All the extras!

[Nixon128]

My family is taking a relatively short trip for our first Disney vacation together. We will be spending one evening at the Christmas party and another full day at Magic Kingdom, including EMM (the new version), and a HS day. My husband and I are contemplating doing DAH as well, with our 3 year old staying with her grandparents for the night. I am starting to feel like maybe I am overkilling it with extras and am trying to cram too much into a short time. Will I be sick of MK 3 days in a row? Will I be exhausted and want to get a decent nights sleep the night after MVMCP and the next day an early EMM? I know you can’t answer those questions for ME, but I am interested in your opinions! DAH overkill or worth it? Thanks!

 

[siren0119]

We did MNSSHP last year and stayed in the park to the very end - I was HUGELY thankful I had scheduled a resort day the next day and didn't try to go into the parks or do anything early. We didn't roll out of bed until almost 10am. Would you be sick of MK 3 days in a row, probably not....but I'd be concerned whether you'd enjoy it quite the same if you are exhausted from MVMCP the night before. Some folks have the constitution for that kind of stuff, but I appreciated the sleep and relaxing resort day! We ended up deciding to head to Disney Springs for lunch that afternoon and it was really enjoyable.

 

[caribbeandream]

What @siren0119 said! You won't get "sick" of MK but you will be exhausted.

 

[Babs1975]

Oh yeah..I wouldn't do EMM the morning after a late night. We always schedule a day off completely the next day after the party. Just looking at your plans with such a short trip, sounds like a lot of extras...why not just enjoy the whole day in the park that day? What are you doing the day of the party? A park or day off? I guess I need to see it in more of a schedule...Monday we have this, Tuesday we have this.

 

[Nixon128]

Thanks so much for the replies! I know this is a personal decision but Disney is doing a great job of sucking me in with all these extras. I mean less crowds is a huge draw! Our schedule right now looks like
Day 1 Christmas party
Day 2 HS from about 10-4 or so
Day 3 MK with EMM- planning on 7:30 until after lunch which starts at 2:30. This is a party day so it would close at 6 anyway.
Day 4 - debating HS EMM. Departing this day.

DAH would be day 2. So my daughter and grandparents would get a decent nights sleep, but my husband and I are hoping to be able to see HEA and ride some of the “bigger” rides that our daughter can’t do. Our other option is a 9:00 reservation at California Grill.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Thanks so much for the replies! I know this is a personal decision but Disney is doing a great job of sucking me in with all these extras. I mean less crowds is a huge draw! Our schedule right now looks like
Day 1 Christmas party
Day 2 HS from about 10-4 or so
Day 3 MK with EMM- planning on 7:30 until after lunch which starts at 2:30. This is a party day so it would close at 6 anyway.
Day 4 - debating HS EMM. Departing this day.

DAH would be day 2. So my daughter and grandparents would get a decent nights sleep, but my husband and I are hoping to be able to see HEA and ride some of the “bigger” rides that our daughter can’t do. Our other option is a 9:00 reservation at California Grill.

That's a lot of MK and a really late night. I wouldn't do DAH with EMM the next day. Why not do some of the bigger rides during MVMCP? Can the grandparents entertain your daughter while you ride the bigger rides at the party? Or, instead of doing DAH, why not go to MK after DHS (while grandparents watch your daughter), ride the bigger rides during regular park hours and see HEA then? Even consider doing a HEA dessert party that night - it costs less and it would still be an earlier night. Will you have park hoppers? You may also want to consider getting EP in there with your DH for a nice meal and the EP fireworks (and to change things up a little from MK).

 

[Nixon128]

Great ideas! We don’t have park hoppers at the moment, although we have considered for Monday and Tuesday evening. We would not get them if we did DAH, but if we did park hoppers could we just upgrade our two tickets and not the rest of the family? Tickets are not a package with the room. I thought of the dessert party either way!

 

[Soarin4us]

Think about how much sleep you need, adjust for miles and miles of walking, then decide if your plan is too exhausting. Our family would be miserable using your plan; we get cranky when we’re tired. I’d do a park, maybe park hoppers if the budget allows, and go back to your resort when you’re tired. No dessert parties, no EMH.... just whatever feels right at the moment.

 

[Babs1975]

I would definitely skip DAH then. Just my opinion. But that's a lot of late night and early morning.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I personally think DAH is more bang for the buck than EMM. If it were between those two, I'd opt for DAH.

On my trip 2 weeks ago I did DAH one night and MNSSHP the next night. While it was two late nights in a row, I was very glad to have done both experiences. DAH is a rare time to get a ton of pure, un-partied MK in. MVMCP is fun, it's just a lot more people and an overall different MK experience.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Great ideas! We don’t have park hoppers at the moment, although we have considered for Monday and Tuesday evening. We would not get them if we did DAH, but if we did park hoppers could we just upgrade our two tickets and not the rest of the family? Tickets are not a package with the room. I thought of the dessert party either way!

Yes, you can upgrade your two tickets to park hoppers while you are in WDW.

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

Hi,
I agree with @GADisneyDad14, we've done both...
I would dump EMM and switch to DAH.
You get a lot of bang for your buck at DAH, much much more than EMM.

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

I agree with @GADisneyDad14 and @ConnecticutNonna - I would not do the EMM and do DAH. We got so much done at DAH that it would have taken us two days to do all of those rides. Plus it was at night and it wasn't that hot. I would skip EMM.

 

[motherof5]

My family is taking a relatively short trip for our first Disney vacation together. We will be spending one evening at the Christmas party and another full day at Magic Kingdom, including EMM (the new version), and a HS day. My husband and I are contemplating doing DAH as well, with our 3 year old staying with her grandparents for the night. I am starting to feel like maybe I am overkilling it with extras and am trying to cram too much into a short time. Will I be sick of MK 3 days in a row? Will I be exhausted and want to get a decent nights sleep the night after MVMCP and the next day an early EMM? I know you can’t answer those questions for ME, but I am interested in your opinions! DAH overkill or worth it? Thanks!

Looks like fun. It's hard to get sick of MK

 

[Nixon128]

Thank you everyone! Gave me a lot to think about! I appreciate your responses.

 

[angierae]

We did a short trip - halloween party on Sunday, and parks open to close on Monday. Tuesday we had a breakfast ressie that we canceled so we could sleep in all the way to checkout time practically because we were EXHAUSTED.

 

[ClapYourHands]

I will agree with others that DAH is, overall, more bang for your buck than EMM. If it were my upcoming trip, I'd do DAH with my 8- and 10-year-olds. But, if I were there with my 3-year-old, I'd do EMM.

The "new" EMM is very little-kid focused - Fairytale Hall, teacups, etc., in addition to Pooh and Peter Pan. I think the EMM could be a great way for the whole family to knock out fantasyland for OP's 3-year-old, while also giving OP and DH a chance to ride 7DMT a few times. This could really free the family up to do other attractions, maybe park hop a bit. I bet DD would love a chance to do Frozen Ever After, Nemo, etc. over in Epcot, and park hoppers, coupled with the time savings of EMM, could make that possible.