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When to Go Itineraries for the Rest of the Year Basic December Itinerary
Summary To-Do List Sat Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
FIRST SATURDAY AGENDA
Check in, get settled if your room is ready, and be at Epcot as soon as you can—and no later than 5:30p. Depart Epcot no later than 9:30p to avoid the crowds leaving after the fireworks show “Illuminations,” which you will see on Tuesday
FIRST THINGS
- Arrive at your hotel, following the instructions in your Disney Magical Express packet if you are using it to get from Orlando International to your Disney Resort. Check in
- Unless you are arriving late, your room will likely not be ready, but you can get your keys, meal credits, special show tickets, and park tickets. Change into clothes more appropriate for the weather–which your To-Do List reminded you to pack in your carry-ons. You will be able to check any carry-ons until you return later tonight, and to call later to find out your exact room
- If you arrive early, grab lunch at your hotel’s counter service (counter credit)
- If your room is ready, and if you have time, get food and supplies (bowls, napkins, scotch) for your breakfast in the morning, which you will be eating out of your room. Also get (from the counter service restaurant) a “Refillable Mug,” which you will be able to re-use at your resort for free drinks over your entire stay
- Leave your hotel no later than 4:30p (Pop Century) or 4:50p (Polynesian)
- Head to Epcot (bus if Pop Century, walk to the Epcot monorail at the Transportation and Ticketing Center (TTC) and take it if at the Polynesian)
AT THE PARK
- Go through the turnstiles and pick up a park map and “Times Guide”–a schedule. Go straight heading towards the World Showcase portion. (You will see the attractions in Future World you are walking by on Tuesday)
- Keeping an eye out for your dinner reservation at 6:30, see the pavilions starting with Mexico and going clockwise, but skipping Norway until around dinner time.
- Each pavilion will have some or all of shopping, special exhibits, a ride, a movie, and other special events—such as acrobats in China.
- Check your map, times guide, and the pavilion itself, to see what each pavilion has.
- For scheduled events like the acrobats, etc, sequence what you do when among items that are not scheduled (shops, exhibits, and rides), and bounce back and forth between nearby pavilions, so that you don’t have to wait long for the scheduled item
- Attend the Akershus Royal Banquet Character Meal in Norway at 6:30 (table credit)
- Continue touring the World Showcase clockwise until about 8:00
- At about 8, exit through the International Gateway (between France and Britain), and as you exit ask a cast member for directions to Disney’s Beach Club Resort. (Basically, walk straight, avoiding lefts when they offer themselves.)
- At the Beach Club, find Beaches and Cream’s “to go” window, and get some ice cream or another snack.
- When you are finished, but no later than 9:10, head back into Epcot the way you came, and return (clockwise) to where you entered the park–by Spaceship Earth–and exit. (You will see the rest of the World Showcase Tuesday, which is also when you will see the fireworks that are about to start. On Tuesday, as a Resort guest, you can leave much later than when the fireworks end, and so will not get trapped in crowds the way you would be tonight)
- Find either the bus stop (for Pop Century) or monorail (for the Polynesian)
- Polynesian guests should ask the cast member at the monorail station to ride in the front cab of the monorail. (Pop guests will do this Saturday)
- Note to Polynesian guests: to find the walkway from the “Ticket and Transportation Center” (TTC), which is where the Epcot monorail stops, to the Polynesian, stay as right as you can once you leave the monorail ramp and begin exiting the TTC. You will see eventually a small sign directing you to the Polynesian
Note: Bring The Comprehensive Guide to Rides and Rides that Might be Skipped in case your day gets to be too intense!
YOUR EVENING
Buy food, supplies (bowls, spoons, etc) and refillable mugs for breakfast in your room if your hotel gift shop is still open, and you did not have time, or a room assignment, earlier
LINKS TO DAYS IN THIS ITINERARY
GENERAL ITINERARY LINKS
- For itinerary design goals and the basic December Itinerary, see this
- For shorter and longer itineraries targeted at the same December week, see this
- For itineraries covering all the other parts of the year, see this
- To design your own itinerary, see this
- For rides that might be skipped, see this
- For a comprehensive guide to rides and attractions, see this
LINKS FOR WHEN TO GO
- For when to go, see this
- For next best dates, see this
- For best and worst times to visit, see this
- For 2009 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
- For 2010 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
- For the 2010 Week Picker App, see this
- For 2011 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
- For forecasting crowds at Walt Disney World, see this
- For seasonal pricing at Walt Disney World, see this
- For 2009 price seasons, see this
- For 2010 price seasons, see this
- For projected 2011 price seasons, see this
- For weather at Walt Disney World, see this