Please review my September Itinerary

[lhsgrad2000]

I will try to make this as concise as possible. Me, my husband and our twin 4 year old daughters (will have just turned 4) are going to Disney World Sept 13 - 21, 2017. We are staying in a DVC studio at the Polynesian and have 7 day park hopper tickets. I want to make sure we see as much as possible but also not burn ourselves out since we are on vacation. I would appreciate if I could get some opinions on my rough itinerary.

Wednesday, Sept 13: Arrive at MCO at 5:20PM, will catch Magic Express to resort, eat in Disney Springs.

Thursday, Sept 14: I know we want to start off our trip in Magic Kingdom. I have made a Be Our Guest ADR for 1:45PM for lunch. I was thinking that we would at least stay until the parade around 3 and then maybe head back to the hotel.

NOTE: My in-laws (MIL, FIL, BIL and SIL) will be joining us on Friday and Saturday. They want to see Epcot and MK. None of them have ever been to DW.

Friday, Sept 15: Epcot all day with the in-laws. We have a 9AM Kona Café reservation for breakfast, will get into the park around 10:30, then we have a 6:15PM Via Napoli reservation for dinner. This is really the only day I have planned for Epcot so I want to make sure that they see the highlights and the girls at least get to Frozen Ever After.

Saturday, Sept 16: MK with in-laws. Breakfast will be in hotel. Only reservation is 7:00PM Boathouse (DS) reservation. We have an 8:05AM reservation to do Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for the girls. I am not quite sure what to make sure that everyone sees. I am not as worried about the girls seeing everything this day as we will be in MK our first day and last day.

NOTE: My parents will be joining us for the rest of the trip starting Sunday. My parents have been to DW several times.

Sunday, Sept 17: Animal Kingdom. Planning full day. 8AM reservation at Boma for breakfast. Staying for River of Lights.

Monday, Sept 18: My husband and I are hoping to get a day on our own as we will be celebrating our 10th anniversary while in DW. I am going to set up a couples massage at the GF and then I figured we would spend time in Disney Springs and Epcot doing some of the rides we can't do with the girls and then head to the food/wine festival to eat dinner. My parents will take the girls all day and take them to MK and Epcot.

Tuesday, Sept 19: Reservation at Trattoria al Forno for the character breakfast at 8AM. Hollywood Studios. 50's prime time reservation at 2:05PM. I think we should be able to get most things done by around 4 and then we were planning to head back to the hotel and swim.

Wednesday, Sept 20: Last full day. Probably headed back to MK. Only reservation is Liberty Tree Tavern at 12:30PM.

Thursday, Sept 21: Plane leaves around 3PM so only thing we have planned is O'hana breakfast at 9AM.

I would like to have more downtime but with people coming in and trying to see everything, I don't know if we can. Any opinions would be helpful. I haven't been to Disney in 9 years and I am sure a lot has changed.

THANK YOU!!!!

 

[BrianL]

Looks pretty good to me. I don't see any red flags. Make sure you consider the Pandora stuff at AK if that is of interest to you. It will no doubt be super-crowded.

Have fun!

 

[holden]

If you want FP+ for Frozen and the Pandora rides, book them first. Don't book your FP in chronological order. Book them in order of difficulty (most in demand first).

 

[Davey Jones II]

Make sure to bring water bottles, it's very hot in Sept. 7DMT is your top priority for FP+ at MK. And there will be a new fireworks show at MK.

I wouldn't book ADRs for the morning. I would eat breakfast at your resort before leaving for the parks, and use the early park hours to hit headliners.

 

[minniegirl19]

Hi! Yay for a disney trip! a few opinions:

on arrival day I would not try to go to disney springs if your flight lands at 5:20. You probably won't get to the hotel until 7 and then maybe get to disney springs around 8 830 so it ends up being a super late night before your long week. I would just eat at the hotel and relax.

On the MK day with the in laws… with never being to disney I would say forget the boathouse. it will take so much from your day in the magic kingdom with them. If you want a sit down restaurant i would consider crystal palace or chef mickeys or anywhere on the monorail resorts so you can go back to mk easily. I would 100% make sure they see the fireworks show that night. I know first timers I have gone with always remember the night ending with fireworks (besides the parade).

Otherwise I think your plans look great! you have a lot of early mornings so plan for midday naps have fun!

 

[KalamityJane]

You may want to reconsider the length of days you have planned with your 4yos. (specifically the 8am-ROL day at AK, and I think I saw another day that was long like that) I know none of my kids do well with that much length stimulation and walking (even if they are in the stroller sometimes, it's still a VERY long day). We generally do morning headliners, break and go back to the hotel for lunch/pool/swim, and then back to the parks in the evening. Mine are not nappers, but they will nap at Disney. You will beat most of the crowds this way too.

