Planning for a WDW Newbie

[Just Kate]

I am In the process of planning our first trip to WDW for my mom, 7 year old daughter, and me. I have our ADRs booked and now I'm working on making some kind of plan for each day so I can think through making FP+ reservations. While we want to do as many attractions as possible, I don't want us to miss out on enjoying other things that are around us. For instance, are there fun shops we may want to explore? Other things to stop and look at?

Since WDW is new to us, how do we know HOW to plan out our days?

 

[Kristina4109]

The first thing you're going to want to do is plan which park you want to go to on each day. If you ask 40 people on this board how to do that you'll get 40 different answers. I can only tell you what we do. We don't like to go to a park that has Extra Magic Hours because we find that park becomes much more congested than the others. We've had good luck going to a park the day AFTER it has had EMH.

 

[siskaren]

I would recommend this guide book:

http://www.amazon.com/Guide-First-Disney-World-Visit/dp/194150020X/ref=pd_ybh_3

It was written by the creators of easywdw.com and **************.net, which a lot of people here are big fans of.

 

[WendyLou]

I agree with Kristina, I would advise using a park/crowd calendar and get your days set up first then go from there depending on which park per day and look over that parks attractions and make a touring plan.

 

[OurLaughingPlace]

My DD's and I started to travel to Disney with my father when they were a bit younger than your DD - now we are hooked and visit every year together!
The first trip was very magical (actually they have all been magical), but I wish I had done some planning on our first trip. The fact that you have ADR's booked and are searching here on the DIS puts you ahead of most first time visitors. The best advice I have been given here is to enjoy the moment, make memories and don't try to accomplish everything on one trip! The fact that you'll likely catch 'Disney Fever' just makes it fun to plan a return trip to do things you didn't get done on the first trip. Regardless, I think your DD is the perfect age to go to Disney and will love everything you have planned.

Suggestions for each park:
MK- BBB reservation (if your DD is into princesses) or Pirates League reservation (less $ than BBB and a lot of fun), Dole Whip for you and your mom

Epcot- Soarin', Kidcot stops at each country. You and your mother may enjoy the cultural aspects of each 'country' and enjoy a treat / beverage while DD gets to do a craft.

Animal Kingdom- Boneyard, Safari,

DHS- TSM, Animation Academy, cupcake from Starring Rolls

I would also recommend to be sure to do the shows as well as the rides. They are enjoyable, relaxing and part of the magic (FOTLK at AK, Laugh Floor, COP and Philarmagic at MK, BATB at DHS, World Showcase and Turtle Talk at Epcot).

Resort- assuming that you are staying at a Disney resort, enjoy the pool!

Downtown Disney- shopping and making your own treats at Goofy's Candy company. We like Hanes 'Build Your Own Tee" at DTD and make a shirt for each trip.

Boardwalk- evening stroll (maybe after Epcot) and ice cream from Beaches and Cream.

Wishing you a magical trip

 

[Just Kate]

Thanks so much! I do have all of our park days planned, as I had to do that to figure out ADRs.

We have six park days:
1. MK
2. MK (we are doing BBB this day with an ADR at Cinderella's Royal Table afterward)
3. Epcot
4. Hollywood Studios
5. Animal Kingdom
6. MK

I subscribed to Touring Plans and love how I can choose attractions and the system will make me a plan. But I don't know how much downtime to plan. I mean, I don't want to spend the whole time racing from one thing to another. But I don't know how much time we will spend looking around.

Oh, and while I like Touring Plans, I don't really plan to be married to the schedule and to HAVE to keep it. I just thought it would be helpful to give us a plan we can loosely follow.

We are going mid-June, so there will be higher crowd levels.

Thanks!!!

