Considering Skipping DHS- can you convince me one way or the other?

[bferrara16]

Short version- heading down September 21-24 with my 4yo and 2yo. Have Parkhoppers and will hit MNSSHP on Friday. I keep sketching out the plans - usually with DHS as a half day on Saturday morning - but everytime I think about it, I'm not sure what we'd be missing if we skipped it. My wife and I have been plenty of times, so I'm thinking only from perspective of my 2 daughters. Can you convince me why (or why not) DHS should stay in my plans?

Second question- is this the best place to post my full plans and get critiques, or is that Trip Reports? I've been here long enough that I should know, but a quick search didn't make it clear to me. I'd love to post the full plan and hear thoughts.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Since you already have hoppers, you could definitely make a morning out of the Frozen sing-along, Mermaid, and Disney Junior. Your girls seem like the target demo for all of that. Then they'll get a kick out of taking the friendship boat over to Epcot; if they're like mine, that will be their favorite thing they do all day.

It wouldn't be worth buying hoppers specifically for it, but since it's just a time management issue, I think the kids will enjoy all those things very much.

 

[Tuvalu]

Since you already have hoppers, you could definitely make a morning out of the Frozen sing-along, Mermaid, and Disney Junior. Your girls seem like the target demo for all of that. Then they'll get a kick out of taking the friendship boat over to Epcot; if they're like mine, that will be their favorite thing they do all day.

It wouldn't be worth buying hoppers specifically for it, but since it's just a time management issue, I think the kids will enjoy all those things very much.

Don't forget Muppets 3D, Toy Story Mania and meeting Olaf!

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Don't forget Muppets 3D, Toy Story Mania and meeting Olaf!

I was trying to think of the rides w/o height requirements, and I was blanking on TSMM. I don't know what the waits are like now with the third track, but that might be the only monkey wrench in the plan. I wouldn't want to make all of my fastpass reservations at DHS if I were the OP, but I might not want to wait standby, either. My half day at DHS would include seeing Muppets three times, but that's just me.

 

[carriebeth]

So a lot of people talk bad about Hollywood especially with construction now, but its my husband's favorite of all the parks and a couple of my children like it best..after magic kingdom. Each year our family plans 2 full days at Hollywood rope drop to close. We are there 11 days so we can repeat park days and still get everywhere.

I didn't see the ages of your girls. Not sure if they like big thrill rides. Rockin Roller coaster is really fun. My 7 year old daughter's favorite ride of all Disney! Tower of Terror is great. Its the only ride that I get scared on...but the fun kind of scared! Its my 5 year old son's favorite ride of all Disney and even my 3 year old was able to go on it last trip and loved it...got off and walked right back on again.

Star Tours is not as intense as the former 2 but still a bit of a thrill. My kids love it and there have been years and times when lines were basically non existent just walk right on and thats what they did....over and over and over and over...had to tear them away. Even if you are not into star wars, the ride itself it just fun.

If anyone is into star wars even the slightest bit, DHS is the place to be. Meeting CHewy was great. Trading with the Jawas was really fun. We had my 1 year old try to trade a new diaper to one and the Jawa was acting horrified running away and the baby was chasing after with the diaper...funny. The storm troopers marching around are neat. The star wars fireworks were really good...I would say not to be missed. If you only had one night, however, it would be hard to pass up Fantasmic.

Toy Story Mania is a ride we always have a blast on. We compete for better scores within the family and within the cars. We go in September and the crowds are low enough that when planned right and with the new track they added, we find we can do this ride a couple times a day without fast passes and have only a few minute wait. Buzz and Woody are consistantly one of the best character meets in all of WDW, I believe. They are always so much fun and spend a lot of time really engaging with the kids. They are up and down off the ground, getting the kids set up in poses like themselves etc.

Girls will want to see the Frozen show...oh its hilarious..you will love it. We laugh every time we see it. And the Beauty and the Beast show for us is a must do. My girls are in ballet classes so they really appreciate all the dancing in the show. Plus they love Belle and one of my daughters was convinced she was marrying beast transformed back to a prince one day (well that was until she met Jack Sparrow at Magic Kingdom now she only has eyes for him). And with the new movie coming out, all things Beauty and the Beast are bound to be popular with little girls!

Ariel's show is great for girls too....and my husband finds the a/c theater with those nice padded seats the perfect spot for a nap...all the times we have gone and he has never actually seen the show, sound asleep before it starts!

Kids will want to meet Olaf and MInnie wears a pretty ball type gown in her meet. Plus this is like the only park you can meet DOnald in his normal clothes. If your girls are younger, the Disney Jr characters are fun to meet too.

Oh and girls can fight darth vader too! My girls will be fully dressed in princess garb with a lightsaber battling away! Get there at rope drop and sign them up for Jedi academy!

 

[bferrara16]

So a lot of people talk bad about Hollywood especially with construction now, but its my husband's favorite of all the parks and a couple of my children like it best..

Thanks- don't get me wrong, DHS is a top park for me due to having my 3 favorite rides. I'm just concerned about preschool-friendly activities (they are 4 and 2). Had TSMM and Frozen sing along listed as only must-dos. ToT and RRC won't happen. Doubt ST is of any interest, nor any Star Wars related stuff (sadly for me). BatB and VoLM will work.

