Strongly Considering a Trip to WDW: Please Help me plan or talk me out of it

PiratesMansion

Well-Known Member
Hmmm you make a good point about Epcot first from a building up standpoint. In regards to it being the first park after a day of travel, isn’t there there a lot of walking? I suppose all the parks will require a lot of walking and the difference is negligible.

I might just do Epcot the first day and then MK on the second day and down / DHS day on the third day or possibly vice versa. I think I like the second half of my itinerary. The rationale of doing DHS on the weekend makes sense to me and I also like the idea of not ever doing the same park 2 days in a row.

Why do you recommend not doing DHS and MK back to back? Because they re the most hectic?

Yeah Soarin is definitely low priority for me unless we re doing really good on time. At Epcot I’d like to do SSE, American Adventure, Test Track, Frozen, Living with the land, Gran Fiesta Tour.

Impressions, Journey into imagination, Mission Space and Nemo are on the list but a little lower down. Soarin is at the very bottom.

Thanks again for all the help!
There is definitely more walking at Epcot than any of the other parks, but there's not a lot of incentive to rush around at Epcot and I think you'll appreciate the 11 AM park opening on your first day adjusting to Eastern Time (and if you can't quite make it by 11 for whatever reason, it's less of the operating day that you've missed). You could start with Animal Kingdom that first day instead if you want something relaxed but more manageable in size. However, the operating hours are less favorable to you IMO on that first day (9-5).

DHS and MK are by far the most hectic parks, and since the shows aren't running there's not much to do right now (at DHS especially) that doesn't involve waiting in (long) lines. Epcot and DAK are generally more relaxed in terms of lines (with only a few obvious exceptions) and there are more things you can do that don't require queuing for an eternity (the films, aquarium, and wandering World Showcase at Epcot; the animal trails at DAK).

Try to see Impressions. Journey into Imagination should be absolute lowest priority, it's bad. Gran Fiesta Tour is honestly probably closer in quality to most of your lower tier stuff but there's usually minimal waits so it's easy to hit.
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Already the first potential wrinkle. My brother in law might have a job the week of our vacation. We both work free lance in production so we don’t usually pass up on jobs. The goal is to obviously plan around jobs which is hard to do in this line of work because many times they come up last minute.

He’ll know for sure in 2 weeks. Hopefully he doesn’t have to work that week. Even if he does, I’m hoping it just overlaps our planned vacation dates by a few days so we only have to move them over a little bit. Just don’t want to get into Spring Break territory. Going without him and my sister is not an option as we need to child switch a lot of the attractions. I’ll probably hold off on booking flights now. Even with the no change fees don’t really want to be locked into a specific airline for the credit.

Ay ay ay. Why do I even try? Have you ever felt like your feet are cemented to the ground and you just can’t go anywhere? 2 young kids, a pandemic, limited disposable income and working in production will do that to you.
 
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MouseMelly

Well-Known Member
Already the first potential wrinkle. My brother in law might have a job the week of our vacation. We both work free lance in production so we don’t usually pass up on jobs. The goal is to obviously plan around jobs which is hard to do in this line of work because many times they come up last minute.

He’ll know for sure in 2 weeks. Hopefully he doesn’t have to work that week. Even if he does, I’m hoping it just overlaps our planned vacation dates by a few days so we only have to move them over a little bit. Just don’t want to get into Spring Break territory. Going without him and my sister is not an option as we need to child switch a lot of the attractions. I’ll probably hold off on booking flights now. Even with the no change fees don’t really want to be locked into a specific airline for the credit.

Ay ay ay. Why do I even try? Have you ever felt like your feet are cemented to the ground and you just can’t go anywhere? 2 young kids, a pandemic, limited disposable income and production will do that to you.
I feel this!! We had to cancel Hawaii last May for the obvious. Had to cancel WDW over Labor Day and move a planned December to January, as our daughter couldn't get off work. I had to have back surgery in November and we were thinking January could still work. Nope! Had to have another surgery in December so January is out 😫
I have it tentative for May, but you're correct that airline is locked in. And flight prices have doubled with the vaccine. It's quite deflating.
Smart move with waiting on flights. And hopefully you'll get your glimmer of hope soon!
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I feel this!! We had to cancel Hawaii last May for the obvious. Had to cancel WDW over Labor Day and move a planned December to January, as our daughter couldn't get off work. I had to have back surgery in November and we were thinking January could still work. Nope! Had to have another surgery in December so January is out 😫
I have it tentative for May, but you're correct that airline is locked in. And flight prices have doubled with the vaccine. It's quite deflating.
Smart move with waiting on flights. And hopefully you'll get your glimmer of hope soon!


Thank you! Hope you recovered well and I hope the next trip you plan works out for you!
 

Stevek

Well-Known Member
Oh for sure, in a perfect world I’d be staying at the Poly or Grand Floridian. Wish Port Orleans was open.

So the price difference for 7 nights the POP and 7 nights at CBR is only like $300.... unless I get upcharged for asking for rooms near the skyliner station. Would you still go with POP in this case?

