Category — i. Itineraries for Walt Disney World

MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 2: THURSDAY AGENDA

Today you have the early morning off, and then in the late morning continue your visit the Magic Kingdom.

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

You should have breakfast or lunch scheduled with the princesses at Cinderella’s Royal Table.

(Note: this is from the Nine Night Version of the 2016 Basic December Itinerary. The itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. See this for other itineraries.)

MORNING

• Sleep in and eat breakfast in your room
• Arrive at Magic Kingdom in time for your Cinderella booking–or if it is later, by 11a

AT THE MAGIC KINGDOM

At Magic Kingdom today your goal is to complete seeing Adventureland and Frontierland while fitting in your meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table, and the afternoon parade.

The To-Do List did not give specific times for today’s FastPass+ (Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain), because of the need to fit them around your dining reservation.

So you will need to adjust the sequence below based on your actual meal and FastPass+ times, and also interrupt it to be in position for the afternoon parade near Pecos Bill’s by 15 minutes before it starts–typically at 2.45p

• Enter the park, grab a times guide, and confirm the time of the afternoon parade (usually 3p)
• Have your meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table
• Go to Adventureland and ride Pirates of the Caribbean
• Walk through the Swiss Family Treehouse
• Do Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• See the Enchanted Tiki Room show
• Ride Splash Mountain (FastPass+)
• See the Country Bears
• Ride Big Thunder Mountain (FastPass+)
• Look for a fourth FastPass+ on your phone if you’d like to return to a ride from today or earlier this week.
• Fit into the above seeing the afternoon parade (find a spot near Pecos Bill’s by 15 minutes before it starts–3p starts are typical)
• Revisit rides from today or earlier this week
• Return to your hotel–to get to the exit, take the Walt Disney World Railroad from the station between Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain to the Main Street station for a bit of a treat and some time off your feet.

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

You will spend the first of two days at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You get to sleep in–you want to arrive by 1p. Check with your concierge on transport (likely buses) and what time you should be at the bus stop. Pack spare dry clothes, as you will get wet on Kali River Rapids!

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ANIMAL KINGDOM DAY 1: FRIDAY AGENDA

Today you have the morning off and then begin your visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which you will complete Sunday afternoon. You have no scheduled meals today.

You should have FastPass+ for Kali River Rapids, Kilimanjaro Safaris, and Rivers of Light (I am hoping it will be open by your trip…)

(Note: this is from the Nine Night Version of the 2016 Basic December Itinerary. The itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. See this for other itineraries.)

MORNING

• Sleep in and eat breakfast in your room
• Bring spare clothes as you will get soaked on Kali River Rapids
• Arrive at Animal Kingdom by 1p

AT THE PARK

Today your goal is to see Discovery Island, most of Asia, Kilimanjaro Safaris after sunset, and Rivers of Light if it is open–you’ll be returning Sunday afternoon to see more of Africa, DinoLand, and other areas you missed.

Enter the park, grab a times guide, and compare the times of Flights of Wonder and Finding Nemo: the Musical to your FastPass + schedule, figuring out when to see these

• Head to Discovery Island to see It’s Tough to Be a Bug
• Ride Kali River Rapids using FastPass+
• Dry off, change clothes, and eat lunch at Flame Tree Barbecue
• Recheck the show times and see Finding Nemo, and Flights of Wonder. Fit the Maharajah Jungle Trail and visiting the exhibits and carvings around the Tree of Life between shows
• Have dinner at the counter service near Yak and Yeti
• Use your FastPass+ for Kilimanjaro Safaris and Rivers of Light
• If you have the time and energy, and lines are short, see Expedition Everest. You have FastPass+ for it next Sunday morning, but it’s worth doing in the dark, too!
• After dark, perhaps on your way out, see the Tree of Life Awakenings

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you have the morning off, then complete your visit to the Magic Kingdom.

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MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 3: SECOND SATURDAY AGENDA

Today you have the morning off, and then in the early afternoon continue your visit the Magic Kingdom.

You should have FastPass+ for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Peter Pan’s Flight, and the Haunted Mansion.

You should have lunch scheduled at Crystal Palace at 1p, and dinner scheduled at Chef Mickey’s at the nearby Contemporary Resort at 6p.

(Note: this is from the Nine Night Version of the 2016 Basic December Itinerary. The itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. See this for other itineraries.)

MORNING

• Sleep in and eat breakfast in your room
• Either eat lunch in your hotel or arrive at the park earlier than 12:45p to dine there
• Arrive at Magic Kingdom by 12:45p

AT THE MAGIC KINGDOM

At Magic Kingdom today your goal is to complete seeing Liberty Square and Fantasyland while fitting in your meals at the Crystal Palace and Chef Mickey’s, viewing the Christmas decoration at a few nearby hotels, and if you wish seeing the evening entertainment.

