Originally Posted By tripplanner I've only got 1 and 3/4 days to see as much as I can. I'm starting on Sat. At 8 a.m. In Hollywood Studios and we will have lunch at Sci Fi diner at 11:30. What park is easiest to get to from there? We want to hit Disney World and Animal Kingdom too.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip All Orlando Parks are a part of "Disney World". When you said Disney World, I assume you meant the Magic Kingdom. Epcot is the closest park to the Studios, and since most times of the year it is open later than the other parks it would be a good way to finish your day after the Studios. I think Epcot is still WDW's best park, though it could certainly use some updating. But if you have not been there before it is well worth seeing. On your second day I would go to Animal Kingdom at opening... a half day there will give you a chance to get a feel for the park and hit the major attractions. I would not even try to visit the Magic Kingdom. With your short time at WDW there is no way on earth you would have enough time to experience it... not unless you want to spend a full day at the MK and devote your half-day to the Studios.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip By the way... WDW is NOT Disneyland. You will spend at least 45 minutes going from one park to another... at times more.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb Should you park hop to EPCOT you will need to decide what type of experience you want. It's like Certs, 2, 2, two parks in one. Which makes it impossible to fully experience in anything less than a full day, and that's running around commando style on a day with no crowds. Animal Kingdom is best in the mornings, especially on hot days. If Magic Kingdom is open past midnight and you have the stamina it might be your best hopping option. If you do hop to EPCOT from the Studios you can take a boat that drops you right at the World Showcase half of the park.
Originally Posted By seafairy1622 If your staying at a disney resort take advantage of the extra magic hours for extra time.
Originally Posted By tripplanner The boat sounds great, but I really want to do Hollywood and Animal Kingdom or Hollywood and Magic Kingdom. How do you get to either of them? There are only 2 adults the 1st day and I plan on opening and closing the park. I'm staying at shades of green and they do have magic hours.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb I know the bus service at Shade's of Green is different than other resort buses, so you'll need to look into it. I'm not sure if you get resort guest perks like Extra Magic Hours or not. The bus system at the resorts, parks and Down Town Disney is comprehensive. Hopping a bus to either AK or MK should not be a problem at all, same for DTD. Keep in mind WDW is HUGE, the size of a small city. EPCOT and the Studios are fairly central, AK near the South West corner of the property, MK is on the North and the most remote location, DTD is near the South East end of the property with resorts, water parks and miniature and regular golf courses peppered throughout. Prepare for your mind to be a little blown. You might at some point want to catch the Monorail from the Transportation and Ticket Center near Magic Kingdom. It goes to the front entrance of EPCOT, but you don't have to go to that park (although you really should on some trip), the mono offers a bit of a birds eye view of the property and some of the Future World part of EPCOT. Definitely worth the time on a first time visit, even a quickie trip like yours.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost WDW does have a DtD, but it is a few miles across property and unless you have your own transportation, it takes all kinds of time to get there. Buses to resorts, transfer to DTD...no direct buses from the parks to DTD. Again if you thinking along the lines of Disneyland, wipe that image completely out of your mind. WDW is huge and even though some of the parks like Epcot and DHS are fairly close together and can be walked or a boat ride too, everything else requires travel time in one form or the other to get there. Epcot is at least a day and a half park if you want to visit everything. DHS is half to 3/4's of a day for anything worthwhile. DAK...to me is a half day because unless you want to spend hours looking a fauna there isn't much to do there. MK...is at the very least, a day and a half. Don't forget you have to factor time to get from one to the other as well.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub Shade of Green is a very nice resort on property across from the Polynesian. You are eligible for the Magic extended hours and the bus service is very reliable. If you can do without sleep you can accomplish enough to have a fantastic vacation . It seems to help if you actually manage to get on the first bus pickup in the morning because it is horrible to just miss that bus and then have to wait for that bus to get to the theme park and all the way back again for the next pickup. It might seem silly but don't forget the lines for security and of course lines form early and quickly for everything. It will be crowded due to SpringBreaks and Easter, etc.
Originally Posted By WDWdreamin Sounds like DHS in the morning and close out MK on one day, and DAK the next day. The bus system is easy to manage, but of course it does take time. Don't know why you're skipping Epcot, since almost everybody would rate it over DHS and over MK if you've been to DL, but I hope that you have fun.
