Category — i. Itineraries for Walt Disney World

DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: JULY 13 TO JULY 21, 2019

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

For more on July 2019 at Disney World, see this.

OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/13-7/21/19

The Magic Kingdom will be open from 9a-10p every day

Epcot will be open from 9a-9p every day

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open from 9a-9p every day

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open from 9a-10p 7/13 and 7/14, 9a-9p 7/15 through 7/18, and 9a-10p 7/19 through 7/21

EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/13-7/21/19

Saturday 7/13 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Sunday 7/14  Morning:  Hollywood Studios Evening: none

Monday 7/15 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Tuesday 7/16 Morning: none Evening: Epcot

Wednesday 7/17 Morning:  none Evening: Magic Kingdom

Thursday 7/18 Morning: Epcot Evening: none

Friday 7/19 Morning:  Magic Kingdom Evening: none

Saturday 7/20 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Sunday 7/21 Morning:  Hollywood Studios  Evening: none

PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/13-7/21/19

The Magic Kingdom: Afternoon parade: 3p every day

FIREWORKS AND EVENING SHOWS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/13-7/21/19

Happily Ever After at Magic Kingdom 9.15p every night

IllumiNations at Epcot: 9p every night

Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9p every night

Star Wars Show and Fireworks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9.30p every night

Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 9 and 10p 7/13 and 7/14; 9p 7/15 through 7/18; 9 and 10p 7/19 through 7/21

SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/13-7/21/19

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

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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: JULY 6 TO JULY 14, 2019

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

For more on June 2019 at Disney World see this, and for more on July, see this.

OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/6-7/14/19

The Magic Kingdom will be open from 9a-10p every day

Epcot will be open from 9a-9p every day

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open from 9a-9p every day

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open from 9a-10p 7/6 and 7/7, 9a-9p 7/8 and 7/9, and 9a-10p 7/10 through 7/14

EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/6-7/14/19

Saturday 7/6 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Sunday 7/7  Morning:  Hollywood Studios Evening: none

Monday 7/8 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Tuesday 7/9 Morning: none Evening: Epcot

Wednesday 7/10 Morning:  none Evening: Magic Kingdom

Thursday 7/11 Morning: Epcot Evening: none

Friday 7/12 Morning:  Magic Kingdom Evening: none

Saturday 7/13 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Sunday 7/14 Morning:  Hollywood Studios  Evening: none

PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/6-7/14/19

The Magic Kingdom: Afternoon parade: 3p every day

FIREWORKS AND EVENING SHOWS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/6-7/14/19

Happily Ever After at Magic Kingdom 9.15p every night

IllumiNations at Epcot: 9p every night

Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9p every night

Star Wars Show and Fireworks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9.30p every night

Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 9 and 10p 7/6 and 7/7; 9p 7/8 and 7/9; 9 and 10p 7/10 through 7/14

SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/6-7/14/19

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

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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: JUNE 29 TO JULY 7, 2019

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

For more on June 2019 at Disney World see this, and for more on July, see this.

OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 6/29-7/7/19

The Magic Kingdom will be open from 9a-10p 6/29 through 7/1, 9a-12MN 7/2; 8a-12MN 7/3, 8a-1a 7/4; and 9a-10p 7/5 through 7/7

Epcot will be open from 9a-9p every day

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open from 9a-9p every day

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open from 9a-9p 6/29, 9a-10p 6/30, 9a-9p 7/1 and 7/2, and 9a-10p 7/3 through 7/7

EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 6/29-7/7/19

Saturday 6/29 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Sunday 6/30  Morning:  Hollywood Studios Evening: none

Monday 7/1 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Tuesday 7/2 Morning: none Evening: Epcot

Wednesday 7/3 Morning:  none Evening: Magic Kingdom

Thursday 7/4 Morning: Epcot Evening: none

Friday 7/5 Morning:  Magic Kingdom Evening: none

Saturday 7/6 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Sunday 7/7 Morning:  Hollywood Studios  Evening: none

PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 6/29-7/7/19

The Magic Kingdom: Afternoon parade: 3p 6/29 through 7/2; noon and 3p 7/3 and 7/4; 3p 7/5 through 7/7

FIREWORKS AND EVENING SHOWS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 6/29-7/7/19

Happily Ever After at Magic Kingdom 9.15p 6/29 through 7/2 and 7/5 through 7/7

Special 4th of July fireworks at Magic Kingdom: 9.15p 7/3 and 7/4

IllumiNations at Epcot: 9p every night

Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9p every night

Star Wars Show and Fireworks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9.30p every night

Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 9p 6/29; 9 and 10p 6/30; 9p 7/1 and 7/2; 9 and 10p 7/3 through 7/7

SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 6/29-7/7/19

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

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This To-Do List is for the Disney World Extra Extra Magic Hours Itinerary. For To-Do-Lists for other itineraries, see this.

