Category — i. Itineraries for Walt Disney World

DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: MAY 6 TO MAY 14, 2017

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

For more on May 2017 at Disney World, see this.

OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 5/6/-5/14/17

The Magic Kingdom will be open from 9a-11p 5/6, 9a-10p 5/7 through 5/10, 9a-11p 5/11 through 5/13, and 9a-10p 5/14

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

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open 9a-9.30p every day

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 9a-9.30p every day

EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 5/6-5/14/17

Saturday 5/6 Morning:  Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Sunday 5/7  Morning:  Hollywood Studios  Evening: none

Monday 5/8 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Tuesday 5/9 Morning: none Evening:  Epcot

Wednesday 5/10 Morning: none  Evening:  Magic Kingdom

Thursday 5/11 Morning: Epcot Evening: none

Friday 5/12 Morning:  Magic Kingdom Evening: none

Saturday 5/13 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Sunday 5/14  Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none

PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 5/6-5/14/2017

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

FIREWORKS AND EVENING SHOWS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 5/6-5/14/17

Wishes at the Magic Kingdom: 9p 5/6 through 5/11

Happily Every After at Magic Kingdom: 9p 5/12 through 5/14

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 9.15p every night

SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 5/6-5/14/17

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

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Note: Disney is not currently offering FastPass+.  No restart date or intent to cancel or replace it has been announced.

Because of this and other factors, my itineraries are not of any use.

Below is my FastPass+ based Disney World itinerary for lower crowd weeks.

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.

It is designed for lower-crowd weeks and does not work all dates after than.  Check your week here.

As always on this site, click the image to enlarge it.

The recommended dining and FastPass+ that make it work are in its To-Do List, so you can book them at the appropriate 180 day window for dining (although, so far, Rivers of Light dining has been opening up just a couple of months ahead) and 60 day window for FastPass+ sign-ups. Daily agendas are in the links:

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

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Note: Disney is not currently offering FastPass+.  No restart date or intent to cancel or replace it has been announced.

Because of this and other factors, my itineraries are not of any use, and these to-do lists are also of no use.

This To-Do List is for the Disney World Lower Crowd Itinerary. 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 Kelly at Destinations in Florida at 980-429-4499 or at Kelly@DestinationsInFlorida.com! can do almost all of this for you, for free. If you use Destinations in Florida as your travel agent and tell them you came from this site, 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 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…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.

Note that the Rivers of Light dining package has so far not been open for booking until much closer than 180 days, so it may not be available at the 180 day mark.  If not, keep trying.

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
• Tusker House as Rivers of Light Dining Package (dining plan, one credit): First Sunday 5.30p. The timing of Rivers of Light varies, so if offered it’s ok to do it later–they will only offer later reservations if they fit with the Rivers of Light timing. This may not be available at 180 days–if not, keep checking
• 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 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

Note that you are booking your FastPass+ in two steps: first, you are focusing on nailing the ones that are hardest to get, then 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 in the last few days booked their FastPass+ for the next nine days after that date, overlapping with your visit 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 10-11a
• Thursday at the Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train for 12.30-1.30p.
• 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 of your FastPass+ (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.  Set the times for when your travel plans permit you to be in the park. If your plans allow only one, pick Frozen Ever After
• First Sunday at the Animal Kingdom: Na’vi River Journey, Finding Nemo: The Musical, and Kali River Rapids. Set Na’vi for 10-11a, Nemo 11.30 to 11.45 for the noon show, and Kali River Rapids at 12:40p
• 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 9a-10a, Star Tours for 11a-noon 3.30p, and the Frozen Sing Along for the 10.30a show.
• 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 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Tier One: Slinky Dog Dash. Tier Two: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and Fantasmic. Set Rock ‘n’ Roller for 9-10a, Slinky Dog Dash to 10-11a, and if more than one Fantasmic show is available, pick the earlier one–likely for 8p
• Thursday at the Magic Kingdom:  For visits before 10/1/19 or after 12/22: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Enchanted Tales with Belle, and the Haunted Mansion. Target Seven Dwarfs for 12.30-1.30p, Belle for 1.30-2.30p, and the Haunted Mansion for 3.30-4.30p. For visits between 10/1/19 and 12/22 Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Enchanted Tales with Belle, and the Haunted Mansion. Target Seven Dwarfs for 1-2p, Belle for 2.30-3.30p, 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 Mission: SPACE. Set Mission: SPACE for 9.30-10.30a, Test Track for 10.30a-11.30a,and Turtle Talk with Crush for 12.30p to 1.30p.
• Second Saturday at the Magic Kingdom: Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Big Thunder Mountain. Set Big Thunder for 11.30-12.30, Pirates for 12.30-1.30, and Splash for 1.30-2.30.
• Second Sunday at the Animal Kingdom: Avatar: Flight of Passage and Festival of the Lion King. Set 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.

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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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

(Note: this is from the Disney World Lower-Crowd Itinerary.)

• 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 lengthier attractions as you can to free time on your second visit, see parts of World Showcase that are most fun in the evening, see 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 7p. 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+ viewing area on the Spaceship Earth side of the Lagoon) area 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. You start there early, have an afternoon break, then return for the evening shows. Check with your concierge on transport (likely buses) and what time you should be at the bus stop.

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ANIMAL KINGDOM DAY 1: FIRST SUNDAY 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.

(Note: this is from the Disney World Lower Crowd Itinerary.)

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

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HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS DAY 1: MONDAY AGENDA

Note: For visits when your Studios days are between June 30 and and August 25, use the updated FastPass+ instructions and touring plans for the two Studios days you will find on this page.

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 take part of the afternoon off each day.

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

(Note: this is from the Disney World Lower Crowd Itinerary.)

FIRST THINGS

• Arrive at Hollywood Studios by 45 minutes before open

AT THE PARK

• At arrival, pick up a guide map and “Times Guide” and head to straight to Toy Story Land. See Alien Swirling Saucers.
• See Toy Story Midway Mania (FP+)
• See Muppet Vision 3D
• See the Frozen Sing-Along  (FP+)
• See  Star Tours  (FP+)
• Look for additional FastPass+ to use either before you return to your hotel (Indiana Jones and Beauty and the Beast are good choices) or when you come back in the evening for the Star Wars show (check the Times Guide to confirm show times)
• See the noon Indiana Jones stunt show
• See the 1p Beauty and the Beast show
• Head back to your hotel
• Return to the park, arriving no later than 45 minutes before the evening show (or earlier if you got another FastPass+ for this evening)
• See the evening show

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you will begin your visit to the Magic Kingdom.

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