Trip planning help

[dknyc1]

We are coming in mid Sept and will have just 3 full days. Me, wife, and 2 kids age 16 & 9. The 16 has been many times but prob not since she was 8. My 9 year old son has autism and has never been but loves Disney and loves rides.
Wondering what we should plan. Prob not gettIng hoppers unless u can convince me.
Should we plan all 3 days at MK?
I'm afraid if we do just 2 days we will be rushing and pushing ourselves and it will get stressful.
We have been to AK years ago and don't need to go back.
I don't think the kids will get much out of Epcot.
Hollywood Studios has a bit for them but I thought not enough to waste a day.
Should we do Universal 1 day?
We are staying at Marriott Villas off site and will have car.
Any advice apppreciated.

 

[Aliceacc]

I would do 2 at MK, and one at Epcot.

I think you'll be surprised at how much there is at Epcot. Soarin' , Mission Space, Test track-- those 3 alone would keep my kids busy all day. (We all LOVE the single rider line at Test Track!)

I'm also a HUGE fan of Illuminations-- it's probably my single most favorite part of a WDW vacation.

We've done Frozen Ever After, and will absolutely avoid it this trip; it simply wasn't worth all the hoopla in our opinion.

How about this: plan one day at Epcot. If it turns out that you're bored, at that point you can get parkhoppers and go over to the Magic Kingdom. If you enjoy it, you save the price of the parkhoppers.

 

[lanejudy]

As for autism -- you'll find a lot of suggestions on the disABILITIES Forum. Some thoughts:

• earmuffs to block audio-sensory input
• hoodie or hat and sunglasses to cut down on the visual-sensory input
• plan breaks and be prepared to leave if it's too much (you may decide on a hopper to try a different/less crowded park, but you can add that at the time); many families like to take a mid-day break to swim or rest at the resort
• bring snacks and water bottles -- you can get free ice water at any CS location, stay hydrated
• alternate rides and shows
• you mentioned the 9 yr old loves rides, but I still suggest he watch youtube videos to get familiar with the queues and rides
• be prepared for crowds; WDW is much more crowded today than it was 8 years ago when you last went, and MK is typically the most crowded park (though with the new Pandora I guess AK is rather busy lately)

I agree with PP that you may want to give Epcot a try. Maybe have the kids look at youtube videos to see what's available. Personally, I wouldn't try to mix in Universal with just a 3-day trip, but obviously that's personal preference. It would be a considerable extra cost vs the 3rd day on a WDW ticket.

Enjoy your vacation!