LDW Girls Trip - SWGE, Keys to the Kingdom Tour & More!

[e_yerger]

This is my first time posting a pre-trip report, but here I go!

I'm traveling with my friend and we both have APs. This will be our 3rd tip going together in a year (woo!)
Our first trip together we stayed at Pop Century (she didn't have an AP at the time), and our second trip was at the Boardwalk Inn. We're officially spoiled and Deluxe for LIFE! For this LDW trip we were originally booked at Caribbean Beach rack rate because we couldn't stomach the deluxe prices. After yesterday's discount dump we upgraded to Animal Kingdom Lodge!

Travel Dates: August 30th - September 2nd
Hotel: Animal Kingdom Lodge Pool View
Dining: Boma (dinner), California Grill (dinner), La Hacienda de San Angel (dinner), Be Our Guest (breakfast)
Special Events: Keys to the Kingdom Tour 8:30am on Aug 31st, Star Wars Galaxy's Edge on Sept 1st (hopefully ), Opening weekend of F&W and seeing Plain White T's @ Eat to the Beat
FastPasses: SDMT, Under the Sea, BTMR, TSM!, Frozen Sing-Along, MuppetVision, Spaceship Earth, Soarin', The Seas w/ Nemo

Question of the hour - should we do the dining plan?! We would do the Disney Dining Plan so 3 TS, 3 QS & 6 snacks per person total. I feel like we would probably pay for Boma out of pocket & use the dining plan credits for California Grill & La Hacienda - thoughts?! We're so stuck on what to do. The DDP would be around $225 per person.

 

[e_yerger]

So I sat down to make our daily plan and now I'm excited more than ever! We have decided to do the regular dining plan and with the help of some other dis-ers I think we will only have to pay OOP for half of one meal!

Total Amount of DDP Credits:
Table Service - 6
Quick Service - 6
Snack Credits - 12

August 30th - Arrival Day
(both work in the AM)
- Flight 3:15 - 6:02pm into MCO
- Uber to Animal Kingdom Lodge, hopefully check-in around 7pm (also going to ask for any possible upgrades, moving to a Savannah view or something)
- Dinner at Boma at 8pm (2 TS)

August 31 - Magic Kingdom
- Magic Kingdom EMH @ 7am (hoping to do some rides, get pictures, enjoy the cool morning before the heat kicks in full swing)
- Breakfast using snack credits (2-4 SC)
- Keys to the Kingdom tour 8:30-1:30pm (includes lunch so no need to use DDP credits)
- After the tour, we'll go back to AKL for naps & time by the pool
- Uber to the Contemporary around 4:45/5pm
- California Grill at 5:25pm (we will be paying for one person using the DDP and another person OOP - this way we will have 2 more TS credit to use on Sept 1st) (2 TS)
- FastPass+ Reservations (we are not set on doing these and/or making these reservation times, but we like to have the option to do them if we feel up to it):

- Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid 7-8pm​

- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 8:30-9:30m​

- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad 9:30-10p​

- Happily Ever After show at 9:15 (this will most likely be our last chance to see HEA in a long time, so we will probably skip some FP reservations to find a spot and watch it)

September 1 - Hollywood Studios / Epcot
(the first half of this day is very play-it-by-ear; if crowds look too intense at HS we will just rest at the hotel in the AM and enjoy the pool through lunch)
- Hollywood Studios EEMH @ 6am for SWGE
- Breakfast using snack credits (2-4 SC)
- Fastpass+ Reservations

- Toy Story Midway Mania! 9:25-10:25am​

- Frozen Sing-Along 11-11:15a (11:30 show)​

- Muppet Vision 12:20-1:20p​

- Back to AKL for naps & time by the pool
- QS lunch by the pool from The Mara (2 QS)
- EPCOT for drinks around the world/dinner/last time seeing Illuminations
- Use some snack credits for F&W Booths (2-4 SC)
- La Hacienda de San Angel at 6:45pm (2 TS)
- Illuminations at 9pm

September 2 - Magic Kingdom / Epcot / Departure Day
- Finish packing our bags & drop at bell services
- Be Our Guest breakfast at 9:45am (2 QS)
- Hang out in MK, get last minute pictures, then catch monorail to EPCOT
- Fastpass+ Reservations:

- Spaceship Earth 11:35-12:35p​

- Soarin 1-2pm​

- The Seas with Nemo & Friends 2:20-3:20​

- Grab a QS lunch somewhere (2 QS)
- Use remaining snack credits @ F&W food booths (?? SC)
- Leave EPCOT around 5pm
- Uber to airport at 6pm
- Flight leaves at 8:40pm