I am planning our first trip to WDW and my brain is entering a state of overload. Every time I feel like I have a decent plan, I learn something new and am having to reconstruct my work. So the most recent is a realization that on our HS day instead of leaving HS to go to BB, maybe we should start in BB and then go to HS. The day in question if Friday Oct 6. Crowd level unknown for BB and a 6 for HS. So if we go to HS RD then we can hit RnR first and then use our FP for TSM, Star Tours, and TT. We also have ADR for MM/Fantasmic at 11:40. So we would leave HS after lunch, uber to BB (closes at 5 but maybe open later?), then back to HS for Fantasmic 8pm show followed by ADR for SFC at 8:40. BUT if I changed it all around then we could go to BB at 9:30 (opens at 10), go back to CBR to change or go straight to HS for MM at 1:45 followed by our FP (looks like I can change them all to later times) but likely will not get on RnR without long wait? Other considerations are that we will be at MNSSHP the night prior so extra time in the morning would be nice. Also we plan to go back to HS on our last afternoon eat at 50PT, catch any shows we missed first time around and go to Star Wars galactic spectacular dessert party. Would we maybe be able to get a late fast pass to RNR? I am truly appreciating all of the help out there I have been getting with my many questions!
I would be tempted to start at BB. That way you only have one switch to make, and a more leisurely start. You can shower and change at BB, then put your wet stuff into a locker at DHS. Just remember to collect it either before Fantasmic or after (the crowds exiting F! are often sent directly out of the park, so you would need to head back against the flow, and be aware of closing time).
Definitely use your second day at DHS to get FPs for anything you didn’t get to do. Unless that is a 2 park day? In which case you could still try for a late RnR fp. Or watch to see whether RnR or TSMM is easier to get later on. What time are Star Wars and F! on at on your second day, and when is park close? You could try for TSMM immediately after the fireworks, whilst others are milling about - it could just work!
I’m not a huge water park fan, but here are a few thoughts:
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Like all parks, waterparks are least crowded at RD. You will probably get to do more slides in a few hours first thing in the AM than if you arrive mid-day.
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Every time you park hop, assume that you are going to “lose” an hour of fun time - especially if you include a stop back at the resort in the middle.
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Water park days can always get “rained out”, although this is less likely in Oct than at some other times of the year.
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Although being in the water will help keep you cool, water parks can be pretty tiring with all of the walking around, climbing stairs, etc. Don’t assume that you will be as “refreshed” as you would be after a few hours at the resort pool.
Personally, I would not plan a water park on the same day as a main park, unless the main park was EP and I was just going to spend a leisurely evening strolling around WS. Or maybe AK. There is no way I would start at DHS, hop to BB, and hop back to DHS (but I’m not young anymore and I know my limits). Given your two options, I would do BB at RD, shower there, and then head straight to DHS for the rest of the day. And if the day is not conducive to a water park, then go straight to DHS for RD and stay there.
MNSSHP is a real consideration as well. I don’t know the makeup of your group, but getting to bed around midnight (exhausted) and then getting up by 7:00 (earlier if breakfast is in your plans) in order to make an 8:00 AM bus for a 9:00 AM RD - and then having a 12 hour touring day without a break may be asking for trouble. Going to BB first would give you at least an extra hour of sleep time…
Thank you so much! I did not know about the showers BB. I have switched our plans to start at BB and then hop to HS.
I know it does seem crazy to try to fit in a water park but we had bought the pass thinking we would go to TL for shark reef only to discover later that it is now closed. Out of the parks, HS was the best choice to take time away from because so many of the rides are closed. AK is a full day with Pandora/ROL. Epcot is going to be a 3/4 day with us going back to hang out poolside at CBR. But I felt like we were going to be cutting Epcot too short (wanted to see WS and some rides) to leave earlier for a water park. My boys are tweens and I think they will really enjoy BB (we are big skiers in New England so the theme fits!) and be able to keep the pace. My DD is only 6 but will have Grandma to hang back at the resort with if tired. In any case, I switched the plans for BB in the am and then hop over to HS. Wish us luck(or pixie dust!)
OMG, now I’m panicking, because I it was TL I went to. The one with the Wave pool (and the friction burn to prove it).
But I’m sure there are showers at both. Nothing particularly spectacular, but enough to shower and change.
Sorry.
We went to TL and BB on a Monday in April. It was nice to sleep in a bit, we were one of the first to arrive to TL at 9:30am for a 10:00 open. We had a rental car which made it really easy. Rode everything and had lunch there, then headed to BB around 12:30-1:00. We really only wanted to ride Summit Plummet, and that worked out well. Headed back to resort (CBR at that point) for a break and showers, then went to MK for dinner and rides. We had no problem going to a water park for half the day, and then MK for the evening, we stayed until close which was 11pm. We did sleep in the next day as we were changing hotels. I would definitely go to the waterparks first, and then HS later in the day. There are so few rides at HS anymore, and you can FPP 3 of them.
My kids asked for years to go to a water park at Disney, and we never made time for some reason (we have a good outdoor water park at our local theme park), so this was our first time going. My son who is 13 loved it so much. My favorite part of the whole day was that both my kids left their phones at the hotel, and they had such a great time using their imaginations and never once felt the need to stare at their devices like they often do as teens. It was wonderful! Enjoy your waterpark day!
No worries! I had checked and they do have showers!
Thanks for the feedback! Although I may enjoy spending the time somewhere else, I know the boys will love the water park!
FWIW rainy days at a water park can be awesome. We went to BB in 9/2015. It was drizzly in the morning & overcast through early afternoon. I swear we had the entire park to ourselves until mid afternoon. There were only a few other families, enough for our boys to be able to find other kids to play with, but lines for slides etc were nonexistent. It was still hot and humid as is typical in September but the drizzle didn’t bother us because we were all wet anyhow!