***The Official May 2025 Thread!***

[uponastar8]

Any opinions on Epcot Sunday vs Monday of Memorial Day weekend? Added on a last minute trip and we love the festival but know that weekend is going to be packed!

AKL Jambo 5/24-5/27

 

[pbauswell]

I just booked single for myself. I did have to go out to a day in the second half of the trip to get it.

 

[pbauswell]

I just booked single for myself. I did have to go out to a day in the second half of the trip to get it.

Thank you for the response. I have been monitoring the reservations for almost 2 months now. I occasionally found a single spot. But I never saw any availability higher than that. Given the low capacity, I am thinking a party of three may be nearly impossible to get. Enjoy your trip and the tour!

 

[rlk]

Due to waitlists coming through and adding some days on the end, I need to update my stay. So sorry about all the changes.

CCV 5/15-5/17
BLT 5/17-5/20
BWV 5/20-5/25
AKV-Kidani 5/20-5/29 (this portion will be my first time staying at Disney by myself)

 

[SheSingsAlong]

Due to waitlists coming through and adding some days on the end, I need to update my stay. So sorry about all the changes.

CCV 5/15-5/17
BLT 5/17-5/20
BWV 5/20-5/25
AKV-Kidani 5/20-5/29 (this portion will be my first time staying at Disney by myself)

That is an awesome schedule! Jealous!

 

[rlk]

That is an awesome schedule! Jealous!

I'm excited, especially to have some time on my own. I do wish I had one less move, but I've got the split stays down pat at this point.

 

[FrozenTundra1]

Just curious. Were you able to book the rhino tour for more than 2 people? We tried shortly after midnight and again at 6 AM this morning and we were not able to get reservations for a party of 3. We have a split stay and will try again when our next booking window opens. But it was a real disappointment that we couldn't get the tour. It was the only thing our daughter really requested for this trip. We've never done it. Thanks!

I've tried for several trips to get the rhino tour but finally lucked out this trip at 8 minutes after midnight (I lost track of time!). My goal was to schedule on my 60 + 6. It was unavailable. I saw multiple spots at 60+7, +8 and +9. I ended up getting 5 ppl at 60 + 4 instead! By 12 minutes after midnight, everything was gone.

 

[FrozenTundra1]

Joining the May 2025 group. 2nd trip this year. Visiting our DCP kid ... Saratoga Springs 5/16-5/23

 

[pbauswell]

I've tried for several trips to get the rhino tour but finally lucked out this trip at 8 minutes after midnight (I lost track of time!). My goal was to schedule on my 60 + 6. It was unavailable. I saw multiple spots at 60+7, +8 and +9. I ended up getting 5 ppl at 60 + 4 instead! By 12 minutes after midnight, everything was gone.

Congratulations! I'm afraid we were not successful this year--even though we began trying right at midnight. I think our split stay and inability to book out more than 4 days was the most likely reason.

 

[kylenne]

Any opinions on Epcot Sunday vs Monday of Memorial Day weekend? Added on a last minute trip and we love the festival but know that weekend is going to be packed!

AKL Jambo 5/24-5/27

We arrive that Sunday 5/25 and since Cosmic Rewind is no longer a VQ we are skipping Epcot entirely on arrival day and doing it on Memorial Day itself. Crowds will be elevated on a holiday Monday but I find them more bearable than Sundays on holiday weekends because locals clear out earlier in the evening, they have work the next day. Whereas Sundays stay crowded the whole day because everyone’s off the next day. Memorial Day really isn’t that crowded at Epcot for a holiday though, in my experience. I’ve been several times. Though again like I keep saying this year that week is much less predictable in general with Epic as the wildcard.

Speaking of, ADR Day for the BWI part of our split stay was today and I was also able to get everything I wanted with no hassle. We got:

5/25 - Rosa Mexicano dinner (I had already booked this on OpenTable)
5/26 - Shiki Sai dinner
5/27 - Sci-Fi Lunch (Fantasmic Package) and Savi’s
5/28 - Cake Bake Shop breakfast (already booked on OpenTable), Typhoon Lagoon Umbrella rental, HEA post party that night at MK before we do EEH there

The only snag I ran into was Sci-Fi was not showing up at all on the website for the Fantasmic package so I had to book it on my phone. Easy enough though. Savi’s was wide open--I suspect a combo of the sky high price and being forced to prepay now. Sci-Fi only had a couple of slots booked up at 60+2 for the package. I agree that people are probably cutting back on ADRs and shifting dining budgets to LLs.

