The simple answer is yes. And no. Yes, you can see all four major parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom) in three days, providing you have a park-hopper pass. But you cannot possibly experience all there is to offer in each of them. You have to prioritize!
On our first visit with a child, we only spent two days in the parks. We weren't sure our two-year-old was ready for more. We opted to skip Animal Kingdom entirely. (AK is a great park, but this was prior to the addition of the Finding Nemo: The Musical show, and there weren't many attractions that appealed to our little princess.) We also knew that we needed a full day at the Magic Kingdom. (This one really is THE park for the preschool set.) So that left us to split a day between Epcot and what is now Disney's Hollywood Studios. We were able to hit the highlights of both parks, but certainly missed out on dozens of attractions. Still, we had a magical vacation that suited our little family.
By our next visit, we had become a family of four, traveling with an almost-five-year-old and an almost-two-year-old. In addition, we invited the grandparents along (a great idea for letting Mom & Dad take in some of the thrill rides and grown-up fun!). This time, we spent three days in the parks and had our first glimpse of Animal Kingdom. (We enjoyed it, but it's still our family's least favorite park, validating our decision to skip it on the previous trip.) Although we hopped around, our time was roughly divided as: 1 day in the MK; 1/2 day at AK; 3/4 day at Epcot; and 3/4 day at DHS. We felt that, although there were attractions we skipped, we got to experience most of what our family wanted to see.
Some things to note: we skipped most of the major thrill rides. And, traditionally, thrill rides have the longest wait times. Also, my husband and I had been to WDW before (multiple times, actually), and we knew we'd be back soon. So we didn't have a sense of urgency to see and experience every attraction. Other than a couple of character meals, we mostly ate at counter-service restaurants and even took snacks to eat while waiting in line (saving time and money). Finally, we followed a very specific touring plan and used FastPass when available. We allowed for interesting diversions along the way, but for the most part, we stuck to the plan.
Should your try it? That really depends on your family's vacation style. Sometimes you can experience MORE when you see a little LESS of the World. But with strategic planning, if your crew can handle the pace, it is possible to visit all four major parks in three days.
On our first visit with a child, we only spent two days in the parks. We weren't sure our two-year-old was ready for more. We opted to skip Animal Kingdom entirely. (AK is a great park, but this was prior to the addition of the Finding Nemo: The Musical show, and there weren't many attractions that appealed to our little princess.) We also knew that we needed a full day at the Magic Kingdom. (This one really is THE park for the preschool set.) So that left us to split a day between Epcot and what is now Disney's Hollywood Studios. We were able to hit the highlights of both parks, but certainly missed out on dozens of attractions. Still, we had a magical vacation that suited our little family.
By our next visit, we had become a family of four, traveling with an almost-five-year-old and an almost-two-year-old. In addition, we invited the grandparents along (a great idea for letting Mom & Dad take in some of the thrill rides and grown-up fun!). This time, we spent three days in the parks and had our first glimpse of Animal Kingdom. (We enjoyed it, but it's still our family's least favorite park, validating our decision to skip it on the previous trip.) Although we hopped around, our time was roughly divided as: 1 day in the MK; 1/2 day at AK; 3/4 day at Epcot; and 3/4 day at DHS. We felt that, although there were attractions we skipped, we got to experience most of what our family wanted to see.
Some things to note: we skipped most of the major thrill rides. And, traditionally, thrill rides have the longest wait times. Also, my husband and I had been to WDW before (multiple times, actually), and we knew we'd be back soon. So we didn't have a sense of urgency to see and experience every attraction. Other than a couple of character meals, we mostly ate at counter-service restaurants and even took snacks to eat while waiting in line (saving time and money). Finally, we followed a very specific touring plan and used FastPass when available. We allowed for interesting diversions along the way, but for the most part, we stuck to the plan.
Should your try it? That really depends on your family's vacation style. Sometimes you can experience MORE when you see a little LESS of the World. But with strategic planning, if your crew can handle the pace, it is possible to visit all four major parks in three days.
Your ideas for my previous Disney vacation have been great, saving time and money!
ReplyDeleteThanks,