Loree::
well -- ok -- you really want my advice?? I'm not an expert, though --
well, through the years, i kept an eye on the corresponding month's park hours/emh/parades/etc -- and pretty much planned around those calendars --
and i can tell you in four years, they really didn't change.
We always get
disney dining plan... i know many don't like planning their entire vaca around where they eat, but the dining experiences are part of the vaca for us.....
we are not park hoppers --- too much running around and wasted time in our opinion.
We DO stay on property....
so with that said:
Don't know how many days you are going --- but count the # of full days - then determine how many days you want in each park - water parks - Disney Quest? Do want a "free day" just to hang out at the resort/pool? (we didn't do this AT ALL at our last trip) Do you want to do any 'extras'? like recreation activities at the resort? Keys to the world tours? Firework cruises? bibbity bobbity boutique? or the new pirate thing? (sorry can't remember the actual name).
Do you do EMH?? AM's? or PMs? or are you early risers? or like to sleep in.
We feel the ONLY way to go is at park opening. It is SOOOO hard to get the fam up and out of bed but SOOOOO worth it when you are one of the first one's on the park property.
I have to say - that our most memorable experience: Our first time to MK -- we were there AT opening and there was hardly anyone there - it was so quiet - we got to take it all in - architecture/ambience - w/o the crowds blocking it all. SOOOO glad we did that -- cuz when we left at like 2ish, we couldn't even walk down Main Street to get out of there - let alone truly enjoy the scenery of it all!
Anyway --- we do one week all EMH at night - sleeping in. And then the next week we'll be early risers and get there @ 8 am. We do three days at MK, 3 at Epcot, 2 at AK and 2 at MGM. 1 at each water park; 2 free days; and a day at DTD. We do one Table Restaurant per day.
Figure out what days (and AM's or PM's) you want to be at each park. Then determine where you will eat. You also have to consider shows that are only at certain times of the day. I refer to Steve Soares website frequently for showtimes --- Google it --- I have him bookmarked!!!
We are leaving July '11 --- we will make our ressies on January 10.... - so it's never too early to plan - -and - yes, through the 5 years, my 'plan' has changed quite a few times - but too me, it's fun considering all the possibilities - i think that ultimately, when you are actually there you know you're getting the most out of it cuz you have considered many options!!
OK --- does that get you started?? so what else do you wanna know?
