ONE day THREE parks

D

Danone

Earning My Ears
Joined
Oct 29, 2018
I am surprising my daughters with a one day trip November 20th. Need help with must see things to see focusing on Christmas and things different from Disneyland. A little background.
  • Avid Disneyland fans (live in the NorthWest but had Annual Passes this past year)
  • Went to Disneyworld 7 years ago before new Fantasyland for 5 days
  • Visiting my sister who is in the internship program as an entertainer
  • Daughters are 15 and 13
  • Love the dis unplugged disneyland edition (even though I go somewhat often I am not a local)
  • Thinking of doing only AK, Epcot, and MK
Now open to suggestions
 
Danone said:
I am surprising my daughters with a one day trip November 20th. Need help with must see things to see focusing on Christmas and things different from Disneyland. A little background.
  • Avid Disneyland fans (live in the NorthWest but had Annual Passes this past year)
  • Went to Disneyworld 7 years ago before new Fantasyland for 5 days
  • Visiting my sister who is in the internship program as an entertainer
  • Daughters are 15 and 13
  • Love the dis unplugged disneyland edition (even though I go somewhat often I am not a local)
  • Thinking of doing only AK, Epcot, and MK
Now open to suggestions
Click to expand...
Are you using CM Guest Passes or CM Comp Tickets? Are you staying onsite? This all pertains to when you can book FPs.

If you are using regular tickets, link them to your WDW MDX account now and book FPs - at least 1 for your 1st park of the day.

As soon as you enter the line for FP#1, go on the MDX app and book FP#2 for Park#2 and FP#3 for Park#3.

The FP system is unlike MaxPass at DL - you can Modify booked FPs if you need to adjust the ride window and you can’t have overlapping windows as you can with MaxPass.

I’d suggest beginning with AK and get to the park at least 45 minutes before the scheduled opening. Head to Pandora to ride FoP and then Navi. You can pre-book your FP for Expedition Everest or Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Because Epcot won’t have their Holiday events running, go there for Park#2. You don’t need to book your FP for Test Track because it’s really underwhelming compared to Radiator Springs Racers. Choose whichever FP looks interesting when you book while in AK.

From there, ride the Monorail to MK and stay through park closing.
 
Staying at the Swan most likely but maybe a moderate resort. My sister does not have any CM tickets but I am trying anither contact, if not I will buy tickets at the end of this week. You mention Epcot not having Holiday activities? Won't they?
 
Facts I am basing my decision on:
November 20th:
MK: 9-11
Epcot: 9-9-11 EMH
AK: 8-9
Assuming that you can't get fastpass for any of the most popular rides.

Recommendation Plan 1:

Do AK from 8:am to noon. Take Disney bus to Epcot. Eat lunch in Epcot (lots of food choices). Stay till around 5 p.m. Take monorail to MK. Stay till park closing, watch fireworks at 10 p.m.

Benefits:

1. Doing AK during the day so that you can see the animals better. AK lines are shorter in the mornings.
2. Doing Epcot in the afternoon because the lines are longest during that time, but shortest in many Epcot rides. Plus you can walk around the lake and admire the buildings in day light.
3. Doing MK at night because MK has the most rides, plus you can see the fireworks. And if you can last till past fireworks, there should be smaller crowds.
4. The traveling is easy and shouldn't take long: direct bus and monorail. (for example, if you travel AK to MK or vice versa, you have to bus and then monorail, which is less exciting.)

Recommendation Plan 2:

Do MK from 9 to 2 p.m. Monorail plus Bus to AK. Play till 6 p.m. Bus to Epcot. Play till 11 p.m.

Benefits:

You get to be in AK after dark (sunset at 5:30 p.m.). Be sure to go to Pandora to admire how the whole area lights up in bio luminescence.
You get to see Epcot's fireworks.
 
BabybetterDisney said:
Facts I am basing my decision on:
November 20th:
MK: 9-11
Epcot: 9-9-11 EMH
AK: 8-9
Assuming that you can't get fastpass for any of the most popular rides.

Recommendation Plan 1:

Do AK from 8:am to noon. Take Disney bus to Epcot. Eat lunch in Epcot (lots of food choices). Stay till around 5 p.m. Take monorail to MK. Stay till park closing, watch fireworks at 10 p.m.

