Please help with my schedule

[chrissy92972]

We are going to Disney October 11th to the 17th. We have 5 days park hoppers and will be staying at All Star Suites Music. I won the trip on the JIF/Smuckers contest and will pay for the additional 2 nights and 2 people. We are a family of 6. Me, Dh, 7 yr old ds, and 3 year old triplets.

My plan is this, but I maybe totally messing this up, so please help.

Day 1 Wed Oct 11th Check in, meet family friends at DTD shop and eat at Rainforest

Day 2 Thursday Oct 12th. MK for early entry then park hop later afternoon/early evening to Epcot for the fireworks

Day 3 Friday Oct 13th Epcot and then park hop late afternoon/early evening to MK for Wishes and parade

Day 4 Saturday Oct 14th.0 MGM early entry, reservations at 1pm for Primetime with family friends, stay for Fantasmic

Day 5 Sunday OCT 15th AK and Rainforest reservations for lunch with family friends. DS's birthday

Day 6 Monday Oct 16th to be determined, but will have one day of park tickets left.

Thanks!
Chrissy

 

[diselderm]

Hey, congratulations on winning the trip. I think I entered that contest. Your itinerary looks pretty good to me, hopefully you'll get some other advice as well after bumping up.

 

[tkd lisa]

Given your kids ages, I'd recommend building in some breaks for naps and/or swimming. I know it's hard to take time away when you're there for a short visit, but you'll all be MUCH happier if you do this!

You will be surprised at how warm it will still be in early October. Expect temps in the mid 90s and high humidity which can be very tiring.

One other suggestion is on your AK day, you might want to plan the evening as a backup for MGM. AK will probably close at 5 or 6pm. But if you stayed the whole day in the park, you'll probably be ready for a rest by then (especially since it's your 4th day). I mention MGM because Fantasmic CAN be rained out, so this gives you a backup. Plus with the show schedules, it can be hard to fit everything in one day at MGM.

Food and Wine festival will be going on while you're at EPCOT, so you might enjoy picking up some snacks as you're there.

If you don't have a RainForest Safari Card, it's worth getting one. It costs around $15-$20 but you get: front of the line seating, free appetizer or 10% off your meal, and they send you a $10 coupon when you join and $5 coupon for your birthday each year. It doesn't require renewal and was the best $15 I ever spent!

Congratulations on winning the contest and enjoy your trip!

 

[lovethattink]

Congratulations on winning the contest! My only advice is to follow the signals you get from your 3 year olds. My 2 year old does not last well in the parks for more than 4 hours at a time. There are many places inside the park to take breaks if you don't feel like taking a break at the resort.

 

[sunnygirl]

I also recommend taking those mid-day breaks. And I mean go back to the resort, let the kids lie down for at least 15-20 minutes (even if they don't fall asleep) and just hang out. I would plan on not returning for a few hours. It's really hard to leave, I know, especially when everyone seems like they are doing okay after lunch. And you don't want to miss time in the parks. But...

When we were in Epcot last year (DD 7 and DD 5), we got there at opening and eventually ate lunch in Germany. At lunch we got to sit down and relax and cool off, so I abandoned my plan to return to the resort for a few hours. I thought we would be fine. Big mistake. The girls (and other adults in our party!) started getting cranky and dragging within an hour after lunch. Some ended up going back to the resort early with the kids, at about 3 or 4pm. They didn't come back because they were all so tired. I promised myself I would always take the break now with kids. For more on this, read the Unofficial Guide - great section about traveling with kids in there.

Have a magicial trip and congratulations!!!!!

 

[ShariVT]

I would look at your MGM day trying to make emh in the the am and staying for fantasmic makes for a very long day. I know you don't have alot of days but that many days in the parks trying to do early moring and all the night time shows doesn't leave anytime to relax and enjoy the resort or the pool. I would use your last day to catch some things you missed and shorten 1 or 2 or your other days.
Have Fun

 

[HayGan]

Congrats on your good fortune!

Your schedule looks good. Please keep in mind that since you have young children you will probably want to have some down time in the afternoon for a pool or nap break. Going all day is hard for adults let alone 3 year olds. Our days are much better when we take some time out just to relax at our resort rather than just going all day/night long.


I would recommend doing MK on your last day

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I recommend joining Tour Guide Mike to check your days against his and see if you want to modify your schedule.

 

[The Mick]

Just curious: why park hop from MK to Epcot, then vice-versa on back to back days? Why not just spend the whole day at each park? Is there some advantage to this, or you just want to use the monorail?

 

[chrissy92972]

Thanks for the great advice. On the first day MK closes at 7pm for the Halloween party. We cannot afford to goto it, so that is why I thought of park hopping to see the fireworks.

As for MGM day, I think we will avoid going for the extra magic hour in the am, since we will not be doing the roller coaster or tower of terror anyway.

I hate the idea of breaks in the middle of the day, because the parks close so early, but I guess I will really have to consider it.

Chrissy

 

[ReneeA]

Thanks for the great advice. On the first day MK closes at 7pm for the Halloween party. We cannot afford to goto it, so that is why I thought of park hopping to see the fireworks.

As for MGM day, I think we will avoid going for the extra magic hour in the am, since we will not be doing the roller coaster or tower of terror anyway.

I hate the idea of breaks in the middle of the day, because the parks close so early, but I guess I will really have to consider it.

Chrissy

You are going at a GREAT time of year. It's not quite as hot as summertime, and the crowd levels are way down. The best thing is you will get lots donesince you won't have the long lines to contend with.

I think your itinerary looks great. I also suggest breaks at times. Follow the signals the 3 little ones are giving out and you will be fine. Neither of mine typically take naps anymore, yet are worn out by early afternoon at WDW. We go back for naps/pool time/breaks then head to dinner, then back to the park. The breaks are up to you, of course, and your kids may really not need them. We do EMH mornings since our kids are early risers...everyone gets up and moving, so we might as well head to the parks. I would just be a little flexible and everything will be great.

 

[chrissy92972]

Our normal day is up by 6am and in bed by 6pm. They do not nap anymore and some nights are in bed alot earlier depending upon their moods. I will play it by ear and hope for the best in moods, weather, and crowds. We only have two adr's made, and no dining plan, so we really are flexible with times for eating, parks etc. I am such a planner though.

Chrissy

 

[ReneeA]

Our normal day is up by 6am and in bed by 6pm. They do not nap anymore and some nights are in bed alot earlier depending upon their moods. I will play it by ear and hope for the best in moods, weather, and crowds. We only have two adr's made, and no dining plan, so we really are flexible with times for eating, parks etc. I am such a planner though.

Chrissy

They sound like my kids...bedtime is 7pm up at 7 am. I found that they are for the most part perfectly behaved and much happier if I stick pretty close to the usual routine. At WDW, we are normally up by 7, go back for an hour or 2 nap, then stay until 8 or 9 at the parks.

Any later than that and it's not a pretty scene.

 

[chrissy92972]

Have a great vacation! I bet you are so excited to be there in one day!!!

Chrissy