So can I use this thread to get some feedback on our general plans for the trip? I think I've come up with a pretty good plan for us and the way we work. Some background that might help with feedback: kids are 14 and one turns 13 the day after we arrive. We got the 6 day Park-hopper with water parks & more and Deluxe dining July 21 - 26.
I think that you will find that Deluxe Dining is sooo much food. We did deluxe for our first trip and wouldn't do it again. Just wanted to add input to this since you asked for ideas.
We do like to take our time at meals and get out of the heat for a while, so we did make a lot of ADR's but I may end up cancelling a couple of the lunch ones and going with QS just so we're not in a hurry to get from one place to another. We like do have things at a fairly relaxed pace, but we do want to do as much as we can in the 6 days we have without feeling hurried and stressed. It's more of a big deal to us to just be relaxed and have fun than to be too concerned if we miss an attraction we want to see.
I would say that you would do much better with QS for lunch. This ties into the deluxe above. The table service eat up a lot of time if you do them for lunch and dinner every day. We felt that we had to eat table service at least twice a day to compensate for the dining costs.
That said - here's my plans from my handy-dandy spreadsheet.
Wednesday: I will already be in Orlando over at the World Center Marriott at a conference and can leave there any time Wednesday morning to get over to the Boardwalk (any suggestions on transport - should I just call for a taxi?) I may book myself a massage at the spa before they arrive!
Dh and kids flight arrives 1:55 PM, so I'm assuming they'll arrive at the resort around 3ish.
taxi is best. Awesome idea for spa!
Have ADR at Cape May at 5:40 that night, but have no other plans for the evening. I figure we'll stroll the Boardwalk, hang at the pool and/or maybe check out Downtown Disney or if we're feeling really adventurous maybe check out a little of Epcot or Hollywood Studios.
Thursday: Breakfast at Kouzzina then to Blizzard Beach - for the morning. No lunch ADR. We'll stay at BB till we feel done (probably 1ish) and then back to the hotel to change and head to Epcot. ADR is at 7:40 PM for Teppan Edo. We're hoping to catch Illuminations after dinner.
Friday: Breakfast at Donald's Safari and the morning in AK. We expect AK will be the least amount of time we spend at any park. We're not huge zoo people, but the kids do want to check out Expedition Everest. (Truth be told, I'm wondering if we shouldn't just skip AK altogether on this trip and hope to catch it another trip...thoughts???) Then over to MK. I made a Crystal Palace lunch rezzie for 2:00 PM. We expect to spend the rest of the day/evening at MK - ADR at Tony's Town Square at 6:05, and there's EMH that night.
We think AK is wonderful. It has a very relaxed feel. Like Nikki said, Dinosaur, EE, Safari, Kali, wonderful! Loved Tusker House too!
Saturday: Breakfast at Captain's Grille the over to Typhoon Lagoon for the morning. Made ADR at Hollywood Studios for Sci-Fi Dine In (may cancel this one - don't want to be in a rush from the water park) at 2:35 PM. Have ADR for Chef Mickey's at 7:30 for dinner then no firm plans for the evening. Maybe back to HS for EMH or something else - depends on what we're in the mood for.
Sunday: Breakfast at Princess Storybook Dining in Epcot and lunch at Marrakesh - basically the day in Epcot, then over to HS for dinner and hopefully Fantasmic. Have ADR for Mama Melrose at 6:40, so hopefully we'll be done in time to get in line for Fantasmic after. Couldn't get the dinner package except with a really early dinner reservation and we didn't want to do that.
Monday: We'll have to leave for the airport around 3PM. Breakfast at Cape May and didn't make specific plans so we could go back to whatever was our favorite or something we missed.
Big question - for crowds etc. might we be better off doing Typhoon Lagoon on Monday morning before we leave for the airport and doing something else Saturday morning? Am I second-guessing and over-thinking too much.
I tried to not over-plan, but did want to make sure we had some decent structure and dining plans. We didn't do any signature dining and I'm kinda open to shifting stuff around - paying for a couple QS meals if there's something *really cool we should do.
So...sorry so long - any thoughts, ideas, suggestions? Did I do ok for a newb?
Many people say how much fun they have without a plan. I am an OCD planner.
I am actually planning a bus roulette day on the day after late night at MK. I don't think we will make it to HS by 8. It sounds like fun to plan in something spontaneous! 
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