Which touring plan makes more sense

[VAfamily1998]

Who: Me--adult female (been to Disney with spouse and kids 5/2012, 11/2009, 1/2008, 1/2005, and as a child in 11/1984)
Brother--adult male (last trip to Disney was 11/1984 when he was 7 years old)

When: Arriving later in the day on Thurs. Sept 20, flight leaves later in the day on Sunday September 23

Where: We are staying at the Yacht Club

Add'l Info: We currently have three 1-day park hoppers (separate paper tickets) each.

Plan A:
Thursday afternoon: check out the resort/Storm Along Bay, maybe eat dinner at the Yachtsman, go check out Downtown Disney (specifically considering Raglan Road)
Friday: Morning EMH at Animal Kingdom, I have ADRS for Tusker house at 1:45...stay until mid day...then go back to hotel maybe relax a bit, then walk to Epcot and spend evening hours there. I have ADRS for 7 pm at marakesh...hope to see Illuminations at 9 pm. Maybe go to Jellyrolls if not too tired at night
Saturday: Morning EMH at Hollywood Studios, I have ADRs at Brown Derby at noon...stay until mid day...then go to the Magic Kingdom (open 'till 11 pm)
Sunday Go to whatever park we feel we did not get enough time at in the morning...we'll have to leave for the airport in the afternoon.

Pros: We visit all 4 parks, plus get a "free day" to visit whatever we didn't see enough of at a still "relaxed" pace
Cons: Won't get to see Fantasmic!

Plan B:
Thursday afternoon: check out the resort/Storm Along Bay, maybe eat dinner at the Yachtsman, go check out Downtown Disney (specifically considering Raglan Road)
Friday Morning EMH at AK, TH for lunch, stay 'till mid day...then go to MNSSHP at night
Saturday: Morning EMH at HS, Brown Derby for lunch,if needed go back to hotel to rest/relax...return to HS in evening for Fantasmic!
Sunday Epcot
Pros: Get to see Fantasmic! And go to MNSSHP...
Cons: -Will need to shell out additional $ for MNSSHP (though I do qualify for the military discount, so I think that's approx $37/pp)
- I'm a little worried we'll be so tired from staying up late Friday, then going to a park early Saturday...
-Won't get to see illuminations...


Which sounds better to you? Or do you have a different suggestion? Thanks!

 

[MK2010]

I like Plan B. But I think I may just be envious that you get to do MNSSHP. If you decide that everyone wouldn't be all that interested in MNSSHP then I think Plan A will be fine. I don't think Fantasmic or Illuminations is an absolute MUST DO.

 

[pg0314]

I vote for plan A! But plan B sounds nice too. Maybe let your brother pick since he hasn't been there for so long?

FYI, here's my touring plan for my upcoming trip:

Arrive at WDW
Five days of fun!
Leave WDW

 

[tstidm1]

It's all about choosing what you really want to do on a short trip. Have you thought about doing Military Tickets to get four days of park without four individual tickets? You say you qualify for MNSSHP for Military, so it would save you $170 off PH four days and $140 of THree day Park Hoppers. If you can get the money back on the 1 Day tickets, Buy the Military four days instead and have an extra evening of the parks.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

The way I see it, given what you've laid out, you're in the parks for only two evenings. So you're going to have to choose which of the evening shows to miss and which to see. It is that decision that is going to drive your scheduling. And once it is made, much of the schedule will fall into place. So My advice is to figure out which of those you and your brother wish to see and then go with it. Do you want to see the Party parade and fireworks plus Fantasmic or do you want to see Wishes and the Electric parade and Illuminations? For us, we would be skipping Illuminations. Not that we don't like it. But that we like all the others better. We also like the party parade and fireworks at MK better than the standard.


On to your plans. I'll start with plan B.

Thursday. Rest time is a concern with this plan. So I'd probably not go to DTD. I'd much rather be able to get up and go to the parks and miss DTD than see DTD and not be able to get up because of that. Dinner over at YSH sounds great. By the way, maybe you could find a spot in the Epcot resort area to see some of the aerials from Illuminations?

Friday. EMH at the AK, and then when done immediately head over to MK for the party. The side benefit of choosing the party over the other MK option is that though the park itself is very busy during the party, the rides are very easily accessed with little wait except for the Haunted Mansion. Before the party during the day, crowds are light and waits are short. Given that you don't have much time in the parks, that's something to consider. The parade at AK starts at 3:45 (I peeked at the schedule.) so if you stayed for this, you might hit the MK at 5. If you wish to be at MK earlier, you'll have to miss it.
Saturday. Studios. You've only this park planned for the day so if you don't end up being able to get up, it's not a disaster.
Sunday. Epcot.

Plan A.
Thursday. Rest time isn't as much of an issue here. But DTD isn't a necessity and if you're tired from the trip, ko it. YSH is fine.
Friday. With your plan here, you'd have to leave earlier from the AK than you would under the other because with the reservation at Marrakesh, you really don't have that much park time at Epcot and it closes much earlier than the MSSHP ends. If you stayed for the parade at AK, you'd get here at 5 and have just two hours before your 7pm. Regarding that 7pm, there's another problem. Seven pm at Marrakesh is cutting it way too thin if you want to be out and get a good or better spot for Illuminations. Note that Morocco is a terrible spot. On the whole, I think you're likely to be making Sunday an Epcot day with this plan. That's Especially if you want to catch the AK parade.
Saturday. I see no real trouble here. But rides at MK will not be as easily accessed today as they would be at the party. Also don't bother staying for the day parade at the studios. Your time is better served elsewhere.
Sunday. Flex day. Sounds good. But I think Epcot is probably going to be your park here under this plan. It most certainly will be if you want to catch the parade at AK and still eat at Marrakesh on Friday.

