For the first time ever we will have to cut out ONE PARK! Yikes.

[JustinS30]

We are going for a shorter trip than usual in November. We arrive later on Friday and leave early Wednesday morning.

We have MVMCP tickets on Sunday night. The boys are 12 and 7, and I don't think we are ready to do a park on Sunday and then go to MVMCP - too long of a day. So now we are left with having to cut out a park!

We usually do:
- Day 1: AK
- Day 2: HS
- Day 3: EP
- Day 4: Resort day + MVMCP at MK -or- full MK day
- Day 5: Boys choice of where to go - usually HS
- Day 6: MK

Our plan for this trip right now looks like:
- Day 1: AK
- Day 2: EP + MVMCP at MK (this is the day in question)
- Day 3: HS
- Day 4: MK

I don't think day 2 is reasonable for us. So now we need to cut out a park. This is a surprise trip for the boys so they can't decide. My guess is that they would choose to cut out Epcot, even though it's my favorite! Any thoughts on this?

This is tough. If you are absolutely going to cut a park, Epcot is the likely option given it’s current state. However, my personal vote would be to rearrange and still do all 4! Whether that be moving your MK day to same day as party or going to Epcot the morning of the party. I know the party will make a potentially long day for the kiddos, but it is also a shorter trip so maybe that’d help them rebound? Granted, I’m saying this without knowing your kids. So you have to do what you feel will work well for your family. But that’s my vote bc I love all the parks!

 

[scionchigirl]

We skipped AK on our last family trip in 2014 which was a "Christmas experience" trip, but my DH and I went in 2017 for our 25th Anni and we went to AK 3x!!! We are going 5 days in November and going to all the parks...we always do MK almost every morning since we love the ambiance. In 6 family trips weve never done a "rest" day...DS is our least fave part of WDW, so if we were to skip anything, it would be that.

 

[Nancyg56]

I would move MK to the party day and and arrive around noon. This way you can keep your 4PM Adr, which IMO is not realistic if you cannot even get into the MK until 4PM with your party ticket.

I would move DAK to your day 4.

I think if I had to give a park up I would skip Epcot on this trip, however I really would hat to do that.

 

[nkereina]

Or consider keeping your 4-day ticket, entering MK earlier on Day 2 (on a regular ticket) and simply staying through the party on your MVMCP ticket. That would make it Day 1: AK, Day 2: MK+MVMCP, Day 3: HS, Day 4: EP

This is what I would do. You can still sleep in, and you'd enter the park before the MVMCP crowds start lining up. My second vote would be to do Epcot in the morning, break around lunch for naps and then go to MVMCP. A couple hours at Epcot are better than none at all! And personally, I can't imagine spending all that money, time and effort on a trip and not visiting each park at least once.

 

[Rowlf the Dog]

If I (adult, 30+) could only visit 3 parks, I would skip Epcot. Don't get me wrong, I really like Epcot, especially for dining and Soarin. But AK and DHS - although without SWGE (I'm a thrillseeker like your kids) are my favourites. I think the most important question for you is: What are your priorities for MVMCP? If you are mostly interested in the rides, you could skip a real MK-day and do Epcot with a late start the next day. If you are interested in characters and rides, the question is which characters. Some can give you a headstart with early waiting at the start of the party, and you can enjoy the rides afterwards. Also don't forget that you can book FastPasses with your party-ticket and so you could secure your top 3 rides at MK.

 

[Brett Wyman]

Seems like a good year to skip Epcot.

 

[bopper]

Another view:

As the adult paying for this, you could say "We are going to MK and Epcot, which of DHS and AK would you mind not going to?"

 

[smiths02]

I was thinking that, too. If they're not used to staying up late, they're also going to be tired after.

I would do something like:

- Day 1: HS (the boys' favorite, so potentially a long day if GE is crowded)
- Day 2: sleep in, late start at MK, dinner, and right through to party
- Day 3: Epcot for you, and they join you if they are up to it (or you and DH switch off if they aren't)
- Day 4: AK (so possibly a shorter day than HS, because of your early flight the next morning)

My family would do something similar
- Day 1: HS (the boys' favorite, so potentially a long day if GE is crowded)
- Day 2: sleep in, late start at MK but before the party-maybe do FP from 1-dinner, and right through to party
- Day 3: AK (with maybe a later start from being tired the night before)
- Day 4: MK or wing it

 

[Nanceliz319]

with all the construction, I would cut EPCOT and then plan for it on a return visit when everything new is open.