Critique my Plans! Oct 4 -11

Almost first time visitor (did a one day whirlwind visit last year that was mostly unplanned).

We are going Oct 4-11, focusing on MK for a very Princess heavy trip. (DD will be almost 5).

October 4

Arrival. It’s a whole day of travel from the PNW so we’ll be getting into MCO around 7:30. Hoping ME doesn’t get us to the hotel super super late. Depending on how hungry we are, may grab dinner to go before leaving MCO. Staying at AoA in Little Mermaid

October 5

It’s an 8am open and also looking like the best day of our trip for MK crowds so we will be waking up for rope drop. Arrive for rope drop and try and do as many less busy FL attractions as we can (think Under the Sea, Tea Cups etc). Watch 10:30 Castle Show

Fastpasses for Buzz at 10:30 and Space Mountain at 11:30 we are using rider swap for Space and DD and I have FP for Tomorrowland Speedway. Return to Space Mountain so I can ride.Start moving towards Frontierland. Get QS on the way. Ride Splash with FP at 1:10. Exit park for a break

Return to MK area for 7:20 Park Fare Dinner. Go back to MK after dinner, hoping we can make it back in time to catch MSEP. Play the evening by ear depending on lines and SDFP availability. Watch Wishes, possibly from Fantasyland

October 6

Breakfast at Chef Mickey’s then half our group goes to Universal and DD and I go to Animal Kingdom.

No set plans for Animal Kingdom but we want to do Kilanmanjaro, meet Pocahontas and watch the Lion King show. Can’t ride Everest because DD is too short and I’ll be the only adult. Dinosaur is closed and she’d hate it anyway.

Dinner at Sanaa at 5. Back to the resort for the evening.

October 7

No plans until the afternoon. Hoping to do the animation class at the resort.

Go to party at 4. Fastpasses for SDMT, PoTC and Haunted Mansion (but is it a lot better to do during the party? Should I switch to something else?)

The only party character we really want to meet is Genie. Spend party trick or treating, watching stage show, parade and fireworks.

October 8

Another 8am rope drop day

FP for SDMT at 8:35. Meet Merida and ride other FL stuff. Take train to entrance and go to GF for Perfectly Princess Tea. Return to park around 12:30/1pm. We have afternoon FP for Enchanted Tales and PP.

Play the rest of the afternoon by ear. Expecting big crowds. Dinner at BOG followed by the Wishes Dessert Party.

October 9

PPO Breakfast at BOG. Maybe try for Peter Pan after breakfast.

Bibbidi Boutique 10am then meet the princesses at fairytale hall with fastpasses. (have allowed 2 hours for BBB). Watch the parade. Do Pete’s Silly sideshow if we have time. Likely take a break after the parade either in the park or out.

Dinner at CRT. Watch MSEP if we didn't catch it on Wednesday.

October 10 Epcot

PPO at Akershus to try and get on Frozen. Then try for Soarin and Test Track. Expect to have to wait a while for at least one of these.

FP for Spaceship Earth and The Seas with Nemo. Lunch at Coral Reef.Spend afternoon touring World Showcase. FEA at 3:30.

Dinner at Akershus for the princesses then Illuminations.

October 11 Hollywood Studios

Just a half day before we leave.

PPO Disney Jr breakfast

Ride TSMM. Watch Voyage of the Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast

otten said:

October 5

It’s an 8am open and also looking like the best day of our trip for MK crowds so we will be waking up for rope drop. Arrive for rope drop and try and do as many less busy FL attractions as we can (think Under the Sea, Tea Cups etc). Watch 10:30 Castle Show

Fastpasses for Buzz at 10:30 and Space Mountain at 11:30 we are using rider swap for Space and DD and I have FP for Tomorrowland Speedway. Return to Space Mountain so I can ride.Start moving towards Frontierland. Get QS on the way. Ride Splash with FP at 1:10. Exit park for a break

Return to MK area for 7:20 Park Fare Dinner. Go back to MK after dinner, hoping we can make it back in time to catch MSEP. Play the evening by ear depending on lines and SDFP availability. Watch Wishes, possibly from Fantasyland

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At rope drop, I would recommend doing attractions you want to do that may have longer standby times later in the day, even if you've done them in Ca. Save the less popular attractions (teacups, Under the Sea. Take a look at now for example...3 pm in orlando and Mad tea Party is a 5 min wait and Under the Sea is a 20 Minute wait. Pater Pan on the other hand is 70 minutes, Pooj is 35 minutes, etc. Better off knocking those out first thing and Mad Tea Party and Under the Sea later in the day.

otten said:

October 6

Breakfast at Chef Mickey’s then half our group goes to Universal and DD and I go to Animal Kingdom.

