A million questions

[S. Lopez]

I'm exaggerating but I do have a few. I'm a Disneyland pro and an uber duber newbie to Disneyworld (having gone only once to Magic Kingdom, for exactly ONE day). I've read almost everything I can get my hands on, as well as watched too many videos on the Utube, add my tendency to be a crazy planner and I'm taking the challenge to book a good-to-great vacay for the family very serious. It will be 4 adults, 1 toddler and 1 sweet baby girl. I've booked 2 Royal Guest rooms @ POR Riverside (which I'm already second guessing). I would have liked to stay at Polynesian but the cost is close to a decent used car, or maybe an ok car with torn up seats and manual windows.

We arrive on March 19th and I planned my days to visit one park each day (using EMH) but after reading the Pirate dudes crowd calendar, I switched. How can I say I hate crowds but love Disney - don't really know, but it's a fact. So, with all that said, here are my questions.

1- is it stupid to avoid the park with EMH just to avoid crowds? along that line of questioning, is it better to go to one of the "low attendance" parks (per, the Pirate dude) even though we'll be giving up one of the perks of staying on site?
2 - Would love to do 1 to 2 dessert parties and if available, 1 After hours event. But money - stickin' money is always a factor. So, if I hate crowds but would like to enjoy the fireworks/shows, is it worth it?
3 - How feasible is it to use Uber from POR?
4 - If I switch hotels, which one holds the most Disney atmosphere and fun for a 3 year old and a 50 year old (who is mentally like the 3 year old when it comes to fun and definitely like a 50 year old when it comes to crowds). Here are the three I'm thinking of moving us to: Polynesian, Animal Kingdom or Wilderness Lodge.

Here are my plans and then my alternate plans. I need to make a decision asap, as I want to book the Cinderella's Royale with Cheese table, I'm sure the dudes in my party will LOVE it.

First plan:
Arrive March 19th (from the land of fruits, so a decent plane ride) - hang out at hotel, maybe meander over to Disney Springs
March 20th - Magic Kingdom
March 21st - Epcot
March 22nd - Hollywood Studios
March 23rd - Animal Kingdom - this is the only date I can't move (a friend and her family arrive on Sat/Sun and want to go to Animal Kingdom)

Second plan:
March 19th - same as above
March 20th - Hollywood Studios
March 21st - Magic Kingdom
March 22nd - Epcot
March 23rd - Animal Kingdom

We won't even attempt to park hop, as I'll be leading the herd like a blind bat (in another words, I'm completely unfamiliar with the territory and the other folks in my group will not take the initiative).

Lastly, I realize that we're going during spring break. I didn't pick the dates - the family that I'm meeting for one single day - they picked the dates. So, yea, not ideal but I'm taking my lumps and moving on.

 

[Disneybound!!]

I don't have much to contribute other than I love your sense of humor and I bet you'd write a great trip report! There are definitely some real experts here that can give you more detailed advice than I. For myself, I tend to follow the crowd calendar recommendations as long as it works with what I need, but if it doesn't fit with my plans, then I try not to sweat it and just enjoy the fact that I'm at Disney. Polynesian is my "dream" resort. I'll stay there one day! I've stayed at AKL, and seeing the animals out your window is cool, but I wouldn't stay there again unless it just really fell in my lap. Nothing at all wrong with it other than only buses go there and the décor is not my cup of tea (still a beautiful resort). I hope you have a fabulous trip!

 

[Quarky]

1- is it stupid to avoid the park with EMH just to avoid crowds? along that line of questioning, is it better to go to one of the "low attendance" parks (per, the Pirate dude) even though we'll be giving up one of the perks of staying on site?

It's only a perk if your group will make the most of it-- if you can all commit to getting up early, making it for EMH rope drop, and powering through a couple rides first thing in the morning, EMH are amazing. It may be tough with the baby and the toddler though, and like you said, there's usually supposed to be an uptick in attendance at the EMH park, which is counterproductive if you show up without having taken advantage of EMH.

2 - Would love to do 1 to 2 dessert parties and if available, 1 After hours event. But money - stickin' money is always a factor. So, if I hate crowds but would like to enjoy the fireworks/shows, is it worth it?

Hating crowds is a good reason to drop the $$$ for extra events such as a dessert party or DAH. The food at the dessert parties has never been worth the money to me, so it's really down to whether the special viewing area & reduced wait time to see fireworks/shows is enough value for you.

