[rjcreech]

Okay, time for me to start doing some serious planning for our WDW trip. I've never been and I'm starting obviously with the first day that we arrive, which will be on a Friday around 4:00pm. We will be staying at the CBR and have already got the room only reservations. Now, I've got on the first line, "Arrive @ WDW around 4:00pm", then "Check-in".........then I think that the next step would be to purchase the tickets for the parks that we want to attend. So far the parks we have chosen are Epcot and MGM, considering MK too but not sure yet. So my question is, can we purchase the tickets at check-in at the resort?

[mickey]

Ok, first off, how long are you going to be there, are you wanting to go to the parks every day, or are you going to do some off-site stuff (ie. Universal Studios, Sea World or just plain shopping)? How many people, and their ages (just the kids ages :D )?

[rjcreech]

Mickey:

We will arive 4:00pm Friday and stay until Tuesday (checkout at 11:00am, but we will do the Downtown Disney this day). So, it's suppose to be five days and four nights, but with arriving so late on Friday, that cuts one of our days very short. But we had considered doing the Night of Joy that Friday night to see Stephen Curtis Chapman.

Three adults and one 13 year old boy.

[mickey]

OK, so there are four adults. Scary, isn't it?

One option would be to consider a lenght of stay pass, which would allow you to have access to all the parks and water parks, etc, from the time you arrive until midnight the day you check out. Disney doesn't publish the prices, but I would estimate the cost of a four night, five day pass to be about $240, including tax. This would allow you to go where and when you want. You would have access on the Friday you arrive, and you could be in the parks for 5 or 6 hours that night, so it isn't a total waste.

The other option would be to buy a hopper pass. You can get a 4 day hopper pass that will give you access to all the parks for four days, they don't have to be consecutive, by the way. The cost is about $205 including tax. You will not have access to the water parks without paying an additional fee.

There is no 3 day park hopper, so you would have to go with the 4 day. I would suggest that you don't consider buying individual park passes. Individual park tickets give you access to one park for one day, and cost $52, including tax. The problem is that you can't go back and forth between parks during the day, so if you to Magic Kingdom, and it is packed, you can't leave. Whereas with the hopper, you can go to Magic Kingdom in the morning, and hop over to EPCOT during the afternoon and MGM for dinner and Fantasmic!.

You can purchase any of the passes, with the exception of the individual park passes at checkin at your resort, or at any guest services located at the parks. Individual park tickets must be purchased at the individual parks and only the day you intend to use them.

Have a great trip!

[rjcreech]

The simplest would be the Length of Stay tickets, wouldn't it?

Thanks Mickey!

But I have another question, say we decide to not to the above option and just purchase the one ticket, one park per day for Epcot and MGM.......can't we still purchase the Night of Joy tickets for the MK without having to purchase a park ticket for MK too?

[mickey]

The Night of Joy, which is held September 6th and 7th in th Magic Kingdom requires a seperate entrance ticket, and the cost is about $35. I don't believe you need to also purchase entrance to MK, it is included in the price.

If you decided to do that, then you would only need passes for the other days. One option on the length of stay is that you can have them cancell either your arriving day or your departure day, and pay for one less day. So, you could not pay for Friday, and then it would start Saturday morning, and be good until you leave. I would guess that the discount would be enough to cover the Night of Joy tickets, but that is just a guess.

And yes, the length of stay passes are the easiest. You just go where ever you want, and they let you in.

[rjcreech]

I'll have to see if the family will go along with me on this and do the length of stay tickets to begin on Saturday and just do the Night of Joy on that Friday night after we arrive and get all checked in. Thank you for your help in this matter.

Another question now: Which park would be best to start in? Epcot or MGM on a Saturday? I think that I've read somewhere that Saturday's are best for Epcot. What's your opinion?

Also, I think that the first morning will be a character breakfast at O'hana if I can get reservations for it next week. That way we can drive to the PR from the CBR and then catch a ride on the monorail to Epcot. Does this sound good?

[brumcg]

rjcreech,

According to Brian Bennett's research at Mouseplanet.com, Saturdays look like this:

Very Crowded MK
More Crowded MGM
Less Crowded Epcot
Less Crowded AK

Your mileage may vary!

You know, now that I think about it, we've never been at a WDW park on a Saturday in any of our 4 trips...hmmm...

Bruce

[dvcguy]

One nice feature no mentioned is that with length of stay pass you get your room key, park pass and charge card all in one.
I lock my wallet in the room safe, take a few dollars for drinks and head out.

[rjcreech]

You know if we are officially staying for five days/four nights, do you think that the length of stay tickets could be for three days only? Explanation: Okay, if we arrive afternoon on Friday, that day is wasted.....so then there would be Saturday, Sunday and Monday at the parks.....check out at 11:00am on Tuesday and do Downtown Disney that day. Do you think they would let us have a three day length of stay even though it's considered an official five days?

[geeman]

rj, the first day isnt' "exactly" wasted - unless you want to spend the first night of your trip just resting up and getting used to the place (which isn't that bad of an idea). I would suggest finding out what the Park Hours will be on the night you arrive. If the park is open till 10 or 11, then you have PLENTY of time to go explore.
I would probably also suggest the lenght of stay ticket in this case- because you could use it the night you arrive, then the next three days - and then it's STILL GOOD on the day you leave. You can check out of your hotel and STILL do the park. In fact- the hotel will probably be able to hold your bags for you till you return from the park if you'd like.
As much as it might seem "cheaper" to buy tickets by the 1 park 1 day - the multipark multiday options are always much better. Say you arrive the first day and want to see MK. But that park closes at 8 that night - and you still have enough energy to see more, and Epcot will close at 11. You can then HOP on over to Epcot and enjoy part of that for the night.
Some of the Park Hopper passes also offer free admittance to Pleasure Island and such, so if you STILL can't sleep after leaving Epcot your first night, then you can go have fun at PI.

[mickey]

Originally posted by rjcreech
Do you think they would let us have a three day length of stay even though it's considered an official five days?

No, Disney will cancel either the first or last day of your pass, but they don't advertise it. They will not, under any circumstance, cancel two of the days. May I suggest that you hit Downtown Disney one of the nights? It really only takes an hour or so to see everything, you really don't need a whole day. That way, you will have most of your last day to do a park.