Four Parks in One Day Plan ~ What do you think?

[tnmom25]

My husband and I are going August 26-30, for our 20th anniversary. We want to do 4 parks in one day while we are there. We are staying at Bay Lake Tower and will have to rely on Disney transportation. We usually have a car, so I'm not familiar enough with their bus/boat system to know the best options.

We want to do two rides (each picked a favorite) and take an icon photo in each park before hopping. I'd love to squeeze in a character too, but that may be pushing it. We want to have a QS lunch before leaving our 2nd park too.

We really wanted to do it on the 29th, which is our actual anniversary, but if another day would work better, we can do that. Based on these park hours, I'd love some input on which day would work best, which rides I should FP+, in which order to do the parks and which transportation to use for each hop. If you've done this before, I'd love to hear how you did it too.

August 27
MK 9a-9p
DHS 9a-8p (am EMH, 1hr)
AK 9a-7p
EC 9a-9p

August 28
MK 9a-9p
DHS 9a-8p
AK 9a-7p (am EMH, 1hr)
EC 9a-9p

August 29 (our actual anniversary)
MK 9a-9p
DHS 9a-8p
AK 9a-7p
EC 9a-9p (pm EMH, 2hrs)

Here are the attractions we want to do for each park:

DHS - Star Tours and either R&R or Tower, see Chewbacca?
EC - Soarin and Test Track, see Baymax? or Mickey?
AK - Safari and Everest, see Mickey & Minnie?
MK - It's a Small World (dh's favorite) and Haunted Mansion, see Tink?


Thanks so much for your input!!! I've been anxiously waiting for them to release park hours, but then I panicked

 

[cakebaker]

Assuming the express bus service is still available- use it! We did this last week and honestly, it wasn't much of a challenge using the express bus. Be sure and check departure times as soon as you can in each park so you can time your arrival and don't have to wait long for a bus.

Personally, I think your anniversary date would work just fine. Due to the EMH, I'd make Epcot the last park. I'd start at the AK, ride Everest then Safari without FP+ and you'll be right next to the Express Kiosk. I'd skip Mickey and Minnie there. Next for me would be the MK- the rides you're wanting shouldn't have terribly long lines. I'm not sure how the lines are for Tink, but I'd save my FP's for HS, the next on my list. FP+ your rides there with RRC or TOT being the last thing you do, again putting you very close to the express kiosk. Then over to Epcot and get your rides in during EMH evening.

If you have a Disney Visa, use that for your meet n greet at HS (open 11-4), if not you should have time to wait for that one. I think I'd try and do the Mickey meet at HS and if not then Epcot, assuming that's available during EMH.

Doing the parks in this order may not make for the shortest drives between parks, but I'm looking more at which rides at which parks you can do without long wait times using standby.


If Express service isn't available, forget everything I just said. I have no experience trying 4 parks in 1 day without it! At any rate, at first glance, this is how I would do it.

 

[nacho113]

My husband and I are going August 26-30, for our 20th anniversary. We want to do 4 parks in one day while we are there. We are staying at Bay Lake Tower and will have to rely on Disney transportation. We usually have a car, so I'm not familiar enough with their bus/boat system to know the best options.

We want to do two rides (each picked a favorite) and take an icon photo in each park before hopping. I'd love to squeeze in a character too, but that may be pushing it. We want to have a QS lunch before leaving our 2nd park too.

We really wanted to do it on the 29th, which is our actual anniversary, but if another day would work better, we can do that. Based on these park hours, I'd love some input on which day would work best, which rides I should FP+, in which order to do the parks and which transportation to use for each hop. If you've done this before, I'd love to hear how you did it too.

August 27
MK 9a-9p
DHS 9a-8p (am EMH, 1hr)
AK 9a-7p
EC 9a-9p

August 28
MK 9a-9p
DHS 9a-8p
AK 9a-7p (am EMH, 1hr)
EC 9a-9p

August 29 (our actual anniversary)
MK 9a-9p
DHS 9a-8p
AK 9a-7p
EC 9a-9p (pm EMH, 2hrs)

Here are the attractions we want to do for each park:

DHS - Star Tours and either R&R or Tower, see Chewbacca?
EC - Soarin and Test Track, see Baymax? or Mickey?
AK - Safari and Everest, see Mickey & Minnie?
MK - It's a Small World (dh's favorite) and Haunted Mansion, see Tink?


