Itinerary Suggestions Wanted

[ACrider]

Similar to another poster, my family is making our first trip in May too! We have two boys, ages 6 and 8.5 and will be staying offsite (Sher Vist)

We will get in 4/28 Friday night late and grab a hotel room (tbd yet) to weather the night. The real fun starts 4/29.

4/29 Sat. --Hotel breakfast - continental or whatever complimentary thing
they have.
--Checkout and drive to the SherVist and see where it is. Leave
bags locked in trunk of rental or see if we can check at front
desk (can't actually check in till 2pm or 4pm depending on
their leniency). at least we figure out where the place is.
walk around the resort if we have time to kill.
--10:30ish Drive to Contemporary Resort for 11:15 Cafe Mickey
character breakfast (more like brunch for us!) - we get to meet
Mickey! and others too.
--drive to Walmart and pick up food/other supplies for the week
--2 pm ish - see if we can check into resort and settle in

?????????????? here is my question - what do we do for the afternoon from 3 pm on? I was wanting to visit a park as we have 7 days of tickets and probably won't go to a park our final day, so we lose it or use it this day.

MK closes early (7pm) this day due to Grad Nights, AK closes at 5 pm, Epcot says Future World closes at 7pm and World Showcase closes at 9pm (not sure what these are?), MGM at 8:30 pm. Any recommendations?

I'm leaning toward settling in and an early light supper at the resort (in-room) and then going to MGM - if we got there by 5, we'd have the at least 3 hours to "play". In looking at what it has to offer, I think it is probably the park we least want to visit so having a small time there that night and saving the full days for the other three might make sense? We want to do the Star Wars thing, see the Extreme Stunt show, and maybe the tower of terror though that might be a little scary for my youngest? will have to see.

Am I totally off here, what do you think about MGM? is there anything else on a Saturday evening that we should make a must see or do instead? are their fireworks somewhere?

thanks for your input, I'll be asking for a lot the next few weeks

Amanda

 

[mtdevine615]

Welcome to the Dis Amanda. What we do on our arrival day is after check-in we head to Epcot for a nice dinner and then maybe a couple of rides or just checking everything out and then watch Illuminations. The best fire works show at WDW IMHO. I would not waste the ticket, definetly get into a park.

 

[maxiv]

as for me it was similiar when i arrived in summer...you could either go to a waterpark till 6 'o clock (i think they r open till then) and then have dinner at downtown disney...or spend the whole day @DTD but i'd prefer going to the waterpark and then haveing dinner @ DTD

what do you think?

 

[sconstantz]

It is your first night there, after traveling and all the excitement, you and the kids may just be a little tired. I know we hate to "waste" a ticket day, but if you have to don't hurt your head about it!! : ) MGM is a great park, perhaps my favorite. There are great shows there, and some fun rides. Maybe going there for a couple hours that night will be good for you to see it. And if you like what you see, you can return later in your trip.

But, be flexible and if all are tired, take a break, play at the pool, early dinner, and get ready for the next big day.

Have Fun.

Shelly

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

From your post, it appears that you're actually getting into Orlando on 4/28, with 4/29 being the first full day there. Am I correct?

If that's the case, I wouldn't be "wasting" my first morning at the SherVist if the official check in time isn't until 2 or 4 pm. I would actually head to the MK at park opening or as close to opening time as I could make it. From there, you can actually walk to the Contemporary for your Chef Mickey's ADR.

After your brunch, I would suggest returning to the MK, either on foot or by resort monorail. You could then get several more park hours in before you leave to check in at the SherVist.

Once you get settled into your condo at the SherVist, one parent can leave to do the grocery shopping while the other takes the family on a get-aquainted tour of the property.

You can then have a leisurely evening at your resort or you might want to return to WDW for an evening in Downtown Disney. If you have the hopper option on your passes, you can choose to go to EPCOT for the evening just to take in IllumiNations (the fireworks show in the World Showcase). The fireworks begin at 9pm, even though the park "closes" at that time.

 

[Magic Man]

on EVERY trip to WDW is go to Main Street U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom. From there you can walk to CR for brunch and then stroll back to the Magic Kingdom until time to check in at your hotel. The trip has never truly started until you get on Main Street U.S.A.!

 

[snowy76]

Epcot says Future World closes at 7pm and World Showcase closes at 9pm (not sure what these are?),

FW has a several pavilions with themes such as the sea, imagination, space, etc. Many of the attractions or buildings in FW close around 7 (although the biggest ones usually are open later).

The WS area opens later than FW in the mornings, so it stays open later as well. WS is the area which features different countries of the world. Lots of shopping and dining and other attractions here. It's in WS where Epcot has the nightly Illuminations show.

 

[Marthasor]

From your post, it appears that you're actually getting into Orlando on 4/28, with 4/29 being the first full day there. Am I correct?

