Help Needed: Touring Plans Review for WDW First-Timers

Hi Everybody,

I am Mathias from Germany. Currently i’m planning my families first wdw trip in August.
We will visit Disney World as an highlight of our summer vacation to america.

The exact time will be Aug 22-25, 2017.
We will stay at in a standard room in Pop Century; i booked the Dining Plan
(hoping for Free Dining Promotion :slight_smile: )

Would you be so kind, to take a look at my current TouringPlans:

Aug 22
Disney Springs (Town Center)
Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf (Epcot Resorts Blvd.)
Cinderellas Happily Ever After Dinner (1900 Park Fare)
Firework with Dole Whip at Polynesien Resort (Beach) :slight_smile:

Aug 23 Hollywood Studios (Crowd Level 6)

Breakfast at Everything POP

FP
9:00 AM at The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
10:00 AM at Toy Story Midway Mania!
10:40 AM at Voyage of the Little Mermaid

  1. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

  2. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
    Uses your FastPass+ reservation

  3. The Great Movie Ride
    Character Meeting Mickey, Minni & co

  4. Toy Story Midway Mania!
    Uses your FastPass+ reservation.
    Character Meeting Woody & Buzz

  5. Voyage of the Little Mermaid
    Uses your FastPass+ reservation (?)

  6. Midday Break 12:00pm for 30 minutes
    ** Staying inside the park

  7. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!

  8. Muppet*Vision 3D

  9. Star Wars Launch Bay

  10. Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage

  11. Star Tours: The Adventures Continue

  12. Hollywood & Vine
    5:00pm for 120 minutes
    Dining with Minnie & VIP Seats Fantasmic! - Dining Package

  13. Fantasmic!

Aug 24 Magic Kingdom (Crowd Level 5)

My Wife hates backtracking, so i tried to keep it down…

FP
8:30 AM at Peter Pan’s Flight
9:00 AM at Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
9:30 AM at Space Mountain
10:00 AM at Enchanted Tales with Belle
5:30 PM at Splash Mountain

  1. Be Our Guest Restaurant
    8:00 am for 40 minutes

  2. Peter Pan’s Flight
    Uses your FastPass+ reservation.

  3. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

  4. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
    Uses your FastPass+ reservation.

  5. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

  6. Space Mountain
    Uses your FastPass+ reservation.

  7. Tomorrowland Speedway

  8. Enchanted Tales with Belle
    Uses your FastPass+ reservation.

  9. The Barnstormer

  10. Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid

  11. Dumbo the Flying Elephant

  12. Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade
    Showtime: 3:00pm

  13. The Crystal Palace
    6:00pm for 70 minutes

  14. Splash Mountain
    Uses your FastPass+ reservation.

  15. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

  16. Pirates of the Caribbean

  17. Jungle Cruise

  18. Happily Ever After
    Showtime: 9:00pm

Aug 25 Animal Kingdom (Crowd Level 4)

Not finalized yet, due to the new River of Lights Show & Pandora

  1. Tusker House Restaurant
    8:00am for 60 minutes

  2. Kilimanjaro Safaris

  3. Na’vi River Journey
    Uses your FastPass+ reservation. (?)

  4. AVATAR Flight of Passage
    Uses your FastPass+ reservation. (?)

  5. Festival of the Lion King

  6. Wilderness Explorers
    I like to combine getting badges and exploring te rest of the park simultaneously
    I think the challenges are evenly spread throughout the park, aren´t they?

  7. Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
    Uses your FastPass+ reservation. (?)

  8. Kali River Rapids

  9. Finding Nemo - The Musical

  10. DINOSAUR

  11. Rivers of Light

So, what do you think? Ideas, critics, recommendation ?
I´m looking forward to hear from you.

Best Regards, Mathias

1 Like

Your plans are looking good! On your Magic Kingdom day you have a plan that calls for a Peter Pan FP at 8:30? I do not think that will be possible in August. Do you have an 8:00am Be Our Guest? I think you could do 7DMT and Peter Pan without a FP if you do.

AK must be so challenging to plan these days! Make sure you set aside some time to walk the trails!

1 Like

I think it looks great. You have the highlights well planned. My only suggestion would be to make note of a few things that don’t have long lines, so you can add them if you find yourself waiting for the next planned thing. It helps cut down on the “what now?” discussions when everyone is tired. Even just a list of interesting snacks and street performers helps.

1 Like

@m.kammann - Be aware of the FPP rules. A FPP blocks out an hour, so the next one has to be at least an hour later. They cannot overlap. For instance, at MK, you can get 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00, then after you scan for the third one you can get a 4th one. After you scan the 4th, you can get a 5th, etc.

2 Likes

Wow, thanks for all the quick responses.

@PrincipalTinker
Our ADR window starts next thursday; so the reservations are those i´ll try to get.
Yes, BOG is planned for 08:00 AM

Of course i plan to walk all the trails in AK, but due to lower crowds and the combination with Wilderness Explorers the trails are not fixed within the plan.

@sally: be sure, i have all the alternatives and snacks well prepared (in my head) :slight_smile:

@mkmuzzy: thanks for the great hint, i didn´t know that a FPP blocks an hour

So, what are your recommendations for FPP.

