Category — i. Itineraries for Walt Disney World

EPCOT DAY 2: FRIDAY AGENDA

Today you will complete Epcot, and have the evening off.

For today you should have FastPass+ for Test Track, Turtle Talk with Crush, and a third ride.

You have no reserved dining today.

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Lower-Crowd Itinerary, 6 Night Version.)

FIRST THINGS

Be at the park by 45 minutes before open. 

AT THE PARK: MORNING

• Enter the turnstiles when the park opens at about 8.45, grab a map and Times Schedule, and see Soarin
• See MISSION Space
• Head to Test Track. Ride it using FastPass+.
• Head to the other side of Future World and see the attractions in the Imagination Pavilion– Disney & Pixar Short Films Festival and Journey Into Imagination with Figment
• Fit in The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Living with the Land, and Circle of Life around your FastPass+ for Turtle Talk with Crush. If lines are too long for Living with the Land, get a fourth FastPass+ for it later. Note that as you ride each FastPass+ ride you can move the next to an earlier time, if available.
• Have lunch while you are in this area of the park at Sunshine Seasons in the Land Pavilion on the lower level
• Next is the rest of World Showcase, starting in Canada and progressing counter-clockwise. Tour as you did earlier this week, checking out the shows as you wander
• If the kids are bored by World Showcase, check out Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure
• And you are almost done!  Check out Innoventions on your way out of the park

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you continue your visit to the Magic Kingdom.

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MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 2: SATURDAY AGENDA

Today you will continue your visit to the Magic Kingdom. You’ll see Fantasyland, Liberty Square, and the evening entertainment.

You should have FastPass+ for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Enchanted Tales with Belle, and the Haunted Mansion. Other fixed points in your schedule: you have lunch reservations at Cinderella’s Royal Table and want to see the afternoon parade at 3p and the evening fireworks.

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Lower-Crowd Itinerary, 6 Night Version.)

FIRST THINGS

Be at the park by 45 minutes before open.

AT THE PARK

• Enter the turnstiles when the park opens, grab a map and Times Schedule, and head to Peter Pan. Ride it
• See it’s a small world, the Carrousel if you wish, Mickey’s Philharmagic,  and Winnie the Pooh while you are in the area
• If you missed the Tomorrowland Speedway or Astro Orbiter in Tomorrowland Thursday, and they are important to you, see now before lines build
• See Dumbo
• See the Barnstormer if it looks like fun and lines aren’t too long
• See the Mad Tea Party
• Fit together Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, your FastPass+ for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Enchanted Tales with Belle, and your lunch at  Cinderella’s Royal Table
• See the 3p parade by grabbing a spot around 2.30 between the Castle and Liberty Square
• Fit the Hall of Presidents and Liberty Belle Riverboat around your FastPass+ for the Haunted Mansion.
• If you missed it Thursday, see Tom Sawyer Island
• Have dinner at a nearby counter service.
• Re-check the time of the fireworks tonight, then if you have time re-visit any rides you want to do again, booking additional FastPass+
• Watch Celebrate the Magic
• After Celebrate the Magic, move back closer to Main Street and see Wishes
• Head back to your hotel

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you finish your visit to the Magic Kingdom.

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MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 3: SUNDAY AGENDA

Today you will finish your visit to the Magic Kingdom, completing Adventureland and Frontierland.

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

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Lower-Crowd Itinerary, 6 Night Version.)

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.  This is a tip-based service.  You can also store your bags at the bell stand
• Arrive at the Magic Kingdom by 45 minutes before open

AT THE PARK

• At park open, head to and re-ride your favorite ride.
• See Magic Carpets of Aladdin and re-ride other favorites in between your FastPass+ for Big Thunder Mountain…
• …Pirates of the Caribbean (FP+) and
• Splash Mountain (FP+)
• Re-visit any rides you want to do again or missed earlier in your visit, booking additional FastPass+
• Sadly return home

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NOTE: THIS ITINERARY IS OUT OF DATE.  A REVISED VERSION FOR 2017 WILL BE OUT SHORTLY

Below is a seven night, Saturday arrival variant of my updated FastPass+ based 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. If the eight night lower crowd itinerary works unchanged, then so will this. If I indicate on the linked page required changes to the eight night itinerary, then use the comment form below to ask about your week.

