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1 Day Park Hopper!!! Suggestions!!!

Aug 31, 2013
33
12
Miami, Fl
:wave: Coming from Miami to Orlando next Friday (3/21-3/23)
My partner and I are going up for MegaCon with friends. But we will be attending the Disney Parks :ears: on Friday (3/21) We already have a 1 Day Park Hopper Pass. This would be our first time Park Hoping at Disney, and need any suggestions ASAP. We've gathered information and seen trip videos and reports. I've never been to Hollywood Studios and he's never been to Epcot :doh: We want to hit all the major rides at each park if possible. We definitely want to do Fantasmic or Illuminations . We don't really care for the parades or shows this time around do to our short time frame, as well as Wishes. We are aware of the new Fast Pass Plus and My Magic Bands. We will be driving park to park, and are willing to power walk, jog, and run etc. Were 22, and 2 respectively. No kids. So let us have it, what will it be?

Tips?
Suggestions?
Where to eat? :drool:
Fantasmic or Illuminations?
Park Order?
What to Fast Pass? :inquisitive:

Any feedback is immensely appreciated. I'll be doing a video of our trip, posting it to youtube, I'll post a trip report after the weekend in great detail to let you all know how it all goes :happy:
 
If mostly rides are your big focus.
I would say start at Hollywood Studios and park there (preferably the back entrance), maybe using your FastPass+'s for Toy story and Rock n Roll and then jump on Tower of Terror. After you are done with those take the boat to Epcot (drops you off in World Showcase between France/UK). Then go hit up Test Track, hopefully the line won't be horrible and then have some fun there.

The fastpass+ at Epcot only matters for 1 ride either Soarin or Test Track. The majority of rides at HS are better than Epcot, but I much prefer spending more time at Epcot.

As for food, you really can't go wrong at Epcot unless you eat in future world.
 
If mostly rides are your big focus.
I would say start at Hollywood Studios and park there (preferably the back entrance), maybe using your FastPass+'s for Toy story and Rock n Roll and then jump on Tower of Terror. After you are done with those take the boat to Epcot (drops you off in World Showcase between France/UK). Then go hit up Test Track, hopefully the line won't be horrible and then have some fun there.

The fastpass+ at Epcot only matters for 1 ride either Soarin or Test Track. The majority of rides at HS are better than Epcot, but I much prefer spending more time at Epcot.

As for food, you really can't go wrong at Epcot unless you eat in future world.

Thank you for your suggestions. I can't wait. I'm looking forward to sharing it all
 
Ok, here's what my game plan has been whenever I attempt the 4-parks-in-1-day deal (not sure if thats what youre going for, but it is possible and this could be helpful nonetheless):

-Start out at Animal Kingdom. It closes the earliest so its best to just do it first IMO. I would get to the Safari first thing, followed by Everest (unless you dont care about the safari, in which case just go straight to Everest). Remember that single rider is a huge ally. Then, go to Dinosaur. These are really the only rides in the park worth doing, IMO, although Tough to be a Bug can be a cool experience too (a 4-D show with the creepiest in-house effects Ive ever seen lol).

-Next, I would go to DHS. Getting on TSMM is hard under my plan, unless you want to wait in a 2 hour line :/...however, Star Tours, Great Movie Ride, and Tower of Terror *should* all have reasonable queue times. Rock N Roller Coaster is going to be long, but you can use single rider here and I would strongly recommend it. Also, I would eat lunch at DHS...there are some real unique restaurants (Sci-Fi Drive In, Prime Time Cafe...) so call now to see if you can get reservations there. If not, the counter service is pretty good. Also, it should be about lunchtime by the time you get there.

-Usually I would go to Epcot next, but since you want to see Illuminations, your best bet would probably be Magic Kingdom. The crowds here will be very high, though. Personally, I would skip Fantasmic/Illuminations in the interest of getting the most bang for your buck...theyre quite honestly outdated firework shows lol. If you absolutely must, just do what you can at MK until about 4 hours prior to Epcot's closing.

-At Epcot, definitely eat dinner in World Showcase, all the food is great. Test Track has single rider so utilize that. There are a lot of other hidden gem attractions scattered throughout the park worth checking out, and dont miss Spaceship Earth. Soarin will have long lines (up to 2+ hours) but you can account for it if you have to.

