Help needed planning the details of our trip (newbie)

[Dinah Reece]

Hello! I am a first time poster, but I have been reading the boards trying to soak it all in. We are going on our first big family vacation (first Disney trip for the kids,) and I am starting to get overwhelmed with planning all the details. Can you all give me some suggestions?

Some details:
Family of 4. Our girls will be 5 and 9 at trip time. They are crazy picky with food which is why I have used a lot of our ADRs for breakfasts. They will eat those meals without drama. The last thing I want is meal drama since it makes my husband crazy. We will be staying at Embassy Suites when we arrive since we have a free nights stay and I didn’t want to “waste” a park day due to driving. Then we move to Hard Rock at Universal since our 9 year old is Harry Potter crazy. We have two nights at Universal. After that we go to Animal Kingdom Lodge and have booked a Savannah view. We have military tickets for Universal (I think these allow us 4 days at the park and our reservation at Hard Rock includes unlimited express passes) and WDW (5 day park hoppers.) Our meal plan is the military dining plan. My current thoughts were to hit the parks early then go back to AKL for naps/pool time during the hottest part of the day. Then we would go back to the parks in the evenings.

Things that are important to my kids:
Harry Potter World for my 9 yr old
Meeting Belle for my 5 year old, but the princesses in general are important.
I think my 9 year old really wants to see the different countries at Epcot.
Both girls are really into animals so the safari is a must.
Jedi training.

Here is what I have booked so far. I know there are too many ADRs. I was trying to give myself options.


Drive to Orlando June 29, stay at Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista

June 30 check in to Hard Rock (Harry Potter)

July 1 Universal (Harry Potter)


July 2 leave Universal. I am not sure which park to visit this day (Epcot?)
Check in AKL

ADR @ Via Napoli 6:20 (I booked this as a just in case we needed something this day)


July 3 (EMH:HS 7am, MK 10 pm -12am) MK DAY


ADR MK 8:20 Crystal Palace

3pm Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

ADR 5:40 Cinderella’s Table


July 4 (EMH:HS 7am, AK 8am) HS/EPCOT DAY


Hollywood Studios in AM (I was thinking of going in the am to try and get a Jedi training spot)

ADR 11:30 Hollywood&Vine Fantasmic (I only booked this thinking we needed it for Fantasmic. I just want to make sure the kids get a good fireworks experience for July 4, so I am open to other suggestions.)

Epcot in afternoon

ADR 5:15 Akehaus (I am worried about this meal with my picky eaters, but I thought it would be our best chance to meet the princesses.)

July 5 (EMH:Epcot 8am, HS 7am) MK DAY


ADR 8:00 am Be our Guest


July 6 (EMH: MK 8am, HS 7am and 10pm) AK DAY


ADR 8:00 am Tusker House

ADR 5:10 pm Chef Art Smith @ Landings

July 7 Drive home

I have no idea what to book for our fast passes, and at this point I can’t decide if I have a decent itinerary or just a mess of possibilities. Last time my youngest had her height measured at the doctors was a few mo the ago and she was 40.8” (she is really petite at 32lbs.) Our 9 year old is fairly tall so we shouldn’t have any restrictions with her. Phew was that enough info?!

I haven’t been to Disney in over 20 years so any help would be appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[Cornucopiaoflove]

I'm also a newbie to planning, but my DH and I created our plan by discussing what our "can't miss" attractions were, and tried to get FP for those things. Might be worth seeing what things the girls really want at the parks you're planning on, like what characters they would want to meet and rides they could do!

 

[Elle :)]

I would definitely use a fast pass for Frozen Ever After for your princess lover.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

How many Epcot days are you planning? Is it two? Your kids might feel differently, but the kiddos in our family are BORED to tears in Epcot after a couple of hours. They like to explore the "countries" for awhile, but honestly they're mostly just shopping & dining.

 

[No.1000]

If good fireworks for the 4th are important, I think Magic kingdom is your best bet. Fantasmic is not really fireworks and neither is the Starwars projection show.

 

[kcbutterfly]

I would keep your Akershus ADR since meeting Belle is important to your 5 year old. You get to meet Belle and get a picture with her in her yellow gown before you're seated.

