Insider tips on my tentative itinerary?

[Crystal M L]

I'm also looking for which of these character dining reservations are worth keeping versus cancelling. I was just grabbing whatever popped up that might be fun per my TA's suggestion when I booked a week ago. I personally am leaning towards cancelling everything for Monday evening and possibly the BOG on Tuesday morning. I'm also not sold on Cape May Cafe breakfast but I don't know which ones are better in terms of interaction and food. This is also our first EVER WDW trip. Me, DH and DD(4)

Monday 10/19
1:45 SWA arrival
3:00 Check in Port Orleans Riverside
5:30 Tusker House - AK
9:25 Chef Mickey's - Cont Resort
Tuesday 10/20 (Magic Kingdom all day???)
8:50 BOG - MK
4:00 Garden Grill - Epcot
7:00 MNSSHP
Wed 10/21 (Animal Kingdom)
1:50 Tusker House - AK
8:25 1900 Park Fare - Grand Floridian
Thurs 10/22 (Epcot/Hollywood Studios?)
8:00 Cape May Cafe - Beach Club Resort
10:00 1900 Park Fare - Grand Floridian
5:40 Hollywood & Vine - HS
Friday 10/23
9:20 CRT - Magic Kingdom
11:00 Check out Port Orleans Riverside
2:30 T-Rex - Downtown Disney
7:10 SWA Flight departure

 

[scrapquitler]

I would cancel one of those Monday night reservations. Also cancel one Thursday breakfast.

I personally wouldn't leave MK to go eat at Epcot at 4:00 on a MNSSHP night. Make a reservation for around that time in MK, or better yet, eat a TS earlier in the day and eat QS during the party to not lose party time.

You are probably going to be tight on time with the T-Rex and your departure on Friday. If you are taking ME to the airport, you will be on a bus 3 - 3:15 minutes prior to your flight. You have to be at your resort at least 15 minutes before your ME time to check in. I can't imagine you could eat at 2:30, take a bus and be back at PO by 3:50.

 

[iona]

I'd cancel both Monday night reservations and go to T-Rex that night instead. You can check-in, have a swim and then catch the boat to Downtown Disney.

I agree about not heading over to Epcot on the Tuesday. Are there any Chef Mickey's reservations still available? Maybe for brunch?

I'd also lose 1900 Park Fare on the Thursday - it's too far from either park. Is there anything available at Akerhus? If not, Cape May's nice but can be a bit of a pain to get to.

 

[Crystal M L]

Great advice guys! Thank you! I'm going to try to finalize my plans this weekend and cancel some reservations as soon as possible.

 

[monica9]

I would do this:
MONDAY-
Go to Cape May and walk around boardwalk and Beach Club and maybe walk to see Illuminations at Epcot
or
eat at your resort

TUESDAY-
Magic Kingdom
BOG for B-fast
Take monorail to 1900 park fare and have dinner
Take monorail back for MNSSHP

WEDNESDAY-
Animal Kingdom
Tusker House B-fast
Take bus to contemporary and do Chef mickeys for dinner
Walk to MK busses and take bus back to resort

THURSDAY- This will be tricky because you have to take a bus to a park and then another bus to the resort. Might take a lot of time!
Cape May breakfast (take bus to epcot then another bus to Beach Club)
Walk to Epcot
Take boat to HS
Hollywood and Vine dinner

FRIDAY-
Make T Rex earlier

Good Luck and have fun!!

 

[tigger21475]

I suggest getting an advanced membership to **************.com
Use the code WDWHints and the advanced membership is $12. You can choose 3 ressies your looking for and when you get those you can change it. Well worth the $12. I have gotten all the times I was looking for. Your 9:25pm at Chef Mickey's is kind of late for the 4 year old.
I don't think Hollywood & Vine doesn't have characters for dinner I would try and get a breakfast or lunch on the day you are going to HS.

 

[Sarahbelle341]

Monday- I would keep Tusker House and cancel Chef Mickeys. Its the same characters and Tusker House has much better food.
Tuesday- I would cancel Garden Grill and stay at Magic Kingdom for lunch. Consider Crystal Palace for Pooh characters or CRT lunch.
Wednesday- I would make an Epcot day and hop on monorail for dinner at 1900 Park fare or consider making an ADr for Garden Grill or another restaurant in world showcase. Akershus for princesses would be a good choice.
Thursday- I would drop all those AdRs honestly. If you were going to keep one I would keep Cape May and make that a HS day.

