Feeling a little overplanned........

[shellgirl]

This is our first trip with 2 boys ages 8 & 4. I have been reading all the forums and checking park capacities and what days to go where. I have made some dinner reservations and pretty much put everything down on paper! Now I am feeling a little overplanned! I can't see how to fit everything in and stay on a schedule. Is this really the way to do it or just go with the flow and assume you will make it to your dinner reservations and such. I am second guessing some of my plans now and wanting to change dinner reservations and we are leaving in less than a month! We got the free upgrade to water parks and disney quest but don't see how we can fit everything in on this trip........
Our Scedule:
Friday April 27th- Arrive at Port Orleans Riverside 1pm
Reservation : 5 nights 6 days park hopper water park plus tickets
Options: Check in 3:00 Spend day at Water park/Downtown Disney
Lunch at Hotel or Park of choice
Dinner Reservations 7:20 Le Cellier Steakhouse Epcot-Canada
Fireworks at Epcot start at 9 pm

Friday April 28th-Animal Kingdom(9-5 hours)/MGM(9-8:30 hours)
First half day at AK
Lunch at Tusker House(AK) or at Food Court at Hotel
Swim at Hotel and relax then go to MGM late afternoon
Second half day at MGM studios-Eat at MGM or Hotel for dinner
Stars & Cars parade 5 pm Fantasmic Fireworks 8:30-Optional

Saturday April 29th-Magic Kingdom(9-7 hours)
Lunch at Cosmic ray’s Starlight Café-(Tommorowland)
Share a Dream Parade 3 pm
Dinner Reservations 7:20 pm Chef Mickey’s (Contemporary Resort)

Sunday April 30th-Epcot(9-9 hours)
Lunch at Sunshine Seasons Café(Future World)
Dinner Reservations at 7:30 Coral Reef (Epcot Living Seas)
Illuminations at 9 pm-Optional

Monday May 1st-Favorite Park for the day! Probably MK

Dinner Reservations at Hoop De Doo Revue- Fort Wilderness- MK 5pm-7pm
Take boat to MK for Parade/Fireworks starting at 9pm

Tuesday May 2nd-Check out 11am.
East breakfast at Food Court-Port Orleans Riverside


I am thinking that I should not have made dinner reservations our first night sine we don't know what we will want to do the first half day! Should I keep Le Cellier or try to change nights. I know that I am keeping Chef Mickey's so the kids have a character meal. I am considering cancelling Hoop De Doo and replacing that is whispering canyon for lunch that day instead of having a dinner reservation our last night. We would then have an extra dinner reservation to make on Friday night or eat at our resort. Do we need reservations to eat at Boatwrights at our resort? Help........I am going crazy !

 

[Schachteles]

I know what you mean about over planning...I feel like that too and am driving my husband NUTS with it! The only thing I can suggest is to make decisions quickly. We just added a second trip to the World from May 20th to the 29th and I called to try to book Chef Mickey's for the 25th and the earliest dinner time I can get is 7:40! So things are really starting to book up all over! GOOD LUCK...enjoy!

 

[lustergirl]

God love you that you have decided to jump right into things. For the christmas trip we are taking, 12/12-12/19 we arriving at AS Sports probably around 2:30pm. The four of us are going to play putt-putt golf at the Winter Wonderland place then come back to our hotel for a counter service (we are using the dining plan). We have nothing else planned for that evening and you can see that we are not going to use our table service credit because we are saving that for the Luau show (which uses 2 table credits per person). I always like to relax the first day we get there, get used to our surroundings, lets the boys go swimming, etc. If we have time we may go to Downtown Disney for awhile that first night, it depends on how we feel. I can make my dinner ressies on June 15th- coming up faster than you think. Last year I had everything planned to the tee and we strayed off course. I actually drove myself a little nuts with the obsessive planning. This year we will know where we are going to eat every night, other than that I am letting my 2 sons (ages 12 and 16) decide what parks on what days. I plan on doing alot things like the Luau show and Mickey's Christmas Party- I have put them into a time plan.

Alot of people stress out over what they are going to do every minute of the day. I don't think it is worth it especially if you have children. Disney is a great place but don't wear yourself out while you are on vacation. Step back and get a chance to smell the roses if what I am talking about.

 

[maggiew]

The plans look great! Believe me, when you are there, you will be so glad that you did all the research and made all of these plans. You don't have to follow them exactly, but your knowledge will make your trip great. When you see people standing around looking at a map saying, "What should we do next?" you will understand.

My biggest piece of advice is to not try to "do it all, see it all". There will be other times.

