Dining Itinerary Opinions!!!!

[reneebaker]

Okay my window opens up tomorrow. I have referenced and cross referenced. I think my husband thinks that I am crazy. But I have a plan! Now I need opinions. I got my husband to look at plan A before his eyes started to cross, and then his opinion was "An itinerary?! I just wanna go and walk around and say this looks fun." I explained the need for dining reservations Morning EMH vs Evening EMH so on and so forth. Then his eyes started to cross some more! Sooooooo I need your opinions! Tips! Ideas! and Alternatives if something doesn't look right! Are you up for the challenge?


PLAN A


Day 1 Tony's Grand Gathering Breakfast PARK TO AVOID HS MMH
Magic Kingdom Parade at 3pm
Dinner Whispering Canyon Cafe 5 pm
Epcot Evening

Day 2 Block Party Bash Parade 3 pm
Fantasmic Dining Package Hopefully Mama Melrose but will settle for Hollywood and Vine (Books between 3-5pm) Hollywood Studios EMH

Day 3 Epcot in Morning PARK TO AVOID ANIMAL KINGDOM MMH
Magic Kingdom EMH
Liberty Tree Tavern 7 pm
Spectromagic 9pm
Wishes 10pm

Day 4 Animal Kingdom in Morning Parade 3:45 PARK TO AVOID EPCOT MMH
Evening Hollywood Studios Dinner 7pm 50s Primetime

Day 5 Coral Reef 6:45 Epcot EMH Illuminations at 9pm

Day 6 Water parks and MNSSHP Dinner 5 pm Ohana

Day 7 Boma (around 5 pm) Animal Kingdom EMH

Day 8 Le Cellier 5 pm PARK TO AVOID HS MMH



PLAN B Bookings

Day 1 Morning MK Liberty Tree Tavern Lunch 12:00
Evening EPCOT

Day 2 Morning AK??? or HS all day
Block Party Bash Parade 3 pm
Fantasmic Dining Package or 50 Primetime 3-5 pm
Fantasmic 9pm HS EMH

Day 3 Epcot in Morning Park to avoid AK MMH
Whispering Canyon Cafe 7pm
Magic Kingdom EMH
Spectromagic 9pm
Wishes 10pm

Day 4 Animal Kingdom in Morning Park to avoid Epcot MMH
Evening Hollywood Studios 50s Primetime 7PM

Day 5 Grand Gathering Breakfast at Tony's at Magic Kingdom
Epcot EMH Coral Reef 6:45 Illuminations 9pm

Day 6 Waterparks and MNSSHP Dinner 5 pm Ohana

Day 7 Boma 5pm Animal Kingdom EMH

Day 8 Le Cellier 5 pm Back to MK
Spectromagic 9pm
Wishes 10pm

Sound okay? Realistic? Any better plans?

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Okay, I have to admit, I agree with your husband, your plans are confusing.

It would be alot easier if you take out where you are parking and just keep it simple like this...

Day 2 MK daytime - Epcot evening

B - CS
L - CS
D - LeCellier

I will try again though....

 

[reneebaker]

I'll work on making it more legible. Have to go to family dinner. Then back tonight to work on it some more.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

You're not leaving that much time between some ADR's and getting to a park for parade/fireworks, etc.. I wouldn't count on sitting right on time and it's not uncommon for it to take 1 - 2 hours for a table service meal, plus then traveling time. Are you going to have a car or rely on Disney transportation?

Overall I think Plan B seems better.

 

[reneebaker]

Pretty much parades don't matter too much I just want to be aware of them. I would like to catch at least 1 showing of every fireworks display we missed wishes last year do to criss crossing too much and not knowing what we were doing. We do mostly rely on
Disney transportation (we are going with friends that will have a van but it will be a tight squeeze all of us fitting into it!)

