Park Hours in March & Strategies for 4 parks with kids!

[HyattVacationClub]

Hello everyone!

I have two separate questions...

1. We are off to WDW from March 6-13 and I want to make priority seatings at the California Grill (CG) and Biergarten for me, DW, and our two children (7 and 4 1/2). The only problem is I don't know how late the parks are open! The WDW website only gives info. through February. Argh!!!

So-o-o-o-o-o-o......does anyone have an informed opinion, based on last March or other informed sources, as to when fireworks MIGHT start in MK from March 9-12? We'd like to go to CG the evening BEFORE going to MK and would like to catch the fireworks from CG. What time do you think Illuminations in Epcot start on March 8?

2. I'd be curious on my tentative strategy for visiting all 4 parks given the time of year, crowds, and that we have only been to WDW one time before. We went before T'giving last year to the Magic Kingdom and were there on a Friday (great, few crowds) and Saturday (very crowded).

We have a 4-day park hopper pass, though we might purchase another day. We're staying at OKW and we will have a car.

So, what do you think?? Strategy A, B, or another???

Strategy A

Sunday - Animal Kingdom
Monday - Epcot
Tuesday - MGM
Wednesday - REST!
Thursday - Magic Kingdom
Friday - Magic Kingdom (again?)

Strategy B
Sunday - Animal Kingdom (in AM) & Epcot (in PM)
Monday - MGM
Tuesday - Magic Kingdom
Weds. - REST!
Thursday - Magic Kingdom
Friday - Magic Kingdom (again?)

All books say to get to the other parks before going to MK or the kids will not want to do anything else.

Again, many thanks in advance!!!

 

[topcat011]

In the times that I have been to Disney I never went without my guide from the Unofficial Guide to Disney World. Considering that we always went the last week in August I can honestly say the most we ever spent in a line was 5 minutes and that was to ride something silly like Winnie the Poohs greatest adventure.

It was funny watching people stand in the middle of the streets looking at a map asking eachother well what do you want to do next..

The book is very helpful and there are guides in the back that I copy out and pastes on a huge index card and laminate it.

From reading these boards I think Wednesday would be the least crowded day in any of the parks.

 

[HyattVacationClub]

Thanks for your reply, but I forgot to mention that I DO have the Unofficial Guide to WDW as well as the Guide to WDW w/kids.

Unfortunately, while general information in these books are good, the information can become dated quickly (e.g. the wrong P.S. phone in the Unofficial Guide which almost cost me getting into Cindy's for breakfast last year).

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Steve,
I can't really comment on the park hours, but I do feel your pain. We will be there 3/8-3/13 and I can't wait to see the hours either. However I figure it will be sometime after the first of the year before they are posted.

Man, you have to be one cool customer to save MK for last. Our family (me, DW, DD6, and DS4) will be making our 4th trip. We pretty much would do MK every day if we didn't think we'd be missing out on other cool stuff . FOR US, it just doesn't seem like we're at WDW until we stroll down Main Street USA. Our kids do fine with whatever park we're in. Ocassionally they'll need a "character fix" and you can always find one around somewhere. We will be spending 4 and 1/2 days in the parks, and will probably do something like this:

Monday -arrive and enjoy POR
Tuesday -MK
Wednesday -AK/ MGM
Thursday -MK morning/ Epcot night (me and DW only; kids will be at one of the kids' clubs on property)
Friday -MK
Saturday -Epcot (half day before we hit the road for home)

I may change this depending on parade/ fireworks/ EMH schedule. Good luck to you in your planning.

David

 

[mmeb144]

We do a half day in each park to start the trip off. That way, if MK is a really big hit, you can plan a whole day later. Actually, we hit MK several times. My DS is 11 and my DD is 9. We all love MK the best!

We do take a break in the afternoon for a swim and/or nap. The adults need the nap, the kids are fine!

Marie

 

[disneymom3]

Good bet that Illuminations will be at 9:00. I know one of our trips it was at 9:30 but that was either in May or the first week of June, don't remember. Generally, FW in EPCOT closes at 7 and World Show. stays open until 9.

Fireworks are anyone's guess. As I just explained to my in laws, those videos make it seem like they happen every night, but I know lots of folks have complained on here about them not happening at all during their stays. So that one is up in the air.

