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View Full Version : what parks to see? and how many days at each?



msbookite
02-10-2009, 06:34 AM
we will be going to DW mid march w/ my il's. we are going with a small 5 yo a newly 7yo and a newly 2 yo and 21 month old (my il's adopted some newbies) i Know we are going to need "down time" i'd like to open MK and close it one night each (not the same night) w/ these ages do you think we need to try and see all the parks? i'm thinking we can skip epcot and maybe even mgm? my 5yo is so short she can't ride most of the rides anyway i'm guessing...she couldn't even ride soarin at Calif adven a year ago. ugh! my 7yo is JUST 48 inches. so he is on the very edge too...
my il's have a time share that we will stay in sunday to sunday. i don't want to spend 7 days at DW b/c i don't want to return exhausted AND we are trying to economize so the plan has been to get a 4 (or 5 since they seem to be really close in price w/ the AAA discount) day pass.

so what are your opinions of these parks for kids those ages? this trip is ALL for the kiddos.
i like Disney just don't want to pay for things at this point that the kids will get very little out of, does that make sense?

so what parks and how many days at each since we aren't going to open AND close any of them...(you die hards :mickey: are amazing, i am SO not one! LOL!) i heard there is an opening ceremony at MK, is there anything special to close any of the parks?

thanks in advance, again and again, i am SO thankful i was recommended this site! planning for 4 kids under 7 AND trying to please 4 adults can be challenging!! LOL!

SBETigg
02-10-2009, 07:01 AM
I prefer to spend at least two days at MK, two at Epcot, one at DHS and one at AK. Lately, I like two days at AK. DHS actually has more for little ones these days, so I wouldn't rule it out. And I definitely wouldn't skip Epcot. My kids have always loved it. But you'll have to decide what works for you.

If you would prefer to mix downtime with park time to stay rested, you could skip what you feel might not appeal to your kids or spend less time at parks that interest you less. You might look over park maps and attraction descriptions and try to plan around what you think will appeal more to your family.

gerald72
02-10-2009, 07:05 AM
Don't underestimate any of the parks. You never know what everyone will like. I thought the same about Epcot, turns out it was my DS5's favorite. We then there again on our "extra" day.
I would say figure 2 days for MK, 1 for Epcot, and a half day each (allowing for your down time) at Studios and AK.

princessesmom
02-10-2009, 07:24 AM
We have 4 children and travel to DW with my parents, so I also have 8 people to please on our trips. On our last trip my children were 10, 8, 4 (nearly 5), and 23 months. We used 5 day hoppers and went to all the parks. My kids have always loved AK. We do the safari, some of the walking trails, the raft ride (those that are big enough), and they absolutely love the dinosaur digging area. We also do the shows. We also did a full day at Epcot last time, which was great. My parents took our youngest to see the characters and on the Nemo ride, while we did some other things with the older kids - Soarin, TT, Energy ride. I think we all did Spaceship Earth and we did the boat rides in the countries. A day really wasn't enough, but we saw what we could. We did a full day in HS, there a lot of great shows for the kids there. We did 2 full days in MK, because that is everyone's favorite. We stayed 7 nights, so we had 6 full days. We took a day off in the middle to sleep late and went to DTD to shop and have a leisurely lunch, with the pool in the afternoon. We did get hoppers but ended up not using them. I'm sure you can get by without them and save some money.

gueli
02-10-2009, 07:57 AM
2 days at MK. There is just so much here for the young ones, and the days can be quite exhausting. By planning for 2 days here, you can slow your own pace down. Remember character meet & greets can take quite a while.

Some people do not enjoy AK as much. I love it. There is more than enough to do, animals to see, shows & characters. 1 day should do, but do not expect to see it all.

Epcot has a lot to offer, but I can understand your hesitance.

DHS has plenty to do, but could be considered a 'light' day or 1/2 day as some people believe.

