Fastpass Freakout - should we change our park days?

[Deleted]

So we're going Christmas week. Crazy time of year with crowds and lines. I elaborated planned my park days to line up with crowd calendars and planned our "pool" day to be Christmas Day so we can relax and not fight crowds that day. I got all my ADRs. But most of the reason why we're going at such a busy time is to be with a group of DH's family. BUT I can see from our shared calendars that only one of our park days overlap. I spoke to DH about it and he said let's go with the flow.   He also said we should try to make it so at least two of our days match.

But I don't know these people well enough to say "your plans totally conflict with my plans."

With only 3 days until my FP window opens, I think I should switch at least one of my park days.  Which one?  Or what would you do?  DH also thinks we will "split up" a lot.  Like the baby will nap and the toddler will rally.  I think he's wrong but :-# .

Here are my days:

12/24

My plan - Hollywood Studios (Kenny the Pirate says Best; WDW Prepschool says Preferred) - I have ADRs at Hollywood and Vine - 8:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 4:55 a.m. - I only plan to keep one of these but I couldn't decide if I wanted Christmas Minnie or Disney Junior Characters or Fantasmic seating.

Relative plans - MK (AM Extra Magic Hours)

12/25

My plan - pool day.  ADR at Chef Mickey

Relative plans - AK

12/26

My plan - Epcot - WDW Prepschool says preferred, Kenny the Pirate says Best) - I have ADRs at Garden Grill and Akershus

Relative plan - rest day and then HDDR (which we also reserved which will mean cutting our Epcot day short)

12/27

My plan - MK (WDW and Kenny moderately suggested) - ADRs at BOG

Relative plan - Epcot (not suggested)

12/28

My plan - AK (crowds not a problem) and babysitter that night

Relative plan - HS

12/29

Both plan - MK

So help me decide what to switch.  Maybe we should do AK on Christmas with everyone.  It is a little early to take a break after only one park day, right? Then maybe move our break day to the 28th so we can relax before our date night? Although if I'm not going to a park that day we should move the date to Disney Springs instead of Epcot.  What would you do?

[ribollita]

Do you have Park Hoppers?

[Deleted]

Oct 20, 2016 13:43:48 GMT -5 ribollita said:

Do you have Park Hoppers?

Yes! I just don't know how realistic it will be to hop Christmas week because I know MK closes a lot due to crowds.

[Deleted]

On Xmas go to AK with the relatives. It will be the last to close to resort guests and if you can make FPs there you will have enough to see/ do that doesn't require them. Make it a short day and go back to the resort and swim in the afternoon. What time is Chef Mickey's?

[Deleted]

Then you can do HDDR with relatives on your Epcot day and go back to Epcot with them on your original AK day.

[Deleted]

Oct 20, 2016 14:06:58 GMT -5 @savestheday said:

On Xmas go to AK with the relatives. It will be the last to close to resort guests and if you can make FPs there you will have enough to see/ do that doesn't require them. Make it a short day and go back to the resort and swim in the afternoon. What time is Chef Mickey's?

I have a 9:20 and a 10:55 (reservation hoarder :-# ).  I thought it would be nice to have breakfast and then walk around the deluxe resorts and see decorations but the kids would probably rather be walking around AK.  Maybe I will make my date night walking around the resorts instead.

[Deleted]

If I only have 5 day tickets can I make FPs for 6 days and then just decide sooner which day not to keep?

[ilikedonuts]

You can only make fast passes for the number of days in your tickets.

You can't really wing it much over Christmas. Does your husband not comprehend the crowd levels you will be facing?

[Deleted]

Oct 20, 2016 14:23:11 GMT -5 ilikedonuts said:

You can only make fast passes for the number of days in your tickets.

You can't really wing it much over Christmas. Does your husband not comprehend the crowd levels you will be facing?

I think he does but he also thinks we can't plan much around the temperament of two toddlers so we shouldn't set ourselves up for disappointment. I have failed to impress upon him that by not planning we are more likely to encounter meltdowns.

[Deleted]

Ok here's what I'm thinking now:

12/24 - I got to HS/They go to MK

12/25 - All go to AK

12/26 - Rest day/HDDR

12/27 - I go to MK/They go to Epcot

12/28 - I go to Epcot and Date Night/They go to HS

12/29 - All go to MK

So that's three days out of 6 we'll be together. Probably enough for all involved. Plus we're all staying at the same resort and have park hoppers. I'm sad to lose all my good Epcot reservations but I don't want to rush my Epcot day to book it to HDDR.

[Deleted]

And here's what I'm going to attempt to do for Fast passes for HS:

I'm not sure I want to use a FP for the Frozen Sing a Long since we already went to it on our last trip in 2014 and we walked right in. Plus Ben has never watched all of Frozen. 

Group A


•Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage
•The Great Movie Ride
•Fantasmic!
•Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
•Toy Story Midway Mania!


Group B


•Disney Junior - Live on Stage!
•For the First Time in Forever - A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
•Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!
•Muppet*Vision 3D
•Star Tours 2: The Adventures Continue
•The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
•Voyage of the Little Mermaid
•The Comedy Warehouse Holiday Special (seasonal)

We never did Toy Story last time because the line was too long and I don't think Star Tours was open so I'm excited about that.

[ilikedonuts]

I'd use the other b on tower of terror if you think you'll want to ride that instead of little mermaid

[curbsideprophet]

I like your plan to go to AK on Christmas Day. I really most confused on how this is just coming up now. I would think this would have been discussed before you started booking ADRs

[Deleted]

Oct 20, 2016 17:01:33 GMT -5 curbsideprophet said:

I like your plan to go to AK on Christmas Day. I really most confused on how this is just coming up now. I would think this would have been discussed before you started booking ADRs

There's 20 other people going so they had princess stuff to plan around that I am not interested in plus some of the older people are doing a $$ holiday tour.  The only thing we planned as a big group was HDDR I think.  And my son is doing Pirate's League with one of the other boys.  But everyone else just made their own ADRs without talking to us which I don't mind but I'd like the option to hang out some of the days. 

[was5]

I think your plan looks like a good mix of your own family time and extended family time. Have fun!