Stacymarie1216
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2015
- Messages
- 174
Hi everyone! I just found disboards about a week ago and I wish I would have found it months ago! The information I've learned here is absolutely invaluable. I feel like this is going to be long-winded. It's probably mostly just helpful for me to write all this out - so read if you want, but I won't blame you if you don't 
.
Who is going on our trip? Myself, my husband, our (1 week shy of) 7 year old girl and our newly (by 2 weeks) 3 year old boy.
When is our trip? The first week in June. I will melt in 40% humidity on a 60* day, so the thought of Florida in June makes me want to crawl into a hole and hide until winter. We moved to a new town this year and our daughter missed a bit of school for that, so we didn't want to pull her out of school again. This is the absolute soonest we could make the trip - I'm prepping myself to be a gross sweaty mess the entire time.
Where are we staying? Port Orleans Riverside
Our first trip as a family was 2 years ago. As my husband and I were planning things out, we read a good bit of advice to pick our top 3 priorities each day and let the rest happen as it may. This was perfect advice for us at that time. We were surprising the kiddos with the trip so we wanted to leave things as open and flexible as possible. This was also pre-FP+ days. If something caught our daughter's eye, we wanted to be able to stop and let her explore without feeling rushed and crazy about getting so many things done in a day. It worked out perfectly. The whole trip was wonderful. We even ended up with the entire Storybook Circus to ourselves on night during the parade - it was magical and one of our favorite memories. It was the week after the spring break rush though so crowds were smaller and the weather was awesome. I'm bracing myself for it to be much different this time :/.
I don't know if it's because of the FP+ thing or just because I'm more aware of the whole process, but I have become obsessed with planning this trip. Also - the heat thing is really really concerning to me. I get stressed when I'm hot and our sweet little boy is the same way. So I'm hoping that by planning for everything and being prepared but open to being flexible and spontaneous - that we will avoid some of the stress and meltdowns and uncertainty that might happen.
If anyone would like to chime in with thoughts on our plans, I would love input! I would love to figure out about how much time rides will take so I can get a better idea of whether or not we can fit in everything I've got planned and if our FPs make sense.
Our overall daily goals:
- Get to the parks as early as possible as often as possible
- Follow a pretty set/structured touring plan for the first 2-3 hours of the morning to maximize lower crowds and less hellish temperatures.
- Head back to the room for as long of a nap that anyone needs
- head back to the park in the evening on MK days without much of a plan other than a few 7DMT FPs and Anna/Elsa FP and do whatever makes the kids happy.
- lots of pool time/explore different resorts in the evening on non-MK days
**With the 3 year old in tow we probably won't be doing many big coasters. Our 7 year old likes to think she's brave, but she's not
so we'll just steer clear of those and focus on smaller rides that they'll love**
Here we go!
Sunday
*we are driving from Illinois so Saturday will be spent driving all day - we're staying at a hotel about 3 hours away from Disney Saturday night**
Up and out of the hotel hopefully by 9am
Downtown Disney for a bit (heard it's less crowded in the am - thinking this would be a good time for the Lego store)
Check in
Nap for the 3 year old if he needs it
5:00 - T-Rex Cafe
wander Downtown Disney or early bed
Monday (MK 9am open)
6:30 - arrive at bus stop from POR to MK **is this the best way to get to an early breakfast? we REALLY want to be one of the first people in**
8:05 - BOG
7DMT (only if we can be one of the first groups on - we are not waiting 45 minutes in line)
Meet Rapunzel if line is short
Winnie the Pooh
Mad Tea Party
Little Mermaid
Dumbo
Barnstormer
10:15-11:15 - Peter Pan
Philharmagic?
Meet Fairy Godmother?
Carousel
11:20-12:20 - ETWB
Break for naps
Try to be back for Festival of Fantasy Parade!
5:20-6:20 - Anna/Elsa
Stay as late as the kids want and do whatever catches their eyes.
Tuesday (HS 9am open) this day is the most confusing to me with all the set show times :/
Leave room around 7:30? (driving our car)
8:05 - Hollywood & Vine
Toy Story x2 if we can
Maybe meet Mike & Sulley?
10:10-10:50 - Frozen Sing Along
11:25-12:25 - Toy Story
Disney Junior live (12:20)
Muppet Vision 3D?
12:50-1:10 - Sunt Show
Disney Animation
Meet characters
Break for naps
pool time
Wednesday (MK 9am open)
7:15 - arrive at bus stop from POR to MK **again, not sure if this is the best way to get there**
Rope Drop at MK
BTMR x2 if we can
Splash Mountain??
Meet Woody/Jessie
Magic Carpets
Jungle Cruise
Magic Carpets (if HM line isn't long)
Haunted Mansion
Carousel (if we're ok on time)
10:35-11:35 - Tomorrowland Speedway
Dumbo
11:40-12:40 - Barnstormer
Take the railroad around the park
Break for naps
Try again for Festival of Fantasy parade if we didn't make it on Monday
wander around and see what everyone wants to do
6:20-7:20 - 7DMT
more wandering
Thursday (Epcot 9am open)
Leave room around 7:45 or 8?
Soarin (if we can be first-ish and line isn't crazy)
Seas with Nemo
9:45-10:45 - Turtle Talk
Journey with Figment
10:45-11:45 - Seas with Nemo
Innoventions
Turtle Talk
Soda from around the world - club cool
11:45-12:45 - Test Track
Meet some characters
Make the loop around world showcase
break for naps
pool time/explore hotels and have an easy night
Friday (MK 9am open)
This day isn't really planned much at all -since it's our 3rd MK day I figure we'll discuss what we want to do after MK day 2
6:30 - arrive at bus stop from POR to MK
8:05 - CRT
7DMT if line isn't insane
any rides the kids loved
9:30-10:30 - Barnstormer *I know this is early and a weird FP at 9:30am but I don't know what else to move it to*
more rides the kids loved
11:35-12:35 - BTMR
Break for naps
Back for Festival of Fantasy parade if we still haven't made it (but hopefully we will have at this point because of dinner reservation)
5:25 Chef Mickey's trying to move this to Monday with no luck
7:20-8:20 - 7DMT
hang out at MK or back to the hotel to pack
Saturday (AK 9am open)
Leave room around 7:30 or 7:45
9:05 - 10:05 - Safari
Everest x2 (rider swap)
10:30-10:50 - Finding Nemo the Musical
Triceratops spin (maybe x2?)
11:50-12:50 - Everest
Boneyard?
Wildlife Express Train
Petting Zoo
Meet Pocahontas
drive home
. Who is going on our trip? Myself, my husband, our (1 week shy of) 7 year old girl and our newly (by 2 weeks) 3 year old boy.
When is our trip? The first week in June. I will melt in 40% humidity on a 60* day, so the thought of Florida in June makes me want to crawl into a hole and hide until winter. We moved to a new town this year and our daughter missed a bit of school for that, so we didn't want to pull her out of school again. This is the absolute soonest we could make the trip - I'm prepping myself to be a gross sweaty mess the entire time.
Where are we staying? Port Orleans Riverside
Our first trip as a family was 2 years ago. As my husband and I were planning things out, we read a good bit of advice to pick our top 3 priorities each day and let the rest happen as it may. This was perfect advice for us at that time. We were surprising the kiddos with the trip so we wanted to leave things as open and flexible as possible. This was also pre-FP+ days. If something caught our daughter's eye, we wanted to be able to stop and let her explore without feeling rushed and crazy about getting so many things done in a day. It worked out perfectly. The whole trip was wonderful. We even ended up with the entire Storybook Circus to ourselves on night during the parade - it was magical and one of our favorite memories. It was the week after the spring break rush though so crowds were smaller and the weather was awesome. I'm bracing myself for it to be much different this time :/.
I don't know if it's because of the FP+ thing or just because I'm more aware of the whole process, but I have become obsessed with planning this trip. Also - the heat thing is really really concerning to me. I get stressed when I'm hot and our sweet little boy is the same way. So I'm hoping that by planning for everything and being prepared but open to being flexible and spontaneous - that we will avoid some of the stress and meltdowns and uncertainty that might happen.
If anyone would like to chime in with thoughts on our plans, I would love input! I would love to figure out about how much time rides will take so I can get a better idea of whether or not we can fit in everything I've got planned and if our FPs make sense.
Our overall daily goals:
- Get to the parks as early as possible as often as possible
- Follow a pretty set/structured touring plan for the first 2-3 hours of the morning to maximize lower crowds and less hellish temperatures.
- Head back to the room for as long of a nap that anyone needs
- head back to the park in the evening on MK days without much of a plan other than a few 7DMT FPs and Anna/Elsa FP and do whatever makes the kids happy
.- lots of pool time/explore different resorts in the evening on non-MK days
**With the 3 year old in tow we probably won't be doing many big coasters. Our 7 year old likes to think she's brave, but she's not
so we'll just steer clear of those and focus on smaller rides that they'll love**Here we go!
Sunday
*we are driving from Illinois so Saturday will be spent driving all day - we're staying at a hotel about 3 hours away from Disney Saturday night**
Up and out of the hotel hopefully by 9am
Downtown Disney for a bit (heard it's less crowded in the am - thinking this would be a good time for the Lego store)
Check in
Nap for the 3 year old if he needs it
5:00 - T-Rex Cafe
wander Downtown Disney or early bed
Monday (MK 9am open)
6:30 - arrive at bus stop from POR to MK **is this the best way to get to an early breakfast? we REALLY want to be one of the first people in**
8:05 - BOG
7DMT (only if we can be one of the first groups on - we are not waiting 45 minutes in line)
Meet Rapunzel if line is short
Winnie the Pooh
Mad Tea Party
Little Mermaid
Dumbo
Barnstormer
10:15-11:15 - Peter Pan
Philharmagic?
Meet Fairy Godmother?
Carousel
11:20-12:20 - ETWB
Break for naps
Try to be back for Festival of Fantasy Parade!
5:20-6:20 - Anna/Elsa
Stay as late as the kids want and do whatever catches their eyes
.Tuesday (HS 9am open) this day is the most confusing to me with all the set show times :/
Leave room around 7:30? (driving our car)
8:05 - Hollywood & Vine
Toy Story x2 if we can
Maybe meet Mike & Sulley?
10:10-10:50 - Frozen Sing Along
11:25-12:25 - Toy Story
Disney Junior live (12:20)
Muppet Vision 3D?
12:50-1:10 - Sunt Show
Disney Animation
Meet characters
Break for naps
pool time
Wednesday (MK 9am open)
7:15 - arrive at bus stop from POR to MK **again, not sure if this is the best way to get there**
Rope Drop at MK
BTMR x2 if we can
Splash Mountain??
Meet Woody/Jessie
Magic Carpets
Jungle Cruise
Magic Carpets (if HM line isn't long)
Haunted Mansion
Carousel (if we're ok on time)
10:35-11:35 - Tomorrowland Speedway
Dumbo
11:40-12:40 - Barnstormer
Take the railroad around the park
Break for naps
Try again for Festival of Fantasy parade if we didn't make it on Monday
wander around and see what everyone wants to do
6:20-7:20 - 7DMT
more wandering
Thursday (Epcot 9am open)
Leave room around 7:45 or 8?
Soarin (if we can be first-ish and line isn't crazy)
Seas with Nemo
9:45-10:45 - Turtle Talk
Journey with Figment
10:45-11:45 - Seas with Nemo
Innoventions
Turtle Talk
Soda from around the world - club cool
11:45-12:45 - Test Track
Meet some characters
Make the loop around world showcase
break for naps
pool time/explore hotels and have an easy night
Friday (MK 9am open)
This day isn't really planned much at all -since it's our 3rd MK day I figure we'll discuss what we want to do after MK day 2
6:30 - arrive at bus stop from POR to MK
8:05 - CRT
7DMT if line isn't insane
any rides the kids loved
9:30-10:30 - Barnstormer *I know this is early and a weird FP at 9:30am but I don't know what else to move it to*
more rides the kids loved
11:35-12:35 - BTMR
Break for naps
Back for Festival of Fantasy parade if we still haven't made it (but hopefully we will have at this point because of dinner reservation)
5:25 Chef Mickey's trying to move this to Monday with no luck
7:20-8:20 - 7DMT
hang out at MK or back to the hotel to pack
Saturday (AK 9am open)
Leave room around 7:30 or 7:45
9:05 - 10:05 - Safari
Everest x2 (rider swap)
10:30-10:50 - Finding Nemo the Musical
Triceratops spin (maybe x2?)
11:50-12:50 - Everest
Boneyard?
Wildlife Express Train
Petting Zoo
Meet Pocahontas
drive home