As far as MK, my husband has finally caught on to my lifestyle. I have said on trips past, "Oh lets just ride the monorail over and just see it." Yeah, right, we always get off. We are going with the whole in law gang in Mar(7-14) and they were talking about oh how they would probably just be at the resort the first day. DH says, "Well, we will be in MK that day. You can count on it." He knows there is no way he is keeping me and the kids at the Poly with MK just a short ride away!! So, we have always gone there the first day. Our fist trip, I believed the guidebooks and held it off until like the third day. No need. Our kids love AK and EPCOT too.

Our plan is to do the early entry park and then switch when it gets crowded to wherever we want to go next. Might as well take advantage of that perk.

 

[lentesta]

Hi HyattVacationClub,

Thanks for reading the Unofficial Guide. Sorry about the phone options for Priority Seating changing. We've got a website (see my sig below) that covers corrections and updates to the Unofficial Guide on-line, and we try to keep up with those corrections. Let me know if there's anything we've missed!

Thanks again for reading the Guide!

Len

 

[topcat011]

Do you think the parks will be opened later in March compared to February?

 

[HaleyB]

I feel your pain as well. I am a planner and without hours it is hard to know when to get he PS. Right now my plan is to try for late lunch PS most of the time, as 2-4 seems to be the time we need a break anyway.
I am a big fan of the Unofficial guide. We use it everytime and it has always worked for us. We always do the 2 day plans for the parks that have them. We alter the plans some because we get to go to Disney Land quite often, so we skip some of the rides we can go on there.
I only wish the plans had more of a time estimate for each step so that if we are ahead of the game we know it and if we are behind for some reason we can decide if we should skip something. But there is the custom touring plans option (via their website), and I plan to try that at least for one park (MK) to see if it is worth while.

 

[vfb2girls]

We too will be at WDW March 9th-16th. After reading how everyone maps out and plans for their days events what I am wondering does anyone just go with the flow? It is only myself and husband going and neither one of us are much on planning everything. We are kind of fly by the seat of your pants type of people. But now I am worried that maybe we need to do some planning. I have started to make a few ps and that is about all I was going to do..so if anyone has any suggestions I am all ears. Thanks

 

[sue1013]

vfb,
You are not alone we also just go with the flow. To me that is part of vacaton, everyday is so planned I need a break from that. The only planning I do is PS for a restaurant where we definately want to eat. And that is not every trip. But we do go often enough that if we don't get to do something this time we'll do it next time. I think too much planning would make me crazy (more than normal).

 

[HyattVacationClub]

Thanks to everyone who posted here!

Just a few comments/observations:

1). I don't think it's too much for WDW to post hours for park closings if they allow priority seatings for restaurants 120 days in advance. There's no other way to describe this other than to say it's absurd NOT to do this. Post the park hours OR make priority seatings for everything just 90 days in advance.

With that said, I managed to get a 7:10 pm priority seating at California Grill in early March. So, if the park closes at 7pm, 8pm, or 9om, our bases are covered for watching the fireworks (though at 9PM I suspect my DD and DS might be getting a tad antsy).

2) vfb & sue: Plan or don't plan, but early March is high season. All I'm doing is making those PS that I am interested in and trying to figure out which park to go to on which day so that we don't hit the REALLY HEAVY crowds. We do plan a bit more (such as what rides the kids want to go on) but still allow enough flexibity throughout the day to allow our kids choices and to "go with the flow."

3) Zippa: You got me thinking! Perhaps after a shortened day at Animal Kingdom on Sunday (I hear others talk about 4-6 hours at that park maximum), we might just zip over to the MK in mid-afternoon and evening to set the tone for the whole week. GREAT SUGGESTION...since my kids already KNOW what MK is all about anyway.
We shall see...we'll have to go with the flow when we get there!

4). Len: Thank for posting the URL for updates to "The Unofficial Guide..." and keep up the great work!!! I just purchased the 2004 edition even though I had the 2002 edition...looks like there's enough new stuff in it to be worth the $$ I paid for it.

For you planners and "go with the flow" folks out there that will be at WDW in early March, let's hope for great weather and have a great time!!!