Thanks so much for your input!!! I've been anxiously waiting for them to release park hours, but then I panicked

The local kids will be back in school so crowds will be lower.
Monday or Tuesday will be your best bet to get this done. Tuesday would be my choice and I'd end my day in Epcot, get your rides in early then you can just relax and maybe enjoy a late supper in the World Showcase (especially with the EMHs)
4 parks in one day is definitely do-able when park crowds are lower (although usually exhausting), go with a plan and keep your fingers crossed that everything goes well.

Your biggest time waster is going to be Park to Park transportation since the buses run about 20 minutes apart and are not usually direct from park to park.
We have done the 3 park in one day several times and use these short cuts:
MK to EPcot - use the monorail
Epcot to DHS - take the boat from the International Gateway or take the walking path

Keep in mind that it is August in Florida...very hot and VERY humid...stay hydrated and don't push yourselves (too much anyway)
...chance of rain daily and you are still in Hurricane season.

 

[ckb_nc]

Start at HS then AK - FP MK and finish at Epcot with EMH on your anniversary

 

[johde]

I've done 4 parks in 1 day a couple of times with Disney Transportation (before Express Transportation and before metal detectors). In general, my plan has been

AK 1st.
DHS 2nd Boat to International Gateway
EPCOT 3rd. Monoral to MK
MK 4th.

This plan would work well for the 28th when DAK has EMH. I would FP DHS and FP+ all three. Book Tower or R&R for 9:00 the other for 10:00 and Star Tours for 11:00. With any luck you should hit DHS toward the end of the first FP+ Time and get to ride all 3. Then at 11:00 look for a 4th on your phone either early afternoon at EPCOT or more likely evening in MK.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I hope you report back afterwards to this thread to report your results.

Honestly? I don't see it happening. Not using standard Disney transportation. We do four parks fairly often, but we drive, which in my experiences, allows us to move about with much greater efficiency than using Disney's transportation. Realizing, of course, that's a separate argument (That you can't win with me, BTW.), I'm not so sure it's the 4 parks that pose the largest challenge to what you want to do, as it is the aggressiveness of the schedule factoring in the rides you are "demanding" to do in each park. You're asking a lot, even if you had a Star Trek transporter.

I think you could maybe pull it off driving if MK had midnight hours... MAYBE, but given the park hours for when you're going and the fact that you're using Disney transportation, have high-demand rides you're wanting to do, and throwing in the kink of a dining reservation that throws a wrench in the whole thing, I don't think it can be done. Just the honest opinion of a guy that's done 4 parks in one day many, many times in the past.

 

[sharonabe]

I'm going to disagree with all those saying use the late EMH at EP. The two rides you want to do there are about all that is open during EMH, so everyone still in the park will be in those lines, and you can't FP both of them since EP is tiered.

Am I wrong about the wait time for Soarin' and TT during late EMH?

 

[cakebaker]

Honestly? I don't see it happening. Not using standard Disney transportation.

I think she'd have to cut way back on what she wants to do using regular transportation. Using the new express bus service would make it easy.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

There is one piece of very bad information above. Disney most certainly DOES provide park-to-park transportation. When throwing MK into the equation, you have to bring the TTC in when going in or out to or from another park, but park-to-park is provided. This is a common confusion as there is no Resort to RESORT direct transportation provided.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I think she'd have to cut way back on what she wants to do using regular transportation. Using the new express bus service would make it easy.

It would still be hard given park hours and the counter service (thought this can be significantly sped up depending on where they do it, obviously), IMO. Look what she's expecting to get done in each park. I'm sorry. I just don't see it happening. Not on shortened days/hours. Personally, I think that list would be hard even on long days. It would be fun to try for a veteran, but I'd hate to be in a situation where getting it done was going to be my perception of my whole trip.

 

[johde]

I think she'd have to cut way back on what she wants to do using regular transportation. Using the new express bus service would make it easy.

I will make the caveat I last did it in early January (Christmas crowds were nearly over so not completely dead) & before metal detectors. But, minus the M&G, I did more than they have planned using standard Disney Transportation. On my last trip I did:

DAK (8:00 EMH)
Safari
Everest
Dinosaur

DHS
TSMM (FP+)
TOT (FP+)
GMR
Muppet Vision
Star Tours (FP+)
Lunch at ABC Commissary

Boat to EPCOT
Imagination
Spaceship Earth
(Yes I know I did two of the shortest lined rides instead of 2 of the headliners)

Monorail to MK
3:00 Festival of Fantasy Parade (My "reservation" hadn't seen the parade yet) Even if Soarin' and TT each took an Hour that would make a 5:00 MK arrival.

