WWYD..Water Park Dilema for next week!

[01Sweetpea]

Here is my problem. I made a HUGE mistake in telling my kids that the weather should be good enough for us to go to TL one day. Never ever tell your kids that, they have a tendenancy to hold you to it!

I planned my itinerary and corresponding ADRs using the UG & TGM.

I held Monday 11/20 open for our TL day. Turns out Mondays weather (as of now) isn't so great, but Wednesday's looks ALOT better. Wednesday is our MGM day and I have ADR's at MM w/Fantasmic.

I really want to see Fantasmic & Osbourne Lights on this trip!

I called dining and not only are there no ADRs available for MM on 11/20, there are no ADRs AT ALL for 11/20 ANYWHERE at MGM! Also, 11/20 is EMH evening at MGM.

So my options, as I see it:
1. Keep to my original itinerary, skip TL on Monday and maybe do DQ/mini golf.
2. Go to MGM on Monday, get as much done as possible, head to the Boardwalk for dinner, then go back to MGM for EMH and wait in what I am guessing is going to be a VERY LONG line for Fantasmic. Go to TL on Wednesday.
3. Go to TL on Wednesday, but leave early enough to get back to MGM for ADRs @ MM. Is 4 hours enough for TL?

Opinions from the experts are needed!

Thanks

 

[mehmetdan]

What time is your ADR? I had an ADR at H&V for 4.50pm - we could have easily gone to TL for 10am and left at 3.30pm and still been on time for our ADR. That should give you enough time at TL.

 

[ohiominnie]

H
So my options, as I see it:
1. Keep to my original itinerary, skip TL on Monday and maybe do DQ/mini golf.
2. Go to MGM on Monday, get as much done as possible, head to the Boardwalk for dinner, then go back to MGM for EMH and wait in what I am guessing is going to be a VERY LONG line for Fantasmic. Go to TL on Wednesday.
3. Go to TL on Wednesday, but leave early enough to get back to MGM for ADRs @ MM. Is 4 hours enough for TL?

Opinions from the experts are needed!

Thanks

Ugh. I know how hard it is to change the kids itinerary.

What time are your ADR's. You don't mention that. You also don't mention how old your kids are.

I'd say plan TL for Wednesday. (it won't be any fun if it's cold and rainy) Get there before it opens and get going to the things that will get lines (like the crush n' gusher raft rides. Spend an hour or so over there. Spend an hour or so in the wave pool. Spend an hour or so in the lazy river. Spend an hour or so doing something else. That should get the kids good and tired and ready to leave. When we do a water park we're pretty watered out by about 2:00-3:00 and we're heading out anyway.

If your ADR's are pretty early, you could always take what you need to shower and change in the locker rooms. Then go directly to MGM and stash your TL stuff in a locker. That will save you time getting back to your resort.

Don't know if you have a rental car or your own car, but that's an option too. We usually drive to TL or BB so that we don't have to rely on the busses which usually make other stops on the way back to our resort.

It's definitely do-able. Of course assuming your ADR's are 4:30 or later

HTH.

 

[tammydel]

I'd go with #3. Maybe do MGM for rides on Monday. 4 hours at TL should be enough especially if it's a little on the cool side. Then MGM for a nice relaxing dinner and Fantasmic show!

 

[ohiominnie]

What time are your ADR's. You don't mention that. You also don't mention how old your kids are.

I mention ages b/c the younger ones tire out more quickly and would be more amiable to leaving "early."

Also, make it clear to your kids that you're fitting TL into the schedule because you know how much it means to them, but they need to be aware that you are leaving at x:xx pm. Tell them that before you go. As long as they have that expectation, they should do better with it. It's just not fair to be at TL and be having fun and then say "oh, guys, we've gotta run!!!"

 

[01Sweetpea]

My kids are 13, 11 & 11, so TL is right up their alley. I'm sure they'd spend all day there if I let them.

Our ADRs are early 4 or 4:15 on 11/22.

 

[bekkiz]

I wouldn't give up hope for going on the 20th. I just checked the weather (my mom and sister leave today for 10 days) and according to weather.com, the 20th looks better than the 22 (partly cloudy vs. few showers)

One thing I've learned about Orlando weather is that it changes dramatically from hour to hour. We went in April one year, got up early for EMH AK--it was pouring buckets. 1.5 hours later, it was warm, sunny and wonderful

 

[kimmikayb]

Not sure if this is still true, but when we were there in Sept, the water parks were opening early. So if you were able to enter at 8 am....you could play for a good 5 hours before you had to go get ready for your ADR. That's what I'd do, if the weather is bad on Monday. Remember, weather can change too. Your kids could change their minds too. Don't stress too much about it! If the weather isn't promising on Monday...do the MGM things you can and do TL on Wednesday with your ADRs and Fantasmic.

