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My friend Jill from Texas is going to WDW for a baseball tournament (basically it will take up the majority of the time) so she’s really only got two days to do Disney and asked my suggestions. She also had a few questions I realize some of you may have too, so I answered them here for you too.

What does it mean that your second day of tickets is “discounted”?

Ok, what they mean is that every day that you add a ticket it costs less “per day”. The first day is the really expensive one and then they get cheaper as you go along. Like your 1 day ticket cost you $116.00 per but if you bought a 2 day it would only be $184.00 (which means you saved $68.00 per person if you just bought two ONE DAY passes for each person. A 3 day park ticket would cost you $100 less PER PERSON than if you bought a one-day pass each day. I’d suggest a 2 day park hopper AT MINIMUM!!!

If you decide to buy a 3 day then I’d buy it from here: http://www.undercovertourist.com/united-states/florida/orlando/attractions/tickets/. Its about $30.00 cheaper than from the WDW site and there is no tax. Also shipping is free.
Basically it would end up costing about $373.00 more than what you’ve already paid, but you’re paying $46.00 per person/ per day for the second two days, which is way less than the $92.00 per person/per day 1-day ticket price. Its up to you, but you will feel like you missed out on your trip to Disney if you only do one day.

Can we do all the major thrill rides in one day?
If you or your kids are roller coaster riders or “thrill seekers” there is still no way in holy heck to do those major rides (from the 4 parks) in 1 day. It’s impossible in my opinion. Don’t forget that if you can get an early flight you can use the 2nd half of your first day EASY.

Should I use Disney’s Musical Express or rent a car?Could save you some money to use the express. You wont need the car when you’re on Disney property. Using resort buses are WAY quicker than driving, parking and hopping the tram.

1st day of park tickets (it would be the day you fly in, a 1/2 day for most)
* The suggestions below are based on the day she told me. You would need to go to http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/calendar/extraMagicHour?id=CalendarExtraMagicHoursPage to find out which parks have Extra Magic Hours the day you arrive and plan according to that.

1) Disney Resorts almost always let you check in earlier. Even if they can’t put you in a room right away. Either way you can drop your stuff and head into the park and come back to your room later. So as soon as you can get there get there if you would like to spend the day in the park. (which would be sweet)

2) Hollywood Studios is extra magic hours your first night. Which means you can still get into it up till 11pm!!! So if you arrive at the resort around 2:00 or so you could drop your stuff and ride a bus over to Animal Kingdom and do Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, Kilimanjaro Safaris & see Lion King and Nemo by about 5-6(there’s nowhere really AMAZING to eat at Animal Kingdom).

3) Then ride a bus over to Hollywood Studios, go in a grab a fast pass IMMEDIATELY for Toy Story Mania (its in Pixar Place) and go eat at Pizza Planet. Portions are good and satisfying, potential to share portions (the pizza is about Sbarro sized if you have one of those to compare to). Ride Toy Story Mania when the fast pass comes up.
– Then walk down and grab a fast pass for Tower of Terror and go ride Rocking Roller Coaster or try to catch Beauty and the Beast.
– Don’t go to the FIRST show of Fantasmic that night, go to the second one at 10:30 and ride as much as you can during the 9:00 show. The 9:00 show will be PACKED!!!! If they’re out of fast passes for the big rides(which is possible) wait and do other stuff in the park and then ride Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania & Rockin’ Roller coaster DURING the 9:00 show when waits will be super short.

Day 2 (the FULL DAY)
1) Morning is early entry at MK. They ONLY way you need to go to MK (Magic Kingdom) this morning is if you can be there AT 8:00 am when the park opens. Which means your butt’s gotta be there standing waiting for the rope to drop. Otherwise it will be so crowded you will choke and wait in line for an embarrassing amount of time, WASTING away there.

2) You could potentially have been out till about 11:00pm so I don’t know if you think y’all can do it or not.
– If you don’t think y’all can make it anywhere till 9:00. I’d go over to Epcot. Be there AT 9:00 for park opening though so you can ride Soarin’ (FIRST).
– Then go ride Test Track, and then do Mission Space.
– (Jill has boys 11 yrs and 8 yrs) I’d then walk over go in the BOTTOM of the Living Seas with Nemo to Turtle Talk with Crush & Spaceship earth (in the globe). Your boys would NOT like the living seas ride.
– World Showcase will not open to you till 11:00 so you’ll have to decide if y’all care about that (the boys would probably ride rides!) or getting on over to Magic Kingdom. I’d suggest getting on the monorail and riding over to MK. Again, tell me what you’re going to do and I’ll write you up an exact touring plan. (will make your life way easier).

3) So you’ll get IN to MK around 12:30. Go straight over to Frontierland and get a fast pass for Splash Mountain.
– Then go to Pecos Bill for some DELICIOUS hamburgers and an amazing fixin’s bar.
– Then check stand-by for Big Thunder Mt. and ride it (assuming stand by is under 20 minutes) while waiting for your Splash Mt. fast pass to come up.
– After riding Splash send someone to go get your fast passes for Pirates of the Caribbean (sp?) and everybody else go get in line at Haunted Mansion (depending on the wait they may be able to join you in line.)
– After you ride that decide if you want to ride anything in Fantasyland. The kids (11 and 8) are not going to care as much about those as younger kids would (or Disney addicts like me). You can usually walk-on to Small World just to give them a taste of “classic Disney“.
– you will Not be able to do Peter Pan or Dumbo b/c waits will be over an hour unless you’re back there during the 3:00 parade (you don’t have time to see the parade really, but if you want to I’ll work it into your touring plan).
– Then on into Tomorrowland, get a fast pass for either Space Mountain or Buzz Lightyear’s space ranger spin. While you’re waiting for your fast pass then catch Monsters Laugh Floor and do Transit Authority (which is very relaxing). Then ride one of those rides (only both if the wait is under 20 min.) Pick up the other one when you return from your meal.
– Then for your “sit down meal” I’d suggest going over to the Whispering Canyon at Wilderness Lodge. No characters and a lot of fun. The folks there are crazy. Make sure to ask for ketchup!!! http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=WhisperingCanyonDiningPage
– If its a “dinner show” you’ve pre-paid for see if you can get any seating at Spirit of Aloha. It would take an act of God to get Hoop dee Do since it books out at least 6 months in advance usually), but you can always call and try. Like, I’d call TONIGHT.
– After dinner ride the boat back over (the best way to get to Wilderness is by boat) and go back into MK and catch anything else you’re interested in.
SpectroMagic parade will be at 9 and Wishes! (the BEST fireworks in Disney hands down) is at 10.

So there you go, you could do the main attractions in 2 days, but not 1!!! Its cramped and you will miss some of the finer details that make Walt Disney World *WALT DISNEY WORLD*, but if you’re at a business convention and this is all the time you’ve got here’s the diva suggestions.

For more help planning read my article Planning your WDW vacation
Have kids under 10 yrs old you’re taking for 2-days. Read my post to plan two days with them.
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