 

[sharonabe]

There is no such thing as a military dining plan, so I'm assuming you have the regular dining plan with 1 QS, 1 TS, and 2 snacks per night of stay. And, yes, you have too many ADRs for those 5 TS credits.

My thoughts: Keep Via Napoli, but pay OOP; it's a fairly cheap TS and not worth your credits.
Choose either CRT or Akershus. Since you have BBB before CRT, I'd probably keep that one, but it does take 2 of your TS credits. If it's not important for your girls to be dressed when they meet the princesses, then keep Akershus.
As others said, F! is not really a July 4 fireworks show. If you keep Akershus, I'd probably just stay and do Illuminations at EP that night. MK will be a MADHOUSE both July 3 and July 4 for fireworks. If you do this, you don't need the H&V F! ADR.
If you pay Chef Art Smith OOP and drop H&V, then I think my count is correct and you could keep CRT and Akershus: Via Napoli and Chef OOP. Crystal Palace, Tusker, Akershus, and CRT using the 5 TS credits you have.

Your July 3 MK day has me a little worried. It will be close to 10 a.m. before you get into the park from breakfast and onto some rides. You're going to need to be leaving MK around 11:30 if you're going to get back to AK to rest and get back to MK for that 3:00 BBB. If you can move that back to 3:30, it would give you a little more time and you'd be done just in time for your CRT ADR. You just don't have much time on this day for enjoying MK. It WILL be very crowded, so just moving around will take time and lines will be long at just about everything.

 

[Tksolomom]

I would do CRT and drop Akershus. Another option for breakfast is la Tratoria where you meet Ariel, Prince Eric, Flynn Ryder and Rapunzel. As other posters have mentioned, July 3 and 4 are crazy at MK, if you want the fireworks, you may get want to consider the dessert party.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I'm confused by the H&V Fantasmic package with a dinner in Akershus - are you planning on hopping back to DHS? That's a lot of back and forth and, as others have said, Fantasmic is not really a fireworks show. I would probably keep Akershus (if you want to dine with princesses) and just stay in EP for Illuminations which will have spectacular fireworks. I would even consider splurging on the Frozen dessert party that evening if it's available.

As others have said, you have too many ADR's on a 5-night dining plan unless you have DxDP?

 

[disneyinthespringtime]

Focusing on the rides part of your question - my DD is one year older than your oldest; here is what she has picked when we do our trip after talking through with her what she was interested in and watching some clips of rides...

MK: Tales with Belle (FPP), Little Mermaid ride, 7 Dwarfs Mine Train (FPP), Carousel, Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Teacups, Space Mountain (FPP), Buzz, Speedway, Astrid orbiter, Splash Mountain (FPP), Thunder Mountain (FPP), Meet Merida.
My son is 6 and his list is similar but some swaps include Meeting Pooh/Tigger, riding Pooh ride, the Train, Tom Sawyer Island.
We are also doing Philharmagic, parade one day, fireworks one day.

AK: Both Pandora rides (FPP for Flight of Pandora), Safari (FPP), festival of the Lion King, two of the animal trails, kali river rapids (FPP), Boneyard, triceratops spin and fossil games for 6 year old; Everest for 10 year old

 

[mjkacmom]

I’d schedule breakfasts later, the least crowded times are the first two hours, I’d hate to waste them eating breakfast. Get to the parks ar rope drop, and have breakfast a few hours later.

 

[ceeceegee]

Having taken my nieces (5 and 6) last year in June I have a few suggestions:

ADRs - if you can, do breakfasts around 10/10:30 so you can use valuable rope drop time doing rides. You can get so much done in those first two hours! Plus it will be slightly cooler. Plus the girls were excited for rides and would’ve been cranky sitting down in a restaurant first thing. We just ate granola bars or muffins to get us to the later ADR.

Meeting Belle - also was a priority for us! yellow dress Belle via Akershus at breakfast is best - I am pretty picky and wouldn’t go for dinner. Alternate is via enchanted tales with belle at MK (no autographs though). Also can meet her in blue dress in Epcot which is fun.

Afternoon breaks - the girls aren’t used to humidity (live in Vegas) so we really needed those breaks. We stayed offsite and still did them!

