Help me Plan my First WDW trip... I think its really happening this time...three's a charm.

[flynnibus]

My one concern is if using bus transportation for the every single one of my park days (6)will get old? Would have been nice to not have to get on a bus for 3 days while at Beach Club. With that said; the bus transportation from FQ sounds pretty easy from what I understand.

You can always uber if you get a night you are run down and want to be bailed out…. Better than paying hundreds just for transportation.

 

[flynnibus]

I’m about 75% sure I’m not going to do a Universal day anymore

The problem with Uni as a quick detour is the cost is so in your face you start off sour no matter what. Save it for when you can anchor 2-3 days there and moonlight somewhere else.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

Oh that’s definitely the move then for skyliner since I have park hoppers. For some reason I wasn’t even thinking about the fact I could use it to from Epcot to DHS and viceversa. I was so focused on getting into those parks from the hotel.

Yep it’s easy to park hop! Especially MK to Epcot via monorail and Epcot to DHS via boat and skyliner.

 

[mickEblu]

The problem with Uni as a quick detour is the cost is so in your face you start off sour no matter what. Save it for when you can anchor 2-3 days there and moonlight somewhere else.

Yea thats true. Spending nearly $1,000 to do one rushed park hopping day at Universal just isn't the move. Universal will have to wait for when we come back Orlando. Maybe that trip will be a Universal parks / Disney cruise trip. Or WDW trip with fewer days as I might be able to skip certain parks (as well as more attractions) the next time around.

 

[mickEblu]

You can always uber if you get a night you are run down and want to be bailed out…. Better than paying hundreds just for transportation.

True. How does this work when you need a car seat though? Id imagine many of the Ubers (or Minnie vans?) are setup for that considering you're at WDW?

 

[Figments Friend]

Hey there @mickEblu , just stopping in to congratulate you on booking for WDW venture!
This has been a long time coming!



Feel free to ask me any questions about anything you might be curious about, or recommendations via a PM.
Or ask right here, that’s fine too…


-

 

[flynnibus]

Yea thats true. Spending nearly $1,000 to do one rushed park hopping day at Universal just isn't the move. Universal will have to wait for when we come back Orlando. Maybe that trip will be a Universal parks / Disney cruise trip. Or WDW trip with fewer days as I might be able to skip certain parks (as well as more attractions) the next time around.

I think it's a good mixer with a non WDW visit. Cruise... or trip like UNI+Discovery Cove+KSC+SeaWorld -- Buying Discovery Cove gets you Aquatic+SeaWorld... so that's 3 days right there, KSC is a 4th, etc. Lots of options once people accept they don't need WDW to goto FL. We switched to cruises then adding 2-3 days in Orlando depending on what the cruise turnaround days were. Then it gave lots more options for mixing it up each time.

 

[flynnibus]

True. How does this work when you need a car seat though? Id imagine many of the Ubers (or Minnie vans?) are setup for that considering you're at WDW?

It complicates things.. but pretty sure you can request a booking with that. I'm not current, so can't pass along immediate experience. Where's the real Disney Moms when you need them??

 

[mlayton144]

It complicates things.. but pretty sure you can request a booking with that. I'm not current, so can't pass along immediate experience. Where's the real Disney Moms when you need them??

For car seats , Pretty sure you would need a Minnie van, which is more expensive by a factor, directly via the Lyft app. Also I’ve heard that these can sell out around park close.

 

[mickEblu]

As far as park hours I can’t see all the way out to late April/ May but in early April it looks like all the parks close at 9pm except for AK that closes at 6pm. Is this normal or is this part of the rumored cost cutting? Considering early April is spring break season, is it possible that parks will have even shorter operating hours when I go in late April/ early May? I mean I’m fine with 9pm. Just don’t want to see it get earlier.

 

[flynnibus]

As far as park hours I can’t see all the way out to late April/ May but in early April it looks like all the parks close at 9pm except for AK that closes at 6pm. Is this normal or is this part of the rumored cost cutting? Considering early April is spring break season, is it possible that parks will have even shorter operating hours when I go in late April/ early May? I mean I’m fine with 9pm. Just don’t want to see it get earlier.

