First timers... conflicted on skipping HS

[Sarahlynn34]

We don't mind splitting up occasionally and we will have to with the older ones going on things like Space mountain and FoP but at all the other parks it seems there are equally fun things for the other parent and toddler to do nearby ( kid rides, playgrounds etc.)

There are Disney Jr characters your toddler can meet. And I believe Olaf still does meet n greet at HS. The park isn't that big at all. Most things are "nearby", compared to other parks.

 

[ShelbyK]

Well, it's all personal taste, but HS has some great stuff in it and the impact of the construction is somewhat overblown. It is show heavy, so if you aren't to into that, then it could be an issue. A lot of us here have seen these shows over and over so are sometimes dismissive of them as a real draw, but if you've never seen them then they are brand new to you. If you have Star Wars lovers, then the Galactic Spectacular is a must do. Fantasmic! is also a great show, though it is hard to have time for both in one night. For the young one, the there is the Disney Junior show. So, writing off RnRC you still have at HS:

Rides:
Tower of Terror
Toy Story Mania
Star Tours

Shows:
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Beauty and the Beast
Frozen Sing Along
Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular
Muppet-Vision 3-D (edited to add this)
Fantasmic!
Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular (plus the March of the First Order and other Star Wars show they do on center stage throughout the day)
Jedi Training Academy (and kids can participate!)

Miscellaneous:
Star Wars Launch Bay - exhibits from the movie
Walt Disney Presents - exhibits from Disney history and a short film about Walt or a movie preview for an upcoming film - film is optional either way

Yeah, it's only three rides, but it's three of the best rides. Ideally, if you had Park Hoppers, then HS makes for a good half day even if just to see one of the nighttime shows. The decision is yours and it's certainly reasonable to call a skip after considering all the facts. You'll have fun either way. Enjoy your trip and welcome to the Dis (love your avatar too)!

Thanks for all of this! We wont be able to do the nighttime shows on this day and we don't have hoppers. If I knew for sure that my toddler would enjoy these shows then it would be a much easier decision but its always hard to predict how a toddler will react to things, she might be terrified of characters too we just wont know until we are there.

 

[ShelbyK]

OP: your posts don't mention Jedi Training Academy. If your older two are Star Wars fans, Star Tours, Jedi Academy and the Launch Bay characters, along with TOT and perhaps Toy Story would make it worth the day (in my opinion). If they are not huge into Star Wars then sure skip it. But since your next trip is "pre-Star Wars land" anyway, I'd do those things now - before Toy Story land makes that park a zoo in 2019.

My son and I are the only ones who have even watched the Star Wars movies and we both think it would be cool to meet Kylo Ren and Chewy but he wasn't interested in the Jedi training.

 

[EglantineEglantine]

Personally, I wouldn't want to skip it. I enjoyed it thoroughly when we went last month. It has a very charming and unique atmosphere and lots to see and do, with or without Fastpasses. It's also really fun for Star Wars fans with Storm Troopers walking around, March of the First Order, fireworks, etc.

 

[fivikse]

I have 12 year olds. I think we've been to WDW 4 times and we still haven't made it to DHS. I went around the time it opened, but that's it. I have let my girls look at the website with the lists of the attractions, watched a couple youtube videos, and they have no interest in it. Your older kids are old enough to have an opinion - show them the attractions and see what they think. (mine don't like Star Wars or roller coasters - yours may be different).

I would also suggest waiting to decide after your first MK day. You may then decide that just one more day at MK will be enough, or you might think you'll need a lot more time there.

 

[KenHutch]

I say go to HS. It is my favorite park and while people say its just a 1/2 day park I manage to do 2 days there every trip.

 

[Micca]

We'd never skip DHS as TOT is our second favorite attraction on property. Under the circumstances, it's probably not a must for your group this trip. Unless you can do a hopper--then you could cut a 1/2 day out of MK and do DHS. If you decide to go, don't rule out Sci-Fi, get the Touring Plans ADR finder and you may well come up with something.

 

[ShelbyK]

I have 12 year olds. I think we've been to WDW 4 times and we still haven't made it to DHS. I went around the time it opened, but that's it. I have let my girls look at the website with the lists of the attractions, watched a couple youtube videos, and they have no interest in it. Your older kids are old enough to have an opinion - show them the attractions and see what they think. (mine don't like Star Wars or roller coasters - yours may be different).

I would also suggest waiting to decide after your first MK day. You may then decide that just one more day at MK will be enough, or you might think you'll need a lot more time there.

You are right and its possible my kids will surprise me and love AK the most or even Epcot so we moght decide to spend an extra day at one of those or go to HS..so maybe my plan will be to leave that day open until we get there and hope we can snag some last minute FPs and adrs wherever we decide to go.. as a planner this will make me crazy but might be for the best

 

[bigbabyblues]

I would do a day at HS, especially if your older kids would like some things there. It sounds like it is only part of a day anyway, what time will you need to leave? 3 days at MK is too many for us in one trip, but MK was never my kids' favorite park, even when they were little. They both love HS and Epcot.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

I like your original plan. Three days at MK is not too many for that age group and will allow you to do what you want there and still have relaxing resort time. We usually go for 4 park days, and do 2 at MK and 1 at each of 2 others. Sometimes even 3 at MK and only one other park. We really value having time at the resort to relax, and we don't hop. I wouldn't sweat it if my plan skipped a park.

