Alright liners - looking forward to seeing different strategies. The nuts and bolts of the situation are this:
Four adult women (40ish) doing two days at Disney. One is a local (me). Two have been before but never without their kids. One hasn’t been since she was 9.
We are doing MK and EP primarily. However, given that’s it’s party season (ETA Halloween party season) we’re doing PH tickets.
General plan is to do MK on a Friday when it is only open until 6pm (so hopefully low crowds all day), then park hop to Epcot. Then, on Saturday, spend the day at Epcot (hopefully low crowds since MK isn’t closing early that day - everyone will be there), and park hop to MK to watch fireworks.
What would you do at Epcot on the evening of the MK day? OR (wild card) would you park hop to a different park instead?
Would you save anything at MK for the second night? I’m inclined to say no, because it’ll be wildly busy with a full day of opening hours for everyone, and we will want to watch the night parade and fireworks.
If it affects any strategies, we will make use of lightning lanes - both the multi pass and single passes. We’ll also have a car - so can use either Disney trans or our own trans to get from place to place.
My favorite time to go to MK is the morning on party day!
I would not hop to EP on a Friday evening of a party day unless it’s just for a Geo-82 reservation. Everyone will be doing that! I’d hop to HS instead and then hit EP the following morning. Also as a local I will not go to EP on a Friday or Saturday night
Ha - I hear you - I was kind of contemplating doing HS and maybe grabbing some drinks at one of the lounges and then watching F!. Depending on lines, maybe grab a ride or two.
HEA isn’t until 9:30 on the night we would hop back to Epcot. I think that’s plenty of time to do Epcot during the day (major rides and then food and wine) before hopping back for fireworks.
oh of course - my mind was on party hours and I was going to be very jealous if College Program was getting an Epcot night to themselves (not that that haven’t earned it)!
EP will be in the middle of Food & Wine, so World Showcase gets extra busy on weekends with local people getting food and drinks at all the F&W kiosks.
I agree that a hop to HS may be the way to go to avoid the crowds at Epcot. I love both the fireworks at EP and F! at HS. I guess where might you want to eat dinner and grab a ride or show to fill the time? For a first timer, F! may be more fun, and no sitting on the ground. It also affords her the opportunity to step into HS.
I think I’m leaning toward this - especially for the first timer - and I didn’t even think about it being more comfortable seating for the show for the first night. If it was kind, I think it would be a lot, but with adults, I think a few hours dipping into HS could be more exciting than walking into EP for the first time at like 6pm.
totally fair - as one of the locals sometimes causing that issue (blame my employer - I need to get off like 30 minutes earlier for an easy commute lol) - that could be not the friendliest first epcot experience, just dropping into Friday night food and wine.
If you do MK on Saturday night, I would consider buying LLSP for Tron. I think Tron is way more fun at night. I can’t speak to whether any of the rides would be worth it. We’re looking at an October trip and the crowd level jump from party days to non-party looks pretty significant.
It’s absurd if you’ve never seen it in person. I’m actually covering the park hopper upgrade for everyone since I don’t have to pay the same flight and ticket expenses - that’s how much I hate MK on non-party days during party season. I’m usually a huge advocate for not park-hopping when down here for a vacation, but if you haven’t considered park-hopping to make the most of the low crowd during the day on a party day while also avoiding the wild crowds during the two days of the week that MK is open all day, it’s worth it during party season.
For us, missing HEA will be a non-negotiable. It certainly won’t be the most relaxing version with the party season schedule and everyone hopping over there to watch fireworks, but we’ll definitely be at MK on our second night since watching it on the first night isn’t an option. With a first timer, gotta see fireworks over the castle. We also have one of the moms who missed it last time because of a kid meltdown.
Last September, I hopped to MK to meet a Liner just in time to watch the earlier Starlight from Main Street. As adults, it’s a lot easier to pick your way through the crowd. Very doable, if you’re not bothered by crowds.
Huh
Haven’t ever thought about this but then I’m apparently castle impervious.
However I’m a pyromaniac from way back. So it’s all about the fireworks. My absolute favorite spot - which rarely happens - is between the Carrousel and Pinocchiohaus.
I love it back there!! It’s also the only way I get DH to voluntarily head down to watch HEA. He doesn’t have to stand in the crowd and, if planned carefully, we can hop on PPF with little to no wait. His fave ride (but he is very line intolerant, so we rarely ride it).