I think you should keep Hoop Dee Doo. Your kids are at an age where they will like it. Also, they are still both considered kids and so the price will be cheaper than if you wait a year or two.

Maggie

 

[lustergirl]

One more thing- I think you could be spend a month at Disney and still not see everything.

 

[YCFAN]

I'd definitely keep Hoop-De-Doo. That's a show your kids will remember forever!

 

[Cindy's Mom]

The plans look great! Believe me, when you are there, you will be so glad that you did all the research and made all of these plans. You don't have to follow them exactly, but your knowledge will make your trip great. When you see people standing around looking at a map saying, "What should we do next?" you will understand.

My biggest piece of advice is to not try to "do it all, see it all". There will be other times.

I think you should keep Hoop Dee Doo. Your kids are at an age where they will like it. Also, they are still both considered kids and so the price will be cheaper than if you wait a year or two.

Maggie

Great advice. So great that I have nothing to add to it

 

[Sleeping Jedi Beauty]

Because there is so much to do at WDW, planning is worth the time and effort. It's possible to overplan, but you'll appreciate having those ADRs when the time comes. On our first trip in '94 we had every day mapped out. We were able to do everything in the parks, which was our main goal.

 

[mommyintn]

The one thing that is great (I am a confessed overplanner!) is that at least you have an outline for your trip, you won't be standing around each day trying to figure out where you'll go. As far as the ADR's I think it's better to have them and if you don't think you're going to make it call and cancel. It's better to have those ADR's than cancel and wish you'd kept them. Have fun and go with the flow (according to your schedule of course! ) Oh and keep the Hoop De Doo we were there a week ago and we all loved it our 6 & 3 year olds clapped and laughed and actually ate.

 

[pedro2112]

What you have isn't called overplanning it's called being smart. You basically have your ADR's for TS meals planned out and also the parks you are visiting on a certain day. Heck, that's nothing. One guy on here had a minute to minute itinerary of each attraction, ride, meal he had for his three day trip! Now thats over planning!

 

[crisi]

You aren't overplanned, you do appear to be overscheduled. And you do need to get it out of your head that you get everything done. I've been MANY times and there are things on my list I've never done.

Plan on it taking half an hour to get anywhere. Something a simple as checking in will take half an hour.

So on your first day, you check in to POR at 3:00. You may be in your room by 3:30. You have reservations at Le Cellier at 7:20. To work backwards from those reservations - it will take you 10 minutes from the front of Epcot to LeCellier, so you need to be at Epcot at 7:10. It will take you 30 minutes to get to Epcot on a Disney bus, so you need to leave the resort at 6:40. Since this is your first trip, I'd add a good twenty minutes for just general confusion - you'll want to leave the resort by 6:15 or so. So you have less than three hours. DTD or a waterpark will take you longer than three hours, you'll lose an hour in just traveling - probably more as the DTD/Waterpark buses tend to be a little slower. Your best bet will probably be to go straight to Epcot, pick up any remaining FastPasses for Soaring/Mission:Space/TestTrack (if they are still left), and spend your three hours in Epcot. Alternatively, stay at the hotel and enjoy the hotel pool for two hours before changing (another half an hour - maybe more depending on your four year old and what you need to do after a swim) and heading out to dinner.

On your second day, you are going to fit in both AK and MGM. AND a swim. You'll barely get AK started before you need to get back to the hotel to swim. And you won't see nearly enough of MGM from 4-7:30 when you need to go sit down for Fantasmic (I'd skip the parade and see Fantasmic). And you'll be doing this with a four year old! With small kids, we couldn't maintain a schedule like this - they were sleeping by eight.

 

[Selket]

I agree with Crisi about being overscheduled. No such thing as overplanning in my book!

I have a 4 and 8 yr olds too. I highly recommend checking out a touring guide like Tour Guide Mike (my personal favorite). I wouldn't want to WDW without it anymore.

I would forget going to Epcot your first day and do the DQ and eat at DtD or go to the waterpark.

I think it is ok to do AK in the am and MGM in the pm but at MGM you would mostly just be going to eat and see Fantasmic. I would suggest doing the Fantasmic dinner package by all means. You really need to save time and that will help you out immensely with small children.

Your other plans are doable but will require you to get up early and stay out late. Some days there is no afternoon break. I call that the Disney Death March. After awhile you might be so exhausted that you really don't care about seeing anything anymore! LOL!

It takes quite a bit of time to get back to the hotel after evening fireworks. Since I don't like to burn the candle at both ends I usually pick only some late evenings as I think I get more rides in during the early mornings. If we're out late - to fireworks for example - then we plan a late morning/half day at the parks.

