First and (possibly) only trip to the world.

[PetePanMan]

Much has been covered already
- great idea re: memory maker
- agree you will likely want more time at MK i.e. another day
- do rope drop at parks if you want to maximize rides etc. (given you may not be back for some time)
- agree that you should make Wishes, Illuminations, Fantasmic, Electric light parade and Osborne lights a priority (or at least prioritize these if you cannot make them all - my top choice would be wishes, electric parade and Osborne lights)
- Suggest Downtown Disney as part of your "Orlando" day
- agree beach may not be worth it given time of year (although we have done it and had fun)
- with such a big group, have you considered looking at free dining period (not a guarantee but you could compare to this years dates)

No matter what you do, you will have a blast!

 

[Gru]

I have 3 boys (16, 13, 11) and one girl (8) for the Magic Kingdom (besides the rides) all of my kids like the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom and Mickey's Philharmagic. At Epcot Agent P and Sum of all Thrills ( design and "ride" your own roller coaster ) . At DHS we can't miss Animation Academy.

 

[nonnydd]

Enjoy your trip. All the strategy advice here is accurate. But I have traveled with toddlers up to teens, and all plans need adjusting. Have a plan, but if it rains or someone twists an ankle, or a two year old is frightened by fireworks, adapt. There is magic at WDW in any configuration. My grandmother loved sitting and listening to the bands, my toddler loved jumping on epcot's lighted sidewalk. A teen might suddenly want to meet a character you notice with a short line, and you can deviate for that real interaction.

Just stay a cool mom who sees the wonder in what *is*, not what was planned. That makes the memories.

 

[ChimCher-ee]

If I only had 1 day in each park, my must dos would be: ... Pirates of the Caribbean,...

Pirates will be closed for refurbishment until September. But soooooo many other rides to do!

 

[Nancyg56]

I agree with other posters here, I would add one or possibly two days to your tickets. At only 10-15 dollars a day per person more, it will allow you to take your time a little more and soak it all in. You can easily spend two days at both MK and EP.

I would agree that if you add some days to your tckets, the price will not increase that much, an you will then have so much more flexibility. It is hard to imagine the parks today after having been away for so many years, but take it from one who knows, the difference is an eye-opener! My DH almost fainted, as did I and he told me next time extend the trip by at least 2 days.

Just wanted to suggest that you have a backup plan for your beach day if you are planning to swim. I have been at WDW during the week after Thanksgiving when it was downright cold (not likely but it does happen).
Be sure to get the kids involved in making plans. That is half the fun!
Hope your trip is amazing!

WE were in WDW two years ago, the same week as the OP is planning. I am from CT and used to cold, but I needed to buy a hat, and my DGD, who swims in New Hampshire ocean, was cold in the pool. A trip to teh ocean would be fun, but plan to have lunch and walk along the beeach, and enjoy the view, Swimming may not be fun.

Much has been covered already
- great idea re: memory maker
- agree you will likely want more time at MK i.e. another day
- do rope drop at parks if you want to maximize rides etc. (given you may not be back for some time)
- agree that you should make Wishes, Illuminations, Fantasmic, Electric light parade and Osborne lights a priority (or at least prioritize these if you cannot make them all - my top choice would be wishes, electric parade and Osborne lights)
- Suggest Downtown Disney as part of your "Orlando" day
- agree beach may not be worth it given time of year (although we have done it and had fun)
- with such a big group, have you considered looking at free dining period (not a guarantee but you could compare to this years dates)

No matter what you do, you will have a blast!

I would use DTD as my Orlando day as well. It is a nice place to shop and eat, and is also nearby.

OP- I would seriously reconsider some of your early decisions. The age difference is the children will make it difficult for everyone to stick together, so I would rethink allowing the older ones some freedom if they want. My family will split up and regroup for meals or at a specific location during the day. We also really enjoy WDW evening shows, so I would suggest adding them in. You are there when the decorations are gorgeous, and the resorts aare as well. Plan some resort hopping, especially along the monorail and in the Epcot area. My family can spend hours looking for the hidden Mickeys within all of those Holiday displays.
EPcot is also filled with decrations, storytellers, and the Candlelight Processional. Keep a lookout for this event, and maybe think about attending. Illuminations has an added Holiday ending and it is worth the price of admission on its own. Agen P adventures are fun, and will give the entire crew a chance to explore the WS while on "missions".

 

[LVSWL]

The best advice we were ever given was to not go to Magic Kingdom first. We began with Epcot, then the Studios, then Animal Kingdom and then ended with Magic Kingdom. Many friends have started with Magic Kingdom and because it is so the kids were then less than excited about the other three parks. Each park has wonderful rides/shows/themes/parades to offer and by us saving Magic Kingdom for last our sons were able to truly appreciate all of that. They are 21 & 24 now and Epcot is still the first park we visit on our trips. I hope you have a fabulous time! Lots of great information here on the boards. That week that you are going should be a great week. Try looking at allears.net for the menus for all the restaurants so you have an idea of where you would like to eat, and make any table service reservations soon. You can make them 180 days before your trip. Try not to overdo. I know you said that this is the one and only trip, but exhausted kids & parents don't make for a good time. The reality is that if this is their only time, they won't realize if you don't get a chance to do everything. They will just love what you do. Let them soak in all the atmosphere. Each park is uniquely different, and each "land" within the parks is also, the theme changes, the music changes, the Cast Members dress differently. Be sure to check out the height limits for the rides as you do your research. No point in having a disappointed child realize at the entrance that he/she is too short. Better to know ahead of time and take them for an ice cream. Have fun!!

