[alynettek]

we only have 3 nights/4 days to see the sights and take on the parks/parades in november prior to my husband deploying again. any advice from those who had done a 3 night trip -- 3 kids in tow -- ages 14, 12, and 9! we also want to do a character breakfast -- any comparison on chef mickey to cafe minnie? thanks!

[DisneyTeacher]

First of all, welcome to MouseBuzz.

You do have a short trip but you can get a lot done in those four days. First thing you need to do is decide what's the most important to your family and start with there. Put the parks in order of importance and from there decided what attractions are the most important to see and do. You won't be able to do everything but if you pick 4-5 must do attractions in each park you will surely be able to get those done and everything after that is a bonus.

Let your kids help research and decide what they feel is most important that way you have a plan before you go and you won't waste a lot of time standing around trying to decide what to do all day. Look over the park maps and plan your attack. The Unofficial Guide Amazon.com: The Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World 2009 (Unofficial Guides): Bob Sehlinger, Len Testa: Books has some great touring plans to help you do and see the most in each park. You don't have to do everything in the plan but it's a great place to start if you need some help.

Most of all, relax and remember to have a good time. It's easy to get caught up in the running around trying to get everything done trap. You can't do everything so don't waste your time trying.

PS Tell your husband thanks for his service to our country.

[Mickeybug]

first off are you doing Salute to Hero's? If not I wouldn't consider the extra pmt of a hopper for that short amt of time.
2nd, they don't show Spectro very many nights that time of year but usually do at least on a Sat night. I would plan to be at MK on that day if feasible.
3rd, are you staying at SOG? If so i'd look for Ohana's or 1900 Park Fare for b'fast since they're both right across the street. But really best thing to do is check All Ears Net for menus & characters that interest you and would be "on your way" to whichever park you're heading to. You don't have a whole lot of time so i'd use it wisely by not running in all different directions.

If I had 4 day/3 nights, being me, i'd alot a full day for MK, a full day for Epcot, a 1/2 day (later 1/2) for DHS and 1/2 day (earlier 1/2) to AK. Illuminations is one of our fav's so we won't miss that one and if I had to choose between Wishes and Fantasmic it would be Wishes hands down, esp if was on a Spectro night.

[Jen in Maine]

Oh, its completely doable!

1. I would recommend park hopper passes, its the best way to try to fit in everything that has a schedule.
2. Use the online map feature from Disney to map out the Must See's by everyone.
3. Be prepared to split up if it makes sense in order to see things/do things.
4. Know that you are not going to see everything, do everything so relax and enjoy the moments.
5. We did the character breakfast with goofy at the Beach Club Resort last February and LOVED it. But, we also did Chef Mickey's for dinner and LOVED that too.
6. Think strategically about transportation between different parks.
7. I know many will discourage extra magic hours, but we used them, and thought it worked out wonderfully.
8. If you have must sees that offer fast passes, make sure you get those.

And, get this -- we were only there for 3 days and 4 nights. We did all the parks - even one day of all 4 of them in one day - whew!

But, please, please remember to relax enjoy yourself and don't get caught in the rush rush that you don't enjoy those moments. Those small things are what the kids remember.

Have fun!

[mmoore]

First "Thanks" to your husband and your whole family for your service to this country.
Second, seeing the world can be done in 4 days but they are long days. My nephews 14 & 11) and sister and I spent 3 days last year in the parks. We arrived at the selected park when they opened and left when they closed. We did have park hoppers and skipped attractiions they weren't really interested in such as World Showcase. Most of our time was spent at HS because they loved TSM (Toy Story Mania) At the time they offered a single rider line and we rode it probably 20 times. After hours we even swam at the hotel (one night at 1am) and visited Downtown Disney.

Have a great time!

[Tiggerific]

Originally Posted by Jen in Maine

Oh, its completely doable!
7. I know many will discourage extra magic hours, but we used them, and thought it worked out wonderfully.
8. If you have must sees that offer fast passes, make sure you get those.

I agree with Jen in Maine - especially the EMH in the morning. Have cold cereal or instant oatmeal in your room for breakfast and get to the park. A lot of people sit down for breakfast and miss out on the early park times. By noon-ish, when the EMH parks are filling up, you can hop to the next one.

With Fast Passes, you should know that even though it is printed with a one hour time slot, they are valid all day after the start time printed on the FP. Get them as often as you can throughout the day. If you can't get a fastpass for a ride, and you are at the park late, the lines often become short. Since your kids are older, they'll likely hold out longer than the weebies! If you leave early and have leftovers, spread the magic and give them to someone else!

[staceyheis]

Just wanted to thank you, your husband and your family for your sacrifices for us. I have found this website to be a great help in planning. Also, love allears.net for menus and dining hours for the restaurants. I have checked out many books from the library on Disney and have used those to help plot out our trip to make sure we do our highlights in how ever many days we have! Enjoy!!

[dznygrl]

I just wanted to say welcome to Mousebuzz! You have already gotten some great advice from others! Sitting down with your family and deciding what is most important to each of you will help you decide how to make the most of your time. Pick the top 5 attractions that each of you want to visit, then plan your strategy from there.

Have a wonderful trip!

[5Demons4Cookie]

I agree with all the posters.

I'd have each kid sit and name about 6 things about each park they want to see and then you know what you can skip or come back to later. Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, and POTC are AWESOME at night. Less crowded too!

Crystal Palace was great for a character meal at mid day.

Thank you to you and your family for serving our country!

Have fun!