What would be your plan for ONE day at Disney??

mblc14

Mouseketeer
Joined
Nov 15, 2007
Messages
285
Ok, Im going to a conference in Orlando in February and will have some time at night to do some Disney exploring. But, I will have one full day, by myself, to explore all that is Disney. I have some things down that I want to do and plan on doing....but, if you had the chance to have a day at Disney on your own, what would you do with it.....Plan your perfect alone day at Disney....Let's hear it.
 
EPCOT
The one park as an adult that IMHO is the most fun.
Drinking & eating around the world.
Tech items in Innovations.
 
Depends on what you like. Rides? Do Hollywood studios, rockin' roller coaster was my favorite so far, of any roller coaster I've ever ridden, (When they say put your head back, LISTEN!) It also has a fun class there where you learn to draw disney characters. And Toy Story mania is a blast.

Food? Epcot by far. It has a few nice rides, but by far and away the best thing about Epcot is the food. And shopping. If you aren't shy, chat up the CMs, they're all from the country they are working in. Ride Soarin', try Club Cool (stay away from the beverly.) If you're into the characters, this is the park for you too.

But all kidding aside, Disney is Magic Kingdom. That 'awww' feeling of your favorite rides as a kid, the castle? All Magic Kingdom. Personally, I would never go to Disney without stopping at MK. It doesn't feel like a vacation until I put my eyes on that castle. And then go ride It's a Small World (where I promptly bawl. Not gunna lie. Happens every time.)

The park I personally am not a fan of is Animal Kingdom. I feel like there are much better zoos out there, and there is only two saving graces for the entire park. The Yeti, he's my bro, and the Kilimanjaro Safari. I will say that the coolest stories I come back from happen in AK though, for example, when I was taking a few toddlers on the KS, I actually had to pull one of their hands back from touching a rhino, they were that close. That doesn't happen often in a lifetime outside of Africa, but it happened in Disney! If you like looking at architecture, definitely this is the park for you. My absolute favorite architecture is here. If you have the time go through the Kali River Rapids wait line, it's gorgeous. (Just don't ride the ride if it's cold, chances are you'll be soaked.)
 
If I had one day in Disney I would probably start with an early morning at the MK. Personally I am a tomorrow land fan and my last trip it was not at all crowded in the mornings when I went. I would jump on Space Mountain and Buzz, maybe the people mover, and then take the train over to frontier land to catch the other rides while people are at lunch. Now with the Disney Experience app, I'd keep an eye on wait times and try and get in Small world, but if the wait was too long, I wouldn't be sad to miss it...Haunted Mansion and the Mountains are more my priority anyway...


Afterwards, I would take the monorail, transfer to the EPCOT line and spend the rest of the day over there. If you were able to use FP+ to reserve some afternoon times on the major rides that would be an added bonus. Personally I love EPCOT and could spend all day there, in fact multiple days there...but there would be something about going to Disney and not seeing the MK which just might lead to some regret on my part upon leaving the park.

And if you are not already exhausted after the day, I would leave during Illuminations and either go to the boardwalk, or DTD for dinner...

After writing this, I really want to begin planning my next trip :)

Cheers!!
 

I used to do this on my days off when on the college program.

I'd start off in DAK, hit up Everest and kilimanjaro safaris, somewhere in between grab some breakfast.

Then make my way over to Studios for Great Movie Ride, Star Tours and Muppets, and if I could squeeze it in the Backlot Tour (if anything to just relieve the memories of what it used to be back in the early-mid 90s)

Then head on over to Epcot for Lunch somewhere in the World Showcase. Depending on time, maybe hit up Test Track and Mission Space. Finish off with Spaceship Earth.

THEN take the monorail to MK for a couple of mountains, Philharmagic and the Jungle Cruise (love it at night) and finish the night off with Wishes. (If the park is open for at least an hour after wishes, my friends and I used to hit all 3 mountains in that hour!)

My days off were supposed to be relaxing, but instead I was usually rushing through the parks like a crazy woman, usually dragging my roommates along with me. At first they thought I was nuts, but by the time you stop to catch your breath and watch those fireworks, you wont believe just how much you managed to squeeze in in one day.

Kinda miss it now.
 
I actually did this a couple years ago. Flew down for a weekend because of an interview and had one day, so spent it at Disney. I had stayed at Port Orleans so had access to EMH, which were AK at 8am and MK until midnight.

Got to AK at 8am, hit the Safari, Everest Single Riderx3 and Dinosaur. Out of the park before 9am.

