Just started my honeymoon planning and I'm terrified! HELP!

[Lil' Bit]

Hi! I've just joined these board because I am at the very beginning stages of planning my and my fiance's honeymoon getaway for next May! We're so so so very excited about this trip, but there are so many questions!

I figured the lovely people on this board (which I keep referring to for my questions already answered) would be a good place for help.

Here's a little info about us and our trip:

• We are NOT having a wedding, but opting to have a very big honeymoon instead. Therefore, for the most part money won't be an object (but budget and saving tips are welcome!)
• We'll be going the 3rd week in may 2009 for 7 days and 6 nights.
• I've only been to WDW once when I was 5 and he's never been so basically we're newbies!
• We are planning on visiting all 4 parks, plus Typhoon Lagoon and Pleasure Island.

SO! on to my massive amounts of questions!

Actually, I just have one big concern right now - planning the agenda! (I don't know why since we don't even have our registry set up or anything booked yet )

For a 7 day trip, 4 parks, Typhoon Lagoon and a night at Downtown Disney/Pleasure Island, how should I budget my time? Are there any parks I will want to spend more than one day at? What are some good first day (which will be almost a full day) and last day (half day) activities?

I spent a good long time on the phone with the Disney travel agent who was very helpful and kind. We are probably going to get a really nice package that includes dining plan, hotel and tickets. We haven't booked yet because we are still undecided on the actual hotel! They're all so wonderful

Anyway I can see the I've just rambled on but thanks in advance for the advice and I hope all you experts can calm my nerves about all the planning!

 

[lurkyloo]

Welcome!

Now I don't mean to send you away, but the folks on the Theme Park Attractions & Strategies Board (http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=2) and the Disney Resorts Board (http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=12) are a wealth of great info on all the questions you've asked.

We all love answering questions too - I just didn't want you to miss out on those valuable resources.

The one thing I can tell you off the top of my head is that all the clubs on Pleasure Island are now closed, so you may not need to spend a lot of time there during your trip.

 

[Lil' Bit]

Welcome!

Now I don't mean to send you away, but the folks on the Theme Park Attractions & Strategies Board and the Disney Resorts Board are a wealth of great info on all the questions you've asked.

We all love answering questions too - I just didn't want you to miss out on those valuable resources.

The one thing I can tell you off the top of my head is that all the clubs on Pleasure Island are now closed, so you may not need to spend a lot of time there during your trip.

No Bongos?

and thanks for the tip, I will defiinitely be copying and pasting because it took a long time to type that!

 

[lurkyloo]

Bongos is still open - never fear! All the restaurants and shops at Downtown Disney are still open - it's the nightclubs on Pleasure Island that closed.

 

[Tink_Kel]

Congratulations fellow May Bride!! Me & my DF are getting married on the 16th, and Disney-mooning the 17-22! It's so much fun planning, you're gonna have a blast.

Here's one of my favorite tips....

when the hours come out for May (next month), plan your parks around whichever has the late "Magic Hours". IMO, there is nothing as fun and romantic as staying (and closing) the parks late in the evenings. I think it's because it's cooler outside, and the lights are so pretty! We went to WDW last July, and slept late every day, and hit the parks in the late afternoon until close....it was really nice, because we weren't rushed for "rope drop", and had nice relaxing mornings (and pool-time in the early afternoon).

We've toured all the resorts, and my favorite for convience and romance is the Poly. It is one of the monorail resorts, which makes it so much easier when catching dinner reservations and going to some of the parks.

Have fun planning! It's nothing to be nervous about, and be flexible, because your plans will probably change every day.

 

[mindy5648]

There is also the Disney Honeymoon Registry which could be a big help for you. You can have people buy "points" to go towards things you want...like dinner at Bongos Best of all it is free for you to register

 

[Hillary12.8.07]

Congrats!! You will have an AWESOME time!!

I think my first piece of advice is to accept that you won't have time to do it all. There is SO much to see and do, there is always something you're missing. So don't stress too much about doing it all. Read some of the honeymoon and wedding TR's here, and go on the Trip Report board. That helped me alot.