If it were me, I'd be going with Plan B as I modified it. And I'd see if I could catch some of the aerial parts of Illuminations from somewhere in the Epcot resort area that first night. Though we like Illuminations, that is the weakest of the big night shows for us, plus, we like the parade and fireworks for the party a bit better than the standard at MK. Speaking of MK, with your time being very limited, the lure of less wait in line at the attractions during and before the party relative to a regular day along with the late hours would be just be too good to pass up. Also being able to stay for the parade at AK rather than having to get over to Epcot to do much of anything would also be a plus for us.

 

[VAfamily1998]

The way I see it, given what you've laid out, you're in the parks for only two evenings. So you're going to have to choose which of the evening shows to miss and which to see. It is that decision that is going to drive your scheduling. And once it is made, much of the schedule will fall into place. So My advice is to figure out which of those you and your brother wish to see and then go with it. Do you want to see the Party parade and fireworks plus Fantasmic or do you want to see Wishes and the Electric parade and Illuminations? For us, we would be skipping Illuminations. Not that we don't like it. But that we like all the others better. We also like the party parade and fireworks at MK better than the standard.


On to your plans. I'll start with plan B.

Thursday. Rest time is a concern with this plan. So I'd probably not go to DTD. I'd much rather be able to get up and go to the parks and miss DTD than see DTD and not be able to get up because of that. Dinner over at YSH sounds great. By the way, maybe you could find a spot in the Epcot resort area to see some of the aerials from Illuminations?

Friday. EMH at the AK, and then when done immediately head over to MK for the party. The side benefit of choosing the party over the other MK option is that though the park itself is very busy during the party, the rides are very easily accessed with little wait except for the Haunted Mansion. Before the party during the day, crowds are light and waits are short. Given that you don't have much time in the parks, that's something to consider. The parade at AK starts at 3:45 (I peeked at the schedule.) so if you stayed for this, you might hit the MK at 5. If you wish to be at MK earlier, you'll have to miss it.
Saturday. Studios. You've only this park planned for the day so if you don't end up being able to get up, it's not a disaster.
Sunday. Epcot.

Plan A.
Thursday. Rest time isn't as much of an issue here. But DTD isn't a necessity and if you're tired from the trip, ko it. YSH is fine.
Friday. With your plan here, you'd have to leave earlier from the AK than you would under the other because with the reservation at Marrakesh, you really don't have that much park time at Epcot and it closes much earlier than the MSSHP ends. If you stayed for the parade at AK, you'd get here at 5 and have just two hours before your 7pm. Regarding that 7pm, there's another problem. Seven pm at Marrakesh is cutting it way too thin if you want to be out and get a good or better spot for Illuminations. Note that Morocco is a terrible spot. On the whole, I think you're likely to be making Sunday an Epcot day with this plan. That's Especially if you want to catch the AK parade.
Saturday. I see no real trouble here. But rides at MK will not be as easily accessed today as they would be at the party. Also don't bother staying for the day parade at the studios. Your time is better served elsewhere.
Sunday. Flex day. Sounds good. But I think Epcot is probably going to be your park here under this plan. It most certainly will be if you want to catch the parade at AK and still eat at Marrakesh on Friday.

If it were me, I'd be going with Plan B as I modified it. And I'd see if I could catch some of the aerial parts of Illuminations from somewhere in the Epcot resort area that first night. Though we like Illuminations, that is the weakest of the big night shows for us, plus, we like the parade and fireworks for the party a bit better than the standard at MK. Speaking of MK, with your time being very limited, the lure of less wait in line at the attractions during and before the party relative to a regular day along with the late hours would be just be too good to pass up. Also being able to stay for the parade at AK rather than having to get over to Epcot to do much of anything would also be a plus for us.

Wow! Thank you--and I LOVE your suggestion of checking out some aerial fireworks on Thursday right from our hotel area! I hadn't even thought of that! I think I am really leaning towards your modified plan B. I just spoke with a CM and changed by regular Brown Derby reservation to one that includes the Fantasmic VIP seating for Saturday! Thank you!

 

[VAfamily1998]

It's all about choosing what you really want to do on a short trip. Have you thought about doing Military Tickets to get four days of park without four individual tickets? You say you qualify for MNSSHP for Military, so it would save you $170 off PH four days and $140 of THree day Park Hoppers. If you can get the money back on the 1 Day tickets, Buy the Military four days instead and have an extra evening of the parks.

Thanks! Actually the Park Hoppers we have were given to us as a gift, so we're not able to return or exchange them. But thanks for the idea

 

[VAfamily1998]

Ok..so modified plan B (with help from Cannot wait 4 Disney!)

Thursday--relax, enjoy resort/pool, Dinner at Yachtsman, try to catch some of the illuminations fireworks from the hotel area

Friday--morning EMH at AK, TH ADRs at 1:45, parade at 3:45...then head to MK for MNSSHP

Saturday--try to wake up for EMH at HS, no biggie if we miss a bit...ADRs at Brown Derby at noon...rest of the day in the park or if absolutely exhausted could go back to hotel for a nap...Be at Fantasmic at 7:15 for VIP seating for 8 pm show.

Sunday--Epcot...since we will be missing out on Marakesh for Friday dinner, we can Sunday lunch there...

And since Epcot is the closest to our hotel, it will be the easiest/less chance of transportation gliches to get back in time for ME to take us to the airport! That was a slight concern is that if we ended up using Sunday to see MK or AK, that the bus ride would take up a lot of the time...

Thank you so much!!!!