Pls critique my park plans!

[hswillia07]

Hi everyone! Can you please critique my 2 park day plans? I'm completely new to Genie+ and Lightning Lanes and we only have 2 days in the parks this time and I want to make sure I'm not missing anything. We will have early entry and extended evening hours. We'll be at the Parks during what seems to rank as a 'low to medium level crowd' time.

We are starting our first park day at HS and we will have early entry at 8am. I understand that they'll open the parking lot at 7am, but that is also the same time that I need to book lightning lanes, right? What is recommended in this scenario? Booking at the hotel and getting to the park closer to 7:20?

We'll be park hoping to Epcot this day, so my plan is to purchase individual lightning lane for Guardians of the Galaxy and make our first lightning lane for Minnie & Mickey's Runaway Railway. I'm hoping to rope drop Slinky Dog and then next door to Alien Swirling Saucers. Those are our only 3 must-do's at HS. We will probably take in a show as well and my daughter does want to meet the Toy Story gang (any tips for this, or just line up?). After Minnie & Mickey's, I'm hoping to be able to grab a lightning lane for Remy's.

Are there any other rides at Epcot I should be focused on getting lightning lanes for? Our favourites there are Test Track, Soarin', Frozen Ever After, Gran Fiesta, and Spaceship Earth. I'm assuming we'll be able to get a lot done between 9 and 11pm...am I right?

For the 2nd day, we're starting out at MK and park hopping to AK and then back to MK for evening hours which are 9-12. (This is a convoluted plan, but we want to make the most of our day and we really love Pandora at night). MK opens at 8:30 for early entry. I plan on purchasing an individual lightning lane for FOP. I am thinking of booking our first lightning lane for Na'vi River Journey, and then the 2nd one (I can book at 11am, I think) for Kilimanjaro. I'm thinking we rope drop Seven Dwarfs and then just focus on Fantasyland for the morning before we head out to AK for the evening (with a hotel stop in between).

Again, I'm thinking we'll end up doing pretty well during our extra evening hours with Genie+ at MK.

Does all of this make sense? Am I missing the mark on anything? Thanks so much for your help!

**I'm questioning myself now because of what is closed during extra evening hours at MK. Maybe it makes more sense to rope drop Tomorrowland and buy an individual lightning lane for Seven Dwarfs instead...

 

[coasternut22]

Regarding early entry, in order to be at the front of the rope drop pack, you need to be on the first resort transportation (bus/skyliner). They generally start one hour before early entry. I suggest being at the stop one hour fifteen minutes prior to early entry. You state you are driving. This could be because you want to, or you are staying at a Disney Springs resort. But I'm now questioning this, because you plan to do extended evening hours, which is only available for deluxe resort guests. If you are choosing to drive, I highly suggest you take resort transportation instead. Not so much for HS, but for MK because you will have to park and take the ferry or monorail which will add 20-30 minutes to your time. Resort busses drop off at the tapstiles.

If you are at the front of the early entry rope drop pack, you will have a minimal 5-15 minute wait for Slinky and Mine Train. If you arrive to the tapstiles 30 minutes prior to early entry, will have a 30-45 minute wait for these rides. Realistically it could possible get up to 60+ minutes.

For HS, if you are at the parking booths at 7am, and you pay, park, and walk to the tapstiles quickly, you can get there by 7:20ish and, making a mad dash to Slinky along with everyone else, you will realistically have a 20-30 minute wait once it opens at early entry. For MK, if you are at the booths at 7am, park, walk to the TTC, ride transport to the front gates, you will realistically be tapping in at 7:30, at which the crowd for Mine Train will be deep, most likely a 30-40 minute wait. In your edit, I think you figured this out. You may want to pay for Mine Train and use early entry to knock out Tomorrowland and Fantasyland.

Regarding booking G+, absolutely do that while on the go, no matter where you are. Waiting another 20 minutes at your hotel will eliminate any advantage of early entry if you are trying for Slinky and Mine Train.

Your G+ and ILL selections seem fine. You will definitely get MMRR early, well before 10:30am which will allow you to tap in and try for a late Remy. Guardians will be available in the evening for an ILL. Regarding other Epcot selections, just see what it gives you. You will have plenty of time during evening hours to get everything done if you are not walking to/from Remy or Frozen. If you are trying to get a nighttime LL for Navi, you will have to book, and refresh for a better time.

You mention using G+ during extended evening hours. G+ is not available, but it is not needed either. Be sure to check those hours, they are only for two hours, not three. Also only for deluxe resort guests.

 

[hswillia07]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate all of the advice. You're right - MK closes at 11pm and we have extra hours until 1pm. And I didn't realize that we couldn't use G+ during extended evening hours, so that is also super helpful to know. Thanks again!