Headed over to EPCOT just after opening and got a Soarin fast pass, went to the other side to do Mission Space and Test Track, then back to Soarin and Living with the Land Boat. Walked up through Club Cool and then around the World Showcase for lunch time. Got out and over to the Studios around 3pm.

At Studios did a couple rides each on Tower and RnR, then Star Tours, Muppets and Great Movie Ride, leading up to Fantasmic. Left after Fantasmic and hopped over to MK.

Ate some corn dog nuggets at Casey's and hit the mountain range, along with a few fantasyland rides before headed out on the ferry at closing time.

It was an exhausting day, but it was awesome.
 
I one managed to do MK in half a day.....it was a LONG half a day, lol. I was luckily staying on property and the Disney Gods were smiling on me with morning EMH...so I was there, first person at Rope Drop and booked it to the back of the park. Did about 6 rides before an ADR at Crystal Palace, grabbed BTMRR fastpass on my way to CP (because that area was closed for EMH) and then managed to do the rest of my must-do's before 1230 before I had to head off to the airport. It was one of the worst and one of the best days I've ever had at Disney.

If I tried to do Disney In A Day again, I'd get a park-hopper and go to Hollywood Studios, knock off the rides I like there, see Indiana Jones and then head over to Epcot for lunch and the grand tour and finish off with dinner (if I was still standing) somewhere on the Boardwalk. It'd be deadly, but definitely doable.
 
If it were me by myself I would probably do AK first in the morning. I love safari, Festival of the Lion King, Maharajah Jungle Trek. Then head over to Epcot for the rest of the day. I enjoy the laid back appeal of Epcot and all the food. The only down side is that there will probably be no more fast passes for Soaring or Test Track late in the day.
 
Awesome ideas by all!! I already have a semi-plan working, but keep going back and forth on it...:confused3

First plan, head to MK and take the Keys to the Kingdom tour at 8:30. Always wanted to do one of these, and without the kids, might be the perfect time.

After the tour, just hang out at MK, check out the new things and make sure to get a Dole Whip. Maybe head over to Epcot and maybe grab some fast passes for Soarin and/or new Test Track. Since it will be Super Bowl Sunday, I was wondering if Wide World of Sports would have things going on, but got an ADR for Shula's later that night to watch some, if not all of the game there. havent decided how badly I want to watch the game since it falls on the 1 day of Disney I have all to myself...

Even as I type this, Im changing my mind...probably wont go to Epcot this day, I have an ADR booked at Via Napoli's and have some Pizza, then take in Illuminations...almost embarrassed to say in only 2 trips that we have been on, we've never been. Its on the must do list for the next family trip.

Either way, I know I will not get to everything I want to do by far, but at least some Disney is better than none at all!!!

(And I am sure I will change my mind a few hundred more times between now and then...) :)
 
Keep in mind KTTK is a lot of walking and to plan to do a full day of parks after it might be a little much. I know for myself, and other friends, after the tour we lasted about an hour in the park and then had to go back to the hotel to crash or swim. Just keep that in mind incase you're wiped out...don't want you to be disappointed if you don't get to all your 'to-do' list
 
Keep in mind KTTK is a lot of walking and to plan to do a full day of parks after it might be a little much. I know for myself, and other friends, after the tour we lasted about an hour in the park and then had to go back to the hotel to crash or swim. Just keep that in mind incase you're wiped out...don't want you to be disappointed if you don't get to all your 'to-do' list

Wondered about that...I'll just take a quick snooze on the People Mover...lol

Im gonna roll with the punches the best I can, and enjoy what time I have. I'll be in Disney in Feb, hard to complain about that even if I dont get everything done.
 
I typically do one day trips to Disneyland and Disney California at least twice a month. For me I enjoy the rides more than lets say the food and drinks at Epcot so I would most likely go to either MK or HS.
 
Personally I would spend my morning in MK and the evening in Epcot. Some of my favorite rides are in MK and I couldn't fathom going to Disney and missing a walk down main street or seeing the castle. Then I would plan dinner in world showcase, visit the countries and watch Illuminations.
 
If this is your first time visit to WDW, I would definitely do the Magic Kingdom. If you have been to Disney World and have done the Magic Kingdom before, then I would definitely do EPCOT. There's nothing like EPCOT in the whole world!

Some conventions/conferences offer after 2pm and 4pm tickets at the hotels. If you're able to purchase an after 4pm ticket for a partial day visit to the Magic Kingdom, that would be idea. Then you could purchase a one-day ticket and do EPCOT the entire day (you will need a whole day for EPCOT).

Safe trip to you!
 


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