Hi all! We arrive in the parks next Saturday, exactly one week from now. Since we are driving, I'm guessing we will arrive between 2-3 pm. Next Sat, June 7 is also a Grad Nite, so I know both parks will be crowded. I was planning to make arrival day just a pool day, but since Orbitz had that deal of 4 day PH for the price of 3, I figure we are spending the 4-5 hours in the park for free.
DH and I have 2 DDs, 4 and 8 (though the 4 year old turns 5 on Wed!). No stroller this trip so they will both be walking for the first time. I am the family FP runner, since DH has had 2 hip surgeries. Yet I had a stress fracture in my hip last Fall from my kickboxing class and am still in physical therapy, so I'm a little worried I'll have trouble hopping back and forth as I usually do. Keeping my fingers crossed I won't have to call Dechert's and get an ECV again this trip (which we may need to take turns sharing!).
I'd love feedback on my plan. It isn't a rigid plan, as I'm open to changing things completely after we arrive, but I like to have some ideas of what to target. After we arrive at DLH, check-in and drop stuff off (hopefully this will take less than 1 hour!), I've identified two options so far:
1) Walk to DCA together but I'll exit immediately with all 4 tickets so I can go to DL and grab Splash FP (likely an 8 or 9 pm return time based on the Mousewait times today) and pick up our PhotoPass+ lanyard. While I'm running around, DH and the girls go watch a Disney Jr. Show (either 3:15 or 4:15 pm, depending on when we get to DCA). If they land in between shows, I'll tell DH to take them to Animation Academy. OR
2) We take the Monorail from DTD to Tomorrowland, so I can grab Splash FP first. DH takes DDs on Buzz or Autopia or maybe they do Captain America (yes, both girls love Captain America!) or the Pixie Hollow M&G. We'll have to check times. We then head to DCA together. He takes them to Disney Jr while I grab Soarin FP and the PhotoPass+ lanyard. I'm hoping we can use the Soarin' FP before our dinner res, which brings me to my second question re: our character meal dinner.
We have a 5:30 dinner res at Goofy's Kitchen. Should I push that back? We normally eat early dinners and I figured if we're early, we should be able to see the characters easier than if we go during peak dinner time later. I also ordered a birthday cake as DD4 turns 5 on Wed. I'm guessing we have to make sure to leave DCA before the Pixar parade blocks off access so we're not late for our 5:30 res.
I can't remember how long lunch at Goofy's took on our last trip. I think folks say to assume 90 minutes, right? Assuming dinner doesn't end until close to 7 pm or so, I'll send DH and DD4 back to the hotel room (since DD4 is usually in bed by 7:30) while DD8 and I go use our Splash FP. We probably will try to head back to the hotel after that since we have an early morning on Sunday.
Thanks for any tips/advice you can offer.
DH and I have 2 DDs, 4 and 8 (though the 4 year old turns 5 on Wed!). No stroller this trip so they will both be walking for the first time. I am the family FP runner, since DH has had 2 hip surgeries. Yet I had a stress fracture in my hip last Fall from my kickboxing class and am still in physical therapy, so I'm a little worried I'll have trouble hopping back and forth as I usually do. Keeping my fingers crossed I won't have to call Dechert's and get an ECV again this trip (which we may need to take turns sharing!).
I'd love feedback on my plan. It isn't a rigid plan, as I'm open to changing things completely after we arrive, but I like to have some ideas of what to target. After we arrive at DLH, check-in and drop stuff off (hopefully this will take less than 1 hour!), I've identified two options so far:
1) Walk to DCA together but I'll exit immediately with all 4 tickets so I can go to DL and grab Splash FP (likely an 8 or 9 pm return time based on the Mousewait times today) and pick up our PhotoPass+ lanyard. While I'm running around, DH and the girls go watch a Disney Jr. Show (either 3:15 or 4:15 pm, depending on when we get to DCA). If they land in between shows, I'll tell DH to take them to Animation Academy. OR
2) We take the Monorail from DTD to Tomorrowland, so I can grab Splash FP first. DH takes DDs on Buzz or Autopia or maybe they do Captain America (yes, both girls love Captain America!) or the Pixie Hollow M&G. We'll have to check times. We then head to DCA together. He takes them to Disney Jr while I grab Soarin FP and the PhotoPass+ lanyard. I'm hoping we can use the Soarin' FP before our dinner res, which brings me to my second question re: our character meal dinner.
We have a 5:30 dinner res at Goofy's Kitchen. Should I push that back? We normally eat early dinners and I figured if we're early, we should be able to see the characters easier than if we go during peak dinner time later. I also ordered a birthday cake as DD4 turns 5 on Wed. I'm guessing we have to make sure to leave DCA before the Pixar parade blocks off access so we're not late for our 5:30 res.
I can't remember how long lunch at Goofy's took on our last trip. I think folks say to assume 90 minutes, right? Assuming dinner doesn't end until close to 7 pm or so, I'll send DH and DD4 back to the hotel room (since DD4 is usually in bed by 7:30) while DD8 and I go use our Splash FP. We probably will try to head back to the hotel after that since we have an early morning on Sunday.
Thanks for any tips/advice you can offer.