Opening cerimonies at the parks can be fun. Closing shows tend to be fireworks and can be wonderful.
Stay away from the parks with EMH on the days you are going. these parks tend to be the most crowded. You can check the disney web site for more info on this (their calander). Also I highly recomend the unoffical guide to disney, there is an awful lot of info there, which can help pre plan how you to make the most of your trip.
:mickey:

kcrc
02-10-2009, 08:22 AM
I tend to think of HS as a full day park. Yes, there are only a few rides there for smaller children. But, much of what HS has to offer are the shows. So, we often find ourselves coordinating show times. By the time you plan out 3 or 4 shows, it takes up a good chunk of your day.

wdwfansince75
02-10-2009, 08:35 AM
The extra days on WDW tickets are only about $2 per ticket...so for your party, the tickets would cost you about $12 per extra day. ...plus $11 for parking..... There is nothing else you can do in the Orlando area for $23 for a party of 8....

Having the extra days would let you spend some time (but not all day) at the parks every day....and you can decide when it is best to leave.....

From our experience, MK is best first thing in the morning....Except on EMH mornings....but you should also spend one evening there....the parade alone is worth the wait.....but with the age of your kids, be aware that the fireworks can be somewhat scary.

Do some planning....Check Info Central....See tabs above....Since you are offsite, you can't do the Extra Magic hours....avoid the parks that have extra magic hours.....Info Central has calendars....
....See area on Children-Traveling with... check on height restrictions....they are usually strictly applied....almost 48" is not 48" at WDW....Check on Baby Swap.....and Fast Passes....and the Child Care Centers.....Plan to get at least one stroller....For your group, the double strollers would appear to be the best bet....

I would also suggest at least one Character Meal.....Do an advanced Dining Reservation (ADR) Perhaps, on the day you plan to do AK, do an early ADR for Donald's Breakfast Safari....great food, and wonderful interaction with Micky, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy.....great way to start the day....or make a late morning ADR, be at the park for opening, and do the Safari Ride first thing....

Or do a pre-opening ADR for Crystal Palace at MK....strolling up an empty Main Street is AWESOME!

My slowest typing speed is when I am doing a posting for INTERCOT....I relive past trips, and picture every detail as I type....Be careful...the Magic is highly contagious!

Tink#64
02-10-2009, 11:47 PM
:welcome: You have found a great place to get all of your info! I didn't find this site until planning our 4th trip & I don't know how I ever managed!

I agree with all of the prior posts! Go at your own pace, make a plan, but be willing to drop it at the first sign of kids wearing down! Then it's no fun for anyone!

Our 1st trip, DS's were 4 & 6 and I too had planned to skip Epcot thinking that it wouldn't appeal to DS's! DH convinced me to go & I'm so glad we did! That was our very 1st WDW park experience & DS's were too small for alot, but it's still a fav of theirs! I've read that it's actually best to start with the other parks rather than MK so that the kids aren't looking for & expecting that WOW factor & rides in all of the parks & then being disappointed when the other parks are so different! AK is a great park to take it slow & enjoy all the animals & lush landscaping!

We typically do 2 days at MK, always arriving at opening & leaving when we get tired around 2 -3 PM & head back to the resort for our break. We always do 2 days of Epcot, 1 day for FW & 1 day for WS, a full day at DHS (MGM) there are so many shows there that all will love! The Muppets 3D show is adorable, the Indiana Jones show & Lights, Motors, Action are really cool, The Backstage Tour and One Man's Dream & Voyage of The Little Mermaid, and Beauty & The Beast Live on Stage would probably be enjoyed by all! AK is only one day for us, but there are some don't miss shows there as well! The Festival of The Lion King is one of my fav's in all of WDW! We also love, love, love, It's A Bugs Life! The new Nemo musical too! I think you might be surprised at how much there is that the youngest can do that will be enjoyed by everyone!

We take our breaks every day and go back to the resort for some pool time and some rest. We take our cues from the kids, they always let you know when they've had enough! We usually head back to the parks around 5 - 7pm depending on the event we are attending. Wishes, IllumiNations & Fantasmic are awesome night time events, that given the opportunity, you'll be glad you didn't miss! We never do EMH even though we stay on property & avoid the park in the AM that has AM EMH's! We don't do PM EMH either! This makes for 2 long of a day for us to be able to enjoy the next day!

