On
Jul 22, 2011
Amy from AL
Asked
Note: This answer was provided prior to the change to planDisney and may still contain references to Disney Parks Moms Panel.
Experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.
“
DH, DD (5), and myself will be visiting WDW Sept 19-25. Was hoping to get suggestion on itinerary for the week. We will be driving down on 19th, arriving late and leaving on 25th, probably early. So only 5 days for parks. Have tickets with park hopper.”
Hi Amy!
The Park Hopper option is great, because you can move back and forth between the parks to attend shows, parades, and events that you may have otherwise missed. It is also handy when you are trying to make an Advanced Dining Reservation for a specific location, like "Cinderella's Royal Table", but the only time you can get in is on the day you had planned to be in the Animal Kingdom. With Park Hopper Tickets, you can spend the day in the Animal Kingdom, and then still attend dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom, all in the same day!
Most 5-year-olds are very anxious to see the Magic Kingdom. In our experience, to get the most enjoyment out of the week, and to prevent as much whining as possible, we have found that it is best to just get up and go to the Magic Kingdom on the first day. That way, you won't be in Hollywood Studios, which is amazing itself, hearing, "When are we going to see Cinderella's Castle???", all day long!
After getting the Magic Kingdom under your belt, I would recommend choosing other park days by looking at the calendar for the dates with "Extra Magic Hours". Based upon this information, combined with your preferences, you can determine which days would be best to visit each of the other parks. On your last day, you can choose to either visit your favorite park of the week again, or, since you have the Park Hopper option, visit ALL FOUR parks in one day, hitting the highlights or fitting in those attractions that you didn't get to on any of the other four days.
Before you go, I recommend making Advanced Dining Reservations for any Character or Signature Dining experiences. Your itinerary may have to be adjusted to fit these into your daily schedule. But again, with the Park Hopper, it makes it much more convenient!
I hope you have a magical time at Walt Disney World!