 

[Just Kate]

My DD's and I started to travel to Disney with my father when they were a bit younger than your DD - now we are hooked and visit every year together!
The first trip was very magical (actually they have all been magical), but I wish I had done some planning on our first trip. The fact that you have ADR's booked and are searching here on the DIS puts you ahead of most first time visitors. The best advice I have been given here is to enjoy the moment, make memories and don't try to accomplish everything on one trip! The fact that you'll likely catch 'Disney Fever' just makes it fun to plan a return trip to do things you didn't get done on the first trip. Regardless, I think your DD is the perfect age to go to Disney and will love everything you have planned.

Suggestions for each park:
MK- BBB reservation (if your DD is into princesses) or Pirates League reservation (less $ than BBB and a lot of fun), Dole Whip for you and your mom

Epcot- Soarin', Kidcot stops at each country. You and your mother may enjoy the cultural aspects of each 'country' and enjoy a treat / beverage while DD gets to do a craft.

Animal Kingdom- Boneyard, Safari,

DHS- TSM, Animation Academy, cupcake from Starring Rolls

I would also recommend to be sure to do the shows as well as the rides. They are enjoyable, relaxing and part of the magic (FOTLK at AK, Laugh Floor, COP and Philarmagic at MK, BATB at DHS, World Showcase and Turtle Talk at Epcot).

Resort- assuming that you are staying at a Disney resort, enjoy the pool!

Downtown Disney- shopping and making your own treats at Goofy's Candy company. We like Hanes 'Build Your Own Tee" at DTD and make a shirt for each trip.

Boardwalk- evening stroll (maybe after Epcot) and ice cream from Beaches and Cream.

Wishing you a magical trip

I was typing while you posted. Great advice! Thank you

 

[lauradis]

But If you want to do EMH in a park you will notice about 2 hours after all parks open that's when the crowd levels start to raise dramatically . Highly recommend leaving the park and going to low crowd level park.

The day after parks as pp says is great tool for getting lower levels.

Planning should always take in to acct the people you are with, do they like to sleep in, but crack of dawn risers, what are their must do's, favorite characters. Only you can answer these questions.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/ one of the best sites for info in planning

pp that posted books you can those from the library

http://www.easywdw.com/ is my fav for crowd levels suggestions

Then of course the disboard is a wealth of information.

 

[finedice]

We love the Park Hopper / rental car combo. The freedom to leave one park when crowds get crazy, take a rest by the pool, shower, have a drink, eat and go another park at night just makes our trip. The rental car makes the travel time much, much less... (perhaps with the exception of MK, where the bus can be faster).

Anyway - those can be fightin' words around here, so I ought to be careful. You are in the best place for advice - just remember - you won't see nearly everything the first time, and perhaps not the first 5 times. Most important - set a good pace - you will walk A LOT of miles on hot pavement - know what the crowds are going to do and when (and do what they are not running to do), and soak it all in. Don't be in such a hurry that you fail to see the details. Nearly every nook and cranny has a little pixiedust if you look closely enough!

 

[lauradis]

We love the Park Hopper / rental car combo. The freedom to leave one park when crowds get crazy, take a rest by the pool, shower, have a drink, eat and go another park at night just makes our trip. The rental car makes the travel time much, much less... (perhaps with the exception of MK, where the bus can be faster).

Anyway - those can be fightin' words around here, so I ought to be careful. You are in the best place for advice - just remember - you won't see nearly everything the first time, and perhaps not the first 5 times. Most important - set a good pace - you will walk A LOT of miles on hot pavement - know what the crowds are going to do and when (and do what they are not running to do), and soak it all in. Don't be in such a hurry that you fail to see the details. Nearly every nook and cranny has a little pixiedust if you look closely enough!

Haha so true. I say do what is best for your family. My husband hates driving on vacation. So we do a combo of taxis and Disney buses. He would rather stand on a bus then drive one.

 

[Jennytoon]

Thanks so much! I do have all of our park days planned, as I had to do that to figure out ADRs.

