Looking For Some Planning Pals

[tomwitham]

Hey folks. I'm finally burned out lurking and thought I'd see if anyone would be interested in helping me out with some details for my trip. Am I barking up the right tree or is there some other place I should be?
Thanks!
Tom

 

[Marionnette]

Hey folks. I'm finally burned out lurking and thought I'd see if anyone would be interested in helping me out with some details for my trip. Am I barking up the right tree or is there some other place I should be?
Thanks!
Tom

If you're done lurking and want to ask specific questions, the best thing to do would be to go to the discussion forum that addresses the area your question falls in. Post a new thread on that forum and you will get better answers than if you were to post a question about resorts on the Theme Park forum or a question about strollers on the Resorts forum.

 

[tomwitham]

I'm just looking for some friendly people to bounce ideas off. Which board would help me with that?

 

[Spunky946]

I can help. What do you need help with?

 

[tomwitham]

Thanks Spunky. Here are some details about our next trip. I'm looking for ideas to fill in the gaps and maybe some suggestions about new technologies and whatnot. I haven't been since 2008. My wife and I want to run in the half marathon in January 2015 during the Marathon weekend. We are looking at arriving the Tuesday before, and leaving the Tuesday after. Our daughters will be 4 (and a half) and 1 (and a half) at the time of the trip. My parents are retired and live in Zephyrhills and will be keeping the 1 and a half year old for the majority of the trip. We want to focus on the 4 year old and making it special for her. So far, the things I ABSOLUTELY want to do with her are Breakfast at Cinderella's castle, and then do it up big at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. There are a couple of other things I have in mind for her like Beauty and the Beast and Turtle Talk with Crush. I'm really looking for some good suggestions on how to do it up right and take advantage of everything I can. She has watched Cars and Sleeping Beauty about a million times as they are her favorites and at the moment, Special Agent Oso is the hottest thing around. I would like to stay at the Art of Animation resort, and the one selfish thing for me is I want to have a lunch at the Sci-Fi Dine in. Just spit-balling around, this is the itinerary I came up with. Tuesday January 6th 2015 Fly from Portland Maine (or Manchester, NH) to Orlando (Or Tampa) Meet and Greet with grandparents then travel to Disney Property Check into resort (Art of Animation) Dinner/shopping at Downtown Disney Pool Time at the hotel Wednesday January 7th 2015 Breakfast at Cinderella's Castle Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Magic Kingdom appropriate for 4 year old Thursday January 8th 2015 Breakfast at Hollywood and Vine Hollywood Studios Lunch at Sci Fi Dine In Dinner at hotel Friday January 9th 2015 Meals at hotel Animal Kingdom Grandparents stay at hotel Saturday January 10th 2015 Early rise for marathon (kids stay at hotel with grandparents) Epcot all day Sunday January 11th 2015 Kids go to park with Grandparents Wife and I go to Universal/Islands of Adventure Monday January 12th 2015 Free day Tuesday January 13th 2015 Travel back to Maine I hope this isn't overwhelming, but I'm really looking for some help from some people that have been down there a lot more than me. I know I'm really early, but I don't want any surprises and I want to take advantage of every deal I can. Thanks, I really appreciate it! Tom

 

[zy144622]

Your plan sounds like a lot of fun! I do see a couple things I would change. (Doesn't mean you will but you asked 1st I would move Sci-fi to dinner. I think you may not be hungry for a big lunch after H&V 2nd would be taking the 1 1/2 year old to MK. We did this last year and had a great time. Very few rides have a height requirement and rider swap passes make that easy even when there is. Our kids were 18m and 4 1/2 on our last trip and the baby was not an issue. Depending on your 4 year olds height it might not matter all. Hope you have a magical trip and good muck on the race!

 

[tomwitham]

Thank you ZY. We have intentions on getting the baby to MK at least once, maybe to opening ceremony. My sister is thinking about coming down at the same time and I'm sure she will take advantage of having her too. My wife and I have been down a few times without children and are really eager to see it again through the 4 year old's eyes.

 

[tomwitham]

P.S. I didn't think about breakfast and lunch so close together. Good advice!

 

[Spunky946]

Do bbb before your meal at the castle. That way she gets dressed up like a princess and then eats at the castle. So you could do a pre opening at bbb and a late breakfast at 10 or we did a 10:20 and a 11:40 lunch.

 

[tomwitham]

So you can do BBB before breakfast? This is exactly why I need you guys. Thank you!