(Note that a good travel agent, such as Kelly, the long time travel agent partner of this site, can do almost all of this for you, for free. Use the form at the bottom of the page to contact her.)

A. MORE THAN 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR PLANNED ARRIVAL DATE

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 8 nights, nine day no hopper 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 your first 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…

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 5:50a 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 Tusker House), in the exact order listed–but note that sometimes the Rivers of Light Dining Package is not available until 90-120 days before:

• 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, and the earlier time will cut into your afternoon–but it is the better choice if the 6.15 show is booked.
• Chef Mickey’s (dining plan, one credit) Tuesday 11a.  Later is OK, but not a whole lot earlier–no earlier than 10.30a
• Tusker House as Rivers of Light Dining Package (dining plan, one credit). First Sunday 5.30p or later. You can schedule for as late as Disney will allow you to do so, but not earlier than 5.30p
• Crystal Palace (dining plan, one credit): Second Saturday 6p if you can; earlier OK, but not later
• Akershus Banquet or San Angel Inn (dining plan, one credit): First Saturday 6p.  No later than 6.30p, but earlier is OK if your travel plans allow for an earlier arrival at Epcot.

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

D. 60 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

Note that you are booking your FastPass+ in two steps: first you are focusing on nailing the ones that are hardest to get, then second  you are going back to the beginning of your visit and adding the rest. This is because some FastPass+ are hard to get even at 60 days (because people whose 60 days opened a few days ago booked their FastPass+ for all their ticket days after that date, overlapping with your dates.)

1. Go to your MyDisneyExperience account at 7am and set up the following hard-to-get FastPass+, booking them in the order noted

• Second Sunday at the Animal Kingdom: Avatar: Flight of Passage for 9.30 to 10.30a
• Wednesday at Hollywood Studios: Slinky Dog Dash for 12-1p if you plan to do Savi’s Workshop, Oga’s Canteen, and/or the Droid factory; 2-3p if not
• Monday at Hollywood Studios: Tower of Terror 9a-10a
• First Saturday afternoon and evening at Epcot: Tier One: Frozen Ever After. Set the time for when your travel plans permit you to be in the park.

2. Second, continue with the rest (I’ve kept the ones above in this list so you can see the various times):

• First Saturday afternoon and evening at Epcot: Tier One: Frozen Ever After. Tier Two: Spaceship Earth. The Tier One FastPass+ is your priority. Set the Tier Two times for when your travel plans permit you to be in the park. If you can book just one because of your travel schedule, choose Frozen Ever After
• First Sunday at the Animal Kingdom: Na’vi River Journey, Finding Nemo: The Musical, and Kali River Rapids. Set Kali River Rapids for 2-3p, Nemo 3p-3.15p for the 3.30p show, and Na’vi for 4.30-5.30p
• Monday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Tier One: Tower of Terror. Tier Two: Star Tours and Frozen Sing-Along. Set Tower of Terror for 9a-10a, Star Tours for 10a-11a, and the Frozen Sing-Along for the first show available 11a or later, ideally 11-11.15a for the 11.30a show)
• Tuesday at the Magic Kingdom: Space Mountain, Tomorrowland Speedway, and Jungle Cruise. Set Space Mountain for 8-9a, the Speedway for 9-10a, and Jungle Cruise for 10-11a.
• Wednesday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Tier One: Slinky Dog Dash. Tier Two: Beauty and the Beast and Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular. Pre-book FastPass+ for Slinky Dog Dash (2-3p if you do not plan to pre-book Savi’s Workshop, Oga’s Cantina, and/or the Droid Factory; 12-1p if you do have plan to see them) and for the shows Beauty and the Beast and Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular.  Ideally, you will pick both the times and the order of the two shows so that you tap in for the second show as early in the afternoon as possible, so check both shows before booking either.
• Thursday at the Magic Kingdom:  Peter Pan’s Flight, Enchanted Tales with Belle, and Haunted Mansion. Book Peter Pan before your Cinderella meal, and Enchanted Tales with Belle after–but not between the window of 1.45-2.45p (you will be watching the afternoon parade then).  Book Haunted Mansion for 3.30-4.30p
• Friday at Epcot: Tier One: Test Track. Tier Two: Mission: SPACE and Turtle Talk with Crush. Set Mission: SPACE for 9a-10a, Test Track for 10a-11a, and Turtle Talk with Crush for 12.30p to 1.30p.
• Second Saturday at the Magic Kingdom: Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain, and a third ride. Set Big Thunder for 9-10a, and Pirates for 10-11a
• Second Sunday at the Animal Kingdom: DINOSAUR, Avatar: Flight of Passage and Festival of the Lion King. Set DINOSAUR for 8a-9a, Flight of Passage for 9.30 to 10.30a, and Festival of the Lion King for 10.30-10.45a for the 11a show.

