Disney World FastPass+ Lower Crowd Itinerary
By Dave Shute
Note: for arrival dates during lower-crowd weeks after May 27, use this itinerary instead.
Below is my Disney World itinerary for lower crowd weeks.
It does not work all dates, and some dates that it mostly works it may need some little adjustments. Check your week here.
The recommended FastPass+ that make it work are in the To-Do List, so you can book them at the 60 day window for FastPass+ sign-ups. Daily agendas are in the links:
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89 comments
Hi! Great post. I am planning our first family vacation of 3 :). Me, my husband and our 4 yr old boy. Can you guide me a bit with how to schedule our 5 day tickets. I would be beyond grateful! I have sketched something out but not sure how “good” it is. We are arriving Sunday May 8th in the afternoon and planning on visiting Disney Springs not much planning just winging it on the first day since we are getting situated. We plan on starting of Monday am. Which I made a reservation for breakfast in Ohana at 7:35am so we are definitely up early. I was thinking on going to Animal Kingdom until around 5 or closing and heading to Epcot around that time (Epcot shows to have Extra PM Hours, so we can get a preview). Tuesday MK we have reservations at Be Our Guest @8:20 am (thinking about cancelling) I didn’t realize they have Early Magic Hours that day so the early breakfast wouldn’t give us an advantage that day (the only reservation they had all week for our party size and breakfast). But might just keep it to see what is the buzz about this place. (Good reviews, hoping for the best) A bit pricey so I’m debating 🙁 (help). Wednesday, Part II of MK (I believe) and enjoy the extra PM Hours. Thursday I was set on doing Epcot all day. Ending Friday with Hollywood Studios which I hear I can be done with half a day (not sure how true this is but we will give it a try) and if we don’t get caught up. Head back to Magic Kingdom since its open till midnight and enjoy the last night. We will be leaving Saturday Morning, so I’m searching for a final breakfast place thats not too pricey. Looking forward to your input. A millions thanks from our lil family.
Extra Info: We are SciFi lovers. I love trying new food. My husband not so much hes such a picky eater along with my son. My son loves all disney, cars, toys story he’s such a fan. He’s growing up to love spiderman, avengers and such so my time for Mickey is closing and had to plan this trip this year. But no one really outgrows Mickey! <3
Karen, my overall point is that EMH days are generally a mistake. While morning EMH can be great if you arrive at the park’s turnstiles by 30 minutes before they start, by 11am or noon the park is quite crowded. Evening EMH is crowded the whole time, except if they begin 11p or later.
So here’s my advice:
May 8 Avoid HS
May 9: Avoid AK and Epcot
May 10: Avoid MK
May 11 Avoid MK
May 12 Avoid AK and Epcot
May 13 Avoid HS.
HS is not a half day park, unless you skip half of what is there. AK will have a new evening show open by your visit, so I would not leave it early. And neither Epcot nor Disney Springs is of much interest to 4 year olds.
Breakfasts before park open are also usually a mistake unless you can get an 8.10a reservation on a non-EMH day. 8.20 is too late for BOG–you will be wolfing down your food and anxious about crowds getting inot line before you finish.
Ohana at 7.35 will get you to AK an hour or more after it opens on an EMH day, not a great approach.
What I’d do is skip Disney Springs and go to a park other than HS the evening of the 8th, focused on the evening entertainment.
Go to MK May 9
May 10 go to AK
May 11 take off
May 12 go to HS
May 13 go to MK
Greetings!
My finance and I are planning our first WDW and Orlando Universal Studios trip in April 2016. We will be arriving Saturday April 16th and will staying until Saturday April 23rd. We plan to visit 4 days at WDW and 2 days at US beginning on Sunday April 17th. Would you recommend spending 4 days at WDW first and then hit up US or mix it up? Which parks should we avoid Sunday through Wednesday? We do not care much for waterparks.
Also, what’s your advice on fast pass? We are out of state so I heard we only have 30 days in advance to reserve.
Any advice you can give would be much appreciated!
Cheers,
Dan
Dan you absolutely must use FastPass+ or you will waste hours in lines. See this.
The general rule of thumb is to see Universal Friday-Monday and Disney the rest of the time, but this matter less than it used to.
Sunday the 17th, avoid HS
4/18 avoid MK and AK
4/19 avoid Epcot
4/20 avoid MK
4/21 avoid Epcot
4/22 avoid MK and HS
Hi! We are planning our visit to Disneyworld 4-26- thru 5-2…we have the disney deluxe diining plan …can you tell us the best days and times to visit the parks? we are staying at the Polynesian l also the best places to eat?? Thank You
Joanne on ding see this. You can find detailed reviews in Chapter 7 of our book. Most of the most popular will already be booked.
April 26 avoid Epcot
April 27 avoid MK
April 28 avoid Epcot
April 29 avoid MK and HS
April 30 avoid AK and MK
May 1 avoid HS
May 2 avoid MK and HS
Hi Dave, this is the basic itinerary for a Oct 29-Nov6 stay correct? Do you expect EMH patterns to stay the same?
