How do you decide what to do each day??

[deborah]

We are going to WDW in October, the 18th - the 27th to be exact. We have been several times before just DH and me, DH, me and DS and last year it was just me and both DSs. This time it will be all four of us and I am struggling on what to each day, where to eat, etc. This is our first 10-day trip and I think the length of time is just overwhelming me.

We usually set aside 2 days for MK, 2 days for EP, 1 day for AK and 1 day for DS. We don't plan to do any water parks this time around but will plan to spend time at the resort pool (WL...can't wait!).

Any suggestions mfor how to plan all this out????

 

[Laurajean1014]

Usually by the dinner PS or lunch PS. Sometimes we ask my DS9 or DH and I make the call.

We go down with families, so most of the time we hang with them doing what they like, since we've been to WDW dozens and dozens of times.

Anywhere in WDW is better than anywhere else (In our minds).

 

[scrappinmom]

Depends.... with my family my dh hates crowds so we never do EMH with him, my dd's adore princesses so I focus on a lot of girly stuff with them...when dh & I are alone we "relax" disney style at the resorts & DTD. I always leave our plans subject to change...if we wake up & want to go to epcot, but we have ps at MK for bfast we just go to the bfast & then go over to the other park. We almost always end up back at MK for the night parade....no matter how hard I try to schedule Illiuminations or Fantasmic, my girls have loved the parade, & i have too since it was the Electrical Parade !!!! I know everyone says to take a break during the day...but we get bored with breaks! We try to find some down time at the parks, a 2 hour lunch, sitting by the fountains, sitting somewhere in the shade...that works for my family. So my best advice is to plan out a general idea, make your ps, and be felxible with what your family wants. That's always worked for us

 

[jenjen212]

not sure how old your kids are...

but what about a day at disney quest? http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...stIndoorInteractiveThemeParkEntertainmentPage

spend the day on the boardwalk? http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/moreMagic/moreMagicLanding?id=BoardwalkLandingPage

cirque du soleil? http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/entertainment/entertainmentDetail?id=DTDCirqueEntertainmentPage

spend a day at the resort - get up late, walk around do some of the things there...
like water boats (paddle boats, jet skis, parasailing-great at contemporary - see the castle and everything) http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/moreMagic/otherRecDetail?id=OtherRecWaterSportsDetailPage
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/moreMagic/otherRecDetail?id=OtherRecMarinaDetailPage

richard petty driving? http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...herRecRichardPettyDrivingExperienceDetailPage

fishing http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/moreMagic/otherRecDetail?id=OtherRecFishingDetailPage

bike rentals http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/moreMagic/otherRecDetail?id=OtherRecBikeRentalsDetailPage

do one of the behind the scenes tours that they have available at one of the parks? i copied this list from a site:
Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park
Backstage Safari (age 16 and older)
Wild by Design (age 14 and older)

Epcot®
Around the World at Epcot® (Segway Tour - age 16 and older)
Backstage Magic (age 16 and older)
Dolphins in Depth (age 13 and older, adult must accompany)
Epcot® DiveQuest (age 10 and older, SCUBA certification required, ages 10-14 must be accompanied by an adult)
Epcot® Seas Aqua Tour (age 8 and older, Guests ages 8-16 must be accompanied by an adult)
Gardens of the World (age 16 and older)
Hidden Treasures of World Showcase (age 16 and older)
UnDISCOVERed Future World (age 16 and older)
Yuletide Fantasy (age 16 and older, offered seasonally November 28 - December 24, Monday - Saturday)

Magic Kingdom® Park
Disney's Family Magic Tour (all ages)
Keys to the Kingdom (age 16 and older)
Mickey's Magical Milestones (age 10 and older)
The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains (age 10 and older)


golfing? http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/moreMagic/golf/golfHome?id=GolfHomePage

or miniature golfing? http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/moreMagic/otherRecDetail?id=OtherRecMiniatureGolfDetailPage

horse back riding? http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/moreMagic/otherRecDetail?id=OtherRecStablesDetailPage

do a dinner show? http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...=Dinner+Show&cuisine=&submit=submit&x=12&y=11

if your kids are little, maybe a childs program while you and dh go out for the day? http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/moreMagic/otherRecDetail?id=OtherRecKidsProgramsDetailPage

good luck and have fun!

jen

 

[Amirah95]

I sure wish I had a full 10 days to plan for, at WL?, what?! I'm very sure you will have no problem finding stuff to do. Did you get the new Disney Vacation Planning DVD yet? Take a look at that and all the ideas will start to fly around in your head!!! Get a paper and pencil and start jotting.

Awesome list JenJen212!

 

[lillygator]

I usually make our plans around where we are dining....sad I know!

 

[eeyore45]

I'm with you!! I think I just want to talk to someone! I have no one to talk to and plan with!!

With the free dining, and all the advice I'm reading about, I want to do a 'tentative' yet 'realistic' schedule for our family... (my parents, my dd8 and dh and me!) So 90 out is coming upon us... lets see... I need, no I want... OK, my parents dont have 7 day tickets like we do, so I have to cut out 2 park days for them, which 2 days? Dad wants to golf and is doing thatRichard Petty thing, so mom says try for a CRT but she doesnt want to get up too early oh, and we're doing MNSSHP so that elimantes one of thier park days, but not ours, and back to those TS,

See what I mean?!! I just need a friend I can get some real help from!! I called mom today about what to do after my dad comes back from Richard Petty AKL (Boma or Jiko?) or CG? Mom says here talk to your dad! Dad says, "I dont care" but we'll probably change when we get there!! and I did convince mom we dont get to decide about CRT, first available!! She's ok with that...

 

[Skylarr29]

Ok well I normally make my plans starting with dining. I choose the places we would like to eat and then considor there location... resort, resort with monorail, park etc. After I get those down then I start planning around it. For example in Sept I wanted to eat at the Yachtsman Steakhouse. I started with that and then decided this would be a great night to do an Illuminations cruise as the Breathless picks up from the Yacht and Beach Club. You can do the same with everything else. Character meal inside the park means you would go to that particular park on that day. I also mainly make Dinner and/or Breakfast AR's (no lunch)that way we can split up the day....morning activities , break back at hotel, and then night time activities. After AR's are made I then check the park hours and tweek everything until perfection


Oh yah you can check out all of the menues at www.allearsnet.com just click on dining!

 

[deborah]

thanks for all your great responses. I think I will come up with a list of places that we would like to eat and plan our days around that. We have lots of favorite places to eat and lots more we want to try!

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Just as a note, you will be in prime Food & Wine time at Epcot. While we were there, we took 3 days and did a third of the stands each time. That way you basically are eating a meal and spacing it out over several hours. Make sure to see a seminar, too. There are some really fun times to be had at this celebration.

Also, MNSSHP is going on then. While it is child-like, it can be a lot of fun just watching kids in thier costumes and getting a chance to ride some of the big attractions at MK.

Final suggestion: when you make your dining selections, take an evening to explore the resorts in the area. If you are eating at GF, Poly (GO TO 'OHANA! oh... sorry), or Contemporary, ride the monorail to the other two and explore for awhile if you have never done that. They are just great facilities to look at, even if just for a few minutes. I never did that when we went as a family, and I'm really glad I did when I was on my CP time.

Have a great time!

 

[oogieboogie]

We plan our days based on which park has EMH and where we want to dine. If we're planning lunch at Le Cellier then that morning would be Epcot day. Then if dinner is to be at Chef Mickey's, we then park hop over to Magic Kingdom.