Springtime in the Park help!

[jrogue]

Hi all,

Forgive me if this isn't the right spot to be posting this! I'm new to these boards ^_^

This year is the first time in about four years that my family and I are travelling to WDW during the spring. We've been to WDW 22 times already so we're very familiar with how everything works, but I can't remember any special offerings for springtime (aside from the Flower and Garden Festival) since the last time we came in spring.

I'll post what my family and I are planning on doing below. If anyone has anything extra they know of please let me know! We're usually on our feet every day with no breaks. It's worked well for us the past 22 years -- and we sleep better at night! lol

There are a couple of things below I have questions about. My questions are in red.

Park Hours:
I've added in park hours below, as well as park recommendations for the day. When a time is in red, that signifies extra magic hours. See below for parks color:
RED = Not a recommended park for the day.
ORANGE = Neutral recommendation for the day.
GREEN = Recommended park for the day

Our trip will be March 30th - April 6th. Our itinerary is as follows:

Saturday, March 30: Arrival & Magic Kingdom
MK: 7am – 12am EP: 9am – 9pm HS: 8am – 10pm AK: 7am – 8pm
L: BOG Restaurant How difficult is it to get a table for lunch here? I know it's at least an hour wait for dinner. Would it be nearly the same for lunch?
D: Liberty Tree Tavern

Sunday, March 31: Hollywood Studios & Magic Kingdom
MK: 7am – 1am EP: 8am – 9pm HS: 9am – 10pm AK: 8am – 8pm
L: None
D: 50's Prime Time

Monday, April 1: EPCOT & Magic Kingdom
MK: 7am – 1am EP: 9am – 9pm HS: 8am – 10pm AK: 8am – 9pm
L: Japan
D: Biergarten

Tuesday, April 2: Animal Kingdom & EPCOT
MK: 7am – 1am EP: 9am – 11pm HS: 9am – 10pm AK: 8am – 9pm
L: TBA
D: La Hacienda

Wednesday, April 3: Hollywood Studios
MK: 7am – 1am EP: 9am – 9pm HS: 9am – 12am AK: 7am – 9pm
L: None
D: Mama Melrose My boyfriend and I were thinking of trying to head back to the Magic Kingdom to Be Our Guest Restaurant for dinner (around 6pm) this night. What are the wait times for dinner, usually?


Thursday, April 4: Magic Kingdom & EPCOT
MK: 7am – 1am EP: 9am – 11pm HS: 9am – 10pm AK: 8am – 9pm
L: Flower and Garden Festival Booths
D: Chefs de France

Friday, April 5: Split & EPCOT & Magic Kingdom
MK: 8am – 3amEP: 9am – 9pm HS: 8am – 10pm AK: 8am – 8pm
L: China
D: San Angel Inn

Saturday, April 6: Open & heading home
MK: 7am – 12am EP: 9am – 9pm HS: 9am – 10pm AK: 7am – 8pm
Breakfast at resort, then head to Magic Kingdom? Not sure what to do with filler time. I have an annual pass, so I can head to the parks if I wanted to.
Magical Express to airport around 3pm.


My mom can be stubborn in plans so the days we're doing the parks may not change, but I'd still love suggestions!

So, that's it, basically! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[PUSH]

The Epcot Flower & Garden Festival is going on. There are some events that go on with that, but nothing I've ever done. I do love the ambiance of Epcot during spring. It's so colorful with all the flowers, and the topiaries are fun to look at!

 

[jrogue]

The Epcot Flower & Garden Festival is going on. There are some events that go on with that, but nothing I've ever done. I do love the ambiance of Epcot during spring. It's so colorful with all the flowers, and the topiaries are fun to look at!

I agree!! We have a couple of days planned to spend some time at the Festival. Do you know if there are any free shows at the Festival Center? I know you can play the free games at the Oz playground and get some nice seeds to plant!

 

[MouseDreaming]

In regards to Wed. April 3--Be Our Guest is table service during dinner, and a very hard ADR to get. If you don't already have one, start checking, and maybe you will get lucky! Me--not so lucky. Depending on the lines, we might try for lunch one day.

 

[PUSH]

I agree!! We have a couple of days planned to spend some time at the Festival. Do you know if there are any free shows at the Festival Center? I know you can play the free games at the Oz playground and get some nice seeds to plant!

