Category — i. Itineraries for Walt Disney World

MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 2: THURSDAY AGENDA

Today you have the early morning off, and then in the late morning continue your visit the Magic Kingdom.

You should have FastPass+ for Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain.

You should have breakfast or lunch scheduled with the princesses at Cinderella’s Royal Table, and dinner scheduled at Chef Mickey’s.

(Note: this is from the Basic 2016 December FastPass+ Itinerary, 6 Night Variant. The itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. See this for other itineraries.)

MORNING

• Sleep in and eat breakfast in your room
• Arrive at Magic Kingdom in time for your Cinderella booking–or, if it is later, by 11a

AT THE MAGIC KINGDOM

At Magic Kingdom today your goal is to complete seeing Adventureland and Frontierland while fitting in your meals at Cinderella’s Royal Table and Chef Mickey’s and the afternoon parade. You’ll end the day touring the Christmas decorations in some of DIney’s nearby resorts.

The To-Do List did not give specific times for today’s FastPass+ (Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain), because of the need to fit them around your dining reservation.

So you will need to adjust the sequence below based on your actual meal and FastPass+ times, and also interrupt it to be in position for the afternoon parade near Pecos Bill’s by 15 minutes before it starts–typically at 2.45p

• Enter the park, grab a times guide, and confirm the time of the afternoon parade (usually 3p)
• Have your meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table
• Go to Adventureland and ride Pirates of the Caribbean
• Walk through the Swiss Family Treehouse
• Do Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• See the Enchanted Tiki Room show
• Ride Splash Mountain (FastPass+)
• See the Country Bears
• Ride Big Thunder Mountain (FastPass+)
• Look for a fourth FastPass+ on your phone if you’d like to return to a ride from today or earlier this week.
• Fit into the above seeing the afternoon parade (find a spot near Pecos Bill’s by 15 minutes before it starts–3p starts are typical)
• Revisit rides from today or earlier this week
• See the Christmas decorations at the Grand Floridian and Wilderness Lodge framed around your 7p dinner at Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort. The simplest way to do this, if you can start by 5.30p, is to
  1. Take the resort monorail around the Seven Seas Lagoon, get off at the Grand Floridian, and check it out, starting with its lobby
  2. Re-board the resort monorail, and take it to the Contemporary.  Get off and dine at Chef Mickey’s there
  3. Take the boat from the Contemporary (in the back, beyond the pools) to the Wilderness Lodge, get off and check it out, focusing on the lobby
  4. From the Wilderness Lodge boat dock, take the Magic Kingdom boat back to the park
• Return to your hotel

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you complete your visit to the Epcot.

MATERIAL IN THIS DISNEY WORLD ITINERARY

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EPCOT DAY 3: FRIDAY AGENDA

Today you spend the morning completing your visit to Epcot, and then depart for home. You have no scheduled meals.

You should have FastPass+ for Frozen Ever After, Spaceship Earth, and MISSION: Space.

(Note: this is from the Basic 2016 December FastPass+ Itinerary, 6 Night Variant. The itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. See this for other itineraries.)

MORNING

• Check out and note your instructions for Disney’s Magical Express if you are using it.  If you aren’t, for many domestic airlines you’ll be able to check bags and print boarding passes near the front desk or just outside.  This is a tip-based service.  You can also store your bags at the bell stand
• Arrive at Epcot by 45 minutes before open

AT THE PARK

• Enter the park, and go straight to either Test Track or Soarin–whichever you’d like to revisit
• Ride Spaceship Earth using FastPass+
• Ride MISSION: Space using FastPass+ (those with the least tiny bit of motion sickness should ride the “Green” side
• Ride Ellen’s Energy Adventure
• Ride Frozen Ever After in Norway using FastPass+
• Grab lunch
• Sadly return home

MATERIAL IN THIS DISNEY WORLD ITINERARY

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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: OCTOBER 22 TO OCTOBER 30, 2016

The material below details next week’s Disney World operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

For more on October 2016 at Disney World, see this.

OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 10/22-10/30/2016

The Magic Kingdom will be open from 8a-12MN 10/22, 8a-7p 10/23 , 9a-11p 10/14, 9a-7p 10/25, 9a-11p 10/26, 9a-7p 10/27, 8a-7p 10/28, 8a-12MN 10/29, and 8a-7p 10/30

Epcot will be open from 9a-10p 10/22, 9a-9p 10/23 through 10/27, 9a-10p 10/28 and 10/29, and 9a-9p 10/30

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open 9a-8p 10/22, 9a-7p 10/23, 9a-8p 10/24, 9a-7p 10/25, 9a-8p 10/26, 9a-7p 10/27, 9a-8p 10/28 and 10/29, and 9a-7p 10/30

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 9a-8.30p every day

EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 10/22-10/30/2016

Saturday 10/22 Morning:  Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Sunday 10/23 Morning:  Hollywood Studios  Evening: none

Monday 10/24 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Tuesday 10/25 Morning: none Evening:  Epcot

Wednesday 10/26 Morning: none  Evening:  Magic Kingdom

Thursday 10/27 Morning: Epcot Evening: none

Friday 10/28 Morning:  Magic Kingdom Evening: Hollywood Studios

Saturday 10/29 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Sunday 10/30  Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none

PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 10/22-10/30/2016

The Magic Kingdom: Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 3p every day

FIREWORKS AND EVENING SHOWS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 10/22-10/30/2016

Wishes at the Magic Kingdom: 10p 10/22, 10/24, 10/26 and 10/29

IllumiNations at Epcot: 10p 10/22; 9p 10/23 through 10/27; 10p 10/28 and 10/29; 9p 10/30

Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 7.30p every night

Star Wars Show and Fireworks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios:  8p 10/22, 10/24, 10/26, 10/28 and 10/29

SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 10/22-10/30/2016

See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.

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EPCOT DAY 1: FIRST SATURDAY AGENDA

Check in, get settled, and head to Epcot.

Today is the first of your three visits to Epcot. I’ve designed this itinerary with three Epcot visits because there are three key Tier One FastPass+ at Epcot, and you will use one each visit. This lets you sleep in before your next two Epcot visits…

Your plan tonight is to see Test Track, to visit the parts of World Showcase that are most fun in the evening, to sample the Holiday Storytellers, and to check out, if you have time, the holiday decorations in the nearby Epcot resorts.

You want to be on your way out of Epcot by 9.30p, so that you miss the crowds that will depart the park after the 9.30 IllumiNations show is over. (You will see IllumiNations on Friday night.)

You should have FastPass+ for Test Track, and you have no scheduled dining tonight.

(Note: this is from the 2016 Basic December Itinerary. The itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. See this for other itineraries.)

FIRST THINGS

Arrive at your hotel, following the instructions in your Disney’s 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 may not be ready, but you can leave your bags. First change into clothes more appropriate for the weather–which your To-Do List reminded you to pack in your carry-ons.

Head to Epcot as early as you can, and at the latest in time to make your FastPass+ at Test Track.

AT THE PARK

• Go through the turnstiles and pick up a park map and “Times Guide”–a schedule.
• Head to World Showcase, and while keeping an eye out for your Test Track FastPass+, see the pavilions starting with Mexico and going clockwise.
  • Each pavilion will have some or all of shopping, special exhibits, a ride, a movie, and other special events—such as acrobats in China. Most also will have a Holiday Storyteller.
  • Check your map, times guide, and the pavilion itself, to see what each pavilion has.
  • For scheduled events like the Storytellers, 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
• Ride Test Track (FastPass+)
• Have dinner at a convenient counter service when you are ready.
• If you have time, head over to the BoardWalk Inn (walk or boat—the walkway and boat are at the International Gateway between the UK and France) and see the holiday decorations in its lobby, continuing on to see those in the nearby Yacht Club and Beach Club, time permitting.
• Be back in Epcot and headed towards the bus and monorail stops by 9.30p, so that you miss the crowds leaving after IllumiNations.
• Return to your hotel.

