Category — i. Itineraries for Walt Disney World

I have retired this itinerary for 2016, as I’ve not been able to design a five night version for 2016 that meets my standards. For a six night option, see this.

ANIMAL KINGDOM DAY 2:  SATURDAY AGENDA

Today you spend the morning completing your visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and then depart for home. You have no scheduled meals.

You should have FastPass+ for Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo, and Kali River Rapids.

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Basic December Five Night Itinerary. This itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. For itineraries for other dates, see this.)

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
• Bring a change of clothes to the park as you will get soaked on Kali River Rapids!
• Arrive at Animal Kingdom by 45 minutes before open

AT THE PARK

• Enter the park, and go to Africa and ride Kilimanjaro Safaris
• See the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail
• Use your FastPass+ for Festival of the Lion King
• Rafiki’s Planet Watch is a minor adventure accessed by the Wildlife Express Train. If interested, and you have time (including the train allow 45 minutes), see it
• See Finding Nemo: the Musical in DinoLand (FP+)
• See Kali River Rapids (FP+)
• Sadly return home

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ANIMAL KINGDOM DAY 1 AND MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 2: FRIDAY AGENDA

Today you will begin at the Animal Kingdom, and then continue your visit to the Magic Kingdom. You’ll finish Fantasyland and see Liberty Square.

You should have FastPass+ for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Enchanted Tales with Belle, and Peter Pan. As soon as you have finished your FastPass+ for the Mine Train, try to get a fourth FastPass+ for the Haunted Mansion. The other fixed points in your schedule are the 3p parade and your reservations at Cinderella’s Royal Table and Chef Mickey’s.

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Basic December Five Night Itinerary. This itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. For itineraries for other dates, see this.)

FIRST THINGS

Be at the Animal Kingdom by 45 minutes before it opens.

MORNING AT THE ANIMAL KINGDOM

• At park open, grab a times guide, head to Expedition Everest, and ride.
• Head into DinoLand, and ride Dinosaur
• Check the show schedule for Flights of Wonder, planning to see the first show
• If Triceratops Spin and Primeval Whirl look like fun, ride them
• Head back to Asia and see Pangani Forest, Flights of Wonder, and It’s Tough to be a Bug on nearby Discovery Island
• Head to the Magic Kingdom

AFTERNOON AND EVENING AT THE MAGIC KINGDOM

• Dine at Cinderella’s Royal Table in the castle.
• See Peter Pan (FP+)
• See it’s a small world,  the Carrousel, and Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid around your FastPass+ for Enchanted Tales with Belle
• See the afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade
• See for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (FP+). As soon as you are off the Mine Train, go to a kiosk to try to book a fourth FastPass+ for the Haunted Mansion
• See Dumbo
• See the Barnstormer if it looks like fun and lines aren’t too long
• Take the WDW Railroad from the Fantasyland Station to the Frontierland Station. Walk from there to Liberty Square
• See the Hall of Presidents
• See the Haunted Mansion (perhaps with FastPass+)
• See Liberty Belle Riverboat
• Walk or take the resort monorail to the Contemporary Resort
• Have dinner at Chef Mickey’s
• Via the resort monorail, stop at the Polynesian, then the Grand Floridian, to see their Christmas decorations
• Continue on the resort monorail to the Magic Kingdom. Find the Wilderness Lodge boat at the front, and take it to the Lodge.  See its Christmas decorations. Return by boat to the Magic Kingdom
• Head back to your hotel

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you finish your visit to the Animal Kingdom and head home.

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HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS: THURSDAY AGENDA

Today you you visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

You should have FastPass+ for the Toy Story Midway Mania, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, and the Frozen Sing-Along. You have no scheduled dining today.

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Basic December Five Night Itinerary. This itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. For itineraries for other dates, see this.)

FIRST THINGS

Arrive at the Studios by 45 minutes before open.