No set plans for Animal Kingdom but we want to do Kilanmanjaro, meet Pocahontas and watch the Lion King show. Can’t ride Everest because DD is too short and I’ll be the only adult. Dinosaur is closed and she’d hate it anyway.

Dinner at Sanaa at 5. Back to the resort for the evening.

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My little one loves the Conservation Station, petting zoo, etc. if nobody else is with you guys and you're not in a rush, give it a look.

otten said:

October 10 Epcot

PPO at Akershus to try and get on Frozen. Then try for Soarin and Test Track. Expect to have to wait a while for at least one of these.

FP for Spaceship Earth and The Seas with Nemo. Lunch at Coral Reef.Spend afternoon touring World Showcase. FEA at 3:30.

Dinner at Akershus for the princesses then Illuminations.

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Why the PPO at Akershus? Any way to move it back and at least catch Soarin or Test Track at rope drop (if not both), then head to breakfast?






Overall, it's more character breakfasts than I like (I think lunches are better options) but with a trip that long you should have plenty of time to do it all and remain flexible.

LSUfan4444 said:

At rope drop, I would recommend doing attractions you want to do that may have longer standby times later in the day, even if you've done them in Ca. Save the less popular attractions (teacups, Under the Sea. Take a look at now for example...3 pm in orlando and Mad tea Party is a 5 min wait and Under the Sea is a 20 Minute wait. Pater Pan on the other hand is 70 minutes, Pooj is 35 minutes, etc. Better off knocking those out first thing and Mad Tea Party and Under the Sea later in the day.

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Good to know about Winnie the Pooh. Which other rides should we prioritize if we have FP+ for SDMT, Peter Pan, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Enchanted Tales and don't intend to hit those at Rope Drop?

Why the PPO at Akershus? Any way to move it back and at least catch Soarin or Test Track at rope drop (if not both), then head to breakfast?

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I'm hopeing that that might allow us to get onto FEA twice that day as based on her love of Under the Sea, I expect DD to want to ride it more than once. [/QUOTE]

Would depend on what side of the park you wanted to focus on but Buzz, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Ariel Meet & Greet, Enchanted Tales with Belle, Princess Meet & Greets, Space Mountain, Tomorrowland Speedway and I'm sure there are a few more I can't think of could all have wait times that exceed 30 minutes in the afternoon.

A few thoughts:

My 5-year-old LOVED Kali River Rapids, so that's an option for an AK FP. And it will be hot in early Oct!

You have several late nights (evening entertainment at a park) followed by early mornings (PPO breakfast or rope drop). My kids wouldn't be able to do that more than once, even with the afternoon breaks. I would definitely consider the evening entertainment "optional" at each park. If you're planning to get your money's worth out of the October 7 party, then I would think you'd want to sleep in the next day and have a very easy morning.

Have fun!

To me, your plans seem really robust for an almost 5-year old. I don't know if my almost 9-year old could hang with MNSSHP right to 8am rope drop, then a late night at the dessert party and back again for PPO res, just to repeat PPO ressies the next couple of days. It's a lot of walking and you'll all be super tired. I see you're doing breaks, but to me, it just seems like a really packed (but super awesome, princess-filled!), back to back schedule.

Heidi K said:

A few thoughts:

My 5-year-old LOVED Kali River Rapids, so that's an option for an AK FP. And it will be hot in early Oct!

You have several late nights (evening entertainment at a park) followed by early mornings (PPO breakfast or rope drop). My kids wouldn't be able to do that more than once, even with the afternoon breaks. I would definitely consider the evening entertainment "optional" at each park. If you're planning to get your money's worth out of the October 7 party, then I would think you'd want to sleep in the next day and have a very easy morning.

Have fun!

