Help- ADR with 2 year old and 4 year old

[TotallyOverwhelmed]

We will be in Disney in late Feb., so ADR opens soon. I'm trying to figure out what our plan should be, but am completely overwhelmed by all the options. We will have a 2 year old and a 4 year old and grandparents with us. I'm thinking one (or maybe two if we do breakfast and dinner) TS meals will be more than enough for our kids to sit through each day. We are not doing the dining plan (for several reasons), so I plan to just have easy things for breakfast in our room for mornings that we don't have an ADR. We are staying at Art of Animation if that helps. Here is what I'm thinking to try for with ADR, but would love feedback from people who know...

Day 1- Land at MCO at 9:30 and plan to spend part of the day at HS. Probably no ADR that day in case flight in is late, and just do dinner at hotel to give kids time to settle in before bed in the hotel room.
Day 2- MK. Be Our Guest for early lunch (which is fast pass only, if I understand correctly) or dinner. Hoping to stay for the evening parade.
Day 3- Animal Kingdom, which closes at 5. Thinking T-Rex for dinner in Downtown Disney that evening.
Day 4- Take the morning off (pool if warm enough), then head to Epcot around lunch, and hopefully kids nap in stroller and adults have some time to do things (or even just walk around).
Day 5- MK. Breakfast at Crystal Palace. Maybe make an early dinner reservation since it will be our last night?
Day 6- No plan now. Last day, and will need to leave mid-afternoon for airport. Thinking we can go back to whatever park we felt like we didn't have enough time in during the trip.

My kids actually don't watch a ton of Disney shows or movies. They know the Beauty and Beast characters, Little Mermaid, Pooh and friends, Toy Story, and Monster's Inc. We'll probably introduce a few others before we go, but they don't know any of the Disney Jr. shows, or anything. So, I'm not as worried about character meals.

My husband keeps joking that my efforts in planning this trip could be a full time job. Considering that I have a full time job already, I need some help in learning how to have a successful Disney trip with a preschooler and toddler!

Thanks in advance!

 

[G719]

You don't have to have a fp for be our guest lunch but it is helpful. You can wait in line to get in too.
Be aware that Trex is very loud if you have a child sensitive to that. They also have a build a Dino shop like build a bear which we did and made a nice souvenir.
The plan looks good to me. We loved AoA. Have fun!

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Looks pretty good to me, too. You have Pooh and friends at CP, you could look at Akershus for Belle, Ariel and Snow White (Epcot) but overall, good amount of leisure and rest, a good amount of seeing the sights.

 

[CaliTex]

Planning a Disney trip is a lot of work! My DH is always amazed by how much planning comes into play, not to mention trying to capture the timing for best discounts/offers. When the trip is multi-generational it becomes even more challenging.

If you have the time and money it would be very nice if you and your husband could have a date night at one of the restaurants in Epcot. It doesn't have to be signature dining if budget won't allow, but there are still many wonderful choices. I loved San Angel Inn, and ask for a table by the water! Perhaps you parents could also have a nice quiet dinner together?

My advice is to schedule enough down time to keep everyone feeling fresh, be realistic about what can be seen and done with a 2 and 4 year old (and it sounds like you are) try to make it special for everyone, not just the kids, and most of all, relax! There is no way to plan for all contingencies or avoid all snafus, and there is no way to see it all in one trip. God willing, think of the fun your family will have over the years, exploring!

I think you have a very good basic plan.

 

[TotallyOverwhelmed]

Thanks, everyone! Now, I'm thinking I want to book at ADR for the second day at MK for dinner. I might cancel later, but would rather hold something now. So far, I'm hoping to do Crystal Palace and Be Our Guest. Cinderella's Royal Table is expected to be closed for construction while we are there. What else would you recommend for little kids?

Re: the suggestion of a date night... I would love to do that, but my husband will only be there a few nights with us. He arrives on Friday night, he and I run a Disney race on Sunday morning, and he leaves Monday night. I don't think we'll be up for a date the night before or night of the race! Save that for next trip...

 

[leahlefler]

We're also going at the end of February. My kids are older than yours (we have 7 & 9 year old boys). We're probably going to do T-Rex cafe on our day of arrival (a Sunday, and we are not going into the parks that day). We also want to do Sci-Fi dine in theater for lunch (kids would get a kick out of it), and we are going to do the Coral Reef (in the aquarium at Epcot) with my parents. I'm still trying to decide if we want to do BOG.

 

[jtg2]

At epcot choose an international restaurant that interests the most; Disney kids menus will keep the young uns happy. I recommend Tutto Italia or Les Chefs de France.