Hopefully this helps :thumbs: Honestly, I think a better use of your time would be to go to Magic Kingdom last (more rides, later closing times, and less people are there late at night) and watch the fireworks there. But its of course up to you.

FP+ will probably not be smart for you to use. The reservation times theyll give you in any given park will be somewhat late, meaning you have to kill a lot more time in one park rather than getting to all 4. Its really designed for the more laid back parkgoer, not the 1-day parkhopper guest. No matter what you do, youll have a good time, though. Enjoy! :cheers:
 
Ok, here's what my game plan has been whenever I attempt the 4-parks-in-1-day deal (not sure if thats what youre going for, but it is possible and this could be helpful nonetheless):

-Start out at Animal Kingdom. It closes the earliest so its best to just do it first IMO. I would get to the Safari first thing, followed by Everest (unless you dont care about the safari, in which case just go straight to Everest). Remember that single rider is a huge ally. Then, go to Dinosaur. These are really the only rides in the park worth doing, IMO, although Tough to be a Bug can be a cool experience too (a 4-D show with the creepiest in-house effects Ive ever seen lol).

-Next, I would go to DHS. Getting on TSMM is hard under my plan, unless you want to wait in a 2 hour line :/...however, Star Tours, Great Movie Ride, and Tower of Terror *should* all have reasonable queue times. Rock N Roller Coaster is going to be long, but you can use single rider here and I would strongly recommend it. Also, I would eat lunch at DHS...there are some real unique restaurants (Sci-Fi Drive In, Prime Time Cafe...) so call now to see if you can get reservations there. If not, the counter service is pretty good. Also, it should be about lunchtime by the time you get there.

-Usually I would go to Epcot next, but since you want to see Illuminations, your best bet would probably be Magic Kingdom. The crowds here will be very high, though. Personally, I would skip Fantasmic/Illuminations in the interest of getting the most bang for your buck...theyre quite honestly outdated firework shows lol. If you absolutely must, just do what you can at MK until about 4 hours prior to Epcot's closing.

-At Epcot, definitely eat dinner in World Showcase, all the food is great. Test Track has single rider so utilize that. There are a lot of other hidden gem attractions scattered throughout the park worth checking out, and dont miss Spaceship Earth. Soarin will have long lines (up to 2+ hours) but you can account for it if you have to.

Hopefully this helps :thumbs: Honestly, I think a better use of your time would be to go to Magic Kingdom last (more rides, later closing times, and less people are there late at night) and watch the fireworks there. But its of course up to you.

FP+ will probably not be smart for you to use. The reservation times theyll give you in any given park will be somewhat late, meaning you have to kill a lot more time in one park rather than getting to all 4. Its really designed for the more laid back parkgoer, not the 1-day parkhopper guest. No matter what you do, youll have a good time, though. Enjoy! :cheers:

Honestly regarding everything you said I agree with your game plan. I've been checking out The Disney My Experience App for this passed week and have seen that lines are pretty consistent in reference to wait times at Epcot and Hollywood Studios, But AnimalKingdom was pretty much entirely manageable all day, And as you said Magic Kingdom at night almost everything seems like a 10 min or less walk on. :D

So as of now I see us doing Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, then Magic Kingdom. I still would love to watch Fantasmic or Illuminations but we'll see what we do when push comes to shove.

Lastly, in World Showcase where do you guys suggest to eat? Hollywood Studios, any place to eat there that's a must or cool? I've heard about Pizza Planet? Thoughts?

Thanks again guys, a million!!!
 
Lastly, in World Showcase where do you guys suggest to eat? Hollywood Studios, any place to eat there that's a must or cool? I've heard about Pizza Planet? Thoughts?

Thanks again guys, a million!!!

Depends on how much youre willing to spend on dinner (time and money-wise). Some of the longer, pricier dinner experiences that are my personal favorites are Germany (great buffet and live entertainment), Le Cellier in Canada(one of Orlandos finest steakhouses), and Le Chefs de France in France.
Ive also heard good things about the restaurants in Japan, Morrocco, and Mexico (although Ive never personally been). However, you can still get great food at the counter-services in World Showcase. The food is authentic to the country its located in, so really its up to you to take your pick and decide which kind of food youre feeling! Make sure that if you go the more upscale route, call ahead ASAP fo reservations :thumbs:
 
Sci-fi at Hollywood studios is my favorite there with awesome theming and pretty good food. There's a hotdog burger combo that is awesome. Next for hs would be for walk up and is the food area by tower of terror, lot of different options and not bad. I'd stay away from pizza planet.