4 - If I switch hotels, which one holds the most Disney atmosphere and fun for a 3 year old and a 50 year old (who is mentally like the 3 year old when it comes to fun and definitely like a 50 year old when it comes to crowds). Here are the three I'm thinking of moving us to: Polynesian, Animal Kingdom or Wilderness Lodge.

IMO for shorter trips where most of your vacation time = park time, I wouldn't break the bank to stay in a deluxe resort. The Poly and AKL both have amazing Disney atmospheres, but you can always visit for free without paying to stay there! Or make dining reservations there.

Re: planning which days in which parks, I don't think there's a huge difference either way. It's down to personal preference-- some people visit MK first every trip to get the Disney vibe; I personally fall into the camp of doing MK last and working up to the hype by visiting our less preferred parks (Epcot/DHS for my family) first. If you're looking to make a hot reservation such as CRT, it may also come down to which dates are available for the dining, and working out your park schedule around that.

 

[JennyDrake]

OK! BREATHE!

All of what follows is only my opinion.

1. The dessert parties are WAY overpriced. I would skip entirely especially with YOUNG kids.
2. Uber/lyft is very feasible and affordable, especially resort to resort.
3. _I_ would slow waaaaay down with planning especially since you are going during spring break. Rope drop IS your best friend. Trust me. Be there with breakfast in your bellies and ready to go. You can get a LOT done at rope drop particularly at MK.
4. MIDDAY BREAKS will keep everyone on speaking terms. Trust me. EVERYONE will be tired and overstimulated and crowds at any park are just plain miserable 1pm-5pm. Book your FP for headliners late morning/early afternoon then LEAVE.
5. If you cancel the dessert parties, can you swing hoppers? I know I know what you said BUT you may find with hoppers and midday breaks that you are indeed up for more. This also allows you multiple mornings at your favorite park to get the most done.
6. I would NOT switch resorts.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I'm exaggerating but I do have a few. I'm a Disneyland pro and an uber duber newbie to Disneyworld (having gone only once to Magic Kingdom, for exactly ONE day). I've read almost everything I can get my hands on, as well as watched too many videos on the Utube, add my tendency to be a crazy planner and I'm taking the challenge to book a good-to-great vacay for the family very serious. It will be 4 adults, 1 toddler and 1 sweet baby girl. I've booked 2 Royal Guest rooms @ POR Riverside (which I'm already second guessing). I would have liked to stay at Polynesian but the cost is close to a decent used car, or maybe an ok car with torn up seats and manual windows.

We arrive on March 19th and I planned my days to visit one park each day (using EMH) but after reading the Pirate dudes crowd calendar, I switched. How can I say I hate crowds but love Disney - don't really know, but it's a fact. So, with all that said, here are my questions.

1- is it stupid to avoid the park with EMH just to avoid crowds? along that line of questioning, is it better to go to one of the "low attendance" parks (per, the Pirate dude) even though we'll be giving up one of the perks of staying on site?
2 - Would love to do 1 to 2 dessert parties and if available, 1 After hours event. But money - stickin' money is always a factor. So, if I hate crowds but would like to enjoy the fireworks/shows, is it worth it?
3 - How feasible is it to use Uber from POR?
4 - If I switch hotels, which one holds the most Disney atmosphere and fun for a 3 year old and a 50 year old (who is mentally like the 3 year old when it comes to fun and definitely like a 50 year old when it comes to crowds). Here are the three I'm thinking of moving us to: Polynesian, Animal Kingdom or Wilderness Lodge.

Here are my plans and then my alternate plans. I need to make a decision asap, as I want to book the Cinderella's Royale with Cheese table, I'm sure the dudes in my party will LOVE it.

First plan:
Arrive March 19th (from the land of fruits, so a decent plane ride) - hang out at hotel, maybe meander over to Disney Springs
March 20th - Magic Kingdom
March 21st - Epcot
March 22nd - Hollywood Studios
March 23rd - Animal Kingdom - this is the only date I can't move (a friend and her family arrive on Sat/Sun and want to go to Animal Kingdom)

Second plan:
March 19th - same as above
March 20th - Hollywood Studios
March 21st - Magic Kingdom
March 22nd - Epcot
March 23rd - Animal Kingdom

We won't even attempt to park hop, as I'll be leading the herd like a blind bat (in another words, I'm completely unfamiliar with the territory and the other folks in my group will not take the initiative).

