First timer with 2 year old son, can you critique my AK and MK plans?

[crease1234]

1st day Animal Kingdom:
Rope drop at 9am
Hit River of Navi first
Use 1st FP for Avatar Flight of Passage at 10am
Use 2nd FP for Kilimanjaro Safari at 11am
Possibly hit up Rafiki petting zoo if time allows
Lion King Show at noon or 1pm
Lunch
Go back to hotel room for break
Use 3rd FP Expedition Everest at 5pm
Let 2-year old son explore Maharajah Jungle Trek and Boneyard free and easy till its time to leave

2nd day is a rest day at AK Lodge; Chef Mickey for dinner

3rd day Magic Kingdom:
Rope drop at 9am
Head over to FantasyLand and do Winnie the Pooh first
Do Enchanted tales with Belle
Use 1st Fast Pass for Peter Pan at 10:30am
Do Dumbo
Do It's a Small World
Use 2nd Fast Pass for Haunted Mansion at 12:30
Festival parade package lunch reservation at Tony's Town Square at 1:15pm
Watch the fantasy parade at 3pm
Use 3rd Fast Pass for Pirates of the Caribbean at 4pm
Go back to hotel (AK Lodge) for nap
Go somewhere for dinner
Return to MK to do Big Thunder or Space Mountain if lines aren't too long; otherwise just walk around
Hang around for fireworks at 9pm

 

[Schneewittchen]

What time of year are you going? Are you staying on property? Do you know exactly when the parks are opening those days? Which day of the week are we talking about?

In theory, you can get a lot more rides in with a little kid early in the morning before 11 am.

Have you already booked your FPs? I like to book FPs for after lunch when it's more crowded. And that's also a great time to do sit down stuff/shows.

At AK, with a little kid, you should try to fit in Triceratop Spin and It's Tough to Be a Bug.

At MK, you can do so much in the morning at Fantasyland - It's a small world, Mad Tea Party, Carousel, Little Mermaid, Philharmagic. And you can branch out to other toddler friendly rides - Buzz Lightyear, Country Bears, Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise, Aladdin, Swiss Family Treehouse, Tom Sawyer Island, Tomorrowland Speedway, WDW railroad...... Okay, realistically you could probably do 6 rides in the first 2 hours if you don't dilly dally.

 

[wagner1225]

Be sure and check height restrictions on some of your rides, a two year old may not be to ride some...

 

[GVentola]

Expedition Everest, Space Mountain, and Haunted Mansion may be too scary for a two year old. Is it just you and the child, or will there be another adult with you? In that case, you might see if these rides have a "ride swap" feature where one of you can go on the ride while the other adult waits with the child, and then the other adult rides with you watching the child.

 

[MotherofaPrincessLover]

Rider swap is great but it is time consuming. We had a FP for Flights of Passage and did rider swap and it took 3 hours (granted there were some technical difficulties).

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Rider swap is great but it is time consuming. We had a FP for Flights of Passage and did rider swap and it took 3 hours (granted there were some technical difficulties).

I'm lucky (?) in that the DW doesn't "do" rides like FoP, SM, Dinosaur, Soarin' and so on (but she'll do BTMRR, PotC, etc.). I get a FP for those (single) and she and the DD get a FP for something else or Meet-n-Greets (can I join them w/o a FP?). Rider swaps don't sound like much of an option if it takes that long... That's nuts. Our day is so... Abbreviated... As it is, with a 2 (last year) or 3 (this year) old. We're taking DD on JC, PotC and HM this year though.

 

[MotherofaPrincessLover]

I'm lucky (?) in that the DW doesn't "do" rides like FoP, SM, Dinosaur, Soarin' and so on (but she'll do BTMRR, PotC, etc.). I get a FP for those (single) and she and the DD get a FP for something else or Meet-n-Greets (can I join them w/o a FP?). Rider swaps don't sound like much of an option if it takes that long... That's nuts. Our day is so... Abbreviated... As it is, with a 2 (last year) or 3 (this year) old. We're taking DD on JC, PotC and HM this year though.

You will not be able to join the rest of your family if you don't have a FP. You will just need to wait until they're done. I'm not saying rider swap always takes that long, that was just an extreme example. I'd say typically it probably takes 20-30 extra minutes (have to go get in the FP line and then actually do the attraction). My case is a little different because I have one child that does the big rides so I usually don't want to go do something else while she's on those rides otherwise she'll miss out on that portion. I'm hoping my son is at least 40 inches for our next trip so that we won't have to do rider swap on as many rides (and it will be nice to actually be able to ride as a family on those rides).

 

[BoarderPhreak]

You will not be able to join the rest of your family if you don't have a FP. You will just need to wait until they're done. I'm not saying rider swap always takes that long, that was just an extreme example. I'd say typically it probably takes 20-30 extra minutes (have to go get in the FP line and then actually do the attraction). My case is a little different because I have one child that does the big rides so I usually don't want to go do something else while she's on those rides otherwise she'll miss out on that portion. I'm hoping my son is at least 40 inches for our next trip so that we won't have to do rider swap on as many rides (and it will be nice to actually be able to ride as a family on those rides).