Thanks for the insight!
For $300 more total, I'd be fine with CBR. The rooms are definitely larger...can't speak to how much nicer they are as we still had the old POP rooms and I understand the new ones are nicer. Conversely, if you have the same POV that the room is just a place to sleep, than saver the $300 and spend on other things at the resort.
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
For $300 more total, I'd be fine with CBR. The rooms are definitely larger...can't speak to how much nicer they are as we still had the old POP rooms and I understand the new ones are nicer. Conversely, if you have the same POV that the room is just a place to sleep, than saver the $300 and spend on other things at the resort.


Yeah the difference was like $500 and I went with CBR since this is my first trip. I’m sure POP would be fine but I’d rather spend the extra money this time for the nicer grounds and potentially more convenient transportation to the parks. From what I understand the lines for the skyliner from the CBR aren’t as long? I could totally see myself coming to the same conclusion as you and staying at the POP on the next trip.
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I haven’t read all the posts, so I’m not sure if this was mentioned, but AK from what I see and hear would really appeal to your love of trees and plants, MickEblu. That might be something to consider when deciding which parks to do twice.

It was and thanks for noticing. 😊

I’m going to do AK twice
 
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Stevek

Well-Known Member
Yeah the difference was like $500 and I went with CBR since this is my first trip. I’m sure POP would be fine but I’d rather spend the extra money this time for the nicer grounds and potentially more convenient transportation to the parks. From what I understand the lines for the skyliner from the CBR aren’t as long? I could totally see myself coming to the same conclusion as you and staying at the POP on the next trip.
First trip, absolutely worth the plus up. Hope you have a great time!
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Ok so far we have two dining reservations in. Sci Fi Dine in for lunch on my full park day at DHS and Sanaa for lunch on my half day park day at AK.

Some other possibilities in the running are lunch at Biergarten or the aquarium or San Angel on my Epcot day although I’m leaning towards no sit down as I only have 1 day at Epcot. I don’t need a reservation for the French pastry place do I?

Be our guest or Skipper canteen at MK but I’m not in love with either so ill probably pass and keep it casual at Mk.

California Grill for a down day dinner is looking good.

Also a lunch or dinner at Whispering Canyon At the Wilderness Lodge is looking good.

Anywhere good at the Poly that isn’t closed?
 
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Little Green Men

Well-Known Member
Table services are one of the best parts of Epcot you should Atleast visit one! San Angel Inn or Biergarten are great picks. No the French bakery doesn’t require reservations, great food there. There’s also a gelato shop nearby that’s great.
 

Curious Constance

Well-Known Member
My son was 8 months old on his first trip to Disneyland, and my daughter was 4. Sure things like bathroom trips are harder with a baby in diapers, etc, but you’re already aware and probably a pro at all of that from your Disneyland with a baby training. But the pictures and memories we got of them at that age at the parks are some of my favorite ever and worth the extra effort in my opinion.

I always do one character dining meal to get all of the pictures with the kids and the various characters instead of waiting in a bunch of different lines. But I can’t remember if character dining is back yet or not.
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Table services are one of the best parts of Epcot you should Atleast visit one! San Angel Inn or Biergarten are great picks. No the French bakery doesn’t require reservations, great food there. There’s also a gelato shop nearby that’s great.


Good point and those sausages at Biergarten do look good. How are they? I just would hate to miss out on one or two of my must Do attractions for some sausage I can get at Alpine Village in LA. Do you think I’ll have any trouble doing all the highlights at Epcot in one 8 hour day without rushing?
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
My son was 8 months old on his first trip to Disneyland, and my daughter was 4. Sure things like bathroom trips are harder with a baby in diapers, etc, but you’re already aware and probably a pro at all of that from your Disneyland with a baby training. But the pictures and memories we got of them at that age at the parks are some of my favorite ever and worth the extra effort in my opinion.

I always do one character dining meal to get all of the pictures with the kids and the various characters instead of waiting in a bunch of different lines. But I can’t remember if character dining is back yet or not.


Yeah it’s not going to be chill. Lol. We just have to go in there knowing that and make the best of it.

Unfortunately it sounds like there is no character dining going on right now.
 

Little Green Men

Well-Known Member
Good point and those sausages at Biergarten do look good. How are they? I just would hate to miss out on one or two of my must Do attractions for some sausage I can get at Alpine Village in LA. Do you think I’ll have any trouble doing all the highlights at Epcot in one 8 hour day without rushing?
Honestly I think you can fit a sit down meal and the must do attractions
Yeah it’s not going to be chill. Lol. We just have to go in there knowing that and make the best of it.

Unfortunately it sounds like there is no character dining going on right now.
Garden Grill is a character meal and it’s open. It’s also one of the more unique atmospheres at Epcot. Here’s a review I found about it during current COVID restrictions https://www.kennythepirate.com/2020...taurant-with-physically-distanced-characters/
 

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