AT THE PARK

• At park open, grab a times guide, head to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and ride it
• See Tower of Terror
• Take a look at your Times Guide.  The challenge today is to see the fixed-schedule shows Indiana Jones, American Idol, Lights Motor Action, Beauty and the Beast, and Fantasmic in the middle of all the other rides and FastPass+.  If the schedule works, aim for Indiana Jones a little after 11, American Idol a little after 1, Lights Motor around 4.30, and Beauty and the Beast around 5.30.  Fantasmic is what it is; if there’s two shows, the later one will be less crowded, but yields a day about 90 minutes longer…
• See Great Movie Ride
• See Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream
• See Voyage of the Little Mermaid (FP+)
• See Indiana Jones
• See Muppet Vision 3D
• See Star Tours
• See the Frozen Sing-ALong (FP+)
• Have lunch
• See Toy Story Mania (FP+)
• See Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream
• If time permits, see the Magic of Disney Imagination and Disney Jr Live on Stage
• See Lights Motor Action
• See Beauty and the Beast
• Be at Fantasmic 30-45 minutes before showtime. Fit dinner in before or after, depending on the Fantasmic schedule
• See the Osborne Lights in Streets of America

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you will begin at the Animal Kingdom, and then go to and complete your visit to the Magic Kingdom.

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EPCOT DAY 2: WEDNESDAY AGENDA

Today you will complete Epcot.

Assuming you saw Soarin, Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, Turtle Talk with Crush, and some of World Showcase on Monday, you can arrive late today–around 11a.

If you missed some of these, or if you want to spend extra time in World SHowcase or Innoventions, you need to arrive before park open, and starting with Soarin right at open see them, then shift to the material that begins at 11a.

For today you should have FastPass+ for Test Track, Mission: Space, and a third ride. You have several other scheduled events–dinner as the Candlelight Processional Package at San Angel Inn at around 5.45, the Candlelight Processional itself at 8.15p, and Illuminations at 9.30p

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Basic December Five Night Itinerary. This itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. For itineraries for other dates, see this.)

FIRST THINGS

Be at the park by 11a.

AT THE PARK: MORNING

• See anything you missed Monday
• Have lunch
• See Mission: Space (FP+)
• See Ellen’s Energy Adventure
• See Test Track (FP+)
• Go into Innoventions East and check out The Sum of All Thrills.  If it looks like fun and waits are ok, ride it. See more of Innoventions East and West if you wish
• See the Seas with Nemo and Friends
• See Circle of Life
• See Journey Into Imagination with Figment
• See Captain EO
• Continue the visit to World Showcase you began on Saturday
• Have dinner at San Angel Inn
• Visit more of World Showcase
• See the Candlelight Processional in front of the American Adventure
• Make your way to the special seating area for Illuminations that’s part of your Candlelight Processional Package, seeing more of World Showcase on the way, hitting if needed the bathrooms before you enter the Illuminations area–as you want to beat the crowds heading out, and you want nothing to slow you down!
• Watch Illuminations, and if you are parked, taking the monorail, or taking a bus back to your hotel, immediately at its end start walking briskly to the park exit (on the far side of Spaceship Earth) to beat the crowds.
• Return to your hotel

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you see Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

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MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 1: TUESDAY AGENDA

Today you have the morning off and then begin your visit to the Magic Kingdom, starting on a regular ticket and then shifting to the specially ticketed Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (“MVMCP”).

Over the course of the afternoon and evening, you’ll complete Tomorrowland, see much of Adventureland and Frontierland, and begin your visit to Fantasyland.

You should have FastPass+ for Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and the Jungle Cruise. You have no scheduled dining, but many fixed events in the late evening as part of MVMCP.

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Basic December Five Night Itinerary. This itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. For itineraries for other dates, see this.)

FIRST THINGS

Arrive at the park by 1p.

AT THE PARK

• See Big Thunder Mountain (FP+)
• See Tom Sawyer Island
• See Splash Mountain (FP+)
• See the Country Bears
• Fit the Swiss Family Treehouse and Enchanted Tiki Room around your FastPass+ for the Jungle Cruise
• Head to Tomorrowland and see the lower-wait rides here–the Carousel of Progress, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, Stitch’s Great Escape, and the Tomorrowland PeopleMover
• Have dinner and then get your MVMCP wristbands. Note that at MVMCP, you’ll be skipping the first parade, and watching the second one instead
• See Space Mountain (FP+)
• See Buzz Lightyear
• See Astro Orbiter
• See Tomorrowland Speedway
• See Winnie the Pooh
• See Mickey’s Philharmagic
• See the 9.15p Castle Show
• See the 9.30p Holiday Wishes
• See the 10.05p “Celebrate the Seasons” show
• See the second Christmas Parade at 10.30p
• Return to Adventureland and see Pirates of the Caribbean and Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• You are now done–but if you have the energy and time, waits should be very low now, so re-ride a favorite

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

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

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