Need help with my PS's!!!

[deefranco]

Ok, here is what I have so far. Our first trip there...so trying to do all the must see or do things there. I'm afraid though that it might be too much. I don't want to feel like a drill sgt. So, if I have too much, please don't be afraid to tell me so.
We are arriving the day before our package starts and going to Universal Orlando that morning. So that night we want to go to HDDR to kick off our vacation!
Day 1: Going to Animal Kingdom
Breakfast: Boma Buffet
Lunch: Counter at AK....flame tree?
Dinner: Whispering Canyon....did you see those pics?
Day 2: Going to Magic Kingdom
Breakfast: Crystal Palace
Lunch: Counter at MK...Pecos or Cosmic Rays
Dinner: Liberty Tree Tavern
Day 3: Going to Blizzard Beach water park, then to MGM for Fantasmic.
Breakfast: Chef Mickey's
Lunch: Counter at Blizzard Beach
Dinner: Fantasmic at Brown Derby or Mama Melrose??
(our "finale" at WDW)
Day 4: Breakfast at Mara(AKL) before going to the cruise ship.

The only PS not listed that we would like to go to is Ohana.
Should we substitute it with something else? I could really use some help. You all are so much more experienced than I am.
Thanks!!!

 

[LSUDis]

Could you tell us a bit more? For example, will you have children with you? What time are you planning to eat?

 

[GeorgiaTiggerGirl]

If you eat a big buffet breakfast with an equally big dinner planned, you might not need an official lunch, just a snack. For example, Day 2: CP breakfast and LTT dinner, those are 2 huge meals. Good luck!

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

Like the first replier (is that a word?) said, I'd like a little more information. I know with my family on a trip the same length as yours we'd *maybe* only do one sit down breakfast. To me that looks like a *lot* of sit down breakfasts! Unless you're family is the type that just has to have a big, elaborate breakfast, I might recommend switching some of those to dinner PSs and grabbing something quick on the way to the park, especially on AK morning. You want to get to the AK early, and a big, hearty breakfast might slow you down.

Also, Crystal Palace breakfast and LTT dinner are both character meals. Is that ok with you on the same day? That might be a lot of characters on MK day, you know? It might be better to not do CP, and just do LTT, or vice versa. Or you could do CP for early breakfast and LTT for late lunch where there aren't characters. Their lunch is excellent.

Those are just my suggestions based on the way we do Disney. Obviously everyone is different, so you may think I'm nuts!

 

[deefranco]

Thanks everyone! Ok, more info...we are a family of 6. Our four children's ages are: DS 15, DS 13, DD 9, and DD 6. The girls aren't really that big on the princess thing. (Boys are thrilled with that fact.) Older daughter wants to see Pooh and younger daughter has always loved Mickey!!
And of course with our two boys, well...I don't want to overwhelm them with lots of characters, so I probably should reduce their exposure to only one character meal a day. They will really enjoy MGM and the rides the most. Both like to eat obviously and it doesn't matter if there are characters as long as the food is good. Just want the girls to go to the best character meals possible. This is our first trip there and they are all getting older, so want to go to some of the more "kiddie meals" while the girls are still at the age to enjoy them. I really appreciate the help! Dee

 

[deefranco]

Forgot to mention, that meal times aren't an issue. We'll eat whenever. If it does make sense, we will eat a big breakfast early and then a really late lunch/early dinner. We can just have a snack and that would help lower our dining costs by eliminating a meal. I will also have cereal and snacks back in our room for the kids to have a light breakfast or snacks whenever they want.

 

[bucky1023]

If you eat a big buffet breakfast with an equally big dinner planned, you might not need an official lunch, just a snack. For example, Day 2: CP breakfast and LTT dinner, those are 2 huge meals. Good luck!

I totally agree. You can really fill up on the buffets and only want a little snack in between. You also don't want to feel that you are running from one PS to another. You can always keep them and if during the day you decide that you really don't want to go to one you can just skip it.

Just make sure you have FUN!!!

 

[deefranco]

EXACTLY!! I want to have fun and not run around, so as long as we have a some really good PS's we'll be ok. Just love having "experienced" help!

 

[deefranco]

EXACTLY!! I want to have fun and I don't want to stress out my family. This will be our first official family vacation. DH is a workaholic and can never take time off. Plus it will be his 36th bday and youngest DD's 7th bday!!

 

[webray]

Day 1: Going to Animal Kingdom
Breakfast: Boma Buffet make sure you have a reservation here, breakfasts are very busy.

Lunch: Counter at AK....flame tree? Our favorite is Tusker house, and you can get a safari amber beer with your meal, eat outside and watch any of the live entertainment while you have lunch.

Dinner: Whispering Canyon....did you see those pics?

Day 2: Going to Magic Kingdom
Breakfast: Crystal Palace
Lunch: Counter at MK...Pecos or Cosmic Rays
Dinner: Liberty Tree TavernI would go to LTT for lunch, the menu and food are outstanding. Have the fast food for dinner.
Day 3: Going to Blizzard Beach water park, then to MGM for Fantasmic.

Breakfast: Chef Mickey's

Lunch: Counter at Blizzard Beach
Dinner: Fantasmic at Brown Derby or Mama Melrose?? Definately mama Melrose, Brown Derby is highly over rated.
(our "finale" at WDW)

Day 4: Breakfast at Mara(AKL) before going to the cruise ship.

 

[calie_j]

Ok, here is what I have so far. Our first trip there...so trying to do all the must see or do things there. I'm afraid though that it might be too much. I don't want to feel like a drill sgt. So, if I have too much, please don't be afraid to tell me so.
We are arriving the day before our package starts and going to Universal Orlando that morning. So that night we want to go to HDDR to kick off our vacation!
Day 1: Going to Animal Kingdom
Breakfast: Boma Buffet
Lunch: Counter at AK....flame tree?
Dinner: Whispering Canyon....did you see those pics?
Day 2: Going to Magic Kingdom
Breakfast: Crystal Palace
Lunch: Counter at MK...Pecos or Cosmic Rays
Dinner: Liberty Tree Tavern
Day 3: Going to Blizzard Beach water park, then to MGM for Fantasmic.
Breakfast: Chef Mickey's
Lunch: Counter at Blizzard Beach
Dinner: Fantasmic at Brown Derby or Mama Melrose??
(our "finale" at WDW)
Day 4: Breakfast at Mara(AKL) before going to the cruise ship.

The only PS not listed that we would like to go to is Ohana.
Should we substitute it with something else? I could really use some help. You all are so much more experienced than I am.
Thanks!!!

Looks like a great plan. I agree with whoever said day 2 you have two big PS planned and won't need lunch, just maybe a snack. To fit in Ohana I suggest putting it on day 2 instead of Liberty Tree Tavern. You'll be at MK that day so it's easy to just hop on the monorail to the Poly for dinner and hop back to MK when you're done. The characters at Liberty Tree are pretty much the same ones as Chef Mickey so you don't really need to do both of these since you are limited on time.

HTH, Calie

 

[deefranco]

OH!! Thank you all so much for your help!! I think on the day at MK we will probably do CP for breakfast and then have a late lunch at LTT to skip a meal for that day. Should help the budget that way some too.
Hubby also just got home and I was able to go over it with him real quick and he suggested we go to HDDR the day we land and then go to Ohana the next night so we can fit it in.

 

[deefranco]

OK, got a few minutes with DH, he works so hard, but loves to talk about food! So, we rearragned a few things...does this sound better, or still too much??
Day 1: arrive at airport at 1:30 pm in Florida.
Dinner at HDDR, maybe the 7:15 seating
Day 2ay at Blizzard Beach water park
Breakfast: Boma Buffet or cereal in room
Lunch: counter at waterpark
Dinner: Ohana!
Day 3ay at Animal Kingdom
Breakfast: cereal in room
Lunch: Flame Tree..thanks for the help with that choice!
Dinner: Whispering Canyon Cafe
Day 4: Day at MK
Breakfast: Crystal Palace, to get in early.
Late Lunch: Liberty Tree Tavern
Day 5: MGM
Breakfast: Chef Mickey's
Lunch: Counter at MGM, want to keep it light though.
Dinner: Fantasmic at Mama Melrose
Day 6: Breakfast in room or grab something quick at Mara (AKL) before we go to the cruise ship.

Again, we have 4 kids...DS 15, DS 13, DD 9, and DD 6. We will be there celebrating DH's 36th and DD's 7th. A little early for DD's, but made the trip early because she had surgery to remove a tumor and didn't want to have to wait too long for the trip. She's VERY excited to go and see

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

CP is a good choice for breakfast, too, b/c Pooh is there! We like lunch at LTT b/c we love their burgers, but also you can get the turkey and dressing similar to what they serve at dinner if you just can't live without it. I think these choices sound good for your group. Not to throw a monkey wrench in, but it seems like you're staying at AKL. Have you thought about dinner at Boma? The food is wonderful, and they have plenty of choices for the whole family. Just a thought.

We haven't done HDDR in a while, but we used to enjoy it. I think that seating would be late enough to give you time to get settled in your room and rest a bit before you have to head out. We like to have "recovery time" from the trip!

Happy dining!

 

[deefranco]

Thanks, we would like to fit in atleast one meal at Boma. Since it is our "home" for the week, we can always go there if we decide not to make it to one of the other PS's. This schedule looks busy...but we like "recovery time" every day including our travel days. We might stray from this, but atleast I have all the decisions made. Now I can relax....have quite a while until our trip. I get the Type A personality from my dad.
I also noticed that CoolDisneyCat is in NC. I was born in Asheville, but moved away when I was 4 yrs old. Thanks for the help!