11/28-12/4 itinerary for veterans to critique!

[KelseyLaPerle]

I posted this a while ago but only got one response. I was hoping to get some suggestions, ideas, or other input from some veteran Disney Moms. My one particular question is: we have to eat more times that we'll have credits from the DDP, how do I figure out which meals to pay for out of pocket and which to use DDP credits? Thanks!

Trip 11/28-12/4 with myself (29), my Mom (55), DDalmost 5 and DS almost 2. We are staying 6 nights/7 days with a 10 day park hopper (it was cheaper and we plan to add the no exp. and I'm hoping to take DD for her 5th birthday on those tickets in March), no water parks option. We also have the DDP - 1 table service, 1 counter service and 1 snack per day. I'm going to order groceries (any advice on garden grocer or wego would be greatly appreciated) so some days we can eat breakfast in our room before heading out. We're staying in a family suite at the ASMusic. No car, will use only Disney transportation.

We will return to room every day (or plan to anyway) for naps around 1:00 ish. Bedtime is typically around 8:00 and I don't want kids getting over tired so we'll do our best to stick to that most nights.

Here goes....

Arrive MCO 11:55 on 11/28
check-in, unpack, pool, explore, etc.
6:50 res. at Chef Mickey's

11/29
breakfast in room
9:00 opening ceremony at MK
Harmony barber shop for DS's 1st haircut
11:30 res. at Crystal Palace
afternoon at MK
dinner at counter service in MK

11/30
8:00 AK EMH for Kilimanjaro Safari
9:05 res. at Tusker House
lunch - picnic in the park
afternoon at MK
7:00 pm Spectromagic parade (we really want to see one parade and this is the only one that fits with our ADRs...it was frustrating as I had to book ADRs before park hours/schedules were released)

12/1
breakfast in room
HS for morning
11:35 res. at Hollywood & Vine (Play&Dine)
afternoon is OPEN (return to AK? relax at pool?)

12/2
breakfast in room
MK morning
lunch at either counter service at MK or food court at resort before nap
afternoon at Epcot
1:00-4:00 Disney Visa character greeting
6:35 res. at Garden Grille

12/3
all day open
DTD? more MK? AK? return to favorites?

12/4
breakast in room
11:05 res. at Whispering Canyon
ME leaves at 3:00ish - what last minute things should we do?



What have I forgotten? ANY and all suggestions are appreciated! Thanks so much!

 

[Darcy03231]

We've been to WDW and been on the DDP before. We typically have a CS meal for lunch and a TS meal for dinner. I either use snack credit for breakfast or pay OOP as this tends to be the least expensive meal of the day for us. Typically I'll just have a muffin or a bagel for breakfast.

Keep in mind that some CS meals are pretty large and can be split. There's some really good information about the DDP on the restaurants board on this site. Also, if you go to www.allears.net there is a list of restaurants and the prices so you can get some ideas.

 

[kpm76]

Have you built in breaks for the kids? We have a 2 yr old who naps at least 2 hrs in the afternoon; therefore, we will do parks in the morning, go back to the hotel for a few hrs and then pick another park for the afternoon/early evening. I know every kid is different but I think toddlers need breaks even if they don't nap. Maybe you have taken this into consideration and just didn't post it but wanted to make the suggestion......

BTW, we will be there the same time as you

 

[andysgirl360]

Definitely check out allears.net for the menus. Look up each restaurant you are booked for, and try and plan out what you think you might eat..that will give you a rough idea of how much a meal costs, and use the cheapest place for your OOP.

That's exactly what I did - I have one ressie more than credits on the DDP, and I am paying OOP at Whispering Canyon, because I know I will have the skillet.

 

[sharonabe]

Unless I'm missing something, you have 6 TS reserved. That takes care of those. You don't need a counter service on either your arrival or leaving day, so that leaves 6 CS for the 29th-3rd. One on each day except the 3rd, you can do two and still be at your limit of 6. You shouldn't have to pay OOP anywhere if you do breakfast in your room from garden grocer. On your Tusker House breakfst morning, I would skip the picnic and do a mid-afternoon lunch at MK. If you get hungry before then, use some snack credits (you'll be amazed at how many of these you end up with at the end), or snack on some breakfast stuff back in the room during your break. Check the 2009 approved snack credit list on the DIS. If you go to DTD on the 3rd, Wolfgang Express is a CS restaurant!

 

[tigger51276]

I posted this a while ago but only got one response. I was hoping to get some suggestions, ideas, or other input from some veteran Disney Moms. My one particular question is: we have to eat more times that we'll have credits from the DDP, how do I figure out which meals to pay for out of pocket and which to use DDP credits? Thanks!