There’s also a seven night Sunday arrival variant.  If you could do either, the Sunday version is much better.

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:

• Saturday
• Sunday
• Monday
• Tuesday
• Wednesday
• Thursday
• Friday
• Saturday

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This To-Do List is for the FastPass+ Lower-Crowd Itinerary, 7 Night Saturday Arrival Variant. For To-Do-Lists for other itineraries, see this.

A. MORE THAN 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR PLANNED ARRIVAL DATE

(Note that a good travel agent, such as Destinations in Florida, can do almost all of this for you, for free. If you use Destinations in Florida as your travel agent through a link for this site–like this one–then they share a bit of the pixie dust they get from Disney with me.)

1. Confirm your budget, planned dates, intended hotel, kids’ development and heights, and your transportation choice and its availability for your planned dates.

2. Make your plane reservations, if flying. Make any other needed transportation arrangements.

3. Create your My Disney Experience account here and add your family members to it

4. Set up your hotel and tickets. Call 407-939-7675 (preferred, because this allows you to tell the reservationist which building at your resort you wish to be in), or click here to use Disney’s online system.  (Note: if your dates are later than what the online system permits, see this.)

• If you are following my itinerary, you want the hotel you’ve picked for 7 nights, eight day, no hopper, no “water parks and more” tickets, the Dining Plan, and Disney’s Magical Express if you are flying
• Itineraries other than mine will have different requirements here

B. 181 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

Decide whether on Wednesday night you’ll be dining at Akershus or the San Angel Inn. Akershus is a princess meal–you’ll have another princess meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table on Thursday.  If you really like princesses, do Akershus; otherwise, San Angel Inn is the better choice.

Login to your MyDisneyExperience.com account, click the “Things to Do” tab at top right, under Dining hit “Make Reservations,” and practice trying to reserve restaurants (hint: use the search box at the upper right).

This may well drive you crazy, but the site works better than it used to…and is likely the only way you can get your Cindy reservations done! (as the site opens up a new reservable day at 6a, whereas the phone reservation line opens at 7a).

Collect your restaurant reservations together. You will want to do them online in order of hardest to reserve first. This is how they are listed below.

C. EXACTLY 6am EST, EXACTLY 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

(For an 180 day calendar, see this).

Be on the restaurant website by at least 5:50am EST, and have your Cindy reservation all set up on the page. Keep refreshing, as you will be let in as soon as Disney’s system decides it is 6a.

Make as many of the following as you have patience for (try to get through at least Chef Mickey’s), in the exact order listed:

• Cinderella’s Royal Table Lunch (dining plan, two credits): Thursday at 11a or later if you can; earlier than 11 only if your sole option…
• Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue (dining plan, two credits): Tuesday 6.15p show. The later time will keep you up later than you need to be, OK if all you can get. Avoid the earlier time–it’ll cut into your park time too much
• Chef Mickey’s (dining plan, one credit) Tuesday 11a.  Later is OK, but not a whole lot earlier–no earlier than 10.30a
• Crystal Palace (dining plan): Saturday 6p if you can; earlier OK, but not later
• Akershus Banquet or San Angel Inn (dining plan): Wednesday 7p.  No later, but earlier is OK.

For those you don’t make online, make them by calling call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463)