 

[little miss minnie]

I feel like your dining reservations are going to cause you a lot of unnecessary travel time. I wouldn't do a Magic Kingdom day, leave for dinner at Epcot, and then go all the way back to MK for the party. Disney buses can take a loooooonnng time to get to certain places. Plus, the buses do not go from park to park. When you do your planning, tyr to plan your parks and dining reservations all around the same area. For example, on a magic kingdom day, it would be much easier to either try to get a reservation at a Magic Kingdom table service restaurant, or even a restaurant in one of the 3 resorts on the monorail loop. If you do not want to cancel some of your dining reservations, I would rework your park schedule. HEres what I would do....




MONDAY:
1:45 SWA arrival
3:00 Check in
6:00 Tusker House OR, cancel this and do DTD for the night

TUESDAY- MAGIC KINGDOM:
8:50 BOG
4:30 1900 Park Fare (hop on monorail right at MK, ride it over to Grand Floridian, eat, ride it right back to MK)
7:00 MNSSHP

WEDNESDAY- ANIMAL KINGDOM/EPCOT
Lunch: Counter service at AK (IMO, AK is a half day park, so I'd do 1/2 at AK, then the last half at EPCOT)
Dinner: Go to Epcot in the evening, You can move your Garden Grill meal here

THURSDAY- HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
Breakfast: I'd just grab something quick
Lunch: Maybe try 50's Prime Time?
5:40: Hollywood and Vine

FRIDAY- I'd pick MK OR DTD, not both. I'd pick MK and do
BREAKFAST 9:20: CRT
LUNCH 2:00: Crystal Palace

 

[Happyjen27]

I think this is an awful lot of sitting and eating for a 4 year old. My kids enjoyed character meals, and they enjoy restaurant eating in general, however, if given the choice, they would rather ride a ride than sit and eat.

I would limit it to 1 meal with the Fab 5 (Mickey, Minnie, etc) and 1 meal with Princesses, and 1 meal with the Disney Junior crew if she's into those shows.

That's it.

I also wouldn't spend that much time traveling to food. Time is money at Disney, and time spent in transit is time not spent on rides and shows. If I were planning a trip for a 4 year old girl, I would do this:

Monday 10/19
1:45 SWA arrival
3:00 Check in Port Orleans Riverside
5:30 Tusker House - AK (I would cancel, it's a waste of a park ticket if you're not going into the park for rides/attractions)
9:25 Chef Mickey's - Cont Resort (cancel this, this is super late, and by the time you get out of there, walk to the MK, catch the bus to your resort, you could be tucking in a 4 year old at 11PM. Which is fine, Disney is for staying up partying with Mickey, but, that doesn't jive with your BOG at 8:50, which means you'd have to be at the bus stop by 7:50 at the latest)
Tuesday 10/20 (Magic Kingdom all day???)
8:50 BOG - MK
4:00 Garden Grill - Epcot ( I would cancel this, seems like a waste of time to go to Epcot for a meal)
7:00 MNSSHP
Wed 10/21 (Animal Kingdom)
1:50 Tusker House - AK
8:25 1900 Park Fare - Grand Floridian (I would cancel this, or move it to Tuesday like a pp suggested)
Thurs 10/22 (Epcot/Hollywood Studios?)
8:00 Cape May Cafe - Beach Club Resort ( I would cancel. I'm sure it's awesome, but, there is no direct bus to Beach Club from your resort. You'd have to grab a cab, or take a bus to Epcot and then take a bus to Beach Club. Seems like an awful lot of trouble for a meal)
10:00 1900 Park Fare - Grand Floridian (I'm assuming this is an either/or thing, it will be tight just to get to the Grand Floridian with 8:00 Cape May reservations, much less be hungry)
5:40 Hollywood & Vine - HS ( I would do Hollywood and Vine for breakfast when there are characters present and cancel the other 2 reservations)
Friday 10/23
9:20 CRT - Magic Kingdom
11:00 Check out Port Orleans Riverside
2:30 T-Rex - Downtown Disney (I would cancel. With all the amazing things that the Magic Kingdom has to offer, you only have 1 day scheduled there, why not stay all day at magic Kingdom and forget about Downtown Disney?)
7:10 SWA Flight departure

 

[Accident]

Plus, the buses do not go from park to park.

Is this new because I've always taken buses park to park. Always the quickest buses and usually the closest stop to get it.