 

[ShelbyK]

I would do a day at HS, especially if your older kids would like some things there. It sounds like it is only part of a day anyway, what time will you need to leave? 3 days at MK is too many for us in one trip, but MK was never my kids' favorite park, even when they were little. They both love HS and Epcot.

We dont really HAVE to leave at a certain time but it is a 2 hour drive to Siesta Key and we will have to get unpacked and settled and probably grocery shop that evening so I would like to be out of the parks by 5 or 6

 

[fivikse]

You are right and its possible my kids will surprise me and love AK the most or even Epcot so we moght decide to spend an extra day at one of those or go to HS..so maybe my plan will be to leave that day open until we get there and hope we can snag some last minute FPs and adrs wherever we decide to go.. as a planner this will make me crazy but might be for the best

This is actually what happened one year for us. I had a day that I had scheduled for DHS (2 MK days and 1 for each of the others) and my girls after going to EPCOT insisted that we go back to it. We looked at the DHS stuff, and they said nope they wanted more EPCOT instead of DHS. This was a few years back, but they were very into meeting characters in the World Showcase, the Phineas and Ferb missions, there was a lot of Duffy stuff in EPCOT then, etc. I was surprised, but that was their choice. We've had a couple more trips to WDW since then, but they still have no interest in DHS.

(I am sure we would all enjoy things there if we did go, but it just isn't worth forcing it for me.)

 

[ShelbyK]

I like your original plan. Three days at MK is not too many for that age group and will allow you to do what you want there and still have relaxing resort time. We usually go for 4 park days, and do 2 at MK and 1 at each of 2 others. Sometimes even 3 at MK and only one other park. We really value having time at the resort to relax, and we don't hop. I wouldn't sweat it if my plan skipped a park.

Ya and that was my original instinct and I just keep questioning myself.. ive wanted to go to wdw my whoke life and I feel like thats MK.. ill b just as excited as the kids!

 

[ShelbyK]

This is actually what happened one year for us. I had a day that I had scheduled for DHS (2 MK days and 1 for each of the others) and my girls after going to EPCOT insisted that we go back to it. We looked at the DHS stuff, and they said nope they wanted more EPCOT instead of DHS. This was a few years back, but they were very into meeting characters in the World Showcase, the Phineas and Ferb missions, there was a lot of Duffy stuff in EPCOT then, etc. I was surprised, but that was their choice. We've had a couple more trips to WDW since then, but they still have no interest in DHS.

(I am sure we would all enjoy things there if we did go, but it just isn't worth forcing it for me.)

I actually have a feeling Epcot might end up being me and my daughters favorite..we love Frozen, shopping and food! Just gota get the guys on board

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I would choose a 3rd day at MK. We always feel like we don’t have enough MK time. We went to HS on our DD’s first trip (she was just turning 1) and I wished we were at MK again that day instead. We had a nice day but we missed being at MK and still had things we would have rather done or repeated there.
I had been to HS many times before while I was growing up and as an adult before kids and it’s always been the park I could “drop” if needed.

All personal preference though.

You have a wide range of kid ages and I don’t think you’d go wrong with a 3rd MK day. I would go to HS on your 2019 trip.

We are skipping HS with our 3yo and 22 month old in May unless there is a DVC preview of Toy Story Land at HS during our trip. We are doing a 3rd MK day unless that happens

 

[DisneyFive]

Hollywood studios is absolutely worth a day, especially for a first visit!

Dan

 

[leahlefler]

If you're going again in 2019, it might be worth waiting, especially since since TSMM doesn't have FP available for your dates. Toy Story Land will be fully up and running in 2019, too. I don't think 3 MK days are too many with your age group. My guys (ages 7 and 9 at our last trip, now 10 and 12) LOVE EPCOT for Test Track and Mission Space. They also like the store in Japan (Pokemon).

We're going in a week and we are going to spend a day at HS, but my guys love the thrill rides. We are doing TSMM, Muppet Vision, TOT (for my youngest - his favorite ride), RnR, Indiana Jones, Star Tours, the Galactic Spectacular, etc. It's easily a full day for us, but we don't have toddlers and my kids are thrill ride junkies.

 

[Nancyg56]

I do not think that there is anything wrong with skipping a park, but I honestly do not understand the reasoning here. DHS is a great park for little ones just because of the character M&G. My DGD loved meeting all of her "friends" so we spend a great deal of time there. There is so much more than the three main attractions that you mentioned, and for a Frozen fan, the sing-a-long is awesome. I showed my DH a video of our little Princess belting out the songs and he told me that little snippet of the trip proved to him that every penny was well spent.

There are shows, Jedi Training academy, and plenty to absorb.

With all that said, it seems that you are leaning more towards skipping DHS, so why not? You cannot possibly get it all done in one visit, so skip DHS and plan to go when it is finished.

 

[smokeyblue]

I've never been a huge DHS fan, but I spent way more time there during my last trip than I ever had before. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it was actually my favorite park during that trip. I would give it a go for sure. If it doesn't go well, you can just get a head start on your travel home. I would be totally bored with a 3rd MK day.

 

[Mainemama]

I skipped HS until my 3rd trip, and have never regretted it. We had kids 1, 5, and 7, and felt it wasn't a match for us for awhile. It tends to be a park more driven by schedule (lots of shows, few rides), which can be hard for first timers. If this is your first trip, no one will miss something they haven't experienced. It sounds like your time might be better spent other places this year. I like the sound of your plan. If after day 2 in MK you feel otherwise, you can always change on the fly.