GAH!!! I need major itinerary help :(

[houseful of boys]

I hear you, I'm dying for the shrimp and grits though!!! I wonder where else I can get it??

Grand Floridian Cafe has shrimp and grits. The Grand Floridian can be a nice break for dinner on a long MK day.

 

[MrKnight]

Here are my recommendations to make the most of your trip and still have a day to spend quality time with your grandparents:
B. Want to squeeze in MNSSHP

Sunday 10/25: Arrive MCO 10:10 am -- Lunch at T-Rex 1pm -- Hang out at our Villa, DTD, etc for the remainder of the day.

Monday 10/26: Epcot all day -- Coral Reef for dinner at 7:10pm AND STAY FOR ILLUMINATIONS

Tuesday 10/27: Universal Studios Day (OR Swap with Animal Kingdom OR Hollywood Studios)

Wednesday 10/28: Animal Kingdom OR Hollywood Studios

Thursday 10/29: SPEND DAY WITH GRANDPARENTS AND SPEND NIGHT AT MNSSHP!

Friday 10/30: Magic Kingdom -- BOG for lunch at 1:05pm -- EP, Wishes

Saturday 10/31: Depart MCO 12 noon.

 

[pmama]

Probably not the popular answer but I would say to ditch MNSSHP and US. I've found that when people try to squeeze it all in, in a short period of time they lose the full Disney experience. Ditch US, add a day to Disney to take it all in. You can return another time to US to fully take in all they have to offer. Not to mention, it is much more cost-effective to add days to either Disney or US than to buy seperate day tickets.

 

[senadler]

With your early arrival on Sunday, I would suggest MNSSHP on that day. I always like to start a trip with the MK, waiting until the last day would be impossible for me. It also would not use up one of your four days of tickets. Since you would see evening entertainment at the MK on the party day, you may want to consider planning one of the other party days to do RD at the MK. That would be a very low crowd day and free up your evening to spend time with the grandparents.

 

[mrzrich]

Sunday 10/25: Arrive MCO 10:10 am -- Lunch at T-Rex 1pm -- Hang out at our Villa, DTD, etc for the remainder of the day.
Ok

Monday 10/26- make this Universal day

Tuesday 10/27: Make AM in AK, PM AT MNSSHP

Wednesday 10/28 Visit with Grandparents if you want to keep Boatwright's that's up to you


Thursday 10/29 DHS

Friday 10/30: Magic Kingdom -- BOG for lunch at 1:05pm -- EP and Wishes in the evening

Saturday 10/31: Depart MCO 12 noon.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Okay this is our first trip ever, and I'm having a mini meltdown trying to figure out how to make all these moving parts work.

A. Grandparents who we havent seen in 5 years will be driving in from Naples to spend 1-2 nights at the Villa with us. THey may or may not hit the parks with us, but they understand we may have long days at the parks. Ideally I'd like to spend as much time as possible with them, but we just have so little time...maybe condensing the days??

B. Want to squeeze in MNSSHP

C. Only have 4 Days of tickets

Our current itinerary including ADR's is:

Sunday 10/25: Arrive MCO 10:10 am -- Lunch at T-Rex 1pm -- Hang out at our Villa, DTD, etc for the remainder of the day.

Monday 10/26: Epcot all day -- Coral Reef for dinner at 7:10pm

Tuesday 10/27: Universal Studios Day

Wednesday 10/28: Hollywood Studios -- Boatwrights for dinner at 7:30pm

Thursday 10/29: Animal Kingdom -- Boma for dinner at 5:10pm

Friday 10/30: Magic Kingdom -- BOG for lunch at 1:05pm -- EP and Wishes in the evening

Saturday 10/31: Depart MCO 12 noon.

Now, knowing that this is our first ever trip, and we aren't buying park hoppers, how would you seasoned vets set up this day so we aren't nuts??? It's October, could we maybe combine the AK and HS days to give us one free day off?? HALP!!

If it were my itinerary, I'd probably plan the following...(and yes, I'd also skip MNSSHP since you have such limited time)...

Sunday: Arrival and Grandparents' Day - plan a restaurant they like (an ADR or good off-site place), spend the time shopping at DTD or swimming or catching up with a beverage by a pool

Monday: Animal Kingdom - spend as long as you like at the park (stay til between noon and 3pm) then bring your grandparents over to the AKL to see the animals, enjoy the lodge and have dinner (Boma) and enjoy the rest of the night together hanging out

Tuesday: Universal Studios

Wednesday: Magic Kingdom Day 1 (and cancel Boatwrights and get a monorail dinner or try for BOG this day)

Thursday: EPCOT or Hollywood Studios - these parks will not be as impressive as MK and Universal, so since your time and tickets are limited, I would pick one or the other (I'd also change your ADR to something more local to these parks)

Friday: Magic Kingdom Day 2 (a 2nd day at MK will be more desired, I think - if not, you can always change your plans after Wednesday and put in the alternate park you miss Thursday)

Saturday: Leave

 

[ElsasFan]

I agree with the suggestions to skip Boatwright's, but I would stay at HS for Fantasmic that night. We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside and Boatwright's didn't look like anything special, but Fantasmic was a highlight of the trip. I respectfully disagree with the suggestion to leave the park to dine at the Grand Floridian-with one day in the MK, that time would be too valuable to me (but we are the go, go, go type family at the park-yours may be different). Maybe you could find a southern place at home to get your shrimp and grits fix?

 

[AP1209]

If it were my itinerary, I'd probably plan the following...(and yes, I'd also skip MNSSHP since you have such limited time)...

Sunday: Arrival and Grandparents' Day - plan a restaurant they like (an ADR or good off-site place), spend the time shopping at DTD or swimming or catching up with a beverage by a pool

Monday: Animal Kingdom - spend as long as you like at the park (stay til between noon and 3pm) then bring your grandparents over to the AKL to see the animals, enjoy the lodge and have dinner (Boma) and enjoy the rest of the night together hanging out

Tuesday: Universal Studios

Wednesday: Magic Kingdom Day 1 (and cancel Boatwrights and get a monorail dinner or try for BOG this day)

Thursday: EPCOT or Hollywood Studios - these parks will not be as impressive as MK and Universal, so since your time and tickets are limited, I would pick one or the other (I'd also change your ADR to something more local to these parks)

Friday: Magic Kingdom Day 2 (a 2nd day at MK will be more desired, I think - if not, you can always change your plans after Wednesday and put in the alternate park you miss Thursday)

Saturday: Leave

I really like this plan. I think that if you really want to see all parks I would go ahead and bite the bullet and get the park hopper that way you could spend a 1/2 day at DHS on one of the MK days. I would definitely do a full day at EPCOT.

 

[ParkHoppers]

Your plan looks pretty good to me. I think you can do it as is. You just have to decide if the grandparents will start the day with you and maybe go back to the Villa early or come meet you midday while they are there. Don,t worry. You have a better plan than you think.