GeorgeyBoy, I expect to have to revise this once the December calendar come out in 5 weeks or so
Hi! We are planning our first family vacation of 4. Me, my wife and my 5 yr old twin girls. Can you guide me a bit with how to schedule our 8 day vacation? We are arriving the 17th of November (Thursday) in the morning and planning to depart the 25Th (Friday). We are going to stay at the Port Orleans Riverside. I would like to focus on activities that are proper for our 5yr old girls. I would also like to take enough breaks to maximize the kids’s energy levels and a pleasant time…lol. I really appreciate what you guys do.
Joe, I cna, but only after Disney’s November calendar comes out, which it will soon. So check back in a week, OK?
Okay, here is my Sept 2016 plan. 7 nights, 2 travel days, 1 MNSSHP, and 5 park days w/ hopper.
Arrive late 9/17
Sunday the 18th–MK
Monday 19–Epcot
Tues 20–MNSSHP 4-12
Wed 21–AK
Thur 22–HS
Fri 23–EMH @ MK, leave by noon/maybe park hop to EMH at HS that night
Sat 24–Disney Springs & travel
Our park days are pretty set due to ADRs, but would really like advice on FP+, what rides to hit at park opening, if we sleep in (as we are prone to do) what should our game plan be, etc? The daily itinerary is what is really scaring me and the primary reason I booked through a Disney travel agent, but from what I have seen her do for my friends going in 2 weeks, she does not put much if any thought into a daily plan for her clients. What is your advice? Or where can you send me?
Erika your park days look fine. Friday will be a long day if you continue to HS but a nap will help!
My itineraries don’t really help in such a short trip with MNSSHP. Your best bet is to use the itineraries in my book. What to do at the party varies a bit by your intentions. I advice focusing on the short lines at the rides, plus the second parade and fireworks. Before 7, go n what the book describes as “anytime” rides.
Hello, can you please let me know which parks to avoid 11/5 – 11/12? Thanks!!
Hi Jen!!
11/5 avoid MK and Epcot
11/6 avoid HS and Epcot
11/7 avoid AK
11/8 avoid Epcot
11/9 avoid MK
11/10 avoid Epcot
11/11 avoid Epcot and HS
11/12 avoid all but HS
Good day, I am so relieved that there are others with a great deal of knowledge when it comes to planning a Disney Vacation. We are travelling to Disney Aug 28th-September 3rd. We have 5 adults and 3 kids aged 2, 6 and 9. One whom is insulin dependent. We want to maximize our time I have been myself before a few times, the rest of our group are first time visitors. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Not sure where to start…we have 5 park passes plus watermark and more. Thanks again in advance!!
Tammy, the key is to book your FastPass+ ASAP.
This means you have to pick your park days ASAP.
8/28 avoid MK and HS
8/29 avoid AK and MK
8/30 avoid Epcot
8/31 avoid MK
9/1 avoid Epcot
9/2 avoid HS
9/3 avoid AK and MK
Take a look at this for a sample itinerary–it doesn’t work for your days of the week, but gives you a sense of how to allocate your time.
Hi Dave,
This will be our 2nd trip to Disney. We went at Christmas 2011. We followed your itinerary then and it worked perfectly. Thank you! So, we are now thinking of coming again. Dates=
April 1st/2017 through April 8th/2017. Depending on flight cost, we could be coming 1 day earlier or 1 day later. What itinerary should I be using for this time of the year? Thanks for your help!
Brad, I won;t have an itinerary for then until Disney posts its schedule for April, which it will do in about 3 months.
Hi Dave,
Great site! Your dedication is amazing so appreciated. We’re looking at the week after Thanksgiving, arriving on Sunday. We’re staying offsite, got a great deal through our timeshare. Any thoughts on what parks to avoid on specific days? Also, do you have any inside scoop on when the Christmas parade taping may be? We’d like to skip MK for that day.
Thanks again!
Amy, no on the parade. It was done in early November in 2015, throwing off all forecasts…
For what to do on your visit, take a look at this.
Otherwise,
11/27 avoid HS
11/28 avoid MK and AK
11/29 avoid Epcot
11/30 avoid MK
12/1 avoid Epcot
12/2 avoid HS and MK
12/3 avoid AK and MK
12/4 avoid HS
Amazing website and book. A life saver. I’ve just booked a 2 week holiday (from the UK) arriving on Saturday 25th Feb 2017 at Saratoga Springs for 4 adults and a 3 year old :o). I am using your itinerary sheets to decide which days to go to the parks. Are there changes to the early and late opening days? If so, for my fortnight, what days are best to go to which park, and which to avoid. Thanks so much.
Jo, no, there’s no changes.
Hi,
I am planning our first family Disney trip in March for 11 nights -5th to 16th.
We don’t arrive until late on the 5th so planning an early park entry to magic kingdom on the 6th.
From there I’m planning in total 2mk, 2ak, 1HS, 2epcot and 3 pool / springs/ crazy golf days.
