Obviously the answer depends on whether it is your first trip, whether you have kids, and/or whether you have more than one day, but here goes my answer:
"Must-do" rides: ALL - but for us it is Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Carousel of Progress, Haunted Mansion, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Jungle Cruise, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan's Flight, Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover and "it's a small world". For us, if time is limited than we start on the list and see how far we get. If you are first timers, we usually recommend starting with these rides and then it time permits add the other rides.
"must-do" shows: Hall of Presidents, Country Bear Jamboree
Prior: Offsite most every other years from 1972 - 2000
Most recent: Offsite 2001 & 2003 / ASM 2006 / Offsite 2009 / Poly 2011 / POR 2013 / CR 2014 / GF 2015 / DS Hotel 2017 / BC 2017 / POR 2018
Obviously the answer depends on whether it is your first trip, whether you have kids, and/or whether you have more than one day, but here goes my answer:
"Must-do" rides: ALL - but for us it is Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Carousel of Progress, Haunted Mansion, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Jungle Cruise, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan's Flight, Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover and "it's a small world". For us, if time is limited than we start on the list and see how far we get. If you are first timers, we usually recommend starting with these rides and then it time permits add the other rides.
"must-do" shows: Hall of Presidents, Country Bear Jamboree
My must-do rides and shows too! Also, Splash Mountain...
WDW Sept 1995 Contemporary - WDW July 1997 Polynesian - WDW July 1998 Polynesian - WDW July 2000 Grand Floridian - WDW July 2003 Grand Floridian
Obviously the answer depends on whether it is your first trip, whether you have kids, and/or whether you have more than one day, but here goes my answer:
"Must-do" rides: ALL - but for us it is Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Carousel of Progress, Haunted Mansion, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Jungle Cruise, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan's Flight, Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover and "it's a small world". For us, if time is limited than we start on the list and see how far we get. If you are first timers, we usually recommend starting with these rides and then it time permits add the other rides.
"must-do" shows: Hall of Presidents, Country Bear Jamboree
My must-do rides and shows too! Also, Splash Mountain...
We aren't big into getting wet which is why Splash Mountain (at MK) or Kali River Rapids (at AK) didn't make our list. I guess that is also why we don't do the water parks.
Prior: Offsite most every other years from 1972 - 2000
Most recent: Offsite 2001 & 2003 / ASM 2006 / Offsite 2009 / Poly 2011 / POR 2013 / CR 2014 / GF 2015 / DS Hotel 2017 / BC 2017 / POR 2018
The must do portion has to do with the plan, not the park if you ask me. Resort packages are front loaded. 85% of the cost is in the first 4 days. I suggest taking 7-8 days.
My perspective is more about the pre-planning stage. People do not allocate the time necessary to enjoy the parks. They give themselves a day a park and dammit!!!!! we are going to have a good time like it or not. They spend their day running ride to ride trying to get as much in as possible. The end result is exhaustion, frustration, short tempers and frankly, not a good time.
Give yourself time people. All the planning in the world will not save a WDW trip when youre steamrolling the park. I know, I know, cost! All I have to say is, in the end, how much are a lifetime of memories really worth?
Take the time people. Enjoy, relax and it will all come together.
Great planning makes a great trip. And there is a thread for planning. But once there, what is your favorite thing to do? Something that brings back great memories or that "warm fuzzy" feeling..that you want to do every trip, if possible.
"Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved." — Pooh, Winnie the Pooh
The must do portion has to do with the plan, not the park if you ask me. Resort packages are front loaded. 85% of the cost is in the first 4 days. I suggest taking 7-8 days.
My perspective is more about the pre-planning stage. People do not allocate the time necessary to enjoy the parks. They give themselves a day a park and dammit!!!!! we are going to have a good time like it or not. They spend their day running ride to ride trying to get as much in as possible. The end result is exhaustion, frustration, short tempers and frankly, not a good time.
Give yourself time people. All the planning in the world will not save a WDW trip when youre steamrolling the park. I know, I know, cost! All I have to say is, in the end, how much are a lifetime of memories really worth?
Take the time people. Enjoy, relax and it will all come together.
So what was your must do? Think that's the thread here....
second star to the right and straight on till morning
The must do portion has to do with the plan, not the park if you ask me. Resort packages are front loaded. 85% of the cost is in the first 4 days. I suggest taking 7-8 days.