Lastly, I realize that we're going during spring break. I didn't pick the dates - the family that I'm meeting for one single day - they picked the dates. So, yea, not ideal but I'm taking my lumps and moving on.

1) I can't really answer your EMH question as we go so often, trying to stuff a lot in a day isn't in our cards anymore. Others will be along to help you with that question!

2) Yes, I think the dessert parties and after hours events are totally worth it. Especially during crowded times like spring break. Our favorites are the MK fireworks dessert party with Plaza Garden viewing and the Star Wars dessert party in DHS. Well worth the money, IMHO.

3) I'm personally not a fan of regular uber and lyft at WDW. I've had some not-so-great experiences with drivers there. We use Minnie Vans occasionally, but they do cost a bit more. On the plus side, they have clean, safe car seats for the kids, seat up to 6 and are driven by WDW CM's which gives me a little more piece of mind.

4) Poly, WL and AKL all have fantastic theming and will all provide Disney theming and fun. Poly will offer you the most convenience in terms of transportation since you will be on the monorail line. The pools are lovely and they have a great splash pad for little ones (as does AKL and WL). If it's going to break the bank, though, and not allow you to book dessert parties, I would skip it. WL is gorgeous and gives you the boat to MK. You might, however, want to consider Minnie Vans to the other parks, as the WL buses are typically shared with Ft. W. AKL is beautiful, but offers you no transportation advantage other than the short bus ride to AK. IMHO, if staying at POR means you can afford some extras like Minnie Vans and dessert parties, I might just stick with POR. Otherwise, Poly would probably be my first choice, followed by WL and then AKL.

 

[Rory607]

The only thing I feel qualified to comment on is the resort. I’ve heard some negative reviews about POR recently, but we’ve stayed there multiple times and enjoyed it. Is the toddler into princesses? If so, the royal room is so fun. We stayed in one when my daughter was four and she loved it! We love the peacefulness of the resort and just the overall “vibe.” I’ve never found the food court to be overly crowded and the kids love the pool.

That said, we are staying at the Poly for the first time on our next trip and we’re very excited. But that was more based on members of our party who wanted to be on the monorail. We’ll see if it is worth the extra cost!

 

[S. Lopez]

Thank you everyone for the responses - very helpful.

Now that it was mentioned, in the past we used EMH at Disneyland with ease but once the kids came into the picture, we struggle to get out of our room. And all you have to do at Disneyland is walk 5-10 minutes to the gate. I'm not sure we can rally two small kids and their kinda slow parents to make EMH. Plus the time difference, oh yea, we're not making EMH. What a pipe dream that was - I think plan 2 makes more sense for us.

Also, I'll definitely splurge on the dessert parties and if it becomes available, an after hours event (but only for the hubby & I).

Mid day breaks are a necessity when I'm at the Disneyland - I'm 100% sure it will be beyond necessary for me (and the not Disney Husband but more like the I-love-my-wife-and-understand-she-is-HAPPIEST-at-Disney husband)to have a mid-afternoon break...and a mid-afternoon cocktail.

 

[Wild4Walt]

Just a few thoughts - I think your itinerary is good - just try not to overbook yourselves and don't run from one thing to another - take it all in and enjoy.

POR is one of my favorite resorts. We love the theme and the atmosphere. Poly, AKL and WL are beautiful but they can chew up a lot of vacation dollars on a room to sleep in. If going to DS, take the boat. Such a relaxing ride over and really gets you into a relaxed frame of mind. DS has tons to eat ( both TS and QS locations ) and live entertainment most nights.

For Mid-day breaks you can take a time out at a resort your not staying at if you don't want to go all the way back to your resort.
MK - head over to Poly or GF on the monorail ( or walk to Contemporary ) grab a snack/drink/cocktail and relax. GF has a big band that plays during the day that's always fun.
EP - walk from the INTL Gateway over to BWI, YC or BC. Stop at Ample Hills and get ice cream! Or Abracadabar for a cocktail.
AK - take the bus over to AKL - you won't be disappointed. You can eat at Mara ( QS ) or Boma.
HS - take a boat ride over to YC, BC or BWI and do whatever you didn't do on your EP day.

Have a great trip!

 

[RamblingMad]

I suggest avoid going to WDW until your kids can comfortably walk 7-10 miles a day. I see far too many meltdowns in the stroller parking. If you can find someone to leave them with, you’ll have a much better vacation. And it’s likely they won’t remember anything anyway.

