Ok, I'm all caught up! Just hitting on some highlights I noticed.
I made it a goal to save $52 for the first week of the year, then $51 the next week, so on and so forth through the year and by the end of it all, we would have saved, by that method alone, almost half of what would be needed for a trip!
That's a great idea!
I'm pretty pleased, because it looks like only one updated to be more crowded, and even then it's a day at Epcot, which I hear absorbs crowds pretty well anyway.
You're really picking a great week. Yeah, it gets a little crowded the weekend before Thanksgiving, but you should have no problem getting things done while you're there. And yes, if you have to pick a park to go to on a crowded day, EPCOT is a good one.
Tangierine Café in Epcot? Open to other counter service, but like this idea since it’s not basic American fare.
I've heard great things about Tangierine. Personally, I like La Cantina in Mexico.
Backlot Express for lunch? Again, open to change.
I've always liked this place. It really isn't anything special, but I've never been disappointed by it.
Maybe park hop in the evening after Epcot? Either to have QS at Harambe Market in AK or at Pecos Bill in MK. This is flexible and may change that day! Who knows?
Both good choices. I'd also consider Satu'li Canteen in AK. It's something different and it is pretty good.
So the other night I made my husband watch those trip planning videos from the Disney website. And my goodness are those outdated. The Animal Kingdom video was hyping up Rivers of Light opening in the future. No mention of Pandora at all. LOL.
Yeah, just go to
Youtube and skip the official stuff.
MK: Dumbo and Haunted Mansion (last time we were there, Haunted Mansion was being refurbished, so I missed it! First time as a 6 yr old, I was too afraid to open my eyes)
Oh wow! This should be a fun trip with a lot of "firsts."
Questions: What would you do? Breakfast or lunch? Also, if we do go with Breakfast, how early can we get into the restaurant? Is it possible to be seated before our 8:40 reservation time? What is your experience in this area?
I'd do lunch, just because I always see that first hour or 2 of the park being open as prime time to get things done. But it looks like the decision is made, and I'm sure it will work fine. It is just my preference.
The Voyage, considered the best Wooden Roller coaster in the world. . . Not my favorite. It’s too long and nothing about it is particularly special. Just a big, long roller coaster. Nothing to make it unique from any other woodie. I rode it twice to try to give it a fair chance, even. I liked it but just didn't really get too into it. I have ridden the longest wooden coaster in the world, btw, and it doesn’t feel like it’s too long. Goes to show, no matter how great a ride looks on paper, it’s the feeling you get on it that matters.
I love the Beast. And the last time I was at KI, I swear the Vortex gave me a rougher ride than the Beast.
This is Day Two at Epcot. Some of these steps admittedly make no sense. Like why would I tour the whole Mexico pavilion before getting on Frozen Ever After just to ride Gran Fiesta Tour right after? That's a bit out of order, lol.
I think you have to take the touringplans plans with a grain of salt. I subscribe to TP and I'll sometimes run a custom touringplan like that, but I never follow them. I might use it to give me a rough outline, but really once you're there you just have to have a feel of what works for you at that time. Just know what rides are a walk on pretty much all day. You don't want to do those first thing in the morning. Also, if it is later in the day and you see something with a shorter than normal wait... well, take advantage of it. Just have an idea of which rides get long standby waits and if you see something that makes sense, go with it!
Please critique these plans and if you have any experience with mid-November, how accurate do you think these touring plans times will be? How much walking around will we wind up doing? Any advice on how to better navigate these attractions, please let me know!!
I think you've got a great start here. Like I said, I wouldn't worry about following them to a T. I've not been the week you're going, but I've been the week after Thanksgiving and mid December and those trips were during a very similar crowd rating. The wait times are probably very reasonable. TP does a great job with their wait time projections. The projected wait time on the Lines app is typically far more accurate than anything you'll find on
MDE. You really just have to go with what feels right when you're there. Maybe you do feel like walking across the park to hit the ridiculously short wait for BTMRR... or maybe your feet are sore and you don't want to. A lot of things will affect the way you want to tour the parks once you're there, so use this as a tool, not as any kind of firm plan.
FastPass suggestions? Don't you find it annoying that their are different tiers of attractions yet there are not even that many attractions in the first place?
I hate that.
I got him a Via Napoli for 8:30 which should give him plenty of time to get into Epcot and make it to his reservation! Hooray for me. (I also hear that Via Napoli is better than Biergarten anyway.)
A lot of people have differing opinions, but Via Napoli all day, every day for me.
Spaceship Earth--9:30
Mission Space--10:45
Frozen Ever After --6:10
of course I wish that I could have gotten FEA a little earlier in the day.
I think this will work fine. I'm sure you'll do Soarin first? You could probably do Soarin and Living with the Land before RD. And then if the Spaceship Earth standby line is short, you could do what I did and just change that FP to something else. You might not have the 4th FP yet, but you can always change the ones you have if you find short standby lines.
It's weird, though. Once I plugged my FP+ selections into touring plans, some of my days wound up longer and it told me that it would not use my 7DMT fastpass because it would only make my wait times longer... touring plans is so weird. Does anyone else use it?
Again... take it with a grain of salt. You don't
not use a 7DMT FP. Ever. TP probably just wants you to RD it or FP it at some other specific time that day? I didn't pay that close attention, but the TP plan is always going to plan your day for the exact things you checked off. If you add a restroom break here, or just decide on a whim to ride the carousel, it doesn't take any of that into account. It is trying to optimize the exact information you give it, so I would ignore any feedback it gives you like this.
I love amusement/theme parks in general, but at heart, I am truly a rollercoaster enthusiast.
I like you. Me too. Love a good coaster. Disney needs more.
We got to the park at their version of "Rope Drop." It cracks me up how people there act like they're in a 5k when they open the park. Do people act like that at WDW? Some people really and truly sprint to their favorite ride.
That's why they've changed Rope Drop procedures several times over the last few years to try to figure it out. Disney is good about having CM's walk the crowd into the park at a reasonable pace, but it used to be an absolute stampede going to TSMM in the mornings in DHS. That has certainly changed over the last few years.
My new Animal Kingdom plans will involve rope-dropping Navi River Journey, which I think will be more manageable.
They say the queue for Flight of Passage is worth seeing. But I'd rather skip the wait. Navi River Journey should be a walk on if you can make RD. My next TR update will be our morning doing this.
In other news, my lose-weight-before-Disney plans are coming along fairly well. I lost another 5 or so pounds in September. I'm losing weight a little bit slower than I maybe wanted, but I'll take it! I've been feeling pretty good too.
Congratulations on the loss! Feeling good is the more important than any numbers.
5. Park Hours: The park hours for MK have changed slightly for our week there. MK will now be opening an hour earlier on most days. This means that our BOG breakfast is no longer a PPO breakfast. :/
That stinks. But really, with a low crowd week and having plans, I think it will be just fine. Pre-ordering food will help and I wouldn't be afraid to ride a few things before breakfast if you can get there at RD. They should work with you even if you're a few minutes late for breakfast.
I am shooting for us to bring about $300 for souvenirs and hope that will be enough. Any feedback? How much do you usually spend on souvenirs at Disney World?
I was sooo happy to get them. My husband was nice enough to wait until I got home from work to open it up.
