Visit or not on a party day?

Sounds like a decent plan to me. You currently have afternoon rain chance for every day except Tue/Fri, but this time of year it's good to plan on rain chance every day and check in the am if you should bring a poncho. We were lucky in that the hurricane hit 3 days before arrival date and knocked out the rain from the system so that it didn't rain for us at all over 8 days, highly unusual in Sept. Low to mid 80's for you too, not scorching hot either, which is nice. We typically take ponchos plus sandals for days we don't want socks/shoes on if it's going to be torrential. But lately, with how much our feet hurt from standing/walking all day, we've just stuck with cushy running shoes. We don't really plan around weather at all since our park plans are typically set well in advance and we usually stick to them. I do prefer EP or MK in longer rainy weather though. I'm usually ok being holed up at the Land Pav riding Soarin' and Living with the Land over and over again, and places like Carousel of Progress, Monsters, and quick jogs between indoor attractions in the rain at MK vs. very few shelters at AK.

What's the plan for your day off? We usually don't have those, but in the past we've gone to a water park in the am, putt putt after, Disney Springs in evening for shopping/dinner. Occasionally a Cirque or movie at DS. Most recently we went to Fort Wilderness and did a Hoop Dee Doo dinner show. We sometimes just hang out at the Fort for the outdoor activities, campfire sing a long. There's nostalgia there for me, since all of my childhood trips were at the Fort when there were just MK & EP.
This will be the first time I ever set aside a day off. Now that we’ve been here a few days we don’t seem to have the need to see/do every single ride/attraction. I think a day off for rest and pool time. Maybe some Disney springs time since we I’ll be right next door. Something very unplanned. Wake up with no alarm lol.
 
So if you were more partial to finishing at MK, like many of us, you could also consider:
Sun - AK (only other 8am start for AK other than Fri for your stay)
Mon - MK (full day with fireworks)
Tue - HS/EP or off day
Wed - HS/EP or off day
Thurs - HS/EP
Fri - MK (party day with 8am start for last day)

So lately, they've left in a lot of 9am-7pm for AK other than wknds starting at 8am. Wed, the only other non party day, would make MK only 2 days a part in the scenario above. I'm the type who can/have gone to MK three days in a row, but the above option has one extra day a part between MK's vs. what we had earlier. With Fri likely your busiest crowd day, the Fri before Columbus... even though not at AK here, at least it's one of two park days at MK, and a good rope dropping strategy always helps you get through a bunch anyhow.
 
This will be the first time I ever set aside a day off. Now that we’ve been here a few days we don’t seem to have the need to see/do every single ride/attraction. I think a day off for rest and pool time. Maybe some Disney springs time since we I’ll be right next door. Something very unplanned. Wake up with no alarm lol.
Wake up with no alarm.... that sounds like an actual vacation vs. an exhausting Disney vacation! Another thought is resort hopping and trying some resort restaurants you always thought about, but never got around to... such as the AK Lodge restaurants or Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge. Taking a boat ride to FW might be something different or seeing the animals at AKL. There are little museum type places in Contemporary, the rest lounge floor, after a big meal at Chef Mickey's.
 
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Maybe we get in line for something with a longer wait around 5:50 if we do the party day.
Like I said before, it's rare that we don't have park hopper, but given what happened with the recent trip with our baby... discovering that we can't be gung ho to the same degree and stay out late... we bought Base Tickets but still planning on visiting MK on party days (Tue Fri for us). We typically leave via PH from MK well before 6pm. But I think we will get in line at 7D or something of a longer wait just before 6 to sort of extend our stay a bit.

Saw a FB post last night discussing this... and the person had to get a wrist band stating not a party guest, when trying to dine past 6pm., occasionally assigned a CM, and escorted to Main St. USA once done eating. I think I was imagining just a QS location like Cosmic Rays at 6pm... but if it's an issue, I don't mind planning on hopping from MK after our last ride to AK's Rainforest. We always have a birthday credit from Landry's during our Fall trip, so we go to Yak N Yeti usually. But we got sick from the ahi tuna nachos few weeks ago. Funny that the restaurant is called Yak since that's what we did. So now I guess we're going to Rainforest instead. And if we bus from MK to AK, we sort of avoid some of the bus congestion for the non party folks, easier than going to DS Rainforest if not really wanting to shop or do something else.

