Disney questions

[marie3246]

We changed some plans around and I'm seconding guessing them now. We arrive on a thursday and that day plus our friday are looking good. Sat/Sun is what I am second guessing. 

Sat: 
-AK (EMH) They changed the park hours so now its 7am-8am EMH and opens at 8. 

  -nap

-HS
   -We have later FP+ for Toy story 
   -8pm star wars dessert party

Sunday: MK
-pre park opening breakfast 8:20am CP


There is no way we will make it prior to 7am for the AK EMH. And I am worried that getting up early Sat, staying up later Sat night and then early Sunday is a bad idea, but I couldn't get early dining reservations for any other days and these are the two we really want to do (CP and Star wars). I can get a later one for CP, but I have never done a pre park opening and DD is usually great in the morning and LOVES pooh. 

Some options I can think of: 
-AK has EMH on monday AM as well, but starting at 8am instead of 7. We were going to do another MK day, but maybe we should make that our AK day? Or should we try AK (not EMH) and if lines are really long just go back Monday for what we missed? 

-Hire an in room sitter for DD, but this seems like it might not work well. We have a studio and she is a light sleeper, there is a very high chance we will wake her when we come in. She doesn't do well with strangers at all right now. She freaks when I leave her with family let alone someone she doesn't know. It is expensive. 18/hr and then 20/hr for after 9. Plus a 10 travel fee. Party is at 7, fireworks at 8. Plus the pain of being in HS with our FP+ later and having to take her back to the room will eat up a ton of time. I guess if we skip AK we can try to make our FP's earlier, but then we are paying a lot longer for the sitter to be there. And that makes the DP even more expensive than it already is. 

anything that I am not thinking of?

[ilikedonuts]

I would switch AK to Monday. Either hang out at the room and relax and make sure its a really nice nap, or go to MK for just a couple hours.

Parks with early EMHs, you basically should get there when they start. It just gets more crowded as the day goes on.

[ilikedonuts]

I will say we did an 8am Tusker House ADR at AK (were out waiting for the bus by 6:45) one morning. The were at AK until lunch time, came back for naps, and then did the Christmas party that night. My kids stayed up until midnight. (DD2 who is 2, took some power naps in the stroller a couple times). Then we were up and out the door by 8am the next morning to go to Hollywood Studios. DD2 ended up crashing at 11am that morning and took an hour and a half nap while DD1 did Jedi Training Academy.

I really think it just depends on how flexible your kids are and if they will sleep in the stroller or carrier on the go.

[curbsideprophet]

I think I would do MK Sat morning and move AK to Monday.

Have you looked at the recommended parks on any of the crowd calendars?

[lauren170]

We ended up cancelling the Star Wars dessert party about 24 hours before. DD did not do well with being in the park in the mornings and then going back and staying late at night. It would have been a disaster with her.

The last day we did the just pool until about 4:30pm, and then went to HS and stayed for the the fireworks. We were able to view them just fine without the dessert party.

How old is your DD? My vote is babysitter despite the cost. We would have, but my DD has mega separation anxiety.

[marie3246]

Jan 24, 2016 21:28:37 GMT -5 curbsideprophet said:

I think I would do MK Sat morning and move AK to Monday.

Have you looked at the recommended parks on any of the crowd calendars?

I have, to death, haha. I am trying to follow them as best as possible, but with the dining reservations and FP+ we ended up getting it was hard to make it all work well. And at this point, I can't change a bunch of FP's around or I will lose the ones that were hard to get like toy story or mine train. 

[marie3246]

Jan 24, 2016 21:31:35 GMT -5 spunbutterfly said:

Avoid EMH parks is my rec. They tend to be crazy, though is January considered off-season, does it matter?

It is off season, I am hoping it doesn't matter, but reading the dis boards is kinda freaking me out. 

[marie3246]

Jan 24, 2016 21:37:31 GMT -5 lauren170 said:

We ended up cancelling the Star Wars dessert party about 24 hours before. DD did not do well with being in the park in the mornings and then going back and staying late at night. It would have been a disaster with her.

The last day we did the just pool until about 4:30pm, and then went to HS and stayed for the the fireworks. We were able to view them just fine without the dessert party.