FP+ recommendations - MK: enchanted tales with belle, 7DMT, BTMRR. Their favorites were the carousel, teacups, Peter Pan, ETWB, small world and philharmagic. AK: FoP, Safari, EE. They loved safari, Dino land, boneyard and festival of lion king. And doing Wilderness Explorers! EP: Frozen, Nemo. The girls like the Nemo area and all the kidcot art stations in Epcot. HS: Not sure with new rides opening but girls loved TSMM, frozen show and Disney jr stuff.

Fireworks: only one we did was Happily Ever After with Garden view dessert party. Well worth it for us, even more so on July 3rd I would imagine.

Hope this helps!

 

[sjrec]

Looks like you have some fun things planned, but what stands out to me is on your MK day between meals and BBB you’ve tied up at least 4 hrs of park time. Even with FP doing rides will be a challenge-on one of the busiest times of the year leaving and returning will be a pain. I would want to get a lot done in the morning, return for a rest and come back refreshed for the fireworks.
I would rethink BBB-could you do it another day? Honestly, it’s going to be surface of the sun hot-is it worth it for the short time they will be in their princess dresses?

 

[Surgie2]

I agree with PP who said your MK day has too many reservations - especially during one of the busiest weeks. On July 3 I would cancel Crystal Palace and get to the park at RD and do everything you possibly can before the heat of the day sets in. I would likely cancel BBB so you have all day long until your CRT reservation to do rides, shows, cool off with treats and eat QS meals. Then dinner at CRT and find your spot for fireworks. I would be inclined to splurge on the HEA dessert party rather than BBB on July 3. I believe the MK fireworks are "big" on both July 3 and 4.

With 5 parks days I would do one park per day and MK twice. July 2 HS, July 3 MK, July 4 Epcot (see Illuminations for your fireworks), July 5 MK, July 6 AK

I also would cancel Akershus and use FP to meet the top priority princesses in MK (who aren't at CRT) and also meet Anna and Elsa in Epcot (no FP).

 

[Dinah Reece]

I'm also a newbie to planning, but my DH and I created our plan by discussing what our "can't miss" attractions were, and tried to get FP for those things. Might be worth seeing what things the girls really want at the parks you're planning on, like what characters they would want to meet and rides they could do!

Thank you that is a great idea!

 

[Dinah Reece]

How many Epcot days are you planning? Is it two? Your kids might feel differently, but the kiddos in our family are BORED to tears in Epcot after a couple of hours. They like to explore the "countries" for awhile, but honestly they're mostly just shopping & dining.

I wondered if that would be too much. I need to figure out what to do on July 2 since we will be checking out of Hard Rock that day. We could go to Universal again or maybe MK?

 

[Dinah Reece]

There is no such thing as a military dining plan, so I'm assuming you have the regular dining plan with 1 QS, 1 TS, and 2 snacks per night of stay. And, yes, you have too many ADRs for those 5 TS credits.

My thoughts: Keep Via Napoli, but pay OOP; it's a fairly cheap TS and not worth your credits.
Choose either CRT or Akershus. Since you have BBB before CRT, I'd probably keep that one, but it does take 2 of your TS credits. If it's not important for your girls to be dressed when they meet the princesses, then keep Akershus.
As others said, F! is not really a July 4 fireworks show. If you keep Akershus, I'd probably just stay and do Illuminations at EP that night. MK will be a MADHOUSE both July 3 and July 4 for fireworks. If you do this, you don't need the H&V F! ADR.
If you pay Chef Art Smith OOP and drop H&V, then I think my count is correct and you could keep CRT and Akershus: Via Napoli and Chef OOP. Crystal Palace, Tusker, Akershus, and CRT using the 5 TS credits you have.

Your July 3 MK day has me a little worried. It will be close to 10 a.m. before you get into the park from breakfast and onto some rides. You're going to need to be leaving MK around 11:30 if you're going to get back to AK to rest and get back to MK for that 3:00 BBB. If you can move that back to 3:30, it would give you a little more time and you'd be done just in time for your CRT ADR. You just don't have much time on this day for enjoying MK. It WILL be very crowded, so just moving around will take time and lines will be long at just about everything.

