Feb Trip Feedback???

[TinkerSouthernBelle]

Hi,

I'm so behind on this trip!!! Please look at my plans and give me your feedback. I know its too late to make many changes. My family has been a few times, but really 1st time for my DS's. The family we are traveling wih are 1st timers and TOTALLY relying on me to plan out our trip! Yikes! But I do love it

I need help with our meals from day 6 till the end. I have another TS and a couple of CS meals points still open to fill in those last days. I would like to get my TS figured out before we go. THANKS!!

Here is the cast:
Myself, DH, DD (7), DS (6), DS(2.5)

Friends:
DW, DH, DD (7), DS (5)

Staying at Beach Club Villas Our 1st time!!!! Have DDP & Park Hoppers
We plan on having Breakfast in our rooms each morning.
Friends arrive Friday evening, we arrive noonish the next day

Day 1:
Friends flight arrives 5 pm (this is 4 pm in their time zone, so not starving yet)
Check in & go to Epcot
Counter Service in WS & Illuminations
Epcot PM EMH if not too tired

Day 2:
Friends go to AK
CS lunch in AK
We arrive around Noon (driving)
Meet up at Calif Grill or Dinner at 5:30
7:00 P&PP

Day 3:
Sleep in?
10 ish Downtown Disney shopping
Early Lunch at Puck's Express, CS point
Arrive in MK by 3:00 parade
5:00 Dinner at Crystal Palace
MK, PM EMH's as long as we can stay awake!

Day 4:
Sleep in
10ish Boat or Bus to Disney Studios
See Mermaid and/or Playhouse Disney
Noon Lunch at Hollywood & Vine (Little Einsteins!!!)
Stay in Disney Studios
3:00 Parade, is it any good?
Get CS dinner at Pizza Planet
7:00 Fantasmic
Back to resort for Cards, drinks & kids to bed!!

Day 5:
8:00 Epcot AM EMH
Lunch CS somewere in Epcot, suggestions???
Stay in Epcot or go to resort for swim? if warm???
6:30 Dinner at Norway w/princesses
9:00 Illumintions

Day 6:
Just our family goes to Sea World
Friends go to quick AM park visit
Noon, friends leave
PM EMH at AK?
Dinner at CS at Yak & Yeti

Day 7:
MK EMH, do all our favorites
Ride monorail to Epcot Noon
2:30 Lunch at Le Cellier (I couldn't get a dinner PS and really want to eat here!)
Afternoon, swim/map
Disney Quest
Dinner at Food Quest (CS)

Day 8:
Animal Kingdom
Lunch CS???
NEED a TS dinner, Poly?
MK, closes at 11


Day 9:
Check out
Studios EMH
CS Lunch???
Noonish begin driving north
Bring on the feedback PLEASE!!!

 

[joelp]

Hi "neighbor" (click on "Next Thread ...)

First - don't forget to get "First Time" buttons for everyone - you may want to "surprise" your friends with them

On Day 1, your friends probably won't have much time (if any) to spend at Epcot, so you may want to suggest they just hang around the resort and get ready for what looks to be a very long Day 2 ...

One general comment I have is that you have a lot of potentially late nights planned, with a lot of TS dinners. That could become a problem with the kids, especially the DD-2.5. [Don't forget the stroller!!] When we went to WDW in May with our DD-3.5, I planned on heading back to POFQ every day after lunch for a nap/swim/rest ... so I didn't make any dinner ADRs cause I couldn't count on the DD be in the right "frame of mind" (i.e. not in "melt down" mode ... for a sit down dinner). So you may want to try and get some TS lunch ADRs and save the CS for dinners (but don't cancel any of your ADRs until you've made new ones ...)

A second comment would be to check ***************** for which parks to avoid/go to on the the days you have planned (you didn't ID the dates). The "Unofficial Guide" also recommends not going to a park with EMH because of the crowds. We went to MK and MGM with evening EMH and had no problems - can't tell you about morning EMH, though ...

Day 4 - Hollywood and Vine is a good choice for lunch - you will find the food surprisingly good. Be prepared to stuff yourselves!!

Day 5 - good luck trying to get to Epcot for 8am EMH after the big day you have planned for Day 4 ... Definitely take that mid-day break. For lunch - grab a Fastpass for Soarin', grab an early lunch at Sunshine Seasons, and then if you have any time until the Fastpass kicks in, take in some of The Land attractions (there's also a Kidcot station in The Land ...)

Day 6 - forget the AK EMH - you will need to rest ...

Day 8 - this is easy: hit the Flame Tree BBQ for lunch!! Grab your food and walk around the back ...and keep going till you get to the covered "picnic" area that sits over the river. Very nice and relaxing place to eat (and listen to the screams of those fools on Expedition Everest ...) And for dinner, head over to the AKL and Boma (call NOW to make an ADR - and good luck... ) ... and if you have any energy left, you can check out the AKL savannah afterwards ...

Day 9 - can't help you with a MGM CS ... maybe use the CS for a big breakfast at the resort instead?

You have a pretty full itineray planned - maybe too much with the kids ... So be prepared to take some breaks (you will need them as much as the kids!!), especially later in the week. And if some of the kids are going strong while another is crashing, don't be afraid to split up, with you/DH staying in the park and the other adult taking the kid back to the resort for a rest.

And finally, you need to plan/prioritize with your friends and ID the things you want to see together and those for which you have diiferent "priorities"... ... And be mentally prepared for some kiddie meltdowns (especially at night and later in the week) -

Have fun!!

Joel

 

[TinkerSouthernBelle]

Joel,
Thanks for all your great ideas!

I usually max out our plans and the we scale back/adjust as we go along.
My kids have amazing endurance and last time they wore us out! But I totally accept and anticipate "meltdowns" if we commando tour too much

I really appreciate your suggestions and will be relooking at our plans.

Any one else have any suggestions? Only 13days to go!!!

Thanks