Am I Crazy? (Critique my plans please!)

[Interrobang]

I'm starting to wonder if I've lost my mind for our June trip in thinking I can fit all this in. We are a family of 5--me, DH, DS (8), DD (8), and DD (almost 3). We are generally fine with early mornings and have always been fine on prior trips with early ADRs and rope drop. We also really like the DxDP and having all the sit down meals. But, this trip I'm trying to do the evening entertainment that we normally skip. I've justified it by scheduling mid-day breaks for most days, but I still have late(ish) nights followed by early mornings--just with an afternoon break. And our non-park days ended up not being spaced well due to working around the crowd calendars. So, I'm not moving any major parks per day or ADRs, but am I crazy with the evening stuff?

June 8
9:30 flight to Orlando (leave house at 7:00 a.m.), arrive 11:30
DME to Polynesian
2:00 late lunch at Kona
Explore resort and relax, eat Dole Whips, drink at Trader Sams
8:15 Spirit of Aloha

June 9
Sleep in
10:00 Breakfast @ 1900 Park Fare
Head to Disney Springs, explore, 1:00 bowling at Splitsville, explore
4:00 Dinner @T-Rex
Rest at Poly
8:45 Pirates and Pals Fireworks Cruise

June 10
8:00 Breakfast @ Tusker House at AK
Tour AK (FP+ for Kali and EE)
1:00 Lunch @ Rainforest Cafe at AK
Tour AK (FP+ for Dinosaur)
5:40 Dinner @ Jiko at AKL
8:00 Illuminations Sparkling Dessert Party at Epcot (this is where I start to question my sanity, although I think we have plenty of time to get there)

June 11
8:00 Breakfast @ Cinderella's Royal Table
Tour MK (FP+ for 7DMT and Peter Pan)
12:30 Lunch @ Liberty Tree Tavern
Nap/Pool at Poly
6:00 Dinner @ Tony's Town Square
Tour MK (FP+ for Space Mountain--DH and big kids, FP+ for Dumbo--Me and little
8:00 Wishes Dessert Party

June 12
8:00 Breakfast @ Akershus
Tour Epcot (FP+ for Test Track and Spaceship Earth)
12:30 Lunch @ Biergarten
Nap/Pool at Poly
Tour Epcot (FP+ for Nemo)
6:45 Dinner @ Rose & Crown
Tour Epcot World Showcase until kids get tired (no need to see Illuminations because already did Dessert Party--maybe I'm sane after all? )

June 13
7:30 Breakfast @ Kona Cafe
Tour MK (FP+ for Haunted Mansion, BTMR, Splash)
12:00 Lunch @ Plaza Restaurant
Nap/Pool at Poly
5:30 Dinner @ Tutto Italia
Tour Epcot World Showcase until kids get tired

June 14
Sleep in (See? I realize we need sleep!)
10:00 Breakfast @ Whispering Canyon at WL
Typhoon Lagoon (booked Beachcomber Shack, so no stress over comfy place to hang out)
6:35 Dinner @ Sanaa
Sleep!

June 15
QS Breakfast TBD
Tour DHS (FP+ for Star Tours and TSMM)
11:30 Lunch @ Mama Melrose's (Fantasmic package)
Tour DHS
6:00 Dinner @ Prime Time
Tour DHS (FP+ for TOT)
9:00 Fantasmic (unless Disney offers/we decide to do SW Fireworks Dessert Party)
9:45 SW Fireworks (maybe?? I'm crazy again.)

June 16
8:00 Breakfast @ohana
10:30 Leave for airport
1:30 Flight home
3:30 Land
4:30 Arrive to house
4:31 Die

It's not that bad, right? I'm not going to kill my 2 year old. She can nap in the stroller! She's tough. Disney builds character!

I need perspective. All the planning has destroyed mine.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Meh, Plans are more like Guidelines than actual rules. Start with your plan and don't sweat it if you need to change things on the fly.

One comment however, The 2:00pm lunch at Kona looks a little tight time wise but hakuna matata, you make it or you don't.

 

[SaintsManiac]

That's a lot of ADRs. Be prepared to miss one, or more...

 

[Interrobang]

Meh, Plans are more like Guidelines than actual rules. Start with your plan and don't sweat it if you need to change things on the fly.

