Help choosing parks

Walt Disney World
1

Hello,
I have a Disneyworld trip coming up in July and have the “good” problem of needing to choose one park to visit twice. We will be there 6 full days, one day will be a pool/ Disney Springs day. We want to do AK for sure, but just once. And no water parks, so that leaves the other 3.

Originally I figured we would just do all 4 parks and whatever we liked the best we would just visit that park the last day of our trip. But my 60 day dining rez window is coming soon, and I’d like to have as much planned out as I can by then. Also with the new park rez system, if I wait until the last minute there may not be any availability.

It is me, wife and 2 boys ages 6 and 9. And this will be one of those ‘once in a lifetime, or at least a really long time before we ever go again’ trips. The boys said they want HS mostly b/c of Toy Story Land. We won’t be doing too many fast/ thrill rides, and are not Star Wars fans… AT ALL… I know I know. So I figure we can easily do TSL and most of the other rides and shows in one day at HS.

With MK, that seems to be the park that has the most rides and shows etc. , and would be difficult to do most things there in one day, on the other hand they have the longest hours, and we are coming from LA, so I figure whatever we miss, we still have Disneyland here that we will visit I’m sure a bunch of times over the years. I know the parks aren’t exactly the same, but if I miss some big things like Pirates or Haunted Mansion at least we have that at DL.

Epcot is where I’d like to go I think twice. They are not open as many hours as MK so we’ll have less time to explore. I’m a foodie so will get to try more foods if we go twice, plus between the two worlds there, it seems like two days would be warranted there. But I hear that is probably the park my kids will like the least of the 3.

So I guess it comes down to is it better to try and do “everything” or better to do what we liked twice, trying to make the kids happy, though I think just being at DW for a week they’re gonna be happy either. way.
Thanks for any advice for those with experience with this stuff:)

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I can help with this :wink:

For a family with kids your kids’ ages I would recommend MK twice. I know you have DL and you say you’ll visit a bunch of times over the years, but your kids will only be this age now, and IMO they are at the magical age when it will be most… well… magical for them (and by extension, for you). You could plan to do one day with rope drop, and do the other with a sleep-in, pool time, and late arrival extending to nighttime, when it’s especially special in MK.

HS doesn’t offer your family a lot outside of TSL.

EP is a disaster of construction right now in Future World and not fantastic.

And everyone around here knows my fave is AK but you’ve clearly plunked down one day only on that so I won’t try to convince you otherwise.

Welcome to the board!

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Thank you! That was really helpful!

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If you make your repeat park day your last day, you might be able to switch it as well, after you see how things go. Epcot generally seems to have more last minute availability than the others.

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Do you have park hoppers? If so, you could add a 2nd day at MK and then evening at Epcot to snack around the world.

What resort are you staying at? That’s obviously easier if you are closer with transportation.

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My inclination would be to do DHS with a park hopper to Epcot for your last day. Another chance at RotR (Stars Wars fan or not it’s a great ride) in case you don’t get it the first day and morning time with TSL and Mickey and Minnie and then an evening in Epcot for the parents with food and a more relaxing pace. I as a huge Disney fan, least like MK at WDW because DL is superior in every way comparing it directly to MK. The only ride at MK you don’t have is 7DMT and PeopleMover (and I am not a big fan of Country Bears but I suppose that too) and I think another shot at RotR, MMRR and TSL is better personally though you will have MMRR soon and do have SWGE in DL too.

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That’s true, probably won’t be an issue with the Rez, I hear HS is the one that books up the most probably bc Star Wars Land.

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We’ll be at POP but no- no park hoppers.

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I would also recommend MK twice. Epcot can easily be done in a day as long as it’s not a weekend, IMO. We’ve been to WDW twice with kids ages 4, 6, and 8 and then 6, 8, and 10, and MK is by far the favorite because there is the most to do for kids those ages. Epcot has some good rides but World Showcase is big and tiring for little legs with no rides back there and is a little disappointing for most kids, I think.

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Hello! Have you done a post about why/what is your favorite about AK? I would love to make sure my list of “to-do’s” aligns with yours:). We will be going in December~

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Not specifically, but I could.

Give me a bit.

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Look at the tree. Go to Nomad lounge. I think that about covers it for her. :joy:

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Good to know, Thanks. I was thinking Epcot more for myself, but it’s looking like MK IF I want to make it more ab my kids. - Which I do!

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You forgot about the Safari but otherwise more or less on the money

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I would look at each park and make your best guess on the attractions that are going to appeal the most to you, and what you want your “repeat” day to be like… Is it going to be a rope-drop morning and a mad dash to get one last shot at a coaster (it didn’t sound like it would be) or are you looking for a place to meander and enjoy the day…

Our first trip in 2013, when my kids were younger (ages 5, 5, and 4) we opted for a second day at MK, because my kids were really into pirates and princesses at the time, and that allowed us to spend time doing more character meets, etc.

Our more recent trip in 2019 (kids ages 13, 13, 12, and 5) we opted for two days in HS, because we wanted more of those rides – and because I wanted time to wander around Galaxy’s Edge. (We also had park hoppers so that let us hit all the parks more than once).

That said, I think AK really is a great park to wander around in, and assuming the street performers come back in time for your visit, even more so. And depending on your kids’ heights, you may find that FoP is a big draw.

I haven’t been to Epcot but understand the construction, but I would think the appeal of World Showcase is pretty high, and for what it’s worth, I think Soarin’ is a fantastic ride the whole family will enjoy, even if you’re not necessarily thrill-seekers.

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One of my issues with AK is the hours 8-6. Although realistically that probably is ideal so we don’t tire ourselves out. I am a planner and have this grand idea of wake up early beat the crowds, stay late, wake up early and repeat for a week but with 2 kids that likely wont happen, but I would like to maximize our time there as much as possible doing as many rides - nice meals- etc without getting too burnt out.

At Disneyland sometimes we do just sit on a park bench and eat ice cream and listen to the band and people watch, but since we go every now and then I like that, but with this trip I want it to be more jam packed and do as much as we can since we’re only going once.

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My vote is for MK. Just a classic and has the most to do especially for kids. Epcot is personally my favorite, love the food, architecture, etc. but it is sooooo hot there in the summer for walking around world showcase.

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I’d caution that full days straight in parks is exhausting. I don’t know that I’d recommend planning on that for every day - you might be able to get away with it for one or two of your days, but even then I’d plan a looong ADR lunch to give yourselves a rest. Florida heat is no joke.

That said, I’ve not been to DL so have no comparison but I’m in the second day at MK camp. It’s got the most to offer I think. With my kids (5 and 2), we’ve done two trips this past year. The first was three days and we did MK, AK, MK (because too little for thrill rides). We just got back from a week long trip and we did AK, MK, EC, pool day, HS, MK.