Just have to share our planning!

[SAV]

With small kids it is very hard to spend an entire day in one park.

... You will also find that Animal Kingdom is a half day park, the kids will be bored by 1pm.

...Also we find Epcot and the World Showcase to be more of an adult thing than a kids thing. Our daughter is bored there after a couple hours.

Not to get into any type of argument, but I find all 3 of these to be completely opposite of our experiences. Everyone is different and tours the parks differently.

We always do one park all day from open to close and my kids have never complained. In fact, we ask if they want to leave and they will always say no. They love being in the parks.

At AK, we always get there at opening and leave at close. Our kids are never bored. There is plenty to do and see there for the full day. Any park can be a "half day" park if you just run through it or skip many things.

My Daughter's favorite park is Epcot and it is my Son's second favorite park. They LOVE walking through the World Showcase. Looking in the pavilions, the shops, the attractions, the food. My daughter prefers World Showcase to Future World.

 

[Gonegrrl]

Thanks but i doubt my kids will be bored! They are super enthusiastic and active and just love rides and animals...
Also they are probably never coming back as we live 9 hours away by plane

We live 20 hrs away and drive there. My daughter also loves animals and rides and is super active and enthusiastic. AK is a small park. We love it so we go twice but only for a a morning each time, you want to be there in the morning so you get to actually see animals. The afternoon heat makes them hide away in the shady cool spots.

 

[Laurichi]

Hopefully they wont get tired or bored!!!
I think i'll just leave it as it is!

 

[Gonegrrl]

Not to get into any type of argument, but I find all 3 of these to be completely opposite of our experiences. Everyone is different and tours the parks differently.

We always do one park all day from open to close and my kids have never complained. In fact, we ask if they want to leave and they will always say no. They love being in the parks.

At AK, we always get there at opening and leave at close. Our kids are never bored. There is plenty to do and see there for the full day. Any park can be a "half day" park if you just run through it or skip many things.

My Daughter's favorite park is Epcot and it is my Son's second favorite park. They LOVE walking through the World Showcase. Looking in the pavilions, the shops, the attractions, the food. My daughter prefers World Showcase to Future World.

When I say bored that's probably the wrong word, no kid will ever be "bored" at Disney (well not mine anyway). But the only shop she likes at World Showcase is in Japan lol. I agree you shouldn't run through a park or skips things, we've never done that at AK (or any park for that matter) but still found we were done there by 1pm.

 

[Laurichi]

My kids are the kind of kids that want to go on each and every ride 4-5 times so i think they will try to maKe the most of each day!hopefully!!

 

[sxeensweet]

Just a suggestion instead of visiting a mall why not go to Disney Springs instead? Lots of great shopping and things to see and do, and great food options or snack options. A mall you can visit anywhere but Disney Springs is only while your at Disney.

 

[DfromATX]

Just a suggestion instead of visiting a mall why not go to Disney Springs instead? Lots of great shopping and things to see and do, and great food options or snack options. A mall you can visit anywhere but Disney Springs is only while your at Disney.

This is what we like to do on our arrival day and each trip we try to find something different to do. This July, we're going to the movies (after we walk around and check things out of course). Last time, we did the hot air balloon. We haven't seen the new Disney Springs yet so we are excited!

 

[DfromATX]

EPCOT was my ds's favorite park from the time he was 5. Every child is different.

You are right... EVERYONE is different. If you ask everyone in my family which is their favorite or least favorite park, you'll probably get a different answer from all of them. AK is my least favorite, yet it's the most favorite for 2 of my kids (they love Expedition Everest). MK is my favorite and I could spend 2 days there, maybe even live there, and one of my sons said it was his least favorite park, but he might have been just trying to annoy me cause who doesn't love MK?

 

[jaklgreen]

Then if epcot is more for the adults thw coral reef will be fun!

My kids love Epcot too. Don't skip it or sell it short.