Hmmm, I had a sneaking suspicion. But you'd think for a MnG they wouldn't enforce that so much. Oh well. The three hours does seem like an extreme case and of course varies on the ride, etc. I don't think we're going to hit the magic 40" mark by May - we're at 37" now.

 

[DarthVader]

Are you staying on property?

I'd hazard a guess that they're staying at AKL

rest day at AK Lodge

Go back to hotel (AK Lodge) for nap

1st day Animal Kingdom:
...
2nd day is a rest day at AK Lodge; Chef Mickey for dinner

3rd day Magic Kingdom:
...

Personally, I'd probably look to do something low key on day 2. Maybe half a day at epcot and the rest at the resort. Also consider that your little one may be too tired to head back to MK after dinner on day 3. Everyone is different and he'll be amped up to be sure, but even with a nap, when dinner time comes and goes, he may be too tuckered. I know my kids were pooped out after dinner and just wanted to spend time at the pool and not the park. Just food for thought.

I'm probably stating the most obvious point, so forgive me if I'm sounding overbearing, but if you use a stroller, that goes a long way in keeping your little one from getting overly tired. I'm sure there will be times (many of them) that he'll want to walk/run but using a stroller will keep his energy level throughout the day.

 

[MomofPrincessGrace]

Expedition Everest, Space Mountain, and Haunted Mansion may be too scary for a two year old. Is it just you and the child, or will there be another adult with you? In that case, you might see if these rides have a "ride swap" feature where one of you can go on the ride while the other adult waits with the child, and then the other adult rides with you watching the child.

My 4, just turned 5 year old was spooked by HM back in 2015. When we went last year when she was 6 it was better, but the first time and her not knowing what to expected she was scared by the pre-show (mainly the darkness) which made her afraid that something was going to pop out at her on the ride and she was afraid to ride it the rest of the trip.

Also, make sure you have a stroller. You would think this would be common sense, but so many parents dont get one and regret it. Also, depending when you go, throw a bathing suit in your bag for the baby to play in the splash area by dumbo. My daughter loved it, and it was a perfect way for her to cool off in the HOT May weather.

 

[JD80]

Just a few random notes: Animal Kingdom doesn't have much for a 2 year old to do in my opinion. For us when we went there a few years ago (2.5 yo daughter, 8 month son) they liked the safari and zoo aspect, but the rest was rather slow.

We did morning and afternoon there then did Rainforest cafe for dinner at 5 then we were done for the day. Wife and I talk about it all the time, and we would rather of gone somewhere else. Not sure if the Pandora stuff changes that opinion.

I would suggest doing Hollywood Studios for the Disney Jr stuff, Star Wars stuff and all the shows there, or 2 magic kingdom days. Personally I would do HS and MK.

Depending on where you are staying, leaving a park and coming back could lose you a solid 2 hours of time just travelling in your day. Wrapping up at the park, walking to transportation, riding transportation, walking to your room, unpacking/unloading etc. For a break in my trips, I usually plan a character meal near or at the park. For example, Chef Mickey or Crystal Palace at MK.

edit: Oops, looks like you're staying at the AK lodge. NM!

 

[disneyworlddad]

My 1 1/2 son at the time loved AK. But out home zoo is his most favorite place in the world! And he loves trains! So riding the safari truck and the train to Rafiki's was right up his alley. He was a bit freaked out at tough to be a bug.

As for MK I would also recommend Small World, PeopleMover, and Country Bears. While PeopleMover isn't a walk on anymore is seems I have never had a line for the Bears.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Getting from AKL to the Contemporary for Chef Mickey's isn't worth it IMO. That's literally as far apart as two things on property can be from one another, going from the southwest corner to the northeast corner. Maybe consider Tusker House dinner on your Animal Kingdom day if you're set on a character meal?

I also don't recommend and entire day off. Animal Kingdom Lodge is great, but you'll be bored by noon. Better to take a medium pace for three days than have two days of intense pace with a day of zero pace in the middle.

 

[DarthVader]

Just a few random notes: Animal Kingdom doesn't have much for a 2 year old to do in my opinion. For us when we went there a few years ago (2.5 yo daughter, 8 month son) they liked the safari and zoo aspect, but the rest was rather slow.

My kids are 12 and even now, they're underwhelmed by AK, though with the new Pandora land that might change.

 

[JD80]

Yeah. We have access to great zoos between Philadelphia and NYC so the kids aren't as excited for AK as the other parks. Personally, I thought the park probably would be fun for just the wife and I to walk around. There seemed to be some more adult oriented stuff with food and other restaurants, but I didn't get a chance to really look when I was there last time.

There is so much more to do and see at the other parks.