How many days at each park??? About This Page:

[Joanne929]

On our first family trip, we were there for 8 days as well and we (I) basically planned 6 full days and 2 half days, like you. Once the park hours for September 08 come out, I think it will help planning better.

With kids your age, I would probably plan 2 days for MK, 1 1/2 days for MGM, 1-2 days for Epcot and 1 day for AK. Not sure if you're doing any ADRs, so that will factor in as well.

Be sure to take a break in the day and don't plan on running from morning opening until night when the parks close - you will be wiped out! And don't try to do everything - you can't. Pick the rides/shows/parades/fireworks that you MUST see and go from there.

As far as planning your trip with/for others, talk with them and figure out if you will be spending ALL of your time together . . . although, I would suggest NOT doing that (we went with friends and their kids, as well as my parents, on our 1st trip and we spent most, not all, of our time together and it worked out well).

Relax, and enjoy - that's most important!

[Tonya E.]

Thanks Joanne....the opening sentence of your 2nd paragraph made me ...."with kids your age" ....if you only knew how true that statement is sometimes. I know what you actually meant....still made me chuckle and I really needed that tonight. Thanks.
Tonya

[Lavendar_mom]

Originally Posted by millie

I'm not going to add to your confusion and make you even more nervous, I'm ust going to make a suggestion....relax, plan something for each day, but NOT the full day, get everyone involved as much as possible in the planning and consider the ages of your children...pick up a planning book (I love Birnbaum's Guide) or video and watch it with everyone together before getting started....that way everyone's idea of what the 'magic' is can be expressed and the planning can be done accordingly...but the most important thing is for YOU to relax and enjoy both the planning and the trip. If you do than both the trip and it's memories really will be 'Magical".

Hope this helps

I was going to suggest getting The Unofficial Guide or visit TouringGuides.com
They have "plans" specificly including 4+ hrs down time.
I understand that in September you won't need a plan but I felt a lot less confused about how it will "work" once I read the information.

[Tonya E.]

Thanks for the tips I will definately check out those sites. Sounds like what I'm looking for. Thanks again!
Tonya

[FanofFlorida]

Hey Tonya-
If you are worried about your plans now, it is good to get started. Besides, planning is half the fun.

I would definetly consider the weather when making your plans. Our first trip to WDW, my DD3 was very HOT. We did not expect the strength of the rainstorms, and underestimated how she reacted to being off her regular schedule. September is not the worst month for Orlando, but there is certainly a chance of storms to consider.

Planning for more time to rest is the best. I was REALLY dissappointed to miss some of the attractions on that trip, and wished I had planned more realistically. It would have been better to tour more days in fewer hours.

The other posts give some reasonable time schedules. Because you are traveling with others, find out what they have in mind for touring (if anything). Forward some of these suggestions, and then work around that. I am 'the planner' in our travel community and some of the people dont like firm schedules. (Of course when we try it their way: the impulse method, we end up waiting in long lines, not getting to eat at the better restaurants and generally spending hours just deciding what to do)

I hope the best of luck for you to make some decisions, but more importantly have fun doing research!

[LoriMistress]

I would spend at least two days at MK and at least two days at Epcot. Yes, you and your family will need to take breaks. Leave the park by 11am. Arrive back at the parks by 5pm. This will give your family a chance to relax, be away from the heat and humidity, and you won't have to deal with being the park during it's biggest peak time of the day. You won't have to deal with cranky children or adults.

[Bman]

First of all, your plan to build in rest time in the afternoons is a good one. Both the kids and the adults will benefit from that rest time.

As for which park; I think that you're better off concentrating on The Magic Kingdom. My 6 yo boy liked some of the rides at Epcot but found WS pretty boring. He liked the rides and shows at MGM and he enjoyed the day that we spent at AK, but he loved TMK (as did his mom and I).

All of the parks are great, but IMHO, none of them can match TMK for Disney magic.

-B

[WDWfan]

Tanya - You've gotten a lot of good advice. The only thing I will add it to build some unplanned time into your trip. Not just rest time - but time to do something that you want to. I frequently don't make firm plans for my last day. That allows me to go back to a park I particularly enjoyed, or to see something I missed, or to do something I decide to do after I arrive. Whatever you do - Enjoy!

[Jennifer2003]

Here's what we did last week:

Day 1 Morning at Epcot, early evening thru EMH at MK
Day 2 Morning at AK, then a few hours at MGM
Day 3 Most of the day at MK, last two hours at Epcot
Day 4 10 hours at Epcot
Day 5 5 hours at MK

Days 1 & 2 had breaks after them. Days 3-5 were consecutive towards the end of the week.

Hope this helps!

[Laughaholic]

What we usually do is skip around a lot, but that's because I've been doing weekends only recently.

Basically, I think you need a full day for Epcot (you could do one half day in FW, then one half day in WS), a full day + half day in Magic Kingdom, and I think MGM and AK are possible to do in one day (half day for each). We basically rotate this pattern, switching in between parks (maybe MGM + Epcot one day)

[Tigger71]

Hi Tonya,
Hope you are having fun planning so far. I'm reading this thread closely as I have a grand gathering planned for Sept 08 and I have been nominated chief(read only) planner! My kids will be 11, 9 and turning 3 during our stay.
As the only ones in the group that have been to the world previously I have made lots of suggestions regarding reading materials and websites to visit. However nobody seems too keen to make a start yet(except me)! They trust me. LOL!
For us the plan is...to spend 2 full days at MK - one at the beginning of the week, one as the last park, 1 day at AK with the night at Downtown disney, 1 day/night at MGM, 1 full day/night at Epcot plus a half day to finish any WS not done on the first day.
We will also play mini golf at Fantasia Gardens and spend a half day at the Premium outlet mall, a dinner each at IHOP and Ponderosa Steakhouse (We're from Australia and don't have these in Oz).
I recommend starting the vacation exploring the resort facilities, rechecking the touring plan against the extra magic hours/opening & closing times/ADR made/ parade & firework schedules. Do this by the pool so the kids can be tired early and you can get started early the next day. Our family loves Chef Mickeys for dinner on that first night. We are not big on the break idea in the middle of the day as we come from a hot climate and are quite used to it. Although we have done it a few times when we were staying at All Star Sports. We prefer to have breakfast in our room, mid morning snack in the parks, late arvo lunch and a light dinner of yogurt/fruit in the room late after park closing.
We also like to explore the Boardwalk shops/entertainment, so factor a few hours if planning this. We usually do one ADR per day but have been known to get a little excited and make two (one a character meal). Be sure to plan a Fantasmic dinner package at MGM so you can miss the line up for the show.
Some things we have planned this time that we have not done previously are - the Hoop de Doo dinner show, water sports on the lagoon, Wishes fireworks cruise, Hayride at Wilderness campgrounds and hopefully we can view the flag ceremony at MK too. It's only a few more months 'til we can make those ADRs so I need to make firm plans with the rest of the gang....Wish me luck?
PS If the others in my group do not like the plan they are welcome to tour seperately and meet up for some together time later in the week when everyone is settled. They have all had the chance to supply 5 must do things which I have incorporated into "The Plan". Hope you have as much fun as I have planning. We will have an even better time in just eleven months at WDW!!!!