Unfortunately I don't know of any shows, but a look at the Disney World website may be a good place to look. You could also try calling Disney to see if there are any.

 

[jrogue]

In regards to Wed. April 3--Be Our Guest is table service during dinner, and a very hard ADR to get. If you don't already have one, start checking, and maybe you will get lucky! Me--not so lucky. Depending on the lines, we might try for lunch one day.

Unfortunately they had no reservations (for Be Our Guest) available I've been checking for months. Thank you, though! Have you ever tried for dinner with no ADR?

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

Hi all,

Forgive me if this isn't the right spot to be posting this! I'm new to these boards ^_^

This year is the first time in about four years that my family and I are travelling to WDW during the spring. We've been to WDW 22 times already so we're very familiar with how everything works, but I can't remember any special offerings for springtime (aside from the Flower and Garden Festival) since the last time we came in spring.

I'll post what my family and I are planning on doing below. If anyone has anything extra they know of please let me know! We're usually on our feet every day with no breaks. It's worked well for us the past 22 years -- and we sleep better at night! lol

There are a couple of things below I have questions about. My questions are in red.

Park Hours:
I've added in park hours below, as well as park recommendations for the day. When a time is in red, that signifies extra magic hours. See below for parks color:
RED = Not a recommended park for the day.
ORANGE = Neutral recommendation for the day.
GREEN = Recommended park for the day

Our trip will be March 30th - April 6th. Our itinerary is as follows:

Saturday, March 30: Arrival & Magic Kingdom
MK: 7am – 12am EP: 9am – 9pm HS: 8am – 10pm AK: 7am – 8pm
Arrive in Orlando around 11:30, arrive at Magic Kingdom at approximately 2:00pm.
Try to have a small lunch at Be Our Guest Restaurant. How difficult is it to get a table for lunch here? I know it's at least an hour wait for dinner. Would it be nearly the same for lunch?
As my family and I are waiting to be seated at BOG, my sister and her boyfriend are going to run to get Fast Passes for all of us for Space Mountain. Yay!
Do other Magic Kingdomly activities (Carousel of Progress, take picture with the Easter Bunny) until dinner at the Liberty Tree Tavern @ 6:30.
Catch Wishes & do other Magic Kingdomly rides/activities Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Small World, New Fantasyland.

Sunday, March 31: Hollywood Studios & Magic Kingdom
MK: 7am – 1am EP: 8am – 9pm HS: 9am – 10pm AK: 8am – 8pm
Breakfast at resort, then head over to Hollywood Studios.
Get FP for Toy Story, ride some other rides (GM ride, Backlot Tour).
Small lunch around 1pm since we're having a fairly early dinner
Get FP for Aerosmith, possibly ride other things. Do Animation class.
Dinner at 50's Prime Time @ 5:30.
Free time to do rides/shows. At closing, head to Magic Kingdom.
Do rides (probably Small World and Pirates), then head back to resort.

Monday, April 1: EPCOT & Magic Kingdom
MK: 7am – 1am EP: 9am – 9pm HS: 8am – 10pm AK: 8am – 9pm
Breakfast at resort, then head over to Epcot for opening at 9am.
Get FP for Test Track. Do rides/attractions in Imagination Pavillion. Use TT FP, hopefully.
Get FP for Soarin' -- depending on times available.
Lunch (around 2) - quick service in Japan
Check out Oz playground, walk around World Showcase. Catch World Showcase Players.
Dinner at Biergarten @ 7.
Free time to do rides/shows. At closing, head to Magic Kingdom.
Do rides (probably Small World and Pirates), then head back to resort.

Tuesday, April 2: Animal Kingdom & EPCOT
MK: 7am – 1am EP: 9am – 11pm HS: 9am – 10pm AK: 8am – 9pm
Breakfast at resort, then head over to Animal Kingdom.
Get FP for the safari. Do other rides? 2 hours after safari FP, get FP for Everest.
Lunch (around 2)
Ride Everest, see Lion King show.
Head to Epcot around 6 for dinner at La Hacienda @8pm
Watch Illuminations, ride Soarin'. At closing, head back to resort.