The MO these days seems to be set low bar... then raise near so maybe people believe they are getting more... But yeah, besides MK, 9pm is not abnormal. Just hope it gets to 11pm for MK

 

[mickEblu]

The MO these days seems to be set low bar... then raise near so maybe people believe they are getting more... But yeah, besides MK, 9pm is not abnormal. Just hope it gets to 11pm for MK

Thank you. As far as attractions, I think I’m ok with 9pm since I’ll be doing at least 1.5 days at MK and buying lightning lanes. Just don’t want to see it get any earlier. I would like to enjoy some of the parks evening ambiance. Any earlier than 9pm doesn’t really give you a whole of time do that.

 

[Misted Compass]

As far as park hours I can’t see all the way out to late April/ May but in early April it looks like all the parks close at 9pm except for AK that closes at 6pm. Is this normal or is this part of the rumored cost cutting? Considering early April is spring break season, is it possible that parks will have even shorter operating hours when I go in late April/ early May? I mean I’m fine with 9pm. Just don’t want to see it get earlier.

MK can sometimes close at 10 but otherwise those seem pretty normal. Florida parks tend to close relatively early (not just Disney either - during my visit in September USF and IOA closed at 7pm and 8pm respectively). It's a minor miracle DL's operating hours are still as long as they are.

 

[mickEblu]

MK can sometimes close at 10 but otherwise those seem pretty normal. Florida parks tend to close relatively early (not just Disney either - during my visit in September USF and IOA closed at 7pm and 8pm respectively). It's a minor miracle DL's operating hours are still as long as they are.

Thank you.

As far as Disneyland I’m guessing it’s open that late for all the locals who pop in at night.

 

[flynnibus]

MK can sometimes close at 10 but otherwise those seem pretty normal. Florida parks tend to close relatively early (not just Disney either - during my visit in September USF and IOA closed at 7pm and 8pm respectively). It's a minor miracle DL's operating hours are still as long as they are.

UNI has early closing times nearly all year -- It's not really comparable to WDW (especially MK). Tho in recent years WDW has made it so MK is the only park that would have hours past 10pm on the regular.

It used to be 9pm was only slow season stuff... but it's become more the norm and then let them buff the hours based on more near term demand it seems. It used to be EPCOT would be open late (11pm), DHS would have like 10pm closes, and MK would be midnight... and then you had EMH on top of that. Now it's much more 9pm with MK having later closes with some buffs here and there.

Meanwhile, Disneyland in it's near slowest part of the year... was open till midnight on weekends. This past sunday was a THREE predicted load too (and actually was lower due to the rain..).

It's sad.. but that's what they give us these days. Night time is largely reserved for paid parties these days.. and MK only.

 

[mickEblu]

So now that I’m not doing a split stay I’ve created this new itinerary.

Fri - Arrive
Sat - AK
Sun - Epcot
Mon - Down- Resort pool - Disney Springs
Tues - MK
Wed - DHS
Thurs - MK
Friday - Epcot / DHS/ any must do at any park I may have missed
Saturday - Depart

Any thoughts or any thing you’d change?

My thought process was not wanting to do any one park two days in a row and to avoid MK on the weekends since I have that option now. I plan on keeping my DHS day and my second MK day flexible. Maybe not doing full blown park days and keeping some time for my resort or visiting one or some of the moronrail resorts and having lunch or dinner. We’ ll see how close to this schedule I’m able to stick to. I’m sure a lot will depend on energy levels. I plan on being flexible. For example if we’re killing it at Epcot on Sunday would it be unrealistic to take the skyliner to DHS and maybe get a night ride on TOT etc?

Also why do I feel like I’m kind treating AK as an afterthought. Do you think one solid day at AK is enough? Doesn’t feel like there is a whole lot for my daughter to do there though and if we do all the Must Do’s I’m thinking that one day just might be enough.