Little help with plans for mom and son please

[amytong]

Hi everyone,
I was hoping for a little help looking over my plans for a trip June 8-12 for me and my 11 year old son. We were at Disney last summer, so this is a quick second visit for us, but the first time staying at a Disney resort and using Disney transport (no car). My son's priority is to ride as many rides as often as possible. I'm hoping we can do that, but not get too walked down. We are staying at POFQ and requested a riverside room. We are also on the dining plan.

6/8 Flight lands 10:35 am, Magical Express to hotel, Head to Hollywood Studios
We don't care much for the shows and are focusing on rides
5:30 reservation for Sci-Fi Drive-In (may cancel this and just do QS)

6/9 Magic Kingdom day, currently 8:40 Be Our Guest breakfast reservation. Trying to get it moved earlier
Crystal Palace Reservation 5:10pm

6/10 Animal Kingdom
Tusker House 4:40pm

6/11 Epcot
Teppan Edo lunch 1:30
Ohana dinner 9:35 (concerned about transportation so late back to POFQ)

6/12 Magic Kingdom
Be Our Guest 8:40 am, trying for earlier
Flight departs at 7:10, so Magical Express back to airport

I have heard that you can check in to your flight at the hotel and check your bags. I'm hoping to do this before leaving for the park that morning. We will do other snacks and quick service meals. Thanks for any feedback!

 

[Thing 1]

I would not do BOG at 8:40 and certainly not two mornings. That really cuts into the best/ low crowd hour of the day. I would be sure to catch Fantasmic that fist night.I also question if an 11 year old boy is going to be into the Pooh characters. Otherwise it looks good.

 

[amytong]

Thank you for your reply. Crystal Palace reservation is more for the meal and not so much the characters. Since we have the dining plan, I was looking for dinner at places I would not normally eat at due to cost and my son enjoys buffets. Is the food quality not worth it? If I can get a dinner res at BOG, I will switch it. Also, we will likely cancel one of the BOG reservations, both if I can't get it earlier.

One person mentioned on another forum that you can get into the park anytime after 7:45 if you have a before opening reservation and that BOG will take you when you arrive, even if it is before your reservation. Does anyone have experience with this. I would like to confirm it before counting on it. Thank you!

 

[Aliceacc]

As far as transportation to POR from 'Ohana:

Simply take the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. From there you can take the regular bus back to your resort. And if your son is anything like mine, that monorail ride will count as "a ride."

 

[Tara1988]

Everything looks good. I wouldn't do the same place for the same meal twice. Maybe switch one BOG to lunch or dinner if you can. Depending on what time MK closes the night of your Ohana dinner, the monorail to MK and bus to resort is the best option. But don't worry about it, they will make sure you get back to your resort.

 

[amytong]

Thank you guys so much for your input. I have revised my plans a little based on your input. Please let me know what you think. I'm sure I will end up with some OOP expenses, but I figure that is to be expected even with the dining plan.
6-8 arrive at 10:35, check in to POFQ, Hollywood Studios ASAP. ADR at Sci-Fi drive in at 5:30, but will likely cancel and do QS to allow for more park time.
6-9 MK day. ADR BOG 8:10am. Hoping for pics on Main St. before breakfast (are the Disney photographers working this early?) Dinner ADR at 3:15 at Crystal Palace (I can't believe it is dinner, but okay!) Mom is excited about characters, kid likes buffet). Dinner at QS late at POFQ.
6-10 AK day. Only current ADR is Tusker House. I keep changing this. Currently set for 7:25 pm because I'm reading they will likely change the closing time from 5pm to later. Any advice on this?
6-11 Epcot. 1:30 ADR Teppan Edo (my son LOVES Japanese). 9:35 O'hana ADR. I'm guessing we will need to catch Monorail before Illuminations to make sure we are on time.
6-12 MK day. 8:15 ADR BOG (I know we have already done this. It is more about getting into the park early). How do you guys feel about this? No other ADRs. We fly out at 7:35pm. We will stay at MK as long as possible and then return to POFQ for Magical Express back to airport. Thanks!!
Amy

 

[SmallWorld71]

EVERY SINGLE TIME we go, DD13 picks Crystal Palace for her meal of choice (Piglet is her favorite character). So, my boys have been there many times over the years. If your DS likes to eat, he will like Crystal Palace. Also, my boys have always been willing to get their photos with the characters and actually have a great time doing so.

If your goal is rides, I highly recommend you check out the cheat sheets on easywdw.com

 

[msmama]

Just FYI - ME usually picks up roughly 3 hours before your flight so a 7:35 flight would probably be on a 4:30 bus. I personally would leave AT LEAST an hour and a half travel time (I would probably leave 2 to be safe) travel time (this is one that I wouldn't want to miss, plus you'll probably have to at least pick up carry ones from bell services and hit the bathrooms before getting on the bus) so I would plan on leaving MK at about 2:30. I'd rather have extra time waiting for ME than be stressed about missing it.

You can check your luggage at the hotel if flying certain airlines (we do SW and check it there every time). They do have specific hours and be aware that it doesn't always work - one of our previous trips, their system was down so I had to lug everything through the airport which I wasn't prepared to do!!

 

[amytong]

Thank you! That is good to know about ME. We are flying American, and it said they are one of the airlines you can check in at the hotel. What time should we leave POFQ (or what bus time) to get into MK as early as possible, take some photos, and still make our 8:10 am ADR at BOG? I would rather get there too early and linger a bit.

 

[amytong]

Thank you for your help! He does love to eat, so I thought the buffet would work for him. He has also agreed to take photos for me with characters. I think it will be fun!

 

[monorailsilver]

My only thought is if your son is trying to ride as many rides as he can then I'd skip the dining plan and eat as you go/get hungry. This way if you are walking by x ride and the wait is only 15 min but you have an ADR that is a 10 min walk away also in 15 min that you'd miss that ride opportunity to go eat.