Benefits:

1. Doing AK during the day so that you can see the animals better. AK lines are shorter in the mornings.
2. Doing Epcot in the afternoon because the lines are longest during that time, but shortest in many Epcot rides. Plus you can walk around the lake and admire the buildings in day light.
3. Doing MK at night because MK has the most rides, plus you can see the fireworks. And if you can last till past fireworks, there should be smaller crowds.
4. The traveling is easy and shouldn't take long: direct bus and monorail. (for example, if you travel AK to MK or vice versa, you have to bus and then monorail, which is less exciting.)

Recommendation Plan 2:

Do MK from 9 to 2 p.m. Monorail plus Bus to AK. Play till 6 p.m. Bus to Epcot. Play till 11 p.m.

Benefits:

You get to be in AK after dark (sunset at 5:30 p.m.). Be sure to go to Pandora to admire how the whole area lights up in bio luminescence.
You get to see Epcot's fireworks.
Click to expand...
Based on your recommendation 2 schedule, they wouldn't need to use a monorail to go to AK from MK. Just a bus.

OP...

Based on your time-frame, EPCOT might be decorated for Christmas on the 20th, but the Christmas activities don't start until Thanksgiving Day on the 22nd.

Keep in mind that week is historically VERY BUSY due to Thanksgiving. I would possibly recommend only doing 2 parks instead of 3 for this reason. It's going to be hard to get a lot of MK done due to crowds. EPCOT will be more manageable since that park absorbs the crowds better. Animal Kingdom can be difficult...If you are wanting to AK just for Pandora, I would rope drop Flight of Passage at AK, make your way to the MK, spend the afternoon in EPCOT, and then travel back to the MK for the fireworks or stay at EPCOT for Illuminations. It's really your choice on what you want to do.

I hope you have a great time, and it sounds like you will have a lot of fun with your family! :)
 
AMusicLifeForMe said:
Based on your recommendation 2 schedule, they wouldn't need to use a monorail to go to AK from MK. Just a bus.

OP...

Based on your time-frame, EPCOT might be decorated for Christmas on the 20th, but the Christmas activities don't start until Thanksgiving Day on the 22nd.

Keep in mind that week is historically VERY BUSY due to Thanksgiving. I would possibly recommend only doing 2 parks instead of 3 for this reason. It's going to be hard to get a lot of MK done due to crowds. EPCOT will be more manageable since that park absorbs the crowds better. Animal Kingdom can be difficult...If you are wanting to AK just for Pandora, I would rope drop Flight of Passage at AK, make your way to the MK, spend the afternoon in EPCOT, and then travel back to the MK for the fireworks or stay at EPCOT for Illuminations. It's really your choice on what you want to do.

I hope you have a great time, and it sounds like you will have a lot of fun with your family! :)
Click to expand...

I was planning on rope dropping FOP. Only doing a few rides in Animal Kingdom after that. While MK is will be busy I am not too concerned with going on to many rides. Just the ones that will be holiday themed or ones different then Disneyland. Really want to take in the sights and sounds of the Holiday at Disney World (We have done Halloween, Easter, Valentines at Disneyland but never Christmas)
 
On Disney's website I am seeing that Epcot Festival of the Holidays starts November 18th. What starts on the 22nd?
 
AMusicLifeForMe said:
Based on your recommendation 2 schedule, they wouldn't need to use a monorail to go to AK from MK. Just a bus.

OP...

Based on your time-frame, EPCOT might be decorated for Christmas on the 20th, but the Christmas activities don't start until Thanksgiving Day on the 22nd.

Keep in mind that week is historically VERY BUSY due to Thanksgiving. I would possibly recommend only doing 2 parks instead of 3 for this reason. It's going to be hard to get a lot of MK done due to crowds. EPCOT will be more manageable since that park absorbs the crowds better. Animal Kingdom can be difficult...If you are wanting to AK just for Pandora, I would rope drop Flight of Passage at AK, make your way to the MK, spend the afternoon in EPCOT, and then travel back to the MK for the fireworks or stay at EPCOT for Illuminations. It's really your choice on what you want to do.

I hope you have a great time, and it sounds like you will have a lot of fun with your family! :)
Click to expand...

Going from MK to anywhere, you have to get to that TTC first. That's why I said monorail then bus. To Epcot, it's monorail then monorail, which is faster.