MK is significantly larger than DL, so it takes much longer to get anywhere. This is less of a problem with the other parks.

After leaving the kids at home, I think, your plan makes a lot of sense.

 

[Brett Wyman]

I suggest avoid going to WDW until your kids can comfortably walk 7-10 miles a day. I see far too many meltdowns in the stroller parking. If you can find someone to leave them with, you’ll have a much better vacation. And it’s likely they won’t remember anything anyway.

MK is significantly larger than DL, so it takes much longer to get anywhere. This is less of a problem with the other parks.

After leaving the kids at home, I think, your plan makes a lot of sense.

Uh, yeah no. Might be true for a few, definitely not for all. We’ve been 7 times since 2017 and my oldest just turned 5. The kids handle it better than the parents.

 

[CastAStone]

Stay at POR. It’s every bit as themed as most of the deluxes. It’s also pretty darn close to three of the 4 parks. Save your money for other stuff

Take the breaks! Take the breaks! I have small kids and let me just say it again -TAKE THE BREAKS!

Lyft is great at WDW but you’ll almost never find something with a car seat. Rent a car or take the buses. They’re not that bad and even with waiting factored in, they’re the quickest way to the Magic Kingdom from 80% of the resorts, because they drop you after the monorail, where Lyft/Uber drop you before.

You said you’ve read everything but I HIGHLY recommend that you specially should read The Unofficial Guide to WDW. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a series of questions that are more suited to that book’s strengths. I saw that the new 2020 edition is out the other day when I was looking for the Disneyland one.

 

[bapcap]

Our family went to WDW this last April during spring break and I was very nervous about the crowds, but surprisingly, it was not that bad. The WDW crowds on our trip were about what we see on a busy day at Disneyland. Also, the parks seem to have more room for people to move around.
I agree with several others, stay at POR...you will enjoy this resort.
Taking mid-day breaks are most important, especially with young children.
We used Uber quite a bit and were so glad we did at times...however we did not have toddlers.

 

[tguz]

The last 3 Summers we got up early and did the EMH parks and found it to be great. I normally get up early for work and it is a drag some days but at Disney, I was excited to get up and get going. We for sure took the afternoon break. My son and I went to the pool most of the days and my fiancee took a nap. We were then ready to hit the parks again for the evening.

 

[DisArmyWife215]

We went this past March and I had a good time but vowed I'd never go during Spring Break again. It was WAY too crowded for me! I am a big fan of park hopper. I know it takes time from your day but you can utilize EMH in the mornings and hop elsewhere when the park gets crowded.

Never stayed but it's my understanding POR is undergoing refurbishments. The last buildings being done now - estimated end 2019 are the royal rooms buildings. So that would be nice to have a fresh room. However they no longer have the "royal" bedding, just plain old white linens, so there is that. We love AKL and they have some really neat activities if you need to get away from the parks. I'd vote for them if you don't go with POR.

 

[davper]

For those willing to go full Disney Commando...
...I am at the park with morning emh to get in a couple of rides without fast passes. I then go to the park I have FPs for that day. I use the crowd calendars to plan this in advance.
Around the hottest part of the day, head back to hotel for a swim and nap.
I use the touringplans app to see which park is the least crowded and go there for the evening.
If there is a park still open due to emh, I head there.

I find most people don't take advantage of emh because it is too early to get the crew going or too late because it was a long day. The park is still more crowded because people had good intentions of taking advantage and booked their FPs for that park. So even though they missed EMH, they still go to that park.

You will need the park hopper to do this. I have the AP so it is not an issue.

 

[YesterDark]

I'm exaggerating but I do have a few. I'm a Disneyland pro and an uber duber newbie to Disneyworld (having gone only once to Magic Kingdom, for exactly ONE day). I've read almost everything I can get my hands on, as well as watched too many videos on the Utube, add my tendency to be a crazy planner and I'm taking the challenge to book a good-to-great vacay for the family very serious. It will be 4 adults, 1 toddler and 1 sweet baby girl. I've booked 2 Royal Guest rooms @ POR Riverside (which I'm already second guessing). I would have liked to stay at Polynesian but the cost is close to a decent used car, or maybe an ok car with torn up seats and manual windows.

We arrive on March 19th and I planned my days to visit one park each day (using EMH) but after reading the Pirate dudes crowd calendar, I switched. How can I say I hate crowds but love Disney - don't really know, but it's a fact. So, with all that said, here are my questions.

