WWYD with these days? Staying longer.

[mshanson3121]

AKA... Plan my trip, lol.

Now, we do pretty well have an itinerary set, and it's fine, but DH decided to book us two extra days in Florida. So... that gives us... more options. Dangerous, lol. Now what we had planned was this. Just for planning sake, I'm putting the recommended parks (EasyWDW) in brackets.

June 24: Arrive around supper time (27 hours/3 days driving).
June 25: (HS, EP) Epcot half day
June 26: (HS, MK, AK) Magic Kingdom full day (9-5)
June 27: (AK, EP) off
June 28: (HS, EP) Epcot half day
June 29: (EP, AK) Animal Kingdom full day (9-5)
June 30: (AK, MK, HS) off, HDDR 4:00
July 1: (EP, AK, HS) Magic Kingdom, full day, taking afternoon break. BBB at 5:00, CRT at 6:50
July 2: (MK, EP) Hollywood Studios, full day, taking afternoon break, watching 9:00 Fantasmic
July 3: (EP, AK, HS) ???

So, now that we have two extra days, July 3 & July 4, I'm wondering if we could do anything differently, change things up a bit - I was thinking either split AK into two mornings, or maybe split MK up into two half days and the one full day? Try to avoid the heat a bit more?

Things to consider:

- DH definitely would prefer not to be in the parks during the worst of the heat. That said - the kids (8 with SPD, 5 with ASD) don't do great with late bedtimes, so I don't know how good of an idea frequent afternoon breaks with late bedtimes would be. Plus we're staying off-site, so afternoon breaks mean leaving, driving back to to the house, then driving back, trying to park all over again etc...). Not opposed to it a couple times, but definitely not a lot.
- July 1st is the untouchable day, nothing is changing with that day!!!
- We do not want to be RDing on June 25 as want to sleep in after our long drive, that's why I had planned EP that day - figured we could either do 11-4 or maybe 3-8, focusing on WS.
- Also do not want to be RDing July 2nd, since that's going to be a very late night for the kids/us after the Wishes.
- DH has made it clear that he is not going anywhere on July 4th, lol.
- We're going to extend our 5 day passes to 7 days, no hoppers
- HDDR can be changed to any day, preferably at 4:00, but not opposed to 6:30. And while I'd really like to do it... I'm at the point where I'm not married to it. I could let it go if it would give us better park time/down time. If we dropped HDDR I'd probably consider using the money and going to Blizzard Beach, though DH thinks it's a waste of money since we already have a private pool at the house we're staying at. He's also just not a big water park guy.

So... what do you recommend?

 

[avic77]

Keep those break days with pool time! I know its so hard NOT to go to a park every day but its one piece of advice i really regret not taking on my first trip!

Otherwise I think with such a long stay, half days are perfect, especially with young ones.

 

[ammag]

I wouldn't leave mid day, or I would just do that on your long Mk day with the later CRT. Our first trip was off property and we left the first day so the kids could stay up for fireworks. We ended duo not napping, a bit stressed and they were tired and we left right after wishes started anyhow! I know it's just our isolated bad day but we stay open to dinner time most of the time and keep the kids bedtime. Ter are some ways to take breaks in the parks and to cool down.

First to cool down there are water features where you and the kids can get sprinkled on or very wet like Casey's splash area (we needed a full change of clothes and shoes, bring flip flops or water shoes) the spitting tiki statues at M adventureland, splash areas in Epcot, misters in tomorrow land and a mister near test track in Epcot....I am sure there are more in the other parks I can't remember! Try to do all of the longer inside rides in the hot part of the day. There are shaded areas to be found so take advantage of those.

Places to "escape" the parks can be....tom sawyers island, lots of shade, the kids will not be bored and you might get a chance to sit and rock in a chair on the water. Less crowded than other areas. Yu can take the monorail to any resort, I'd do the contemporary to save time. Enjoy AC, look for hidden mickeys, maybe sit in a lounge wiht a drink and a snack. It really helps everyone recharge. Every park has play areas for the kids as well, they need a break to be free! In animal kingdom we found the Dino dig play area (not the slide area) to be cool, the kids liked the cool rocks and we liked the seat.

My daughter did get heatstroke at Hollywood studios, we were not keeping her hydrated. She wouldn't drink much water the next day so I bought a little Mickey straw, sorcerer Mickey figure on no straw that attaches to a water bottle, I think $2.95. THAT made her drink a ton! Lol

 

[mshanson3121]

Anyone else?

