October Tour Plan - Comments?

[jjohns]

We're off to WDW in October bounce: ), and finally - after several trips with grandparents and other relations - back down to a nice group of 4!

Here's our daily touring plan - would love to hear comments...

Saturday (Oct 11)
- Fly into Tampa, drive to OKW, probably get there about 2/2:30.
- Me, DD-6 and DS-8 off to either AK or DS to see the afternoon parade (leaning toward AK). DW off for groceries.
- Dinner at Kona Cafe (everyone)
- Into MK to see Spectromagic. *Possibly* (but not likely) stay for the fireworks. (How long is the fireworks show?)

Sunday
- Storybook CB in Norway. Hopefully, earliest seating
- Tour Epcot throughout the day

Monday (Columbus Day)
- EE to AK.
- Safari first, then into Lion King. DS *desparately* wants to be picked to lead the Warthog section... any advice?
- After lunch, back to the resort for swim or nap (probably me/DS/DD swim, DW nap ) )
- Go to DS around 5. Grab food on Sunset Boulevard, head into Fantasmic (7:30 show)

Tuesday
- EE to DS (maybe just DS and me - we're the Star Tours and RnR fans, not much value in EE for DD)
- This will likely be a short day, leave around 1 or 2. I would like to see Beauty & Beast - any idea what time first show is?
- Back to hotel for n-a-p. Need to rest up for...
- Off to MK at 5 to enter MNSSHP
- Stay until we drop - probably 11. What time is the second parade?

Wednesday (the 'off' day... spent at BB! LOL)
- Possible CB at Chef Mickey's. Might swap this for CB on last day.
- Into BB for opening.
- Swim, play, frolic until 2 or 3-ish
- Back home for an early night (assuming people will be beat from MNSSHP)

Thursday
- EE to MK
- All day, pretty much
- Dinner at Boma

Friday ('Choice' Day)
- Kids get to pick what they want to do - swim, which park(s), whatever. A chance to do again some great stuff, or fit in something we didn't have time for.
- Epcot WS in the evening (dinner at Cape May or San Angel Inn) and see Illuminations.

Saturday
- Possible CB at Chef Mickey's or Crystal Palace (will only do one of here or Wednesday)
- Spend a few last hours in MK
- Leave by 12:30 for 4:30 flight out of Tampa

TIA, Jeff

 

[jcemom]

You can check the schedules of entertainment at all parks at Steve Soares site: http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/
That should help with Beauty & the Beast...

 

[Miscrapper]

HI! YOu don't say what kind of pass you have - is it fairytale with UHP? We are going week before and have a similar schedule. I saw your other post about 2 parades at AK and MGM and have this suggestion:

Flip flop days you plan to do AK and MGM. Even though you can' take advantage of EE then, you could go later in the day and see both parades (this may make you skip break or shorten it).
This might be tough the day you go to MNSSHP but on Monday at the Studios it should be doable and you could stay right through for Fantasmic. With Fastpass you should still be able to ride RnR and other thrill rides w/out too much trouble.

Also on Thursday it might get really busy at MK. I think going for EE is a good idea, but you might want to hop to another park then (or even waterpark) I have heard Wednesdays are a slow day in MK - also you plan to go back Saturday before leaving and Saturdays are very busy in MK.

Also I have seen other people suggest not having huge character breakfast before waterpark so it might be best to leave that for last day.

Just something to think about - I am glad to see someone else planning so far out - as I said we go week before and I also have our agenda sketched out!

 

[FFerret]

Oh hey, we're going Sept 30-Oct 7 for the first time ever (FTP--happy ferret dance)

Thanks for the advice on the parks, y'all

Here's a tentative one I've been making with a 3 and 5 yr old and hubby:

SEPT 30--Tues:
MK
Lunch at Tony's
Try to get BK at Cindy's

OCT 1--Wed:
AK
Lunch at Rainforest Cafe

OCT 2--Thurs:
Typhoon Lagoon
Maybe an evening at DTD
Or Illuminations at EPCOT if it's this day

OCT 3--Friday:
MK
Lunch at Columbia Harbor

OCT 4--Sat:
EPCOT
Try for IceCream Social
Illuminations
(MIGHT change this to go to SpectroMagic)

OCT 5--Sun:
Play around Fort Wilderness
(Laundry day, etc.)
MNSSHP for the adults
Dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern @ 5:30
(gives us the chance for grown-up stuff/rides)

OCT 6--Mon:
MGM
Lunch at SciFi Cafe
Fantasmic

OCT 7 -- Tues:
MK
Lunch at Aunt Polly's or Pinocchio's

We plan on going to the parks as early as we can make it then leave after lunch for naptime. Not sure if we'll be able to get back to the parks in the afternoon but we'll certainly try

 

[jjohns]

Originally posted by Miscrapper
YOu don't say what kind of pass you have - is it fairytale with UHP?

Annual Passes (not Premium) - so going into the park for 1/2 day or even just a meal is not a concern. For the BB day, we've got plenty of Plus options on old ParkHoppers to use up.

Originally posted by Miscrapper
Flip flop days you plan to do AK and MGM. Even though you can' take advantage of EE then, you could go later in the day and see both parades (this may make you skip break or shorten it).
This might be tough the day you go to MNSSHP but on Monday at the Studios it should be doable and you could stay right through for Fantasmic. With Fastpass you should still be able to ride RnR and other thrill rides w/out too much trouble.

Flipping those days might be a good idea. If nothing else, it gives DW a chance to sleep in a bit (I'm under no such illusions about the kids sleeping in, or me either for that matter!). A worn-out DW is a *very* bad thing.

