Pre trip plan - Arriving 5th Sep for 14 nights staying at CBR *Updated 7/9

[gacallaghan]

Thought I'd start a thread detailing our plans for our holiday in September 2015. Hopefully they will be of interest to some readers! Both Tom and I have been to Walt Disney World, Florida twice before; Tom in 2008 and 2010 and me in 2003 and 2009. This however will be our first Disney holiday together.

As you can see we've both changed quite a bit since then!



As we are unlikely to do this again before we have children, we thought it would be a real treat to stay on property this time. Ever since i planned our first family holiday in 2003 I've wanted to stay on site. It was just never an option within our family's budget (family of five travelling from London).

We travel on Saturday September 5th for a two week stay at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort and I can't wait. Currently pulling together a plan for how we'd like to spend our two weeks (including Universal, Busch Gardens and Legoland) based on the busy day calendar.

Waiting for park hours to be released!

Amy

 

[gacallaghan]

199 days to go - whoop whoop!

 

[megveg]

Hellloo! Im in for this! Im soexcited to hear about your plans and especially your hotel choice never been there so im ready to hear about Carribbean Beach im heading to wdw end of Oct into Nov andim so excitedd!

 

[Tom Riley]

I'm the lucky fella that gets to experience this place with the lovely lady who started this post! I cannot wait for two weeks in the hot Florida sunshine with her! It's going to be fantastic!

 

[gacallaghan]

Hi all,

So ADR's tomorrow. 180 days to go! Any last minute changes you’d suggest?

We are two adults (30 and 25yrs) heading to WDW on Sep 5th for 14 nights, staying at CBR.

We’ve based our park days on multiple busy day guides. We are aiming to book in for a few nice breakfasts, as we don't want to eat at our hotel every day. We are booking dinner reservations for MK and HS. Not sure about AK and we’ll walk and eat at Epcot so not bothered about a sit down meal that day. Not many lunch plans as we don’t want to be too tired down and with big breakfasts we’ll probably grab snacks fruit. We think we’ll need to get at least one cab on the first morning but are there any other journeys you’d specifically recommend at cab or?

Our ADR plans are as follows:

Sun 6th - MK - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - Crystal Palace 8am (Taxi to the restaurant)
Dinner - Be Our Guest 7:30pm

Mon 7th - Relaxing day - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - Shutters
Day by the pool
Afternoon Tea at Grand Floridian 3:30pm
Dinner - no plans yet

Tues 8th - HS - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - Grand Floridian Cafe 9am
Dinner - Sci-fi Diner 6:30pm

Wed 9th - Island of Adventure - Mears Transportation
Breakfast - Shutters
Dinner - no plans

Thu 10th - Shopping - Car Hire
Breakfast - Kona 10am
Dinner - 1900 Park Fare at Grand Floridian 6pm?
Electrical Parade 8pm

Fri 11th - Legoland - Car Hire
Breakfast - Shutters
Dinner - no plans

Sat 12th - Busch Gardens - Car Hire
Breakfast - Shutters
Dinner - no plans

Sun 13th - Relax day - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - Boma 10am
Hollywood studios in am
Downtown Disney pm
Dinner - Foulton’s or STK?

Mon 14th - Epcot - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - Cape May 8:30am
Dinner/snack - Beach Club 6:30pm

Tue 15th - Universal Studios - Mears Transportation
Breakfast - Shutters
Dinner - no plans

Wed 16th - Blizzard Beach - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - Shutters
Dinner - V&A 7:30pm

Thu 17th - Animal Kingdom - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - Tusker House 9am
Dinner - Spirit of Aloha 8:15pm?

Fri 18th - Seaworld or Kennedy Space Centre - Local transport.
Breakfast - Shutters
Dinner - no plans

Sat 19th - Magic Kingdom - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - The Wave 9:30am

Thanks!

 

[gacallaghan]

Hi all,

So I booked a fair few ADRs this morning. Got most of them!

Sun 6th - MK - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - Crystal Palace 8:15am - we'll probably be up at 4am (still on UK time = 9am) We'll definitely get a taxi over from CBR to MK.
Dinner - Be Our Guest 4:35pm - only available time so took it - just glad to have got in!

