Am I Crazy? (Critique my plans please!)

[GPC0321]

Planning WDW trips...the most fun you can have while going completely insane! LOL!

Here are my thoughts, do with them what you will:

June 8 (This looks like a good day to me.)
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 (Why no park this day? Will kids be okay with that?)
Sleep in
10:00 Breakfast @ 1900 Park Fare
Head to Disney Springs, explore, 1:00 bowling at Splitsville, explore (are you eating at Splitzville? Might not be hungry after a late breakfast?)
4:00 Dinner @T-Rex (if you are eating at Splitzville, will you be ready to eat again after just 3 hours?)
Rest at Poly
8:45 Pirates and Pals Fireworks Cruise

June 10 (Long day at AK, and it can be very hot and exhausting. I'd have an early night back at the Poly afterward.)
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) (I'm not sure you'll be hungry enough for the desserts for this so soon after Jiko? Your DxDP includes desserts right? I'd save the $$ on the dessert party and probably save IllumiNations for another night.)

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 (Not sure I'd spend $$ on this either, especially after already doing Pirates and Pals. No need to keep kids out late again to see fireworks they've already seen.)

June 12 (good day, and I'd definitely call an early night considering your breakfast ADR on the 13th)
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 (This is where I'd stick IllumiNations)

June 14 (Good Day!)
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 (Not sure what time you're starting at DHS, but I notice no break here. That could make for a very long day. I'd definitely try to take a break between lunch and dinner, and that would let the kids have the steam to finish out Fantasmic and fireworks.)
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.) (I'd try to do one of these one night and one another night. Maybe book SW dessert party on the 14th after your Sanaa dinner?)

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 (Happy though!)

Do you have Hoppers? Based on June 10th, I'm assuming so since you'll be at AK that day but planned on IllumiNations that night. But I only see you hopping one other day (MK during the day, World Showcase at night). You have 5 park days, yes? Did you purchase 5-day Hoppers? I'd either change things around so I was using that hopper option more (different park after the nap/pool time), or scrap the two times you hop and just do base tickets (and probably add an extra day to those base tickets).

Have fun!

 

[Interrobang]

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

No, my kids listening to me is not my secret.

It is only one monorail though. We can walk to and from TTC and just take the monorail directly to Epcot. So, I was thinking back to the resort at 1:30, leave at 5:00ish to get to the 5:30 Tutto Italia.

I'll report back after this trip: "Trip Report: It turns out I really am just crazy."

 

[Interrobang]

Planning WDW trips...the most fun you can have while going completely insane! LOL!

Here are my thoughts, do with them what you will:

June 8 (This looks like a good day to me.)
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 (Why no park this day? Will kids be okay with that?)
Sleep in
10:00 Breakfast @ 1900 Park Fare
Head to Disney Springs, explore, 1:00 bowling at Splitsville, explore (are you eating at Splitzville? Might not be hungry after a late breakfast?)
4:00 Dinner @T-Rex (if you are eating at Splitzville, will you be ready to eat again after just 3 hours?)
Rest at Poly
8:45 Pirates and Pals Fireworks Cruise

June 10 (Long day at AK, and it can be very hot and exhausting. I'd have an early night back at the Poly afterward.)
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) (I'm not sure you'll be hungry enough for the desserts for this so soon after Jiko? Your DxDP includes desserts right? I'd save the $$ on the dessert party and probably save IllumiNations for another night.)

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 (Not sure I'd spend $$ on this either, especially after already doing Pirates and Pals. No need to keep kids out late again to see fireworks they've already seen.)

June 12 (good day, and I'd definitely call an early night considering your breakfast ADR on the 13th)
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 (This is where I'd stick IllumiNations)

June 14 (Good Day!)
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 (Not sure what time you're starting at DHS, but I notice no break here. That could make for a very long day. I'd definitely try to take a break between lunch and dinner, and that would let the kids have the steam to finish out Fantasmic and fireworks.)
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.) (I'd try to do one of these one night and one another night. Maybe book SW dessert party on the 14th after your Sanaa dinner?)

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 (Happy though!)

