Please critique itinerary for parks

[fujamaga]

Hi! My trip is in 2 weeks and I'm super excited! I was looking at my itinerary (again) and was wondering if I ended up stuffing too much into it. Any advice/suggestions would be great!

It'll be me, hubby, 4 yr old daughter, 2 yr old son, father-in-law, handicapped mother-in-law, and a nurse/helper/friend for my mother-in-law. Since my m-i-l and helper won't be riding most of the rides, we were able to use the FP+ off their tickets. We have the deluxe dining plan and 5 day park hopper.

My daughter is scared of the dark, but my son is a daredevil. He's only 35", so he can't ride most of the other rides.

Sunday (8:30 am arrival)
check-in
DTD for late lunch [any suggestions for a place to eat? - hopefully so we won't need a dinner and waste time during the party]
DTD for Disneyquest/shopping
4 p.m. MNSSHP
4 FP+ for Cinderella/Rapunzel
4:30 FP+ for Winnie the Pooh
6 FP+ Peter Pan
8 Headless Horseman
8:30 Boo to You Parade
10 Hallowishes
Back to Resort

Monday (HS)
8 am Hollywood and Vine reservation
9:20 FP+ Disney Junior live
11 FP+ Frozen Sing a Long
11:30 FP+ TSM
Lunch at Fairfaxe
Return to hotel for nap/play in the pool
5:30 Hollywood and Debby Fantasmic Dinner Package
8 Fantasmic
Back to Resort

Tuesday (AK)
8 am Tusker House reservation
9:30 FP+Kilo Safari
12 FP+ Finding Nemo
1:20 FP+ Dinosaur (not for the kids to go on)
Return to hotel for nap/play in the pool
5:45 Yachtsman reservation
Back to Resort

Wednesday (EP)
8 am Les Halles breakfast
9 am FP+ Soarin (older child to go on)
11:40 FP+ Spaceship Earth
Lunch - F&W booths
12:30 FP+ Mission Space (not for the kids to go on)
1 FP+ Test Track
1 FP+ M&G with Mickey and Pals
Return to hotel for nap/play in the pool
6 Monsieur Paul reservation
9 Illuminations
Back to Resort

Thursday
8 am CRT reservation
10:30 FP+ 7DMT
12:30 BOG reservation
2:10 FP+ Enchanted Tales with Belle
4 FP+ Pirates
5 FP+ Anna and Elsa
7 California Grill reservation
If the kids are tired, we'll go back. If not, we'll watch Hallowishes from the deck
Back to Resort

Friday (last day)
I have one more park ticket, but don't know which park to go to. I think it's likely we'll head to Epcot and DTD so we can get more F&W and snacks to use up anything we have left. Any suggestions?
8 am Cafe May reservation
Flight at 6 pm

Sorry, I know this is SO long but any advice would be great. Thanks!!

 

[Alesia]

For DTD dining: Raglan Road if you want full service, Earl of Sandwich or Wolfgang Puck Express for quick service.

I'm not sure that Les Halles ever opens at 8:00, so you might want to check that.

Why only on fastpass for the Mickey M&G? That seems like something the kids would want to do.

I would probably go to Epcot on the last day. I wouldn't go to DTD - twice in one trip is too much and you really don't have a lot of time. If you're using DME, you'll need to plan on being back at your by about 2:00. If you have a rental car, you should be leaving WDW by 3:30 at the latest (I would leave by 3:00.)

 

[fujamaga]

Thanks for the dining suggestions!

You're right about Les Halles! It doesn't open until 9. Oops. Would that be too late to start the day in Epcot? or should I go to a bakery on the boardwalk instead?

Sorry for the confusion - the Mickey M&G is at 1 p.m., not only 1 FP+.

Yes, I was leaning towards Epcot on the last day too. I just wasn't sure if they have a lot of stuff there for snack credits to bring back home. I'm sure by then, we'll be rolling because we'll be so stuff.

 

[Alesia]

You're right about Les Halles! It doesn't open until 9. Oops. Would that be too late to start the day in Epcot? or should I go to a bakery on the boardwalk instead?

The first 2 hours that the park is open are the best hours of the day and I would never consider spending them eating. We typically just bring something with us to eat while waiting for the park to open, but the Boardwalk bakery is a good choice, too.

 

[MunchkinSweetPea]

Are your children used to staying up late and being up early on a regular basis? I think your plans for firework viewing nights followed by park opening breakfast meals may be pushing it if they aren't. The kids, and possibly some of the adults, may be cranky and overtired. I would plan on taking it easy and going with the kids' flow. Your FP+ plan seems just fine to me. I also second earl of sandwich at DTD.

 

[fujamaga]

The first 2 hours that the par is open are the best hours of the day and I would never consider spending them eating. We typically just bring something with us to eat while waiting for the park to open, but the Boardwalk bakery is a good choice, too.

I have no idea why I thought this, but for some reason I thought the rides opened later than the restaurants, which makes no sense since I have FP+ early in the morning. This is also an EMH day, so I'll start going on rides at 8am. You see, this is why I needed someone else to look at my itinerary. Thank you!

