Category — i. Itineraries for Walt Disney World

Below is a seven-night variant of my FastPass+ based Disney World itinerary for higher crowd weeks.

Updated in April 2018, it includes guidance for the new Avatar: World of Pandora at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and an alternate set of instructions for the to-open on June 30 Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

1. Toy Story Land will be opening at the Studios June 30.  Unusual operating patterns from then through the week beginning 8/18 mean the following:
   • For visits when your Studios days are before June 30, use the itinerary and To-do List as written
   • For visits when your Studios days are between June 30 and and August 25, use the updated FastPass+ instructions and touring plans for the Studios day you will find on this page.
   • For Studios days after 8/25, I’ll be publishing an appropriate set of FastPass+ and touring plans shortly

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 2-3 months ahead, rather than the 180 days ahead that most dining is available.

I’m not keen on this itinerary, as it has little rest time. Moreover, to see both evening shows at Hollywood Studios, you need to add an expensive Park Hopper to your tickets.

This itinerary does not work all dates, and some dates that it mostly works it may need some little adjustments. Use the comment form below to check with me on your dates.

As in all images and tables on this site, click it to enlarge it.

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

Daily agendas are in the links:

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

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(Note: this is from the Disney World Higher Crowd Itinerary, Seven Night Variant.)

EPCOT DAY 1: FIRST SUNDAY 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 day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. You have an early morning–you want to arrive by 45 minutes before open. Check with your concierge on transport (likely buses) and what time you should be at the bus stop.

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(Note: this is from the Disney World Higher Crowd Itinerary, Seven Night Variant.)

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS: MONDAY AGENDA

Today you visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

You should have FastPass+ for Toy Story Midway Mania, Star Tours, and the Frozen Sing-Along. You have no scheduled dining today.

FIRST THINGS

Arrive at the Studios by 45 minutes before open.

AT THE PARK

• At park open, grab a times guide to double-check show schedules, head to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and ride it
• Then see Tower of Terror
• See Voyage of the Little Mermaid
• See Walt Disney Presents (formerly Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream)
• See Star Wars Launch Bay
• See the 11a Beauty and the Beast
• See the noon Indiana Jones
• Have lunch
• See Muppet Vision 3D
• See Star Tours (FP+)
• See Toy Story Midway Mania (FP+)
• See Disney Jr Live on Stage
• See the Frozen Sing-Along (FP+)
• Book an additional FastPass+–for Fantasmic if you are seeing it and FP+ are available, otherwise something you want to re-visit
• Have dinner
• Decide between Fantasmic and the projection/fireworks show–Star Wars most of the year, Jingle Bell Jingle BAM from mid-November through December. Note that you can pay for a Park Hopper and return to the Studios Thursday night to see the other of these shows
• Be at your selected show 30-45 minutes before showtime.

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you will begin your visit to the Animal Kingdom.

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(Note: this is from the Disney World Higher Crowd Itinerary, Seven Night Variant.)

ANIMAL KINGDOM DAY 1: TUESDAY AGENDA

Today you begin and end your day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which you will return to next Sunday morning. You should have dinner booked at Tusker House as the Rivers of Light Dining Package.

You should have FastPass+ for Na’vi River Journey, Finding Nemo, and Kali River Rapids. Bring spare socks and shoes to change into after Kali River Rapids.

MORNING PLAN

• Arrive at the turnstiles 45 minutes before open
• At open, head to and ride Kilimanjaro Safaris
• See Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
• See Na’vi River Journey (FastPass+)
• Explore Pandora
• Have an early lunch
• See the noon Finding Nemo: The Musical (FastPass+)
• See the Maharajah Jungle Trek
• See Kali River Rapids (FastPass+)
• See the 1.30p Flights of Wonder
• See it’s Tough to Be a Bug
• Head back to your hotel for a nap and dinner

EVENING PLAN

• Be back in the park in time for your Tusker House Rivers of Light Dining Package dinner.
• See Rivers of Light (FastPass+)—be in the FastPass+ line 30 minutes before show start
• Explore Tree of Life Awakenings and Pandora: World of Avatar after dark
• Ride, if you wish, Expedition Everest and/or Kilimanjaro Safaris after dark
• Head back to your hotel

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you begin your visit to Magic Kingdom, arriving 45 minutes before opening.

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(Note: this is from the Disney World Higher Crowd Itinerary, Seven Night Variant.)

MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 1: WEDNESDAY AGENDA

Today you start your visit to the Magic Kingdom, seeing Tomorrowland and then touring some lower-wait attractions in Adventureland and Frontierland. You have brunch at Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort near the Magic Kingdom, and end your day at Fort Wilderness’s Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue.

You should have FastPass+ for Space Mountain, the Tomorrowland Speedway, and the Jungle Cruise. The other fixed points in your schedule are Chef Mickey’s and Hoop-Dee-Doo.

FIRST THINGS

Be at the park by 45 minutes before open.

AT THE PARK

• At open, head to Tomorrowland and see Buzz Lightyear
• See Space Mountain (FP+)
• Ride Astro-Orbiter
• Ride the Tomorrowland PeopleMover
• Ride the Tomorrowland Speedway (FP+)
• Exit the park about 10.30 and either walk or take the resort monorail to the Contemporary Resort. Eat at Chef Mickey’s
• Return to the park, head into Tomorrowland, and see the Carousel of Progress and Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
• Go to Adventureland and fit the Swiss Family Treehouse and the Enchanted Tiki Room around your FastPass+ for the Jungle Cruise
• Find the passage into Frontierland and see the Country Bears
• If you have time, find the rafts near Big Thunder Mountain and see Tom Sawyer Island
• Around 5p head for the main entrance and look for the boat docks right in front
• Take the boat to Fort Wilderness (not the Wilderness Lodge), and follow the crowds to the Hoop Dee Doo area, and check in for the 6.15p show.
• See Hoop-Dee-Doo
• Ask 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.

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you continue your visit to Magic Kingdom.

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(Note: this is from the Disney World Higher Crowd Itinerary, Seven Night Variant.)

MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 2: THURSDAY AGENDA

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

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 2p. (3p after January 1, 2018.)

If you choose, you can head to Hollywood Studios at the end of the day to see whichever of the evening shows there you missed on Monday. This will require the park hopper add on, making it an expensive visit. Use the My Disney Experience app to double-check show times.

FIRST THINGS

Be at the park by 45 minutes before open.

AT THE PARK

• Enter the turnstiles when the park opens 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
• Head into Storybook Circus and 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 your lunch at  Cinderella’s Royal Table
• See the 2p  parade by grabbing a spot around 1.30 between the Castle and Liberty Square
• See Enchanted Tales with Belle (FP+)
• (Beginning 12/23/17, do Belle first then the parade, which will be at 3.30p late in December, then 3p after 1/1)
• Fit the Hall of Presidents and Liberty Belle Riverboat around your FastPass+ for the Haunted Mansion.
• If you wish, and have a park hopper ticket, head to Hollywood Studios to see the evening show you missed earlier this week. Book a FastPass+ for the Studios on your way if you wish
• Have dinner at the park or in your hotel (counter service)

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you finish your visit to Epcot

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