Do you have Hoppers? Based on June 10th, I'm assuming so since you'll be at AK that day but planned on IllumiNations that night. But I only see you hopping one other day (MK during the day, World Showcase at night). You have 5 park days, yes? Did you purchase 5-day Hoppers? I'd either change things around so I was using that hopper option more (different park after the nap/pool time), or scrap the two times you hop and just do base tickets (and probably add an extra day to those base tickets).

Have fun!

This is super helpful. Thanks! We do have Hoppers. We only bought 5 days of tickets, so we could have a couple non-park days.

We are not eating at Splitsville. Just bowling. And maybe drinking. Me. Not the kids....

The dessert parties are what concerns me. Need to ponder.

 

[ArielSRL]

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?

We have at least 4 hrs planned for breaks, some longer. We are at SSR though so we are planning an hour each way for transportation. But I doubt we'll do pool for the short breaks as I'll probably try to get my two to both rest (even though only the 2 yr old naps at home).

 

[Mikie]

This is super helpful. Thanks! We do have Hoppers. We only bought 5 days of tickets, so we could have a couple non-park days.

We are not eating at Splitsville. Just bowling. And maybe drinking. Me. Not the kids....

The dessert parties are what concerns me. Need to ponder.

I haven't done Illuminations dessert party, so i don't know if it's wonderful. I DO know that Illuminations is the easiest night show to see (IMHO). There are MANY good places to watch and little problem with sardine crowds. Since this is the one that seems challenging in your schedule, i say skip the party and just catch it from nearly anywhere in WS on whichever night it feels right at the time.

Also didn't notice til PP pointed it out, but you really only *need* either Pirates cruise OR the Wishes party, not both. You sound like laid back folks (judging by interest in sit-down meals) maybe you'd enjoy fireworks from Poly beach at the end of a park day OR energetic enough to stay in the park. Without a party reservation, I'd feel more like my options were open.

 

[Interrobang]

I think you are all right about the Illuminations dessert party. For Wishes though, do we miss much just seeing it from the cruise and not the park?

 

[GPC0321]

And maybe drinking. Me. Not the kids....

I don't know, I think drunk kids trying to bowl could be a good time!

I kid. Sounds like a fantastic trip!

 

[ajh88]

GPC0321 pretty much summed up what I was going to write - I will just add what I was thinking in italics because I can't seem to change my font color at the moment...

**Darn, forgot it italicized the entire quoted post...OK BOLD italics! **

Planning WDW trips...the most fun you can have while going completely insane! LOL!

Here are my thoughts, do with them what you will:

June 8 (This looks like a good day to me.)
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 (Why no park this day? Will kids be okay with that?)
Sleep in
10:00 Breakfast @ 1900 Park Fare
Head to Disney Springs, explore, 1:00 bowling at Splitsville, explore (are you eating at Splitzville? Might not be hungry after a late breakfast?)
4:00 Dinner @T-Rex (if you are eating at Splitzville, will you be ready to eat again after just 3 hours?)
Rest at Poly
8:45 Pirates and Pals Fireworks Cruise

**I know you are working around crowd calendars and such, but I also sort of agree that having a no park day so early may be a bummer in terms of NEEDING rest vs WANTING rest, kwim? ** I don't know if I have a better suggestion though **

June 10 (Long day at AK, and it can be very hot and exhausting. I'd have an early night back at the Poly afterward.)
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) (I'm not sure you'll be hungry enough for the desserts for this so soon after Jiko? Your DxDP includes desserts right? I'd save the $$ on the dessert party and probably save IllumiNations for another night.)

**My notes also said NOT to go to EPCOT this day - we have a cardinal rule on our vacations and that is "DO NOT GO TO AK AND EPCOT ON THE SAME DAY!!" We have learned from experience. The parks are just both SO BIG and we are always wiped out after AK, even if we only do a half day there... I think your evening dinner at Jiko would be awesome then head back to the Poly...watch Wishes from the beach if you want (one of my favorite things to do)...then you could always ditch the Wishes dessert party, unless you just really need to watch Wishes from inside the park (no judgment, I just prefer to be in my jammies for it). **

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 (Not sure I'd spend $$ on this either, especially after already doing Pirates and Pals. No need to keep kids out late again to see fireworks they've already seen.)

