Help choosing Pool day vs HS day

[RN_Mama_inFL]

Need help deciding…we have APs, staying at Poly in June from a Thurs-Sun. So far planning:

Thursday- Epcot for a few hours after arriving and having dinner
Friday- Magic Kingdom (most if not all day)
Saturday- Pool day to relax and book LLs to go to Hollywood Studios in evening
Sunday- AK morning before drive home


I’m wondering if the resort pool (and HS) might be quieter on a Friday? So should we swap that with MK day? But then would Saturday at MK be worse?

If this was you, what would you do?
Thank you!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Leave it as it is. It's June, gonna be busy on all those days in parks and at the hotel.

 

[Genie+]

I’d keep it as is because the flow is nicer with your break closer to mid-trip this way.

Sat can be one of the busier days at MK but not enough difference from Fri to bother moving it.

 

[RN_Mama_inFL]

Ok thank you both, I’m probably just over thinking it. Thanks!

 

[stephaniepotato]

I was about to post a very similar question. Can I hijack your post? We’re not AP holders (but we have Magic Keys for Disneyland). This coming April will be our second visit to WDW (we went for 4 nights and 3 park days in 2022 and did MK, Epcot and HS).

This trip we are doing 5 nights at CBR but only 3 park days again and we planned to skip HS and do a resort day instead.

Sat - arrival from Daytona Beach (visiting family)
Sun - Animal Kingdom
Mon - EPCOT
Tues - Resort Day / Ohana dinner
Wed - MK
Thurs - Disney Springs then airport

But now I’m starting to get Fomo for skipping HS and wondering if we should add on a 4th park day? It’s about $500 more to add the extra day. We could try to do EE in the morning then leave park by 2pm. Rope drop MMRR, ToT, Star Tours, then genie+ Slinky, Smugglers Run, Toy Story Mania! and ILL for Rise, lunch at Sci-Fi then go back to hotel to relax / pool then go to our Ohana dinner reservation. Is that worth it or should we add on park hopper ($300) and figure out a new plan with hopping? My spouse does not want to do a park on arrival or departure days.

Any thoughts?

 

[RN_Mama_inFL]

Haha no worries on hijacking. I’ll put in my 2 cents for what it’s worth.

I think it obviously depends on ages/interests of your family. To me, that sounds like a half day at HS which is not worth $500 in my opinion. And a lot more running around. If you really want to do some of the things you mentioned at HS, I’m sure many people would say you could hop there after Animal Kingdom. You may not be able to do every ride you listed, but certainly the majority of them by stacking LL’s while you’re at AK.

We are actually planning our trip around a nice relaxing pool day because 1) My kids need a break from park craziness and early mornings/no naps. And 2) the last time we stayed at Polynesian we didn’t get enough time to enjoy the pool area for the kids so we want a day for that.

So I guess it’s deciding if the offerings at HS are the things you all are really into it and don’t want to miss. My hunch says no if your first thought was to skip it.

 

[JMommyof3]

I was about to post a very similar question. Can I hijack your post? We’re not AP holders (but we have Magic Keys for Disneyland). This coming April will be our second visit to WDW (we went for 4 nights and 3 park days in 2022 and did MK, Epcot and HS).

This trip we are doing 5 nights at CBR but only 3 park days again and we planned to skip HS and do a resort day instead.

Sat - arrival from Daytona Beach (visiting family)
Sun - Animal Kingdom
Mon - EPCOT
Tues - Resort Day / Ohana dinner
Wed - MK
Thurs - Disney Springs then airport

But now I’m starting to get Fomo for skipping HS and wondering if we should add on a 4th park day? It’s about $500 more to add the extra day. We could try to do EE in the morning then leave park by 2pm. Rope drop MMRR, ToT, Star Tours, then genie+ Slinky, Smugglers Run, Toy Story Mania! and ILL for Rise, lunch at Sci-Fi then go back to hotel to relax / pool then go to our Ohana dinner reservation. Is that worth it or should we add on park hopper ($300) and figure out a new plan with hopping? My spouse does not want to do a park on arrival or departure days.

Any thoughts?

We are long time MK holders as well and have been to WDW a few times. If it were me, I would upgrade my ticket to PH and do AK and HS on the same day. At HS, I would skip or at least put on the "good if we can" list: MMRR, Star Tours, SR, TSMM and Rise. Those rides are identical in DLR and the MMRR queue is better in Toontown. PH also give you more freedom if a certain park isn't working for you.