MK has a really cool opening ceremony at park opening. The train pulls up loaded with characters, including M & M Mouse and there's music & tons of confetti! I got some great pics last year! It is the only park that has that.

Mornings are always smaller crowds in the parks & if you can, it's the best time to get the major attractions, or your personal must do's done! By lunch the crowds are usually at their peak! It doesn't sound like the kids have ever experienced WDW, so another idea might be to to pick up at your local book store or library the Birnbaums's WDW for Kids by Kids & let the "older" kids have a look at the attractions & listen to what they are really interest in! My DS's loved that book when they were younger!

Good luck and wishes for a magical trip! :tink:

crazygoalie39
02-11-2009, 12:49 AM
First thing, don't skip any parks. You'll regret it.
With those ages I would says focus on MK and AK. MK is just magical and what everyone thinks when you think WDW. AK has a lot of fun things for kids too. We usually spend 2 and half at MK, 2 at Epcot, and one each at DHS and AK. I would say you will need at least two days at MK due to the fact the kids are young. We can hit everything in MK in 1 and a half days by following TGM but you probably will want to take your time.

msbookite
02-12-2009, 10:37 AM
my head is spinning, lol! i'm going to have to read this thread (over and over!) and take notes!

we are planning to do a brunch at mickey's cafe. which park is that in?

my il's live an hour from DL in Cali so they are seasoned in what they like to see but this is different b/c it's all split up! ahhh!!!

seriously, where is the *crazy* emoticon when i need him? LOL!

thanks everyone, i think we will do the 5 days and then we can hit everything, but i'm still not sure how we will organize it all...yikes!

one last question about DHS. i'm very particular about what my kids watch tele wise, as in i threw away lilo and stitch b/c dd couldnt' "get" that lilo was staying w/ her sister NOT her mom and so thought it ok to talk to a mom the way lilo talks,i just want my kids to stay "sweet" as long as possible, they are total mockingbirds and so i have to be careful and dd (5) is getting plenty sassy all.by.herself w/o any ideas, lol!! anyway, what does dhs have? about the only thing besides the classics like lion king and nemo and toy story that they know is High School Musical, they love the music. can those things be found elsewhere? or is HSM even at WDW? (it's at cali adventure in CA)

what are the guides pp mentioned? are they at a bookstore on on the disney site?

crazygoalie39
02-12-2009, 01:07 PM
I'm pretty sure there isn't a mickey's cafe unless I'm forgetting something :). There's a Chef Mickey's in the Contemporary though. Maybe that's what you meant.

What DHS has for movies:
Beauty and the Beast (Show)
Great Movie Ride (Lots of old movies)
Indiana Jones (Show)
Muppet Vision 3D
Playhouse Disney Live (not a movie, i don't think, but it's on tv)
Star Tours (Star Wars)
Toy Story Mania
Voyage of the Litle Mermaid

I think that's all of the movies represented in DHS with rides or shows. There is a new HSM3 show in front of the Sorcerer's Hat. There's a lot of new Pixar movies in the "parade" too.

And for guides I definitely would have to recommend Tour Guide Mike. Absolutely amazing. We used it on our past two trips and it is the best thing ever. The longest we had to wait was 15 minutes and most of the time it was less than 5. He gives you itineraries for every park based on the kind of rides you like. The best feature is his crowd expectancy, extremely accurate. I think it's either 20 or 25 bucks but it is well worth it. I couldn't imagine going to WDW with out it now. Here's the link. http://www.tourguidemike.com/ :mickey:

msbookite
02-12-2009, 08:46 PM
chef mickey's that's right, sorry...where is the contemporary?

goofy78
02-13-2009, 02:58 AM
chef mickey's that's right, sorry...where is the contemporary?

its the resort that the monorail goes straight through the lobby and is right next to the magic kingdom. fantastic resort and you should enjoy chef mickey's. :mickey: