2 days at DW!!! so excited! itinerary suggestions please!

[Trinity721]

Yay! My husband has agreed to going to DW for 2 days instead of 1!!! So we plan on going to MK and Epcot, our two personal favorites, with our by then 10 month old daughter. It's her first time! (my husband's second, my fifth). I am so excited about this special trip, you have no idea! (My daughter and I are flying from Chicago to visit my husband, a sailor stationed in Florida). We will be going May 11 and 12.

I did want to go to at least one character meal, I was looking at something simple like the Ice Cream Social. Does anyone have other suggestions? I'm just concerned about making a PS because May is not so far away. It's already less than 60 days away.

This is our plan so far: We are driving from Jacksonville, probably leave at 5 or 6 am... takes us about 2 1/2 hrs to get to Orlando. We plan on staying on Disney property... Which hotel would you suggest? We have NEVER stayed on Disney property before believe it or not! We don't want to spend more than mmmm... $120 for one night?

Should we do MK or Epcot the first day? What restaurants are a MUST (maybe that question should go to the restaurants board)? Any other itinerary suggestions?

Thanks for your help! Any input would be great!

 

[MinniMama]

Do MK first! be sure to do toontown and line up for a pciture with Mickey at the back of his house- then you can get one every year. The first haircut at the barber shop is so cute and well worth doing. Also I have taken all my children as babies and the moments are so precious bring the video cam if you can. Crystal Palace is a great character meal with little ones. Call for PS now. Ride small world, Peter pan, buzz light year, pooh, the baby will love the colors and sounds. Take time for lots of character pictures. As far as the resorts go- check out the resort board but I vote for POR for a moderate- we love it there. Check out Mousesavers.com for codes to help with room rates during your stay- if you can swing the extra try the beach club or animal kingdom lodge. have a blast!

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

How exciting to be going so soon!

I'd suggest booking your room ASAP- it may be tough to find what you want this close to the trip! Do you have AP's? If so, you should be able to get a moderate for under $120/nt, but if not, the All Stars are available for around a hundred, I think.

Have a great trip!!

 

[poj7]

Hi.

I have a suggestion for places to stay. You could go to the DIS rent/trade Board and request a studio at either VWL, BCV or BWV. If available, you will probably be able to rent for $120 or less including tax. (I checked the point chart for you).

WVL, as you know is next to MK and BWV and BCV are walking distance to EPCOT. I know these are the two parks you plan on visiting. BWV will be slightly ($10 per night) cheaper if you request a standard view.

Doesn't hurt to post a request for someone to check availability for you and see about renting the points. You'll love the accomodations. They are first-rate.

Good luck.

Paul

 

[susy]

Check mousesavers.com for codes. My favorite is CSR , but CBR is VERY nice , as well. Our first onsite stay was at ASMo and we loved it!!!! Check out the resort FAQ, photos, menus, and info on taking babies and toddlers at wdwig.com. You may want to buy bounceback tickets. There is info on that also on that site.

If you are going to a park on May11, which is a Sunday, go to Epcot. Sunday is EE day at MK and unless you are aready checked in, you can't get in for EE and you probably won't make it on time ayway, so I would avoid MK on that day and do MK on Monday. Drive straight from Jacksonville to to your resort and pre-check-in. If your room is not ready , they will give you your room keys and a number to call to see if your room is ready,. When it is, you don't have to go back to the check-in area. Your keys will be activated and you can go right to the room. At Epcot with a little one I would ride Spaceship Earth, Living seas, FoodRocks, Circleof Life, the Land ride, Journey into your imagination, ice station cool, . Head to the World showcase at 11, when it opens. Walk around and you should be back to the land for the ice cream social (I think it starts around 3). After this, I would go back to your room to rest and take your little one swimming!! Will she nap in her stroller when she neds to ? This will be of great help!!!!! Bring plenty of water, sunscreen and a hat, and an extra outfit for her. Maybe some baby powder. Get a squeeze breeze bottle-they are $5 at Walmart/Target and $17 in the parks. Anyway, I would go back to Epcot in the eveing for Illuminations. It is loud, so you will want to stand on the far side of the WS (away from Future World).

At the MK (be there before opening) do fantasyland and toonetown first. Adventurelnad is also fun!!! Have a great time!!!

Be flexibe!!!!!

 

[DancingBear]

If you can get a moderate at a reasonable rate (check Mousesavers.com) you won't go wrong. Our fav is Coronado Springs, but we've also stayed at, and enjoyed, Caribbean Beach and Port Orleans French Quarter.