1 Like

Aug 23 - Can you move Beauty & the Beast up where Tower of terror and Aerosmith is? That seems like backtracking if you keep it in the afternoon.

Aug 24 - You have a huge chunk of time between #12 & #13.
What does the timing say in your plan for #13thru #18. I can’t imagine you will get all of this done in time to watch the Fireworks from the hub -assuming that is your plan.
13) The Crystal Palace
6:00pm for 70 minutes
14) Splash Mountain
Uses your FastPass+ reservation.
15) Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
16) Pirates of the Caribbean
17) Jungle Cruise
18) Happily Ever After
Showtime: 9:00pm

Aug 25 - Good luck planning Animal Kingdom. Let us know how your plan works out!

1 Like

Aug 23
Thank you for the input with Beaty & the Beast. This is not a problem at all.

Aug 24
You are totally right - there is (a lot of) time between the parade and crystal palace.
In fact the touring plan computer warned me about the missing time after Dinner.

Actually the ADR for CP is currently planned for 04:30 PM, but my wife complained it would be to early…
The time gap was originally used for a nap at our hotel - but due to the fact, we only have one day in mk,
maybe we use it for attractions 14) to 17) where possible. maybe there is even a chance to get in-park FPP?
As a first-timer, i am really afraid of the afternoon crowds at headliner attractions

Aug 25
At least my plan is to have an pre-opening breakfast at Tusker House (with RoL Dining Package).
This would be the most felxible planning these days - but of course not availible yet for august. :slight_smile:

@all:
can you please sum up all FP+ reservations, you would recommend

BTW:
I love this community !!!

1 Like

It never hurts to check for additional fast passes :slight_smile:

What you choose for fast passes will depend on your individual party. Are you traveling with kids? What are their ages?

I would first let the touring plans software identify which are needed for that particular day based on expected crowd levels. Since you are many months out, I would also have the plan recalculate right before Fast Pass selection day, and then again a few weeks - 1 week in advance.

Oh - also - considering POP is about 20-25 min on the bus from MK, I wouldn’t go back to the hotel unless you absolutely HAD to. I definitely wouldn’t expect to go back for a nap if you only have 1 day in MK.

1 Like

Thanks again. Sounds good. I’m so excited, that i simply want to know it all. :slight_smile:

We are a party of four (37, 37, 14 & 4).

So next week i make my ADRs - finger crossed to get them all:

08/22
1900 Park Fare - 06:00 PM
08/23
Hollywood & Vine Fantasmic Package - 06:00PM
08/24
Be our Guest - 08:00AM
Crystal Palace - 05:00 PM
08/25
Tusker House - 08:00 AM
(Have to rebook after RoL Packages are availible)

FP will follow…

1 Like

You will probably be fine getting them all if you can book as soon as the ADR system opens up. It’s 6am Eastern Standard time. Be Our Guest might be tough, but take what you can get and just keep trying to modify the time.

I already tried to have some practice. it wasn’t a problem yet. I have a huge advantage, due to our time zone. It is noon here, when ADR opens.

1 Like

Hello. I just wanted to point out that the Fantasmic packages do not usually have hours after about 4:30-5pm, so 6pm is unlikely. I would plan on 5pm at the latest. I also noticed you are skipping Epcot, since it is one of my favorite parks (and my 15 year old’s favorite of all)…just curious why you are skipping it in favor of Disney Springs?

2 Likes

You are right, the plan is 05:00 PM in HV.

We are travelling from fort meyers to wdw 08/22.
So it is our arriving day.

To be honest, i’m from europe. Ecpot is the least interesting park for us.
Maybe i’m wrong, but for sure i know, how a “real“ beergarten looks like :slight_smile:
(same for french food - looking at you: BoG)

Epcot - Future World has some really awesome attractions. :slight_smile:

@Tate is from England. She can enlighten you from the perspective of a European.

1 Like

I bet you all are right. But my wifes original plan was, to go one single day to mk, buy a ticket there and then ask yourself “ what can we do here“ ?

The plan i posted is the result of the time, when i took the responsibility to plan our trip. :wink:

Not to forget - we start our america trip in new york 3,5 weeks before wdw

Okay, I figured you had a reason. Hate that you will miss Soarin, Test Track, and even Frozen Ever After though!

3 Likes

Me too - but time&budget…

2 Likes

Unless your group is splitting up, I don’t see how you can have 5 FPP (limit is 3 per person, then get additional in the park after you have completed your 3) AND you can’t have the time overlap. Each FPP window is one full hour so from 8:30 to 9:30.

1 Like

I never book fast passes until at least 10am. In our experience it isn’t necessary. Our son rode Barn Stormer literally like 6 or 7 times in a row before we moved on for the day. This was 4th of July week and the crowd levels were like 8-10 daily. Unless you’re trying for 7DMT, (not sure on Toy Story Mania) or FEA; the first hour is bliss in the parks. The first hours is worth rope dropping. I prefer to knock out something difficult then a bunch of not difficult ones during this hour. You know, whatever else is close by. It makes it wicked fun for the DS4, because he can go again and again with little to no wait.

2 Likes