Which plan sounds better for MK?

[mshanson3121]

For Friday, June 26th. We have a 4:00 reservation for HDDR. Staying off-site, roughly 20-25 minute drive to TTC.

Arrive at MK for RD, stay till noon. Go back to house for a rest/swim, then drive to HDDR. Take the boat over to MK after show for a couple more hours in park, take boat back, drive home.

or

Arrive at MK around 10:30 or 11:00, spend a few hours, take boat over to HDDR, watch show, boat back to park for a couple more hours then home.


I know the first option has us there at RD and we'd get more rides in, but we have FP+ and then also a DAS card, so I'm not too concerned about wait times. Though I know it also means we'll be in the park from 12-2ish, when it's hotter.

But the second option is far less running/driving back and forth. Also I know that HDDR is a pain to get to if you have to drive there, since you have to park, then take an internal bus back to the show etc...

So what would you choose? I suppose we could always just do RD to 2:00, take the boat to HDDR then boat back and go home, I just thought that might be too long of a day in the heat?

 

[Jennytoon]

I would either

Arrive RD @ MK, break at noon, drive back to MK, take boat to HDDR, boat back to MK for a couple more hours or
Arrive RD @ MK, hang 'til 2, take boat to HDDR ...

On the first option, it may seem that it is a schlep to have to go from TTC to boat when driving to MK, but not really more of a schlep than driving to HDDR and then taking the internal bus. And then when you call it quits at the MK, you only have the trip back to the TTC, not the trip back on the boat and then back to your car on the bus when you're tired.

On the second option ... there's a number of minor attractions with great air conditioning to enable you to tough it out 'til two. Hall of Presidents, Carousel of Progress ... none of these are super-stimulating, most people view them as "a relaxing break from the heat". Of course, your mileage may vary.

 

[mshanson3121]

I would either

Arrive RD @ MK, break at noon, drive back to MK, take boat to HDDR, boat back to MK for a couple more hours or
Arrive RD @ MK, hang 'til 2, take boat to HDDR ...

On the first option, it may seem that it is a schlep to have to go from TTC to boat when driving to MK, but not really more of a schlep than driving to HDDR and then taking the internal bus. And then when you call it quits at the MK, you only have the trip back to the TTC, not the trip back on the boat and then back to your car on the bus when you're tired.

On the second option ... there's a number of minor attractions with great air conditioning to enable you to tough it out 'til two. Hall of Presidents, Carousel of Progress ... none of these are super-stimulating, most people view them as "a relaxing break from the heat". Of course, your mileage may vary.

This is what we had planned for a touring plan (starting at RD), would any of these offer a/c?

Main Street Vehicles
Jungle Cruise
Magic Carpets
Tiki Room
BTMR
Splash (FP+)
Tom Sawyer Island
Lunch at Peco Bill's (if we stay till 2:00)
Country Bear
Tomorrowland Speedway (FP+)
Monsters Inc Laughfloor
Buzz Lightyear (FP+)

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

2nd one. That said, I don't like rope drop.

 

[Jennytoon]

This is what we had planned for a touring plan (starting at RD), would any of these offer a/c?

Main Street Vehicles
Jungle Cruise
Magic Carpets
Tiki Room
BTMR
Splash (FP+)
Tom Sawyer Island
Lunch at Peco Bill's (if we stay till 2:00)
Country Bear
Tomorrowland Speedway (FP+)
Monsters Inc Laughfloor
Buzz Lightyear (FP+)

Disclaimer for fallible memory ...
MSV - no
JC - no, but you are on the water and it's a tiny bit cooler, queue is shaded
Magic Carpets - no
Tiki Room - yes, and the queue is shaded
BTMR - no but most of the queue is shaded
Splash - water ride, parts of the queue are shaded and AC but parts not
Tom Sawyer Island - don't know
Peco Bill's - don't know but I think so -- if indoors then yes
Country Bear - yes
Speedway - no
Laugh Floor - yes
Buzz - yes

Also don't forget you can bring a change of clothes (or just dress in water-management clothing) and plan to spend some time at Casey's Splash and Soak -- even adults can manage to find a range of wet here that is wet enough to cool a bit on a hot day and not so wet that you won't dry quickly.

The reason I don't like the arrive later plan is that if you plan RD and go straight through you can always change your mind if everyone is holding up well or vice versa. If you plan to arrive later, you're committing to being there in the hottest, most crowded part of the day without any opportunity to backtrack. I always like to have a fallback plan or two. I didn't say it earlier, but it's even possible that if you've got the heavy hitters done early and therefore are managing the heat well with a sprinkling of air conditioned attractions, you may find that you have energy still to come back in the park for a ride or two after HDDR even though you've been there most of the day. I would definitely sway against this if the next day is not a rest day (because it will make you draggy if you haven't been doing full days), but if it is I would say go for it if you feel up to it.

ETA: That should have been if you plan to RD and take a break you can change your mind if everyone is holding up well or vice versa.

 

[mshanson3121]

Disclaimer for fallible memory ...
MSV - no
JC - no, but you are on the water and it's a tiny bit cooler, queue is shaded
Magic Carpets - no
Tiki Room - yes, and the queue is shaded
BTMR - no but most of the queue is shaded
Splash - water ride, parts of the queue are shaded and AC but parts not
Tom Sawyer Island - don't know
Peco Bill's - don't know but I think so -- if indoors then yes
Country Bear - yes
Speedway - no
Laugh Floor - yes
Buzz - yes

Also don't forget you can bring a change of clothes (or just dress in water-management clothing) and plan to spend some time at Casey's Splash and Soak -- even adults can manage to find a range of wet here that is wet enough to cool a bit on a hot day and not so wet that you won't dry quickly.

The reason I don't like the arrive later plan is that if you plan RD and go straight through you can always change your mind if everyone is holding up well or vice versa. If you plan to arrive later, you're committing to being there in the hottest, most crowded part of the day without any opportunity to backtrack. I always like to have a fallback plan or two. I didn't say it earlier, but it's even possible that if you've got the heavy hitters done early and therefore are managing the heat well with a sprinkling of air conditioned attractions, you may find that you have energy still to come back in the park for a ride or two after HDDR even though you've been there most of the day. I would definitely sway against this if the next day is not a rest day (because it will make you draggy if you haven't been doing full days), but if it is I would say go for it if you feel up to it.

Great point about giving us flexibility. I think that's what we'll plan to do - RD and hopefully stay through till HDDR. Our next day is another RD at AK. Now if I could only figure out what to do with Epcot... basically going in for the sake of my son seeing China and Test Track, lol. Not sure if we want RD and enter the WS at 11 when it opens, or plan on later in the evening around 6. I don't want to be too late since the next morning is RD for MK.