 

[fujamaga]

Are your children used to staying up late and being up early on a regular basis? I think your plans for firework viewing nights followed by park opening breakfast meals may be pushing it if they aren't. The kids, and possibly some of the adults, may be cranky and overtired. I would plan on taking it easy and going with the kids' flow. Your FP+ plan seems just fine to me. I also second earl of sandwich at DTD.

The kids are usually up by 6-7 am, and on the nights I've allowed them to stay up late, they haven't had any problems getting up again in the morning, but I've also never tried to keep them up late all week, so I have no idea whether or not they'll be okay with this. When we went the last time (our first time going with the kids when they were 2 years old and 2 months old), they just fell asleep in the strollers when they were tired and woke up again at 5am. I know by the last day I was definitely tired and cranky.

 

[MunchkinSweetPea]

The kids are usually up by 6-7 am, and on the nights I've allowed them to stay up late, they haven't had any problems getting up again in the morning, but I've also never tried to keep them up late all week, so I have no idea whether or not they'll be okay with this. When we went the last time (our first time going with the kids when they were 2 years old and 2 months old), they just fell asleep in the strollers when they were tired and woke up again at 5am. I know by the last day I was definitely tired and cranky.

You would know your children better than anyone else but factor in the time spent in transit. Taking them in and out of the stroller and/or car seats when heading back to the resort might disrupt sleepy time. Since your trip is so close I guess you could see how the first couple days play out and, if need be, call to see if you can push your reservations back a little (maybe an hour or so). Enjoy your vacation!

 

[fujamaga]

You would know your children better than anyone else but factor in the time spent in transit. Taking them in and out of the stroller and/or car seats when heading back to the resort might disrupt sleepy time. Since your trip is so close I guess you could see how the first couple days play out and, if need be, call to see if you can push your reservations back a little (maybe an hour or so). Enjoy your vacation!

Thanks for all of your help!

 

[BabyHabs]

My only concern would be the long days. I know I can only get half days out of my kids. We either do an early morning ADR/rope drop or sleep in and stay until the fireworks. I can't imagine my kids getting through both on the same day and then again the next day. But you know your kids.

 

[fujamaga]

My only concern would be the long days. I know I can only get half days out of my kids. We either do an early morning ADR/rope drop or sleep in and stay until the fireworks. I can't imagine my kids getting through both on the same day and then again the next day. But you know your kids.

Yeah, I might be (probably definitely) overly optimistic here. I'm hoping that the second day of MK will actually be shorter because we would've been on most of the rides during MNSSHP. The good thing about the kids is they'll fall asleep anywhere. So strollers/on a ride/in a restaurant won't matter to them. That's when the hubby and I will really have fun

 

[ErinInCT]

Did I miss where you are staying??
Do you want a meal for yourselves at DTD or something your kids would enjoy. They'd probably like Rainforest Cafe. I'd go to Wolfgang Pucks or Raglan Road!
You'll have time btwn dinner and Fantasmic, before you leave DHS grab a FP for something. Maybe VotLM? Muppets? Another TSMM if possible?
I'd go back to EPCOT on your last day for more F&W. Plenty of snack choices, just look for the DDP logo! My kids actually loved doing the kidcot stuff too.

 

[fujamaga]

Did I miss where you are staying??
Do you want a meal for yourselves at DTD or something your kids would enjoy. They'd probably like Rainforest Cafe. I'd go to Wolfgang Pucks or Raglan Road!
You'll have time btwn dinner and Fantasmic, before you leave DHS grab a FP for something. Maybe VotLM? Muppets? Another TSMM if possible?
I'd go back to EPCOT on your last day for more F&W. Plenty of snack choices, just look for the DDP logo! My kids actually loved doing the kidcot stuff too.

Oops! We're staying at the beach club. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Lovin' Disney]

Here's what I see: At WDW, park admission is NOT included in the price of the MNSSHP ticket. So if you have a 5 day ticket, you'd be using it for admissions on:
Sunday (MK for the party)
Monday (HS)
Tuesday (AK)
Wednesday (EP)
Thursday (MK again)
So I don't think you'd be able to do another park on Friday. Were you planning on going to more than one park in a day---I just kind of glanced through your itinerary and didn't really notice. If you aren't, you could downgrade to single-park tickets and up them to 6 day tickets...and probably save money in the process.

I second the "ride the rides the first 2 hours" mentality mentioned by a PP. It can get be a nice escape to head into a restaurant around 1030/11 am after you've been going full steam for a couple hours.

For food at DTD, we like the Rainforest Cafe (your kids would get a kick out of it).

 

[Mom2KandK]

Here's what I see: At WDW, park admission is NOT included in the price of the MNSSHP ticket. So if you have a 5 day ticket, you'd be using it for admissions on:

Actually, park admission is included with the party tickets.

 

[Alesia]

Actually, park admission is included with the party tickets.

Correct.

 

[Lovin' Disney]

Oh, when did that start?

 

[Alesia]

Oh, when did that start?

It's always been that way.