PLAN A


Day 1 Morning Magic Kingdom - Evening Epcot
B - Tony's Grand Gathering Breakfast 9 am
L- CS
D- Whispering Canyon Cafe 5 pm



Day 2
Late Breakfast/ Early Lunch- CS
D-Fantasmic Dining Package (Books between 3-5pm) Hollywood Studios EMH

Day 3
Epcot in Morning Magic Kingdom Night for EMH
B- in room
L-CS
Liberty Tree Tavern 7 pm


Day 4 Animal Kingdom in Morning - Evening Hollywood Studios
B-In room
L-CS
Dinner 7pm 50s Primetime

Day 5
B- In room
L- CS
D- Coral Reef 6:45

Day 6 Water parks Morning and MNSSHP
B-in room
L- CS
D- 5 pm Ohana

Day 7
B-in room
L-CS
D-Boma 5pm Animal Kingdom Evening for EMH

Day 8 - Le Cellier 5 pm Then Magic Kingdom to finish out Disney World!


PLAN B Bookings

Day 1 Morning MK- Evening EPCOT
B- In room
L - Liberty Tree Tavern Lunch 12:00
D - CS


Day 2 Morning AK??? or Hollywood Studios all day
Late Breakfast/Early Lunch CS
Fantasmic Dining Package or 50 Primetime 3-5 pm


Day 3 Epcot in Morning- Magic Kingdom Night for EMH
B- in room
L - CS
D -Whispering Canyon Cafe 7pm


Day 4 Animal Kingdom in Morning - Evening Hollywood Studios
B- in room
L- CS
D- 50s Primetime 7PM

Day 5 Morning MK Evening Epcot
B -Grand Gathering Breakfast at Tony's at Magic Kingdom 9 am
L - CS
D - Coral Reef

Day 6 - Waterparks and MNSSHP
B- in room
L- CS
D- 5 pm Ohana

Day 9 Animal Kingdom Evening for EMH
B- in room
L- CS
D- Boma 5pm

Day 8

B-in room
L- CS
D- Le Cellier 5 pm Then Magic Kingdom to finish out Disney World!

 

[JerseyJanice]

Personally, I wouldn't enjoy that much park hopping. You lose a lot of time in transit.

My approach is to check the schedule for my trip dates and choose which park we will visit that day. Then, I take the list of restaurants we want and match them to location.

So it looks like you want Tony's and the WCC. Fine choices for an MK day.

Coral Reef and LeCellier you do on your Epcot days.

We really enjoyed the Fantasmic dinner package at Mama Melrose. I'd eat at that restaurant just for the honey hazelnut cheesecake. It was awesome!

Boma is a good choice for Animal Kingdom day because of the theme, but so is Ohana because it can take a long time to travel and eat there. Ohana is our favorite WDW restaurant BTW.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Plan C

Day 1 Morning MK- Evening EPCOT
B - In room
L - Whispering Canyon Cafe (between MK and Epot so late lunch)
D - CS

Day 2 HS (all day)
Late Breakfast/ Early Lunch- CS
D - Fantasmic Dining Package (Books between 3-5pm) Hollywood Studios EMH

Day 3 Epcot in Morning Magic Kingdom Night for EMH
B - in room
L - CS
D - Liberty Tree Tavern 7 pm

Day 4 Animal Kingdom in Morning - Evening Hollywood Studios
B - In room
L - CS
D - 50s Primetime 7pm

Day 5 Morning MK Evening Epcot
B - Grand Gathering Breakfast at Tony's at Magic Kingdom 9 am
L - CS
D - Coral Reef

Day 6 Water parks Morning and MNSSHP
B - in room
L - CS
D - 5pm Ohana (no later or you will miss part of the party)

Day 7 Animal Kingdom Evening for EMH
B - in room
L - CS
D - Boma 5pm (if Animal Kingdom closes at 7 or 8 I would do dinner afterwards, you most likely are looking at a 2hour dinner with transportation)

Day 8 - Epcot day MK evening
B - in room
L - LeCellier 2:50
D - CS

Personally, I think even with this you are hopping way too much so if it were me. Is there a way you can cut down even 1/2 of your days (4) that you would stay at a major park for the whole day. Then you could hop the others if you missed a firework show?

Have fun!!!

 

[68wdwmom]

One park a day is all we do otherwise you are travelling all the time.If you don't have park hoppers you could always try the resorts to eat. We have never planned our day just what park we are going to that day.

 

[2Tiggies]

You are doing quite a lot of park hopping. If that works for you then great, but I am a go-go-go kind of person and find one hop a day is plenty.

I also see you are doing MNSSHP but dinner at OHana at 5 pm. That means your party tix allow you entry at 4 pm but you will be going to the Poly then for your ressie and will be back at the park hopefully for 7 pm if you don't wait to be seated. I mean the 5 pm ressie is fine if you get it but you may want a back up plan if you can only get later times as that would seriously take time out of your party evening. Will you have a car there? If so, it is a whole lot more manageable. Or if you are staying at a monorail resort it would also help on this particular day. For example, using the bus system you would get a bus to the waterparks, get a bus back to your resort. Get changed/showered or whatever, then get transport to the MK. Get the monorail to the Poly (unless you are staying there). Eat at OHana. Get the monorail back to MK..... As the PP said, cuts a lot of time out of your day.

I will add that I followed your outline with no probs though

 

[B-Ride]

One park a day is all we do otherwise you are travelling all the time.If you don't have park hoppers you could always try the resorts to eat. We have never planned our day just what park we are going to that day.

We are the opposite. We have always rented a car so travel is easy and we love park hopping. Staying in one park all day is too much for us most of the time.

 

[momof1princess]

hi op i see only one flaw in your plan. you're doing MNSSHP, but having dinner at ohana at 5pm. your MNSSHP tix allow you entry to MK at 4pm, and the parade will start at 7pm. if you eat at the ohana at 5pm, even if you get seated on time, there's no way you'll make it to MK in time for the parade at 7pm. now granted, there is another one later on, but if you have little ones, they may be asleep by then, and the MNSSHP parade is great! wouldn't want them to miss it.

my suggestion would be to do dinner at liberty tree tavern on that day, preferably about 4:45pm, so that you'll have ample time to eat, then you can just walk outside LTT and find a parade spot. this is a GREAT area to view the parade, and the ambience of LTT during MNSSHP is awesome. have a great trip!

Note: i see you have LTT on day 3 for dinner (which, if you took my suggestion, would put you eating there twice)...may i suggest crystal palace instead? the food is delicious, the pooh characters are wonderful, and the restaurant has a great theme.

 

[dansyr2514]

I would have back up's for le cellier and ohana's. My booking window opened today and I could only get ohana's at 9:00pm. Le cellier was also difficult I had to switch some things around in order to get it.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Tell your DH that the itinerary is a good idea so that you are not spinning your wheels trying to figure out "What should we do today?" I like to schedule around EMH, parades, fireworks... and dinners we would like to have. We get the park hoppers each time so we can go to more than one park during a day, but not to three.

I layout our week in Excel - I know the format won't past right, but June 2009 trip had this:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Walt Disney World Ph. (407) 934-7639 Reservation #XXXXXXXXX
Boardwalk Inn Club Level, Standard Room (2) Adults, (3) kids, 7-Day, Park Hopper
Dining Reservations: 407-939-3463 Hours: 7am - 10pm Everyday
Magical Express Service: 866-599-0951 Level 1, Terminal B below baggage claim.

6 Saturday Welcome to WDW Check-in Conf # Rstrnt. Phone Cancelation
11:25 AM Depart MSP Depart Flight#XXXXXX
3:12 PM Depart Detroit Depart Flight#XXXXXX
5:50 PM Arrive in Orlando Arrive
7:00 PM Arrive @ Disney World Check-In Hang out at Hotel
9:00 PM Watch Epcot Fireworks from Club Level Balcony

7 Sunday morning all @ Epcot, PM C/H + C/M @ MK Check-in Conf # Rstrnt. Phone Cancelation

1:20 PM Epcot (9-7/9pm) Lunch Coral Reef, party of 12 (have to ask put together) TS 10 mins, ~3 tbls XXXXXXXXX
whenever MK (9am-10pm-1am) Dinner Cosmic Rays QS
3:00 PM MK (9am-10pm-1am) Parade Dream Come True Parade 3:00pm
9:00 PM MK (9am-10pm-1am) FireWorks Wishes Night Time Spectacular, 9pm

8 Monday Animal Kingdom Check-in Conf # Rstrnt. Phone Cancelation

1:00 PM DAK (9am-7pm-10pm) Lunch Rainforest Café (2 tables) for party of 12 10 - 15 mins XXXXXXXXXX 407-938-9100
3:45pm DAK (9am-7pm-10pm) Parade Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade 3:45pm
6:20 AKL Jiko's - Cam & Heather + Kids TSx2 XXXXXXXXXXX


9 Tuesday Magic Kingdom Check-in Conf # Rstrnt. Phone Cancelation

3:00 PM 8am EMH 9am-12am Parade Dream Come True Parade 3:00pm
9:10 PM Contemporary Char Dinner Chef Mickey's for party of 12 5-10 mins XXXXXXXXXXX
9pm 8am EMH 9am-12am Parade SpectroMagic Parade 9pm
10pm 8am EMH 9am-12am Fireworks Wishes Fireworks, 10pm
11pm 8am EMH 9am-12am Parade SpectroMagic Parade 11pm
10 Wednesday Hollywood Studios Park Hours: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm - 10:30pm Ex. Mag. Hrs Check-in Conf # Rstrnt. Phone Cancelation


12:30 PM DHS (9-9-12 emh) Lunch Mama Melrose - Cam & Heather + Kids TS XXXXXXXXXXX
3:00 pm DHS (9-9-12 emh) Parade Block Party Bash 3:00 pm


11 Thursday Epcot Check-in Conf # Rstrnt. Phone Cancelation
Future Word: 9:00 am - 7:00pm
World Showcase 11:00am - 9:00pm - 12:00 am EMH
6:50 PM Epcot Char Dinner Akershus (Acre-shoes) Princess Story Book (12 people) TS XXXXXXXXXXX ON Credit Crd
^-- Must cancel Akershus or CC will be charged


12 Friday Magic Kingdom Check-in Conf # Rstrnt. Phone Cancelation
MK (9am-10pm-1am) Lunch Cosmic Rays QS
3:00 PM MK (9am-10pm-1am) Parade Dream Come True Parade 3:00pm
3:20 PM MK (9am-10pm-1am) Char Dinner Crystal Palace for party of 12 buffet TS XXXXXXXXXXX
9:00 PM MK (9am-10pm-1am) "SpectroMagic" Parade 9:00pm
10:00 PM MK (9am-10pm-1am) Wishes™ Nighttime Spectacular 10:00pm

13 Saturday Depart for Home Check-in Conf # Rstrnt. Phone Cancelation

1:00 PM Leave for Airport
3:45 PM Depart for home Departure Flight #XXXXXX
7:00 PM Depart Houston Departure Flight #XXXXXX
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

So are you crazy? I say No.

Now on to your plans....well, dinner time. I'll take a look at them later, but to add to the MNSSHP comments - do you plan on dressing up? If so, then I'd say grab quick service at your resort, relax, change, then head to MK for the evening.

 

[reneebaker]

Thanks for the tips! I will move some things around see if we can switch Ohana with LTT and go for an earlier reservation time. If all else fails we can even switch Ohana with WCC. Since they are in the same area they can be moved around. Lord knows it isn't set in stone yet! I think the MNSSHP was going to be our chill day. A little bit of water parks resort pool and calm. We are going to go to the resort to change before heading back. IDK if we are dressing up. I would like to but if we are it will be something fairly simple. I have two little boys 4 and 6 they would enjoy dressing up. Maybe some pirates? We will have access to a car so we can use it for the mad rush days if we need to. Last year we did a morning in one park resort nap wash clothes shower change evening dinner somewhere else and it was calm but took a chunk of the day. This year we are going with friends who are in it for the long haul. No naps park hopping and I am trying to merge our families! These were the tips that I needed and I appreciate you all taking the time to look it over for me And thanks for understanding my twisted logic. It totally makes since to me when I look at it. Originally I was thinking we would do a TS lunch the day of MNSSHP and then CS in the park when we were there. But the people we are going with want to do water parks that day. Sooooo I have to share planning. lol

 

[amycakes]

Trying this from my iPod. Plan C is my fav. Plan B with a few chgs. Day 1 WCC for dinner and LTT on day 3. Day 2 stay in HS all day. Dinner ressies prior to Spectro/Fantasmic/Illuminations need to be earlier. It takes 1.5 hrs for TS and you need to allow time to find a good viewing spot. Day 7 you may want to consider a later ressie. The Disney buses are great but sometimes they don't always arrive when you want them. Park hopping is nice but travelling does cut into park time. My hubby doesn't enjoy or participate in the itinerary but when in Disney he just looks at me and says "Where to next?". He also is our fastpass runner. What more could you ask for?

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

The 5mo 4wk ticker just doesn't seem to be working out right to your schedule. Day 1 = Oct 2??? It seems to be right based on your EMH, but MNSSHP doesn't fit the right day then.

If you don't mind, what day is day 1

 

[DisneyFamily123]

A plan is a must at Disney World. I'm a DH and I'm already planning for December's trip. A plan = more efficient use of time = saved money and a more relaxed, rested, happier family!

I'm not an expert... but I like morning extra magic hours and I don't put much weight into the avoid any park with magic hours thing. But if you are not staying at a Disney resort and cannot go during magic hours, avoiding those parks may make sense for you. You are going, I think, during a less busy time of year too. And I'll guess that makes the avoid parks with magic hours strategy less effective... ...all guesses!

It looks like you are planning two evenings at Hollywood Studios. I liked making HS an all day trip. Or if you go 1 morning and 1 evening (for fantasmic), there are advantages to being there when the park first opens. We got on Toy Story Mania ride right away and got a fast pass for later... rode Tower of Terror, and were able to get a 3rd set of fast passes for Toy Story. Later in the day, there were no fast passes and the wait was an hour (even in Oct.). For us, there's a lot to do during the day -- shows, characters.

If you are morning people, I like going to Donald's Safari breakfast at Tusker House in Animal Kingdom. When AK opened at 9am, we had an 8am breakfast and were done and already in the park right at 9am. No waits for any rides.

For MNSSHP, I agree with posters that it helps to arrive on time. Ohana opens at 5. We ate at 5 and were done in an hour, changed into costumes (we were at the Polynesian) and went to MK. But, do you need time to change into a costume? If you wanted to be on the safe side, you could do Ohana another night.... but we really liked Ohana. I second the suggestion of Crystal Palace for dinner that night. You'll already be in the park and we love the food there.

HAVE FUN PLANNING!

 

[reneebaker]

Thank you all so much for your help and opinions in helping me to pick out the times! I was up bright and early this morning at 4:45 and this is what we got!!!!!

*Drumroll please*

For a party of 9 - 4 adults and 5 children ages 2, 4, 6, 7, and 16

October 1 our arrival day we get in late so probably just a CS and getting ready for tomorrow!

October 2 - Magic Kingdom Day all Day
B - Tony's Good Morning Breakfast Check in 8:30 (I really like the idea of our first meal being a Character meal and getting into the park before rope drop on day 1 for pictures.

L- CS

D- Whispering Canyon Cafe 5:20


October 3- Hollywood Studios All Day with Evening EMH

Breakfast/Late Lunch - CS

D- Fantasmic Dining Package Mama Melrose 3:45

October 4 - Epcot in Majority of the day then Magic Kingdom for EMH

L- CS

D- Ohana 6:20

October 5 - Animal Kingdom in Morning/ Afternoon Hollywood Studios they close at 7 so an early night to recuperate from all the EMH

L- CS

D- 50s Primetime Cafe 6:50 (I was hoping for a little later but this is the only time available for a party our size)

October 6- Epcot Day!

L-CS

D- Coral Reef 6:45

October 7- Water Parks then MNSSHP!!!

L- CS

D- Liberty Tree Tavern 4:45

October 8- Animal Kingdom Day with EMH!

L- CS

D- Boma 8:15

October 9- Our last day at Disney World! No set plans really for this day. Probably going to end the day at Magic Kingdom since they close at 11 that night and to me nothing says Disney like the MK

L- CS

D- Le Cellier 5:10 pm

 

[chloelovesdisney]

That looks great! You all will have a fabulous time.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I have the Fanstasmic Package the same day as you, but my reservation is for 5pm. We should see you on your way out...

I am glad you got all the reservations you wanted, and your schedule looks great. Have a great trip..... Enjoy!!