3 Questions About Planning Your Rides/Attractions

[il grande chuck]

as i've mentioned here before, i'll be taking my wife and two sons (8 and 10) to wdw in november. this will be the first trip for my sons ever, and the first trip in 15 - 20 years for my wife and i. we'll be staying at wl, and visiting mk, mgm, epcot, ak and typhoon lagoon. given all that, i have 3 questions:

1. what rides/attractions would you most recommend at these parks?

2. in what order do you recommend going on them (assuming we arrive at opening in the morning)? in other words, what's the most efficient way to get in the most great rides/attractions?

3. what are your favorite rides/attractions with little or no waiting line? for example, when i was a kid, mine was pirates of the caribbean. it was loads of fun, and sometimes it had no line at all. also, swiss family robinson treehouse, too.

thanks!

chuck

 

[Craig & Lisa]

as i've mentioned here before, i'll be taking my wife and two sons (8 and 10) to wdw in november. this will be the first trip for my sons ever, and the first trip in 15 - 20 years for my wife and i. we'll be staying at wl, and visiting mk, mgm, epcot, ak and typhoon lagoon. given all that, i have 3 questions:

1. what rides/attractions would you most recommend at these parks?

2. in what order do you recommend going on them (assuming we arrive at opening in the morning)? in other words, what's the most efficient way to get in the most great rides/attractions?

3. what are your favorite rides/attractions with little or no waiting line? for example, when i was a kid, mine was pirates of the caribbean. it was loads of fun, and sometimes it had no line at all. also, swiss family robinson treehouse, too.

thanks!

chuck

First, and formost HAVE A GREAT TRIP, we will be there the first week of Nov. for our 15th trip and 3rd this year, now as to what to do, well alot has changed since your last visit, but for the most part it's the same. To make sure you have a good time get the Unofficial Guide to touring WDW, Barnes and Noble has it and can order it too. But to be honest, all you need to do is be spontaneous, go where you like, have fun. But the most important thing is DO NOT try to stay in a park for a whole day, go back to your resort and take a break, nap, lay by the pool, anything, if you don't you will be dragging your butts by the time the day is over, and be biting at each other because of it. Our sons are now 10 and 12 and also know this, and understand that we need to do this.
Now for a change go to Downtown Disney in the eve., and drop in The Adventureres Club at 7:00pm, it's a great place for a laugh and a change, it's a comedy club that guests can interact with the show and just have a great time. We go there every time we are there at least once while there. Other than that there are alot of people here who can give a number of suggestions who have been there alot more than us. One more thing the Food and Wine festival is happening at that time and is a great time as well.
Maybe we will meet up while there.

 

[Master Yoda]

You will get a million different answers on this one all depending on what your preference for rides and attractions are but I will give you my typical plan of attack.

AK- Head straight to EE get a fast pass then go to KS. After KS if your fast pass is good head back to and ride EE. If EE is not your cup of tea head straight to KS. It is essential to do KS as early as possible. As the day goes on and the heat goes up the animals become less and less active. After that order is not that important. We will check show times for FOTLK and Flights of wonder and do the attractions around those shows.

MK- We will always hit Fantasy land first. At opening the rides in FL are walk on after 10 AM they can be longer than the E-tickets. After that pick a direction, clockwise or counter clockwise, and make the loop around the park.

Epcot- Send the fastest person to Soarin and get Fast passes for the family. Send the family to TT and MS. Meet your family at TT then MS then back to Soarin to use your fast pass. Go to Turtle Talk next and be prepared to wait in line for it. The rest of the rides at Epcot are typically short waits so you can do them at your leisure.

MGM. Get on RnRC and get a fast pass if you want to ride again. Got to ToT. After that like AK plan your attractions around the shows.

 

[swimmom]

I could tell you my favorites, but you may not necessarily like what I like. You should either get a good travel book with ride descriptions in each park (Unofficial Guide to WDW or Birnbaum's) or check out a website like allearsnet.com and as a family have each one of you pick out one "got to see" attraction in each park. These can be your attractions not to miss in each park and let the others just fall into place. This method has worked out real well with our family and no one is disappointed that they didn't get to see what they wanted.