We would still have to cut the AK day short and make sure there is a good rest time in the afternoon before MNSSHP. Cranky, tired, kids late at night are also a *very* bad thing. Especially for my back!

I will have to take a look at the schedule for Lion King in AK, since DS really wants to get picked, which I think means we need to be near the front of the line (ugggh, I hate lines and all that wasted time waiting!).

One of the advantages for MGM on Tuesday is that (aside from Mermaid and Beauty & Beast and the HISTK Playground) there is not much there to excite DD. So, once she's done her stuff, she and DW can leave and rest at hotel. DD and I (the real commandoes in the family!) can stay and play a bit longer. Of course, we can do that at AK, too (Dinosaur! here we come!).

Originally posted by Miscrapper
Also on Thursday it might get really busy at MK. I think going for EE is a good idea, but you might want to hop to another park then (or even waterpark) I have heard Wednesdays are a slow day in MK - also you plan to go back Saturday before leaving and Saturdays are very busy in MK.

By 'get really busy', you mean after 11 or so? Columbus Day has thrown a wrench in our plans - anyone have any idea what that holiday does to 'typical' Disney park attendance? Is it just busy during the long weekend or also busy during the week after?

We were there last year this same week, and I don't remember any day (except the Saturday, of course) feeling very busy. And last year, the Golf event was starting on the Thursday but this year its delayed a whole week (I was told the golfing adds a big crowd - Dad is watching the golf, Mom and Kids are in the parks).

The Saturday MK plan was going to be something like: get there for opening, play a bit, have a late breakfast or early lunch at CP, then head out. Still a crowd problem, do you think?

Originally posted by Miscrapper
Also I have seen other people suggest not having huge character breakfast before waterpark so it might be best to leave that for last day.

Now that's a great point. Not much worse than a sick-to-the-stomach person in a water tube! (How's that for a mental image LOL).

Originally posted by Miscrapper
I am glad to see someone else planning so far out - as I said we go week before and I also have our agenda sketched out!

What do you mean 'so far out'??? There is also a May/04 trip in the works at BWV... already thinking about getting SW Weekend in, flipping between MGM and Epcot, eating at Cape May, Le Cellier, etc, etc... LOL. In all honesty, knowing we've got that trip out there does make a difference in how much we stress Epcot and MGM stuff this time around.

 

[jjohns]

Originally posted by FFerret
OCT 2--Thurs:
Typhoon Lagoon
Maybe an evening at DTD
Or Illuminations at EPCOT if it's this day

You can probably count on Illuminations and Fantasmic both running every night. We've been mid-May, mid-Oct, and early-Dec (all fairly low season) and those shows run every night. Spectro is usually cut way back, as are MK fireworks. The main difference for Fantasmic is that it shows only once/night in lower season versus twice/night in high season.

Originally posted by FFerret
OCT 6--Mon:
MGM
Lunch at SciFi Cafe
Fantasmic

For lunch, I suggest you also consider 50's Prime Time. I went there (I'm 38) with my Mom and Aunt last year and we had a blast - the place looked just like I remember my Grandma's house. The decor was just a killer . I think it helped that our server didn't go way overboard on the whole 'cousin' act, mind you.

Originally posted by FFerret
We plan on going to the parks as early as we can make it then leave after lunch for naptime. Not sure if we'll be able to get back to the parks in the afternoon but we'll certainly try

Going early is the only way, IMHO! Our experience, when we went with a 4 and 6 year-old in May (so similar early park closings as Sep/Oct) was that despite all of the best intentions, we never got back to the parks. Naps ran long, swimming ran long, or just too tired.

Now, you might get the occasional boat back to MK since you're close (we were at OKW, which was never more than a 10-minute drive, but it still seemed far LOL), but I don't think you can count on it or plan for getting back. If you do get back, consider it gravy!

 

[FFerret]

jjohns--Thanks so much !

I'm really glad to hear that Illuminations and Fantasmic aren't hard to come by. Hoping that FTP will be so popular that they'll extend park hours, but I won't hold my breath. Wish we could get the grandparents to come (and help out with babysitting!).

It's a close toss-up between SciFi and PrimeTime, but my little boy's (5) autistic and I was thinking he might get a kick out of the whole car/theater theme. Course we never know what'll wig him out either, so I've got PrimeTime on standby.

Were the park hours usually 9-6 except on weekends then?

So you think we should give up on the boat back to MK later on in the day and just drive?

 

[jjohns]

Originally posted by FFerret
Were the park hours usually 9-6 except on weekends then?

You can find historical park hours at several spots on the web:
- http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/hours.html
- http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours.htm
- http://www.intercot.com/infocentral/calendar/historicalhours.asp

But, 9-6 except w/ends is what I would plan for. Then you can be pleasantly surprised if its more.

Originally posted by FFerret
So you think we should give up on the boat back to MK later on in the day and just drive?

If you're at FW I wouldn't even think of the car for MK. Take the boat. Of course, I guess it does depend on how easy it is for you to get to to the dock - either how close or how good the internal transportation is - since FW (I am told) is a pretty big place!

Driving to MK is, IMHO, the most tedious of all the parks. You park at the TTC and then still have to take either a ferry or the monorail to get to the park gates. We have always had a car on our stays, and have usually driven to all parks *except* MK. To that one, we typically bus - unless we were going to want/need the car for park hopping or something like that.

 

[FFerret]

FW looks pretty huge to me as well ; haven't been yet but the map covers a large area
And the cabins are as far from the dock as possible it looks like; hopefully the camp shuttles to the dock run pretty good.

thanks again for the advice--we'll give the shuttle/boat the benefit of the doubt then and use the car for the other parks