Animal Kingdom & MNSSHP in one day?

Walt Disney World
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So, I was toying with the idea of doing AK in the morning/afternoon, and then MNSSHP. This would include my DS7 and DS5.

Am I crazy for thinking this would be a good idea with two young boys?

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I don’t have experience with this yet, but I’m leaning toward not doing a park the morning/afternoon before MNSSHP. We actually also considered doing AK before the party, but considering how hard DS6 and DS4 play at The Boneyard… I just think it would take too much out of them! Especially because 9 pm is about the latest they ever stay up (and we’re hoping they can last longer than that on party night). So, we’re making it a pool day!

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I would do a pool day/no park day when you do mnsshp!!! Every year we relax/pool prior to the party and still have a hard time getting there by 4! Gettin lunch/out of pool/showers/costumes… With two kids… Then catching a bus… It is a going on :wink: my ds5 always stays up till the end of the party, it’s too much fun to sleep through!!
Sooooo I would say just take it easy prior to mnsshp!! :slight_smile:

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Personally I would recommend a sleep in and pool day. Especially if you want to try and stay late.

There are some that can do it, and some that cannot. Only you know what your kids can do, and can expect out of them. When I went with my kids we went for rope drop and stayed until the fireworks, they did ok. But you need to slow down a bit.

The party is a lot of fun, and the kids I am fairly sure they would like it.

If the party is mid trip see how they are doing and if they need a day to slow down. Plan your Fpp for the late afternoon before the party in the MK. Do not get fpp for AK. If you need the time slow down and take it, but if your kids are raring to go, then do AK the same day. Have both plans in place and do what the kids can handle.

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For MVMCP in 2013 we did AK in the am, went home for a break, then to the party at 4. We were WORN OUT by the end of fireworks. This year, for the party, we are doing the morning in MK then back to the resort to nap, swim, take a break, then back to the park. We will see how it goes.

For the record, I’m all for a break day before the party but I was overruled. We are taking our day o’ relaxation on Tuesday, doing the party on Thursday.

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We did AK followed by MVMCP, however I would not do this with young children unless they are high energy and won’t burn out, especially if you want to enter MK at 4:00 to get the most out of your party time.

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Thanks for the advice all - I think I’ll go with the consensus and view that morning as down time - my kids get to be a handful when they are overtired!

Now, how to get them to actually take a decent nap earlier in the day… :smirk:

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Hit the resort pool early and let them burn themselves out. Early lunch, then immediately back to the room for some “quiet time”. If exercise and then food doesn’t make them conk out, add Benedryl to the mix. :wink:

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When DS was 6 we did AK, dinner at Boma, then he and I went to the party while DW and DDs2 went back to the room. DS was fine with the being out late, but we didn’t arrive at the park until after 7pm.

Subsequent parties we’ve taken the day off and gotten there around 4, which seemed to work much better.

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We had a late morning the day of the party. Everybody (including at the time DD9 and DD10) woke up when they woke up. We left the resort at 11 and went to MK. My kids who usually conk out at 9:30 made it to the end.

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We took a different approach that ended up working well for us…we slept in that day, had relaxing pool time, easy meals, then we packed up our basic costumes (kids wore theirs), and headed to Epcot around 1pm. We did all of Future World as we were saving the World Showcase for a full Epcot day.

We monorailed to MK around 4pm, and started the party with flatbread at Pinocchio Haus. It ended up being a great night for all of us, took in lots of rides, fireworks, meet and greets, and we left after the last parade. We had another sleep in day…aka late start…at MK the next day. Our DDs were 6 & 8, and we still talk about it all the time. :smile:

But, having said that, you definitely know your family best, and you want everyone well-rested for the party, because it is nothing short of fantastic. One of our favourite WDW experiences ever. Have fun !!

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You. I like you.

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Now that I think about it, I know that I can make it all day - so maybe I’ll leave Melanie and my mom and the boys to relax and go do something solo… It’s not selfish if I’m giving them a chance to be well rested, right? :grin: