Desperate Need of Planning Help--Leave in FOUR days!

[Crazy4DisneyandTink]

Hi all! I am so behind in planning, we leave in FOUR days and the only thing I've done is made dining ressies! Our park tickets were purchased for my family of 10 and we just got them yesterday. I'm so grateful someone else purchasing our tickets because that saved us soooo much money! I thought that we would be receiving enough park days for our entire stay, but my friend purchased 5 day park hoppers with the water park option and more. One of the problems that I have is that we'll be there for 7 days and I need to stretch out the park days. In all of the years we've gone to WDW, we've never gone to a water park, so I'm lost!

I'm looking for suggestions for an itinerary for our trip because this last minute stuff has gotten me shaken! I still need to make FP choices, hopefully there will be some good ones left. I'm trying to plan around our dining:

July 22nd--Dinner @ Chef Mickey

July 23rd--Dinner @ Kona Café

July 24th--Lunch @ Le Cellier

July 25th--Lunch @ Mama Melrose (Fantasmic Dinner Package)

July 26th--Dinner @ 1900 Park Fare

July 27th--No Meal Ressies

July 28th--Breakfast @ Crystal Palace

What would be a good itinerary?! I know I'm asking for a lot of help, but I'm desperate! I need to take EMH into consideration and we'd like to do the evening parade and fireworks at MK one night.

 

[minniegirl19]

Hi! yay for leaving in 4 days! how exciting!!

now to help with plans…

what time do you get in on the 22nd and what time do you leave the 28th? that will effect the planning a lot!! also does the water park and fun option include park hoppers or no?

 

[minniegirl19]

also what are the ages in your family?

 

[Crazy4DisneyandTink]

Hi! yay for leaving in 4 days! how exciting!!

now to help with plans…

what time do you get in on the 22nd and what time do you leave the 28th? that will effect the planning a lot!! also does the water park and fun option include park hoppers or no?

We arrive in Orlando at 9:35am on the 22nd and our flight is scheduled to leave at 8pm on the 28th.

The WPO has no hoppers option. If say, we go to Typhoon Lagoon and want to go to Disney Quest on the same day, we will have used up 2 "days" of the WPO.

 

[Crazy4DisneyandTink]

also what are the ages in your family?

There are 5 adults and 5 children that range in age from 11-16.

 

[ParrotBill]

Quick as you can, go get the park hours and make yourself a cheat sheet of park hours, then layer in your dining.

The lunch ones are easy - you need to be in that park!

Dinner days - are you early risers and take a break before dinner? Or late risers and go to the park then straight to dinner? Line up parks close to dinners.

Prioritize .. where does the family like to spend the most time?

Try to avoid parks that have early Extra Magic Hours unless you are getting up early to go to them!

Line up a day for fireworks... don't leave it for last in case storms cancel it and you need to try a second time.

Hope that helps.

 

[Ronda93]

What a wonderful gift! Adding two days to a five day ticket is less than $25 per person. Just a thought. Gives you more flexibility, especially around weather.

Using two WPFM choices a day can fill a day, too.

 

[Crazy4DisneyandTink]

Quick as you can, go get the park hours and make yourself a cheat sheet of park hours, then layer in your dining.

The lunch ones are easy - you need to be in that park!

Dinner days - are you early risers and take a break before dinner? Or late risers and go to the park then straight to dinner? Line up parks close to dinners.

Prioritize .. where does the family like to spend the most time?

Try to avoid parks that have early Extra Magic Hours unless you are getting up early to go to them!

Line up a day for fireworks... don't leave it for last in case storms cancel it and you need to try a second time.

Hope that helps.

That helped a TON!

 

[Crazy4DisneyandTink]

What a wonderful gift! Adding two days to a five day ticket is less than $25 per person. Just a thought. Gives you more flexibility, especially around weather.

Using two WPFM choices a day can fill a day, too.

I forgot I could add extra days for not a lot of money! I definitely will be doing that!

 

[Crazy4DisneyandTink]

Ok, here's what I have so far:

Arrival day: July 22nd--Disney Quest/Downtown Disney

July 23rd: Water Park

July 24th: EPCOT/MK for nighttime parade and fireworks

July 25th: Hollywood Studios

July 26th: Animal Kingdom

July 27th: No Park Day Schedule--Most of my family will be returning to Italy

July 28th: Magic Kingdom--Me and my 2 kids leave late at night

Does this look ok? I wish I could squeeze in MK over two days. Maybe we could do MK and AK on the 26th... AK in the morning, MK in the evening?

I would love any suggestions!

 

[Aliceacc]

That opens up so many other options for you-- good idea!!!!

Have you ever been to WDW before?

We're big park people. For my family, the waterparks and DTD and Disney Quest would all be dropped in favor of more time in the 4 basic parks. (Then agan, we take a break every afternoon to swim at our resort, so different strokes...)

If you do add the park days, I would definitely make use of the 27th, even if it's just for the evening. And, while I've never been to the water parks, I would also plan on an evening park visit on the 23rd. We also hit the parks within a few hours of arriving in Orlando

Take a look at the crowd calendars at http://www.easywdw.com/calendar/july-2014-walt-disney-world-crowd-calendar/#more-12641

 

[Crazy4DisneyandTink]

That opens up so many other options for you-- good idea!!!!

Have you ever been to WDW before?

We've been soooo many times! Our last visit was in 2012, but this is my first time going with my family from Italy! I just want to make sure we do as much as possible!

 

[Crazy4DisneyandTink]

That opens up so many other options for you-- good idea!!!!

Have you ever been to WDW before?

We're big park people. For my family, the waterparks and DTD and Disney Quest would all be dropped in favor of more time in the 4 basic parks. (Then agan, we take a break every afternoon to swim at our resort, so different strokes...)

If you do add the park days, I would definitely make use of the 27th, even if it's just for the evening. And, while I've never been to the water parks, I would also plan on an evening park visit on the 23rd. We also hit the parks within a few hours of arriving in Orlando

Take a look at the crowd calendars at http://www.easywdw.com/calendar/july-2014-walt-disney-world-crowd-calendar/#more-12641

I chose Disney Quest/Downtown Disney on our first day because we need to do a grocery stop and get settled in our rooms and we have dinner at Chef Mickey's at 7pm AND because we have that WPO and more and need to use some of choices.

Since the 27th is the departure day for my family, my kids and I will hit a park after they leave!

Going to check the crowd calendar now!

Thanks for all the help!

 

[dsneprincess]

Ok, here's what I have so far:

Arrival day: July 22nd--Disney Quest/Downtown Disney

July 23rd: Water Park

July 24th: EPCOT/MK for nighttime parade and fireworks

July 25th: Hollywood Studios

July 26th: Animal Kingdom

July 27th: No Park Day Schedule--Most of my family will be returning to Italy

July 28th: Magic Kingdom--Me and my 2 kids leave late at night

Does this look ok? I wish I could squeeze in MK over two days. Maybe we could do MK and AK on the 26th... AK in the morning, MK in the evening?

I would love any suggestions!

If you have park hopper option, you should hop more than just 7/24. It is an expensive upgrade to only use once. If you don't have park hoppers, 7/24 doesn't work at all as you can't enter 2 parks in 1 day. With 5 day tickets, I would not waste time at DT Disney when it looks like most of your family is not even there for a full 5 days........and you only used 1 WPF&M option for DQ(which will probably not be a long stay for anyone other than video gamers! My DS14 would stay hours, DH&I make about 1 hour before retreat!)

Since July is so hot, I would use WP every morning, FP+ scheduled for afternoon at whatever park, and say at the chosen park until close. However, I don't do dining reservations, parades and fireworks, so that makes it easier.

Biggest problems I see is 7/24, not using all your days/options available. Why pay for the upgraded tickets and not ate full advantage? I am also confused since your original post made it seem like you needed 7 days & got 5&WPF&M, but most of your party isn't even using the 5. I think your arrival day is early enough to be a park day, too. Maybe waterpark (TL? Since it s right there?), DQ, then DTD.

I think 7/26 AK/MK s possible and a great idea, IF you have hoppers. I would squeeze in 2 days at MK. I wonder if your ticket option can be changed from WPF&M to PH, as you seem to have more need for PH. I think they are priced equally.....

 

[Aliceacc]

We've been soooo many times! Our last visit was in 2012, but this is my first time going with my family from Italy! I just want to make sure we do as much as possible!

OK, then you can disreguard a lot of my advice.. you know what you're doing and what works best for your family.