I also don't recommend rope drop Flight of Passage. That line is at least an hour. That ride is really popular. Probably shouldn't bother with it.
 
If you are not too worried about getting on a ton of rides, you are just in for the ambience (and some rides too when the wait is short), then the MK morning to AK afternoon to EP evening should be the best plan, making sure you stay at AK till past sunset at 5:30 to admire Pandora in the dark, which is definitely something you don't see in Disneyland.

Have a great trip. We do 3 parks a day all the time; it's great fun!
 
BabybetterDisney said:
Going from MK to anywhere, you have to get to that TTC first.
Click to expand...
No. You do not. Except between NM and Epcot, there are direct buses between each pair of parks.
MK > AKL = direct bus / AKL > MK = direct bus
MK > DHS = direct bus / DHS > MK = direct bus
MK > Epcot = monorail to TTC, transfer to monorail to Epcot / Epcot > MK = monorail to TTC, transfer to monorail MK
Epcot > DHS = direct bus or boat / DHS > Epcot = direct bus or boat
Epcot > AKL = direct bus / AKL > Epcot = direct bus
DHS > AKL = direct bus / AKL > DHS = direct bus

It's been like this for well over a dozen years. There are no buses from the TTC to any park, unless the monorail isn't working.
 
BabybetterDisney said:
Going from MK to anywhere, you have to get to that TTC first. That's why I said monorail then bus. To Epcot, it's monorail then monorail, which is faster.

I also don't recommend rope drop Flight of Passage. That line is at least an hour. That ride is really popular. Probably shouldn't bother with it.
Click to expand...
No you don't...MK has it's own bus stop. You only need to take the monorail if you are going to/from EPCOT. You can catch a bus from the MK to any of the other 2 parks (DHS and AK). You can also catch a bus from AK or DHS to MK.
 
kaytieeldr said:
No. You do not. Except between NM and Epcot, there are direct buses between each pair of parks.
MK > AKL = direct bus / AKL > MK = direct bus
MK > DHS = direct bus / DHS > MK = direct bus
MK > Epcot = monorail to TTC, transfer to monorail to Epcot / Epcot > MK = monorail to TTC, transfer to monorail MK
Epcot > DHS = direct bus or boat / DHS > Epcot = direct bus or boat
Epcot > AKL = direct bus / AKL > Epcot = direct bus
DHS > AKL = direct bus / AKL > DHS = direct bus

It's been like this for well over a dozen years. There are no buses from the TTC to any park, unless the monorail isn't working.
Click to expand...
AMusicLifeForMe said:
No you don't...MK has it's own bus stop. You only need to take the monorail if you are going to/from EPCOT. You can catch a bus from the MK to any of the other 2 parks (DHS and AK). You can also catch a bus from AK or DHS to MK.
Click to expand...

Quoting Wikipedia:

"Prior to December 2013, buses to and from Disney's Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios operated out of TTC instead of the Magic Kingdom bus stop. With the addition of a third bus loop at the Magic Kingdom, these buses moved to the Magic Kingdom and left the TTC without any regular Disney Transport bus routes.[3][4]"

The above posters are right. I haven't paid attention during the last few years. The change happened in 2013. There are indeed buses now from AK or DHS directly to MK. Good to know! I still remember distinctly the bus sign at AK that says "Magic Kingdom (Tickets and Transportation Center)." Wow, that was 5 years ago?

Nevertheless, going from MK to Epcot is still the best option. The monorail is more interesting than the bus.
 
Last edited:
BabybetterDisney said:
Quoting Wikipedia:

"Prior to December 2013, buses to and from Disney's Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios operated out of TTC instead of the Magic Kingdom bus stop. With the addition of a third bus loop at the Magic Kingdom, these buses moved to the Magic Kingdom and left the TTC without any regular Disney Transport bus routes.[3][4]"
Click to expand...

Wikipedia is edited by users. This user is wrong. While, yes, the TTC was literally the transportation hub, park-to-park direct connections have existed much longer than five years.
 
kaytieeldr said:
Wikipedia is edited by users. This user is wrong. While, yes, the TTC was literally the transportation hub, park-to-park direct connections have existed much longer than five years.
Click to expand...

We took a bus directly from MK to AK on our first family trip in 2009.
 
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