IMO, Magic Kingdom and Epcot both require at least 2 days. There is just alot more there to take in. But you also want time to relax as well. Seriously, my best advice is don't plan everything down to the minute, it keeps alot of fun from happening.

Enjoy the planning! We're here to help!

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Welcome!

Now I don't mean to send you away, but the folks on the Theme Park Attractions & Strategies Board (http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=2) and the Disney Resorts Board (http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=12) are a wealth of great info on all the questions you've asked.

We all love answering questions too - I just didn't want you to miss out on those valuable resources.

The one thing I can tell you off the top of my head is that all the clubs on Pleasure Island are now closed, so you may not need to spend a lot of time there during your trip.

LOL Lurkyloo! I just posted to this exact question on the Theme Parks board and suggested OP look you up!!!!

 

[DisneyBrideToni]

I also agree that the Magic Kingdom and Epcot need two days if you really want to explore everything. I also agree that you should take advantage of the extra magic hours at night. The lines are shorter and there aren't as many people in the park. Its really cool to stay there after closing hours! Typhoon Lagoon is my favorite water park. You will have tons of fun there.

 

[nickandlarisa]

Hi and welcome!!! I'm no expert, my first real adult trip where I did the planning was last year when we got engaged, and now we are planning our honeymoon, too! These boards are the best resource I found so you are in the right place!

Things I learned and loved ...

- dining plan worked out wonderfully for us!! Now they have Deluxe which we are planning on for our honeymoon which equals a TON of food
- definitely make ADRs for all your table credit (sit down) meals, look at menus and reviews of restaurants to help figure out your eating agenda.
- consider some of the 2-credit options like CRT and the luau, we loved both
- we ate at locations mainly in the parks, but next time plan to explore some restaurants in resorts, so that's something to consider
- stop by guest services and get a free "just married" pin
- get the bride and groom ears
- a lot of brides are making/buying t-shirts saying something to effect of "just married" or "Mrs. so-and-so" which I think is really cute, when else can you where fun things like that!?!
- we went to MK on the first day which just really gets you in the Disney frame of mind IMO
- Disney Visa = disney dollar rewards!!!
- park-hopper tix worked for us because we would go to a different park for dinner or could be flexible
- we didn't take advantage of the EMH but plan to next time
- you don't have to have anything figured out to do the honeymoon registry, your guests don't know this but basically everything that is "purchased" for you, a night's stay, dinner somewhere, all goes into a general gift card and you get to really spend the funds however you want.
- plan, but don't over-plan every second, it is a vacation after all! We left our last full day open in our agenda so we could go to whatever park we felt we didn't have enough time in.

I'm still learning too but I think if you snoop around on here long enough you will find everything you need, best of luck with everything!!

 

[lurkyloo]

LOL Lurkyloo! I just posted to this exact question on the Theme Parks board and suggested OP look you up!!!!

I second the part about not planning everything down to the last detail. Or, plan but be prepared to depart from the plan if you get tired, change your minds, or find something even cooler than what you had scheduled!

 

[Lil' Bit]

Sounds wonderful everyone! I have definitely been planning on doing the registry and already have a registry website set up for it. Can't get started 'til I start booking though.

one concern: how am I seriously going to fit 2 days at epcot and MK? it doesn't look possible...

 

[mermaidbride1108]

I would suggest researching things at wdwinfo.com, allears.net, and passporter.com. I highly recommend a Disney Passporter book!

Other things:
a carriage ride at Port Orleans, I forget which resort

Pick up rain ponchos at target or walmart in the camping section for a $1! I pick up a ton everytime I go to Disney and then we just throw them out afterwards instead of trying to refold them

Use the ADR calculator at wdwinfo to figure out when you should call and reserve your ADRs

The spectro magic parade, make a dinner reservation at one on the MK resorts (Poly, GF, etc, and watch the water parade from the beach afterwards.

