What would you do? Help deciding to go or not to go.

[1DW4US]

OP. I wanted to write a big THANK YOU for all the responses. Yes, I was looking to be talked out of it since I am a huge planner and felt this was not enough time. Because of eye trouble and DH's health and other issues, I have had to quit my job as a Project Manager.

Anyway after reading all the comments here, I got the touring plans subscription and it seems there are only a couple of rides per park that are over 44" so DS can do all the rest. Which is a good thing and a little problematic if I want to plan this to the nth degree to fit the good ones.

I had some follow up questions. Wondering if I should start a new thread to get quick responses or post here... Spent many many hours on this already - now I feel more comfortable (sigh, the burden we planners put on ourselves - I only say that half sadly mainly due to my eyes but I approach planning with glee typically)

So here are my questions:
1) 2 days, MK, 2 days epcot, 1 day AK and 1 day HS sound good? I looked at the crowd calendar and determined which dates for each (22nd to 27th Jan - though 27th jan sat will likely be the 2nd epcot day as it's crazy busy apparently).

2) I am not concerned about ADRs anymore. I got Crystal Palace on Day 1 of MK at 11:45am but think I don't want to start our trip with time spent on a meal. Since character meals are not that big a deal for us I think, though would like to do 1 or 2 by the time we are done. Cost is not an issue. Thoughts please. I will keep looking for the All the Best and Royal Table ones.

3) Is the memory maker worth it?

4) Do we need magic bands?

5) Stroller suggestion please.

6) Is the Haunted House OK for a 4 yr old not exposed to media or horror stuff? I saw the list of rides per park, I think I need to look at the character meets section maybe for a couple at least maybe little one will like it or maybe the character meal will check that off.

Any other suggestions/comments very welcome. Thank you!

 

[Dakota731]

You will have a blast! January is not that crowded so you won’t need fast passes for much. And I’m getting dining reservations for our trip next week with touring plans. My four year old twins liked Haunted mansion but they were never easily scared so your call.

 

[srwarden1928]

1) 2 days, MK, 2 days epcot, 1 day AK and 1 day US sound good? I looked at the crowd calendar and determined which dates for each (22nd to 27th Jan - though 27th jan sat will likely be the 2nd epcot day as it's crazy busy apparently).

2) I am not concerned about ADRs anymore. I got Crystal Palace on Day 1 of MK at 11:45am but think I don't want to start our trip with time spent on a meal. Since character meals are not that big a deal for us I think, though would like to do 1 or 2 by the time we are done. Cost is not an issue. Thoughts please. I will keep looking for the All the Best and Royal Table ones.

3) Is the memory maker worth it?

4) Do we need magic bands?

5) Stroller suggestion please.

6) Is the Haunted House OK for a 4 yr old not exposed to media or horror stuff? I saw the list of rides per park, I think I need to look at the character meets section maybe for a couple at least maybe little one will like it or maybe the character meal will check that off.

1. It would be MUCH less expensive to do a day at HS instead of the day at US. To me, you must want US REALLY badly for the cost. 2 MK, 2 Epcot, 1 AK all sound good to me.

2. The one ADR I NEVER miss out on is 50s Prime Time. I usually insist on at least one in one of the countries in Epcot. Other than that, I could be flexible, although I have to say there are some EXCELLENT restaurants available.

3. I have free memory maker due to AP. The only pics I have on it are ride pics. I don't do meet & greets, and I don't have the patience to wait in lines to have my picture made, although I will have to say that the photographers have an excellent reputation and seem to be located exactly where you would want a picture made.

4. Magic bands are wonderful. They are not necessary.

5. No opinion.

6. I rode it at 5 and loved it. My great nephew rode it at 2.5 in October and seemed to enjoy it. It is NOT designed to be scary. Its fun. That said, some kids do seem to be scared of it.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Eastern]

So here are my questions:
1) 2 days, MK, 2 days epcot, 1 day AK and 1 day HS sound good? I looked at the crowd calendar and determined which dates for each (22nd to 27th Jan - though 27th jan sat will likely be the 2nd epcot day as it's crazy busy apparently).

2) I am not concerned about ADRs anymore. I got Crystal Palace on Day 1 of MK at 11:45am but think I don't want to start our trip with time spent on a meal. Since character meals are not that big a deal for us I think, though would like to do 1 or 2 by the time we are done. Cost is not an issue. Thoughts please. I will keep looking for the All the Best and Royal Table ones.

3) Is the memory maker worth it?

4) Do we need magic bands?

5) Stroller suggestion please.

6) Is the Haunted House OK for a 4 yr old not exposed to media or horror stuff? I saw the list of rides per park, I think I need to look at the character meets section maybe for a couple at least maybe little one will like it or maybe the character meal will check that off.

Any other suggestions/comments very welcome. Thank you!

As a general suggestion, a new post that asks 1-3 specific questions gets more responses than a long post with multiple questions, so you might want to do it that way. And maybe ask certain things on family boards to get a more targeted response, like the stroller question.

I don't think memory maker is worth it but that's me. I don't want to stop for a lot of pictures, especially when it's crowded.

I wouldn't do US either, unless you have money to burn and you really want to go to Harry Potter land. Also you will not get the front of the line pass for free unless you are staying in a US hotel, and that, to me, is necessary.

 

[evilqueenmindy]

1- yes, the park plan sounds perfect. With 2 days at Epcot I’d be less concerned about the forecasted busy day, and Epcot handles a crowd pretty well.

