Mouse Extra

Perhaps I’ve been listening to Len Testa too much, but now I am at the stage in my planning when I am almost plotting out every step.  For those of you who don’t know Len Testa, he is the co-author of the Unofficial Guide, webmaster of touringplans.com, and a member of the WDW Today mob.  If you listen to him long enough, you’d think without a previously written touring plan, done by the Testa Team of Blistered Toes, you’ll be stuck riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority all day or waiting 3 hours for an e-ticket.

Fortunately, I do not need to ride every ride and see every show this time around, because if I did I would certainly need Len’s famous duct-tape.  I’m going to the Mouse to relax, get some photos of things I need for this website, see the new attractions, and check out Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival.  But still, time is short and I need a game plan.  I guess that’s something so emblazoned in my head there’s no getting it out.

We are going to be there in May from a Sunday to a Wednesday.  Before Memorial Day, May is an average time as far as attendance is concerned.  It’s not too crowded, but it certainly isn’t empty.  Big attractions need to be targeted first, and I personally like to avoid evening Extra Magic Hours whenever possible.  Since Sunday is an evening Extra Magic Hours at the Magic Kingdom, we’ll probably go to the Disney MGM-Studios.  Fantasmic is scheduled for 9pm, and that seems like a great way to end the day.

Monday offers a morning Extra Magic Hour at the Animal Kingdom, and those are a good idea.  Most people are eating their breakfast at 8am, but we’ll be on Expedition Everest.  (Hopefully my wife isn’t reading this!  She’s not a huge fan of me dragging her out of bed this early.)  The evening has and Extra Magic Hours at the Studios, so this seems like a great time to go to the Magic Kingdom.  It is open until 10pm and Spectromagic runs at 9pm.  We’ll probably go to Trail’s End for dinner, my wife’s favorite place and a good way to make it up to her for the morning.

Tuesday is Epcot day.  We’ll explore the Flower and Garden Festival, ride some attractions in the morning, and then settle in around mid-afternoon for Off Kilter and the British Invasion.  Tuesday is the only day we’ll be there when both bands are playing.  My only other must-sees are lunch at Alfredo’s before it is gone for good, and Spaceship Earth before it is changed for good.  Now I know those of you who are Len Testa disciples will immediately point out that Epcot is considered a “park to avoid” by the touringplans.com standards.  Well, that’s just the way it has to be, we’re going to Epcot.

That leaves the few hours on Wednesday before the Magical Expresses depresses me with it’s farewell video.  Since we’ve been to every park, we’ll play that by ear…