Okay DIS friends, I'm new posting here but have been reading for a couple of years. This is our second trip to WDW (we went in August 2017 for the first time). We had an amazing trip last time, but I was definitely a rookie with plans and FPs and just figuring everything out. We missed out on a lot, but I think we had the best possible trip we could have had, given the circumstances (soul crushing heat and humidity, and a 3-month-old in tow).
This trip is April 27-May 4, and will be me, DH and our three girls, ages 7, 5, and almost 2. Four out of five are wimps when it comes to rides, so we’re skipping the thrillers. I haven’t included it in official plans, but we’re well aware that we will need multiple bathroom breaks and chill out breaks throughout the day, especially for DD2. We fell in love with baby care on the last trip, so there may be points where we either all go for a bit, or one of the parents takes the older ones on the attractions while the other parent stays in baby care with DD2. DD2 is also awesome at napping on the fly--in the stroller, someone’s arms, or our toddler Ergo.
I love feedback! Please critique, suggest, validate, scoff, whatever!
Arrival Day, Sat 4/27:
Our plane gets in at 3, so in a best case scenario, we’re hoping to take DME to Pop, bypass the room, and head straight to the busses. Maybe we’ll get to Epcot by 6? If so…
Spaceship Earth--FP for 6:00-7:00
Frozen Ever After--FP for 7:00-8:00
Possibly meet Anna and Elsa if kids are up for it. Any extra time will be spent in Mexico at the pavilion.
ADR at 8 at Garden Grill
Day 2, Sun 4/28: HS
Try to rope drop morning EMH for TSL and get on Toy Story Mania together, browse TSL, get a snack, just take it in. We are SUPER excited to see it! We’re all big Toy Story fans.
Slinky Dog Dash--FP for 10-11 with DH and DD5
Toy Story Mania--FP for 10-11 with me, DD7, DD2
After, possibly standby other TSL attractions with DH, DD7, and DD5, while I take DD2 to baby care. Depends on the time, of course..
Frozen Sing Along (if we can make the 11:30)
ADR at 12:00 at 50s Prime Time
Meet Kylo Ren and Chewbacca and then, it’s just shows. Touring Plans gave me this order:
Muppet Vision 3D
Disney Jr Dance Party
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
This is our only day dedicated just for HS, unless we run back on another day before close. I just don’t know what to expect in TSL other than crowds and no shade. I’m hoping since it’s EMH, it won’t be incredibly insane and will be a bit cooler.
Day 3, Mon 4/29: MK
Another one where I’m still stuck on which FPs to do.
ADR at 8:00 at BOG
Then all the Fantasyland attractions we can squeeze in while wait times are short. We’re fully prepared to cut things in the interest of time, but I’d rather have too much planned that can be trimmed back. This is the order Touring Plans is giving us:
Meet Ariel
Winnie the Pooh
Under the Sea
Barnstormer (x4--twice for each kid tall enough)
Dumbo
Meet Cinderella/Elena--FP for 10-11. Touring Plans has us hitting this at 10:35
Meet Rapunzel/Tiana
It’s a Small World
Peter Pan’s Flight--FP for 11:20-12:30
Lunch of Pinocchio Village Haus
Buzz Lightyear--FP for 12:30-1:30
Tomorrowland attractions like PeopleMover, Carousel of Progress, Monsters Inc. We’ll probably look for more Buzz FPs if any pop up for later in the day.
Relax, shop, snack
Early dinner at Pecos Bill’s, shop if we want to, then exit at around 5.
Day 4, Tues 4/30: Epcot
“Sleeping in” day to catch up on rest. My plan WAS to hit Epcot in time for the 2:30 showing of Beauty and the Beast Sing Along, but now the showtimes have been removed from the plans, so maybe it’ll be open, maybe not. We’ll pretend it still is. I’m going to say that if it is, we will definitely go for a FP. Epcot also has EMH evening hours and our kids are awesome little nightowls!
Whether or not BATB happens, we’ll hang out in France and have some snacks. Our 7-year-old loves all things French right now, so she is very excited. I want some fish and chips, so one of us will probably get food for the kids and a table outside in France while the other goes to the UK for fish and chips to bring back and we’ll eat together. Then move along to Japan and do Pick A Pearl and shop, check out China for a bit, see if Mulan is around, and then go on Norway.
