Thoughts on my First Disney Vacation plans

[DISfirstTimer]

Im preparing for our first and likely only (according to DH, lol) Disney Vacation. I thought I had a “perfect” itinerary worked out but I just upgraded to AKL from POP and have felt the need to restructure things. I’m looking for feedback. I’ll be traveling with DH, DS6, and DD4. Trip Goals: Have the Disney Experience, Meet All Princesses!, Not to exhaust everyone, eat great food, and make lasting memories. Currently I have 2 ADRS for BOG, a PPO and a Lunch. I love what the PPO does for our Touring Plan, but I’m trying to keep in mind my goal of not exhausting everyone therefore I think Lunch may be better. Do you think I should adjust my park days at all? Crowd Calendars shows most days at 4. I will fill in FP when that window arrives. If a meal not specified it just means QS somewhere or snacks. Also we will have a rental car as we need it for Legoland and it’s just as cheap to keep for the week.


Day 1: Arrive likely after 6pm coming from night and day at Legoland

Early to Bed

Day 2: MK (Either PPO BOG or Lunch at BOG)

Back to AKL for 6 pm Dinner at Boma or Sanaa (I can’t decide which one)


Day 3: MK

4pm Dinner at Ohanas

Remain at park for Fireworks

Day 4: Resort Day. Sleep in, enjoy programming at resort

4pm Hoop Dee Doo Dinner Show

Chip and Dale Sing a Long

Day 5: AK

Lunch at Flame Tree


Day 6: Epcot

Lunch at Akershus

Travel World Show Case with DS6 giving DH and DD option to go back to hotel for rest

Fireworks

Day 7: Depature Day (flight leaves MCO 8pm)

 

[CAS239]

Everyone's different but your ADRs are going to be cutting a lot of time away from rides. For a first trip I'd aim more for rides.

 

[PPFlight75]

I think your plan looks doable.

I’m not sure when you are going, but if it is in the summer I would do the BOG lunch to give you a break in the AC. If cooler weather either would work. Just make sure the park opening time doesn’t change taking away the advantage of the ppo.

I hope you have a great first trip!! My DH and I thought our first trip was our only trip but then we were hooked!!

 

[counselormom]

Looks good to me. The only change I would make is to change your Boma/Sanaa dinner to your AK day. That way you won't have to leave MK if you don't want to, get more rides in. BTW, you can't go wrong with either place but we prefer Boma for breakfast and Sanaa for dinner.

 

[AllEar2017]

We just got back from our first trip and loved our PPO breakfast at BoG. It was so nice to enter the park nearly empty and then get first crack at SDMT and Peter Pan- also they opened the carousel before either of those so got a ride on that too.

 

[Canadian Frank]

Enjoy your time. Plan look gray. I went for the first time in dec 2016 with DW, DD4, DD2

Arkershus will be great to meet princesses. Just manage the expectation. My daughter thought that the princesses would actually eat at our table with us!!

 

[Darbie]

Your ADR’s will be taking away from a lot of park time, because of traveling time.

 

[pitpat]

Agree about ADRs. I personally prefer to split up MK days to the beginning and end of a trip. Don't know if that would work with your schedule.

 

[laughinplace199]

Are you taking any mid-day breaks? At 4 & 6 yrs old, my kids really needed some downtime in the afternoon (and so did I ).

 

[DISfirstTimer]

Looks good to me. The only change I would make is to change your Boma/Sanaa dinner to your AK day. That way you won't have to leave MK if you don't want to, get more rides in. BTW, you can't go wrong with either place but we prefer Boma for breakfast and Sanaa for dinner.

Yes, of course! Why didn't this occur to me?!?!

 

[DISfirstTimer]

Agree about ADRs. I personally prefer to split up MK days to the beginning and end of a trip. Don't know if that would work with your schedule.

I was thinking I'd like to do this. I think I originally chose this park schedule because the Crowd Calendars show MK at 2 or 3 on days I chose and I think 4 or 5 at the end of my trip. Im not sure how much that really matters. I really want to eat at Ohana's and thought it would be easy to take monorail for dinner. Perhaps if I can snag a reservation on my last park day I can swap it out. I'm was also trying to snag longer park days with shorter days/resort days to keep from exhausting everyone and keep my DH would rather be napping on the beach happy!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Im preparing for our first and likely only (according to DH, lol) Disney Vacation. I thought I had a “perfect” itinerary worked out but I just upgraded to AKL from POP and have felt the need to restructure things. I’m looking for feedback. I’ll be traveling with DH, DS6, and DD4. Trip Goals: Have the Disney Experience, Meet All Princesses!, Not to exhaust everyone, eat great food, and make lasting memories. Currently I have 2 ADRS for BOG, a PPO and a Lunch. I love what the PPO does for our Touring Plan, but I’m trying to keep in mind my goal of not exhausting everyone therefore I think Lunch may be better. Do you think I should adjust my park days at all? Crowd Calendars shows most days at 4. I will fill in FP when that window arrives. If a meal not specified it just means QS somewhere or snacks. Also we will have a rental car as we need it for Legoland and it’s just as cheap to keep for the week.


