Help me Critique my new Itinerary!

[Tomh]

Yup, going to the resort for a break . . = 2 to 2.5 hours of traveling for an hour break, and the kids are too wound up after the bus ride to the resort to sleep anyway, so you've wasted 3, maybe 3.5 hours of your day for nothing. DS would reliably pass out in the stroller when he was tired enough, that was his break.

Table service meals, count on them taking an hour to an hour and a half, so two per day is two to three hours out of your day just to eat.

If the trip is REALLY for the little one . .. skip the deluxe dining plan, get to the parks at 9:00. All ADR's should be no later than 8:00 in the morning, or no earlier than 11:30 in the morning. You want to be hitting rides from 9 until at least 11. After that, the crowds start to build, and it's ok to sit down and eat, but don't waste those first two hours eating. We made that mistake ONE time, NEVER again!

 

[Marissaq]

I would skip 1900 fare and grab dinner at Crystal Palace before 7. This allows u to enjoy the full party.

 

[GWhitten98]

Ok first off it is a long way until Sept, so persistence in looking for ADRs can pay off. Second, your timing on some of the items it tight or doesn't leave much time as many of the pp said, but with only slight tweeking I think you could make great improvements.
Here are some of my suggestions...

Monday: flight arrives to oralndo at 9:15am head to Epcot
ADR : 2pm Via Napoli Ristorante then head back to hotel for nap (If taking ME, I would not plan on getting into your hotel before noon, so making this ADR will be tight. I would skip this and choose one of the many amazing quick service in epcot instead)
Port Orleans Carriage Ride: 630pm (Are you staying at POR? If so this is probably doable, but again timing will be tough. If not staying at POR I would most definitely drop this.)
ADR: Le Cellier at 8:30 (Great place to eat, I wouldn't worry too much about missing Illuminations , as you said this is not a one time trip and you could plan on it next time, but it's pretty late in the evening and you have a fairly early mooinng planned the next day)

Tuesday: ADR: Crystal Palace at 9:30 > considering trading this for an 8:55 kona cafe reservation but my daughter really likes Pooh Bear
leave park around 2 to arrive to hotel for nap around 3 (I would skip the early morning ADR and possible try for a lunch...still have the characters, then you could leave for a nap directly after that.)
ADR: 1900 Park fare at 6:15 (This is a great meal, but I would not pair it with MNSSHP, party time is valuable and this ADR would have you getting to the party probably closer to 8 then 7)
MNSSHP: 7pm (whenever we get there after dinner and plan to stay until park closes)

Wednesday: Rest Day (figure we will need to sleep in after Halloween Party) Just hanging out at our resort until we leave for MK around 4pm
Daughter's first ever hair cut! Harmony Barber Shop at 5pm
ADR: Be Our Guest at 6:50

Thursday: 1/2 day at Animal Kingdom
The only ADR I could get was Tuskerhouse for 10:45... thinking it may be better to just explore quick service options BUT this would be our only opportunity for a meal with Mickey so I'm considering keeping it! Thoughts on this welcome
Leave to get back to our hotel for 3ish (I love the ADR time you got honestly b/c you will most likely get to sample breakfast and lunch...I would make sure to get to the park early and do as much as possible prior to breakfast. You should be able to get in checking out the tree of life, maybe one trail and the safari. If you are done with your ADR by noon that still gives you another 3 hours to check out other things.)
ADR: CRT at 6:50pm stay at the park until close

Friday: ADR: Hollywood and Vine at 9:30 (This time again kills a lot of time at HS, I would try and move it back to a lunch)
no ADR but would like to hit Pizza planet (husband and daughter LOVE Toy Story).
Flight home at 7pm

 

[Nancyg56]

I know the eating was for your DH, but to be honest, he's going to be disappointed. As others have said, you really should consider dropping the DxDDP and change back to the regular DDP. Choose one ADR/day and then do QS.

OMG! I was going to say the same thing! If you are going for the food, I don't see one ADR that would make me swoon. There are wonderful restaurants if someone is lookign for a doning experience, but I don't see one of them on the OP itinerary. I like BOG and 1900 PF, CP and TH, but none of them are fine dining.

OP- I understand what you are trying to do, but I think that after this trip if you do not make changes, your family will be that family who vows to never return. You are spending a fortune to trot from one place to another but just to barely skim the surface. If you cannot find the ADR's you wan tto justify the cost of the DXDDP, cancel it, pay OOP or use the regular DDP, and let your DD enjoy the parks. YOu have not worked anywhere enough time in enjoy the attractions or the scenery. Your 1900 PF will cut off a good portion of the party, and while it is a fun meal, you are payign a lot of money to miss a lot of time in MK.

 

[lilmape]

My kiddo won't sleep in a stroller and she requires naps, so I understand the need for mid day breaks. Plus it is really hot in September so giving yourself some time to relax can be important. You can do that through ADRs if she will sleep in a stroller, a quiet shaded place in the parks, or leaving. Some folks tour commando and have kids that are able to sleep like that. If you're DD isn't one of them do what's best for you. There are far too many ADRs if you really want her to enjoy the parks and like folks have mentioned, you can enter the MK at 4 if you have MNSSHP tickets. Animal kingdom has some delicious quick service that have huge portions. We enjoyed Tusker, but aren't doing it this time to maximize park time with our kiddo. Also love CP, but i would try and get a pre-opening ADR if possible. I also LOVE via Napoli and am not an advocate for canceling lol. Remember, she's young and it can be very hard to sit in restaurants for that long. Though some kids can, developmentally it's just not where most kids are. Take some water shoes and a change of clothes and let her run and play in the fountains ( if she likes water). All the parks have a water feature.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I just took my almost-three-year old. She had a wonderful time and was so much fun to watch.

We also did the first haircut at Harmony Barbershop and it was very special. They did a wonderful job with her. The ladies who worked in there were fabulous. Just get ready to have to buy one of those Spinny-Minnies they let her hold when she gets the cut!

I think you will have plenty of time to do the 5 pm haircut and make the 6:50 dining reservation. We had a 4 pm haircut, got there at 3:30, and they did my daughter's hair early. We were done by 4. Of course, it all depends on how busy the shop is, but I don't think you will have a problem.

Here is my concern with all of your dinner plans: we had a difficult time enjoying our table service dinners because the little one did not want to sit still. We had a BOG dinner, and it was really neat and all, but it was hard to enjoy when she was moving all around and whining about something she wanted or wanted to get up and run around but had to sit still. We decided that, with a 2/3 year old, it is better to have quick meals. Your daughter may be different and may be used to sitting still at table service dinners, but for us, it seemed like a lot of money to spend on food when the little one required so much attention at dinner. A couple of character meals would be nice, but a lot of table service meals might be difficult with a little one.

Whatever you decide, I wish you a wonderful trip.

 

[Paigesmom2013]

Just some thoughts, but I would let your little one splash around in the Casey Jr. Soak station at some point at MK. Nice on a hot afternoon. It was refreshing for our daughter. Also, Pizza Planet isn't all that special, just to keep your expectations low. On our first trip we kept touring thru naptime with the knowledge we wouldn't be able to come back for nighttime stuff. Our upcoming trip we will do Wishes and the parade one day only. My kids don't sleep in, no matter how late they go to bed.