But, nothing in this part of the trip was historically challenging except Sci-Fi. I’m much more concerned about Saturday when I can book for the back part of the trip at Poly. We want to do Caring for Giants and ‘Ohana for dinner on my birthday (actually a double birthday dinner, celebrating with a local friend who shares it with me) and that’s 60+2. I am hoping resort guest privilege will help us out on the latter.

 

[kylenne]

Sorry to double post but laughing so hard bc they just announced the Villains show and Mermaid show are coming out literally the day we go to HS. But unfortunately it sounds like the Starlight parade won’t be ready for this trip.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1904866055824023693

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We leave on 5/21. I’m bummed we’re going to miss it but with DD doing the DCP (June to January) I know I’ll be there a few more times this year.

 

[rlk]

Sorry to double post but laughing so hard bc they just announced the Villains show and Mermaid show are coming out literally the day we go to HS. But unfortunately it sounds like the Starlight parade won’t be ready for this trip.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1904866055824023693

I have HS for May 27th as well. I also have the HS AHP the next night.

 

[LadybugsMum]

Of course those start after we leave.

 

[Pyxie]

So... surprise! I'm now coming twice in May (2 weeks apart) lol. This may sound crazy, but the new trip is a training trip I got the opportunity to attend, so I'll take it. I'll now also be there from May 5-8 staying 1 night at Port Orleans Riverside and the rest at All Star Music. This will be a solo trip and my family will be with me on the 2nd trip.

 

[kylenne]

Memorial Day week is a pretty popular time for things to debut since it's the unofficial kick off of summer, so I was expecting something, just not both shows. My money was actually on the parade.

So... surprise! I'm now coming twice in May (2 weeks apart) lol. This may sound crazy, but the new trip is a training trip I got the opportunity to attend, so I'll take it. I'll now also be there from May 5-8 staying 1 night at Port Orleans Riverside and the rest at All Star Music. This will be a solo trip and my family will be with me on the 2nd trip.

Not crazy at all, I'd totally take it too. Heck I'm getting side eye for going again on July 4th weekend.

 

[growhappiness]

I don’t know if you have tried Sebastien’s but it’s really good. Service is family style like Ohana’ and the pineapple bread pudding for dessert might be even better than OHana’s.

About how long does dinner at Sebastian's take?
We have an ADR on our arrival day but I'm trying to see if we have enough time to swim, eat dinner, then head to Disney Springs. I'm guilty of overplanning and trying to pack too much in lol.

 

[whitestavern]

Hi everyone. Just booked a 5/9-5/16 trip for my dd and I. Last minute as I was supposed to be traveling to Spain with my dh, but he just can't take the time now. So just mom and daughter (25). Haven't been in 11 years, so it should be interesting. We are doing a split stay at BWV and AKV (3 nights BMW studio, 3 nights Jambo studio, 1 night Kidani studio). Had original reservation for just a room at AKL, but was hoping to cobble together a DVC stay, and I was able to, so I'm very excited (and saved about $800)! Here's a quick synopsis of our plan:

5/9 arrive midday, head to WS, leisurely going through the different countries and sampling some of the F&G Festival booth food and drinks.
5/10 RD MK for headliners, leave around noon for resort bar crawl (Poly & WL) Hoping to get into Trader Sam's
5/11 RD USF/IOA
5/12 RD EP then taking a long midday break. Early dinner at Topolino's Terrace, return for EEH.
5/13 RD AK until we're finished. Dinner at Jiko.
5/14 RD MK long break during the day, returning for dinner at Skipper's Canteen, fireworks and EEH.
5/15 RD HS hoping for a decent midday break, returning around 6 for dinner at HBD lounge and maybe a couple of rides. Drinks at Oga's after park close.
5/16 depart

Going to look back and read previous posts to get an idea of what everyone else is doing

 

[mickey916]

Hi everyone. Just booked a 5/9-5/16 trip for my dd and I. Last minute as I was supposed to be traveling to Spain with my dh, but he just can't take the time now. So just mom and daughter (25). Haven't been in 11 years, so it should be interesting. We are doing a split stay at BWV and AKV (3 nights BMW studio, 3 nights Jambo studio, 1 night Kidani studio). Had original reservation for just a room at AKL, but was hoping to cobble together a DVC stay, and I was able to, so I'm very excited (and saved about $800)! Here's a quick synopsis of our plan:

