2 ladies with kids - PLEASE critique our game plan

[BlueFairy]

Hi everyone. Please critique our itinerary. 2 adult females with 2 little boys, 3 and 6. Staying at WL. Please tell where we are too ambitious or in the wrong place at the wrong time. We are experience visitors to WDW, just not with 2 kids. We don't expect to see everything with this schedule, but want to see a lot of MK and not exhaust the kids:

9/7/2003-Sunday
check out of motel
drive to Orlando arrive after lunch
checkin
pool time and/or water park
Boardwalk or 1900 Park Fare for dinner

9/8/2003-Monday
breakfast - Cinderella Castle
MK
late lunch - Tony's Town Square
leave MK after parade
nap
dinner: FW campfire and water pageant

9/9/2003 - Tuesday
breakfast: Resort or Epcot Fountain Bakery
Future World
lunch: The Land food court at 11ish
nap - take an early break and return to EPCOT
dinner: Rose and Crown or Boardwalk
skip Illuminations

9/10/2003 - Wednesday
Breakfastosaurus
AK
counter service lunch
leave early
early bedtime - dinner suggestion??

9/11/2003
Early entry at MK, Fantasyland
breakfast:grab a bite at bakery or hotel
more MK
early lunch: Crystal Palace with Pooh and Friends
leave before parade
nap and spend afternoon at hotel pool
dinner: Whispering Canyon and water pageant

9/12/2003- Friday
breakfast: Resort or MGM Starring Rolls Bakery
MGM - Bear in the Big Blue House
lunch: Sci Fi Dine In
more MGM, leave early and skip Fantasmic
monorail resort dinner - Chef Mickey's

9/13/2003-Saturday
Resort breakfast, sleep in
spend morning at resort pool or FW
counter service or lunch Downtown?
go to MK after parade
dinner - Plaza Restaurant
MK for Spectro and FIS fireworks

9/14/2003-Sunday
checkout
AK or MGM??
shopping at DD then drive to motel

 

[laurabelle]

Your plan looks fine, just go with the flow! I am doing a bit more of a touring plan for this trip, but it's still open to much flexiblilty.

Are you skipping Fantasmic for the fright factor?

We're doing a water park too and I expect we'll be there all day unless we're really rained out. I think we'll probably just grab something to eat at the hotel food court that night. My kids are a bit older (7&9) but will still be tired and probably not up to a sit-down dinner after a long day playing in the water.

 

[mickeymom629]

For the first night, I would stay and eat a bite somewhere at Epcot and maybe stay for Illuminations. The Boardwalk might be okay, too, if you don't plan on staying at Epcot for some reason.

I would think that Chef Mickey's for your kids would be better than Ohana from what I've read.

I would grab dinner at the waterpark if you can or eat at Trail's End ?I think it's called at WL when you come back. It's a casual buffet and pretty good.

When my kids were little, fast food places like Electric Umbrella at Epcot or the place at the American Adventure or even in another country's takeout like Japan worked well.

Have fun planning and I'm sure you'll have a great time.

 

[BlueFairy]

Hi,
I guess I should explain. The kids are pretty sheltered from the media and movies, anything scary or evil. So, both of them hate loud noises and fireworks. We may give Illuminations a try if they seem pretty brave. As for Fantasmic, the youngest just does not handle scary things well at all. He will ask to leave or watch something else if he sees something scary. Having seen Fantasmic, I think that once the villains show up, the show is just too intense for the little guy. Too bad, because these shows are our favorites.
We figure there are other things to do at night, we need breaks and to slow down by then anyway. We're trying to avoid meltdowns, so I think waiting till next trip for these will be the way to go.
Like the suggestions for the water day dinner. I forgot about food at the water parks. I think Trails End is at FW.
Thanks!

 

[BrerMom]

Sounds like you're right about Fantasmic with the little guy. My sister won't be taking my nephew on the Great Movie Ride for the same reason.

Illuminations is so beautiful. It would be a great first night activity. If you're going to be in Epcot anyway, I would definitely stay. When our DS was 1 1/2 and scared of loud noises, I used earplugs for him during Illuminations. He pulled them out.

 

[mommystieg]

I would also recommend Chef Mickey's over 'Ohana. They are both very kid-friendly but I think your kids would enjoy the character meal more. We loved 'Ohana but DD3 did not want to participate in the coconut races or the hula hooping.

 

[Rneighh]

I think trying to do AK and a water park in the same day may be too much. AK is a lot of walking and swimming always tires you out.

Renee

 

[campingcorgi]

Any spare time you have you can hop the boat to FW and let the kids have fun there--petting zoo, pony rides, playgrounds, tour the barn, eat at Trail's End, etc. It is so close for you and your kids are just the right age.

I'd recommend Breakfastasaurus over Boma's, considering their ages.

Otherwise your plan looks great!

 

[Windjammer]

I think you did a good job trying not to push the kids too much, but I know with my kids 3, 6, 8, and 9, going to the parks every day is just too much. In addition to some down time each day, i would suggest alternating a down day or two during the middle of the trip, On these days you could go swimming at the hotel pool, go to FW for the petting zoo, go to dtd, etc.

Steve

 

[mickeymom629]

Oops. You're right, Trail's End is at FW, I meant Roaring Fork Snacks. We ate there our last trip and it was good, relaxing and lots of families.

Definitely skip Fantasmic! with kids who might be scared.

 

[BlueFairy]

Thanks everybody.
I am still pondering the water park / AK day. Maybe we should move a water park to checkin day. What time do they close in Sept?
That would leave a longer break that day. As for breaks, we are having trouble adding in enough. I know some say to schedule no park days. But with kids who can't go all day long, it seems that we can't see even a tiny bit of each park if we have no-park days. Would you suggest skipping EPCOT altogether or another park? Or do many people find that no-park days aren't necessary if you quit early every day.
I think I will suggest Chef Mickey's for that dinner. I'm also editting at the top, so take a look at those changes.

 

[mommystieg]

We have two DD's-10 and 3-last year we scheduled a no park day but the other days of our trip were all day in the parks. This year we did not have a no park day because we spent less time in the parks. We did a lot of hopping this time-spending the morning in one park, going back to the room then hitting a different park or dinner for the evening like you are doing. I think that the way your days are scheduled you probably won't need a no park day but that all depends on you and the kids. Last year we knew we needed to slow down when one morning we could not get the girls out of bed. I wouldn't skip any parks if at all possible. I lot of people are not fond of Epcot but it is one of our favorite parks and our kids love it there. With kids that age MGM is probably the park with the least to do. As laurabelle said, just go with the flow.