Animal kingdom is hands down yak and yeti quick service. Food about as good as the sit down right next to it for a lot less.

Magic kingdom nothing really stands out to me as spectacular. I'd say Casey is my favorite place to consistently eat. Beasts castle is pretty good but getting a reservation is real tough and 3 out of 4 of us were having stomach issues afterwards.

Epcot is by far my favorite place to eat.

Biergarden in Germany is good food and atmosphere but in my opinion is wasted as a buffet. The amount of tube meats someone can eat in one setting is low. The little area outside is a better deal in my opinion and is super good especially with a grapefruit beer.
The food in the Mexican temple is amazing as well as the atmosphere.

For everything else, like Tyler said you can't really go wrong with the food counters.
 
If you want a strategy to hit as many attractions across all 4 parks as possible in a day, you should read this report.

http://www.parkeology.com/2013/06/t...eek-later-a-day-that-will-live-in-infamy.html

[video=youtube_share;nniVxpN0Slc]http://youtu.be/nniVxpN0Slc[/video]

I've watched that a million times and never get tired of it lol It's epic. I think my game plan will work out, we will accomplish a lot for sure.

Question: Is ToyStoryMania worth it guys? or should I stick with Buzz Lightyears Space Ranger Spin? I don't mind doing both, but let me know your thoughts!!
 
Toy Story is way better than Buzz, but IMO MiB is way better than Toy Story. If you can catch it with a fast pass or when the line is < 30 min its definitely worth it, but good luck on seeing a line < 30 min.
 
If you want a strategy to hit as many attractions across all 4 parks as possible in a day, you should read this report.

http://www.parkeology.com/2013/06/t...eek-later-a-day-that-will-live-in-infamy.html

That doesn't work with FP+.

- - - Updated - - -

I've watched that a million times and never get tired of it lol It's epic. I think my game plan will work out, we will accomplish a lot for sure.

Question: Is ToyStoryMania worth it guys? or should I stick with Buzz Lightyears Space Ranger Spin? I don't mind doing both, but let me know your thoughts!!

Toy Story is a super fun ride, for sure. It's not the life-changing experience it's wait times suggest it is, though. It's something fun to do if you have time, but there are other fun rides you could be doing rather than waiting 2+ hours for one.
 
That doesn't work with FP+.

- - - Updated - - -



Toy Story is a super fun ride, for sure. It's not the life-changing experience it's wait times suggest it is, though. It's something fun to do if you have time, but there are other fun rides you could be doing rather than waiting 2+ hours for one.

Ok as of now were thinking Hollywood Studios, getting fast passes for Epcot, going to Epcot, then Animal Kingdom, and lastly Magic Kingdom.
 
Ok as of now were thinking Hollywood Studios, getting fast passes for Epcot, going to Epcot, then Animal Kingdom, and lastly Magic Kingdom.

The problem with that itinerary is that AK is one end of the property, and you'd have to take a bus to the other end. You can probably lose a good 30-45 min on transportation alone. Of course, that becomes null and void if you're taking your car. :lol: Still though, I'd recommend starting from the bottom. AK, DHS, Epcot, then MK.
 
We will most certainly be using the car lol
I'd rather drive myself then wait for transportation.

I chose that itinerary because I feel Hollywood Studios develops lines the quickest, followed by Epcot, then Animal Kingdom because it's pretty vacant closer to closing, and lastly MagicKingdom because alot of people leave by 9 (yes I know people always park hop here last, but that crowd isn't as crazy as Opening Crowds)plus it's opened the latest.

Like I've been saying all week, any must do's? Attractions? Photo ops? Let me know, Can't Wait!!
 
