My Itinerary (Working Version)-comments/criticisms welcomed

[MichaelForbin]

This vacation is for 6 adults no children on the Deluxe Dining Plan. All of these restaurants are booked. We currently do not have any rooms booked. We will have a rental car and will not rely on Disney Transportation very often if at all.

By my calculations the total out of pocket dinner cost would be $539 ($529 plus the $10 tip included in DDP 2 credit cost of Cinderella's Castle). Add 14.99 for the resort mug and 12 snack credits @ an average of $3 each for a grand out of pocket cost equivalent of $589.59pp. The dining plan costs $89.52 (peak season rack rate) x 6 nights = $537.12pp for a savings of $52.47pp x 6 people for a total group savings of $314.82.

We opted for the deluxe plan partly for convenience in terms of paying the check and partly to enjoy many of the Disney Signature Restaurants..and we like to eat! I'm certainly not advocating purchasing the deluxe dining plan (especially at peak season rack rates) but if you have to you might as well get your money's worth!



TUESDAY 4/10

01:00PM – DEPART FROM LGA
03:45PM – ARRIVE AT MCO
04:45PM – CHECK IN
06:30PM – DINNER Cape May Café Buffet Beach Club Resort ($42)
08:00PM – EPCOT
09:00PM – ILLUMINATIONS
12:00am – EPCOT CLOSES

WEDNESDAY 4/11

10:50AM – BREAKFAST Chef Mickey’s Contemporary Resort ($35)
12:30PM – MAGIC KINGDOM
06:30PM – DINNER The Crystal Palace ($44)
09:00PM – MAIN STREET ELECTRICAL PARADE
10:00PM – WISHES NIGHTTIME SPECTACULAR
11:00PM – MAGIC KINGDOM CLOSES

THURSDAY 4/12

10:40AM – BREAKFAST Cape May Café Buffet ($30)
05:15PM – LATE LUNCH/DINNER Brown Derby ($60+)
08:30PM – FANTASMIC RESERVED SEATING Fantasmic Reserved Seating
09:00PM – HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS CLOSES
09:55PM – DINNER Ohana Polynesian Resort ($33)


FRIDAY 4/13

10:30AM – BREAKFAST – The Tusker House Animal Kingdom ($30)
06:00PM – DINNER – Jiko Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House ($65+)
09:00PM – ARRIVE AT CONTEMPORARY
09:30PM - PRIVATE FIREWORKS CRUISE SEVEN SEAS LAGOON
10:00PM – WISHES NIGHTTIME SPECTACULAR
02:00AM – MAGIC KINGDOM CLOSES


SATURDAY 4/14

04:00PM - LUNCH Le Cellier Canada Pavilion ($65+)
09:00PM – EPCOT CLOSES
09:40PM – DINNER California Grill Contemporary Resort ($65+)


SUNDAY 4/15

11:00AM – BREAKFAST Chef Mickey’s Contemporary Resort ($35)
12:00PM – MAGIC KINGDOM
04:00PM – LUNCH Liberty Tree Tavern ($35)
09:50PM - Cinderella's Royal Table ($55)

01:00AM – MAGIC KINGDOM CLOSES



MONDAY 4/16
11:00AM - CHECKOUT
5:30PM – MCO
7:15PM – Depart MCO

 

[MichaelForbin]

forgot to mention I worked the schedule so that we can see Illuminations twice and Wishes 5 times from 5 different vantage points

Main Street
Polynesian (Ohana)
Private Cruise (7 Seas Lagoon)
Contemporary (California Grill)
Cinderella's Royal Table

 

[kappyfamily]

I think it looks good accept the almost 10pm dinners would KILL me! But I guess some people like eating that law. I think you should have 18 meals on the ddp but looks like you only have 17? Maybe 1 more for Bfast on check out day....

Choices look good though, have fun!

 

[TinkerbellinLouisian]

Very Much moving around on 3 days of your trip... maybe try to consolidate those activities on a geographical basis?

Hugs
Mary

 

[MichaelForbin]

Very Much moving around on 3 days of your trip... maybe try to consolidate those activities on a geographical basis?