 

[DfromATX]

Mmm is it very far from AK to AK lodge resort??should we go by car?

dh says we are going to spend the whole day eating..
I do not think so but i do want to make the most of the DDP!

I could cancel coral reef or sanaa..

Don't cancel anything... I agree that you want to make the most of the DDP. You should eat at as many nice places that you can (like the "special & unique" category). You don't need a car, just take the buses. Just book your dinner after the park closes. AK closes fairly early anyway. Take the shuttle from AK to AKL where Boma is, then after dinner, get on the bus again and you will have to go back to one of the parks to get on another bus back to your hotel. Sounds like a lot, but it's easy! I thought your idea of eating breakfast with store bought stuff was a good one. We've done that too. Another option, if you all are not big breakfast eaters, is to use your snack allotments for breakfast each morning. We're going in July and will be staying at AofA Lion King also! Can't wait!

 

[Laurichi]

Thank you!!
I really dont want to cancel anything!!!
We will have the car as we are flying to miami so ...
As for the mall vs disney springs..truth is we have never been to an american mall either so we thought it would be fun...but we will see!!

 

[Figgy1]

Thank you!!
I really dont want to cancel anything!!!
We will have the car as we are flying to miami so ...
As for the mall vs disney springs..truth is we have never been to an american mall either so we thought it would be fun...but we will see!!

Disney Springs is an outdoor American Mall with a Disney touch! The food is several major steps above most mall food and the World of Disney Store should not be missed. I go to the outlet malls and DS every trip, but if it was a once in a lifetime and I had to choose it would be DS all the way.

 

[Laurichi]

Thanks!
Maybe we'll just do that then!

 

[sxeensweet]

Thanks!
Maybe we'll just do that then!

Yep I agree with the above its just an outdoor American Mall and much larger than a lot of them too. Also agree food is above quality than what you'll get any any average mall. And the Disney touch just makes it that much more special! I would go to Disney Springs over any mall, anyday.

 

[Gonegrrl]

Totally agree on Disney Springs! Our favourite restaurant there is Wolfgang Puck express, we like the food there even more the the table service Wolfgang Puck and the best part is it's only a QS!! The lego store at Disney Springs is probably my DH favourite spot in all of Disney lol. I also agree on the taking the bus thing, Disney Transportation is fantastic and way easier than driving around. Plus you can have a fancy cocktail and not be concerned with the drive back to the room.

 

[NonnaT]

We all understand your excitement! I think you made good choices. Just watch out for the birds at Flame Tree... I got up to get a napkin and one of them stole my sandwich!!

True that! Those birds are FAST! Some poor gentleman was seating his children and a bird swooped in and stole his hot dog!
But FT is the absolute best CS in all of WDW...

 

[DisneyDaver]

Mmm is it very far from AK to AK lodge resort??should we go by car?

It's about a 5 minute bus ride from AK to AKL but more importantly there is also the time spent walking to the bus stop and waiting for the bus. I have gone to AKL for dinner after a day at the park, but I wouldn't want to leave the park to go to AKL for lunch unless I was done with the park for the day. There will be lots of time wasted potential park time going back and forth from AK to AKL and then back again. When I was at AKL with my niece (then age 8) and nephews (age 3 and 5), we were at AK from 10 am to 5:00 pm. They loved it and there was plenty for them to do for the entire day!

 

[PinnySmart]

Thanks but i doubt my kids will be bored! They are super enthusiastic and active and just love rides and animals...
Also they are probably never coming back as we live 9 hours away by plane

AK is only a half day park for the closed minded. And Sanna is one of the best so don't skip it. You can either go by car or bus from AK to the AKL.

 

[Maerj]

We all understand your excitement! I think you made good choices. Just watch out for the birds at Flame Tree... I got up to get a napkin and one of them stole my sandwich!!

A bird at one of my bbq ribs there once, lol.

 

[Laurichi]

We will spend two whole days in AK so i think on one of those days we can go to Sanaa and then come back... Lunch is at 1:30 and the park closes at 5:30 so i think there will be time!