How Would YOU...?

[darthmacho]

I'm working on my 2012 WDW itinerary, and even though it's not booked yet, and over a year away, I'm giving it WAY too much thought.

Anyway, my question is this:

Say you were going to be in MK, and you were going to spend the day concentrating on Frontierland, Liberty Square, and Main Street ONLY. Assuming you wanted to get there at opening, how would YOU go about your day? Which attractions would you attack first, which would you repeat or skip, and where would you eat and shop in those lands?

Now I realize this is a multi-layered question, so feel free to be as detailed as you have the time or patience for. Even some partial input might provide some insight to me or others trying to plan a day at WDW.

Thanks in advance for any replies. :mickey:

372 days to go!

[Pirate Granny]

I'd start at the two mountains ride them first, and get fast passes for later in the day...then off to Haunted House and a trip on the paddleboat...then off for a train ride around the park, getting off by splash...walk over to PotC now...after that buy lunch at pecos bills or better yet the pirate place if it's open...take the COLD lunch and head for the island...go find the rocking chairs and sit and enjoy lunch...explore the island...if you haven't used your FP go on splash NOW...head over to the other mountain and use that FP...now, go cool off at the country bears and shooting gallery...and browse the Xmas shop befor heading into Presidents...more paddleboat rides, and off to Haunted House again...okay...go do the main street stores...head back and do the tree house, tiki birds, jungle cruise and last for the night PotC...

hummmmm...dinner needed??? Lots of options Liberty Tree or Crystal Palace...Columbia house for CS...

[texas211]

With a whole day, you should really not worry about it. Take it easy and enjoy it. I'd focus on what ride do you want to start with to start you day? I like POTC. Use the fast passes for Splash and go ride Thunder.

[DisneyMom12]

I'd start at the two mountains ride them first, and get fast passes for later in the day...then off to Haunted House and a trip on the paddleboat...then off for a train ride around the park, getting off by splash...walk over to PotC now...after that buy lunch at pecos bills or better yet the pirate place if it's open...take the COLD lunch and head for the island...go find the rocking chairs and sit and enjoy lunch...explore the island...if you haven't used your FP go on splash NOW...head over to the other mountain and use that FP...now, go cool off at the country bears and shooting gallery...and browse the Xmas shop befor heading into Presidents...more paddleboat rides, and off to Haunted House again...okay...go do the main street stores...head back and do the tree house, tiki birds, jungle cruise and last for the night PotC...

hummmmm...dinner needed??? Lots of options Liberty Tree or Crystal Palace...Columbia house for CS...

Very nice, and well thought out.

[lynnek]

We would have to consider the two age groups of our kids--13, 11 and 3. Knowing DH's favorite ride is Splash, he and the older two would go to the mountains, secure fast passes, ride them over and over again. Meanwhile, DD2 and myself would be riding the Magic Carpets---over and over and over because it is the same ride as Dumbo, there are no lines, we don't even have to get off to go again, the CM's give us stickers because it is our favorite----when the older ones are done, they can come ride with us too!
O.K. so that is the first hour--during EMH of course--so now we can relax and proceed with everything else. (These are actual events as happened on our first visit last Nov.) Thanks to Darth Macho's trip report last summer, I wasn't totally clueless.

[Tink#64]

Kudos to Pirate Granny - very well thought out! :thumbsup: The only exceptions for us, we've done Tom Sawyer Island & it was fun, but we don't do it anymore, but my DS's are teens, the same for the Country Bear Jamboree, and the Liberty Square Riverboat. Glad we did them & enjoyed, if you haven't they are all very nice, my fam just not into those right now. We'd rather ride one of the mountains or COP multiple times in the early AM with little to no waits! This year we ate at the newly opened Tortuga Tavern (formerly El Pirata Yel Perico) and loved it for a change of pace! We all got taco salads, you receive the bowl/shell with the meat & fill yourself! Yummy!

Sidenote, we typically break MK into 2 days, park opening arrival for each, day 1 Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Liberty Square & then Main Street. Day 2 is Frontierland, Adventureland, any repeats & show's we've not done & revisit shops on Main Street. Always starting with the major attractions and no shows or shopping until after lunch when park is already crowded & doesn't matter much what we do.

[princessgirls]

My girls are HUGE Splash/Thunder fans.... some mornings we skip walking down Main Street (my favorite) all together and hop on the train straight for Frontierland.
We will try to ride these two as many times as we can before crowds!! Then we usually head over to Adventure land, hit the carpets, Tiki Birds, Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Dole Whips, maybe lunch over at Peco's Bill and then Liberty Square. Usually I love to watch the parade in the HOT Florida sun, and duck into the Hall of Presidents for the next showing. It's a great way to cool off.
Enjoy your planning Darth!
Julie:mickey:

[darthmacho]

Thanks for all the kind and thoughtful responses, but I think I may have stated my question poorly. I've pretty much got my itinerary made for WDW, and I was curious to see how others might go about it. I wasn't looking for advice so much as I was seeking discussion, hoping that others might benefit too by seeing how others plan their day. Thanks again for the responses I did get. :mickey:

[Mousemates]

I'm working on my 2012 WDW itinerary, and even though it's not booked yet, and over a year away, I'm giving it WAY too much thought.

yep...you are probably giving it too much thought...but the great thing about a WDW vacation is the fun you get in planning it out ahead of time.

The only thing I would add is to save HOP for that hot time in the afternoon where the kids need to cool down and you need a nap.

.....oh, and be sure to pick up the phone in the hat shop and listen to the "party line."