 

[jerseygirl82]

I'm also looking for which of these character dining reservations are worth keeping versus cancelling. I was just grabbing whatever popped up that might be fun per my TA's suggestion when I booked a week ago. I personally am leaning towards cancelling everything for Monday evening and possibly the BOG on Tuesday morning. I'm also not sold on Cape May Cafe breakfast but I don't know which ones are better in terms of interaction and food. This is also our first EVER WDW trip. Me, DH and DD(4)

Monday 10/19
1:45 SWA arrival
3:00 Check in Port Orleans Riverside
5:30 Tusker House - AK Cancel. Waste of a park ticket.
9:25 Chef Mickey's - Cont Resort Cancel or look for an earlier time. Or eat at DTD or your resort. Way too late if you plan to spend the next day at MK.
Tuesday 10/20 (Magic Kingdom all day???) - Yes, MK is an all day for a first visit. If you cancel Chef Mickey for Monday try to get it this day.
8:50 BOG - MK Cancel. Look for pre park opening breakfast.
4:00 Garden Grill - Epcot Cancel. I don't recommend park hopping with a 4 year old or for a first trip.
7:00 MNSSHP
Wed 10/21 (Animal Kingdom)
1:50 Tusker House - AK Choose between this or Chef Mickey. Don't do both.
8:25 1900 Park Fare - Grand Floridian This is by far our favorite character meal. I would only suggest trying to find an earlier time.
Thurs 10/22 (Epcot/Hollywood Studios?)
8:00 Cape May Cafe - Beach Club Resort Cancel.
10:00 1900 Park Fare - Grand Floridian Cancel.
5:40 Hollywood & Vine - HS Change to breakfast for Disney Jr. characters. Awesome interaction and DD (5) loves it!
Friday 10/23
9:20 CRT - Magic Kingdom
11:00 Check out Port Orleans Riverside
2:30 T-Rex - Downtown Disney
7:10 SWA Flight departure

For a first trip you are attempting to pack in a lot in a short amount of time. I would personally only do one TS per day and as a PP mentioned, focus on getting in a Fab 5, princess, and Disney Jr. meal and do the rest QS. I have a 5 year old DD and in bold above are the changes I'd make. Focus your plans on the parks; not the meals.

 

[Wosmama6]

Do disney dining scout. I paid $4 and have gotten all the reservations I wanted when I had NONE and I'm in the last week of free dining, too. Seriously, I was bending over backwards to plan around a couple of awkward meals, and using this app I got what I wanted and can now enjoy myself without worrying.

Unless your kid is into Disney Jr and/or you're planning to do a bunch of rider swap for you and DH, skip HS.
I would do:
10/19 eat at POR
10/20 MK
shoot for an earlier breakfast unless it's an EMH day. 8 am will get you into the park early... 850 just means you won't be able to take advantage of no lines early in the am.
OR do BoG lunch or dinner. harder to get than breakfast, but what are the chances that your kid will make it 6 am - 10pm or later?
10/21 AK
keep the tusker house ressie. this gets you to see mickey and co, so scratch that crew off the character list
10/22 Epcot
You hvae princesses and mickey covered, so you have flexibility here. Schedule what sounds tasty. My 2yo loves fish, so we might do Coral Reef. If your 4yo loves Nemo, chances are they'll think Epcot is cool.
If you go HS instead, get H&V breakfast for Dis Jr characters
10/23 MK
keep your CRT and stay there til you need to leave.

 

[little miss minnie]

Is this new because I've always taken buses park to park. Always the quickest buses and usually the closest stop to get it.

Ok, so i need to correct myself. Most of the time you need to go from a park to the TTC. SOME of the parks do offer buses to other parks.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

Tuesday you have MNSSHP which you can enter at 4:00 pm, I wouldn't waste a minute of it to go to a TS. That week the park is packed for the party.
We usually grab a hot dog at Casey's and wait for the parade or eat in the park. If you are leaving the park to get ready for the party...it is a very late night, I would just eat at your hotel.

All the running, getting transportation to these meals without a car is extremely time consuming unless you are already there,

 

[Accident]

Ok, so i need to correct myself. Most of the time you need to go from a park to the TTC. SOME of the parks do offer buses to other parks.

animal kingdom to any other park is a bus
magic kingdom to hollywood studios is a bus, epcot is a monorail
Hollywood to epcot is a boat.