2- with a kid, the character meals are fun, my nephew also loooves the sci-fi drive in place at HS.

3- I’ve never used memory maker personally, but if I were going for a special vacation, it would be one less thing to think about, and nice to know you’ll have all your photos at the end, including ride photos. The photographers are all over the place, and they will also use your phone/camera.

4- magic band is great, but if you are staying offsite, meh, there’s nothing the band can do that your ticket media can’t. Still, there are adorable designs to be had.

5- our first trip with my nephew we brought his amazing baby shower stroller, it had everything, it was awesome. . .and a bulky, horrendous pain to get on and off Disney transportation, fold up, get through stores, maneuver thru crowds.
So our second trip and beyond, we bought a super cheap fold up stroller at Baby’s r us, it was light, folded up in a second, and not any wider than an average adult, so it went through stores easily. It amazingly lasted until he was done with a stroller. (He called it “mickey stroller” because that’s the only time it came out.

6- On the 4 year old on haunted mansion, it really depends. I remember it scaring the pants off me when I was about that age. My nephew did it at that age with no problem, but then when he was 5, it scared him.
A good test is the stretching room. If he freaks out in there, I’d skip the ride.

 

[luvsJack]

Doing US for one day when you already have the tickets for WDW is expensive but if you want to do it, go. We love US and do not find the express to be a must. Especially if that is a low crowd time. We went in May and it was crowded and it was fine without it.

Haunted Manaion can be scary for some. Dd was 4 on our first trip and she freaked out in the stretching room. I mean really freaked. I felt so bad. Her 3 year old cousin was fine with it but scared of Pirates which Dd liked. So it just really depends on the kid. I also think some of it was Dd getting a bit frightened by the sounds outside during our wait and her cousin having to wait in the darkish line of pirates. Both had opposite experiences waiting in line.

 

[elaine amj]

I like memory maker to have plenty of photos with the whole family (we always forget to take solo ones though). I suggest looking for a MM share if u want to cut costs. I usually share with 4-5 other families and it's great.

Magic band adds to the fun factor. All newbies who have come with me are super impressed with it. I don't know if I would pay for them though..they add up fast. That said, they do add to the Magic of the whole place and could be a nice souvie (my family doesn't care for souvenirs though).

Your park plans sound great. If u rope drop every day, u can easily do all the rides u can't get FPs for.

Leave ADRs for when u are there. Check the night before. The best character interaction IMO is the Garden Grill. My kids (teens) also love that it rotates

 

[KittyKitty]

4) Do we need magic bands?

Tho I stay on site when I visit, I saw many ppl using the RFID cards to get into the parks and at the FP entrance to attractions. So Magic Bands are not needed.

 

[Miffy]

Just back from a week at WDW at a much busier time than the OP is planning on going, and we were able to get dining reservations on the fly and loads of FP+s the day before or the day of, including FP+s for FOP. Yesterday we were at DHS and while my sister was in the bathroom, I thought, what the heck, I'll see if I can get a final FP+ for FOP. After about 20 seconds and one refresh of the app, I got FP+s for an hour later. So it can be done. The dining reservations were, btw, very very easy to get. Reservations that are impossible at 180 days out are readily available the day before or the day of.

 

[firefly_ris]

So here are my questions:
1) 2 days, MK, 2 days epcot, 1 day AK and 1 day HS sound good? I looked at the crowd calendar and determined which dates for each (22nd to 27th Jan - though 27th jan sat will likely be the 2nd epcot day as it's crazy busy apparently).

2) I am not concerned about ADRs anymore. I got Crystal Palace on Day 1 of MK at 11:45am but think I don't want to start our trip with time spent on a meal. Since character meals are not that big a deal for us I think, though would like to do 1 or 2 by the time we are done. Cost is not an issue. Thoughts please. I will keep looking for the All the Best and Royal Table ones.

3) Is the memory maker worth it?

4) Do we need magic bands?

5) Stroller suggestion please.

6) Is the Haunted House OK for a 4 yr old not exposed to media or horror stuff? I saw the list of rides per park, I think I need to look at the character meets section maybe for a couple at least maybe little one will like it or maybe the character meal will check that off.

1.) Sounds good to me. If you or your kids are also into shows (doesn't matter if your kid hasn't seen any of the associated movies, they are entertaining in their own right), there is plenty to do at each of those parks even if you aren't getting on the bigger 44"+ 'headliner' rides.

2.) This past trip we did almost all quick service so I can't help with ADRs, but I would just review the menus at places that catch your eye and see what you might like (and what's available).

3.) Never had it so I don't know

4.) Had Magic Bands for the first time this past trip -- I did like the convenience of them for getting in the parks and for getting on the rides. Since you're offsite you can't use them for things like unlocking your hotel door or charging items to it but it can be nice to not have to keep track of your ticket cards. If the price tag isn't prohibitive sure. If you don't have them it's not a huge deal though.

5) I hear Kingdom Strollers is a good place to rent, and I hear a lot about the City Mini. I have never personally rented a stroller though so I don't know.

6.) YMMV -- we took my kids in 2015 and my oldest (who was 5 at the time) was afraid of what I never thought she'd be scared of (Peter Pan's Flight... so benign and she freaked out), but my BIL was there at the same time with his similarly aged children and they weren't afraid of anything, including Haunted Mansion. What I recommend is going on YouTube and you can find high-quality ride-throughs of just about every single ride, that will help give you an idea of what your child might personally handle.

Above all... plan, but still be prepared to go with the flow and have fun!