We usually just wait in line for rides that are a 30-60 minute waits, otherwise we check out the fastpass return time for those with fastpass, then go on to an attraction with a shorter wait and come back with the fastpass.

 

[daverube]

You didn't mention how many days you will be visiting WDW. However, you did mention that this is your childrens' first visit. If you are taking a long trip (which I view as 5+ days) you should just take you time and enjoy everything...ie. do all the rides, see some in-park shows and take in the fireworks displays. I agree with the other posts that you should review a guide book to get a "feel" for the park layout.

If you are taking a shorter trip, sit down with your wife and kids and have everyone make a list (after reviewing your guide book) of which attractions each family member wants to do most (order it 1-10 or something) and then plan accordingly. IAt least for the MK, if you get in-park at the start of the day (and if you go to Adventureland first) you should be able to get all the way through Liberty Square by lunchtime (for us that 1-1:30 to avoid the crowds). I've never gone to Tomorrowland first because I think that is the way the majority of folks migrate.

If you want a longer analysis, send me an email or just search the site for park tips.

Have a Great Trip and don't forget the Dole Whip!!!

dave

 

[popsicletrees]

For MK, my family always hits Space Mountain first. We always get there when the park opens and wait around ten minutes to get on the ride. After riding Space Mountain we grab a fastpass for it then head over to the other mountains. We usually save Fantasyland for the end of the day, or if there is something we really want to do in Fantasyland that is where we stop. Usually we just head straight for Splash and Big Thunder, ride those a couple of times, and then leisurely stroll through the park doing what we please. As for Epcot definitely go to Soarin' first. At MGM I would recommend going between RnRC and ToT. RnRC will usually have the longer lines throughout the day, so you might want to hit that one first.
My biggest piece of advice would be to take a break in the middle of the day. Go back to the hotel and freshen up. Remember this may your kids first trip but it hopefully won't be their last. So don't push to do everything. No matter how much or how little you get done your family will enjoy it.

 

[daverube]

My biggest piece of advice would be to take a break in the middle of the day. Go back to the hotel and freshen up. Remember this may your kids first trip but it hopefully won't be their last. So don't push to do everything. No matter how much or how little you get done your family will enjoy it.

Although I know some folks that have little kids do this, I'd suggest, instead of leaving the MK, do something a little slower...like Tom Sawyer Island....this charming area seems to be overlooked by many folks visiting the park.....I keep wondering, "How can you miss out on the barrel bridges??"

For a slower, fun time in EPCOT, try getting a pastry in France or Norway and then grabbing a bench and watching the Friendships sail....or taking in one of the bands in Canada or the UK....

As for DS, there are plenty of sitdown rides/shows that take some time (Great Movie Ride, Backlot Tour and Muppets to name a few)....

As for the AK, we've never spent more than half a day there....maybe EE will change that....

Remember....its vacation...its supposed to be relaxing AND enjoyable!!

dave

 

[monorailguy01]

Well, This is what My friends and I do when we go down to WDW....

We get hopper passes for a few reasons, 1 being EMH, you are probably wondering why so heres my answer.

Whatever park has a MORNING EMH GO TO IT!! Ride the popular rides first like the mountain in MK, Sorin', test track, MS, SSE in Epcot, RNRC, TOT, GMR, Muppets, ECt. in MGM, and EE in Animal kingdom.

Once we got on the rides we wanted to for the morning EMH we usual hop around parks, by then the lines for the rides you just got off are uaualy around 45 min wait.

I love thrill rides so any ride that Spins, Drops or goes fast im on. So usuly there is something in all 4 parks i have to ride..

Like I said If you can make the moring EHM Do it, it is so worth it. Also do the night EMH, The parks are somewhat empty and you should be able to ride most of the rides...

