Can someone check my itinerary?

[AngieInOH]

This will be my family's first time at Disney so I want to see as much as possible but still want to have some down time to enjoy AKL and relax. It's DH, DS5 and myself and we'll have a rental.

Can someone that's been to Disney review my itinerary and tell me what they think?

11/15 Tues EPCOT Arrive @ 11:00 (will only be 1 1/2 drive from DH grandparents, we will be full and well rested). Tour Epcot. ADR for Alfredo's @ 7:00. Watch Illuminations @ 9:00

11/16 Wed MK Be there for opening 9 am, stay as long as we'd like. ADR at Boma for 7:00.

11/17 Thurs MK Reservation for Chef Mickey @ 8:00. ADR @ O'hana 5:00. Spectro Magic Parade @ 7:00, Wishes. (Very full day, we'll take it easy the next day!)

11/18 Fri AK Not sure what the specifics will be for this day. ADR for Spoodles at 8:00 (might try to move this up?)

11/19 Sat MGM Not sure what the specifics will be for this day. Fantasmic Dining Package @ Mama Melrose.

11/20 Sun DOWNTOWN DISNEY ADR for House of Blues @ 7:00. Cirqu @ 9:00

11/21 Mon Relax, finish anything we missed. ADR @ Le Cellier @ 5:10.

11/22 Tues Relax, enjoy resort, flight leaves at 3:30.

Do you see anything I should change?

 

[Luv4Disney]

This will be my family's first time at Disney so I want to see as much as possible but still want to have some down time to enjoy AKL and relax. It's DH, DS5 and myself and we'll have a rental.

Can someone that's been to Disney review my itinerary and tell me what they think?

11/15 Tues EPCOT Arrive @ 11:00 (will only be 1 1/2 drive from DH grandparents, we will be full and well rested). Tour Epcot. ADR for Alfredo's @ 7:00. Watch Illuminations @ 9:00

11/16 Wed MK Be there for opening 9 am, stay as long as we'd like. ADR at Boma for 7:00.

11/17 Thurs MK Reservation for Chef Mickey @ 8:00. ADR @ O'hana 5:00. Spectro Magic Parade @ 7:00, Wishes. (Very full day, we'll take it easy the next day!)

11/18 Fri AK Not sure what the specifics will be for this day. ADR for Spoodles at 8:00 (might try to move this up?)

11/19 Sat MGM Not sure what the specifics will be for this day. Fantasmic Dining Package @ Mama Melrose.

11/20 Sun DOWNTOWN DISNEY ADR for House of Blues @ 7:00. Cirqu @ 9:00

11/21 Mon Relax, finish anything we missed. ADR @ Le Cellier @ 5:10.

11/22 Tues Relax, enjoy resort, flight leaves at 3:30.

Do you see anything I should change?

Look great! I'd keep Spoodles at 8 because AK closes by 5 anyway and you can see all of the park in that time frame. Plus, then you can go back to the resort, relax, swim a little, and still have time to get to your ADR without feeling rushed. In MGM, if you decide to see the Beauty and the Beast show, try to get there about 15 minutes before showtime because they have an awesome accapella group (they're off Sun. and Mon. and perform for the morning half of the shows on Thurs.). Also, you have some great restaurants! Have a fabulous trip!

 

[Camping Griswalds]

The only thing I would look into is that a lot of your dinner ressies seem late to me for a 5 yo. Do you usually eat dinner these times at home? (I'm not judging, I know this works for some families ) If not, then I'd have your ressies for when you normally eat dinner.

My family usually eat around 5:30--6pm because of school, sports and other stuff. DD now 14 months, (17 months when we go to DIsney) is very used to eating then, bath around 7pm and bed by 8pm. Even though our 13 yo and 9 yo can easily adjust, I know we'll pay a price in enjoyment if she gets too far from her schedule, too many nights in a row. All of your planning seems great to me other than that!!

 

[Eeyore2003]

We'll be there at that time also, it looks good, don't forget the Osbourne Lights will be up as of the 14th, you really shouldn't miss this as long as they're up. Will certainly put you in the Christmas Spirit!!! They turn them on at 6:00 and I believe you can go over and look after Fantasmic. Last year we just did the lights one night, this year, I think I'm going to do them after Fantasmic.