 

[wonderlandaddict]

I agree with not going to Disney Springs on arrival day. Poly has a good food court or we love Kona dinner.
The other thing is I would move Kona breakfast to earlier, getting to Epcot at 1030 or 11 will be the peak time for everyone to arrive that sleeps in. That would be stressful for me.

 

[stink]

On arrival day I would plan on eating at the Poly or boarding the monorail for a relaxing spin and eating at the Grand or Contemporary.

Fri Sept 15th I would skip 9 AM Kona breakfast. Primarily because it is so hot in Sept and the best times to tour the parks are early AM.

Sat Sept 16th I'd skip the Boathouse and choose a Monorail resort restaurant, perhaps California Grill, Narcoosee , Citricos. The MK fireworks are not to be missed.

I would only plan six or seven hours straight in the park, maybe 8 if you are including a sit down meal in that time frame. Or plan a split day doing rope drop in AM, stay till lunch, mid day break, return for evening entertainment and a few rides. In Sept it will be hot & humid, so the earlier in the park the better.
I will be there Sept 9-16th, primarily at EPCOT for Food N Wine.

 

[brittanidp]

Eat at Ohana for dinner too or order the Ohana room service!! Sooooo good!

 

[DVC_Dad_Canada]

I'd throw in a stop at Trader Sam's for the adults with the in laws taking care of the twins. I took my twin girls when they were 5 and my son was 7, and I could have used a night out by myself.

 

[kmv]

I would agree that the first night you will be tired from travel and will get in late. I would plan on eating at Poly as well.'
Also, and it may be your style, but you have a lot of things planned right when parks open, like breakfasts. First, lots of rides will have long waits so it would be beneficial to get to the parks early and do attractions for awhile before sitting and eating. Second, September will still get hot and humid in the afternoon so maximizing park time during the morning, before it's too hot, is probably a good idea.

 

[LISAMWDW]

Wednesday, Sept 13: Arrive at MCO at 5:20PM, will catch Magic Express to resort, eat in Disney Springs. STAY AT POLY FOR DINNER OR MONORAIL TO GF OR CONTEMP FOR DINNER. IF YOUR FLIGHT LANDS AT 5:20, YOU WILL GET TO POLY AT 6:20, CHECK IN /GET SITUATED IN ROOM ETC, YOU WILL BE PUSHING IT TO GET TO DS BY 7PM. I WOULD PREFER TO RELAX AND ENJOY THE GORGEOUS RESORT.

Thursday, Sept 14: I know we want to start off our trip in Magic Kingdom. I have made a Be Our Guest ADR for 1:45PM for lunch. I was thinking that we would at least stay until the parade around 3 and then maybe head back to the hotel.

NOTE: My in-laws (MIL, FIL, BIL and SIL) will be joining us on Friday and Saturday. They want to see Epcot and MK. None of them have ever been to DW.

Friday, Sept 15: Epcot all day with the in-laws. We have a 9AM Kona Café reservation for breakfast, will get into the park around 10:30, then we have a 6:15PM Via Napoli reservation for dinner. This is really the only day I have planned for Epcot so I want to make sure that they see the highlights and the girls at least get to Frozen Ever After. SKIP KONA CAFE BFAST AND GO STRAIGHT TO EPCOT AND GO TO FROZEN ATTRACTION IF YOU DO NOT HAVE FASTPASSES. BTW, GET FASTPASSES, ASAP FOR FROZEN. EAT SOMETHING QUICK FOR BFAST AT POLY OR EPCOT. MORNINGS ARE THE BEST TIME TO SPEND IN THE PARKS. DO YOUR SIT DOWN BREAKFAST FOR NON-PARK DAYS, ESPECIALLY AS YOUR IN-LAWS HAVE NEVER BEEN TO THE PARKS.

Saturday, Sept 16: MK with in-laws. Breakfast will be in hotel. Only reservation is 7:00PM Boathouse (DS) reservation. We have an 8:05AM reservation to do Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for the girls. I am not quite sure what to make sure that everyone sees. I am not as worried about the girls seeing everything this day as we will be in MK our first day and last day.
AGAIN, I WOULD SKIP GOING TO DS WITH THE LIMITED TIME YOU HAVE. DO YOU HAVE YOUR OWN CAR? THAT MAY HELP AS FAR AS TRAVEL TIME. AS IT'S YOUR IN-LAWS FIRST TIME AT MK, EAT DINNER THERE.

NOTE: My parents will be joining us for the rest of the trip starting Sunday. My parents have been to DW several times.

