Strategy Question - 1 Day for F&G with Hopper

[Stlhawkeye]

What’s the move experts? Coming down for basically one day this month with the priority being F&G, but would like to hit MK as well. 3/31-4/1 so after most spring breaks or tail end.
Getting in late and staying at the Dolphin, then flight out the next day at 7:20 PM.

Current plan is to hit Epcot first, then if we feel all has been conquered, hop to MK, then Lyft to the airport from the Contemporary.

Original plan was for MK first and then hop to Epcot because technically we would get more food both time in that scenario since they open at 11 even though we couldn’t tap in till 2:00.

It’s tough, we’ve gone back and forth. Currently leaning Epcot then MK if we conquer what we want to. Or just skip MK.

For background we are just happy to be there. If we walk main street and do the TTA or just sit on a bench that makes us happy. No need to do every ride. Priority is F&G.

Long story short, what would you do and why?

 

[glocon]

If your flight is at 720, what time will you leave the parks to get to the airport?
You can’t hop til 2 so not sure how much time you will have at second park. Definitely take that into consideration.

 

[vetrik]

I think if the priority is Epcot and the festival, you should start there and make sure you get your must dos in! Then if you feel you have time hop over to MK. With not being able to enter the second park until 2:00 pm, and a flight at 7:20 pm, I don't think you'll have enough time at Epcot if you do it second. Time flies by so quickly there! I can understand really wanting to get to MK, I'd be the same way especially if I haven't been in a while, or wasn't going back again soon, but you do already have a short day and park hopping takes time for transportation and getting in and out of the parks (especially MK).

We're doing something similar in May, but we're flying in late on a Saturday night and home super early on a Monday morning so our 1 day is a full day. The priority is Epcot, but since we have the full day we are starting at MK or HS to take advantage of earlier hours and hopping to Epcot to stay until closing. Even with that I'm second guessing if we'll get enough time at the park that is the main point of the visit (we will be back at MK in August, but not going to Epcot that trip). Everything would be different if they got rid of the 2:00 pm park hopping restriction!

 

[Stlhawkeye]

I think if the priority is Epcot and the festival, you should start there and make sure you get your must dos in! Then if you feel you have time hop over to MK. With not being able to enter the second park until 2:00 pm, and a flight at 7:20 pm, I don't think you'll have enough time at Epcot if you do it second. Time flies by so quickly there! I can understand really wanting to get to MK, I'd be the same way especially if I haven't been in a while, or wasn't going back again soon, but you do already have a short day and park hopping takes time for transportation and getting in and out of the parks (especially MK).

We're doing something similar in May, but we're flying in late on a Saturday night and home super early on a Monday morning so our 1 day is a full day. The priority is Epcot, but since we have the full day we are starting at MK or HS to take advantage of earlier hours and hopping to Epcot to stay until closing. Even with that I'm second guessing if we'll get enough time at the park that is the main point of the visit (we will be back at MK in August, but not going to Epcot that trip). Everything would be different if they got rid of the 2:00 pm park hopping restriction!

Absolutely! Also if Southwest hadn’t changed our arrival (later now) and departure (earlier now) times, that would have been better. Really disheartening to have planned a trip where you suddenly lose multiple hours based on flight changes.

 

[RoseGold]

If your flight is 7:20, I don't think you have time for two parks. MCO is a hot mess, and it's not an airport I cut close. 30 min ride, plus 20-30 minute to get somewhere they can pick you up, plus an hour for MCO mess puts you leaving at 5ish.

You're going to have a problem with bags if you hop over to MK. Unless you just have backpacks, you can't really get them into the park. IMO, you need to pick a park and rope drop and do what you can in a few hours.

If you have backpacks, I would take your time at Epcot and get picked up on the other side of Epcot instead of the hotel. Getting back to the hotel, or Intl gateway, will really cost you a lot of time. The other choice would be to Lyft to the main Epcot entrance and leave the bags there. It's a pain, when the back is so convenient, but it's better than going all the way back and waiting for a boat to get you back to Swolphin. I guess you could monorail over to MK mid afternoon from Epcot, but you need to allocate an hour for transportation.

 

[Stlhawkeye]

If your flight is 7:20, I don't think you have time for two parks. MCO is a hot mess, and it's not an airport I cut close. 30 min ride, plus 20-30 minute to get somewhere they can pick you up, plus an hour for MCO mess puts you leaving at 5ish.

You're going to have a problem with bags if you hop over to MK. Unless you just have backpacks, you can't really get them into the park. IMO, you need to pick a park and rope drop and do what you can in a few hours.

If you have backpacks, I would take your time at Epcot and get picked up on the other side of Epcot instead of the hotel. Getting back to the hotel, or Intl gateway, will really cost you a lot of time. The other choice would be to Lyft to the main Epcot entrance and leave the bags there. It's a pain, when the back is so convenient, but it's better than going all the way back and waiting for a boat to get you back to Swolphin. I guess you could monorail over to MK mid afternoon from Epcot, but you need to allocate an hour for transportation.

Backpacks are the plan right now and traveling super light. You may be right, it’s possible we just skip MK altogether. I think we will RD Epcot, hit rides and take pics of topiaries and such until 11. Then food time for a couple hours. At that point we will decide if we want to hop to MK for a brief jaunt or just relax at Epcot.

MCO has us worried, but I’m hoping pre-check will move faster. I’m going to be monitoring MCO wait times every day,

 

[T.G.I.Friday]

Epcot opens at 8:30 - 8:00 for early entry -, so you will have more time there, but I wouldn’t underestimate crowds. We will be there that week, and while I think it will be less crowded than this week, I’m not expecting it to be light. So trying to do much in MK between 2-5 would be tough, in my opinion. Maybe buy ILL and stack Genie if you have must dos.

Sorry - I got confused and saw you mention 11 - I mistakenly thought you were thinking that was the park opening time and not the food booths.