** Again, I agree that I might ditch this dessert party if you've already seen Wishes twice. **

June 12 (good day, and I'd definitely call an early night considering your breakfast ADR on the 13th)
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? )

** I would move my Rose and Crown reservation a bit earlier and bounce from EPCOT afterwards. I would not leave EPCOT and come back...another one of my rules. Once I leave EPCOT, I'm GONE from there. I can't stand the walk from the gates to FutureWorld. I know it pales in comparison to the walking I do over the whole trip, but I just dread the trek. It might be a long day with no break though, so I understand if you must. **

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 (This is where I'd stick IllumiNations)

** I totally agree - Illuminations this night with the dessert party if you want. Yes, yes. **

June 14 (Good Day!)
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 (Not sure what time you're starting at DHS, but I notice no break here. That could make for a very long day. I'd definitely try to take a break between lunch and dinner, and that would let the kids have the steam to finish out Fantasmic and fireworks.)
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.) (I'd try to do one of these one night and one another night. Maybe book SW dessert party on the 14th after your Sanaa dinner?)

** I would reconfigure this day a little, unless you aren't going to get to DHS until closer to your lunch time. At best, its a half day park at the moment, IMHO. I think you're going to be pressed to fill 9 hours anyway, but I could be wrong. Getting there a bit later could negate the need for a break and hopefully get to the fireworks if they are happening. **

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 (Happy though!)

No, my kids listening to me is not my secret.

It is only one monorail though. We can walk to and from TTC and just take the monorail directly to Epcot. So, I was thinking back to the resort at 1:30, leave at 5:00ish to get to the 5:30 Tutto Italia.

I'll report back after this trip: "Trip Report: It turns out I really am just crazy."

If you leave the resort at 5:00, you will not arrive at Tutto Italia by 5:30. I think just boarding the monorail (assuming one is waiting for you), riding it, and going through bag check will take you a solid 30+ minutes. Plus, Tutto Italia is completely on the back side of the park - that is another 10-15 minutes of walking if you are hustling (at least for me, with the short legs). I think it would be more feasible to allow an hour to get there, and that might be pushing it if your monorail mojo is running thin.

I *do* think you have some great plans - some may be a bit ambitious and not for everyone, but I'm sure you'll have a great time!

 

[Interrobang]

I don't know, I think drunk kids trying to bowl could be a good time!

I kid. Sounds like a fantastic trip!

It's all fun until they start throwing up on the lane!

 

[Interrobang]

GPC0321 pretty much summed up what I was going to write - I will just add what I was thinking in italics because I can't seem to change my font color at the moment...

**Darn, forgot it italicized the entire quoted post...OK BOLD italics! **





If you leave the resort at 5:00, you will not arrive at Tutto Italia by 5:30. I think just boarding the monorail (assuming one is waiting for you), riding it, and going through bag check will take you a solid 30+ minutes. Plus, Tutto Italia is completely on the back side of the park - that is another 10-15 minutes of walking if you are hustling (at least for me, with the short legs). I think it would be more feasible to allow an hour to get there, and that might be pushing it if your monorail mojo is running thin.

I *do* think you have some great plans - some may be a bit ambitious and not for everyone, but I'm sure you'll have a great time!

You make some great points (and it's uncanny how so many of you are hitting on exactly where I had concerns). I wanted to do the Illuminations viewing a different night, but they don't do the dessert party the nights we are there, and I'm concerned about getting a spot. I think I'm going back to my original plan, which would be "wander out of whichever country I'm in in when it starts and see whatever we can see."

I originally had DHS as a half day, basically starting with the lunch. But then I got panicked I couldn't fit in everything we wanted (frozen for DD8, Disney junior for DD2, Star Wars for DS8, RNRC and TOT for DH) and expanded.

 

[ArielSRL]

You make some great points (and it's uncanny how so many of you are hitting on exactly where I had concerns). I wanted to do the Illuminations viewing a different night, but they don't do the dessert party the nights we are there, and I'm concerned about getting a spot. I think I'm going back to my original plan, which would be "wander out of whichever country I'm in in when it starts and see whatever we can see."

I originally had DHS as a half day, basically starting with the lunch. But then I got panicked I couldn't fit in everything we wanted (frozen for DD8, Disney junior for DD2, Star Wars for DS8, RNRC and TOT for DH) and expanded.

We actually have 1.5 days planned for DHS. We like the shows and bc of our midday break, we couldn't get them and all the attractions in on one day. So, I agree that you may need a full day.