 

[Grumpy92]

Hey EC is my favorite too. I would definitely order the free vacation planning video. Have everyone pick there top five attraction must does. This will give you a good idea of what is a priority then the rest will just be nice extras and you wont feel like you have to do everything.
* Make sure to take a break during the day, return to AOA and rest or swim then return to the parks after/for dinner. Get to the parks early.
* Personally I think the dining plan is too expensive and too confusing. For us it is too much food. But your reasoning sounds logical for your needs. You can find menus at www.allearsnet.com/dining/menus
* Dont expect too much from DTD it is under construction until late 2016 and frankly is a mess. It sadens me as I think they could have handled this better and was one of my past must does.
* If you are going to the beach I am assuming Cocoa since it is the closest. Take the kids to Ron Jons and let them get the fun surf tshirts or beach accessories. It is right on the beach on A1A.
* In the last few years I am seeing a gap between Disney and Universal and am spending more time at Universal. Service, value and just overall Universal is giving WDW a run for their money.
* You might want to look into one of the tours. I would suggest the Yultide tour. It gives a great behind the scenes look at how Disney does the holidays at the parks, resorts and ships. I would also reserve the candlelight processional dinner pkg. Visit the resorts and enjoy the xmas displays.
* Unfortunately, making FP reservations and dining resevations in advance are a must now!
* Orlando - Leu Gardens, Lakeridge Winery, Orlando Historical Museum, Morse Museum, Orl Science Museum are all fun. Make sure to give yourself plenty of travel time. You will be literally sitting on the interstate, it gets very congested the closer you get to downtown and in the attractions area.
* AK is a half a day, DHS about 3/4 of a day.

 

[Virtucomp]

We will be driving from Ohio and stopping in Ga to spend the night on Friday. We plan on 2 rooms and plan on spending the whole park time together. We are all pretty adventurous except my 12 year old nephew, We figure that we will do rider swap with the baby. As far as the beach is concerned they know it will be too cold to swim but they have never seen the ocean before so its pretty much nonnegotiable as far as their concerned. No one in our groups really cares about characters so meet and greets aren't necessary. It wont be a surprise trip and and we plan on getting touring plans.

We took our 8 and 6 yr olds to Florida in November one year. We went to Disney and visited my Mom. She told us it was too cold to go in the ocean when we went to the beach. The water temp was around 75degrees and the kids were kicking themselves for not bringing bathing suits. We are from Rhode Island, the Ocean State. The ocean temp might reach 70 by the middle of July if we are lucky and people still swim in it. Don't write off November in Florida is too cold. If your going to go to the beach it will be empty because the locals think it is Too Cold. Since it is their first time seeing the ocean they might as well jump in.

 

[piccolopat]

On your beach day consider the space center on the east coast. Otherwise I would plan 2 days MK, 2 days Epcot and one day DS. Actually I love AK and suggest you reconsider going there. If you do, go there early and then DTD. Otherwise go to DTD on your studios day and hoop Dee do on one of your MK days. Plan on rope drop each day. The kids as are old enough so let them plan what they want to do. Have fun!

 

[richmo]

I almost hesitate to add this, especially since its a first/only trip, but here goes...

Something you could consider, especially since you're Saturday to Saturday and it sounds like you have a car(s), is dumping POP altogether and renting a townhouse/condo (possibly at Windsor Hills) for the week. It's very possible it would cost you less for the entire week than 2 nights at Pop (I'm assuming you'll need 2 rooms at Pop). You probably already realize this, but hotel rooms seem to shrink as a week goes on and you have some teenagers that seem to require extra space. I would think you'd be more comfortable with multiple bedrooms, a living room, etc. Windsor Hills also has a great pool area. Drive time from Windsor Hills adds maybe 5-10 minutes and might sometimes beat what you'd have with Disney transportation. If you wanted, you could also save a lot by having some meals (especially breakfast) in the condo/townhouse.

Of course, I should balance that with saying that you lose some of the magic by staying outside the bubble, you would not be able to use the dining plan (although you can still make ADR's, just not as far in advance), you would not be able to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours, you will have to pay for parking at $17/day, you would not be able to reserve Fastpasses until 30 days out (although your week should be very quiet except for perhaps the first two days) and at Magic Kingdom you'd have to deal with tram, monorail/ferry to get to the gate instead of walking from the bus.

 

[busymommy2pink]

I haven't read all of the replies yet, but here are my thoughts. I would consider adding another ticket OR, if you can swing it, attend the Christmas party!!! You will get to meet rare characters and the minimal lines at parties make the price worth it. My daughter rode splash mountain 6 times in a row. Plus, you'll get in a very festive spirit. If you can't add another day or party ticket, make sure you plan to go to MK on a non-party day, otherwise you will be kicked out at 7pm and loose the evening hours. My kids also prefer Epcot and have since they were 3. For the beach I would suggest the Gulf side, calmer waters, softer sand, lots of shells, dolphins etc.