MK
Rode many attraction
IASW
Haunted Mansion
Pirates
Tiki Room
Buzz
Talking Mickey

Ate dinner at CHH

Watched fireworks
Park was open later so looped back around and rode
Jungle Cruise
BTMRR
Little Mermaid
7DMT
Peter Pan (Last 2 just before park close)

So, I don't think the plan is completed unrealistic. But, They need to prioritize and decide what can go if time gets out of hand. In my plan I had either Finding Nemo or Mission Space as a third ride at EPCOT. But, time was getting cut too close to make it to the MK to hit the parade. So, they got scrapped.

 

[cakebaker]

It would still be hard given park hours and the counter service (thought this can be significantly sped up depending on where they do it, obviously), IMO. Look what she's expecting to get done in each park. I'm sorry. I just don't see it happening. Not on shortened days/hours. Personally, I think that list would be hard even on long days. It would be fun to try for a veteran, but I'd hate to be in a situation where getting it done was going to be my perception of my whole trip.

We did it last week using the express service and with a 4 yr old. We didn't even decide we wanted to try until around after we were at HS that morning. We stayed at HS until noon, stayed in the MK until 6 or so, closed AK and then over to Epcot. It's easy with Express. We could've even headed back to the MK for evening EMH's had we chosen to making it 5 park visits for the day.

Without express, it can be done, but it's challenging.

 

[tnmom25]

I forgot about the express bus service!! You don't have to go through security again when you use that, do you?

 

[cakebaker]

I forgot about the express bus service!! You don't have to go through security again when you use that, do you?

No, you don't and it's the best thing they've done in a long time! We loved it. There's a thread that goes into great detail about it. http://disboards.com/threads/new-ex...tarting-dec-7th.3563694/page-54#post-57007478

 

[cakebaker]

There is one piece of very bad information above. Disney most certainly DOES provide park-to-park transportation. When throwing MK into the equation, you have to bring the TTC in when going in or out to or from another park, but park-to-park is provided. This is a common confusion as there is no Resort to RESORT direct transportation provided.

I agree, there absolutely are park to park busses- but it does take considerable time to get to the stops, waits for busses can be long and then you have to go thru security at each park. That's why the new express service is perfect for those who park hop directly from park to park or are trying to do all parks in one day. It literally shaves hours off your day.

 

[Psychodisney]

We did it with special FP cards (back from the voluntear promo). These days with FP+ I feel like it would be tough. My though was Epcot first at rope drop to do Soarin then TT. MK last. Where to use your FP+? The tiers make it tough. I'd use it them for your second park due to the high crowds mid day. Express transportation should help a tone!

 

[amberpi]

I've mostly traveled with one other adult, and since its just the 2 of you, I could do this and be at Epcot by mid afternoon, hit DHS EMH, then bus to AK (or express if available), then to MK, then a leisurely way to Epcot. Seems easy peasy to me. I'd FP at MK, but if you're super early for EMH, you could be to DHS pretty darn early and head to Epcot instead for decent food by lunch time. Do single rider always, I don't care about your timeline, who cares who ride with? You've got this. You are golden!

 

[loves to dive]

I accidently did it once, wasn't trying to. I was staying at YC. Started at AK at rope drop (that was an accident too, I was up so I just went). Did Safari, EE, walked both trails, and did FOLK. Left there and bussed to HS. Did ToT, GMR and Indiana Jones, walked over to Epcot. It was F&W so I grabbed something to eat at a couple of booths, walked around WS , rode Soarin, SSE and listened to the Land. Hopped on the monorail to MK, did POTC, BTMRR, CoP and grabbed something to eat at Pecos Bills, watched the FWs and bussed back to YC. All without any Fps since none of it was planned, I had only planned on going to AK for a while then spending the rest of the day at Epcot. I don't remember what the park times were and the order I did things in might be off for HS and MK but I was at all 4 parks.

 

[sharonabe]

When throwing MK into the equation, you have to bring the TTC in when going in or out to or from another park, but park-to-park is provided.

You no longer go through the TTC when using park-to-park buses with MK; they all go directly to/from MK. The only way TTC comes into play is the monorail to/from EP/MK, and even that is a short transfer.

 

[tnmom25]

So fingers crossed for the express bus to still be operational in August