Need some planning help!

[irishone]

Hello everyone! I love this site! It is very informative and has been so helpful with planning. I am still soooo overwhelmed! I have traveled miles and miles on the internet as well as here and still am confused. My DH, DS and his friend (both nine years old) and my sister are leaving this Saturday. We are staying at a time share. We arrive in Orlando around noon and have a hour drive to the resort. The kids have to be up and ready to leave the house by 6 am and probably won't sleep much! So we are figuring they will be exhausted. We are going to unpack, go grocery shopping and hang around the pool and resort. We have plans for 1 day each at:

Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Universal
Animal Kingdom
Shopping and Lego store

Oh yeah and I must get to the Hard Rock Cafe somehow!

We are not thinking of park hoppers. We are thinking the kids (not to mention us older folks!) will be wiped out from the heat by the end of the day. Do you think one day at each park will be enough? Are we getting ripped by not getting the park hoppers? The kids are at that age where things can't be too "babyish." I don't do rides, my innerards can't tolerate them! That's the DH's job!
Any don't miss things you suggest? Any must haves at the parks besides sunscreen and water? And tons of cash of course!

Thanks in advance!!

 

[disprincessatheart]

If it's your first trip, no need for hoppers. You'll have plenty to do in each of the parks mentioned to keep you busy for a full day, and it'll save you a bit of money. Plan to arrive early, use the free fastpasses, and enjoy the parks without worrying about spending time leaving one park and going to another. You mentioned a day in Universal, but no day in MGM. Just wanted to make sure that's what you meant. If you did, then you could either plan to do HRC that night after you leave Universal, or you could do it for dinner the night you arrive so that you're not wasting park time. Shopping and the lego store will not take more than a few hours at most. If your DS and his friend like video games (they're 9, so of course they do) plan on a few hours at Disney QUest at DTD for them. Just a thought that if you have a full day planned for shopping and DTD, you might want to think about a day at MGM instead. It'll only be about another $10 each for the 4th day on your Disney tickets, where DisneyQuest is a bit more than that, and not a full day's thing. THe boys would probably enjoy RNR, TOT, Startours and Indiana Jones at the very least, and Fantasmic is excellent.

Have a great trip. HTH

 

[Aaronbox]

The boys will love Disney MGM, I'm sure. Even the Great Movie Ride & Muppet 3-D will have a lot of appeal to 9 year olds.
Another possible evening to go to Hard Rock is on the day you visit Animal Kingdom. This park closes the earliest (8pm when I'm going on the 31st of May) and if you arrive early, you may be done before it closes.
A touring plan from Mike (this site's sponsor) or the Unofficial Guide will really help you see the most of each park with the minimum amount of standing in lines. If you don't try the touring plan the first day, think about saving 2 to 3 hours of standing in line each day (esp. while waiting to see a headliner attraction). Never fear, the internet is always ready to supply touring plans when you change your mind.

 

[irishone]

Thanks for all the tips! You folks rock! I wish we were there for Star Wars days! My son would just love that!!

 

[yensidretlaw]

We travel to WDW 2 to 3 times a year and have done this for at least 10 years, but each time we go we run out of time and don't have time for everything. With this in mind, here is my advice:

1. Don't try to push yourself so much that you don't enjoy your trip
2. Make the most of each thing you do; take in everything you do with your family
3. If there are things you do not have time to do, make a list of those items so you can plan to do them on your next trip to WDW....You do know that you will have to go back again don't you?
4. Take a lot of pictures, I mean a lot of pictures
5. Write down notes of things that happen and things that are said, you will be glad you did.

When you come home, re-live your trip over and over again! Then plan your next trip!