My perspective is more about the pre-planning stage. People do not allocate the time necessary to enjoy the parks. They give themselves a day a park and dammit!!!!! we are going to have a good time like it or not. They spend their day running ride to ride trying to get as much in as possible. The end result is exhaustion, frustration, short tempers and frankly, not a good time.
Give yourself time people. All the planning in the world will not save a WDW trip when youre steamrolling the park. I know, I know, cost! All I have to say is, in the end, how much are a lifetime of memories really worth?
Take the time people. Enjoy, relax and it will all come together.
So what was your must do? Think that's the thread here....
Im sorry I wasnt clear. To me the must do is give yourself enough time to enjoy all that is available.
If you dont, it doesnt matter what you did, you will regret what you missed
So what was your must do? Think that's the thread here....
I'm sorry I wasn't clear. To me the must do is give yourself enough time to enjoy all that is available.
If you don't, it doesn't matter what you did, you will regret what you missed
That is a simple but very TRUE approach whether it is for WDW or visiting another city or country. Coming away from any vacation with regrets (and if you aren't sure when if you are returning) is not a good and happy feeling.
Prior: Offsite most every other years from 1972 - 2000
Most recent: Offsite 2001 & 2003 / ASM 2006 / Offsite 2009 / Poly 2011 / POR 2013 / CR 2014 / GF 2015 / DS Hotel 2017 / BC 2017 / POR 2018
I'm sorry I wasn't clear. To me the must do is give yourself enough time to enjoy all that is available.
If you don't, it doesn't matter what you did, you will regret what you missed
That is a simple but very TRUE approach whether it is for WDW or visiting another city or country. Coming away from any vacation with regrets (and if you aren't sure when if you are returning) is not a good and happy feeling.
I cannot tell you how many people I have talked to who expressed disappointment, regret or other negative emotions about their visit. In every case, they had 4 day visits.
People figure a park a day. Frankly, that is about half the time you need. I suggest 2 days per park.
This gives one time not only to ride and see, but to eat and relax as well.
We are setting aside 2 days for each MK and EPCOT. Tackling one half of the park each day. We are only giving Hollywood studies a day this year. The grandkids aren't into Star Wars and after mapping out the park, we believe we wont need more than that to see our "wish list". We aren't doing AK this year. But actually doing something different and visiting Animal Kingdom Lodge and eating at Sanaa. We want to get there in time to do the kid friendly activities and check out the animals.
It is hard to fit a whole park into one day. )And we did that our first trip with the family.). If possible, give yourself more time. It will cut down on the tremper tantrums and breakdowns by kids and adults,alike!
"Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved." — Pooh, Winnie the Pooh
The must do portion has to do with the plan, not the park if you ask me. Resort packages are front loaded. 85% of the cost is in the first 4 days. I suggest taking 7-8 days.
My perspective is more about the pre-planning stage. People do not allocate the time necessary to enjoy the parks. They give themselves a day a park and dammit!!!!! we are going to have a good time like it or not. They spend their day running ride to ride trying to get as much in as possible. The end result is exhaustion, frustration, short tempers and frankly, not a good time.
Give yourself time people. All the planning in the world will not save a WDW trip when youre steamrolling the park. I know, I know, cost! All I have to say is, in the end, how much are a lifetime of memories really worth?
Take the time people. Enjoy, relax and it will all come together.
I totally agree with you on this. I have seen so many parents yelling at their children because the kids are afraid to do rides. Some would tell them they spent so much money and that they have to do the rides.
I have almost spoken up several times over the years to tell them to relax and leave the children alone, they are afraid, it is understandable, try to just enjoy the vacation. I didn't say anything to avoid them taking their anger out on me which would not have been good for either of us.
When our children were young we did all the major rides in each park before noon, if a line was long we went to the next one, then back when that one was shorter. Yes we were exhausted, most nights my wife and I carried our two youngest out of the parks, they were asleep in our arms.
Unlike todays children screaming and yelling on the buses, our children were brought up not to do that in public, they sat on the busses, monorail or boat and did not complain.
a funny thought just hit me, 2 years ago we were eating at a restaurant and a child was screaming/crying. A gentleman sitting next to us who was about our age said, if that was me my father would have given me something to cry about. I thought that was so funny and correct for our age.