 

[ArwenMarie]

In the summer, we prefer to do the parks every day, even if we do shorter days. We find the days tend to fall apart as it goes on, between the extreme heat and thunderstorms. Then we relax at the resort and hopefully make it out to the pool.

But with nine days, I would definitely take the two days off completely. I think the 7 day non-hoppers will be perfect.

I think your plan looks good! I like the free days throughout and at the end. And you can always add on your ticket if you want a few more hours here and there.

I would do a waterpark instead of HDDR but my kids love the waterparks. I would do one on one of the free days for a few hours at opening and then chill the rest of the day.

 

[Praying Colonel]

We don't go more than 3 park days in the summer w/o an off day. So we'd do
25-27 Parks
28 Off
29-31 Parks
1 Off
2-4 Parks

We always mean to do nice long afternoon breaks, but it always seems we stay too long in the parks and our breaks are shorter than planned. After 3 park days, it catches up with us and we're ready to take a day off. It helps us enjoy the rest of our park days more. YMMV.

 

[mshanson3121]

In the summer, we prefer to do the parks every day, even if we do shorter days. We find the days tend to fall apart as it goes on, between the extreme heat and thunderstorms. Then we relax at the resort and hopefully make it out to the pool.

But with nine days, I would definitely take the two days off completely. I think the 7 day non-hoppers will be perfect.

I think your plan looks good! I like the free days throughout and at the end. And you can always add on your ticket if you want a few more hours here and there.

I would do a waterpark instead of HDDR but my kids love the waterparks. I would do one on one of the free days for a few hours at opening and then chill the rest of the day.

I think, no, I know, the kids would love a day a Blizzard Beach (or TL, either one really). We were looking at them online and they were practically jumping up and down begging to go. I admit, it just seems like sooooo much money!!! lol. $240 (which is $320 CDN for us) spend what, 3-4 hours there?! But I suppose, on the flip side, we're going to spend $180 US for a 2 hour dinner show...

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think, no, I know, the kids would love a day a Blizzard Beach (or TL, either one really). We were looking at them online and they were practically jumping up and down begging to go. I admit, it just seems like sooooo much money!!! lol. $240 (which is $320 CDN for us) spend what, 3-4 hours there?! But I suppose, on the flip side, we're going to spend $180 US for a 2 hour dinner show...

I know, it's pricey. Everything is pricey at Disney I guess.

My kids really love the waterparks, I think they would prefer we went to the waterparks every day over the parks LOL

 

[mshanson3121]

I know, it's pricey. Everything is pricey at Disney I guess.

My kids really love the waterparks, I think they would prefer we went to the waterparks every day over the parks LOL

My biggest fear is the crowds. We're going end of June, so busy season. Now, I have no problem getting there for 9 or 10 am, but just how bad will the wait times be for things like the Chairlift, the tobagggan racer thing, the family tube ride etc?

 

[ArwenMarie]

My biggest fear is the crowds. We're going end of June, so busy season. Now, I have no problem getting there for 9 or 10 am, but just how bad will the wait times be for things like the Chairlift, the tobagggan racer thing, the family tube ride etc?

As long as you get there before opening, things won't be too bad for a while.

 

[mshanson3121]

Hmmm.... how's this look:

Day 1: AK - Go in around 11 or 12. (This allows us to sleep in a bit after our long drive)
Day 2: MK - RD, stay for FoF, head home after
Day 3: HS - Go in around 3, stay through for 9:00 F! and Frozen Fireworks
Day 4: REST
Day 5: EP - Go in at 11 (Go straight to WS for a few hours, then back up to FW for indoor, air conditioned stuff)
Day 6: EP - Same
Day 7: MK RD-12, afternoon break, back for our 5:00 BBB
Day 8: REST
Day 9: Kid's Choice
Day 10: REST

I think this gives lots of rest time? We'll only have 2 late nights which will be followed by a day off, we will be able to sleep in all but two days, so DH may not feel like all we're doing on vacation is jumping out of bed running to the next thing, we'll have three full days off, and a good chunk of the day on our HS day. The only downside is we miss the car show at Old Town (which would be on Day 3).

Or this (which allows us to make Old Town):

Day 1: HS
Day 2: Off (Old Town)
Day 3: AK
Day 4: EP
Day 5: Off
Day 6: MK
Day 7: MK
Day 8: off
Day 9: Kid's Choice
Day 10: off