• Enter the park, grab a Times Guide, and if you plan to see them, confirm the time of Wishes and if there is one–there probably will not be–the evening parade
• Have lunch at the Crystal Palace
• Go to Fantasyland and see Seven Dwarfs Mine Train with FastPass+
• Head into Storybook Circus at the back of Fantasyland and ride Dumbo, and if it looks like fun, Barnstormer
• Come back on the other side of the Mine Train and ride Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
• Head towards the Castle and see Mickey’s Philharmagic
• Ride it’s a small world
• See Peter Pan’s Flight with FastPass+
• Take the path between Peter Pan and it’s a small world to Liberty Square and see Haunted Mansion (FastPass+)
• Look for a fourth FastPass+ on your phone if you’d like to return to a ride
• See the Christmas decorations at the Grand Floridian and Wilderness Lodge framed around your 6p dinner at Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort. The simplest way to do this, if you can start by 4.30, is to
  1. Take the resort monorail around the Seven Seas Lagoon, get off at the Grand Floridian, and check it out, starting with its lobby
  2. Re-board the resort monorail, and take it to the Contemporary.  Get off and dine at Chef Mickey’s there
  3. Take the boat from the Contemporary (in the back, beyond the pools) to the Wilderness Lodge, get off and check it out, focusing on the lobby
  4. From the Wilderness Lodge boat dock, take the Magic Kingdom boat back to the park
• What you do next is up to you. Use your fourth FastPass+ if you booked one; revisit favorite rides; stay for the fireworks show Wishes (similar, but not identical, to the fireworks you saw earlier this week); watch the evening parade if there is one (the former Main Street Electrical Parade stopped in October, and as I write this no replacement is known to be imminent); and/or
• Head back to your hotel

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you sleep in then complete your visit to the Animal Kingdom.

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ANIMAL KINGDOM DAY 2: SECOND SUNDAY AGENDA

Today you spend the afternoon completing your visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You have no scheduled meals.

Note that if you want to spend tomorrow morning at a park, add a day on to your ticket this morning at your hotel.

You should have FastPass+ for Festival of the Lion King, Expedition Everest, and DINOSAUR. Your goal today is to see what you did not see Friday, including the daylight version of Kilimanjaro Safaris.

(Note: this is from the Nine Night Version of the 2016 Basic December Itinerary. The itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. See this for other itineraries.)

MORNING

• Sleep in and have lunch at your hotel
• Arrive at Animal Kingdom by 1p

AT THE PARK

• Enter the park, go to Africa and see the daylight version of Kilimanjaro Safaris (FastPass+)
• See the Gorilla Falls Trail
• See Festival of the Lion King
• Walk to Asia and use your FastPass+ for Expedition Everest. If you like, ride it again—from the single rider line if standby is too long
• Ride Primeval Whirl and/or Triceratops spin if they look like fun
• Use your FastPass+ for DINOSAUR
• Rafiki’s Planet Watch is a minor adventure accessed by the Wildlife Express Train back in Africa. If interested, and see it
• Repeat and rides you might want to see again
• Return to your hotel

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

You have no scheduled parks or meals on your last day. If you want to go to another park in the morning, add another day to your ticket before you visit today!

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TRAVEL DAY–SECOND MONDAY AGENDA

Today you have nothing scheduled, unless you want to return to your favorite park.

(Note: this is from the Nine Night Version of the 2016 Basic December Itinerary. The itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. See this for other itineraries.)

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 or just outside.  This is a tip-based service.  You can also store your bags at the bell stand
• Note that you can use the pool and other hotel services even after you check out

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EPCOT DAY 1: FIRST SUNDAY AGENDA

Check in, get settled, and head to Epcot.

Today is the first of your three visits to Epcot. I’ve designed this itinerary with three Epcot visits because there are three key Tier One FastPass+ at Epcot, and you will use one each visit. This lets you sleep in before your next two Epcot visits…

Your plan tonight is to see Test Track, to visit the parts of World Showcase that are most fun in the evening, to sample the Holiday Storytellers, and to check out, if you have time, the holiday decorations in the nearby Epcot resorts.

You want to be on your way out of Epcot by 9.30p, so that you miss the crowds that will depart the park after the 9.30 IllumiNations show is over. (You will see IllumiNations on Friday night.)

You should have FastPass+ for Test Track, and you have no scheduled dining tonight.

(Note: this is from the Seven Night Sunday Arrival Version of the 2016 Basic December Itinerary. The itinerary works only for the three weeks after Thanksgiving. See this for other itineraries.)

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 may 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.

Head to Epcot as early as you can, and at the latest in time to make your FastPass+ at Test Track.

AT THE PARK

• Go through the turnstiles and pick up a park map and “Times Guide”–a schedule.
• Head to World Showcase, and while keeping an eye out for your Test Track FastPass+, 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. Most also will have a Holiday Storyteller.
  • Check your map, times guide, and the pavilion itself, to see what each pavilion has.
  • For scheduled events like the Storytellers, 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
• Ride Test Track (FastPass+)
• Have dinner at a convenient counter service when you are ready.
• If you have time, head over to the BoardWalk Inn (walk or boat—the walkway and boat are at the International Gateway between the UK and France) and see the holiday decorations in its lobby, continuing on to see those in the nearby Yacht Club and Beach Club, time permitting.
• Be back in Epcot and headed towards the bus and monorail stops by 9.30p, so that you miss the crowds leaving after IllumiNations.
• Return to your hotel.

BACK AT THE HOTEL

Buy food, supplies (bowls, spoons, etc.) and get 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. You can also get these in the morning, but crowds in the shops/counter service will likely be lower tonight.

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

You will visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios, beginning early–you need to be at the park by 45 minutes before open.

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