D. 60 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

1. Go to your MyDisneyExperience account as early as right after midnight and set up the following FastPass+

• First Saturday evening at Magic Kingdom: Winnie the Pooh at 4.30-5.30p, Main Street Electrical Parade, and Wishes
• Sunday at Animal Kingdom: Kilimanjaro Safaris 11.30a-12.30p, Kali River Rapids 4-5p, and Rivers of Light (if open by your date–if not open, have your third FastPass+ be for the the next available Festival of the Lion King after your Kilimanjaro FastPass+)
• Monday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Tier One: Toy Story Midway Mania. Tier Two: Star Tours and Frozen Sing-Along. Set Toy Story Midway Mania for 1-2p, Star Tours for noon-1p, and the Frozen Sing Along for 11a-noon.
• Tuesday at the Magic Kingdom: Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, and Jungle Cruise. Set Space Mountain for 12-1p, Buzz Lightyear for 1-2p, and Jungle Cruise for 3.30-4.30p
• Wednesday afternoon and evening at Epcot: Tier One: Frozen Ever After if open for your dates; otherwise IllumiNations. Tier Two: Spaceship Earth and a third. Do Frozen Ever After for 5.30 to 6.30p, and Spaceship Earth for 2.-3p
• Thursday at the Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Enchanted Tales with Belle, and the Haunted Mansion. Target Seven Dwarfs for 1-2p, Belle for 2-3p, and the Haunted Mansion for 3.30-4.30p. (At park open, head to Peter Pan.)
• Friday at Epcot: Tier One: Test Track. Tier Two: Turtle Talk with Crush and a third of your choice. Set Test Track for 10.30a-11.30a, Turtle Talk with Crush for 12.30p to 1.30p, and the third for right after.
• Second Saturday Morning at the Magic Kingdom: Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Big Thunder Mountain. Set Big Thunder for 9.30-10.30, Pirates for 10.30-11.30, and Splash for 11.30-12.30.

2. Do online check in, requesting as you do special location points

3. Customize your MagicBands

E. NOTES ON PACKING ETC. BEFORE YOU LEAVE

1. Bring your MagicBands in your carry-ons

2. If you use Disney’s Magical Express, you do not need to collect your bags at the Orlando airport unless you arrive late in the evening/at night or are an international traveler. Disney will get them for you and, eventually, deliver them directly to your room. Your bags may arrive hours after you do; so, depending on the weather forecasts, have a carry-on with an appropriate change of clothes for Orlando weather on Saturday, as you will almost certainly go to the Magic Kingdom on Saturday before your checked bags arrive.

3. Follow the instructions in the Magical Express packet you will receive in the mail regarding both tagging your bags pre-departure, and where to go at the Orlando airport to find your transport to your resort.

4. Bring a copy of your room reservation, confirmation numbers and any tickets for special events you may have received in the mail.

5. Pack breakfast utensils, as they are not always available in the gift shop: bowls, spoons, napkins

6. When you arrive at the hotel, look for the special “On-line Check-in” line, and get into it.

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MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 1: FIRST SATURDAY AGENDA

Today you will begin your visit to the Magic Kingdom, focusing on the evening shows.

Your key FastPass+ for tonight are for Wishes and the Main Street Electrical Parade.

You may not get to use other FastPass+ today, depending on your arrival time, how late the park is open, and what time the evening shows happen.  Check the Magic Kingdom calendar here. Disney requires you to get three FastPass+ regardless, so select from among Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train for your third FastPass+.

Each of these is worth multiple rides!  The other fixed point in your schedule is dinner at the Crystal Palace.

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Lower-Crowd Itinerary, 7 Night Saturday Arrival Variant. It does not work all weeks–use the comment form to check in on yours!)

FIRST THINGS

Check in, get settled if your room is ready, and be at the Magic Kingdom as soon as you can.

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 will likely 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. You can ask to be called or texted later to find out your exact room
• If your room is ready, and if you have time–you want to be at the Magic Kingdom as soon as you can–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) “Refillable Mugs,” which you will be able to re-use at your resort for free drinks over your entire stay
• Head to the Magic Kingdom as soon as you can

AT THE PARK

• Be at the park in time for dinner at the Crystal Palace
• If you arrive early, use your FastPass+
• Find the FastPass+ viewing area in front of the Main Street Railroad Station for Main Street Electrical Parade and watch it
• After the parade, move  to nearer the Castle and use your FastPass+ for Wishes to see both Wishes and Celebrate the Magic
• If you are up for it, continue in the park–but tomorrow is one of your longest days of this vacation…
• Head back to your hotel

BACK AT THE HOTEL

Buy food, supplies (bowls, spoons, etc.) and 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.

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

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