Wednesday, April 3: Hollywood Studios
MK: 7am – 1am EP: 9am – 9pm HS: 9am – 12am AK: 7am – 9pm
Breakfast at resort, then head over to Hollywood Studios.
Ride Star Tours, other rides. Get FP for Aerosmith and/or Star Tours.
Lunch (around 2)
Rides/see Pixar parade.
Dinner at Mama Melrose @745pm. My boyfriend and I were thinking of trying to head back to the Magic Kingdom to Be Our Guest Restaurant for dinner (around 6pm) this night. What are the wait times for dinner, usually?
Rides until closing. At closing, head back to resort *or* Magic Kingdom. Depends.

Thursday, April 4: Magic Kingdom & EPCOT
MK: 7am – 1am EP: 9am – 11pm HS: 9am – 10pm AK: 8am – 9pm
Breakfast at resort, then head over to Magic Kingdom.
Ride rides, get FPs, etc.
Around 2, head over to Epcot for lunch. Lunch @ Flower & Garden Festival Kiosks.
F&GF presentations? How can I find out what free presentations are happening on this day (or any) at the Flower and Garden Festival? My family and I would like to get involved in some of the activities and maybe take home some seeds to plant!
Dinner at Chefs de France @6:30pm.
Rides until closing. At closing, head back to resort.

Friday, April 5: Split & EPCOT & Magic Kingdom
MK: 8am – 3amEP: 9am – 9pm HS: 8am – 10pm AK: 8am – 8pm
Breakfast at resort. Boyfriend and I head to Downtown Disney for Vinylmation artist signing. Family heads over to Magic Kingdom.
Around 2, meet @ Epcot for lunch. Lunch @ Flower & Garden Festival Kiosks OR China.
F&GF presentations?
Dinner at La Hacienda de San Angel@6:45pm. (my parents love it!)
After dinner, ride Test Track once more. Head to Magic Kingdom until closing. (3AM because of Extra Magic Hours!)

Saturday, April 6: Open & heading home
MK: 7am – 12am EP: 9am – 9pm HS: 9am – 10pm AK: 7am – 8pm
Breakfast at resort, then head to Magic Kingdom? Not sure what to do with filler time. I have an annual pass, so I can head to the parks if I wanted to.
Magical Express to airport around 3pm.


My mom can be stubborn in plans so the days we're doing the parks may not change, but I'd still love suggestions!

So, that's it, basically! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Things to consider: it's one of the most crowded of the spring break weeks. The parks could possibly close at any time on that first day and Easter Sunday because of capacity. You should be able to get in the first afternoon because you are staying onsite, but the crowds will be massive. Doing the early hours will be a must if you want to ride lots of rides. I doubt you will be able to get into BOG even if you get in line by 9:30 a.m. They will almost certainly not be taking walk-ups in the evening. I am also going that week. I tried for months to get a reservation at BOG. I still look just in case. I made reservations at several table service restaurants this time simply because I knew the lines at the QS would be very long waits.

 

[jrogue]

Things to consider: it's one of the most crowded of the spring break weeks. The parks could possibly close at any time on that first day and Easter Sunday because of capacity. You should be able to get in the first afternoon because you are staying onsite, but the crowds will be massive. Doing the early hours will be a must if you want to ride lots of rides. I doubt you will be able to get into BOG even if you get in line by 9:30 a.m. They will almost certainly not be taking walk-ups in the evening. I am also going that week. I tried for months to get a reservation at BOG. I still look just in case. I made reservations at several table service restaurants this time simply because I knew the lines at the QS would be very long waits.

Thank you! I had totally forgotten about the possibility of the parks closing early. My family and I have all of our dining reservations made ... but like you said, the Be Our Guest one impossible to make I started looking right after we booked the hotel in December but even then I knew there was no hope. I'll try there for lunch possibly later in the week then. Thank you!

 

[KatMaria]

If you do go to Be Our Guest for lunch, get there around 10:30am, its when you can start lining up for it and you can probably beat the big lunch rush. Good luck!

 

[Poofiesdream]

Good luck and lots of pixie dust, going during Easter can be very stressful. Take it easy and don't over plan. It will be crowded and lines long. Prepare for it. Weather how ever should be perfect! Enjoy!