Disney in a Crunch!

[Loves Disney]

I'm looking for advice in how to maximize our experience. I've been going to Disney since I was very little, and I worked there 4 years ago so I know the parks pretty well. My DF is joining me and my family on a 2.5 day trip to Disney this summer - this will be his FIRST real visit to Disney (he was there when he was 3, I don't count that haha). I have put together an agenda (with plenty of flexibility considering it's Disney in the summer...a lot of variables are at play here!) BUT, due to EMH and ADRs, the only park we will not be at for opening is the MK - which means it's likely he will not get to experience the mountains. We will have time to wait in line for at least one mountain (BTMRR).

My question is, does anyone have any advice for maximizing the experience? Any helpful tips for maybe getting to see BTMRR AND Splash? We have accepted not seeing Space Mountain, but I'd really love for my DF to experience Splash as well. Of course, this will be made a whole lot easier if when we arrive, FPs are available in a reasonable time frame (we need to be back at the resort every day by 3:30 for dinner reservations with my family). I'm not expecting FPs will work that well in our favor, though.

We are energetic people and moving quickly will not bother us - however, I do understand the importance of the small details. While it's impossible to experience all of Disney in one VERY short trip, I'd like for him to see as much as possible. Any help is much appreciated! Also, if anyone has done a short trip like this, how did you see everything you wanted to see?

Details: We won't be in the MK or DAK for opening. DHS and Epcot will have EMH mornings while we are there - we plan to take advantage of that. Also, we will be staying at the GF which means we have monorail access to the MK. We will be arriving Thursday morning and leaving Sunday morning.

Thanks in advance!

 

[megan10310]

Can you switch your days around? We often avoid extra magic hours bc of the influx of people. Go with the recommended park, not necessarily emh. I would skip eaten and most of fantasyland completely,, fast pass splash, ride btmr before the line gets crazy. Hopefully you can hit splash right after, but you could get some of adventure land done while you wait for your window otherwise.

If you get you first fp early, you should be able to do all three mountains before 3 I would think.

Or you could go back after dinner? We can ride a lot in the evenings even on a busy day. Most of fantasy land will be at very reasonable waits after 9pm

 

[megan10310]

Eaten =etwb lol

 

[Loves Disney]

Can you switch your days around? We often avoid extra magic hours bc of the influx of people. Go with the recommended park, not necessarily emh. I would skip eaten and most of fantasyland completely,, fast pass splash, ride btmr before the line gets crazy. Hopefully you can hit splash right after, but you could get some of adventure land done while you wait for your window otherwise.

If you get you first fp early, you should be able to do all three mountains before 3 I would think.

Or you could go back after dinner? We can ride a lot in the evenings even on a busy day. Most of fantasy land will be at very reasonable waits after 9pm

Thank you! I'm hoping the FPs will be doable when we arrive. The EMH hours might be the only time we have to get on rides first thing. Getting on RnRc and ToT are HUGE priorities for DF and me, so we need to take advantage of that - even if it makes for a crowded day later. Our days are split. Thursday, we will be at the MK the whole time (arriving around 11:30am). Friday, we are at Epcot in the morning and DAK in the afternoon (Epcot has EMH that morning). Then, on Saturday, we are at DHS in the morning (EMH) and MK in the afternoon.

I'm hoping we will have time in the parks after our dinners. I REALLY want him to see Wishes and Illuminations. Friday night we will be eating at Victoria and Albert's which means it's very unlikely we will get back into a park later - hoping to make that night a pool night.

I haven't seen the new Fantasyland expansion yet - the last time I was in Disney was last July. Do you think it's doable in a quick walk through just to see it?

 

[P00H1010]

We have gone in July 3x and have utilized FP and evening EMH to help us do the "main rides". We never did RD or morning EMH. As far as MK and the mountains we have gotten FPs (if available and times worked) and what we couldn't (or wanted to ride again) we did during evening EMHs. We generally did all 3 during EMH (that was before Splash was taken off the list of rides open)...I do not believe we were ever able to grab FPs for Space but have been able to grab Splash and BTMR.

I hate waiting in long lines as I feel it is a waste of my precious time at Disney lol. I have my personal limits for each ride of what I feel is an acceptable wait time, if the stand by time is longer than what I want to wait I grab a FP, come back or do during an evening EMH. I think the most I have waited was 1hr, maybe 1hr and 1/2 once and that was few and far between (however we generally do 10 day trips so there is a little more flexability).

I know you said you can't be there for opening but is there an evening EMH at MK during your trip? If so I would suggest a similar plan of attack. Hopefully it all works for you...have a great trip!

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Hmmm, let me see:

* First Trip
* Huge crowds/long lines everywhere
* Very hot / humid
* Only 2.5 days to see everything, which means always rushing (in the heat, through crowds)

You had better hope your DF is packing his patience and sense of humor. This is asking him to hate WDW forever. I would can the trip until you can stay longer or the crowds are smaller.

I love WDW, but this kind of trip isn't for everyone.

 

[Loves Disney]

We have gone in July 3x and have utilized FP and evening EMH to help us do the "main rides". We never did RD or morning EMH. As far as MK and the mountains we have gotten FPs (if available and times worked) and what we couldn't (or wanted to ride again) we did during evening EMHs. We generally did all 3 during EMH (that was before Splash was taken off the list of rides open)...I do not believe we were ever able to grab FPs for Space but have been able to grab Splash and BTMR.

I hate waiting in long lines as I feel it is a waste of my precious time at Disney lol. I have my personal limits for each ride of what I feel is an acceptable wait time, if the stand by time is longer than what I want to wait I grab a FP, come back or do during an evening EMH. I think the most I have waited was 1hr, maybe 1hr and 1/2 once and that was few and far between (however we generally do 10 day trips so there is a little more flexability).

I know you said you can't be there for opening but is there an evening EMH at MK during your trip? If so I would suggest a similar plan of attack. Hopefully it all works for you...have a great trip!

Sadly, no evening EMH. That would have been ideal. We don't want to wait in long lines either - in fact, we've already made a deal that single rider lines are options if we need to. DF doesn't care if I'm sitting next to him (not sure if that should offend me hahah). The only ride we decided we'd wait in a long line for is BTMRR (me, for nostalgic reasons, him because he wants to see the place I called home while I worked there). I've never done a Disney trip in only 2.5 days. I think prior to this, the shortest vacation was 7 days. I take it as a challenge.

Hmmm, let me see:

* First Trip
* Huge crowds/long lines everywhere
* Very hot / humid
* Only 2.5 days to see everything, which means always rushing (in the heat, through crowds)

You had better hope your DF is packing his patience and sense of humor. This is asking him to hate WDW forever. I would can the trip until you can stay longer or the crowds are smaller.

I love WDW, but this kind of trip isn't for everyone.

We don't expect to hit everything, that's just not going to happen haha. A lot of other factors are involved with this trip which make it definitely worth it. Aside from that though, my fiancé is certainly the personality type to handle this trip. I have no worries about that.