One comment however, The 2:00pm lunch at Kona looks a little tight time wise but hakuna matata, you make it or you don't.

One vote that I'm not crazy!

I already pushed back that Kona lunch because I was concerned. It was at 1:30. At this point, if I don't make it and it's an issue, I'll take the penalty. It should be fine. But, of course, things could go crazy with getting out of the airport and to DME and then to Poly. Or the flight could be delayed. I'm willing to live with that one.

 

[jknc]

That's a lot of ADRs. Be prepared to miss one, or more...

I would agree with this.

On our first trip I was ADR crazy and found it impacted our ability to do other things.

 

[Interrobang]

That's a lot of ADRs. Be prepared to miss one, or more...

It is, but they actually don't bother me. We have done the DxDP with this many ADRs on a couple trips already and not had an issue. Apparently, we are highly food motivated in our family. I'm really worried about the late nights more than anything. We usually skip all the evening entertainment and fireworks, but afternoon breaks are easier with going during the summer when hours are longer and staying on a monorail resort. So, I may have gotten a little too excited about the ability to do the evening entertainment.

 

[ArielSRL]

We are doing rope drop, midday break, then nighttime activities most days (6/4-6/11). It will be my parents (in their 60s), my 2 boys (2yrs and 4.5yrs), and myself. I think the plan is fine. Just be flexible in case you need to change something. Have fun!

 

[Interrobang]

We are doing rope drop, midday break, then nighttime activities most days (6/4-6/11). It will be my parents (in their 60s), my 2 boys (2yrs and 4.5yrs), and myself. I think the plan is fine. Just be flexible in case you need to change something. Have fun!

Thanks! You too!

 

[scrappinginontario]

Looks like a fun trip! Where our family would start to falter is the late night events followed by early morning ADRs. With the Wishes Dessert Party you probably won't get back to the Poly until 10:00 at the earliest and then will probably want to be on the road no later than 7:00 the next morning to arrive at your Akershus ADR in time. It's doable, it just depends on how much/little your kiddos can do. I found after a couple of trips that booking our breakfast ADRs at 9:00 or later was beneficial as it got harder and harder as the week progressed getting my DD (and let's be honest...ME) out of bed early day after day.

Have fun!!

 

[ssmurphy28]

We took our son last year when he was 2.5 and he was surprisingly resilient. We had planned to go back to the hotel every afternoon for naps, but after the first few days we realized he was doing fine, so we powered through. We did build in some mornings to sleep in, and also had a few late nights (Fantasmic and Wishes), and our kids held up pretty good.

The one thing we did not do was early morning ADR's. We would let our kids sleep as long as they needed to in the morning, but we also had a 10 month old, so the situation is a little different.

 

[Interrobang]

You are all making me feel so much better. Clearly, I am an excellent planner, bestowing magical memories on my family.

 

[GillianP1301]

It looks like an amazing trip! I disagree with the comments on too many ADRs. We do 3 most days as well and love it, they really help to build in nice breaks/cool down periods during the day, which will lend itself well to your overall action packed plans.

You have a bit more planned for late nights than I would attempt (with my 8 yo I have 3 planned over 9 park days, previous years only 1 or 2 planned). The only thing I can think to suggest is maybe space them out because right now you have them 3 nights in a row. I would also maybe think about going just a bit later on the morning ADRs after the late nights.

Overall, I think it is doable because you are building in lots of rest time. Just be prepared to make some changes on the fly if you find it is becoming too much for everybody to handle.

 

[kellya222]

Just my opinion, I could never eat 3 table service meals a day. Even if I could, I wouldn't want to spend that many hours in restaurants.

 

[kellya222]

Just my opinion, I could never eat 3 table service meals a day. Even if I could, I wouldn't want to spend that many hours in restaurants.

Sorry...I just saw your post that said how this works well for your family.

 

[auralia]

The first 2 hours in a water park are awsome and quiet usually... I wouldn't have a 10:00 wl reservation that would make me miss the low crowd time at the water park...

Illuminations desert party... If you just ate dinner at jiko are you going to be hungry for this? It jiko is slow it could be tight too.

Those are my thoughts!

 

[Interrobang]

Sorry...I just saw your post that said how this works well for your family.

I know it's definitely not for everyone, but we are kind of foodies and look forward to the restaurants as much as the rides! Even the 2 year old loves a restaurant.