BACK AT THE HOTEL

Buy food, supplies (bowls, spoons, etc.) and get refillable mugs for breakfast in your room at your hotel counter service or gift shop, if you did not have time, or a room assignment, earlier. You can also get these in the morning, but crowds in the shops/counter service will likely be lower tonight.

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

You will spend the first of two days at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You get to sleep in–you want to arrive by 1p. Check with your concierge on transport (likely buses) and what time you should be at the bus stop. Pack spare dry clothes, as you will get wet on Kali River Rapids!

MATERIAL IN THIS DISNEY WORLD ITINERARY

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ANIMAL KINGDOM DAY 1: FIRST SUNDAY AGENDA

Today you have the morning off and then begin your visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which you will complete next Sunday morning. You have no scheduled meals today.

You should have FastPass+ for Kali River Rapids, Kilimanjaro Safaris, and Rivers of Light (I am hoping it will be open by your trip…)

(Note: this is from the 2016 Basic December Itinerary. The itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. See this for other itineraries.)

MORNING

• Sleep in and eat breakfast in your room
• Bring spare clothes as you will get soaked on Kali River Rapids
• Arrive at Animal Kingdom by 1p

AT THE PARK

Today your goal is to see Discovery Island, most of Asia, Kilimanjaro Safaris after sunset, and Rivers of Light if it is open–you’ll be returning next Sunday morning to see more of Africa, DinoLand, and other areas you missed.

Enter the park, grab a times guide, and compare the times of Flights of Wonder and Finding Nemo: the Musical to your FastPass + schedule, figuring out when to see these

• Head to Discovery Island to see It’s Tough to Be a Bug
• Ride Kali River Rapids using FastPass+
• Dry off, change clothes, and eat lunch at Flame Tree Barbecue
• Recheck the show times and see Finding Nemo, and Flights of Wonder. Fit the Maharajah Jungle Trail and visiting the exhibits and carvings around the Tree of Life between shows
• Have dinner at the counter service near Yak and Yeti
• Use your FastPass+ for Kilimanjaro Safaris and Rivers of Light
• If you have the time and energy, and lines are short, see Expedition Everest. You have FastPass+ for it next Sunday morning, but it’s worth doing in the dark, too!
• After dark, perhaps on your way out, see the Tree of Life Awakenings

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you have the morning off, then begin your visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

MATERIAL IN THIS DISNEY WORLD ITINERARY

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HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS DAY 1: MONDAY AGENDA

You will begin your visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios today, completing it Wednesday afternoon and evening. Two days is way more than enough time, so, thanks to FastPass+, you get to sleep in each day.

You should have FastPass+ for Toy Story Midway Mania, Star Tours, and the Frozen Sing-Along.

You have dinner at the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue at Fort Wilderness at 6.15p, and need to be at the Studio’s Fort Wilderness bus stop by 4.45p.

(Note: this is from the 2016 Basic December Itinerary. The itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. See this for other itineraries.)

AT THE PARK

• Arrive at Hollywood Studios by noon
• Pick up a guide map and “Times Guide.” Check the times of the Indiana Jones show against your FastPass+ and pick a show to visit.
• Head to Great Movie Ride and see it unless lines are too long.  If so, see it Wednesday
• See Toy Story Midway Mania (FP+)
• Have lunch at Backlot Express
• Fold in the Indiana Jones stunt show among Muppet Vision 3D, the Frozen Sing-Along (FP+) and Star Tours (FP+)
• Around 4.30p head for the bus stops outside the main entrance and look for the bus to Fort Wilderness.

AT FORT WILDERNESS

• Take the bus to Fort Wilderness, then take any internal bus to the Settlement. Find the Hoop Dee Doo area, and check in for the 6.15p show.
• See Hoop-Dee-Doo!
• Ask the cast members outside for the best way to get back to your hotel.  Most likely you will return by boat to the Magic Kingdom, and catch a bus or monorail there.  But special buses may be running…

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you sleep in, then continue your visit to Epcot beginning in the late morning, and shift to the Magic Kingdom for the Christmas Party in the afternoon and evening.

MATERIAL IN THIS DISNEY WORLD ITINERARY

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