New and confused.

[squirrel]

Thought I'd clarify a couple of things...

Because you have the DDP (dining plan) you will want to have reservations for enough meals to use up your table service credits. Even in the off-season, many restaurants fill up and you don't want to be left with points you can't use.

I would get the park hopper, if only to make your ADR making easier. If you get to day 5 and your kids really want to go to EPCOT but you have ADRs at MK, you'll have to change your plans for the day. If you have the park hopper, you can still go to EPCOT and then hop over to MK for your ADR.

It doesn't cost much at all to go from 5 days to 6 or 7 for tickets, so I'd do it. Even if you only spend a couple of hours in the parks those days, it's worth it in my opinion.

Definitely read up on what rides you need to hit first and how to use FP. You can only collect one FP in a time "window" (ie if you get a FP at 10 am and it says return between 12-2, you cannot get another ride FP until after 12). Even if you haven't used that first one, you can get another one after 12. They don't know when you use the FP only when you collect them. And you can have lots of FP if you collect them every two hours, there is no limit.

Hope that helps! Don't stress, but do have a plan. Making ADRs should be your first priority.

You can add hopping onto the tickets at any time. For a first visit I still recommend trying to do ADR's in the park you will be at or at a nearby resort. Hopping adds up and really isn't needed for a first visit. Never hopped my first 3 times to WDW. It wastes time leaving a park and getting to the next park and going through security again.

If you decide to add an extra day or two, you need to do it before the tickets expire. You use to be able to add to them at anytime before the 14 days after first use-now you can't do that if the tickets have been used up.

 

[tigger51276]

I agree with others that since you have the DDP you really want to get your meal reservations made as it is really difficult to do it when you get there and almost impossible the day of. 2 years back I was there off season for 11 nights and made reservations for all but 2 days thinking i'd just wing it those two nights as I'd be at EPCOT where there are tons of restaurants. No joke, I walked around EPCOT from 6-9pm trying to get a dinner reservation for me and my 2 kids and the first night finally got lucky thanks to the hostess at Tutto Italia feeling bad for me and giving me a reservation for 9:30 (it was around 8pm and there were EMH). I literally sat in the lobby waiting area because I was exhausted from walking around for a couple hours and my kids were hungry....again she took some pity and we got sat a little after 8:30 but I saw her turn away lots of people looking for reservations including folks with small kids, I just got really lucky. However the second night I wasn't so lucky and didn't find a place to eat until midnight at DTD...it was nuts and my kids fell asleep in their pizza.
Some of my kids favorite restaurants are: Crystal Palace breakfast with Winnie the Pooh and friends, Boma @ Animal Kingdom Resort Jambo House (good on an Animal Kingdom Park day), Akershaus Princess Dinner at EPCOT (in Norway), Teppan Edo at EPCOT (in Japan), 50's Prime Time at Hollywood Studios.
For quick service we love Cosmic Rays at Magic Kingdom, Flame Tree BBQ at Animal Kingdom, Sunshine Seasons at EPCOT and at Hollywood Studios I don't really love anyplace, but Pizza Planet is fun (although then they want quarters to play games) and there is a nice variety of foods over on Sunset Blvd (where Tower of Terror is). Decent amount of seating and about 4 Quick Service locations all in one area. At Downtown Disney we love Earl of Sandwich and a nice surprise is Wolfgang Puck Express. It's a sitdown experience but counts as Quick Service. They have really nice meals which you order at the register but then go into the restaurant (or you can sit outside) and they bring your meals to you and will refill your drinks for you and when you have finished they bring your dessert. Really a true gem in my opinion.

As for park hoppers, I could never go without them and have always had them even my first trip there and my kids first trips. I love having the freedom and option to go to another park if I want to especially on a night that has night magic hours. Plus as another PP mentioned if you have a dining res at one park but your kids really want to go to a different park it's good to know you can do that without giving up your reserveration. For $35 it most likely most break the bank to have it there even if you don't use it. As for extra days, they cost mere $'s after you have a 5 day ticket so it's next to nothing to have it there as an option. I often have a late flight out of Orlando and will go to a park for 4 or 5 hours on our last day just to do a couple of last rides or search for a souvinear that was really wanted and couldn't find again.

 

[tigger51276]

Duplicate post.

Although I did want to add that the resort gift shops sell bottles of wine (and also beer and liquor) so you can buy a bottle and a disney wine glass and enjoy a glass or two every night and not pay an arm and leg like you would at the parks.

 

[IllinoisMommy]

Have a great trip

And welcome to the DISboards. You will find so many good tips- check out the Dining pages to get ideas for food. And those drinks!