The first 2 hours in a water park are awsome and quiet usually... I wouldn't have a 10:00 wl reservation that would make me miss the low crowd time at the water park...

I'm a little worried about this, but I'm afraid of another early morning. We aren't huge water slide people, so we will probably be hanging out in the wave pool or Ketchakiddee Creek with the little. And I'm hoping the cabana makes it not feel so crazy.... I'm worried though. We've only done the water parks in January or February recently when they tend to just not be crowded. I may change this one late in the game. I'm not too worried about moving the Whispering Canyon reservation. Since we aren't doing Illuminations late on the 13th, having an earlier morning here wouldn't be too bad. You may be convincing me. We could even go early and do a rest afternoon instead of sleeping in.....

Illuminations desert party... If you just ate dinner at jiko are you going to be hungry for this? It jiko is slow it could be tight too.

Probably not. Honestly, I'm doing this more for the guaranteed location than the food. I have a "thing" about lining up an hour or more before to see fireworks or parades. Dealing with the people and the waiting and the spot holding (when someone inevitably crowds you anyway), makes me crazy. I'm trying to work around my personal faults by giving us an easy location to watch Illuminations without me getting frustrated and making it not fun.

 

[Disneymom1126]

I think your plans are good - you know your family the best and how they handle being tired. The stretch in the middle with the early mornings and late nights will be the hardest if the kids don't do the rest time you have scheduled (i.e. my DD would be all over playing in the pool..which would tire her out as much as being in the park would), but that's my DD...your kids could be totally different! I agree with everyone that has said just be open to being flexible if things don't go the way you'd hoped, or someone is too tired to do something...that could be more difficult with the "paid" nightime events (i.e. the dessert parties), so maybe the only suggestion I would have is to choose one dessert party to do and then watch the others shows from general viewing areas so if the kids get grumpy you won't feel like you "have" to do the parties since you've paid for them. That way you also have the flexibility of seeing the shows on a different night (as you have multiple nights in some of the parks).

Edited to add - just read what you said about why you opt for the dessert parties...so take my advice with a grain of salt

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

To me your schedule seems tight at the Jiko dinner and Epcot fireworks point, and at some of the lunch/break/dinner points.
But you know how long it takes your family to get ready I guess. I just can't imagine walking out of a park to get back to my resort at 1330-1400, have time for nap and pool and getting ready for dinner, and then needing to leave to get to another park for a reservation at 1730-1800.

 

[Interrobang]

To me your schedule seems tight at the Jiko dinner and Epcot fireworks point, and at some of the lunch/break/dinner points.
But you know how long it takes your family to get ready I guess. I just can't imagine walking out of a park to get back to my resort at 1330-1400, have time for nap and pool and getting ready for dinner, and then needing to leave to get to another park for a reservation at 1730-1800.

This is my first time trying breaks. How long do people normally take? We are doing breaks at MK and Epcot, and we are at a monorail resort. I guess I thought we'd have 3 to 3.5 hours or so at the resort for the breaks. Little one will nap; big ones will nap if I can get them to or, if they won't nap, go to the pool. Kids are 8, 8, and 2. They won't do a ton to "get ready," and I'm pretty streamlined (will probably shower while little naps). Am I way off on my timing?

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

This is my first time trying breaks. How long do people normally take? We are doing breaks at MK and Epcot, and we are at a monorail resort. I guess I thought we'd have 3 to 3.5 hours or so at the resort for the breaks. Little one will nap; big ones will nap if I can get them to or, if they won't nap, go to the pool. Kids are 8, 8, and 2. They won't do a ton to "get ready," and I'm pretty streamlined (will probably shower while little naps). Am I way off on my timing?

Honestly I don't know, but I was considering your 13 June day.
So you have lunch at the Plaza at 1200, and say that takes an hour? You aren't leaving the restaurant until 1300 at the earliest. You make your way out of the park, monorail to resort, and now it's 1330 at the earliest.
You have to account for the 2 monorails and walk to the restaurant at Epcot and with a 1730 dinner you probably want to leave your resort no later than 75-90 minutes before that, so 1600-1615.
So you've got fewer than 3 hours to get ready for the pool, nap, swim, get ready for dinner, and get to the monorail. I think it's ambitious but what do I know, maybe your kids do get out of the pool the first time you tell them