Erin Morris
Jonese
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2019
- Messages
- 9
Hi! I've been quietly stalking the boards for a while now and I'm ready to make a post and see what you all think! We are still 2 months out from FPP booking, so I know things will change... This is our first family trip to Disney. My DH and I have been on small trips to Disney as a child and in our early 20's (now 20 years ago) but never for more than one day. Our kids are DD1 - 11, DS - 9 and DD2- 6. Part of why we waited so long to go is our oldest was VERY scared of people in costumes. It never make sense to us to spend Disney trip money to have her be terrified all the time. But now at 11, she's so excited and we are so glad we waited. We've tacked on a day and a half at Universal before we head over to Disney as we are big HP fans. We are staying at the Royal Pacific at Universal and at the Grand Floridian at Disney (with free dining). We are a little worried we might boil in August, but it's the only time we could make work and we were hoping for a little less of a crowd. So here I go...
Arrival Day (Tues 8/20):
I would love any feedback! A friend who has been many times helped me, but as we're newbies, I'm sure we've messed something up! I went back and forth about MNSSHP, but I think for our family, it's a waste of money. We are much more early birds and not night owls, so I don't think our kids could make it late enough to make it worthwhile. Also since it's our first time and we are excited about rides, it doesn't look like the best use of our time. I also found the ADR's flummoxing as you have to make them before you have all your information about your FPP and park hours. Crazy system. Also nervous about the dining plan. We are from the NYC area and are used to eating well. That said, we are looking for more "experience" dining for the kids and less about eating an amazing meal. Hence no signature dining. I had a moment when I thought we should upgrade to deluxe dining, but I don't think we want to spend that much time eating. Also, even if I keep all our ADR's and we pay OOP for 2 TS meals, that's still less than upgrading. I think if we keep track we will be happy with choosing free dining over the room discount, but there's always that feeling that you messed up.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading!
Arrival Day (Tues 8/20):
- Flight lands at 5:30 at MCO, uber to Royal Pacific
- Dinner either a hotel pool or head over to Universal and go to Ollivanders and eat in HP land (our 2 day tickets were extended to 5 day tickets with a promotion, too bad Delta is not so flexible on flight changes, grr!).
- Morning/Early Afternoon - Early park admission, focus on Harry Potter lands in both parks, ride Gringotts and Harry Potter and the Forbidden journey and Hagrids Magical Creatures (if it allows express pass). Leave around 2 pm for a hotel/pool break
- Late Afternoon/Evening - Focus on Islands of Adventure, specifically Jurassic Park and Seuss land. Kids are not big "thrill" riders, so no "upside down" coasters... Try to have dinner at Mythos (kids are BIG greek mythology/percy jackson fans).
- Morning/Early Afternoon - Ride Hagrid's Magical creatures at early entry if no express pass. Focus on Universal side/anything we missed or kids want to repeat.
- Uber to Disney ~2-3pm
- Check into Grand Floridian
- Go to Magic Kingdom when settled (~4:30/5pm)
- ADR at Crystal Palace
- FPP target: Space mountain, Buzz Lightyear, tomorrowland speedway
- Stay for HEA if not too tired or watch from hotel.
- EMH - rope drop fantasyland, non-7DMT rides. Thinking about rope dropping peter pan, not sure if this is a good idea or not...
- Focus on Fantasyland, Adventureland & Frontierland
- FPP - 7DMT, Splash Mountain and either Peter Pan or BTMRR
- try to get FP for jungle cruise, pirates, PP/BTMRR
- Breakfast target - Sleepy hollow or Gaston's Tavern to use snack credits
- Lunch target - Columbia Harbor House or Pecos Bill (unless I can switch my BOG ADR to a late breakfast/early lunch this day)
- Leave park ~2pm for hotel/pool
- Head to Epcot ~5pm
- try to ride Soar'n, Turtle talk, possibly spaceship earth and living with the land
- ADR Coral Reef
- Hotel until 9:15ish - Breakfast in room or snack credits at Gasparilla's
- Typhoon Lagoon - 10am-1ish
- HS 2ish - close
- FPP targets: SDD,Star Tours, Muppets 3D
- try for FP to other Toy Story land rides
- This is the hardest park for me to plan. My husband and I spent New Years here (MGM at the time) in 2001. It was a very unenjoyable experience for us. This makes me not even want to go to the park at all. We are Star Wars fans, but are happy we are just missing GE. We will try to go to the Launch Bay. Our little loves frozen so we will do the sing a long
- ADR Fantasmic Dining Package at Mama Melrose. Not sure this is worth it, but the food choices look not good in this park...