^That seems like a solid plan, it should work great :thumbs:

My personal WDW must-do's:
-Tower of Terror (as many times as you have time for)
-RnRC (Disneys most intense roller coaster)
-Star Tours at least twice to see the different scenarios
-Great Movie Ride (the greatest Disney dark ride of all time...absolutely stunning detail!)
-since you'll be there early enough, get in line for TSMM right away

-Test Track
-Soarin and Mission Space are 'good' rides, but in the end are both just simple simulators...Mission Space achieves unparalleled G-forces if youre into that. Soarin is a simulator on a massive scale. But at the end of the day, just simulators.
-try to eat lunch in World Showcase, pick whatever country's food you like best!
-Spaceship Earth...GREAT classic dark ride

-Dinosaur is one of my favorites, very intense ride
-Everest is a great roller coaster with impeccable theming
-The safari is a truly unique ride experience worth a ride if not just for how it truly transports you to another place
-Its Tough to be a Bug is a great 4-D show...quirky humor mixed with intense macabre effects...they dont make em like this anymore
-if you have time, walk around the Panagani Forest Trail...very immersive

-you probably know all the classic MK attractions...do yourself a favor and ride some of the lesser known ones like the Peoplemover and if you have time the shows like Country Bear Jamboree and Carousel of Progress. If the line for Space Mountain is long, get in it toward the end of park closing...that way you dont waste precious park time in line, just dont miss Space Mountain!!
 
Ok I think this is my final itinerary:

Hollywood Studios
- Toy Story Midway Mania *
- Rock n Roller Coaster (Single Riders Line)*
- Tower of Terror *
- The Great Movie Ride *

Epcot
- Soarin (Fast Pass) *
- The Seas With Nemo and Friends *
- Journey into Imagination with Figment (Maybe)
- Test Track (Single Riders or Maybe standby)
- Mission Space: Orange *
- World Showcase (Maelstrom)
- Lunch (Not sure where yet)
- SpaceShip Earth *

Animal Kingdom
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Kali River Rapids
- Expedition Everest *
- Dinosaur
- Primeval Whirl (If need be lol)
- It's Tough to be a Bug

Magic Kingdom
- Walt Disney Railroad
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor *
- Buzz Lightyears Space Ranger Spin
- Astro Orbiter
- Space Mountain
- Tomorrow Land Speedway
- Mad Tea Party
- Under The Sea Journey of the Little Mermaid *
- Mickeys Philhar Magic *
- Peter Pan
- Haunted Mansion
- Splash Mountain
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Jungle Cruise

* Never Been On :bonk:

Good plan? Not saying it's completely possible, but I'm also not doubting that it is possible :boxing:
 
Looks like you are going to be awfully busy, be sure to wear some comfy shoes! I wish you the best of luck :cheers:
 
Ok I think this is my final itinerary:

Hollywood Studios
- Toy Story Midway Mania *
- Rock n Roller Coaster (Single Riders Line)*
- Tower of Terror *
- The Great Movie Ride *

Epcot
- Soarin (Fast Pass) *
- The Seas With Nemo and Friends *
- Journey into Imagination with Figment (Maybe)
- Test Track (Single Riders or Maybe standby)
- Mission Space: Orange *
- World Showcase (Maelstrom)
- Lunch (Not sure where yet)
- SpaceShip Earth *

Animal Kingdom
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Kali River Rapids
- Expedition Everest *
- Dinosaur
- Primeval Whirl (If need be lol)
- It's Tough to be a Bug

Magic Kingdom
- Walt Disney Railroad
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor *
- Buzz Lightyears Space Ranger Spin
- Astro Orbiter
- Space Mountain
- Tomorrow Land Speedway
- Mad Tea Party
- Under The Sea Journey of the Little Mermaid *
- Mickeys Philhar Magic *
- Peter Pan
- Haunted Mansion
- Splash Mountain
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Jungle Cruise

* Never Been On :bonk:

Good plan? Not saying it's completely possible, but I'm also not doubting that it is possible :boxing:

So long as you're at DHS immediately when it opens, this should be a good itinerary. Epcot is the tough one, IMO...if you follow your DHS plan well and are there right at opening, you should be at Epcot well before noon, but your plan to get on Soarin/Maelstrom hinge on perfect FP+ times. If you get those, great. If not, do what you can until about four hours before Animal Kingdom closes...the Safari and Tough to be a Bug are roughly 30-minute experiences each. Dinosaur's line should be bareable, as should Primevil...Kali, I'm not sure. If Everest is a line that you can't afford to wait in, it has single rider line :thumbs:

After AK closes, you can take MK at your own pace and not worry about leaving until it closes. By then it should be late so lines should be ok. Looks like you have a good trip planned! Let us know how it goes :thumbs:
 
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