Mon 7th - Relaxing day - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - OPR
Afternoon Tea at Grand Floridian 3:45pm

Tues 8th - HS - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - Fresh @ Dolphin 8:30am (Changed this from GF Cafe - thanks to a helpful recommendation! Makes much more sense!)
Dinner - Sci-fi Diner 6:40pm

Wed 9th - Island of Adventure - Mears Transportation
Breakfast - OPR
Dinner - no plans

Thu 10th - Shopping - Car Hire
Breakfast - Kona 10am
Dinner - No plans
Electrical Parade 8pm

Fri 11th - Legoland - Car Hire
Breakfast - OPR
Dinner - V&A 8:30pm - wanted this a bit earlier but we won't get back from Legoland till 6pm anyway. Gives us time to get ready and take a wander around GF first

Sat 12th - Busch Gardens - Car Hire
Breakfast - OPR
Dinner - no plans

Sun 13th - Relax day - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - Boma 10am (kept this despite other recommendations to change as we want a late breakfast and will only go to HS for a couple of hour if we miss stuff on our full day visit)
Hollywood studios in am maybe
Downtown Disney pm
Dinner - Fulton’s Crab House 7:30pm

Mon 14th - Epcot - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - Cape May 8:30am
Dinner/snack - Beach Club 6:30pm


Still to book:

Tue 15th - Universal Studios - Mears Transportation
Breakfast - OPR
Dinner - no plans

Wed 16th - Blizzard Beach - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - OPR
Dinner - no plans

Thu 17th - Animal Kingdom - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - Tusker House 9am
Dinner - 1900 Park Fare @ GF 7pm (get bus from AK to MK then monorail)

Fri 18th - Seaworld or Kennedy Space Centre – Local transport.
Breakfast - OPR
Dinner - no plans

Sat 19th - Magic Kingdom - Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast - The Wave 9:30am or Grand Floridian Café 9:30am (the latter was cancelled from 8th previously)

Whoop whoop!

 

[gacallaghan]

Hi all,

So we are getting ever closer to our holiday - 58 days to be exact. Turns out that even though Disney Boyfriend (DB) has been to Disney twice before he's never done a parade or character meal and he's not done some of the key rides. He last went in 2010.

We have pretty much firmed up our key plans now and booked fastpasses. Probably won't do any more specific planning as I want to feel relaxed whilst we are away. You'll notice we have planned Disney days but not the non Disney days probably because we won't have express passes or book dinning other days. We want some flexibility and seeing as we are both massive Disney fans and we're staying on site or the first time, we want to ensure we get the most out of our Disney days and stay. One thing we have decided we want to do quite a bit of if photography. We both have DLSRs so DB is taking his DLSR and I'll take a point and shoot which I can have on me in my bumbag throughout the day.

So, our plan is as follows:


Sat 5th - Travel

• Flight from London Gatwick to Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort arriving at Orlando International Airport at 6pm Florida time/11pm UK time. DB is not looking forward to the flight. He says he is starting to get excited about the holiday but says he wont actually be really excited until he steps off the plane in Florida. The flying is part of the fun for me!
• Disney's Magical Express from airport to Caribbean Beach Resort.
• Eat at Shutters and unpack.
• Sleep!

Sunday 6th September - Magic Kingdom
Breakfast: Crystal Palace 8:15am - we'll probably be up at 4am (still on UK time = 9am)
Taxi from CBR to MK at 7:45am.
Fastpasses:

• Peter Pan's Flight 11:30-12:30
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 12:35-13:35
• Space Mountain 15:30-16:30

Dinner: Be Our Guest 7pm
Priorities for the day: Buy Mickey ears, ride 7DMT, meet Mickey, take some great photos.
Disney Transportation Bus back to resort after Wishes fireworks.


Monday 7th September - Relaxing day / Magic Kingdom
Breakfast: OPR
Spending time at resort and in the pool
Early dinner: Afternoon Tea at Grand Floridian 3:45pm - this will probably act as our main afternoon/evening meal. We might snack at MK late evening.
Heading to MK via Monorail for evening primarily to see Electrical Street parade at 9pm.
Fastpasses:

• Space Mountain 17:45-18:45
• Under the sea 18:45-19:45 (although rethinking this one - not sure its the best use of a FP)
• Electrical Street parade 20:30-20:50

Priorities for the day: Relax, take in the Grand Floridian, Electrical Street parade which DB hasn't seen before.
Disney Transportation Bus back to resort after Electrical Street parade.


