Family With Medals; RunDisney 10K; Stitch Hat; Lilo and Stitch Costume
  • On Aug 2, 2011
    Angela 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.

    We are heading to WDW in 10 days with or 5 year old. We will be there for 4 full days. We have the hopper passes. What parks would you recommend that we visit? Are the water parks included or do we pay additional for them? Thank you!

    Hi Angela!

    My 7 year old son loves all of the theme parks though his favorites are the Magic Kingdom and Epcot.  He specifically loves the Future World portion of Epcot; he's usually bored in the World Showcase portion and in fact we sometimes skip that half of the park because of him.  I mention Epcot specifically because I think it has a reputation for not being kid-friendly and I don't think that's true; just part of it is less kid friendly than the other!

    All four theme parks have something to offer.  My recommend would be to spend 1 full day in the Magic Kingdom and 1 full day in Epcot.  I also recommend starting off one day in Disney's Hollywood Studios and then switching to Animal Kingdom in the afternoon.  I say that because the Studios has some thrill attractions that may be too much for a 5 year old and many guests complain that the Animal Kingdom is only a half day park.  I personally love Animal Kingdom, but I think this is a good option for you as it will give you a taste of both parks.  It's critical to visit the Studios in the morning though, as opposed to Animal Kingdom, as that's really the only way to get into Toy Story Midway Mania without an incredibly long wait in line!

    That leaves you one day.  You could go back and visit parks and attractions that you liked or missed.  Or you could go to a park in the morning and then go to a water park.  The water parks are only included if you purchased the Water Park Fun & More option on your tickets; if you didn't then you can add that option or buy a single day ticket for a water park.  My recommendation would be to just buy a single day ticket if you know you only want to do it once during your trip as it is less expensive that way.

    By the way, my youngest son loves Typhoon Lagoon.  I also think it's the better water park between the two, but a lot of panelists and guests would disagree with me.  Have a magical trip!
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Meet the Panelist: Bernie, Maryland

I am an engineer with NASA with prior Air Force service. My wife and I have two boys, ages 13 and 8. At home, I'm known as the "Disney Guy" and I've enjoyed helping guests plan their Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, and Disneyland vacations. Learn More About Bernie

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