We had a similiar situation. We actually played at TL from 8 am to 12:30...made it back to the room, cleaned up and headed over to Epcot by 3.

Have fun!!!!!!!!

BTW....early entry at the waterparks is great...it's a little cool but you can ride some of the slides, etc over and over until about 9:30. You can also enjoy the shark reef with a minimal amount of people.

 

[Phish]

It was the worst part of our trip. I love waterparks but this one was a letdown. Not many rides, not very exciting rides at all (keep in mind I'm an adult and love the waterpark in Denver). Also, the park itself was a little more spread out and confusing to find things than I woudl have liked. Also, it was an additional charge added on to our hopper ticket. It was not very crowded at all during the peak of the day. We thought it might be a nice break for a couple with young kids but it was a total waste for us. If your kids are young teens, they might be bored by it too? (I'm not sure - I don't have or know much about kids). The MGM light show was one of our favorite parts of the whole trip.

I couldn't follow your acronyms to know what you were really asking, but thought I would share!

 

[01Sweetpea]

I'm going to closely monitor the weather over the next few days, probably making the final decision Sunday night. As far as I know there are no EMH hours for TL next week. If there were...that would solve alot of my problems!

Thanks for everyones help.

I hate last minute stresses!

 

[CathrynRose]

Yes - 4 hours is enough time for TL.

And dont skip it - the waterparks are one of my favorite parts of the trip.

I have an 11 & 15 y/o boys - we always get there at park opening, and are ready to go by 1-ish (9am - 1pm = 4 hours)

So, yeah - GO!!

 

[disney6family]

we are going next week also, and planned TL for 11/21. We have decided to stick with the original plan, rather than change. The kids reminded me 'the pool is heated, mom' and they decided they would rather go for a few hours than not go or change all of the days.
I would say wait until Monday am then see what the weather is really. The park is scheduled to open at 10 so if you are in a Disney resort you could get in at 9am (there are emh every day for tl for resort guests), so you could do the tl/ mgm combo on 11/22 if 11/20 too cold. Let the kids vote - you could get most tl things done by 2 if you were there at 9 (just don't spend all day in the lazy river and wave pool )

 

[PlutosFriend]

I would go with #3 option if I were you. Take the weather forecast with a grain of salt this early out, btw Good luck! We loved Typhoon Lagoon! The Crush N Gusher is the best!!!

 

[01Sweetpea]

The park is scheduled to open at 10 so if you are in a Disney resort you could get in at 9am (there are emh every day for tl for resort guests),

Is this really right? I've checked EVERY website I can find, including the official WDW site, and it says nothng about EMH for TL in Nov. If so, this would work our perfect for us, we are staying at the Poly so we can use EMH.

5 hours at a water park is more than enough for me!

 

[elan]

I'd like to know about emh at TL too?

 

[kimmikayb]

I found this

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/earlyentry.htm

Not sure what seasonal means.

And I was wrong...we didn't get in at 8 am, it was 9 am. My Mom corrected me

 

[01Sweetpea]

Interesting info...I just called TL main number...was told via recorded message that normal park hours are 9:30-6:30.

They also listed a direct number...407-560-6296, so I called that and spoke to a CM who told me park hours are 10-5.

 

[disney6family]

I am so sorry, they told us when we called earlier in the month that TL was open an hour early so resort guests could grab the good seats first, but I just called my grand gatherings planner guy and he said he can't find it either for next week, but that they usually are if the park is open - maybe the weather dictates this? So sorry for this misinfo I had planned my TL days with that in mind, too!

 

[01Sweetpea]

I am so sorry, they told us when we called earlier in the month that TL was open an hour early so resort guests could grab the good seats first, but I just called my grand gatherings planner guy and he said he can't find it either for next week, but that they usually are if the park is open - maybe the weather dictates this? So sorry for this misinfo I had planned my TL days with that in mind, too!

No need to be sorry, we are all here for the same thing..to try and help each other out. Your post prompted me to call...without it, I wouldn't have.

The interesting thing is on the official site, it states the TL hours of 10-5, on the TL recording it states 9:30-6:30. Hopefully next week, they'll add the EMH due to the holiday.

 

[01Sweetpea]

I think we might have some type of resolution. We will wait until Sunday night to make any kind of final decision, BUT....looks like we might wait until FRIDAY to go to TL!

Although Monday was our "open" day, the only truly important thing on Friday is CP, and our ADRs aren't until 5pm! Giving us plenty of time at TL.

So new itinerary (for now)
11/18 - arrive @ noon and go to Epcot
11/19 - MK
11/20 - Epcot am and MGM pm (no ADRs for this day, but we can wing it)
11/21 - MK
11/22 - MGM
11/23 - AK
11/24 - TL am and Epcot pm
11/25 - MK am then fly home