I guess, given the limited time, will it be worth it over, say a morning in AK or more time in Epcot or MK?

Tentative Plan is:
Thurs- MK morning and MK evening
Fri- Epcot morning and MNSHHP evening
Sat- DHS morning and AK evening(FP+)
Sunday- open for whatever (flight at 8)

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

Welllllllll - today? WHAT DHS? There IS a construction zone formally known as DHS . One day, it might be something....

 

[21stamps]

Thanks- don't get me wrong, DHS is a top park for me due to having my 3 favorite rides. I'm just concerned about preschool-friendly activities (they are 4 and 2). Had TSMM and Frozen sing along listed as only must-dos. ToT and RRC won't happen. Doubt ST is of any interest, nor any Star Wars related stuff (sadly for me). BatB and VoLM will work.

I guess, given the limited time, will it be worth it over, say a morning in AK or more time in Epcot or MK?

Tentative Plan is:
Thurs- MK morning and MK evening
Fri- Epcot morning and MNSHHP evening
Sat- DHS morning and AK evening(FP+)
Sunday- open for whatever (flight at 8)

Does the 4 year old want to do Jedi Training Academy?
Also, the Disney Jr meal at Hollywood & Vine is super cute! If your kids are into Disney Jr at all then I wouldn't skip DHS. There is still plenty to do there.

We went rope drop to close and didn't complete nearly enough of what we wanted to. I wish I would have added a second day.

 

[JohnD]

Thanks- don't get me wrong, DHS is a top park for me due to having my 3 favorite rides. I'm just concerned about preschool-friendly activities (they are 4 and 2). Had TSMM and Frozen sing along listed as only must-dos. ToT and RRC won't happen. Doubt ST is of any interest, nor any Star Wars related stuff (sadly for me). BatB and VoLM will work.

I guess, given the limited time, will it be worth it over, say a morning in AK or more time in Epcot or MK?

Tentative Plan is:
Thurs- MK morning and MK evening
Fri- Epcot morning and MNSHHP evening
Sat- DHS morning and AK evening(FP+)
Sunday- open for whatever (flight at 8)

Based on this schedule if you decide against HS on Saturday, then you don't need park hopper at all.

• You'll be in MK all day Thursday.
• On Friday, Epcot and MNSSHP are separate tickets anyway.
• Saturday would be just AK if you didn't do HS.
• Sunday sounds like time also for only one park if you go. But you could use that day for HS since it's already a half-day park because of construction

If I were you, I wouldn't purchase park hopper. I'd purchase four day tickets without park hopper to save money. And of course the separate MNSSHP tickets.

 

[floridagirl57]

Unless you really want to see the shows (Frozen sing along is pretty fantastic), then I would skip HS. There's not a ton going on and limited spaces for kids to run around if they need to get their ya ya's out.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Three nights? Skip it.

I think there's still about eight hours worth of fun to be had at DHS if you plan on riding Tower, RnRc, and Star Tours, but with little kids and a short trip, I think your time will be better spent elsewhere.

 

[tractor tipper]

Suggest you go to WDW web site click HS then look at what is there might be more for a 4 and 2 yr old than some people think. Times might not be right for you.

 

[RememberWhen]

With such a short trip I would skip DHS and just do animal kingdom that day. Then head back to the magic kingdom your last morning. There's so much to do that even a full day there won't be enough, especially with smaller people.

 

[Disneyfan_76]

I just got back from florida with a 4 and 1.5 year old myself. We skipped DHS. However, I think the park hopper would be worth it for the Disney Junior show. I'd plan on a full day at AK though. We did a half day and wish we had spent more time there. The kids really loved the park. Make sure you see the festival of the lion king and an early safari.

 

[bferrara16]

Based on this schedule if you decide against HS on Saturday, then you don't need park hopper at all.

• You'll be in MK all day Thursday.
• On Friday, Epcot and MNSSHP are separate tickets anyway.
• Saturday would be just AK if you didn't do HS.
• Sunday sounds like time also for only one park if you go. But you could use that day for HS since it's already a half-day park because of construction

If I were you, I wouldn't purchase park hopper. I'd purchase four day tickets without park hopper to save money. And of course the separate MNSSHP tickets.

Thanks - and I realized this as well as the plans started to come together, but in the February price-change panic, I already purchased the park-hoppers. If they go to waste, so be it.

 

[bferrara16]

I was trying to think of the rides w/o height requirements, and I was blanking on TSMM. I don't know what the waits are like now with the third track, but that might be the only monkey wrench in the plan. I wouldn't want to make all of my fastpass reservations at DHS if I were the OP, but I might not want to wait standby, either. My half day at DHS would include seeing Muppets three times, but that's just me.

If anything, we were thinking a potential rope drop to hit TSMM, and then standby waits for anything else we do to avoid using up the FP+. If we go with the tentative plan, then we have to keep the FP+ for AK.

 

[bferrara16]

Thanks for all the help and advice everybody!