Consider the possibility of a resort character meal. If MK closes relatively early, and you don't have parkhopper tickets to hop over to Epcot, you could have a character meal at Chef Mickey's or 1900 Park Fare or O'Hanas after MK closes.

 

[kilee]

You shouldn't have a real problem getting a room. We are planning a 10 day trip somewhere in the first 3 weeks of May. We can't commit to a date just yet. Anyhow, I have been constantly plugging in different dates just to see, and I haven't had much difficulty getting the moderates AKL or WL. I didn't check any other deluxes or the All stars. It is great when those last minute trips pop up.

 

[nowellsl]

If your husband is in the navy why don't you try Shades of Green? Sounds like the rates are great.
Since it's closed for now they'll put you in the Contemporary. (Look on mousesavers for info)

 

[Lori of the Lodge]

You should definitely try Shades of Green, it might just get you into a deluxe for the same (or less) than the cost of a moderate.

And you can't beat the location of The Contemporary Resort, especially with a 10-month old. The monorail will make it easy to go back to the resort for that mid-day nap.

 

[Trinity721]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I requested a quote for the Contemporary through Shades of Green since SoG is under construction. I'm waiting on the response. I also requested quote for The Polynesian, and AKL. Kinda funny, but the person who emailed me the quote must have typed the date in wrong, b/c when I went to pull the quote up it said that the quote had expired for 4/03/2002! Wrong year. Hopefully they clear that up. I'm waiting.

And thanks for the tips about bringing the little one. I will definitely look at the FAQ's. Squeezebreeze is a good idea. I didn't know how expensive they were at the parks... $17?! wow. Thankfully, my best friend works for squeezebreeze so I can get them from her for free And yes, we are bringing a stroller where she can recline and sleep in as well as a baby carrier for the places where we can't bring a stroller.

Thanks for the tips! Keep those suggestions coming please!! It helps sooo much

 

[Trinity721]

I just got the quote back from SoG about one night at the Contemporary, and it costs only $73!!! Is that a good deal or what!

I know the Contemporary is one of the deluxe hotels. How nice is it? I'd like to hear someone's opinion on it.

Please keep those suggestions coming! I'm still trying to take them all in to make the best itinerary for us. Thanks

 

[DancingBear]

Congrats on the SoG reservation at the Contemporary---jump all over that! We stayed there (Dad is retired AF) in December and it was great. Decor is a bit wild, but rooms are very large and comfortable (plenty of room for a crib---which CR will provide on request), you can walk to MK!!, ride the monorail to Poly or GF, take a boat to Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness, see the Electrical Water Pageant around 9:55 from off the CR dock, just two monorails to get to Epcot--wow!!

 

[MinniMama]

be sure to call now to try to get Chef Mickeys breakfast or dinner since you are staying there.

 

[mbethel]

We stayed at CR with Shades of Green rates last May. You can read a lot of info about CR on the resort section. I thought the rooms were comfortable. Everyone seems to have their own opinions about the decor. It was built to look futuristic in the 70's. You won't be in the room much, though.
Someone gave you good advice about going to Epcot on your first day. The only thing different I would suggest is to forget trying to get back to your room for a mid-day rest. Your child is young enough to sleep in the stroller and if the weather is warm, you can get as much rest sitting in a shady spot as you can at the resort. The walk from Epcot to transportation to your resort and to your room is extremely tiring as well as time-consuming. Walking a full day at Epcot will be quite a task as it is.
When you go to MK, you can use the walkway. What a beautiful walk it is, too, and should only take 10 mins. You'll need to use the stroller around the resort as the walk to the lobby can be too long to carry a young one. The walk to the monorail isn't a short one, either. If you check out of CR Mon AM, I would suggest leaving your car at the resort parking lot until you return Mon. evening. Even though you can park free at the parks as a resort guest, the trek to the MK parking lots is longer than to the CR lot.
Can't stress too much the importance of good sunscreen and plenty of liquids for all of you. I found packets of sunscreen and kept them in a fanny pack to apply at least every other hour. Glad to know you get to spend some time with your sailor at such a wonderful place!

 

[Trinity721]

Anyone know how hot it gets mid- May? Just wondering.

Looks so far like we're hitting Epcot first. I'm not sure if we will go back to the hotel for a mid-day break, although that does sound like a good idea not only for the baby but for us too! We'll see. Another military couple, friends of ours, will also be going w/ us and staying at the Contemporary. They have a baby same age as ours, so we'll see what they feel like doing.

Definitely plan on doing Chef Mickey's for breakfast, thanks for the suggestion!

You all are such great help