1- is it stupid to avoid the park with EMH just to avoid crowds? along that line of questioning, is it better to go to one of the "low attendance" parks (per, the Pirate dude) even though we'll be giving up one of the perks of staying on site?
2 - Would love to do 1 to 2 dessert parties and if available, 1 After hours event. But money - stickin' money is always a factor. So, if I hate crowds but would like to enjoy the fireworks/shows, is it worth it?
3 - How feasible is it to use Uber from POR?
4 - If I switch hotels, which one holds the most Disney atmosphere and fun for a 3 year old and a 50 year old (who is mentally like the 3 year old when it comes to fun and definitely like a 50 year old when it comes to crowds). Here are the three I'm thinking of moving us to: Polynesian, Animal Kingdom or Wilderness Lodge.

Here are my plans and then my alternate plans. I need to make a decision asap, as I want to book the Cinderella's Royale with Cheese table, I'm sure the dudes in my party will LOVE it.

First plan:
Arrive March 19th (from the land of fruits, so a decent plane ride) - hang out at hotel, maybe meander over to Disney Springs
March 20th - Magic Kingdom
March 21st - Epcot
March 22nd - Hollywood Studios
March 23rd - Animal Kingdom - this is the only date I can't move (a friend and her family arrive on Sat/Sun and want to go to Animal Kingdom)

Second plan:
March 19th - same as above
March 20th - Hollywood Studios
March 21st - Magic Kingdom
March 22nd - Epcot
March 23rd - Animal Kingdom

We won't even attempt to park hop, as I'll be leading the herd like a blind bat (in another words, I'm completely unfamiliar with the territory and the other folks in my group will not take the initiative).

Lastly, I realize that we're going during spring break. I didn't pick the dates - the family that I'm meeting for one single day - they picked the dates. So, yea, not ideal but I'm taking my lumps and moving on.

You got a lot of great responses, but I'll get add my two cents.

I just got back from a stay at POR with 3 adults (Me, Wife, my mother) and three kids (6, 4, 1 yo) and we stayed in a 5th sleeper. So if the adults are all family, and don't mind sharing a room and a shower, the 5th sleeper room is pretty nice. It'll save you a few bucks. (I'm also assuming two couples which might be a wrong assumption!)

POR is a great resort. It's clean, well staffed and themed like a country bayou setting. Read my trip report for more information if you like.

Don't base your vacation on crowd calendars. They aren't accurate this far out, but should be used to give you an idea and they are always updated up or down leading up to the park. A few things that may or may not effect crowds leading in to next year. New attractions, New lands, People delaying for the 50th, Lack or Availability of free dining etc. etc. So do what you want. WDW is always crowded, just accept that.

1. Up to you. If you're going to do EMH in the morning, you'll need to have a rope drop mentality. Figure out 2 rides you want to shoot for right at the start. You're racing for the rides, it's not a nice stroll through the park. That may not work with the kiddos. Otherwise, don't worry about crowds. By March both rides at SWGE are going to be open and that's going to effect all normal crowd levels all over property. At least from a predictive sense in August of 2019.

2. If you're questioning the cost of these parties now, then they are definitely not worth it in my opinion. These parties are for people who don't mind dropping a few hundred dollars on cupcakes and a unique viewing area for fireworks.

3. Ubers are very viable, but if you're not using the Minnie Van, your drop off points will vary. I'd google it so you get a firm idea of where Ubers can and can not go at particular resorts and parks. I used the bus system at POR and it was fantastic (and that's with 3 kids!).

4. There is no comparison when it comes to Deluxe resorts to Moderate resorts. The Poly is amazing and it's on the monorail. Wilderness Lodge is beautiful and AK is fantastic (but farther away from all the parks except AK obviously). If money is not a problem, I'd chose the Poly based on your criteria. If money is an issue, cram your buts into a 5th sleeper room.

Personally, if you're doing a park every day, the resort really doesn't matter. You will hardly be there. As far as park order, that's personal. There is no right or wrong answer. But my personal opinion is that I always go to MK the first and last day. Since you can't do that, if it was me, I'd do MK the second to last day. The only thing that changes that is if you want to bull rush EMH in the morning then pick that park.

Just be careful about doing too much every day. You're going to get tired.

If you have an evening EMH, then you may want to pick that but the parks are CROWDED with extra hours at night. The kiddos might be asleep anyway.

Have fun!