If you like Photos, get a Photopass card (at Typhoon Lagoon they give you the bracelet kind, I highly recommend it because its so easy to carry around that way) and ask the Photopass photographers to take a TON of pictures of you, then get the all the pictures on the cd at one of the camera centers. When we got engaged, they took a ton of pictures, we had well over 300 on the cd! so it was worth it, but last time I went we only got 50 so I didn't purchase it.

Also, ask at ride photo counters to put the ride picture onto your photopass card, not all rides can do this, but always ask because it's another picture to go onto your cd!

There's a ton more but that's all I can think of at the moment, just some random tips for you!

 

[Lil' Bit]

I have not heard about that parade but it sounds fantastic! Thanks

I just talked to another disney agent and I'm pretty sure we're going to add 2 days and make it an 8-night trip instead of 6. The price difference was not that scary and totally do-able which makes me excited (and less nervous about fitting everything into a week).

Now we only have to make a decision on which deluxe resort to stay in and we'll be ready!

 

[ariel1025]

Hello and Congratulations!!!

We just got married this past May and had the best honeymoon at Disney World (I still can't stop talking about it ).

First, I agree with you that choosing the hotel is one of the toughest parts because IMO it sets the mood for the rest of your trip. We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and absolutely loved it. To us it was very romantic and serene which is right up our alley. They have a huge fireplace in the lobby with rocking chairs, lots of little secluded areas to chill out around the hotel and the trails to the boats and buses etc are so beautifully landscaped. For us it was nice to come back to such a relaxing place after the end of a long day.

Second, I have to agree with others on here, try not to overplan. Trust me, I know how hard that is, but some of the greatest things that we experienced on our honeymoon were things that were not in the plan. Also, try not to be bummed out if some of your plans don't work out once you arrive. There are so many wonderful things to do and see at Disney World you are bound to have a wonderful time regardless

Now these are just from my experience but these were the things we are so glad that we did and absolutely would not change:

1. Having breakfast at CRT the very first morning and spending our first day at MK...it just put us in the Disney spirit

2. Doing the early Luau at the Poly and watching the fireworks from the beach afterwards

3. Wearing the "Just Married" buttons and Ears (it was so much fun to hear all the Congratulations from everyone)

4. Resting at some point during the day (yes, yes I know it sounds crazy). Trust me after going non stop for a few days you will be too tired to enjoy yourselves at the end. With that the other thing we were glad we splurged on was staying concierge because we always had snacks and stuff in the lounge when we came back to rest.

5. Doing the honeymoon registy

Well, I've rambled long enough. I hope this helps a little to put you at ease. I am more than happy to answer any questions you have. Just remember to relax and enjoy the planning

 

[Lil' Bit]

1. Having breakfast at CRT the very first morning and spending our first day at MK...it just put us in the Disney spirit

This might sound wonderful if I knew what CRT was! All the shortened codes on this website leave me in the dust, I can never understand have of what someone is explaining!

Lots of good info, thank you

 

[mermaidbride1108]

This might sound wonderful if I knew what CRT was! All the shortened codes on this website leave me in the dust, I can never understand have of what someone is explaining!

Lots of good info, thank you

CRT = Cinderella's Royal Table, it's the restaurant on the 2nd floor of the castle. During Breakfast & Lunch, the Disney princesses are there (from what I hear Breakfast is VERY popular for little girls) and then for Dinner, you have Suzie and Perla, mice from Cinderella, and the Fairy Godmother who puts on a little show. If you are there during Wishes, they pipe in the music for you.

Also, if you plan to go to dinner during Wishes, request the window seat and note that you are on your honeymoon when you are making all of your ADR = Advance Dining Reservations!

My Fiance (DF) proposed to me at CRT and we had the window seat. There are pictures on my TR, there's a link on the first page of my PJ.

If you say you are on your honeymoon when making the reservation, they might do cinderella confetti and I heard sometimes you get special champagne glasses! I recieved them when I got engaged. But note that there is no guarantee that you will recieve any pixidust like that, but make sure you say it's your honeymoon to up your chances!