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We're flexible on plans because it's definitely true that she might get tired but at home she tends to stay up late and wake up early then crashes in the afternoon. Which is infuriating at home but will hopefully work to our advantage at Disney. But we'll have to see how it works out.

Ha! That does sound like the perfect Disney schedule!

Heidi K said:

Ha! That does sound like the perfect Disney schedule!

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It's going to be terrible for school though! We'll see how it works out.

I'm just going to throw this out there...when my dd was 7 she had issues with loud noises so we couldn't do fireworks or parades (even with headphones etc). During MNSSHP we skipped the fireworks and went to meet the princesses and there was NO LINE cuz everyone was at the fireworks. They had both princesses AND PRINCES (which is rare). Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty all with their beaus! We stayed in there for a half hour (cuz NO ONE WAS THERE) getting pics, autographs and chatting (perfectly in character and super hilarious). My princess loving daughters were in heaven!!!! I was super bummed to have missed the fireworks but having a half hour with 6 "royals" all to ourselves was PRICELESS!

ErinInCT said:

I'm just going to throw this out there...when my dd was 7 she had issues with loud noises so we couldn't do fireworks or parades (even with headphones etc). During MNSSHP we skipped the fireworks and went to meet the princesses and there was NO LINE cuz everyone was at the fireworks. They had both princesses AND PRINCES (which is rare). Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty all with their beaus! We stayed in there for a half hour (cuz NO ONE WAS THERE) getting pics, autographs and chatting (perfectly in character and super hilarious). My princess loving daughters were in heaven!!!! I was super bummed to have missed the fireworks but having a half hour with 6 "royals" all to ourselves was PRICELESS!

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I'm sorry you missed the fireworks and it's definitely a good thing to point out. DD loves fireworks though. We have a big fireworks show every year (this year 1 of the nights was produced by Disney even!) and she has a great time. She was furious with us last year when we let her sleep through the fireworks on our Disney Cruise but that is interesting about the princes and princesses and could even be worth missing Hallowishes for.

I think you should plan to meet the princesses during the party. Even if you do it again the next day.

I also think you should consider renting a stroller so that your end of night at MNSSHP and beginning of morning the next day can be a little easier - why chance the whining if you really want to keep your plans.

cel_disney said:

I think you should plan to meet the princesses during the party. Even if you do it again the next day.

I also think you should consider renting a stroller so that your end of night at MNSSHP and beginning of morning the next day can be a little easier - why chance the whining if you really want to keep your plans.

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Do you know how big the strollers for rent are? I hate strollers for the most part. I find them big and awkward and mostly wear my kids but I doubt I'm going to want to wear a 35 pound five year old around the parks when it's hot. If the strollers are an average size I might just bring our small umbrella stroller.

otten said:

Do you know how big the strollers for rent are? I hate strollers for the most part. I find them big and awkward and mostly wear my kids but I doubt I'm going to want to wear a 35 pound five year old around the parks when it's hot. If the strollers are an average size I might just bring our small umbrella stroller.

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The Disney strollers are pretty big (I think Long is the bigger issue!). Good for fitting bigger kids but clunky if you are used to an umbrella stroller.

I am a baby wearing fan, but the only time I have been able to do it for a while is when we went in December...the rest of the time it's hot...with the kid or even just with the wrap/ergo when the kid is walking...

I don't like to bring/risk my stroller on a plane, so We usually rent a baby jogger (Apple stroller if cheap no frills is okay, kingdom strollers if frills /bigger desired) so we have something to use to/from transportation/hotel room etc with a recline and big sunshade/rain cover 'just incase'...sometimes it just protects our stuff from the weather, other times our kids...as they have aged - it often stays parked in a land for a while..many times a kiddo stands in it to watch parades/fireworks without needing to be 'front row'...

My youngest is 6...we are still debating whether or October trip will be stroller free or not...she still used it enough times to want to have it during our April '16 trip..

The only two things I saw were rope drop October 8th may be tough with the party the night before. Also you didn't write it specifically, but Epcot is a great place to meet princesses around world showcase (Mulan, Belle, Jasmine, etc). Last tip - because you are rope dropping the first day of your trip, you may want to consider taking your luggage with you on DME instead of having them deliver it to the room. It may be 10 or later before it makes it to your room. We did this onour last trip and it was just easier! I like that you have some flexibility built in. Enjoy!!