1st Time Florida! - Itinerary advice

[PrincessIndia]

Hi, I have been to Disneyland Resort Paris many times but for my 18th Birthday we will be going to FLORIDA. I am a complete disney nut (50 tsum tsum and counting, scrapbooking, film watching superfan) and really want to make the most of my trip. Unlike some first timers I know quite a bit about the parks and stuff but some stuff you need to have experienced for real so here we go, any tips greatly appreciated!
Flights in at 4pm
Day 1 - Magic Kingdom (we were told we would be up very early due to jetlag) Booking breakfast at Be our Guest or Crystal Palace for this day. We wouldn't stay late this night though.
Day 2- Animal Kingdom
Day 3- Epcot World Showcase, Downtown Disney
Day 4- Full day shopping Idrive and outlet areas
Day 5- Typhoon Lagoon, Epcot Future world and Epcot Fireworks
Day 6- Magic Kingdom and watching electrical parade at wilderness lodge
Day 7- Hollywood Studios and Fantasmic
Day 8- Blizzard Beach park and Winter golf course
Day 9- rest day then Dinner at Chef Mickeys and watching wishes fireworks
Day 10- Grand Floridian for Breakfast then Magic Kingdom for a tour
Day 11- Epcot again
Day 12- Clearwater Beach
Day 13- Animal Kingdom again?
Day 14- Hollywood Studios again?
Day 15- Evening flight home

Any tips or advice?

 

[scoobydooby]

For a first trip I would personally dump Clearwater beach and have another rest day at your hotel. WDW is massive. You are going to be exhausted on that itinerary. DHS and AK are well worth two days each but necessarily two open to close days if you plan well so there is some more down time potential for you there too. Where are you staying because that will make a difference to how much hopping and hours out you can easily fit in. Happy planning

 

[PrincessIndia]

Thanks and We will be staying on International drive, The hotel provides shuttles to Epcot Monorail stop and Animal Kingdom every morning, mid day and at magic kingdom closing but we will also use buses

 

[scoobydooby]

If you're staying on International Drive I strongly advise you to get a car. That shuttle is not going to get you to the parks for park opening which is not a little difference to how long you will queue for but a huge difference. It will also make some of your hopping a real tough job. Really. Consider a car or stay on property.

 

[Elise79]

First thoughts - Epcot World showcase doesn't open until 11am and you've put that with DTD so I would switch that with Future World.

Secondly hopping to DTD using Disney transport will not be easy as there are no direct park to DTD buses you will need to go via a resort.

Personally, we never spend a full day at our resort. We would rather do shorter days and finish at lunch time. However the time of year can change this as it is much more possible in winter. When are you going?

Without a car you are going to spend a lot of traveling or end up using a lot of taxis. Bear in mind WDW alone is 47 square miles and it can take 25-30minutes to get from one edge of property to the other. All the parks have a good distance between them and take on average 15 minutes drive times between them.

 

[pickers1982]

Personally I would consider a day at universal/ioa seeing as you re in Orlando. But that's a personal opinion and not sure if you re fussed by that

 

[LoodlesNoodles]

Are you going with family or friends?
I too did an Orlando trip staying on IDrive fir my 18th. I went with a friend and neither of us drove so had to rely on hotel transfers.

The one day we managed to get there for opening, we were stuck at TTC for ages until the monirail opened at 9am. We missed quite a bit of precious time but crowds were still fairly low.

Its all doable, but don't expect to go in commando style that others with cars can.

I've been three times since, staying offsite each time. The only downside was that we didn't get to watch any nighttime shows as our latest scheduled pick up last tear was 10pm which was just in the middle of the nighttime castle show before Wishes.

There are some good restaurants on IDrive. And if you're into rides, I definitely recommend taking time to visit Universal too!

 

[PrincessIndia]

I just checked and our Hotel isn't on Idrive, its a little closer, in Kissimme, we don't drive but very active and good at walking and used to crappy public transport so I think we will have to manage, for cases of missed shuttle busses etc a taxi from the different parks ranges from $12-$26 dollars so we will just have to hop in a cab if needs be

@LoodlesNoodles - thats a shame, last shuttle from park to our hotel is sceduled after the latest fireworks so from 11-12pm most nights, its early starts like if our shuttle means were not making rope drop that will probably be a shame so we might go for a taxi to do that one day! good to know you managed, did you get to downtown via the contempary?

@Elise79 MAY - I am crazy and plan stuff way too early so when I go on forums I enjoy reading peoples advance plans!

@pickers1982 I considered it but I don't like spongebob, simpsons or harry potter and I don't think there is much else there. I used to love WB studios store but that was in the good old days when it was friends, buffy, lord of the rings, scooby doo and looney tunes. I don't like thrill rides so despite LOVING the mummy and marvel the rides such as the mummy and hulk would be wasted. The beetlejuice thing sounds cool but not worth day passes. We were going to go to some of the bars at city walk but I think you have to be 21 right?

thanks for the help so far guys! xxx

 

[scoobydooby]

Have you considered seeing if you can transfer to a hotel in WDW property? It's worth pricing it / speaking to your agent given your plans as it really will make your trip so much easier.

 

[scojos]

When are u going? U need to check the EMH times and plan around them. . That's the best piece of advice I got on my first trip. As for being active please do not under estimate the heat humidity and fatigue!! Split ur day into three and only spent two parts of the day doing something u will need down time

 

[PrincessIndia]

hmm we were shown options but it seemed a partner or recommended hotel was the best we could afford, still buzzing though