I’ve recommended my “Summer Itinerary” for the weeks before and after Easter, not because it’s summer then, but because up until this year these two weeks had the same high-crowd operating patterns in the Disney World parks as the busy summer weeks do.
Well, as noted here, the summer itinerary doesn’t work for summer any more…and with the parks shifting to Fastpass+ only, it doesn’t quite work for the weeks before and after Easter either.
There’s two basic issues.
- Earlier openings than currently posted, and added Extra Magic Hours–both of which might even change the night before–mean that you may need to be at the parks one or even two hours earlier than the Summer Itinerary indicates. You need to keep aware of Disney’s operating and Extra Magic Hours calendar if you are going these weeks, even checking the night before.
- The itineraries are designed around old style Fastpass–and those will be entirely gone by then. It’s be FastPass+ or nothing…
On the first point, you just need to stay close to these hours.
On the second, below is an approach for how to handle Fastpass+–which you can begin booking, if you are staying at a Disney owned-and-operated hotel, 60 days before your arrival date. (All dining and park days stay the same–what’s different is FastPass+)
First Saturday
- If you have time to see them, given your dining reservations and Orlando arrival times, see Soarin with a Tier One FastPass+–and if your times don’t work for Soarin, book as your Tier One Illuminations.
- If you don’t or can’t book Illuminations tonight, see it as scheduled Tuesday night. If you do see it tonight, the viewing area is as close as you’ll find to the bus stops and monorail station, so head for them the moment Illuminations ends, walk fast, don’t stop, and you should miss most of the crowds departing Epcot!
- If your schedule permits additional FastPass+, for Tier 2, aim for Spaceship Earth and Mission Space Green, planning to see one before dinner and the other after.
First Sunday
- As I write this, there are no tiers at the Animal Kingdom.
- If this is still true when you book, get FastPass+ for Kali River Rapids, Festival of the Lion King (if it has re-opened for your dates; book Dinosaur otherwise), and Finding Nemo—The Musical.
- Set Nemo for the morning after 10, and the other two in the late afternoon—5p or later. This will lead to less backtracking and let you take the early afternoon off!
- If FastPass+ is tiered when you book it, choose Kali River Rapids late in the afternoon as your Tier One selection.
- When the park opens, see Kilimanjaro Safaris first thing, then Pangani Forest Trail, then Festival of the Lion King (if open) next.
- Note that you return to the Animal Kingdom on Wednesday
Monday
- This day is scheduled mostly in Fantasyland.
- If there’s no tiering, book as your FastPass+ Enchanted Tales with Belle, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (if open) and Winnie the Pooh. If the Mine Train is not open, sect Buzz Lightyear instead. Target the times for the afternoon, with the windows ending by 3p, so you can see the 3p afternoon parade if it has re-opened by now. See Peter Pan at park open.
- If there is tiering, then set Seven Dwarfs Mine Train as your Tier One if open (Enchanted Tales with Belle if not open) and see Peter Pan at park open. With tiering, hold on Enchanted Tales with Belle until Saturday morning.
Tuesday
- As written, this itinerary has you at Epcot late to see Illuminations. If you booked a FastPass+ for Illuminations on First Saturday, that part of today’s evening you’ll be free for rides—or to head back to your hotel!!—instead.
- If you did not get Soarin as your Tier One FastPass+ on Saturday, do it as your Tier One Today, targeting it for late afternoon. If you did get it First Saturday, pick Illuminations as your Tier One today—that givesyou the option to beat the crowds if you choose to leave the park when Illuminations ends.
- For your Tier Twos, pick Turtle Talk with Crush and Living with the Land, both in the late afternoon, adjacent to your Soarin time if you have one.
- Go to Test Track at park open.
Wednesday
- Set Expedition Everest as your Tier One late in the morning—e.g., at 11a.
- At park open and until Expedition Everest, see anything you missed or want to see again from Sunday.
- If you are a huge roller coaster fan, head to Expedition Everest at open and ride it, on the theory that even with your FastPass+ you’ll want to see it twice!
Thursday
- Book Fantasmic Thursday as your Studios Tier One. This won’t get you better seats—you’ll still need to show up early for good seats—but means you won’t be shut out from the show!
- For your Tier Twos pick Great Movie Ride and Tower of Terror. Aim both for the late afternoon—with that, your visit tomorrow morning, and the absence of an afternoon parade at the Studios, you will then be able to take the afternoon off!
- See Rock N’ Roller Coaster at park open.
Friday
- Set Toy Story Mania as your Tier One selection, and Star Tours and Voyage of the Little Mermaid as your Tier Twos, all in the late morning or very early afternoon (so you can take the rest of the afternoon off.)
- At park open, hit your favorite ride from Thursday a second time. If nothing from Thursday sharply resonates, hit Toy Story Mania at park open–on the theory that you may wish to see it twice, anyway!
Second Saturday
- If there’s tiering, and if you were not able to book a FastPass+ for Enchanted Tales with Belle on Monday, have it be your Tier One ride today, and see Space Mountain at park open
- If there’s no tiering, set as your FastPass+ Space Mountain, the Main Street Electrical Parade (you’ll also watch the Castle Show Celebrate the Magic and Wishes from this same spot—I got this idea from Josh), Enchanted Tales with Belle if you haven’t booked that yet, or Space Mountain if you’ve seen Belle. Set all of these FastPass+ for late afternoon or early evening, so you can take the afternoon off. At park open, see Big Thunder Mountain!
Second Sunday
- If there’s no tiering, book FastPass+ for Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, and the Jungle Cruise, with times that suit your departure plans. Try to make Splash Mountain last. See your favorite from earlier this week at park open.
- If tiering is on, book Splash Mountain as late as you can as your Tier One, and see the Jungle Cruise, and then Pirate of the Caribbean, at park open.
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