Day 1: Arrive likely after 6pm coming from night and day at Legoland

Early to Bed

Day 2: MK (Either PPO BOG or Lunch at BOG)

Back to AKL for 6 pm Dinner at Boma or Sanaa (I can’t decide which one)


Day 3: MK

4pm Dinner at Ohanas

Remain at park for Fireworks

Day 4: Resort Day. Sleep in, enjoy programming at resort

4pm Hoop Dee Doo Dinner Show

Chip and Dale Sing a Long

Day 5: AK

Lunch at Flame Tree


Day 6: Epcot

Lunch at Akershus

Travel World Show Case with DS6 giving DH and DD option to go back to hotel for rest

Fireworks

Day 7: Depature Day (flight leaves MCO 8pm)

Day 1: I would just do Boma or Sanaa on your arrival day. Arrive, go to your room, have some dinner (if you are in Jambo, Boma would be more convenient, but Sanaa is just a shuttle away), go to bed. That way, you don't have to leave a park at all to eat at one of these restaurants.

Day 2: I would pick the PPO breakfast and get to the park early. I've done BOG lunch twice and it is a madhouse during the day. If you do the PPO breakfast, you will have prime touring hours and won't have to deal with the crowds at BOG at lunchtime.

Day 3: I think the 4 pm O'hana dinner is perfect.

Day 4: Make sure to visit the stables at Ft. W as well. Your children may be small enough to take a pony ride!

Day 5 and 6 look great.

Day 7: I would consider adding another park day. If your flight isn't until 8 pm, you won't need to leave the resort until about 5 pm. That's a lot of time to kill particularly when you'll have to be out of your room by 11 am. Adding another day shouldn't cost too much.

 

[DISfirstTimer]

Are you taking any mid-day breaks? At 4 & 6 yrs old, my kids really needed some downtime in the afternoon (and so did I ).

I think I'm going to take the approach of not having huge expectations. We will hit the parks and when we loose steam we will head back to the resort, regardless if that's 1pm or 8pm.

 

[DISfirstTimer]

Day 1: I would just do Boma or Sanaa on your arrival day. Arrive, go to your room, have some dinner (if you are in Jambo, Boma would be more convenient, but Sanaa is just a shuttle away), go to bed. That way, you don't have to leave a park at all to eat at one of these restaurants.

Day 2: I would pick the PPO breakfast and get to the park early. I've done BOG lunch twice and it is a madhouse during the day. If you do the PPO breakfast, you will have prime touring hours and won't have to deal with the crowds at BOG at lunchtime.

Day 3: I think the 4 pm O'hana dinner is perfect.

Day 4: Make sure to visit the stables at Ft. W as well. Your children may be small enough to take a pony ride!

Day 5 and 6 look great.

Day 7: I would consider adding another park day. If your flight isn't until 8 pm, you won't need to leave the resort until about 5 pm. That's a lot of time to kill particularly when you'll have to be out of your room by 11 am. Adding another day shouldn't cost too much.

Great input, thanks! My original plans had us doing HS on departure day, however, I thought it might be nice to relax on our last day and enjoy the resort that I'm paying $700 more for! I may end up doing it still though

 

[TinkSassy]

On the downtime - know you are planning to wait until they loose steam but that can become a meltdown. Make sure you plan quiet time - even if that doesn't mean back to the resort.

Our groups find lunch and then to Hall of Presidents is a good break. The littles are usually bored and if they will nap they tend to fall asleep (usually our grands join them). It is quiet dark and air-conditioned. It is not a busy attraction so I've had cast members let us sit through two shows just to let the break go longer (their discretion though).

Have also gone out to Tom Sawyer's island - not so down but more physical and less stimulating (works better for my friend's son than a nap). They can run and play which makes them less ancy for standing in line.

 

[DisneyFive]

I would totally choose the lunch at BOG over the PPO breakfast. If you get to the park at opening, you'll have a couple of hours of slow time anyway. If you snag a FP+ for SDMT then to me there is very little value to a PPO breakfast at MK other than just the feeling of being in the park before it opens.

Dan

 

[tommygunn]

My $.02 - if you can swing it, you may want to consider a stay in a monorail resort instead of animal. The lodge is beautiful but a long ways from magic kingdom which is where I’ll bet you wind up spending most of your time given the age of the kiddies. Gives you more flexibility to go back and rest mid day.

 

[mousehouse23]

Another vote for the BOG PPO. It's such a great opportunity to experience MK without crowds and to get in some great photos on Main Street. Of course, the early jump on SDMT and/or Peter Pan is amazing, too. I only paid $14 for a child's breakfast and it was the best $14 I've ever spent at Disney. Just remember to order ahead of time so you don't have to wait in line.

Your plans look great. I hope you have a fantastic first trip! AKL is beautiful.