Diss this sound about right? I’m thinking getting to parks early and heading back to the hotel (beach club) and eating close to home in Epcot or broad walk most nights. I have 2 boys age 5&7 – any help much appreciated.
Hi Jodie, at those ages I’d do 3 MK days and plan one each of the other three parks. Save the final park day to return to your favorite.
Note that to go into Epcot to dine on a day you’ve been in another park you need ot have th e”Park Hopper” ticket add-on.
Hi..I ordered your book and just finished reading it today and feeling very overwhelmed!! Lots of great info! This will be our families very first trip to disney(We have two sets of grandparents and an aunt and uncle plus myself, my husband and 5 year old son. We will arrive Sunday 5/21(flight lands) 10:21am and leave on 5/27. I know not enough time in disney but the only time we can get to go with my husbands work schedule. We will be staying in the contemporary and opted for disney dining plan and a 6 day ticket w/hopper. should we be following the FastPass+ Lower-Crowd Itinerary and how can I tweak it to fit my time period. To note my son has special needs, how does Disney help with that? He is also not into princesses. Just need to know where excatly to start for this first timer..Thank You 🙂
Desiree, first sorry I missed this!
You can use this 6 night itineray as a starting point but it doesn’t quite fit your days, and is designed for a much older kid. You would probably be better off using the one and two day park plans in the book, taking out the rides inappropriate for a 5 year old and the princesses.
5/21 avoid HS
5/22 avoid AK
5/23 avoid Epcot
5/24 avoid MK
5/25 avoid Epcot
5/26 avoid HS and MK
5/27 avoid AK and MK
For his special needs, see this.
My mom,who is 70, and I will be coming for the first time. What would be a good place to stay. I was thinking the animal kingdom lodge. We are coming March 5th thru 10th.
Dana, without knowing your budget and group size that’s hard to answer. See this for recommendations in order by price class, with links to reviews.
Hiya there, me, my husband and 8yr old son are arriving in Orlando on 1st may for 2 weeks. Staying at lake buena vista with a hire car. Just a couple of questions. 1. Would it be better to use the free buses to the parks or the car? 2. Do you know when is best to visit the other parks ie universal, Busch gardens? 3. What’s the best intinary to use for WDW with a break in the middle for the other parks and shopping? Thankyou so much for this page and any help you can offer x
Pip, off-site buses typically run too infrequently so I;d use your car. I don’t track the other parks–sorry. And my itineraries are tied to specific days (so Monday means Monday, not Day 3) so they don;t chnage easily. Your bets bet is to use the material in Chapter 6 of my book to build your own itineraries.
Hi! I am going to Disney March 5-11 2017 with my sister, (we are 18 and 20). We are staying in Port Orleans Riverside, with 4 WDW park days w/ park hopper and one universal day. What are your recommendations on which parks to visit when? Thanks!
Hi Liz, are you interested in Morning EMH? If you are able to get up early enough, with a hopper you can start at one park with morning EMH, then shift to another park later in the day.
Without EMH and hopping,
3/5 avoid HS
3/6 avoid AK
3/7 avoid Epcot
3/8 avoid MK
3/9 avoid Epcot
3/10 avoid MK and HS
3/11 avoid MK and AK
Planning a trip May 6-14, will this itinerary work well with these dates. Looked at few other crowd calendars that suggest to avoid some parks on certain days that we would be visiting following this itinerary.
Hi Ashley, yes it does work. To your point, you can’t design a nine day itinerary that also sends people to the other three parks before they go to MK without running into some awkward days, of which Saturday at MK is the most awkward. However, with 9 FastPass+ and one rope drop, MK overall works just fine!
Hello! Going to Disney world next week, will be arriving Feb 4 at night so I am trying to plan an itinerary there from Feb 5 to Feb 9. Any advise? I know MK is recommended for Tuesday, but Feb 7 has early morning magic will that affect the crowds? Also, I see MK is not recommended for Monday Feb 6, any idea why? I want to plan my itinerary to visit the parks on 4 days, and have a free day for shopping , what would be the best thing to do? Thanks!
Eman, early morning magic has no effect
2/5 avoid HS
2/6 avoid MK and HS
2/7 avoid Epcot
2/8 avoid MK
2/9 avoid Epcot.
2/5 will be the busiest day, so it’s the best free day.
MK is busiest weekends and Mondays, hence the “avoid it” on 2/6.
Note that you need to book your FastPass+ ASAP.
Hi we will be traveling to Disneyworld staying on site from May 22-29 with a 4 and 11 year old any advise? Thanks
Brent, I have thousands of pages of advice! Start here (scroll down to “INSTRUCTIONS FOR…”), or give me a more specific question!
Dave, looks like youre through the September itineraries. If when you get to the October ones, if you could please do an 10/17 – 10/24 (8 day, 7 night) version it would be really appreciated!
Kevin, I don’t do detailed itineraries with different arrival dates, but certainly will be able to give you daily advice once the October comes out, in about a month!
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