If that's the case, I wouldn't be "wasting" my first morning at the SherVist if the official check in time isn't until 2 or 4 pm. I would actually head to the MK at park opening or as close to opening time as I could make it. From there, you can actually walk to the Contemporary for your Chef Mickey's ADR.

After your brunch, I would suggest returning to the MK, either on foot or by resort monorail. You could then get several more park hours in before you leave to check in at the SherVist.

Once you get settled into your condo at the SherVist, one parent can leave to do the grocery shopping while the other takes the family on a get-aquainted tour of the property.

You can then have a leisurely evening at your resort or you might want to return to WDW for an evening in Downtown Disney. If you have the hopper option on your passes, you can choose to go to EPCOT for the evening just to take in IllumiNations (the fireworks show in the World Showcase). The fireworks begin at 9pm, even though the park "closes" at that time.

I agree! If I were you, I would let the kids sleep as long as they could - it sounds like they have a big day ahead of them and WDW can be fun, but exhausting! Grab some coffee and a quick bite, check-out and head over to MK for opening, usually 9 a.m. (the welcome show is SO CUTE! and a nice way to begin your entire stay!) Wander MK for an hour and then head over to the Contemporary for brunch at Chef Mickey's on the monorail - one quick stop away, plus you get to ride the monorail! Then, after brunch, head on back to MK on the monorail and enjoy yourselves until mid-afternoon and then go check into your new hotel, buy your groceries, relax and rejuvenate for whatever you choose to do in the evening.

I think if you head to MK directly from your first hotel, you will be able to enjoy almost an entire day in a park and save yourself A LOT of driving around - WDW and Orlando seem so vast to me! Plus, from my experience this past trip with 2 boys 9 & 11, if you get to the park at opening, the kids are going to be ready for some serious downtime by about 3 or 4 p.m. which sounds like the time you want to check in!

Have a great trip!

 

[ACrider]

I appreciate all the replies, it has been very helpful. I am reevaluating the plan based on your suggestions. One day down, 6 to go...this could be a long planning session!

I am wondering - I've read that parking at MK is pretty far from the gate. Is there a place to park where one can ride the shuttle/monorail in and out instead that would make it easier? Is it possible to park close to or at the Contemporary Resort - ride the monorail in to Disney for the 9 am opening, and then when we come back for the 11:15 brunch, the vehicle would be accessible in case someone needs a clothing change, get water/snacks for the afternoon etc?

Alright, here's the new plan:

4/28 Friday:
Get into airport, get luggage, go crash at 'temp' hotel and rest up!
4/29 Saturday:
Rise & shine - enjoy hotel breakfast and/or breakfast snack in the car
pending on how early/late everyone sleeps
8:15a - check out and move out - drive to Contemporary to park and
take the monorail in to MK for the 9 am opening. see welcome show,
wander Main Street, do rides if there is time (to do: pick area to visit)
10:45a - head to the monorail to get to Contemporary to get to brunch
on time
11:15a - Cafe Mickey character breakfast (brunch) enjoy till it is over!
12:15p (or whatever time) - visit vehicle as needed and head back into
MK for more fun. What time/where is the big parade I've read about?
3:00-4:00p depending on whenever everyone tuckers out - head back
to car and over to SV to check in and settle in. relax, unpack, tour,
maybe try out 1 (of the 7!) pools there. All or one of us hit Walmart
for supplies and have supper in-room
6:00-7:00p - head out to Epcot (drive there) and check out the WS-
do the world passport thing I've read about (or at least part of it).
Get a dessert snakc and find a spot to watch the Illuminations
Fireworks at 9 pm (recommendations)? (how long does the show last?)
10p or whenever show over, drive back to resort and get a good night
sleep to get ready for full day #2!
4/30 Sunday
a.m. - breakfast in-room
8:30a - leave for MK to be able to head in at opening at 9am
Catch th train to Frontierland: ride and/or get Fast Pass (for
second ride later) to BigThunder and Splash Mountain, visit Tom
Sawyer Island (paintbrush/caves), go to Adventureland for the
Pirate ride and do other rides, etc too.
11a-12p (guessing - not sure what time this will put us at) Need to
figure out lunch plans. I'm guessing we'll work our
way around the park, so Fantasy Land and then Toontown would
be next. ??? any suggestions about this part welcome!
2p roughly - head back to resort to relax, swim, nap, have supper
5-6pm - Back to MK - go to Tomorrowland (Space Mountain and other)
Stay for Spectromagic Parade (??what time and where is this -
any good viewing spots recommended?)
(??? MK open till 10 pm this night,plus it is late hours for Disney
guests-we aren't so we would leave by 10 - but will this make it
unbearably crowded there that night, should we look at going
elsewhere this evening?)


-work in progress and still loving it! -