Any advice for my plan?

[damskipi13]

I apologize in advance for the length of this post, I’m trying to anticipate any questions ya’ll might have!

Here is my plan for our trip. I’d love to hear feedback if you have any. The planning resources I’ve used are EasyWDW, AllEars, and you fine people

We are four 30-something adults travelling 22-27 Sep. Park days will be 23-26 Sep. We are staying at the Staybridge Suites Orlando LBV in a 2-bedroom suite. We will eat the free breakfast buffet at the hotel and plan to eat all other meals at the parks. We will be bringing a few small snacks and water each day, but I also expect each of us to purchase at least one snack in the parks each day. Gotta get those cupcakes and jalapeno pretzels! Lunches & dinners will be CS except as noted. These friends probably will not spend their time shopping for souvenirs or watching stage shows, so I will leave them for the things I want to catch if necessary. We have a car and the hotel also has free shuttles to the parks.

Friend #1: first time at WDW. Likes to sleep late but says she will “probably” be at the parks by 10 each morning. Likes to mosey from ride to ride.
Friend #2: second time at WDW, but the first time did not go well so I’d like to convince him WDW can be great! Likes to be at the parks early and hit everything hard until early afternoon, then go back to the hotel for a nap/pool time before returning to the parks around 5pm.
Friend #3: first time at WDW. Wild card – I’ve never been to any theme park with him and he doesn’t know what style he likes.
Me: Third time at WDW as an adult, fourth time overall. I’m the planner, obviously, and also the only Disney freak in the group. I like to hit the parks NLT 10am, go to all my must-dos for the first few hours, then spend the rest of the day hitting anything I’ve missed or things I want to go on again.

22nd: arriving at night. Will make our way to LBV/Disney area and either spend time at DTD or do dinner at one of the Magical Dining Month locations.

23rd: AK (open 9am-7pm). FP+ at EE @ 11:30am, Kali @ 12:40pm, Safari @ 1:50pm. Thrill rides are the priority, but my friends are animal lovers so I’ll probably be able to convince them to do Rafiki’s, Jungle Trek, etc. Planning to also do DINOSAUR, Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo. May park hop this day. Lunch TBD (leaning towards Tamu Tamu). Dinner at Boma @ 8:20pm.

24th: MK (open 9am-9pm). FP+ at BTMRR @ 11:40am, Buzz Lightyear Spin @ 1:35pm, Space Mt @2:55pm. Planning to also do HM, JC, Mad Tea Party, Laugh Floor, POTC, 7DMT, Splash Mt, Stitch’s Great Escape, Tom Sawyer Island (4 times at WDW and a dozen at DL and I’ve never been to the island!!), Speedway, maybe Philharmagic and Under the Sea. IASM is an absolute no-go for me, if they want to ride it I will shop!! I will watch MSEP and Wishes, they may/may not join me. Jeez, typing it out makes me realize how many things there are to do at MK! This is where we will head on other days if we finish the other parks in less than a day. Lunch: Hoping to get a pass for BOG. Dinner: TBD (probably Columbia Harbour House)

25th: Epcot (open 9am-9pm). Here mostly for the F&W booths, may park hop this day. FP+ at Mission:Space @ 10:10am, TT @ 11:10am, Maelstrom @ 1:20pm. Planning to also do Captain EO, Ellen, Gran Fiesta, Innoventions, Sea Base, Soarin’. I’ve done Soarin’ a couple dozen times and I’m over it, so this will based on whether they want to go. We will also wander the various places in WS. Will definitely watch Illuminations. Will probably catch at least part of the Eat to the Beat concert. Lunch and dinner will be F&W booths.

26th: HS (open 9am-9pm). FP+ at Star Tours @ 12:35pm, TOT @ 1:55pm, Fantasmic! @ 7:25pm. Planning to also do TSMM first (more than once if possible), RnR (lots! Single Rider line probably), Studio Backlot Tour, Beauty & The Beast, Indiana Jones, Lights Motor Action!, and Frozen Fireworks. May do some shopping at DTD today if I am able to get into all of my preferred attractions. Lunch and dinner TBD. Maybe Sci-Fi or 50’s if we can get in, or maybe hop to Epcot for F&W booths.

27th: I will probably hit DTD early for last minute shopping. We have to be at MCO by 11am.

Please provide any thoughts you have about my plan. I’d specifically like to know:
1) If anybody has feedback on Staybridge Suites
2) Do you think we need to purchase any groceries or other items? I’d like to not have to plan a shopping trip the first night, but will if we need to. We will already have bottled water, a few snacks, laundry pods, and all the medications/toiletries/etc that I could think of based off packing lists.
3) Any must-dos I’ve missed for the first-timers?
4) I decided to plan my FP+ for the middle of the day, so we can use the first few hours taking advantage of low SB wait times but still have the possibility of getting additional FP+ later in the day. Thoughts??

Thank you for reading and any suggestions you have! I’m trying to make this trip as smooth as possible for my friends so they fall in love with WDW and will go back often with me

 

[threeboyzdad]

I think your plan sounds pretty good! You have done a great job. Sorry, I don't have any experience staying off property...hope others can chime in on that.

Could you not get a FP for Mine Train? If not, I would try to go there at RD or at least first when you enter the park. At Epcot, I would definitely encourage your friends to ride Soarin' even if you don't. I think its an experience everyone should ride at least once I agree you may be ready to hop on your AK and HS days...I think back to MK one day and even over to Epcot to WS for some FW goodies is a great idea! Let us know how it goes with your friends

 

[snorkelyn]

Or you may have luck riding 7DMT close to closing. We tried at opening on an EMH morning, and the line was ridiculous!
I agree with above poster....Soarin is a must for a newbie.
BOG now passes out FP tickets in the morning. Not sure of the procedure, but it has changed very recently.
I'm with you on IASM. Shopping sounds way better!
Have a great trip!

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I wouldn't bother getting a FP+ for Fantasmic, I'd use it for TSMM instead.

I also wouldn't use one on Buzz, Splash would be a good midday option for that FP+ instead.

 

[damskipi13]

I think your plan sounds pretty good! You have done a great job. Sorry, I don't have any experience staying off property...hope others can chime in on that.

Could you not get a FP for Mine Train? If not, I would try to go there at RD or at least first when you enter the park. At Epcot, I would definitely encourage your friends to ride Soarin' even if you don't. I think its an experience everyone should ride at least once I agree you may be ready to hop on your AK and HS days...I think back to MK one day and even over to Epcot to WS for some FW goodies is a great idea! Let us know how it goes with your friends

Thanks very much! Nope, no luck getting FP+ for 7DMT. It was already at Standby Only by the time my FP+ window opened, and I haven't seen it pop up since then (I check daily at various times). Friends 1&2 have been on Soarin' at DL when we went in 2011, so I'm not sure whether they will want to go on it. Not sure about Friend #3. He lived in Cali for 3 years so he very well could have been already. If they want to go on it I will, but it's not terribly exciting to me anymore.

Or you may have luck riding 7DMT close to closing.

Thanks for the idea! I always try to go to these types of rides first thing, but since we are planning to stay all day going at night might be a good idea too.

I wouldn't bother getting a FP+ for Fantasmic, I'd use it for TSMM instead.

I also wouldn't use one on Buzz, Splash would be a good midday option for that FP+ instead.

I WISH TSMM was an option, but that is also showing as Standby Only. It's one of my top rides. I keep looking though! I chose Buzz instead of Splash because the Splash standby times have been so low lately, but it looks like Buzz has low times too. Anybody have any thoughts on this? Should I try to get something else?

Thanks everybody!