I suggest two character meals at least. Princess one (CRT, or save money and do Akershus in Epcot) and one with the big 5 (we LOVE Tusker house breakfast in AK...Chef mickey's is HORRIBLE now).

Must Dos:
MK: 7 dwarf rollercoaster, Splash Mountain, Space mountain (for the big kids), it's a small world (little kids LOVE this), Ariel ride, Wishes fireworks., buzz lightyear spin,

Epcot: Epcot passports (best $10 EVER), Soarin, Test Track (not THAT important to us), aquarium, street shows in the countries(we really love the candy lady in Japan).

AK: Safari, everest, deVINE, lion king show, kali river rapids (save this for last), we always search out Pocahontas

DHS: We don't love this park, but definitely more for the older kids crowd. Toy story mania, frozen sing-a-long was hilarious, stunt show. We are spending more time here next trip and will do Star Tours, rock an rollercoaster, and a couple shows.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

My sister and I are planning a trip for our kids (16,13,12,10, and 2 The only girl is 10) to Disney world next year. We will be arriving on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and leaving the following Saturday. We are going to be at Pop Century and are going to purchase both the standard dining plan and memory maker. We will only be spending one day at each park. I haven't been to the park myself in over 20 years and it would be the kids' first and possibly only trip. I am trying to find out what people believe to be a can't miss and what would be some of the hidden gem's. We will have two days set aside just for going to the beach and wandering around the orlando area. Any ideas's would greatly appreciated.

Edited: My nephew will have just turned 13 and my 12 year old will turn 13 while we are there. If someone has an idea for a good birthday surprise that would be great too!

Is that the age of the kids now or what they will be at the time of your trip? If at the time of the trip, the only issue I see is you will be limited in the rides the two year old will go on (that may still be an issue if he will be 3 going on 4). One of you will have to stay with that kid so that will mean doubling up on some rides so everyone gets on. First I would suggest waiting for Monday to go to the parks as the weekend will be crowded with the Thanksgiving crowds. I would just say research the rides and then plan accordingly. I like getting there at rope drop (opening) but realize with a young kid that could be problematic. My must rides at each park are:

MK
Pirates
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain
Little Mermaid
Space Mountain
Haunted Mansion
Small World

Epcot
Soarin'
Test Track
Spaceship Earth
Mission Space

AK
Safari
River Rapids
Expedition Everest
Dinosaur
(with kids I would do the Lion King, Nemo and Bug's Life as well)
Also walk through the animal exhibits

HS
Tower of Terror (might be too much for the younger kids)
Rockin' Roller coaster (same)
Star Tours
Great Movie Ride
Indiana Jones

 

[720L]

I would research food prices,how much food your family eats & compare that to cost of dining plan. We spend way less not using dining plan. I like the idea another poster had of buying gift cards to use to buy food. For a family of 4 (2 teens) we average $50 a meal. Breakfast is something quick, a granola bar etc. Not having a big breakfast makes us hungry earlier, so we eat lunch around 11 to avoid crowds.

Ideally Magic Kingdom is a 2 day park.

 

[jlwhitney]

Not sure I would pay for memory maker if you are skipping meet and greets, thats like half the photo opportunities.

They photographers that take the regular ones will also take one on your camera.

 

[Frozen2014]

That's what we said / thought until we came to Disney World for the first time last October. It'll be a few years, but we WILL BE returning. Having said that, I know there is the reality of cost.

Since you have mostly boys, I would say not to skip:
HS - Star Tours and Jedi Training. Our DD (but a bit younger than yours), loved the shows - Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid. Fantasmic is great. We didn't do Rock n Roller coaster or Tower of Terror but if your kids like thrill rides, I'm sure these are great ones for them. For the 2 year old, any show, the Disney Jr show, meet and greets (if not scared)
Epcot - Test Track. We didn't do Mission Space, but I'm sure they'd love that. Our kids also liked Soarin, Turtle Talk. Lots to explore here. Illuminations at night time. For the 2 year old, Finding Nemo.
Magic Kingdom - Our DS loved Splash Mountain, Big Thunder...and lots of story telling ones such as Peter Pan, Little Mermaid, Pirates of Caribbean, Jungle Cruise...and the Electrical Show, Castle Light show and firetworks end of day are amazing. Our daughter also loved the day time parade. For the 2 year old, Winnie the Pooh, It's a Small World (enjoyable by all), Dumbo.

We didn't got to Animal Kingdom so can't comment.

PS - We came for a similar time as you. We ended up getting 5 park day tickets since the difference was minimal. DH needed a "day off" from Disney parks so in the middle, we used the resort pool and did some shopping at an outlet mall...but then we went to Epcot in the evening (which let us on some attractions and then we stayed for Illuminations). Worked out well.

 

[1234lucky]

DTD can be skipped. It's a mall and eating area. Great for what it is but not a must see for me. I'd much rather go to a park.