 

[il grande chuck]

thanks for the tips, everybody.

a couple of people here have recommended taking a break in the middle of the day.

however, my kids *love* to swim, so my plan is to go to the park for the day, have dinner (about 5:00) and go back to the resort pool for a swim before their bedtime (9:00).

given that plan, do you folks recommending a break in the middle of the day still think that a mid-day break would be necessary if we *aren't* going back to the parks at night?

thanks!

chuck

 

[Nemo14]

thanks for the tips, everybody.

a couple of people here have recommended taking a break in the middle of the day.

however, my kids *love* to swim, so my plan is to go to the park for the day, have dinner (about 5:00) and go back to the resort pool for a swim before their bedtime (9:00).

given that plan, do you folks recommending a break in the middle of the day still think that a mid-day break would be necessary if we *aren't* going back to the parks at night?

thanks!

chuck

Personally, I'd recommend a mid-day or mid-afternoon break, then go back to the parks at night. You don't want to miss the fireworks at MK, Illuminations at Epcot, or Fantasmic at DS. Just to experience the magic of the parks at night is amzing even if you don't go on any rides!

 

[campdisney]

however, my kids *love* to swim, so my plan is to go to the park for the day, have dinner (about 5:00) and go back to the resort pool for a swim before their bedtime (9:00).

given that plan, do you folks recommending a break in the middle of the day still think that a mid-day break would be necessary if we *aren't* going back to the parks at night?

It depends on your kids really. Even the best behaved children can get over-stimulated at the parks. There is just so much to see and do, lots of crowd noise and energy -- and lots of adrenaline rushes if you add the thrill rides to it as well. Maybe just play it by ear and take your cues from them as the day goes along.

We usually take our kids back for a mid-day swim. Works well for us -- and then they are all fresh and ready to go for a evening run back to the parks. Regardless of what you decide about a mid-day break, try not to miss out on veiwing the nighttime shows: Illuminations @ Epcot, Wishes @ MK & Fantasmic @ MGM. Each is worth seeing at least once. And both Wishes & Fantasmic have earlier show times than Illuminations if you're worried about bedtimes. Personally, we see Illuminations several times each trip with our kids. It has become a favorite for the whole family and is worth staying up later to see.

 

[imagineersrock]

thanks for the tips, everybody.

a couple of people here have recommended taking a break in the middle of the day.

however, my kids *love* to swim, so my plan is to go to the park for the day, have dinner (about 5:00) and go back to the resort pool for a swim before their bedtime (9:00).

given that plan, do you folks recommending a break in the middle of the day still think that a mid-day break would be necessary if we *aren't* going back to the parks at night?

thanks!

chuck

I'm not one to tell people how to raise their kids, but.....

While at Disney, you may want to consider being a little bit more lenient when it comes to bed times. Some of the best and most magical experiences at WDW (fireworks, shows, parades, and EMH) Happen at or after 9:00pm.

I understand with children (especially younger ones) it's important to have certain rules and routines, but in my opinion when you're on vacation (especially while at Disney) it's one of those few times that it is okay to break those routines.

PS Chuck- What are the exact dates of your stay? I'd be happy to give ya some more info based on that.

 

[imamouse]

With all due respect, I agree with the others regarding bedtimes. Since you haven't been in 15-20 years, you may not realize that the MK, Epcot and MGM each have their own unique and amazing fireworks shows in the evenings. Perhaps your family doesn't like fireworks? Or are you more concerned with having trouble hauling your sons out of bed in the morning if they are up late? If so, the previously mentioned mid-day break should help. Whatever you decide, it's hard not to have a great time at WDW, so enjoy!

 

[majortom1981]

recomend 2 things

I have a couple of tips for rides.


If possible you will get more accomplished if you go for opening or morning emh

also when you go for opening do the rides that have the longest lines first.

Like splash mountain and peter pan first at Magic Kingdom. Some of the popular rides like pirates actually have fast moving lines wich can waittill later. Space mountain has a long line but I went in 90 degree heat and didnt mind it since the line was in airconditioning.

Soaring is a must first ride for opening of epcot.