I realize you have this great package and there are just SO many things to do it is impossible to fit them in. Pick out the things you REALLY REALLY want to do and don't worry about the rest. If you try to do it all you will make yourself and the kids miserable.

Again you might want to try Tour Guide Mike for his which day/which park suggestions and touring plans and his suggestions on what time of day is best for dining reservations, etc.

Good luck!

 

[Jaxs27]

Your plans look great to me, they remind me a lot of our plans last year. I thought I had overplanned, but really we were all glad I did. My dh called me the trip planning queen. Making lots of plans really get you on the move and you always have something to do. Just keep your ADR's, if something happens you can always cancel and do something else. This year we are planning to go the other route and not plan as much, but that doesn't mean I regret overplanning our trip.

 

[timkin]

The more planning the better. Our first trip was when DD and DS were 6 and 4. We have gone apox. every 2 years and are leaving for our 4th in 11 days. The first trip we kind of went with the flow although we were at the parks first thing every morning. Every park visit had a midday break. The second trip I planned every minute. What order we would go on rides, what times we would be on rides, when and where we ate. I overplanned but it is the only way to have a great time. DO all the work before hand and keep it realistic(kinda hard to do if you have never been). Many people plan nothing and end up lost when they get to the park, not knowing what to do next.

I think your plan looks good. One thing we have always done has been go to MK first. You could do that the first day just to check all the shops and go on a couple rides. Good Luck.

 

[shellgirl]

I have seriously consdired skipping MGM for the most part. I think there are only a couple things that both my boys would be able to do together! I just would like to get them in to see the lights motor action stunt show and maybe catch the fireworks that evening. We really are not going to be riding much in the way of rollercoasters since my older son is afraid of them and my younger son is too small for them. I do'n't plan on doing more than one show per park on this visit. I just want to find the rides that we can all ride together as a family and get those done and out of the way, then do whatever is left during the day. We probably won't be back until the boys are older and able to ride the big stuff together! I guess in 4 years or so they will be old enough to get on the big rides but I'm sure it will be a whole different experience for them when they are 12 & 8 years old! I guess the dinner reservations are what worries me the most. I wanted to eat at some decent TS restaurants but was not sure what times to make reservations and trying to plan the day so you can make your dinner reservations and back to see fireworks are a pain in the butt!!!!!!!!!I really wish I knew how hard it is going to be to just walk in and get tables for dinner if we want to cancel reservations and eat elsewhere on our own time! I booked POR because they had a TS restaurant and now it looks like we may not eat there unless we choose that for our OOP restaurant one night. I really don't expect to see everything and do everything but I have a list of highlights that are a must to see and do and the rest is play it by ear. I think for first timers knowing how to plan when to leave and how to plan ahead for bus/travel time puts another gliche in the planning.........

 

[Hopefully]

A couple of thoughts I have in looking at your plans. You said that you will arrive at Port Orleans at 1 PM. You don't need to wait to check in until 3 PM. You can check in as soon as you arrive and receive your park passes, Disney info etc. and be off for the afternoon. You should expect that your room will not be ready (It might be, but you can't plan on it). You just leave your luggage with Bell Services and head out to explore. They give you a telephone number to call the resort and check on when your room will be ready if you want to. That way you will have several hours in the afternoon to do something, rather than splitting up the afternoon by coming at 3 to check - in.
I don't think you are over planned either. But do not expect to see and do everything, it is just not possible. I understand that you got the free upgrade to a water park and Disney Quest, but you may not fit them in this trip. I think for your first trip you should plan mainly park days, and skip the rest. I would ask everyone what their top 2 or 3 things to do are, and plan around those.
I think your ADR's look good. I would think that it may be very hard to change them and get a new one, at this late date.
I would not cancel either Le Cellier or Hoop Dee Doo. Both are great experiences, one more adult, the other fun for your kids. I think it is nice to do something on the night of arrival.
I also echo the thought that you need to plan time for travel, Disney is HUGE and it often takes longer than you think. I agree with a half hour in transit, but once you are ON the bus. You have to add in time waiting for the bus, which could be 20 minutes or more. Leaving a park after fireworks, you may have to wait for several full buses to go, before you get on one.
Relax and Have Fun!! Repeat after me, "I can't do it all, I can't do it all !! Enjoy!

 

[crisi]

I really wish I knew how hard it is going to be to just walk in and get tables for dinner if we want to cancel reservations and eat elsewhere on our own time!