Tuesday 8th September - Hollywood Studios
Breakfast: Fresh @ Dolphin 8:30am
Boat from Dolphin hotel to HS
Fastpasses:

• Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10:40-11:40am
• Toy Story Mania 11:45-12:45pm
• Star Tours 12:45-13:45pm

Dinner: Sci-fi Diner 6:40pm
Priorities for the day: Carrot Cake Cookie from Writers Stop, One Man's Dream which neither of us have done before and TSM, Rock and Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror which DB hasn't done before.
Disney Transportation Bus back to resort after Fantasmic.


Wednesday 9th September - Island of Adventure
Mears Transportation
Breakfast: OPR
Dinner: no plans
Priorities for the day: TBC


Thursday 10th September - Shopping
Pick up car hire
Breakfast: Kona 10am
Shopping at Orlando Vineland Premium Outlet for Nike only, Florida Mall & The Mall at Millenia
Dinner: Bufferlo Wild Wings - this is a MUST for DB.


Friday 11th September - Legoland
Breakfast: OPR
Drive and spend the day at Legoland
Dinner: Victoria & Alberts 8:30pm - wanted this a bit earlier but we won't get back from Legoland till 6pm anyway. Gives us time to get ready and take a wander around GF first
Priorities for the day: TBC


Saturday 12th September - Busch Gardens
Breakfast: OPR
Drive and spend the day a Busch Gardens
Dinner: no plans
Priorities for the day: TBC


Sunday 13th - Relax day / Hollywood Studios / Downtown Disney
Cab to Animal Kingdom Lodge
Breakfast: Boma 10am
Hollywood Studios early pm
Fastpasses:

• Toy Story Mania 12:30-13:30pm
• Voyage of The Little Mermaid 13:50-14:05pm
• Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 14:40-15:40pm

Downtown Disney pm
Dinner: Fulton’s Crab House 7:30pm
Priorities for the day: TBC


Monday 14th September - Epcot
Cab to Beach Club
Breakfast: Cape May 8:30am
Walk to Epcot
Fastpasses:

• Mission Space 11:00-12:00noon
• Soarin 12:15-13:15pm
• Meet Disney Pals 13:30-14:30pm

Dinner: Beach Club 6:30pm
Disney Transportation Bus back to resort after Illuminations.
Priorities for the day: TBC


Tuesday 15th September - Universal Studios
Mears shuttle
Breakfast: OPR
Spend the day a Universal Studios
Dinner: no plans
Priorities for the day: TBC


Wednesday 16th September - Blizzard Beach
Disney Shuttle Bus
Breakfast: OPR
Dinner: no plans

Thursday 17th September - Animal Kingdom
Cab to Animal Kingdom
Breakfast: Tusker House 9am
Fastpasses:

• Dinosaur 12:45-13:45pm
• Expedition Everest 15:00:16:00pm
• Kali River Rapids 16:00-17:00pm

Get bus from AK to MK then monorail
Dinner: 1900 Park Fare @ GF 7pm
Priorities for the day: TBC
Cab back to resort.


Friday 18th September - Relax day - maybe eat around the world at Epcot?
Breakfast - OPR
Fastpasses:

• Soarin 15:00-16:00pm
• Spaceship Earth 16:00-17:00pm
• Mission Space 17:10-18:10pm

Dinner - no plans
Priorities for the day: TBC
Disney Transportation Bus back to resort.

Saturday 19th September - Magic Kingdom
Check out
Cab to Grand Floridian
Breakfast: Grand Floridian Café 9:30am
Fastpasses:

• Haunted Mansion 11:00-12:00noon
• Peter Pan's Flight 12:00-13:00pm
• 7DMT 13:00-14:00pm

Dinner - no plans
Priorities for the day: TBC
Disney Transportation Bus back to resort at 3pm
Disney's Magical Express from Caribbean Beach Resort to airport TBC
Flight home 8pm

Any thoughts welcome!

 

[gacallaghan]

We are off tomorrow! So excited! Will be vlogging and will write a trip report when we get home