We have six park days:
1. MK
2. MK (we are doing BBB this day with an ADR at Cinderella's Royal Table afterward)
3. Epcot
4. Hollywood Studios
5. Animal Kingdom
6. MK

I subscribed to Touring Plans and love how I can choose attractions and the system will make me a plan. But I don't know how much downtime to plan. I mean, I don't want to spend the whole time racing from one thing to another. But I don't know how much time we will spend looking around.

Oh, and while I like Touring Plans, I don't really plan to be married to the schedule and to HAVE to keep it. I just thought it would be helpful to give us a plan we can loosely follow.

We are going mid-June, so there will be higher crowd levels.

Thanks!!!

If there is space, you might consider switching one of the MK days to an Epcot day. Epcot can be considered as two different parks, FutureWorld and World Showcase. Unless the park content is not to your taste, you may find yourself hard pressed to feel like the stuff you saw on the third day in MK is stuff you preferred to what you would have done with an extra day in Epcot.

 

[cgattis]

Personally, I would check the crowd calendars ASAP and shuffle the days around if needed, unless there is a must-do ADR that you can't move. Also, I really think you might want to add a non-park day in the middle OR shift your second MK day to the middle to use as a sleep-in or half-park-day day if needed. By only having one day at EP/HS/AK, I feel like you will make those long days (I did on my first trip!) and be zapped by the end. And really, just TRY to not worry about what you miss--as long as you have fun doing whatever you do, you haven't missed anything!

 

[lauradis]

When you make a plan don't plan up till 1 am and breakfast early the next morning. Unless your are commando people.

Nothing make a non commando grumpy like little to no rest.

If your plans go to hello, just live in the moment and enjoy it.

 

[Just Kate]

If there is space, you might consider switching one of the MK days to an Epcot day. Epcot can be considered as two different parks, FutureWorld and World Showcase. Unless the park content is not to your taste, you may find yourself hard pressed to feel like the stuff you saw on the third day in MK is stuff you preferred to what you would have done with an extra day in Epcot.

I think that's a valid point, and one we've considered. We really want to begin and end our trip at MK. Dd is a very princessy girly-girl and I know she will love all things MK. We originally planned our trip on different dates and I scheduled BBB and Cinderellas Royal Table on what has now become our day number 2. I am scared to start changing around our reservations because I know how much she will love that day.

 

[Just Kate]

When you make a plan don't plan up till 1 am and breakfast early the next morning. Unless your are commando people.

Nothing make a non commando grumpy like little to no rest.

If your plans go to hello, just live in the moment and enjoy it.

This is probably the best advice for me! I'm a planner. Planning to this trip is something I've wanted to do for so long!!! I know I will have to keep telling myself to just enjoy the moment and not worry about our it if our plans don't work out.

 

[tink9702]

I think that's a valid point, and one we've considered. We really want to begin and end our trip at MK. Dd is a very princessy girly-girl and I know she will love all things MK. We originally planned our trip on different dates and I scheduled BBB and Cinderellas Royal Table on what has now become our day number 2. I am scared to start changing around our reservations because I know how much she will love that day.

Personally I'd move the park you think she'll like the LEAST to the first day! Then she won't be comparing it to parks she likes better. I'd do MK on day 2 and the last day. I also think you aren't planning enough days at Epcot if you really want to see what they have there. It's a huge park with lots of things that look like they won't take long and then it takes twice or three times as long as you think it does!

I'd pick 5 things you can't miss each day and then anything else is gravy!

 

[lauradis]

This is probably the best advice for me! I'm a planner. Planning to this trip is something I've wanted to do for so long!!! I know I will have to keep telling myself to just enjoy the moment and not worry about our it if our plans don't work out.

I'm a planner too. Well a recovering Commando planner. If this is your one and only ever trip to Disney I say go commando, but if you plan to come back in couple of years, enjoy it, do every ones must do's top three list in each park, Relax enjoy the small things that make Disney, Disney.