Nearly impossible, except at a few hotel restaurants early and around lunchtime (not lunchtime in MGM - dinner is actually easier to walk into at MGM if you time it for while Fantasmic is going on). Even before the dining plan, we were regularly turned away if we didn't have reservations.

This is just my opinion, and its isn't a popular one, but I think the Dining Plan is a bad idea for first time visitors, particularly those with kids. You end up investing far too much time in food - time involved in travel to the restaurant, waiting for a table (even with ADRs, it happens), eating. First timers often really don't understand that yes - it can take an hour to get from the MK to the Japanese restaurant in Epcot. Plus the additional planning, and since you paid for it, you won't scrap the reservation and just grab a burger if you are running out of time. And for what - a steak? Le Cellier is good, but there are a dozen better steakhouses in the city I live in that I don't need to dedicate time from my vacation to go to.

Dining plans are a centerpoint of our Disney vacation, but we go every other year and have for six years - and before that we went off and on. And we are there for seven or eight days. And still at the end of every vacation I say "gee, we still haven't taken the kids to see Spectromagic and we missed every parade." We added a day to the vacation last time, just so the kids would have time on Tom Sawyers Island and the Dig at AK before they outgrew those sorts of things.

 

[skiingwife]

I agree with what a couple others have said. Your first two days look really busy. I wouldn't do the waterpark the first day. You'll probably all be tired from traveling. I would spend the day exploring your resort, going swimming, and then going over to DTD. Your boys will love shopping at the toy store. Have dinner at Earl of Sandwich or Rainforest Cafe. If you want to eat at LeCellier, I would change the Coral Reef reservation.

On your 2nd day, it will be hard to see Animal Kingdom, and swim, and do much at MGM. You said you want to see LMA stunt show, but the last show is in the afternoon. Maybe someone knows the time, but it's either 3 or 4, maybe 5? It might be hard for you to make that show in time. But if you want to just see Fantasmic you'll have time. If you reserve the Fantasmic package, however, those reservation times are usually between 4 and 5, so you'll still have to hurry. If you don't want to get the Fantasmic package, your boys would really like the SciFi Dine In. Definitely you'd need an ADR.

I think your plans for Saturday and Sunday look really good. Maybe on Monday you can do one of the waterparks. I would also keep Hoop Dee Doo. Your boys are a great age for it.

 

[robinb]

The fact is that you just can't fit everything in a 6 day trip. That's what your next trip is for .

The good news is that I think you picked the right days for each park. Just that alone will help you avoid lines. Unfortunatly, I don't think you have enough "down time" to nap and relax. In addition, I think your dinner reservations at 7:30ish are too late to see 9:00 PM fireworks. Table service meals take a minimum of an hour and often longer. You are really cutting things short on both Epcot reservations. I once had to wait 40 minutes for my PS at Le Cellier. Instead of heading into a park on your first day I would stay at one of the water parks until they close and then come home, eat at the food court and then head over to the River Roost bar at PO-R for the Bob Jackson's sing-along (http://www.yehaabob.com/). That way you'll be able to head out early in the morning.

Good luck! You won't regret your planning. And remember, things are not set in stone.

 

[shellgirl]

Okay, I changed my dinner reservations to give us a little more flexibility! I really did not want to be tied down to being a certain place on Thursday. We don't know how tired we will be or what everyone will agree to do for that day. I just reserved dinner at Boatwrights at our resort. That way we can hang out by the pool or visit DTD by boat from our resort and still have time to eat dinner at our resort. We even have time to make it over to MK for the parade and fireworks if we have the energy! We don't have dinner reservations for Friday since we are trying to fit in AK and a short visit to MGM to see a few things and catch the fireworks. We will just pay OOP for a TS meal in MGM if we can get in or we will just grab a burger or something!
We have MK on Sat. and they close at 8pm that night so we have dinner reservations at Chef Mckeys at 7:20. I switch from Coral Reef to Le Cellier on Sunday since we are planning on being in Epcot this day. I heard Le Cellier is much better than Coral Reef and I really don't care that much about eating at Coral Reef, it was more just to be near the fish. We can visit them without eating there! I got an earlier dinner reservation for LE Cellier so we can make it to Illuminations if the kids are up for it. I kept Hoop De Doo for Monday at 5 pm. We will more than likely be in MK that day anyway so we can just head over by boat. I think we may just not mention that we have water park passes and skip that all together. Not really my thing, I would rather hang out at the resort pool myself........Okay, I am starting to feel a little less stressed!!!! I feel like I am trying to fit too much stuff in and get to certain restaurants and such. I have to remember that the trip is for the kids and not me. They won't know if they missed anything since they have never been before.