 

[southjerseymom]

Isn't it so hard to do the planning for one of these trips? I read everything and think what will work - and what won't - and once I get there it never really follows the plan!! My thoughts on your plan if it were my family (yours is different and you know what's right). So....I have a 3 and 5 year old and I have found that the less TS meals I do the better. DH and I are foodies and we would love to eat everywhere but with the kids..its all about them. We also have found that the little ones still need the "non park" time to unwind - that's why staying onsite is so much fun. 11 am in a park with an ADR of 7pm and no down time would be pushing it for my family. My DS5 and DD2 are pretty good...but I have found that I really have to tailor my schedule to theirs. One day we are on schedule - the next day it is blown to you know what. What I have learned is my kids can handle the sit downs if they are well rested and feeling good. So a lot of my planning for the last 3 trips has been blown out of the water..but it worked out.

 

[AngieInOH]

Thanks for the tips! I can't believe I'm only 33 days away! Wooohooo.

BTW, DS is used to late dinners. Working mom here, so by the time we get settled in at home it's usually late, DH works late too so that doesn't help things. If you think my current times are late you should have seen them before I made the changes!!!! LOL!

You guys are great! These boards have given me so much info!

 

[AngieInOH]

Thanks for the advice SouthJerseyMom!

Thankfully I have a son with a pretty high tolerance for long days. Although, who knows what that will be at Disney! He loves eating out so hopefully our ADRs will be nice breaks for us. I do plan on sneaking afternoon breaks in. That being said, DS might just turn into a little green monster and change all of the plans I've been agonizing over for months!

 

[lucincia]

This will be my family's first time at Disney so I want to see as much as possible but still want to have some down time to enjoy AKL and relax. It's DH, DS5 and myself and we'll have a rental.

Can someone that's been to Disney review my itinerary and tell me what they think?

11/15 Tues EPCOT Arrive @ 11:00 (will only be 1 1/2 drive from DH grandparents, we will be full and well rested). Tour Epcot. ADR for Alfredo's @ 7:00. Watch Illuminations @ 9:00

11/16 Wed MK Be there for opening 9 am, stay as long as we'd like. ADR at Boma for 7:00.

11/17 Thurs MK Reservation for Chef Mickey @ 8:00. ADR @ O'hana 5:00. Spectro Magic Parade @ 7:00, Wishes. (Very full day, we'll take it easy the next day!)

11/18 Fri AK Not sure what the specifics will be for this day. ADR for Spoodles at 8:00 (might try to move this up?)

11/19 Sat MGM Not sure what the specifics will be for this day. Fantasmic Dining Package @ Mama Melrose.

11/20 Sun DOWNTOWN DISNEY ADR for House of Blues @ 7:00. Cirqu @ 9:00

11/21 Mon Relax, finish anything we missed. ADR @ Le Cellier @ 5:10.

11/22 Tues Relax, enjoy resort, flight leaves at 3:30.

Do you see anything I should change?

I see that the last 3 days are basically non-park days. Any reason why you didn't spread out the park days to give more "down time" in between parks?

Also, personally, I would spread MK magic out, maybe one near the beginning of the WDW trip and the other one as the last day, instead of back to back. The kid will probably like that more since MK will be fresh in his mind when you guys leave the World.

Just my two Disney dollars.

 

[AngieInOH]

Thanks Lucincia! The reason for visiting all the parks at the very begining is I figured the parks would start to get really busy towards the end of our trip (due to the Thanksgiving crowd coming in). Maybe I'm wrong. Anyone else have an opinion on this?

Also on the last full day I don't have anything planned so if DS wants to visit MK again we can.

What does everyone else think of having MK days back to back?

 

[AngieInOH]

Bump!

 

[onelugnut]

first time my family is going in November
7 yr old boy, 4 yr old girl, 1 yr boy staying at carribean

i am probably canning lilo at ohanas bfast
so i probably need one for my 4 yr old girl
my wife thinks cinderella is in order
i also am thinking i should get chef mickey in there
any thoughts ?

Day #1 Thursday,

11:33 A.M arrive at Orlando airport
12:33 P.M In Disney, go directly to Magic Kingdom
4:30 P.M. Cinderella and her story book friends at the Floridian 1900 Park Fare 36606682
4:30 P.M Check in at Carribean Beach Hotel 407 934-3400 (4pm check in)
6:10 P.M. Dinner at Shutters (in the Carribean Beach) 36618762
7:30 P.M. Epcot (magic late hours, normally closes at 9)
international food and wine fest
illuminations parade and fireworks reflections of earth at 9

Day #2 Friday,

8:00 A.M. Magic Kindom (early start at 8 am)
10:00 A.M. Ohana’s for breakfast ???????????????????????????CANCEL????
Micky philharmonic, railroad roller coaster
Parades and firework share a dream come true parade at 3 pm
Wishes nighttime spectacular at 8 pm
5:15 P.M. Ohana’s for dinner (no characters)
Evening for Epcot?