 

[il grande chuck]

a number of people are recommending the mid-day break so we can take in wishes, illuminations, etc. we're going to catch wishes one night (from the california grill), but the thing is, my kids really are not at all into fireworks or parades. besides, we'll be getting up about 6:00 each morning for showers, breakfast, travel and getting to the park each day by opening, that's why we'll probably stick to the 9:00 pm bedtime for them.

chuck

 

[wannabeBelle]

I know I Am going to sound a little sappy here, but Disney's fireworks arent like ANYTHING else in the world!!!! I would seriously make sure to catch at least Wishes from inside the park on one night. Seeing it from a distance and seeing it by the Castle are two TOTALLY different experiences. Make sure you do the in the park one first as well!!!! Belle

 

[GenerationX]

My sons are 7, 9, and 11, and here were their favorite rides from our trip last month:

MK - Space Mountain, Buzz, TSI. TSI had a minimal wait. They also like the TTA, which rarely has any line at all. We watched Wishes from outside the park, and they enjoyed it well enough from there.

Ep - Soarin', Test Track, Turtle Talk, Illuminations. We got FPs for the first two and caught the first showing of Turtle Talk to avoid lines. The boys also enjoyed the Living Seas exhibits quite a bit (no lines!). Illuminations is very cool, and if you sleep in one day, plan to catch it that night.

AK - EE, KS, Boneyard. They were still young enough to enjoy running around the Boneyard, which had no line at all. We caught KS first thing in the morning so the line was not bad. We got FPs for EE.

DS - Muppets, WWtbaM (gone now), LMAX. Muppets didn't have much of a line. The LMAX theater is huge, and we saw people arriving five minutes before show time and still getting seats.

Given the schedule you intend to follow, I wouldn't take the mid-day break at the hotel. Rather, I would make Advanced Dining Reservations at full service restaurants for lunch for everyday you plan to tour the parks. Take a long, leisurely lunch. Preferably 80-90 minutes. This should recharge the family's batteries before your afternoon touring.

Have fun! :wave:

 

[imagineersrock]

I know I Am going to sound a little sappy here, but Disney's fireworks arent like ANYTHING else in the world!!!! I would seriously make sure to catch at least Wishes from inside the park on one night. Seeing it from a distance and seeing it by the Castle are two TOTALLY different experiences. Make sure you do the in the park one first as well!!!! Belle

I completely agree, Belle.

It's easy to say you're not big on fireworks, but you can't compare anything you've ever seen to the scale these shows are on. With the lighting, the music, effects... These things are "nighttime spectaculars"--not "just fireworks."

I really hope you get a chance to check these things out, Chuck. I'm almost positive you'll thank us later!

 

[MrsPilk]

I have to go ahead and say that again like another poster has already said. Surely you do not have such strict rules set for your kids that you cannot budge a little when your at Disney World for heavens sake. Let them be kids and enjoy themselves! Also remember this vacation is for the adults too and these parades and fireworks shows that everyone is mentioning are perfect for kids and adults alike. I hope that you have a awesome time and remember it is a vacation! Vacations are nothing like your everyday routines that you have at home.

 

[CindiFan]

I will agree with what some other posters have said regarding mid-day breaks. They are very important for everyone, not just the kids. There is SO much to see & do at the parks, its not like anywhere else on earth. Most folks tend to get overstimulated with everything going on. You really need some downtime to let your brain, body & emotions rest. Its way too easy to get overtired/overwrought & then you start to just not have fun at all. <steps off the soap box>

In addition to the Unofficial Guide, I'd recommend checking out their website: www.touringplans.com . As the name implies, they have various touring plans for each park which are designed to make the most efficient use of time - more time on rides/in shows, less time standing in line. Depending on when you're going in Nov, the actual plans may not be truely needed, but they are a good resource. We went in late Sept last year & followed the plans to a point, but then didn't end up needing them all that much. Some of their plans are designed for kids, some as a 2-day touring plan for a specific park, etc. The more 'tailored' plans are available after joining their site for around $7. That gets you a year's access.

Have fun!