Trip is booked! Very excited, but feeling overwhelmed. Any expert planners out there?

[smellyia]

day 1
arrive / check in at CBR
FREE
T-Rex @ 6:30
FREE

day 2
- MK
Chef Mickey @ 5
Electric Lights parade @ 9

day 3
- HS
Pizza Planet
Pixar parade
- Epcot for Coral Reef @ 5:25 - (since you guys said it was close)
I'm not going to lie here - you're probably looking at a 30min+ walk from DHS to Epcot both ways. If you were planning to stay at Epcot for the evening great, but it may be cutting it very close and taking up park time. But it's flexible so you could stay if you chose to. Or I'd seriously think about maybe eating at DHS and fit in Coral Reef for an early lunch on your Epcot day.
- back to HS
Fantasmic @ 9

day 4
- AK
parade @ 3:45
Rainforest Cafe @ 4:30
- DisneyQuest

day 5
- MK
Celebrate parade @ 3
Be Our Guest @ 4:30
fireworks @ 10

day 6
- TL
- MK for Crystal Palace @ 5:05
-FREE
Some great pool time this evening!

day 7
- Epcot
mini golf
Via Napoli @ 4:30
IllumiNations @ 9

day 8
- possibly HS (definitely will do if we can't get into Jedi Training on day 3, otherwise this is FREE as well)
- DtD for Planet Hollywood @ 4:30
if you guys had your fill by here of DTD, you could make a backup ADR elsewhere for a choice when the time comes.- FREE

Once you get your itinerary set, which this looks really nice, you can think about touring in the park....order of rides and how to maximize your time. Josh's site is fantastic for that and I like it better than touring plans...this is a great post:

http://www.easywdw.com/uncategorize...-touring-plan-update-and-epcot-ideal-morning/

 

[Massillon Dad]

Bobby Buchane would agree...its free @ all counter service foodstands & healthier that pop. Drink the water.

 

[elaine amj]

I agree with PPs...don't go to Epcot just for Coral Reef. Food in DHS isn't anywhere near as bad as ppl make it sound. Sci Fi Diner to me is one of the most uniquely themed restaurants in WDW - high on my recommendation list for a first timer. Food is so so but burgers and milkshakes are awesome.

50s Prime Time is another fun WDW themed restaurant with playful servers - esp if you like comfort food. The milkshakes again are very unique.

Alternatively u can do the Fantasmic meal plan at Mama Melrose. Many reviews are saying the Italian food is very decent. I skipped it because I was looking for unique and I get tons of Italian food where I live.

Our family adored DQ and gave up mini golf for a 2nd full day at DQ. Well worth it to us

I do have to add I think u are shortchanging Epcot. For most it is a 2 day park - your time there looks short. Really depends on you and your family - but my kids never want to leave Innoventions. They spend at least a couple of hours there. Make sure u do the Great Piggybank Adventure - your 7 yr old will probably love it.

 

[FigmentChick]

Welcome to the DIS!!

Just looking quickly at your plans, I'll have to go with the others and say I think you might've planned too much to do each day. You will spend a great deal traveling and not enjoying your vacation.

That being said, my family are park hoppers. But what we normally do is start out at one park and then leave halfway through the day for another (usually Epcot....it's our favorite). There might be times where we go back to the room to rest or have a "pool break".

Just rethink and take into consideration how much jumping around you and your family can handle.

And as for the food at DHS....definitely try Sci-Fin dine in. After three previous trips, we tried it in 2011 and loved it. The kids liked the milshakes and I loved my shrimp & pasta. A little dark with a repeating film loop, but it's still a great experience.

 

[NicPie]

We're going to Coral Reef because we want seafood, not because we specifically don't want to eat at HS.

Okay.. back to reading your posts.

 

[NicPie]

Elaine.. Thank you for the Piggybank recommendation, I'll have to check that one out. As far as Epcot goes as a whole, we're not really interested in all of the country stuff, we'll be skipping a lot. I do plan on doing the Innoventipns and some of the more kid friendly stuff, but I can't imagine spending more than a whole day there. When I went last time it was my least favorite part of the whole trip. If it's changed and we want more time, we have free time to go back.

FigmentChick.. were you looking at my first plan or he revised one? The first plan only hops about as much as how you say you do it. But I did try to fix it... I think the new one works better.

 

[LynnTH]

I would maybe also rethink the Water Parks and More options... This trip we are going for 10 nights and we have a couple down days where we sleep in and the kids love hanging at the pool at the resort. Then in the late afternoon or so we go to DTD or hit up a park for a bit. Seems like you could have more park time and not running so much to DTD and a Waterpark.

Another option. You said you were going to Epcot to eat because you like Seafood. Since you are on the dining plan you should look at Cape May Cafe at the BeachClub. All you can eat crablegs every night. My family loves this place. You could do this on one of your free nights or a night you are at Epcot or DHS.

 

[NicPie]

Thanks for the restaurant info, I'll check those out.

As far as DtD goes.. I mainly plan on doing that on the first day because we don't have time to do much else.

And Typhoon Lagoon is a must.. DH and DD have made that perfectly clear. lol