3 park days, which park for arrival day?

[ThereNotHere]

We're going for a very short trip just to surprise our 3 y.o. on his birthday. We plan to spend 2 real days in the parks and try to squeeze in the afternoon of our arrival day at a park as well since we arrive so early in the day. I've got MK and Epcot planned, so would you say it's better to spend the first afternoon at MK or AK? Or no park? We'll be at AKL, if that makes any difference, and it's his first time. Thank you!

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

I'd probably do the extra afternoon at MK since it will have the most for a 3 year old to enjoy. And honestly Epcot would be my last choice for a 3 year old. My kids really enjoyed AK at that age. Or, if you're going after June 30, TSL will be open at DHS .

 

[ThereNotHere]

Is Epcot worth it even for a child who loves Elsa? Or should I consider spending 2 days in MK instead and that first half day in AK?

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Is Epcot worth it even for a child who loves Elsa? Or should I consider spending 2 days in MK instead and that first half day in AK?

That's what I suggested above. I would do 2 MK days and 1/2 day at either AK or DHS.

 

[rg35]

I would do AK on day of arrival especially that its a small park and you’ll already be in the area.

Animal Kingdom is the largest park at WDW. Perhaps by "small" you mean that it is less dense as far as rides are concerned...but it is very easy to spend a day in animal kingdom and not be able to see everything.

That said, to the OP, I would probably do Animal Kingdom. The Nemo and Lion King shows are enjoyable, and Flights of Wonder is also great (although that's being revamped this spring). There are walking trails and opportunities to see lots of animals. If your little one enjoys zoos back at home, AK could be a good fit. There are also lots of nice character meet and greet opportunities.

 

[hakunamomtata]

I would say you should do Epcot on the day of arrival. I know it's an unpopular opinion, but my kids LOVE it. The seas with Nemo, Spaceship Earth, Turtle Talk with Crush... they love it all. You do need to remember that you're going too, its not all about your munchkin...and you love Epcot, so make sure you visit! That's why I'd suggest the arrival day. You get a taste of Epcot, enough time to do the fun stuff without the commitment of a FULL day. Then I would do Magic Kingdom the next day, and Animal Kingdom your final day. Animal Kingdom definitely deserves a full park day, especially if you visit Rafikis Planet Watch. My peanut LOVED it there...we spent atleast 2 hours just hanging out and resting. It was so awesome, and we took it slow so he didn't need a nap.

Whatever you decide, you'll have a great time. Enjoy!

 

[JB097]

I would vote for animal kingdom since it will be close to your hotel. I suggest to plan out some fast passes to make sure you’re not stuck waiting in long midday lines. If you plan to stay through the night, definitely check out Pandora when it gets dark. It’s amazing at night!

 

[Hoodie]

Depends - what are his favorite things? At 3, mine actually picked DHS as his favorite park. We did Disney Junior Live on Stage twice and Toy Story Mania 3 times. Meeting Woody and Buzz were the highlight of his entire life until that point I think (he tried to convince us that Buzz would take care of him if we left him there to live). That said, a lot would depend on when you are going - will TSL be open yet? If not, you will be limited for attractions for him and if so, expect crowds to be much higher there.

If he's not a Toy Story fan, I'd stick with just MK and Epcot. AK is my kids' favorite park NOW but at that age most of it was just a big zoo to them and they get that locally. And for MK, schedule some time at Tom Sawyer Island. My boys loved exploring there when they were little and it was a nice break from the craziness that is MK. And at Epcot, he loved Nemo and Crush, the character spot, even the Land. He also loved the drums in the Outpost and really enjoyed watching the Japanese drummers. There's a lot more at Epcot for little ones than you think.

basically, figure out his favorite things and go from there. He'll have a great time!

 

[kreckl]

Depends on your travel plans on your arrival day. How are you getting there? What time, and how long is your travel?
Does your child nap, and what time does he go to bed?
Since you only have two days, you won’t want to start off being exhausted.

 

[TOBS2010]

At that age---seeing everything at the MK could end up being a challenge---there is so much to do there and often at that age I found that my son wanted to do the things he liked multiple times. I would spend 1.5 days in MK at that age.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I would do MK on arrival day, then a full day at AK and then end with a full day at MK.

 

[CricketMa]

Is Epcot worth it even for a child who loves Elsa? Or should I consider spending 2 days in MK instead and that first half day in AK?

Obviously people would disagree with me - but I vote Epcot and two MK days. I personally think Epcot is just really special there is so much for toddlers to love. I had to DRAG my toddler daughter from Nemo and friends last year. And she was obsessed with the entertainment in each of the countries.

BUT if you're willing to spring for a park hopper what I would actually do for a three day trip with a toddler would be.......

Day one : MK
Day Two: AK in the morning. Nap. Epcot in the afternoon.
Day Three: MK

 

[loves to dive]

I would play it by ear. See how everyone feels when you get there and checked in, if everyone is alert and happy, maybe hop a bus to AK. If everyone is tired and grumpy, just hang around AKL and enjoy the resort.

 

[jacknsally19]

Obviously people would disagree with me - but I vote Epcot and two MK days. I personally think Epcot is just really special there is so much for toddlers to love. I had to DRAG my toddler daughter from Nemo and friends last year. And she was obsessed with the entertainment in each of the countries.

I totally agree with you... my kiddo has always loved Epcot. Figment is her absolute favorite ride. And the lack of a wait means we can typically ride it multiple times. The entertainment has also always been fun for her. I kind of hate the new Frozen ride though - I think the 'animatronics' are a bit creepy.