28 days to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mrstay]

After lurking and only posting a few times in the last few months, my countdown has begun. I have a trip planned for Jan. 31 to Feb. 9. My husband and I have been to Disney over 50 times (since we used to live in Ft. Lauderdale and had a 4 Seasons Salute Pass for 7 years). So planning this was not as hard as it is for some. We have not been in 8 years and have not visited Animal Kingdom at all. What adds specialness (is that a word) to this trip is that the adoption for a 5 year old was finalized on November 25 and this is the gift we gave to her. To make it even better we are able to include my parents and my husband's parents and his brother.

We have rented a 4 bedroom house with a pool for $785 for 8 nights with the pool heated. Hotel rooms are not with me. "Magic" to me is to not be in the same room with my father-in-law that snores. I have stayed on the property many times, but privacy and space is more my speed.

So here is my schedule. Keep in mind we have 4 parents ranging from 55 to 67 and my husband and I (both 35) and his brother (40) and a 5 year old.

Friday – Jan. 31
Leave at 4:00 AM/drive to Orlando
Arrive at house around 7:30 pm

Saturday – Feb. 1
Breakfast at house - Go shopping locally and Marketplace
Check out all the areas of the resorts and outlet malls
Eat at Beaches and Cream for lunch
Get groceries for the week
Sunday – Feb. 2
Animal Kingdom 9:00 am-5:00 pm
$11.99 Lunch Coupons
Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade (4:00 pm)
Dinner at House – BBQ
Monday – Feb. 3
Magic kingdom 9:00 am to 1:45 pm –
Epcot – 2:00 to 9:00
Eat lunch at Teppanyaki (Japan) at 2:15 pm
Husband dives at Epcot (DiveQuest) at 4:15 PM
The Land for Dinner or inexpensive dinner
Tapestry of Dreams Parade (6:10 pm pr 7:45 pm)

Tuesday – Feb. 4
Magic kingdom – 9:00 to 3:45 pm
Share a Dream Come True Parade 3:00 PM at MK
Eat at MK for Lunch (1 connection voucher)
Go to Epcot - 4:00 to 9:00 – snack
Illuminations at 9:00 am

Wednesday – Feb. 5
Day to rest
Go to Chef Mickey’s for breakfast at 8:45 AM (connection vouchers)
Drive to Cocoa Beach for a few hours – lunch at beach
Husband and Brotherinlaw at DisneyQuest for day
Dinner at house

Thursday – Feb. 6
MGM – 9:00 to 7:00
Eat lunch at MGM – Counter Service (1 connection voucher)
Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade (3:30 pm)
Eat dinner outside the park or at home

Friday – Feb. 7
Everyone’s choice day (5th day at park)
3:00 PM – 7:00 PM - MK - fireworks and rides

Saturday – Feb. 8
Drive home – Stay at hotel on way home – hotel and food

Sunday – Feb. 9
Finish drive home


I had to change my plans many times, to avoid EE days and once they finally posted hours for February and once since MGM was closing early. So I would say at this point the itinerary is set in stone. HAHA!!!

Everything is paid for and I have my Disney Dollars for our DD (they sounds so nice). I have to say Thank You to all of you who asks the same ?s I wanted to, it saved me asking. When I return I will post a review.

 

[bratray]

hello

your itinerary sounds well detailed like mine

hope you have good weather, short lines and lots of disney magic!

lisa

 

[oshun]

Your itinerary sound splendid. Don't forget the Fantasmic show on Thursday. We are leaving the 31st and staying until 2/8. Our itinerary is very similar to yours. We will be at Fantasmic on Thursday. We will be the 6 people who look like this:

Let us hope for lots of

 

[pointandshoot]

Congratulations on your adoption. What a wonderful place to bring your family together to share in the joy of your new child!

We will be visiting during that same week. Let's all think fun, sun...and maybe Disney giving us Spectro one night during the week.

Ragards.

 

[Eponine]

Congratulations to you, your husband and your new daughter! What a wonderful way to commemorate such a momentous occasion.

We'll be there the same week as you, also. It won't be long now!

 

[KarenT]

... on on your new daughter. Little girls are so special. She's pretty lucky to have you all also. I'll be at MK on Friday 2/7. We'll be looking at fireworks at the same time. Oh, I can't wait!!!!!!!



KarenT

 

[mrstay]

It seems that there are quite a few on these boards that are going to be there at the same time. Orlando has been having almost identical weather to us here, so I should be prepared. Hope everyone has fun on their trips. We will be the family of 8 with the beautiful 5 year old girl with a big grin on her face!!!!!!!

 

[okwoodsmith]

mrstay,
We were at the world the first week in December with another family (both of our families have 5 year old daughters). We stayed in a vacation home with heated pool and loved it. We found the drive time (20 minutes at the longest) to be a great time for the kids to wind down. The house was as you indicate - a nice respite where everyone had their own space to get away to themselves when needed.

We are also headed back the first week in Feb. I lucked out with a conference that week in Orlando and as we purchased annual passes on our last trip, it's like getting a free vacation without having to use vacation days at work!!!!

Does anyone have experience with crowds that week? It seems like it should be a down time, but it also seems like a lot of people are going then.