How old is your DD? My vote is babysitter despite the cost. We would have, but my DD has mega separation anxiety.

She will be 2 in march. Usually she is pretty go with the flow as long as there is stuff going on. She isn't a stroller napper. I'm going to look more into the sitter. Maybe if we do HS in the later morning (9/10ish) and have her back for a nap, then we head back to HS it won't be so bad. It would be nice to have a night away without having to watch her. 

[cincodemayo]

Can I ask a question?

How terrible is it there during the rain? We arrive Wednesday and it's 100% chance of rain. That day we were just doing a few hours at EPCOT.

Is it miserable? Do the rides still operate? How about tips for staying somewhat dry?

[marie3246]

Jan 24, 2016 22:02:58 GMT -5 cincodemayo said:

Can I ask a question?

How terrible is it there during the rain? We arrive Wednesday and it's 100% chance of rain. That day we were just doing a few hours at EPCOT.

Is it miserable? Do the rides still operate? How about tips for staying somewhat dry?

I haven't been yet with kids, but when we used to live there we went in the rain all the time. It really cleared the park out and I actually think Epcot has a lot to do if it does rain. When it rained we just stuck to the indoor areas: living seas, the building with soaring, spaceship earth and innoventions. 

[lala]

It rained a decent amount our last trip - no it wasn't fun but we made it work. Lots of ponchos & quickly drying shoes & stroller covers.

I feel like Epcot was fine - we didn't even go on Test Track last time. Even w/o soarin' there are other things in the land; Living w/ the land is one of our favorite attractions in all of WDW and the kids love it. You still have the Seas, Innoventions, plenty of stores, and over in WS more stores, several films and Mexico ride. Oh, and figment!

[marie3246]

Jan 24, 2016 22:23:58 GMT -5 chilerellanos said:

Jan 24, 2016 22:21:27 GMT -5 marie3246 said:

I haven't been yet with kids, but when we used to live there we went in the rain all the time. It really cleared the park out and I actually think Epcot has a lot to do if it does rain. When it rained we just stuck to the indoor areas: living seas, the building with soaring, spaceship earth and innoventions. 

Soaring is closed right now.

So if test track and soaring are down, that's two major places that crowds can't go.

good point. 

[irishbride2]

Even though soaring is closed there are still multiple things to do in that building.

Epcot is actually my kids favorite park, and we can't do test track, soarin, or mission space.

January rain won't be bad. Just throw on rain coats and go

[Amy]

Jan 24, 2016 21:43:46 GMT -5 marie3246 said:

Jan 24, 2016 21:37:31 GMT -5 lauren170 said:

We ended up cancelling the Star Wars dessert party about 24 hours before. DD did not do well with being in the park in the mornings and then going back and staying late at night. It would have been a disaster with her.

The last day we did the just pool until about 4:30pm, and then went to HS and stayed for the the fireworks. We were able to view them just fine without the dessert party.

How old is your DD? My vote is babysitter despite the cost. We would have, but my DD has mega separation anxiety.

She will be 2 in march. Usually she is pretty go with the flow as long as there is stuff going on. She isn't a stroller napper. I'm going to look more into the sitter. Maybe if we do HS in the later morning (9/10ish) and have her back for a nap, then we head back to HS it won't be so bad. It would be nice to have a night away without having to watch her. 

We just got back yesterday from a trip with my 6 year old and toddler who will be 2 in March. Doesn't normally nap in strollers but would power nap in his at Disney. We were lucky that my mom came and was willing to take him back to the room most every day by early evening. He couldn't have managed the dessert party. The fireworks are easy to see so I'd suggest skipping the party and just seeing how the day goes (so you aren't stuck paying for it if you don't go). Unless you decide a sitter would work, I think that's your best plan if you really want to stay late.

[irishbride2]

On the flip side, my 2 year old does better at night than my 5 year old, lol. For example, we stayed until the end of Mickey's Christmas (midnight). My kids normally go to bed at 7. DD fell asleep at 10 and we couldn't wake her for the parade. DS, age 2, was literally running and jumping from excitement at midnight.

So it all depends.

I think you just have to be ready to go with the flow. I have no clue how much the dessert party costs and it all depends on if you are willing to risk it.