The Epic Novel of my Schedule Conundrum

Walt Disney World
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This might be long (or a novel) while I hash out my options and the possible consequences of those options. Sorry in advance, thanks for reading and offering any advice!

The premises: I am trying to rectify our schedule with one single event that my whole family wants to do. We fell in love with the idea of the Ferrytale Dessert Cruise when I had made the mistake of believing it ran on Saturdays (our arrival day) I thought it would be a GREAT start to our Disney vacation. I got the whole family hyped up for it, important because they need to be motivated to make it to Orlando on time for it (we are driving from Cleveland)Went to book it ,and surprise! It’s on Sundays and Fridays… whoops. Sunday we are locked into MK because I bought (and am excited about) tickets to EMM. And while fireworks viewing on the lagoon with a plate full of goodies sounds magical, it just can’t beat viewing the fireworks and projections IN the park. Friday is our Hollywood Studios day, because we have a one night reservation on property (long story, I need some personal space from my in-laws, so booked a room LOL!) giving us 60 days for AK fastpasses and 60+1 for HS. The rest of our stay is off property.

The choices: Go to MK on Sunday and leave early to get on the ferry for the fireworks cruise. This will be a long day, arriving for EMM and going until after the fireworks, but we are troopers. Then on Monday we take our already scheduled “break day.” For which we have a late breakfast at Chef Mickey’s and are planning on a pool day or disney springs or whatever. DS11 and DH will probably go to NBA Experience sometime during this day. Then go back to MK at 7 for After Hours, see the fireworks in the park, and enjoy some extra park time we wouldn’t have had before. I don’t know that DD6 will make it til midnight. Tuesday we are going to Universal Studios for the sole purpose of Harry Potter (and honestly ONLY Harry Potter, and of course my personal goal of riding the ET ride I never got to ride as a kid LOL) I do worry about being tired for that.

The problem here is that I’m worried that is too much extra time devoted to MK. We’re already doing EMM. On a trip where we only have 4 Disney park days, spending ALL our extra money on extra time for MK alone doesn’t seem right. If anything, we need extra time at HS, but they aren’t doing After Hours events anymore. The only reason we’d buy the MK After Hours tickets would be to make up for time lost leaving the park the night before to do the dessert party. Thinking that way, that makes this one expensive dessert party. BUT, it is more time in the parks, and I don’t think any of my family would be sad about more rides on Space Mountain…

Choice B: Move Harry Potter day to Monday and rest day to Tuesday, this will free Tuesday evening for AK after hours. Then swap AK and HS. This would make it so we only have 60 days to get HS fastpasses, the only one I’m concerned about is SDD.We would also have to swap our ADR’s for Chef Mickey’s, and Sci-Fi to the new correct days. Risky. It would also screw up my rest/sleep-in after later nights plan. BUT, it would allow us to have more time in AK, and I don’t mind leaving AK early to see a better evening spectacular. We were already interested in AK after hours but weren’t willing to move our schedule/ADRs for it, however if it means we can do both then maybe this is the better option.

Choice C: Schedule it for Friday, don’t move any park plans around, and just leave HS by 6:30. If we can’t get FPPs until later in the evening or if we can’t get in an early BG for rise, this might be a problem that we’d have to accept. We do not care to see fantasmic, so we’re fine going to see something else, I’m just worried we won’t be done with the park before 6:30. The next morning we are going to Ohana for breakfast before making the long drive back North.

Choice D: Forget about the Ferrytale Cruise and just say “You can’t always get what you want!” It’s just frustrating because it seems like such a small thing that we should be able to fit in, but the nights it runs just aren’t working out. We aren’t really interested in any of the other dessert parties, and this seemed like a nice way to make our trip, which is a celebration for a family milestone, extra special. What would any of you do!?!?

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This one is easy for me, forget the cruise. The timing messes up everything else you have planned. I know you said you weren’t interested in a dessert party, but the view of the fireworks is so much better inside MK than what you can see far away from the cruise. HEA is meant to be seen from the hub of MK, it is much more about the projections than the fireworks. I would book a dessert party on whatever night you are already in MK. The view is best from the Garden one, but if seats are important book the one at the Terrace. There will be alcohol, and plenty of desserts which will essentially be the same ones as the cruise. Plus you get a much better view. Your other plans disrupt too much, for honestly what is a lesser experience. It’s cheaper than the dessert parties, probably because the view is so far away.

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You agree with my husband :laughing:

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I’ll admit I didn’t read all the details, but…yes, if one event isn’t working out jettison that one event. Sooooooo much to do at WDW, no need to fret over one thing.

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I had similar dilemma, but with wanting to eat at Biergarten. And to do so I’d need to change around a whole day and move a lot. DH said let’s not if it’s messing with all the plans. And I agree so we are back to eating around the world, which I think will be more fun.

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My vote is also for dump the cruise. There is so much other stuff to do and youR family will have a great time either way, so no need to rearrange everything else. Just add it to the list for next time.

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Drop the cruise.

On a second note I too am from Cleveland and driving to Disney.

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You messed up. It happens. Personally, I’d say drop it and tell the family, “Sorry, I didn’t realize we can’t do it that day.”

If the only reason you are thinking about moving all your plans around is because you fell in love with an arrival-day idea, might I suggest, instead, coming up with a different arrival-day idea. :wink:

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Thanks all. I think you told me what I needed to hear. I guess I just thought, liners are good with schedules maybe they can help me salvage this. We don’t go until mid-May so it feels like we still have time to replan, but honestly you all are right, swapping entire park days that already have plans and reservations is just too much of a headache.

We decided to do the Pirate Pals party on our arrival day, which isn’t as fancy and is more geared toward little kids but runs every single night and does include a boat ride (not a ferry, though) onto the lagoon during the fireworks. My son was a big peter pan fan when he was little so I think this will be fun for him. There was disappointment today at our family Disney planning meeting, but I think they will live :laughing:

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People say I’m crazy, but I love the drive down! With so many of us, it is cheaper and less of a headache for packing. My family always drove when I was growing up and I have a lot of great memories on the road