Sunday afternoon at AK

[PARichards]

First-time family trip w/4 girls, ages 8, 6, 4, 4, 2nd wk of Sept. We're driving down, planning to arrive on a Sunday in time for a 2:30pm ADR @ the Tusker House. After a long drive, the kids are usually starving, and I'm sure they'll be eager to meet someone special, so hoping that our plans satisfy both requirements. Now, several Q's:
1. How long should we plan from entering WDW to AK's TH? We're staying at AoA, but weren't necessarily planning on stopping there first. Just want to make sure we allow plenty of time so we don't miss the ADR. DH wants to, literally, hop out the car, set foot in AK, eat&greet. So just trying my best to make fantasy a reality.
2. What's there to do in AK after 4pm? I understand it doesn't stay open late, and all the blogs recommend going early in the morning, etc. We have 5-day park hoppers, so aren't married to having to *stay* @ AK, just looking for fun things we might miss if we take off "immediately" after our meal is over... (And, also, how far in advance will we be able to look up just how late the park will stay open when we go?) Does it make sense to encourage the exhausted/cranky driver to go check in at AoA on his own, while I stay behind with the tiny-legged ones, traipsing through the park?

 

[cw1982]

CW, I agree with you about AK - best to do in the AM. But I wasn't sure how tied they were to TH & AK the afternoon they arrive. We always like to take that first afternoon to unwind after the road trip - usually go to Downtown Disney and catch a dine-in movie at AMC. But then we are APs and don't have to worry about tickets we purchased not being fully utilized.

Yeah... that's what made me suggest possibly arriving a day early to get a good night's sleep if they insist on keeping their AK day on that Sunday. We are doing something similar for our trip in a few weeks... staying overnight with a friend before we check in at the Pop and head to MK. Of course, DH and I have no kids either... and that can make a big difference.

I fully agree that them waiting until the next day to hit the parks (or at least eating lunch at the hotel and then hitting the pool or taking a nap first) would be best, but I was trying to provide other solutions since she didn't seem to want to nix the park time that afternoon.

 

[LAKid53]

Yeah... that's what made me suggest possibly arriving a day early to get a good night's sleep if they insist on keeping their AK day on that Sunday. We are doing something similar for our trip in a few weeks... staying overnight with a friend before we check in at the Pop and head to MK. Of course, DH and I have no kids either... and that can make a big difference.

I fully agree that them waiting until the next day to hit the parks (or at least eating lunch at the hotel and then hitting the pool or taking a nap first) would be best, but I was trying to provide other solutions since she didn't seem to want to nix the park time that afternoon.

I agree. I keep forgetting that not everyone has the luxury of (1) being a Florida resident who lives a couple of hours away and (2) an AP that doesn't have tickets that need to be used before the end of the trip. Quite frankly, I think the check in at the resort, get something to eat there, hit the pool and visit MK at night is the best. We hate the rush, rush, rush to a park the first day we arrive.

 

[JohnD]

I stand by my previous posts about not much to do after a late ADR at Tusker House and the park scheduled (as of today) to close at 5. HOWEVER, by September, the night show Rivers of Light, along with a night version of Safaris MIGHT have started. If you don't change your plans from AK, I highly suggest following this site for the latest news regarding evenings in AK.

 

[ginadee]

Just thought Id throw in that Tusker House is my favorite character meal and Festival Of The Lion King is my favorite attraction. Have a magical time.

 

[PARichards]

Thank you to all with supportive suggestions!

DH has already agreed, thanks to me (thanks to all of you) pointing out the logistics of the time needed to arrive from once reaching the Orlando area, to the resort to activate our bands, to the DAK entrance to our ADR, that we will need to leave Cincinnati earlier than his original plan. And our driveway departure time keeps getting earlier... and earlier... and we will spend some time sleepingnat a cheap somewhere. Probably.

That said, this is all I have to work with right now, and was just looking for things people like to do at AK in the late afternoon to maximize our time. We are not AP'ers. We have petite girls that don't have a lot of experience with rides, and so rides like Everest won't be a priority. We will just see and take in what we can. We understand that it won't be EVERYTHING. We have a family of 6. Chances are this is *the* trip. The kids can pay for themselves when they can afford it. DH and I aren't likely to return. We will be looking at collegesandthings to pay for, and this WDW was MANY years of savings in the making.


Anywayyy.... DAK is the most recommended park that day according to a few calendars, and the early close will force us to return to the resort to regroup, explore, REST, before we hit it hard at MK on day 2.

I have heard great things about TH ADR and FotLK and look forward to experiencing both. The rest will be icing on the cake.