Day #3 Saturday, November 5
A.M. Magic Kingdom

5:00 P.M. for dinner at Hollywood and Vines 6:30 P.M for fantasmic (priority seating from Hollywood and vine)

Day #4 Sunday, November 6
9:00 A.M. Animal Kingdom go to left after entering and sit in 1st 4 seats of “lion King”
10:10 A.M. Dinasaurus breakfast

P.M. M. G. M. (for magic hours open till 11 pm)
? pizza planet for walk up dinner?

Parades and fireworks are
3 p.m. Disney stars and motor cars parade

Day #5 Monday, November 7

8:00 A.M. Epcot (magic hrs early start at 8)
soarin ride


5:30 P.M dinner at the concourse in the contemporary
6:45 P.M. MAGIC KINGDOM

Day #6 Tuesday, November 8

8.00 A.M. M.G.M (magic hrs early start at 8)
HAVE TO HAVE CHECKED OUT OF HOTEL BY NOW
3:30 P.M. stars and motor cars parade.

P.M. Finish off at Magic Kingdom

 

[tommygirl79]

EPCOT has become one of our favs right behind MK...I think you will find (if you are like us at all) that you might want to use a couple hours of your relax day when you have Le Cellier planned to get there a couple hours ahead of your ADR and finish some stuff there. I may be wrong...but that is how things work for us.

Everything else looks great and I'm sure you will have a wonderful time!!!!

 

[jordanyosh]

A couple of questions before I give any opinions 1) what type of ticket media are you buying? 2) are you on a tight budget?

 

[tommygirl79]

I really would maybe switch one of the MK days in a row towards the end of your trip and take a relax day right in the middle. Yes, crowds may be picking up by the end of your trip, but if you get a day's relaxation in, it might not really matter to you. Also, if you are anything like my family. We have to make a stop at MK at least one of the last two days just to MAKE SURE we got as close to our fill of it as possible. Usually, it's our last stop before leaving...

 

[onelugnut]

we have a 6 day park hopper, with the dining plan
i probably shoulda said that

 

[AngieInOH]

We have 7 day hopper. I'd say not a tight budget but not a loose one either LOL!

Great advice on going to Epcot a bit earlier than our Le Cellier reservations. Since we're going there on our first day we might not have time for everything. After Le Cellier we might pop into MK just for one last hoooray!

 

[kizmac]

I really would maybe switch one of the MK days in a row towards the end of your trip and take a relax day right in the middle. Yes, crowds may be picking up by the end of your trip, but if you get a day's relaxation in, it might not really matter to you. Also, if you are anything like my family. We have to make a stop at MK at least one of the last two days just to MAKE SURE we got as close to our fill of it as possible. Usually, it's our last stop before leaving...

I agree! Gotta do MK on the last day if possible! It's the perfect end to the vacation.

My 2 cents.....when you have ressies at 'Ohana for 5 you may run late for Spectro at 7 if 'Ohana is running behind like they did when we went. Hopefully they won't be since it's a early ADR time. I would be sure to get there early.

Looks like you're going to have a great trip!

 

[valandemmy]

IMy 2 cents.....when you have ressies at 'Ohana for 5 you may run late for Spectro at 7 if 'Ohana is running behind like they did when we went. Hopefully they won't be since it's a early ADR time. I would be sure to get there early.

QUOTE]
I agree....Ohana's (seems to me) is always running behind...we waited 50 minutes with ADR/PS in May.

I heard they took the shrimp off the menu...that was my only reason for going

and the one the big guy who sings I love that guy

 

[tommygirl79]

We have 7 day hopper. I'd say not a tight budget but not a loose one either LOL!

Great advice on going to Epcot a bit earlier than our Le Cellier reservations. Since we're going there on our first day we might not have time for everything. After Le Cellier we might pop into MK just for one last hoooray!

Anytime. I just know we have to have at least one FULL day at EPCOT to fully experience it - even with our little ones.

Sounds like your trip will be great. My only other advice (and then I'll leave you alone!) is that you might think about hopping a bit less. Some people love to do it every day and that's fine but we always find that the more we leave the parks, it's just more time that is spent on transportation instead of enjoying the attractions...

No matter what, a WDW vacation is a great vacation!!! Have a great time and if you need anything else, don't be afraid to ask!!!

 

[AngieInOH]

OK, so I might be cutting it close with ADR at Ohana. But none of the other resturants in MK appeal to me (I'm on the dining plan) So can someone give me a detailed description of where the best spot to watch Spectro is and the quickest way to get there? Also, will we need to move to watch wishes? Is 5:00 the earliest you can get an ADR at O'hana?