5/9 arrive midday, head to WS, leisurely going through the different countries and sampling some of the F&G Festival booth food and drinks.
5/10 RD MK for headliners, leave around noon for resort bar crawl (Poly & WL) Hoping to get into Trader Sam's
5/11 RD USF/IOA
5/12 RD EP then taking a long midday break. Early dinneEPr at Topolino's Terrace, return for EEH.
5/13 RD AK until we're finished. Dinner at Jiko.
5/14 RD MK long break during the day, returning for dinner at Skipper's Canteen, fireworks and EEH.
5/15 RD HS hoping for a decent midday break, returning around 6 for dinner at HBD lounge and maybe a couple of rides. Drinks at Oga's after park close.
5/16 depart

Going to look back and read previous posts to get an idea of what everyone else is doing

My adult sons (26 and 28) will be arriving 5/9 also. (We will be there from 4/22-5/19)
Our schedule:
5/10 Disney Springs & Celebration - Dinner at Columbia Restaurant
5/11 also at USF/IOA - dinner at Toothsome
5/12 AK - Dinner at 'Ohana
5/13 EP - Dinner at San Angel Inn
5/14 HS - Dinner at Chef Art Smith's
5/15 MK - lunch at Tony's
5/16 Kennedy Space Center - probably heading to Sassagoula for dinner
5/17 Resort Day/Boardwalk - dinner at Il Mulino
5/18 Breakfast at Boma and then our sons depart

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We decided to switch a few things around. For two reasons: We like to start at MK and were going to do that on arrival day but we both decided that going there on arrival day has burned us in the past because it's so overly stimulating. Also we like to start the first full day with RD at MK and we were doing RD at DHS. It was just going to be a lot of MK two days in a row. It just didn't "feel" right. Also DD couldn't get her outfits to align for pictures.

So this is our new plan and it was very easy to move around our ADRs:

5/13 - land 9:30 am - arrive to AKL - AK, LLSP for FOP, ride whatever has short waits and leisurely explore the park - dinner at Jiko
5/14 - RD MK - breakfast at CP - resort/pool break - back to MK for fireworks dessert party and EEH
5/15 - sleep in - EP - mostly doing the WS booths and fireworks - will get LLSP for GotG and ride whatever has a short wait later in the evening
5/16 - RD DHS - resort/pool break - back to DHS for Fantasmic!
5/17 - RD AK - resort/pool break - dinner at Boma - MK in the evening for rides. We love doing rides while everyone else is watching fireworks
5/18 - RD EP - resort/pool break - DHS in the evening for some rides and Fantasmic! (DD's favorite show)
5/19 - sleep in - Boma breakfast - AK until about 4 and then off to EP for EEH and more WS booths
5/20 - RD DHS and head over to MK around noon. Head out around 4-5pm to get ready for dinner at Narcoossee's
5/21 - Pack up - Take bags to bell services - DD wants POFQ beignets and then EP for more booths and GotG. This day EP closes at 5:30pm so hoping for low crowds.

We plan on getting LLMP/LLSP for:

5/13 - LLSP for FoP only
5/14 - MK - LLMP but no LLSP since we think we will be fine riding 7DMT and Tron during EEH
5/15 - EP - No LLMP but will get LLSP for GotG
5/16 - DHS - LLMP and LLSP for Rise
5/17 - AK/MK - None - (RD FoP)
5/18 - EP/DHS - planning on getting a throwaway LLMP for EP to unlock the tier 1 rides at DHS. No LLSP (RD GotG)
5/19 - AK/EP - None
5/20 - DHS/MK - LLMP but no LLSP (RD Rise)

I was debating on LLMP for arrival day for AK since wait times can be high midday but I can wait and see until we arrive if I want to do that. I watched a Mammoth Club video where Molly bought LLMP while she was in AK since wait times were high and there are usually LL available very soon. So nothing I'm particularly worried about.

DD is on a kick (watching way too many videos! but I will humor her) to try and RD GotG, Rise and FoP so I'm not going to buy LLSP those days. I also plan to ride GotG during EEH and on our last day without LLSP since we think crowds will be low with the 5:30pm closing. We have to head about around 4:30 pm for our 7:30 pm flight.