First timer for Disney World here! My husband and I are taking my daughter for 5 nights in September. We have the deluxe dining plan (my husband is food critic so yes we know it's a lot of food but it's a must) so we have a lot of ADR's. Being that my daughter will be 2.5 at the time our trip I don't expect to be able to do long days at the park. We want this to be a fun leisurely vacation and don't have the intention to do and see everything (we will back after all!). Returning to the resort for a nap around 2 to 3 is a must! I'm thinking the day after the Halloween party we will do breakfast and then hang out at the resort most of the day until we hit Magic Kingdom for BOG and her first hair cut... if there is a better recomendation for breakfast thats closer to Riverside I'd be open to suggestions! I want that day to be a recoop day- as little stress as possible!
I need help figuring out the best way to navigate the parks in relation to our ADR's. Here is our plan so far... help me figure out what needs moved/adjusted and where to go and when! We are pretty set on those specific restaurants but are willing to move them around as need be (if available of course)
Monday: flight arrives to oralndo at 9:15am
ADR : rainforest cafe at 145pm
Port Orleans Carriage Ride: 630pm
ADR: Le Cellier at 8:30
Tuesday: ADR: Crystal Palace at 9:30
ADR: 1900 Park fare at 6:15
MNSSHP: 7pm (whenever we get there after dinner!)
Wednesday: ADR: Chef Mickey's at 1045 (figure we will need to sleep in after Halloween Party)
Daughter's first ever hair cut! Harmony Barber Shop at 5pm
ADR: Be Our Guest at 6:50
Thursday: ADR: Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at 9:25am
ADR: Via Napoli Ristorante at 1:30pm
ADR: Cindrella's Royal Table at 6:50pm
Friday: ADR: Hollywood and Vine at 9:30
no ADR but would like to hit Pizza planet (husband and daughter LOVE Toy Story).
Flight home at 7pm
Here is my biggest concern with your plan - how well does your 2 year old do in fine dining restaurants? Almost all your ADRs are ones where she is going to be expected to sit for an hour, and that's not including the time you stand, waiting for your reservation (just because you have an ADR, doesn't mean you'll be seated on time). Yes, there's lots of characters to break it up - but... before I spent that huge amount of money on the Deluxe dining plan, I would want to make sure that your meals aren't going to be ruined by a toddler in the throes of terrible twos, kwim? And, the other thing to remember is that DD is going to be very tired and very overwhelmed (even if you do take lots of down time). So with that warning in place, lol:
1. Where are you staying? I'm assuming at the Riverside?
2. What time are you leaving your home Friday morning? I would be careful how much I plan on that day. Some toddlers travel great -others don't. Give yourself time (about 1.5 hours) to get off the plane, through the airport, to the shuttle and get to your next destination. So, plan on "starting" whatever you're going to do at 11:00. Better to allot too much time, than not enough. Since you want to be back at the resort by 2 or 3 each day, really, you're not going to be able to do anything with a 1:45 ADR at Animal Kingdom. So, on to your plans:
Monday: If you think she will nap in stroller, I would plan on spending the day at AK - get there around 11 and explore the front of the park - she is likely going to LOVE the Dinosaur playground, and that would be a great place for her to burn off some "cooped up plane" energy. You could easily burn 30-45 minutes, right there. Meet characters. Explore some trails. Take in Finding Nemo show (maybe she'll nap through it, if so great, if not, she'll probably enjoy it). Head to your 1:45 ADR at Rainforest Cafe. Then, head to the back part of the park - more trails (perhaps she'll nap in stroller here), Conservation Station (she'll likely love the Affection Section - which is a nice big petting zoo), the safari ride, Festival of the Lion King show. Then go back to the resort, eat supper there and plan an early evening there relaxing, allowing her to get used to her surroundings, sleep etc... Your plan means that you guys won't be back to the resort until 10:30 or 11:00. Pretty long day for a 2 year old.
Otherwise, I would cancel your lunch ADR and spend the day at your resort relaxing, letting her sleep/rest/play in the pool. Then, change your supper ADR to earlier, around 4:00 or so, then go on your carriage ride.
Tuesday sounds fine, but you'll never make MNSSHP by 7:00, more like 7:30 or 8:00. Try and get an earlier one, around 5:00. That's a lot of party to miss. Your breakfast ADR is also going to cause you to miss a lot of prime park time. I would either move it earlier (before park opening) or later, doing a lunch instead, to allow yourself time to enjoy the park when the crowds are lowest. Stay till 12 or so, grab a quick lunch, head back to the resort for a rest, then try and hit the MNSSHP earlier, around 5. Then you won't have such a late night.
Wednesday, I can understand wanting to sleep in, but a) if you get to the Halloween party earlier, you don't have to be out so late. Also, again, you're losing valuable time in the park, and basically if you keep this ADR, you will NOT be able to leave by 2 or 3. You won't even get into Magic kingdom until around 12:30 or so - right when crowds are starting to build, and then to turn around and leave after 2 hours? If you're set on that ADR and sleeping in, then I would plan on staying in the park all afternoon until your hair cut and dinner at BOG, but that makes for a long day. So, your best bet is to try for a much earlier ADR at Chef Mickey's. Again, before park opening, or at the latest 9. At least then you could be in the park around 10:30 and spend a few hours.
Thursday: Same thing - try for an earlier ADR, or else skip the lunch one. By the time you get out of Akerhus, you'll only have less than 3 hours until your next ADR. Also - do you have Park Hopper passes? If you don't, you can't do this, as you're only allowed entrance to one park a day, so you can't do Akerhus and CRT same day.
Friday: Sounds fine.
Honestly... your vacation sounds... awful, lol (to me anyways!). But seriously, I do think it sounds like a recipe for disaster with a 2.5 year old. You're spending way too much time doing ADRs. These restaurants are NOT fast. As I said, basically by the time you arrive, get seated, to the time you're out, from what I'm told, you're looking at 1.5-2 hours for each of these. That's a lot for a little one. Not only that, but you're wasting a LOT of park time. With wanting to take afternoon breaks, you're going to see very little of Disney World. Also, not sure how important bedtime is, but you've got some ADRs planned that are going to mean it'll be at least 9 or so before you're back at the resort to start
trying to put her to bed. Remember, an overtired child will typically sleep LESS, which is a recipe for meltdowns. To say nothing of the fact that basically all you're doing is running from one reservation to the next. Plus, you may run into problems trying to plan your Fast Passes for rides, around your ADRs. I think you have to ask your husband - what's more important - eating a bunch of fancy meals, or actually giving your daughter a more relaxing, enjoyable trip that is more focused on what is best for her. If I were you - I would only do ONE ADR each day. That's it. Then, spend the rest of your meals doing counter service etc.
I'm only counting 4 nights (not 5 like you said in your post) so ymmv on that.