Frozen Ever After--FP for 6:00-8:00
If time, and we didn’t do it on our first day, meet Anna/Elsa
ADR at 6:55 at Akershus
Then we’ll head over to the Land/Seas and do the attractions there. Touring Plans is showing very, very short waits, so I’m thinking we won’t even bother with FPs. We’ll see Soarin’, Living with the Land, Nemo, Turtle Talk, probably multiple times. We’ll stay as late as the kids want to, and maybe hit Spaceship Earth on the way out.
Day 5, Wed 5/1: AK and ??
So excited to do a park with crowd level on this day of 1! We will rest again in the morning, and try to get to AK at noon.
We want to check out Wilderness Explorers, but I’m not even 100% sure what that entails or what it is, beyond earning “badges.” Is it just extra things to do at various points in the park or is there a big beginning presentation? DD7 is majorly into Girl Scouts, and DD5’s dream is to be a Girl Scout (in the fall!), so I think it will appeal to them.
Lunch at Flame Tree BBQ
Meet Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost--FP for 12:30-1:30
Kilimanjaro Safaris--FP for 1:30-2:30
Take the Wildlife Express Train, do Gorilla Falls, then try to do another Safari standy, and/or get FPs for more.
Maharajah Jungle Trek
Go to Dinoland for a snack, then Triceratop Spin and Finding Nemo (4:30 show--might move this up in the interest of time, since that’s the last show.)
Exploring Dinoland for as long as they want. DD5 has a new interest in dinosaurs.
Then to Discovery Island Trails and It’s Tough to Be a Bug.
Dinner at Flame Tree or Pizzafari
More Kilimanjaro Safaris!
DH and I decided NOT to do Festival of the Lion King, even though we liked it. The girls thought it was just okay, and if they’re fine skipping it, we are too. More time for safaris!
Touring Plans has our day here ending at around 6, so even if we take longer (which we will), it will be an “early” night. Magic Kingdom has evening EMH, and Hollywood Studios has a crowd level of 2, so we have discussed possibly DH or me taking DD7 and/or DD5 back out for some special time.
Day 6, Thurs 5/2: MK
We’ll start this day with a breakfast ADR at 9:35 at Chef Mickey’s with my dad, who is coming up from his home in the Keys to meet us. Then we’ll go over to MK. I’m thinking we’ll get into MK at 11-11:30? We want to get DD2 first haircut at Harmony Barbershop, and also get silhouettes from the cart on Main Street. Then:
Meet Tinkerbell--FP for 11:45-12:45ish
Swiss Family Treehouse (major nostalgia for me)
Country Bear Jamboree (same)
Tom Sawyer Island--let them play there for a bit, but leave time to get to our…
ADR at 2:20 at Cinderella’s Royal Table
Prince Charming’s Royal Carrousel
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Dumbo
Enchanted Tales with Belle--FP for 4:00-5:00
Barnstormer (if the line is short and they want to do it again)
Tomorrowland attractions
Buzz Lightyear--FP for 5:00-6:00
Shopping, down time, go to Columbia Harbour House for dinner when we’re ready.
More down time, possibly Jungle Cruise, although the wait looks long. Looking for more FPs and just see what happens. I’d LOVE to be able to stay for the fireworks and closing show, but they all hate fireworks (still--short lines on rides!), and it will be a pretty long day.
Day 7, Fri 5/3: Epcot
This will be a catch up day, depending on what we missed on previous Epcot days. We’ll start with a breakfast ADR at 10 at Garden Grill.
Journey into the Imagination
Disney Pixar film fest
Meet Disney pals at Character Spot--FP for 12-1
Then go up through World Showcase, starting with Mexico and the Three Caballeros, and stop where we like, get snacks, etc. Lunch somewhere. Maybe dinner too.
Another evening where we might split up and take the older DDs for some special time.
Day 8, Departure Day, Sat 5/4: so sad!
I don’t know what to do this day! Our flight doesn’t leave until 10pm, so we have oodles of time! We have park tickets for this day, so I might just try for FPs for TSL stuff, and see if we make it. We did Disney Springs last time, and while it’s lovely, it’s also something we don’t mind skipping. It’s special, but not as special as the parks.
So, whaddaya think?