Help with 1st time itinaray needed please?

[Shrek & Donkey]

Hi

Am off to Orlando in 4 weeks and am just getting organised with an itineray of what to want to do whilst there. Can you guys have a look through, and see how you think the itinary will fare, and see you think could be changed to make it better. This is my first time, so any help would be appreciated.

Am not really bothered with the water parks whilst I'm there - but may visit a beach (weather permitting) as an alternative, maybe once. Have got one free day as such, on the 22nd Nov, where I haven't put anything in.

Someone said to try and do as much as you can at the start, as the secnd week is thanksgiving and will be very busy, hence most things being done at the start of the holiday. Have got Discovery Cove booked (was a birthday surprise!!) for Thanksgiving Day, as there is limited admission to this park, and thought we would avoid the heavy crowds, expected on this day.

Thanks in advance



Sat 11th Arrive at villa, shop for groceries, relax

Sun 12th MGM Studios

Mon 13th Animal Kingdom

Downtown Disney in the evening for dinner/shopping/Cirque de Soleil Show

Tue 14th Magic Kingdom get to see the Spectromanic Parade

Wed 15th Universal Studios & Universal City Walk

Thur 16th Sea World

Fri 17th Epcot

Sat 18th Islands of Adventure

Sun 19th International Drive / Shopping

Mon 20th Busch Gardens

Tue 21st Airboat Ride at Boggy Creek

Wed 22nd

Thur 23rd Discovery Cove Dolphin Swim Booked
Fri 24th Shopping & Gator Land

Sat 25th Last minute shopping / Relax / Fly Home

 

[ely3857]

I appreciate your reasoning for getting all the big stuff done before Thanksgiving week but I feel your early plans will burn you out, probably on Tuesday when you want to visit the Holy Grail that is WDW-MK!

Is there any chance that Nov 19th's Shopping trip can be brought forward to Tuesday 14th Nov and everything from MK to IOA bumped back by a day, that way you have a rest day on Tuesday so no chance of been tired at MK on Wed?

Just my opinion though so you won't offend me if you dont!



Jodie

 

[Shrek & Donkey]

Thanks for your reply - its my other half who thinks we should try to cram everything into the first week with no rest in between. I, on the otherhand would appreciate a bit of a rest inbetween so I'm not so tired. I will see what he says and try to tweek the itineray to allow a bit more rest time.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Personally I would just plan the first few days and then see how you go from there, having a plan is a good idea however, it can be changed when you get out there.

Having a villa means you get the opportunity to relax more than you would in a hotel, to do a theme park every day would be demanding although far worse in the summer heat.

Just take each day as they come, see how you feel etc

 

[AndRu]

Only a personal opinion but Gatorland isn't that good (especially after you've been to DC the day before) and Epcot isn't worthy of a full day.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Epcot isn't worthy of a full day.

You should have that in your signature mate

 

[KayleeUK]

You should have that in your signature mate

It is getting a bit boring now.

I agree with Jodie about possibly getting a rest day in the first week. Good idea to schedule DTD with Animal Kingdom Make sure you stay in the parks to see Wishes, Illuminations and Fantasmic - they are all wonderful evening show's.

Always be prepared as Johnny has said to move things about after the first couple of days

 

[AndRu]

You should have that in your signature mate

Think I might just do that

It is getting a bit boring now.

As is reading all the comments of how Epcot is a most wonderful theme park. It is shops and cafe's around a lake that you have to pay to get in to! I'm only pointing out that while Epcot might be a fine wine to some, evan a majority, it's Happy Shopper Shandy to others.

 

[florida sun]

Hi there

First I would like to say that I hope you have the most magical time in Orlando, it looks as though you are covering nearly everything and fitting loads in, thats great news.

I agree with others that you may want to have a rest day in the middle of your first week, depending how good your stamina is,if you have children in your party may be another factor, you may find you need it or you dont, but bare in mind that you might.

Great advice from Johnny and Kaylee, and go with the flow and what feels right for you, if you have to alter your plans somewhat after the first few days, then go with it, you will still find time Im sure to fit most of it in.

As its your first time, I would make up your own minds as to what you really enjoy and what you dont. Different people have different opinions on certain parks and attractions, but its not until you have tried each one for yourself that you will really know if its for you again in the future or not. As it is your first visit, try to see as much as you possibly can. Im sure you will love them all, some more than others, but thats the best part about it being your first visit, discovering all that each park has to offer for you and your family. This will be my 5th visit in 10 days time and Im still discovering things that I have missed in the past.

There are wonderful parades and fireworks displays in all the parks, and pick up some park maps as soon as you enter each park to see what is happening at what time. Also look out for the display boards at each park which will also give you some good information on waiting times at attractions, and parade and firework timings.

You fly out the day I come back, so I hope you have the most wonderful first visit to Orlando and Im sure you will want to go back again and again.

 

[KayleeUK]

As is reading all the comments of how Epcot is a most wonderful theme park. It is shops and cafe's around a lake that you have to pay to get in to! I'm only pointing out that while Epcot might be a fine wine to some, evan a majority, it's Happy Shopper Shandy to others.

A view of Epcot - like or dislike is fine, the OP has never been to WDW before and might *just* like Epcot if they schedule in a half day only, they may regret that if they do enjoy the Epcot experience.

I am sure you seek out all of the Epcot threads to post how much you hate it on though

 

[Shrek & Donkey]

Thanks for all your replies. The "plan" isn't set in stone, not at all, just really wanted to have an idea of things we want to do!My holiday is exactly that, a holiday. We'll schedule some rest days in for definate, I think we will have too.

I will keep Epcot in for a full day and if it only takes half a day, then so be it, we'll do something else. We have the 14day disney and 5 park orlando tickets, so we can go anywhere anytime.

Might give gator land a miss, if its not that great, although would still like to do the airboat.

Have I missed anything out or is there anything people want to recommend, that I've missed off.

 

[KayleeUK]

If you have 14 day tickets you could always go back to disney and revisit anything you like in the last week. Even if that is a visit for the evening shows etc

We have always found it hard to stretch Universal and IOA into full days so tend to do 1/2 a day in each but go back and do that a second time That may be something to consider.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

You could in theory do Universal and Islands Of Adventure in 1 day, the parks are a few minutes walking distance apart.
It may be a bit of a rush but possibly could give you a free rest day, Citywalk is probably best at night - it comes alive then.

Splitting the parks is a popular thing to do, so at the Disney parks you could say visit MGM in the morning and then EPCOT in the evening.
Doesn't necessarily mean you will enjoy everything in one visit, you could always go back later in the holiday.

 

[Deedee]

What we always do, the days we go to do evening parades fireworks etc. we have a half day shopping then go mid afternoon to disney otherwise come 6 or 7 oclock we are shattered and can't stay for the parades. As people have told you cram as much in as you can to do it all treat it as if you won't be going again thats what we always do. At the end of the day you can rest when you get home without any regrets or you can have rest days and realise when you get home things you wanted to do you didn't get time to do.

 

[natalielongstaff]

i can reccomend the airboat rides...we did this our 1st time in florida and it was a great way to spend time out of the parks