Sunday, Sept 17: Animal Kingdom. Planning full day. 8AM reservation at Boma for breakfast. Staying for River of Lights. TOO MUCH TRAVEL TIME WASTED GOING TO AK FOR BFAST, EAT BFAST AT THE PARK, IF YOU ARE GETTING UP THAT EARLY, GET IN AK AND ENJOY BFAST AT TUSKER HOUSE. AK WILL BE BUSY AND I SUGGEST GETTING ADR FOR DINNER THERE. IT WILL BE A LONG DAY AND YOU MAY BE GLAD TO GET OFF YOUR FEET AND RELAX.

Monday, Sept 18: My husband and I are hoping to get a day on our own as we will be celebrating our 10th anniversary while in DW. I am going to set up a couples massage at the GF and then I figured we would spend time in Disney Springs and Epcot doing some of the rides we can't do with the girls and then head to the food/wine festival to eat dinner. My parents will take the girls all day and take them to MK and Epcot. CONGRATS!!!

Tuesday, Sept 19: Reservation at Trattoria al Forno for the character breakfast at 8AM. Hollywood Studios. 50's prime time reservation at 2:05PM. I think we should be able to get most things done by around 4 and then we were planning to head back to the hotel and swim.

Wednesday, Sept 20: Last full day. Probably headed back to MK. Only reservation is Liberty Tree Tavern at 12:30PM.

Thursday, Sept 21: Plane leaves around 3PM so only thing we have planned is O'hana breakfast at 9AM.

 

[wenpop]

We never took breaks with our children, so don't worry about going back to the room if you think your twins can handle it, Looks good!! Have fun!!

 

[barbliny]

As others have mentioned, I would try to get to the parks as early as possible. Even an hour into the day, wait times are starting to build. This will mean planning less breakfast ADRs.

It is very hard to move around pre-park opening to resorts before the parks open - concerns for your 8 am breakfasts at Boma and on the Boardwalk. Without using a car, you would have to take a bus from Poly to the AK, then take a bus from the AK park to the lodge. If you're going to be up that early, I would just try and get a pre-park opening ADR for Tusker House - gets you some character interaction, a fairly good buffet with some of the items that would be on the Boma breakfast buffet, and a jump on the crowds - you will already be in the park when it opens. And, if you can manage to get the River of Lights dining package for Tusker House pre-park opening breakfast, you would have fastpasses for the ROL show. I would book the TH breakfast at the 180 day mark and then try to change it to the ROL dining package later, as those packages are being released sporadically and after the 180 day mark has passed.

With so many days planned for MK, you should be well set to get fastpasses for all of the rides you want.

Arrival day - I would suggest Happily Ever After Buffet at Grand Floridian (1900 Park Fare). You get to start the trip with Cinderella and others, and it is right next door to the Poly.

 

[Owl X]

I would not attempt Epcot on a September Weekend due to the Food & Wine Festival.
Epcot will most likely be packed on weekend nights with local residents. It was last September.
Many local Florida residents with annual passes visit Epcot during the Food & Wine Festival weekends.
There is even an "Epcot After 4 Annual Pass" that is only $75.84 for new Florida residents (and $234.30 to renew from the previous year). Some Florida residents purchase this special Annual pass for the free parking it grants to all the parks.

 

[lhsgrad2000]

I would not attempt Epcot on a September Weekend due to the Food & Wine Festival.
Epcot will most likely be packed on weekend nights with local residents. It was last September.
Many local Florida residents with annual passes visit Epcot during the Food & Wine Festival weekends.
There is even an "Epcot After 4 Annual Pass" that is only $75.84 for new Florida residents (and $234.30 to renew from the previous year). Some Florida residents purchase this special Annual pass for the free parking it grants to all the parks.

Unfortunately my in-laws are only coming in for Friday and Saturday and they want to see Epcot and MK.

 

[Davey Jones II]

I would say rope drop and do early magic mornings as much as possible. But if you do EMM, the basic strategy is to park hop to another park around noon. The park with EMM tends to be more crowded than usual all day.

 

[pigletgirl]

A few thoughts as we've traveled around that time before...

1. September is HOT! Animal Kingdom feels much hotter than the other parks to me, IMO. A full day there in heat is a lot with little ones. Maybe you could split AK into 2 half days?

2. Like others have mentioned, take advantage of the mornings in the parks. You will find that you can get lots accomplished before the heat and other visitors head in for the day (Especially Epcot because the WS opens at 11... and with food and wine)...

3. Are you planning on attending the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party? It would be a fun experience for those who haven't ever been. Plus, your girls would be able to trick or treat!