Trip 11/28-12/4 with myself (29), my Mom (55), DDalmost 5 and DS almost 2. We are staying 6 nights/7 days with a 10 day park hopper (it was cheaper and we plan to add the no exp. and I'm hoping to take DD for her 5th birthday on those tickets in March), no water parks option. We also have the DDP - 1 table service, 1 counter service and 1 snack per day. I'm going to order groceries (any advice on garden grocer or wego would be greatly appreciated) so some days we can eat breakfast in our room before heading out. We're staying in a family suite at the ASMusic. No car, will use only Disney transportation.

We will return to room every day (or plan to anyway) for naps around 1:00 ish. Bedtime is typically around 8:00 and I don't want kids getting over tired so we'll do our best to stick to that most nights.

Here goes....

Arrive MCO 11:55 on 11/28
check-in, unpack, pool, explore, etc.
6:50 res. at Chef Mickey's

11/29
breakfast in room
9:00 opening ceremony at MK
Harmony barber shop for DS's 1st haircut
11:30 res. at Crystal Palace
afternoon at MK
dinner at counter service in MK

11/30
8:00 AK EMH for Kilimanjaro Safari
9:05 res. at Tusker House
lunch - picnic in the park
afternoon at MK
7:00 pm Spectromagic parade (we really want to see one parade and this is the only one that fits with our ADRs...it was frustrating as I had to book ADRs before park hours/schedules were released)

12/1
breakfast in room
HS for morning
11:35 res. at Hollywood & Vine (Play&Dine)
afternoon is OPEN (return to AK? relax at pool?)

12/2
breakfast in room
MK morning
lunch at either counter service at MK or food court at resort before nap
afternoon at Epcot
1:00-4:00 Disney Visa character greeting
6:35 res. at Garden Grille

12/3
all day open
DTD? more MK? AK? return to favorites?

12/4
breakast in room
11:05 res. at Whispering Canyon
ME leaves at 3:00ish - what last minute things should we do?




What have I forgotten? ANY and all suggestions are appreciated! Thanks so much!

First off I think you've put together a really nice schedule. You haven't over filled your days so if your kids need some good downtime during the day you've definitely got it (and if they don't, then lucky you, it's more time in the parks).
You've also picked some great places to eat. I've eaten at just about all the places you've chosen. You can decided which meals you use your credits for and which you'll pay out of pocket for. I'd say my least favorite on your list was the Hollywood and Vine. The buffet food was awful, granted I wasn't there for the food but because my DD LOVED Little Einsteins and Jo Jo's Circus. However we had met them during a couple of character greets that day so she wasn't even over joyed to see them .
One of the choices you have that i'm interested in trying is the Picnic in the Park at AK. You may want to use this as a pay out of pocket option as you can't use and child credits to "pay" for the meal, only adult credits. However i've heard you get a good amount of food in the picnic and as you have 2 small kids you can most probably get away with a Meal for Three.
For your 12/1 days, I think leaving the afternoon open is not a bad idea and then see how the morning goes. That is your half way point and your kids (and the adults) may just need some veg time or maybe take a trip over to the Grand Floridian and get some dessert and check out the fabulous decorations and especially the huge gingerbread house there.
Again for 12/3, leave it open and see what you weren't able to get to and then do that. Also as this is your kids first trip to Disney and it's Christmas time, a great way to commemorate the trip is to stop at the Christmas store in DTD and maybe get a christmas bulb personalized for their 1st trip (my daughter gets a new one every year and she looks so forward to picking out her new ornament and now this year my littlest one gets her 1st one!).
As for your last day on 12/4 you probably won't really have all that much time left between lunch and getting back to the hotel, maybe 2 hours if everything goes right. I wouldn't go anywhere else that day, maybe hold onto your swim suits and don't pack them away and go for a swim before leaving?
Above everything have a fantastic time!!

 

[tigger51276]

Unless I'm missing something, you have 6 TS reserved. That takes care of those. You don't need a counter service on either your arrival or leaving day, so that leaves 6 CS for the 29th-3rd. One on each day except the 3rd, you can do two and still be at your limit of 6. You shouldn't have to pay OOP anywhere if you do breakfast in your room from garden grocer. On your Tusker House breakfst morning, I would skip the picnic and do a mid-afternoon lunch at MK. If you get hungry before then, use some snack credits (you'll be amazed at how many of these you end up with at the end), or snack on some breakfast stuff back in the room during your break. Check the 2009 approved snack credit list on the DIS. If you go to DTD on the 3rd, Wolfgang Express is a CS restaurant!

Reservations at Crystal Palace require 2 table service credits so she will have something to pay out of pocket.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Reservations at Crystal Palace require 2 table service credits so she will have something to pay out of pocket.

Since when?

 

[tigger51276]

Since when?

Totally my bad, I wrote Crystal Palace but have Cinderella's Castle on the brain! Crystal Palace is only one service credit, however she does have 6 table service meals planned so she will still need to buy some food out of pocket for the next to the last day she is there!