Hugs
Mary

id love to but then we would not be able to see wishes 5 times!

 

[MichaelForbin]

I think it looks good accept the almost 10pm dinners would KILL me! But I guess some people like eating that law. I think you should have 18 meals on the ddp but looks like you only have 17? Maybe 1 more for Bfast on check out day....

Choices look good though, have fun!

I hear ya...we don't mind eating that late and the times for those 3 meals were chosen so we could see wishes from poly after seeing fantasmic, wishes from california grill after seeing illuminations, and wishes from the royal table.


i think i have 18 meals covered but correct me if im wrong

cape may 1
chef mickeys 2
crystal palace 3
cape may 4
brown derby 5, 6
ohana 7
tusker house 8
jiko 9,10
le cellier 11,12 (two credits this year)
california grill 13,14
chef mickeys 15
liberty tree 16
royal table 17,18

"that would be one plus one plus two plus one, not one plus *two* plus one plus one." ~Miss Scarlet, Clue

 

[MichaelForbin]

oops double post

 

[kappyfamily]

Yep your right! Sorry about all the typos and weird grammar in my first post....darn auto correct on the iPad!

Have fun!

 

[sharonabe]

I hear ya...we don't mind eating that late and the times for those 3 meals were chosen so we could see wishes from poly after seeing fantasmic, wishes from california grill after seeing illuminations, and wishes from the royal table.


i think i have 18 meals covered but correct me if im wrong

cape may 1
chef mickeys 2
crystal palace 3
cape may 4
brown derby 5, 6
ohana 7
tusker house 8
jiko 9,10
le cellier 11,12 (two credits this year)
california grill 13,14
chef mickeys 15
liberty tree 16
royal table 17,18

"that would be one plus one plus two plus one, not one plus *two* plus one plus one." ~Miss Scarlet, Clue

The confusion was probably Le Cellier which you list as a lunch (1 TS), but with a 4:00 ADR, it will be a dinner ADR and therefore 2 TS.

 

[MichaelForbin]

The confusion was probably Le Cellier which you list as a lunch (1 TS), but with a 4:00 ADR, it will be a dinner ADR and therefore 2 TS.

right...I listed it as a late lunch/dinner in terms of our meals that the day. 4pm is definitely 2 table service credits

 

[suemom2kay]

So you do know WDW is like the size of San Francisco, right? To each his own, but why in the world are you running around WDW in order to see Wishes 5 TIMES!!!! Are the other members of your party that into Wishes????

I'm sorry, but just looking at your itinerary is exhausting and stresses me out.

 

[jimmytammy]

Slow down!!!!!!!!!!!! You are packing a lot in. Not trying to be smart but you folks are going to be wore out if you dont take it easy. I find that most people dont wont to be on someone else agenda for long. Wishes once a trip is enough. I realize you are trying to get the most for your $$ you can, but you will be miserable and at each others nerves if you dont slow down. Your restaurant choices look good. You wont go hungry, thats for sure

 

[Alesia]

I think you're underestimating how long it takes to travel between locations. You're also underestimating how much time you'll actually spend in the restaurants (about 60 minutes for breakfast and 90 to 120 minutes for each lunch and dinner) You're going to spend most of your time in restaurants or on the bus.Some people don't mind that, but I wouldn't like it.

03:45PM – ARRIVE AT MCO
04:45PM – CHECK IN
06:30PM – DINNER Cape May Cafe Buffet Beach Club Resort ($42)
08:00PM – EPCOT
09:00PM – ILLUMINATIONS
12:00am – EPCOT CLOSES

You probably will run into timing issues on your first day, though. If you arrive at 3:45 you won't arrive at the resort until closer to 5:15. You'll then have to check in and store your carryons - that could take 30 to 45 minutes. You're already at 6:00 and you're supposed to check in at Cape May Café at 6:15. That's too close for comfort for me, even if your flight lands on time. If your flight is even a few minutes late, or if there is a delay getting off the plane, you won't make that ADR.

You can't see Wishes from inside CRT - the windows are very tiny.

 

[suemom2kay]

Another thing I just noticed. Hey you asked for criticism. All adults, right? Lots of characters & lots of buffets... You have CMC dinner (buffet) CMC breakfast (characters/buffet), Chef Mickey's Breakfast (characters/buffet), Tusker House breakfast (really loud echoey room characters/buffet), Chef Mickey's Dinner (characters/buffet), Crystal Palace Dinner (characters?/buffet).

Honestly, character meals are really loud and the food is often not as good as sit-down. That is a lot of buffet meals. We don't ever go to more than 1 or 2 character meals and we've talked DD into Garden Grill instead of Chef Mickey's 'cause GG is so much quieter.

I really think you need to find out if the rest of your party wants such a kid disneyfied dining experience. All those character meals would make my ears bleed.

SATURDAY 4/14

04:00PM - LUNCH Le Cellier Canada Pavilion ($65+)
09:00PM – EPCOT CLOSES
09:40PM – DINNER California Grill Contemporary Resort ($65+) It is highly unlikely that you will close Epcot at 9:00, follow the mass exodus, get to your car, drive to the CR, park car, get into the California Grill and seated by the start of Wishes.

SUNDAY 4/15

11:00AM – BREAKFAST Chef Mickey’s Contemporary Resort ($35)
12:00PM – MAGIC KINGDOM
04:00PM – LUNCH Liberty Tree Tavern ($35)
09:50PM - Cinderella's Royal Table ($55) You may not be seated on time to see Wishes. I suppose you should arrive very early. Does anyone know how Wishes is from the castle? Not sure how good a view it is.

Also, keep in mind, your itinerary shows you closing a lot of EMH parks. You are going to WDW during one of the busiest times of the year. This gets old really, really fast.

I think the other adults in your party would enjoy spending some time in the World Showcase exploring the countries. There are some wonderful restaurants there. Take some time to smell the roses, and you will have a much better time.

 

[Alby]

THURSDAY 4/12

10:40AM – BREAKFAST Cape May Café Buffet ($30)
05:15PM – LATE LUNCH/DINNER Brown Derby ($60+)
08:30PM – FANTASMIC RESERVED SEATING Fantasmic Reserved Seating
09:00PM – HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS CLOSES
09:55PM – DINNER Ohana Polynesian Resort ($33)

SATURDAY 4/14

04:00PM - LUNCH Le Cellier Canada Pavilion ($65+)
09:00PM – EPCOT CLOSES
09:40PM – DINNER California Grill Contemporary Resort ($65+)

I agree with the other posters that generally you are not allowing enough time to travel around.
This is particularly true for your EPCOT/ California Grill commute.

But my main doubt is about the 2 days above.
I really don't think that, after 4 or 5 pm lunches at signature restaurant, you will be hungry again for 9/ 10 pm dinners (and big dinners at that). The Deluxe Dining Plan is a lot of food, you know.

 

[Edgehopper]

For 6 adults who like to eat and no kids, it seems like you've got a ton of time at MK, and not enough at DHS and Epcot! You've got what looks like 2.5 days at MK, 1.5 at Epcot, and 1 each at DHS and AK. MK's restaurants are generally inferior to Epcot's, DHS's rides and shows appeal more to adults--for comparison, when my fiance and I did our engagement trip with no kids, we did 1 day each MK and AK, 1.5 days DHS, and 2.5 days Epcot, and felt like we hadn't spent enough time at DHS. You also don't seem to have any DTD or waterpark time blocked out (we included an evening at DTD and a day at BB).

Like the others, I'd say drop some kid-focused character meals in favor of better adult restaurants, and maybe pick some extra signatures instead of doing full dinners at 5 PM and 10 PM. Things I'd consider:

Day 1--look into Yachtsman Steakhouse instead of Cape May.

Day 2--Drop Chef Mickey's, do Crystal Palace breakfast (breakfast food being better for standard buffets), and look into an MK resort restaurant for dinner, or maybe do Liberty Tree Tavern here as this is your big MK day.

Day 3--Consider dropping Cape May breakfast in favor of an early lunch at 50s Prime Time Cafe. If you want a late dinner, consider a Boardwalk restaurant instead of Ohana, or save credits for another day (It's a tough drive to get to MK if you're closing the park with Fantasmic).

Day 4--Consider lunch instead of breakfast at either Tusker House or Yak n Yeti--Tusker House breakfast is mainly the same food as other character breakfasts, while both restaurants have very interesting lunch choices.

Day 5--Getting to the Contemporary will be tough if you close the park at Epcot; consider an early lunch (11:15 Biergarten or lighter WS restaurant?), and since you've already seen Illuminations, maybe head to DTD after leaving the park early?

Day 6--Consider making this primarily an Epcot day, and scheduling an Epcot lunch and an MK resort dinner (California Grill or Ohana, unless you're really set on CRT--not many groups of 6 childless adults would be that excited by CRT, but that's up to you).

Day 7--Since you've got some time left before the plane, look at heading back to DHS and trying either Sci-Fi or Mama Melrose's, depending on your dining preferences.

Chef Mickey's, particularly twice, is not one I'd recommend for a group of adults without kids--the food is significantly better at Crystal Palace and Cape May.

 

[MichaelForbin]

You are all making valid points and I thank you for your advice. First let me say that this is my 10th trip to Disney and I am well aware of the property size and layout.

I'm going to try to address everything that has been discussed.

I am fairly comfortable with the amount of time I have allotted for each park. About 20-24 hours at Magic Kingdom, 14 hours at Epcot, 8 hours at Hollywood Studios, and 7 hours at Animal Kingdom. If anything I might trade some Magic Kingdom time for some more Epcot time.

In terms of time at restaurants. I really don't think we'll spend more than an hour at any buffet unless we chose to linger.

As as said previously we will have a car and will not rely on Disney transportation.



For me seeing Wishes once on a 6 day trip is definitely not enough! I do agree that if we may not be able to see Illuminations and wishes on day 3 If we have to leave Epcot early and miss Illuminations so be it.

However, Epcot is only 5 miles from the Contemporary. 915 Illuminations Ends, at the car by 930, at California Grill by 10. In theory it can work!

In terms of arrival/check in/dinner timing. Again, we will have a rental car.
345 arrival, 445 check in, 630 dinner. I realize it will probably take more than an hour from arrival to check in. Worst case scenario 345 arrival, 630 Check In, 7 or 7 30 dinner. No big deal if we're late for this reservation.

Character meals. We all enjoy meeting and taking pictures with the characters!! However I will not wait on a lines in a parks where my time can be much better spent. We have 6 character meals planned. Only 2 will be during dinner at the Crystal Palace and Royal Table. In terms of being noisy, we don't need to have quiet refined breakfasts and there are no quiet restaurants in the Magic Kingdom anyway.

Le Cellier, California Grill, Brown Derby are hardly "kid disneyfied dining experiences". Although I do see your point. My thinking is that everything is Disneyfied at Disney World. Having a kid experience, be it kids around me or myself feeling like one, is alright by me. If you don't want that kind of experience why are you going to Disney right?

Part of the reason we are staying on property is to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours. In the event that anyone in our group does not want to stay I certainly will not force them. They can take the car or use Disney transportation. I agree that some of our time might be better spent at Epcot and I will run that past the group. But we have all been to Epcot before and the world showcase is a couple hour walk around the loop and done sort of thing.

The meals at Brown Derby, Le Cellier, and California Grill are amazing and delicious but the portions are not all that big....
http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g34515-d492929-Le_Cellier_Steakhouse-Orlando_Florida.htm

Edgehopper
great suggestions here is my take

Day 1- "yachtsman instead of cape may". my thinking is that cape may will be a quick meal and we can get into Epcot sooner. I'd would have liked to try yachtsman another night but its not in a park, its two credits, and you can't see Wishes....so for me it's not worth it.

Day 2- "dropping chef mickey and adding crystal palace for breakfast."

This we might do

Day 3- "Consider dropping Cape May breakfast in favor of an early lunch at 50s Prime Time Cafe. If you want a late dinner, consider a Boardwalk restaurant instead of Ohana, or save credits for another day (It's a tough drive to get to MK if you're closing the park with Fantasmic)"

Im really not interested in eating at 50s Prime Time (been there). I don't want a late dinner so much as I want to see Wishes from Poly. It's 5.3 miles to Poly from Hollywood Studios. I think we can make it there before 10. Even if we pull in at 9:59 we can watch Wishes outside and then go in to eat.

Day 4- "Consider lunch instead of breakfast at either Tusker House or Yak n Yeti--Tusker House breakfast is mainly the same food as other character breakfasts, while both restaurants have very interesting lunch choices."

I will look into these suggestions

Day 5-"Getting to the Contemporary will be tough if you close the park at Epcot; consider an early lunch (11:15 Biergarten or lighter WS restaurant?), and since you've already seen Illuminations, maybe head to DTD after leaving the park early?"

I touched on this earlier. I think we can make it even if we have to leave a little early. Downtown Disney is a thought

Day 6--"Consider making this primarily an Epcot day, and scheduling an Epcot lunch and an MK resort dinner (California Grill or Ohana, unless you're really set on CRT--not many groups of 6 childless adults would be that excited by CRT, but that's up to you)."

I will definitely consider this...I'm not all that excited about Royal Table either...

Day 7--"Since you've got some time left before the plane, look at heading back to DHS and trying either Sci-Fi or Mama Melrose's, depending on your dining preferences"

This is exactly what I was thinking as well. In fact I have reservations for lunch at Raglan Road (forgot to list that on the itinerary)

"Chef Mickey's, particularly twice, is not one I'd recommend for a group of adults without kids--the food is significantly better at Crystal Palace and Cape May."

I will definitely consider this.



Thanks again everyone. I really appreciate all the help. Even if I don't agree with some of the suggestions it forces me more closely examine the choices I've made.

 

[Edgehopper]

One other idea, since you seem set on seeing Wishes so many times--consider seeing Hoop Dee Doo Revue one night, picking a time right after Wishes. Wishes from the Fort Wilderness beach is yet another experience to try, and with a car you'll have a much easier time getting there and back.

Consider taking Disney transportation for some of your runs, particularly for the Epcot-MK resort hopping. Monorail is probably a faster trip from Epcot to Contemporary or Poly than by car. It's not clear which resort you're staying at--if an MK resort, it's definitely not worth taking the car to Epcot and back to Contemporary when you can take the monorail. Slightly more useful to take the car if you're at an Epcot resort (because you'd have to take a bus to get back after Epcot closes). Of course, if you're at an AK, All Star, or DTD resort, take the car everywhere

 

[mkirasichdis]

Looks great

 

[MichaelForbin]

One other idea, since you seem set on seeing Wishes so many times--consider seeing Hoop Dee Doo Revue one night, picking a time right after Wishes. Wishes from the Fort Wilderness beach is yet another experience to try, and with a car you'll have a much easier time getting there and back.

Consider taking Disney transportation for some of your runs, particularly for the Epcot-MK resort hopping. Monorail is probably a faster trip from Epcot to Contemporary or Poly than by car. It's not clear which resort you're staying at--if an MK resort, it's definitely not worth taking the car to Epcot and back to Contemporary when you can take the monorail. Slightly more useful to take the car if you're at an Epcot resort (because you'd have to take a bus to get back after Epcot closes). Of course, if you're at an AK, All Star, or DTD resort, take the car everywhere

again all great suggestions...no thank you on the hoop dee doo. I work in the theater/entertainmentat/production field at lincoln center. The hoop dee doo (although fun for kids) is not my idea of a great production.

Its is unclear which resort we are at....to you and me both But most likely we will be near Epcot/Boardwalk area.

Monorail from epcot to MK is probably faster than driving...it all depends on the amount of people waiting in line for the monorail right?