 

[lauradis]

Personally I'd move the park you think she'll like the LEAST to the first day! Then she won't be comparing it to parks she likes better. I'd do MK on day 2 and the last day. I also think you aren't planning enough days at Epcot if you really want to see what they have there. It's a huge park with lots of things that look like they won't take long and then it takes twice or three times as long as you think it does!

I'd pick 5 things you can't miss each day and then anything else is gravy!

Epcot really is nicer to split into 2 days if possible, one day early ( EHM if possible) for rides and educational, techy part. Take a break at resort head over to different park in late evening. Second epcot day sleep in swim head over have lunch at epcot slow crawl thru world show case. stay late and watch fireworks. If you do second epcot day after a later night it works really nice.

 

[wdwjeffc37]

It looks like you have a good start on your planning. Staying at an on-site Disney Resort will give you access to EMH. If you are then Park Hopper Passes will let you better take advantage of the morning EMHs. You can move to another park if it gets too crowded. Also, PH allow you to go and see Wishes(MK) or Illuminations(EP) in the evenings no matter where you start your day. My best advice would be to slow down and enjoy the atmosphere. You cannot do everything and if you rush around trying to get it all in it can wear you out and make for a less enjoyable vacation. What we used to do instead of making a list of our "must dos" I would give a list of all the attractions available (rides, shows, shops, games, etc.) and have everyone give me their list of "can miss." It makes for shorter lists and easier planning. Do more research and don't worry if everything does not go according to plan. Be prepared to go with the flow. I am envious because our next trip is over a year away. Have a great first trip!!!

Dont forget to get your "1st Visit" buttons.

 

[Jennytoon]

I think that's a valid point, and one we've considered. We really want to begin and end our trip at MK. Dd is a very princessy girly-girl and I know she will love all things MK. We originally planned our trip on different dates and I scheduled BBB and Cinderellas Royal Table on what has now become our day number 2. I am scared to start changing around our reservations because I know how much she will love that day.

I hear you. Just a suggestion then based on our experience -- you might consider skipping Hollywood Studios and using that day to do a second at Epcot instead. You already have HS planned after Epcot, so you can make that decision on the fly. My reasoning is that if your trip is focused mostly around what your daughter will enjoy, there aren't many headliners at HS that aren't in the "Thrill Ride" category -- although she may be into that, I don't know. Toy Story Midway Mania is a great ride, but Buzz Lightyear in the MK is kind of a second cousin that you can do more easily without the extreme wait. A lot of HS is shows that have specific start and end times, so you can find yourself standing around waiting for the next thing to start without much to do except look around in the meantime -- we find HS is the hardest park to just wander around in and do stuff.

The assumption if you do Epcot and then decide to do a total ditch on HS the next day to go back to Epcot is that you might not be able to get headliner FP+ at Epcot. This might not matter so much -- if you've (presumably) ridden them the day before then what you are likely to be going back for is the stuff in the World Showcase or in the pavilions / Innoventions, which doesn't need FP anyway. I am not saying you wouldn't ride them if available, just that you might not mind missing a second trip on Soarin'. However, there is also a hybrid option if you have Park Hopping, which is to go to HS early and then take the boat over to Epcot.

You mentioned that you have a Touring Plans subscription, try picking your must-do's in that park and seeing what happens if you plunk them in with no FP for anything. If you can get them done by 11 to noonish, then consider making FP+ for Epcot and taking the boat over there from HS (the bus is possibly faster, but less scenic, plus the boat will plunk you down on the World Showcase end which has better lunch options). Spend the afternoon at Epcot, then take the bus back from Epcot to HS to retrieve your car. Alternatively, if you can't do all your must-do in HS without FP, then make your FP as early as possible in HS and front load all your must-dos early. Then you can look around HS at 11 or so, decide whether you want to stay or go, and move to Epcot from there by boat if you want to. Since you made your FP for early at HS, you might find that you can score a 4th one for something good at Epcot when you get there if you do decide to switch.

Sorry for the length, hope I'm making sense.