1st Trip/Plan B, Please Comment

[Christopher Robin]

Hi kids.

Incorporated some clarifications and your comments thus far.

DS7 (no fear, loves water parks, isnt fond of singing/dancing shows or parades that dont throw candy and wouldnt nap if we darted him), DD1.5, DW and I, going SEP 19 thru 24 SEP, Flying, Magic Express, POP. Hoping for light crowds due to it being mid-Sep, but planning for heavier crowds just in case.

Looking for comments on our 1st Family Trip to the World, Plan B.
(Plan A has been modified based on previous comments, batteries no included, objects in your mirror may be closer than they appear)

Here goes...

Mon SEP 19 - Arrive POP about 3pm. Drop off DW and DD to rest. DS and I go to Blizzard Beach for a just a couple hours 'just to get our Mouse feet wet' (maybe Teamboat Springs and Ski Patrol). Meet DW and DD back at POP at 6 and go to EPCOT for dinner ressies for Rose & Crown for 8. Illuminations at 9 (hopefully from the outdoor area at R&C). Back to POP leisurely.

Tue SEP 20 - Magic Kingdom from rope drop all day. Lunch ressie 1:55 CRT. Philharmagic after lunch (Parade not required). A break if really needed (at MK or even POP). Dinner at will. Wishes at 8. Back to POP.

Wed SEP 21 - Animal Kingdom from rope drop till about 2 (Safari, Rapids, Bug, Dinosaur, trails, dig, tree, couple of games, not much else). Lunch at Flame Tree. Back to POP for a rest till about 5. To MGM for dinner ressies at Sci-Fi at 5:40. ToT (or even Star Tours) if possible before Fantasmic at 8(planning to be in line about 7:30). Back to POP

Thu SEP 22 - Slow day. Typhoon Lagoon from open till about 2. Lunch at will. Back to POP for a rest. Concourse Steakhouse ressie for 6. Epcot for evening EMH (to just stroll and look, not necessarily ride anything, but bonus rides would be welcome). Mainly just World Showcase (doing the mask/passport thingy), and ride and see what we can in Future World (if the crowds cooperate). Back to POP (not so) late.

Fri SEP 23 - Flexible day. Probably Epcot from rope drop-ish till we're satiated (Soarin first, Test Track, Mission Space, Adv Space Lab, maybe Body Wars, Innovations). Probably MGM after that till we're done or tired or both (Movie Set, a Stunt Show, Backlot Tour, Animation Tour, maybe Muppets, and ToT and Star Tours if we havent already done it on Wed). Lunch at will. But regardless back to POP for a PM rest. Finish the evening wherever we want, probably with an encore of Wishes and a ride or two at MK. Dinner at will. Back to POP.

Sat SEP 24 - Chef Mickey breakfast ressie for 8:45. Blizzard beach till about 2. Back to POP for luggage and home.

How's this re-revised Plan B look?

 

[Pixiedusttravel]

Wow! Sounds like a lot of fun!! I did notice that you won't be spending too much time at MGM. You know, there is a lot of stuff there that your kids would probably love! The Beauty & the Beast show, Playhouse Disney, Voyage of Little Mermaid & Magic of Animation are a few that come to mind.

 

[dizenthusiast]

Are you sure about trying to do the Epcot evening EMH, and then going back again the next morning at rope drop? To me this has the disadvantage of leaving you tired the next morning (when you could be getting a LOT done).

I think a better approach would be to skip the evening EMH at Epcot, and just do everything the next morning instead. If you arrive early and use a reasonable touring strategy, you should be able to hit the major rides without too much waiting.

Have a great trip!

 

[DisneyWorld Delight]

I think Friday, your "flexible day," you should head back to MK. Your kids will of course enjoy that more than anything, you can't ride Peter Pan too many times, right? MK is more than a one day park, if it's your first family trip. Alot slower pace than adults buzzing to what they want to do. Character greets, stroller parking, bathroom breaks, droped items, tears...all set you back some. Plus, it's a good way to top off a great week. We always try to finish at MK.

Of course that is the beauty of flexability. If you saw it all Tuesday...

 

[Westcoast Gus]

I tend to agree with dizenthusiast. I'd suggest an earlier PS at a resort, which serves the dual purpose of eating generally better food and would also allow you to buy a day less in passes if you haven't bought them yet. Plus, you'll want everybody to be well-rested for the first couple of days.

Otherwise, the plan sounds great. I'm jealous.

 

[ericafny]

Hi kids.
DS7, DD1.5, DW and I, going SEP 19 thru 24 SEP, Flying, Magic Express, POP.

Looking for comments on our 1st Family Trip to the World, Plan B.
(Plan A has been modified based on previous comments, batteries no included, objects in your mirror may be closer than they appear)

Here goes...

Mon SEP 19 - Arrive POP about 3pm. Drop off DW and DD to rest. DS and I go to Blizzard Beach for a couple hours 'just to get our Mouse feet wet, so to squeak'. Meet DW and DD back at POP and go to EPCOT for dinner ressies for Rose & Crown for 8. Illuminations at 9 (hopefully from the outdoor area at R&C). Back to POP.