And having the 2 earlier days at MK works as a break for us. Especially the Fri which will be our last night before flight on Sat. It was like 1am the last night trying to pack things up.
 
Wake up with no alarm.... that sounds like an actual vacation vs. an exhausting Disney vacation! Another thought is resort hopping and trying some resort restaurants you always thought about, but never got around to... such as Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge. Taking a boat ride to FW might be something different. There are little museum type places in Contemporary, the rest lounge floor, after a big meal at Chef Mickey's.
That sounds cool! Yea something like that could be a lot of fun. Resort hopping. Isn’t there a place that we can watch fireworks that they pipe in music. Hotel with sand or something. That might be a lot of work depending on where it’s at.
 
Yes it does. It is not a Good Neighbor hotel it is an Official Walt Disney World® Hotel.

Always like to let readers know that the Good Neighbor hotels, of which there are many, do not get Disney perks. Read where people booked them, thinking they had perks, then were disappointed on arrival to not have them.
I like the LVB palace used to be a lot nicer though…..

That having been said there buses, are aweful….

If you walked across the street to congress park at SSR you would not be the first…..

Even more so if you want to get there early
 
That sounds cool! Yea something like that could be a lot of fun. Resort hopping. Isn’t there a place that we can watch fireworks that they pipe in music. Hotel with sand or something. That might be a lot of work depending on where it’s at.
California Grill at Contemporary had piped in Fireworks sound. Narcoossee's at Grand Floridian has fireworks viewing. I'm not very keen on this topic having never done it. We're always at the parks rather than fine dining:)
 
I like the LVB palace used to be a lot nicer though…..

That having been said there buses, are aweful….

If you walked across the street to congress park at SSR you would not be the first…..

Even more so if you want to get there early
Looks like they utilize Fabolous Buses similar to others in the area. I used them for when I stayed at Holiday Inn, worked out ok.
 
We have never stayed at a Good Neighbor or really anywhere other than onsite or occasionally driving ourselves from a super cheap Kissimmee motel if it's a budget trip. How are the buses/frequency of times? Do they allow you to rope drop stay out late ok?
 
We have never stayed at a Good Neighbor or really anywhere other than onsite or occasionally driving ourselves from a super cheap Kissimmee motel if it's a budget trip. How are the buses/frequency of times? Do they allow you to rope drop stay out late ok?
Yep they have a website to schedule your times but they run 90 mins before park opening and 1-2 hours after park close. Honestly haven’t had a bad experience so far.
 
Yep they have a website to schedule your times but they run 90 mins before park opening and 1-2 hours after park close. Honestly haven’t had a bad experience so far.
The times seem better than I was expecting.

I think once our extended family decide to tag along, there will be a lot of us, and rather than Disney Suites, we might consider one of those BnBs with like 6 beds, pool, hot tub, kitchen, laundry. As long as it's close, and reliable. The only time we tried a rental, it was during Christmas/NY's and the owner canceled then re-offered, and I didn't want to chance another cancellation near the holidays.
 
California Grill at Contemporary had piped in Fireworks sound. Narcoossee's at Grand Floridian has fireworks viewing. I'm not very keen on this topic having never done it. We're always at the parks rather than fine dining:)
Great suggestions. Just FYI @Steve19842015 - Resorts are really cracking down on guests visiting by car unless they have a dining reservation or are staying there. If you want to visit for fireworks viewing, you may need to park elsewhere and take Disney transport there or book a dining reservation.
 
Ok decided! Made changes to my days. Going on a party day when park opens at 8AM

Sunday- MK-Party Day-Park Opens 8AM
Monday-HS
Tuesday-Off Day
Wednesday-MK-9AM-10PM
Thursday-Birthday-EP
Friday-AK-
 

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