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

4. 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 Epcot 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.

Kelly, the long-time travel agent partner of this site, can book your Disney World vacation at any Disney World hotel!  Contact her using the form below.

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Below is my recommended  FastPass+ based Disney World itinerary for arrival dates from 8/31/2019 through 10/26/2019.

This period at Disney World follows the partial opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on 8/29, and incorporates the unprecedented daily Extra Magic Hours from 6-9a at the Studios from 9/1 through 11/2, from 7-8a at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom from 8/29 through 11/2, and early park openings (at 8a) at the latter two parks the same dates.

Because nobody likes to get up that early, it incorporates arriving for the early Extra Extra Magic Hours only once for each of the three affected parks, although it has optional early arrivals on other days.

There is no great way to see Disney World during this period, and especially Disney’s Hollywood Studios, other than using at least some morning Extra Magic Hours.  That means this itinerary works only for those who are eligible for Extra Magic Hours.  All the hotels on this page have Extra Magic Hours privileges.

(For those who can’t or won’t book an EMH eligible hotel, or who are eligible but aren’t willing to get up that early, I have suggestions for Magic Kingdom here and Animal Kingdom here.  I’ll come up with something for Hollywood Studios soon, but it will not be very good.  Your best bet especially for the Studios is to book an EMH eligible hotel and arrive before the EMH start at 6a.)

On its first Animal Kingdom day, it uses a Rivers of Light Dining Package to save a FastPass+. Note that this package is available sometimes only 3-4 months ahead, rather than the 180 days ahead that most dining is available.

This itinerary works only during this September and October 2019 period, and some dates that it mostly works it may need some little adjustments. Check your week here.

Note that all the dining in it is the same as that in my Higher Crowd Itinerary, so that if you have already booked dining based on that, you are set!

The recommended dining reservations and FastPass+ that make it work are in the To-Do List.

Daily agendas are in the links:

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

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(Note: this is from the Disney World Extra Extra Magic Hours Itinerary. As noted at the link, it works only during certain 2019 dates and only for folk who are Extra Magic Hours eligible.)

EPCOT DAY 1: FIRST SATURDAY AGENDA

Check in, get settled if your room is ready, and be at Epcot 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 Epcot 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 Epcot as soon as you can

AT THE PARK

• Your plan today is to see as many of Epcot’s attractions as you can to free time on your second visit, see parts of World Showcase that are most fun in the evening, see the Frozen Ever After in Norway, and see Epcot’s park-closing spectacular IllumiNations.
• You should have FastPass+ for Spaceship Earth and Frozen Ever After, and dinner reservations for either Akershus or San Angel Inn at around 6p. Those arriving late may have to thin the below to just dinner, Frozen Ever After, World Showcase, and Illuminations
• Go through the turnstiles and pick up a park map and “Times Guide”–a schedule. Use your Spaceship Earth FastPass+
• Head to World Showcase, and while keeping an eye out for your dinner reservation at around 7p, 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.
  • Check your map, times guide, and the pavilion itself, to see what each pavilion has.
  • For scheduled events like the 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
• Have dinner at whichever you chose to reserve between San Angel Inn inside the Mexico pyramid or the Akershus Royal Banquet  Meal in Norway at 7p
• Continue touring World Showcase clockwise until about 8:30p, using your FastPass+ for Frozen Ever After
• Pick a spot for Illuminations as near its FastPass+ area on the Spacehsip Earth side of the lagoon as you can find
• 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

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

You will spend the first of two days at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

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