Tue SEP 20 - Magic Kingdom from rope drop all day. Lunch ressie 1:55 CRT. Dinner at will. Wishes at 8. Back to POP.

Wed SEP 21 - Animal Kingdom from rope drop till about 2. Lunch at Flame Tree. Back to POP for a rest till about 5. To MGM. Get a FP for ToT if available before dinner. Dinner ressies at Sci-Fi at 5:40. ToT is possible before Fantasmic. Back to POP

Thu SEP 22 - Slow day. Typhoon Lagoon from open till about 2. Lunch at will. Back to POP for a rest. Concourse Steakhouse ressie for 6. Epcot for evening EMH. Grab a FP for whatever is available. World Showcase (doing the mask/passport thingy). Use FP after that, and/or ride/see what we can in Future World. Back to POP late.

Fri SEP 23 - Flexible day. Probably Epcot from rope drop till we're satiated. Maybe MGM after that till we're done or tired or both. Lunch at will. But regardless back to POP for a PM rest. Finish the evening wherever we want, maybe an encore of Wishes and a ride or two at MK. Dinner at will. Back to POP.

Sat SEP 24 - Chef Mickey breakfast ressie for 8:45. Blizzard beach till about 2. Back to POP for luggage and home.

We have more specific ideas for each park, and I'll post those later. But for now, how's it look?

Hi! I just got back on Friday from a week long stay. Here is my 2 cents on your itinerary...

Day 1 looks good, except watch the time for your 8 pm ressie! The busses from the waterparks get real crowded late in the afternoons.

Day 2 is perfect! Remember to do some indoor shows (like Mickey's Philharmagic) in the afternoon when its real hot out!

Day 3 another perfect plan! However, you may not need a FP for ToT at nite. We walked right on at about 8pm...and it was in July! Also, LOVED Sci-Fi...it was an 'experience'!

Day 4 looks good however expexct EMH at Epcot to be real crowded...

Day 5 I would skip Epcot alltogether (not that much to do there for kids) and head straight to MGM for the stuff you missed. Or you could go to MK again.

Day 6 looks great...

Have a wonderful trip!!!

 

[freakylick]

It looks like a really good schedule...The only thing that I might consider is moving Illuminations to Thurs (though it will have one big drawback of the park being extremely crowded for EMH) or Friday evening (instead of Wishes encore). I know that wife and daughter will get some rest in the afternoon on arrival day, but if you are all going full steam at MK the next day, you want to be as rested as possible. If you see Illuminations that evening, you likely won't get back to your room until 10:30 at the earliest, more likely 11 or after. That's very late for you and your son after traveling all day.

I'm not sure if you are dead set on Rose & Crown on arrival day, but maybe you could do Whispering Canyon Cafe (which should be a lot of fun for the kids) and then call it a day. You could keep your ressies at Rose and Crown, but you will have a hard time dragging everyone, including yourself, out while Illuminations is going.

 

[Arniebuteft]

You look like you're going to be real tired when it's all done! I don't know about doing MK from rope drop to close on the first day (or any day for that matter), especially with a little one and a 7-year-old?! May be a bit much to expect, especially if it's hot.

Also, three days of water parks? I know they're fun, but you're trading that for a ton of theme park time. I'd just do one day of water park, in the middle of the schedule as a rest/slow day, but that's my own personal preference.

Epcot for an evening EMH on Thurs, then right back there first thing in the morning on Fri (i.e. get back at the hotel after 11pm or so, then wake up at 7:30am), may be a bit of overload too. I'd skip the evening EMH, just be there early in the morning, you can hit the big rides first, then have the whole day to spend looking at the pavilions and countries.

Personally, I like to split up the parks more, I wouldn't spend a whole day at any one park. It's easy to hop between Epcot and MK, and you can also go to a morning EMH park for part of the day, then jump to another when it gets crowded.

 

[Christopher Robin]

Thanx, keep em comin. I'll incorporate more of your comments into my OP shortly. It does seem a bit 'full' for a schedule, doesn't it?

 

[TinyToonThor]

If I were you, I would consider leaving a day early. When you get home, you'll be glad you did.

 

[Christopher Robin]

We are leaving a day early!

 

[Tinkerbell's Mom]

I noticed you aren't doing Spectromagic at MK at all, my daughter loves that parade and getting to see so many characters, I also don't remember seeing Fantasmic in your plans, that's a great one too, I prefer those 2 over Illuminations. I, like someone else said, recommend doing MK 2 days or at least 1 1/2 days and maybe Epcot just 1/2 day, there isn't much there for kids to do. Good luck and have fun, we'll be there the week before you!

 

[Christopher Robin]

 

[ericafny]

I noticed you aren't doing Spectromagic at MK at all, my daughter loves that parade and getting to see so many characters, I also don't remember seeing Fantasmic in your plans, that's a great one too, I prefer those 2 over Illuminations. I, like someone else said, recommend doing MK 2 days or at least 1 1/2 days and maybe Epcot just 1/2 day, there isn't much there for kids to do. Good luck and have fun, we'll be there the week before you!

I TOTALLY agree with Tinkerbell's Mom on this one! Spectro is awesome and your little one's will be amazed at Fantasmic (and so will you)!

 

[Christopher Robin]