- Try to stay for Fantasmic & Star Wars Fireworks, but might bail if too tired.
- 7:45am MK - We currently have an ADR for BOG at 8:20am. Once upon a time this made sense... I'm trying to switch it for Friday, but if I can't we'll keep it, go, try to ride 7DMT then boogie over to Epcot (Yay, park hoppers!)
- 10-? Epcot
- FPP targets: FEA for me and the girls, Test track for DH & DS, Mission Space Green for me and the girls and Orange for DH & DS, Spaceship Earth for us all
- Other FP: Soar'n (if we didn't ride friday night).
- Walk around the world showcase
- lunch target La Cantina de San Angel
- Head back to hotel when we are hot/tired.
- Plan for now is to have a hotel night. We have an ADR for 1900 Park Fair which I might keep or cancel. Was looking for a Storybook dining ADR, but I'm not sure I'm as excited about that any more...
- We're all excited for this one! RD EMH and head to pandora to ride either FOP or Navi depending on how FPP goes... Then head to KS and have a morning safari
- FPP plans: FOP, EE & Kali (Touring Plans says I don't need one for KS which makes me nervous, should I just book it? I'd give up EE and either try to ride that in the AM or pickup a later FP for it).
- Lunch target: Flame Tree/Satuli/ Harambe Market depending on where we are.
- When we are hot, the plan now is to head over to Blizzard Beach to cool off then come back to AK.
- ADR ROL dining package at Tusker house for dinner
- End the night with ROL (or skip if too tired)
- Last day, plan is to sleep in, swim and check out (maybe ask for late checkout).
- Head to MK, repeat anything, go to Tom Sawyer Island, Liberty Square area.
- We have an ADR for the Festival of Fantasy Parade dining at Tony's not sure i will keep this or not. Is the parade viewing "perk" worth it?
- Stay until we are tired.
- We currently have an ADR for 1900 Park Fare for dinner. will keep if I cancel the earlier one. Will replace if we use the earlier rez.
- Leave for airport hotel as we have an early flight the next am (if we stay at the hotel in the airport, can we take MDE or no?)
I would love any feedback! A friend who has been many times helped me, but as we're newbies, I'm sure we've messed something up! I went back and forth about MNSSHP, but I think for our family, it's a waste of money. We are much more early birds and not night owls, so I don't think our kids could make it late enough to make it worthwhile. Also since it's our first time and we are excited about rides, it doesn't look like the best use of our time. I also found the ADR's flummoxing as you have to make them before you have all your information about your FPP and park hours. Crazy system. Also nervous about the dining plan. We are from the NYC area and are used to eating well. That said, we are looking for more "experience" dining for the kids and less about eating an amazing meal. Hence no signature dining. I had a moment when I thought we should upgrade to deluxe dining, but I don't think we want to spend that much time eating. Also, even if I keep all our ADR's and we pay OOP for 2 TS meals, that's still less than upgrading. I think if we keep track we will be happy with choosing free dining over the room discount, but there's always that feeling that you messed up.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading!
Sounds like a pretty good plan! I hear you about the dining plan, we booked it for the first time this year and are really trying to be mindful of using credits but also getting good value for our money. We payed OOP for all meals on our last trip, but that was mostly because our DS1 was 10 (so technically a Disney adult) and the non-buffet meals we had chosen didn't have ANYTHING he would have liked on the adult menu! It was easier then to just pay for our meals and let him order what would make him happy. This time around we're doing many more buffets so it's less of an issue. That's the biggest difference between the Deluxe and regular dining plans - on Deluxe dining, all credits are pooled and the Table Service credits aren't designated child or adult. On the regular plan they are segmented by age. Just something to be aware of as you're planning your meals.
like plan for ice creams one day, or dole whips, or starbucks (any size counts - including trenta). Thats my piece of advise! Otherwise everything sounds great! 