Thank you for all the info! As for our dining plan sorry, that was how my reservation has it listed, but you are correct it is the same as the regular dining plan. I know I have too many ADRs, but I figured I would have some options and could cancel as I had a firmer plan. I was leaning towards cancelling H&V since I was only trying to get a good plan for a fireworks show. Plus this way we don’t have to go back and forth between HS&Epcot. I had the same thoughts of paying oop for Chef Art and just getting a family pizza at Via Napoli

Our plan was to do BBB for CRT so they had a dress up/fancy dinner. FWIW I booked Crystal Palace since I thought it would be good to have a prepark opening breakfast and the girls could see Mary Poppins. Do you think that isn’t a good plan? We could also go to MK on July 2 since I am not sure which park to go to that day. Then July 3rd wouldn’t be filled with a big push to see a lot due to the afternoon plans (bbbb and crt.)

We booked Akershus since we were told it was the best way to guarantee seeing the princesses.

Again, thank you so much for thinking this through with me. I really appreciate it!

 

[Dinah Reece]

I’d schedule breakfasts later, the least crowded times are the first two hours, I’d hate to waste them eating breakfast. Get to the parks ar rope drop, and have breakfast a few hours later.

Ok, so prepark breakfasts I have won’t be an advantage then? That was my main reason in booking them...well that and it is an easy meal for the kids.

 

[Dinah Reece]

Having taken my nieces (5 and 6) last year in June I have a few suggestions:

ADRs - if you can, do breakfasts around 10/10:30 so you can use valuable rope drop time doing rides. You can get so much done in those first two hours! Plus it will be slightly cooler. Plus the girls were excited for rides and would’ve been cranky sitting down in a restaurant first thing. We just ate granola bars or muffins to get us to the later ADR.

Meeting Belle - also was a priority for us! yellow dress Belle via Akershus at breakfast is best - I am pretty picky and wouldn’t go for dinner. Alternate is via enchanted tales with belle at MK (no autographs though). Also can meet her in blue dress in Epcot which is fun.

Afternoon breaks - the girls aren’t used to humidity (live in Vegas) so we really needed those breaks. We stayed offsite and still did them!

FP+ recommendations - MK: enchanted tales with belle, 7DMT, BTMRR. Their favorites were the carousel, teacups, Peter Pan, ETWB, small world and philharmagic. AK: FoP, Safari, EE. They loved safari, Dino land, boneyard and festival of lion king. And doing Wilderness Explorers! EP: Frozen, Nemo. The girls like the Nemo area and all the kidcot art stations in Epcot. HS: Not sure with new rides opening but girls loved TSMM, frozen show and Disney jr stuff.

Fireworks: only one we did was Happily Ever After with Garden view dessert party. Well worth it for us, even more so on July 3rd I would imagine.

Hope this helps!

Thank you! I had thought of changing Akershus to morning and moving HS to the evening, but I wonder if we will still be able to get the girls spots at Jedi training? Then do we head back to Epcot for fireworks? Ugh too many options.

 

[Dinah Reece]

I agree with PP who said your MK day has too many reservations - especially during one of the busiest weeks. On July 3 I would cancel Crystal Palace and get to the park at RD and do everything you possibly can before the heat of the day sets in. I would likely cancel BBB so you have all day long until your CRT reservation to do rides, shows, cool off with treats and eat QS meals. Then dinner at CRT and find your spot for fireworks. I would be inclined to splurge on the HEA dessert party rather than BBB on July 3. I believe the MK fireworks are "big" on both July 3 and 4.

With 5 parks days I would do one park per day and MK twice. July 2 HS, July 3 MK, July 4 Epcot (see Illuminations for your fireworks), July 5 MK, July 6 AK

I also would cancel Akershus and use FP to meet the top priority princesses in MK (who aren't at CRT) and also meet Anna and Elsa in Epcot (no FP).

Thank you! My only issue is my youngest is super excited for bbb. She will eat that up. I know it will be crazy hot though. I agree that we should probably cancel Crystal Palace. I was just trying to get the kids a chance to see Mary Poppins. A friend suggested that HS and Epcot should only be half days, but having not gone in 20 plus years I wasn’t sure.