Hi All,
I would love any advice or wisdom on my MK day with DH and two 8 year olds. The plan is for 8/29 and we are planning on taking advantage of that first EEMH day. How early would you all recommend getting there/leaving Pop to successfully rope drop Space Mountain? The plan includes all the things the kids want to see and do but does feel a little intense. We have an evening in MK earlier in the trip where we plan to do adventureland, fireworks, and some repeats (BTMRR, 7DMT)
https://touringplans.com/plans/print?id=3751399
Any and all suggestions would be much appreciated. TIA!
Can your kids handle that many “cross park walks” ? I think crossing the 8am cross park walk to hit BTMR and SM followed by the 9am return might not be that pleasant for the kids, especially if they are tempted to look at sights & stores on the way.
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It looks like a lot, but manageable. You may not get to do everything, but you have “built-in” rides to skip if / when needed.
I’d still get there at least 30 minutes before RD. Which means you’ll need to leave POP about 40 minutes before that. This means you’ll need to be up and out the door by 5:45am to get to MK to be at the front of the RD crowd. (I’d leave at 5:30am, but I’m an early bird)
There is a bit of “cross park” walking, but you seem to break it up along the way with rides & snacks. I don’t see an issue there. It’s not like you walk directly from Space to Splash then back to Dumbo.
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Thanks so much for the feedback. This is the kids’ first trip, so it’s so hard to know what they can and can’t handle.
That said, they are excellent walkers, walking over a mile to and from camp each day, and having done multiple walks to and from the baseball stadium about three miles from our house, so I think they can handle the physicality of the day.
The distraction issue is much more of an unknown for me. I’m sure they’ll want to stop and look at everything, but they are good listeners, and are very invested in the trip. It’s just so hard to know what they’ll be able to handle!
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8 year olds can understand the need to stay on track, so I think distraction shouldn’t be too bad.
I like your plan. I haven’t been in three years so I can comment on if it’s reasonable, but I’d certainly try it.
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Thanks, yeah, I did try to break up the walking with stops for snacks and such.
I wasn’t originally planning on heading over to BTMRR and Splash at real rope drop (8am) just to head back, but I couldn’t get the fast pass times I was hoping for for Space and 7DMT, so this was the best I could come up with. We are doing Splash earlier in the week, so if we’re feeling lazy, I can just remove BTMRR and Splash at real rope drop and relax in Fantasyland instead. In fact, I think that’s a good back up plan if we’re running behind or feeling tired. Thank you!
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Thank you! And thanks for the feedback on 8 year olds. I think mine are really great, but it’s hard to know what’s appropriate to expect at that age.
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Our last trip DD9 was not-quite-six.
Her only goal for the trip was the “spitting camel ride” (Magic Carpets Aladdin).
Our MK days were the last two days.
Our Adventureland/Frontierland day was the very last day.
It was ALL she could do to hold it together the first MK day, but she did. She’d seen our navigating at the other parks and all the cross-crossing and she’d met every princess and she just had faith we’d get there.
Her pay-off was it was our second ride that day and after two times through POTC she got to ride the spitting camels three times in a row.
Your kids will pick up on Mom’s plan, I bet, and trust your direction. I’d even show them the TP.
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Here is my first day MK plan: Personalized Touring Plans
We get off the ME at 11 or so. We will eat before getting to MK.
Traveling with DS9, DS7 and DW has been having ankle trouble, so I tried to minimize total walking.
We will be back to the MK later in the week, so I’m not trying to get everything in one day.
Anyone know when the MK train will be resuming? I’d take that over to Frontier land if it is working
Hope my DH “trusts my direction” 
In all seriousness, @allison218, you are willing to be flexible and have noted things you can ditch if need be, so I think that’s good
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When we got home from our last trip in 2016 I overheard my then almost 16-year-old son tell friends of the family that he thought if mom had been given enough time she could taken over the world.
My family still speaks very highly of the touring plans and massive accomplishments of that trip.
I have told my 15yo daughter multiple times that she has to set her expectations lower for the upcoming trip.
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