Help with planning

[mikhen]

I have no idea where to start our trip planning. We will arrive the Sunday after Tday. We have an 8 day park hopper and 10 days overall. We planned on staying at FW the Sunday we arrive. We have Xmas party passes for 1 day. How do we start planning?

 

[2goofycampers]

Your question is a little vague. It will help us help you if you give us more info. Tenting ? Have an RV? Kids, adults? Budget size? etc.......

 

[Judy in Texas]

Have you been to WDW before? What is "TDay"

 

[Bearikens]

What portion of the trip do you need help planning?

Drive or Fly?

Packing?

Arrival and daily planning once you arrive?

Meals?

Area attractions?

as previously asked: RV or Tent? Kids and/or Adults?

 

[Lil' Lisa]

What is "TDay"

Turkey Day!

 

[natshaul]

We did the same time of year last year, but stayed at CBR. The Christmas party was, IMO, just OK. Next year when we come back we will be skipping that. We were there for the first time in a long, long time, so I didn't want to miss anything! I would say if you have younger kids, plan on 2 days at MK, 2 days at HS, 1 day at Epcot, or even a half day, and 1 day at AK. Make sure to see the Osborne lights at HS. And a trip to DT Disney is nice, but can be reserved, IMO, for a morning or an evening, but not necessarily an entire day. From what I am reading on the Camping board, you should leave yourself extra time at the campground because there are tons of things to do/see there too! Don't forget your dinner rezzies, if you will doing the free dining....sometimes just having the rezzies plans your vacation! Where and when to be somewhere. Free dining is awesome but it can also be that ball and chain that dictates your trip! OMG, I am excired for you....have a blast!

 

[des1954]

Details, dear! DETAILS!! We need to know if you will be camping in a site or non-camping in a cabin. You're going to need expert advice before you go and an intervention after you get home. So... give us some DETAILS!!

 

[mikhen]

Rv site. Daughter, 8. First time to Disney for all of us. Daily planning would be a great start.

 

[auntie]

Look at a map for FW and make a request for the loop you would prefer. That would be my first suggestion. While loops are not guaranteed...it helps to know where in the campground you want to be located. Near the maria area..near the themed pool area?.., that sort of thing.

With the Magic Kingdom being just a water launch away..I'd start with the first park vist to the MK. Especially with an 8 year old. Don't forget to catch the Electric Water Pagent on Bay Lake. You can see it each evening from the beach in FW. There is also a nightly campfire movie near the Meadow Trading post area in FW with appearances from Chip and Dale. I'm sure you're little one might enjoy that.

I'd also recommend picking up a good guide book. Generally Birmbaum is good, and while it doesn't offer opinions, it does give you a good lay of the land so to speak.
You also don't mention whether you have included a dining plan option in your stay, or if you plan to pay out of pocket for your meals as you go, and cook some at the camper.

 

[m1tchells]

You're going to need expert advice before you go and an intervention after you get home.

LMAO! Truer words have never been spoken....expecially about the intervention part!!!

 

[des1954]

My advice to you is not to plan, but let each moment unfold on its own. You will never, ever do all there is to do at Disney. I've been at it for 37 years (live 30 minutes away) and still haven't seen and done it all. One thing I will say with certainty is that you should not push your child to "hurry and get it all in". I can't tell you how many times I have seen parents yelling at their children about how much $$$ they've spent to go to a park and, by God, they are going to enjoy it!!! When your little one is tired, it's time to leave the park, go back to the campsite and relax. There are enough things to do at FtW that you don't need to go to the parks if you don't want to.

Disney is sensory overload for kids, so please, pace yourself and truly enjoy the things you can do. Don't stress over what you will miss. I say it again.... you will never see everything.

Relax and soak up the magic!!

 

[Bearikens]

Generally, my wife and I check to find out which parks have extra magic hours and those are where we plan to attend. EMH is scheduled in only one of the parks per day (for example Magic Kingdom on Monday, Animal Kingdom on Tuesday, etc). A schedule of EMH can be found at the Walt Disney World website and you will receive a printed schedule upon check-in at FW. Wherever possible we ignore the morning EMH events for two reasons: 1. Disney guests concentrate in that park (can be very busy, but with the state of the economy crowds may not be as bad). 2. We are not early risers. Evening EMH works better for us and so we plan to visit those parks.

If we have lunch or dinner reservations in a particular park, we usually visit that park for the day.

As others have said, the Magic Kingdom is the easiest to reach via the water launch (boat) and is our favorite park to visit first and the ride over is especially magical when the castle first comes into view (children usually get very excited - and so do adults). There are a large number of attractions, shows, and parades in each of the parks...try not to see everything in one day. Guide books will have descriptions that can help you to pin-point which attractions are must see and which ones are "if we have time".

You may wish to bring lunch with you into the parks, or you may visit their restaurants. I would recommend that if you do eat in the parks you stagger those meal times...say, eat lunch at 10:45 instead of noon. At noon people are eating lunch and not riding the rides, so the lines will be shorter.

This should get you started.

 

[Judy in Texas]

Rv site. Daughter, 8. First time to Disney for all of us. Daily planning would be a great start.

IMO, I would take the day you arrive to get settled, poke around The Fort, maybe spend the evening at Downtown Disney.

Your first whole day I HIGHLY recommend getting an early launch to Magic Kingdom to be there for Rope Drop because that is where it all started. The opening ceremony brings a tear to my eye every time I see it. Enter the park through the left gate and stop at the City Hall to get your "1st Visit" badges. Think of Magic Kingdom as shaped like a lollipop. I start up Main Street on the right side, take pictures in front of Cinderella Castle, turn right to Tomorrowland (Buzz Lightyear, Monster's Inc Laugh Floor, Space Mountain for starters). Head back to Mickey's Toontown Fair and Fantasyland, Liberty Square (that's where Haunted Mansion is), Frontierland, Adventureland, then back to Main Street to explore the side you didn't see in the morning.

Make sure you pick up a park map and time schedule when you arrive at each park and keep them handy. I recommend having a general idea of a touring pattern; but, stay flexible because of parade/show times, fast passes, etc.

There are lots of casual dining restaurants. Unless you are really set on one of the table service restaurants, I would explore and stop to eat when hungry. I don't like to make too many reservations because it locks me into being at a certain place and a certain time. I like to be flexible.

Other park musts:

Animal Kingdom: Festival of the Lion King (bestest show at WDW), Kilimajaro Safari, It's a Bugs Life

Epcot: Soarin', Turtle Talk with Crush, Test Track

Hollywood Studios: Toy Story Mania, Walt Disney: One Man's Dream, Osborne Lights (Sci Fi Drive in is one restaurant I might make reservations for)

Make sure you schedule time to enjoy what The Fort has to offer; especially, fire works and the electric boat parade from the beach, looping to see all the Christmas decorations, and Chip & Dales campfire/movie.

Have a great time.

 

[Bearikens]

I personally like theads like this...to see how people approach a subject with different viewpoints. That's the great thing about Disney, not only is there something for everyone, but Disney's approach allows the freedom to experience the magic your own way.

Above all, remember this is your vacation. Take some time to soak in the Disney atmosphere in the parks, restaurants, gardens, rides, attractions, campground, and transportation. Disney loves attention to detail and to put little surprises in plain sight.