are there any big concerns about wait times when considering which park to visit when? Just like there are certain rides that always have long waits at DLR, are there some that we should be aware of before going? This can come into account with FP+ too.

Anyone is welcome to chime in. Thanks!!

 

[HydroGuy]

Here's my interest, based on what I know now:

Animal Kingdom - ride Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, and maybe see a show?

Yes, Lion King show is still my recommendation

DHS - Great Movie Ride, RnR, and the REAL ToT

Good choices. I love GMR but it does not seem to much love from WDW vets.

Epcot - Frozen Ever After, Mission:SPACE, Spaceship Earth, Test Track, World Showcases

Good choices again. As I said, consider American Adventure too.

Magic Kingdom - the castle, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, then as many of the DLR rides to compare

With only two full days to count on, you will need to prioritize your parks. If it were me I would do Epcot one day all day, and DHS/AK split the other. Not sure how to fit MK into this unless you can get DHS on Sunday AM and then do AK/MK parkhopping on maybe Saturday.

This could totally change, but that's what I'm thinking now. It seems most agree that AK and DHS are not full day parks and could easily be combined or done in shorter time frames. Maybe one of those two with MK for one day, Epcot for one day, and try to fit the 4th park in on Sunday for a few hours?

DHS and AK being half day parks is a somewhat common sentiment which I have never agreed with. We always have found them full day parks - just not 12 hours full but 8-10 hours full. As I said previously, I suspect that DHS has temporarily turned into a half day park with the removal of several attractions and new construction. Others around here who have been recently can say better than I can.

I already downloaded the MDE app! So now I have DLR and WDW on my phone! I plan to watch wait times some until then, but are there any big concerns about wait times when considering which park to visit when? Just like there are certain rides that always have long waits at DLR, are there some that we should be aware of before going? This can come into account with FP+ too.

Lots of views on this and here is mine. If at all possible avoid going to a park that has EMH (extra magic hours) that day. Get there at rope drop and carefully consider what to do first. A number of rides that are moderate waits at DLR tend to have long waits at WDW. The two worst have been Soarin and TSM, neither if which you are aiming for and both of which have had capacity increases recently at WDW so they are not as bad as they used to be (both often had waits over 2 hours).

Try hard not to rush all over and take at least some time to soak up the parks while you are there.