 

[PlutoFan10]

Ok, here's what I have so far:

Arrival day: July 22nd--Disney Quest/Downtown Disney

July 23rd: Water Park

July 24th: EPCOT/MK for nighttime parade and fireworks

July 25th: Hollywood Studios

July 26th: Animal Kingdom

July 27th: No Park Day Schedule--Most of my family will be returning to Italy



July 28th: Magic Kingdom--Me and my 2 kids leave late at night

Does this look ok? I wish I could squeeze in MK over two days. Maybe we could do MK and AK on the 26th... AK in the morning, MK in the evening?

I would love any suggestions!

You have 5-day passes but only have 4 days in the parks on your itinerary. My family would not like waiting until the 3rd day to see a park. Depending on your arrival time, you could add MK on the first day and take monorail (1 stop away) to go to Chef Mickey's. Depending on your reservation time, you could go back to MK after dinner. (Walking back takes just 15 minutes, while the monorail will take closer to 30.) MK is a great way to start a visit!

 

[Crazy4DisneyandTink]

If you have park hopper option, you should hop more than just 7/24. It is an expensive upgrade to only use once. If you don't have park hoppers, 7/24 doesn't work at all as you can't enter 2 parks in 1 day. With 5 day tickets, I would not waste time at DT Disney when it looks like most of your family is not even there for a full 5 days........and you only used 1 WPF&M option for DQ(which will probably not be a long stay for anyone other than video gamers! My DS14 would stay hours, DH&I make about 1 hour before retreat!)

Since July is so hot, I would use WP every morning, FP+ scheduled for afternoon at whatever park, and say at the chosen park until close. However, I don't do dining reservations, parades and fireworks, so that makes it easier.

Biggest problems I see is 7/24, not using all your days/options available. Why pay for the upgraded tickets and not ate full advantage? I am also confused since your original post made it seem like you needed 7 days & got 5&WPF&M, but most of your party isn't even using the 5. I think your arrival day is early enough to be a park day, too. Maybe waterpark (TL? Since it s right there?), DQ, then DTD.

I think 7/26 AK/MK s possible and a great idea, IF you have hoppers. I would squeeze in 2 days at MK. I wonder if your ticket option can be changed from WPF&M to PH, as you seem to have more need for PH. I think they are priced equally.....

Ok, sorry that I wasn't more specific! We DO have PHs and I guess maybe we should do a park on our first day. My family is leaving on the 27th and me and my two kids are leaving on the 28th late at night.

Oh and we're staying at Wilderness Lodge.

 

[Crazy4DisneyandTink]

OK, then you can disreguard a lot of my advice.. you know what you're doing and what works best for your family.

Not disregarding one thing you suggested! I hope my exclamation points didn't come off rude. I'm just excited that you're helping me! Thanks!

 

[ParrotBill]

Ok, here's what I have so far:

Arrival day: July 22nd--Disney Quest/Downtown Disney

July 23rd: Water Park

July 24th: EPCOT/MK for nighttime parade and fireworks

July 25th: Hollywood Studios

July 26th: Animal Kingdom

July 27th: No Park Day Schedule--Most of my family will be returning to Italy

July 28th: Magic Kingdom--Me and my 2 kids leave late at night

Does this look ok? I wish I could squeeze in MK over two days. Maybe we could do MK and AK on the 26th... AK in the morning, MK in the evening?

I would love any suggestions!

I only see 4 park days there. 24 25 26 28?
You could certainly do the water park in the morning and continue to a park for the rest of the day. Or squeeze the water park in on the 27th before or after the rest of the family leaves?

 

[Crazy4DisneyandTink]

Ok, here's what I've come up with so far. Let me know what you all think:

July 22nd: Magic Kingdom early afternoon on arrival day, monorail to Chef Mickey @ 7:05pm

July 23rd: Blizzard Beach and mini golf, Kona Café @ 7:10pm

July 24th: EPCOT/MK@ night for parade and fireworks, Le Cellier @ 2:15pm

July 25th: Hollywood Studios/Fantasmic, Mama Melrose @ 3pm

July 26th: Animal Kingdom, 1900 Park Fare @ 8pm

July 27th: Typhoon Lagoon/Disney Quest, departure day for family

July 28th: Magic Kingdom, Crystal Palace @ 10:35am

Because our dinners are so late, it's hard to squeeze a possible Illuminations in there somewhere. What am I missing?