wanted: advice/tips for our May Trip

[twins4disney]

We are leaving May 7th for nine days to the World! Needless to say our four year old twins are very excited. I am beginning to think I have not done a good job of planning our trip. Here is what I have planned, any help or encouragement will be appreciated!
Arrive Orlando airport 11:10 take ME to Old Key West May 7th. Dinner that evening at Fulton's
May 8th-check in BCV, I was on a waitlist tfor the first night but never got in, oh well wanted to try OKW, GO to MK then Gala Fest that night.
May 9th- Waterpark, don't know which one, that night Chef MIckey's for dinner.
May 10th-Animal Kingdom, then BOma for dinner
May 11th-Epcot, Rose and Crown for lunch, SAn Angel Inn for dinner, then stay for Iluminations.
May 12th-check in WL- go to MGM, Hollywood and Vine Fantasmic package
May 13th-MK first thing, Cystal Palace for lunch, MIckey's BBQ that night
May 14th-Waterpark, then WCC for dinner
May 15th-MK, CRT 8:55, and Ohana for dinner.
May 16th-ME back to airport
OUr time there is pretty packed, so I am concerned I have not planned any down time for us to just relax. Does anyone have any suggestions. I realize we will not make it al day at the parks, have no intentin of doing that. Just need to know how to plan the days so we see all of the great parades and fireworks. I chose to mvoe rooms in the middle of the week, wanted to experience both resorts, so that was by choice.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Take a break each day and hit the pools or take a nap. Your children will thank you, your spouse will thank you and the people staying on either side of you will thank you. And, of course, you will think you are the smartest parent in the world.

When you go to the MK, make sure you are there when the park opens so you can take advantage of the short lines. You don't want to spend a lot of time standing in lines.

Personally, I'd skip R&C and San Angel and eat counter service that day. Your 4 yr old twins won't think Epcot is that great. But they will enjoy Illuminations as long as they don't mind the pop of the fireworks.

If you didn't already get the water park tickets, why not just hit SAB at BC instead? Your kids will love it. You'll be close to your villa. Plus when you stay at WL, you have that pool as well. It's really nice.

Any chance you could get the Breakfastsaurus instead of Boma? That's fun, especially for little kids.

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

I absolutely concur with the previous poster. The excitement of seeing their favorite characters, the rides, the crush of people, the stores....all of that will overwhelm your 4-year-olds....In fact it sometimes overwhelms this 3%$ year old. Please....plan down time each afternoon...pool, nap, playing at the playground (if there's one at your place). The other thing that I would advise is to make sure you have stowed away your children's favorite snuggly...even if they haven't used it for a while. The excitement plus a new room will make them want something familiar.

Have a great time, and remember, the magic of DVC....There's always next time.

 

[dianeschlicht]

ABSOLUTELY take at least one break a day! Since we can return often with DVC, we tend to hit the parks early in the day. By 1-2, we are back at the villa taking a break. We then head out again about 4. Maybe it's for a dinner ressie, but we will hit the parks again around that time. We also do NOT spend an entire day in one park. We tend to bounce around since variety is the spice of life! We also find the bus rides between parks can be a bit relaxing.

 

[J and R's mom]

We'll be there the same time as you, well, part of it anyway: 5/11-5/14.

In Feb. of this year I planned a last-minute trip at three weeks out for BWV studio--BW view. We had the first 2 nights but had to waitlist for that last night. At seven days out I called daily and then three days before we were to leave an opening came through. So you might want to keep calling even up until the day of arrival for an opening (unless you're wanting to give OKW a try).

I'm going to echo some of the things already said. As hard as it might be, make sure to be at the parks at opening. It will give you a good 2 hours to tour the park and ride rides without alot of waiting around in lines. With two kids so young this will be very important. By about noon the parks will be getting packed and that's a good time to head back over to the hotel for lunch, a nap, and maybe a swim at the pool and some playing on the playgrounds. I also recommend counter service meals with kids so young (with a few table service meals thrown in). After all of the hustle and bustle of the parks and busy days, sitting down for a meal can be rough on little ones. The character meals, however, will most likely keep them occupied.

Also, you might want to check out TourGuideMike.com for some pointers. It's worth the money. He has a link at the top of the page on the Theme Park Strategies board. Have a great trip!

 

[shellynn24]

I would like to add that all children are different. If your girls are not used to the high level of activity you should deffinately try to take a break during the day. However, if they are little balls of energy that rarely sleep or relax, you might not need to do a break. Listen to my reasoning before you flame! My kids(4 & 2) can not do a break in the day, when I try to make them leave they get , they go from dawn to late night and sleep in the stroller. So, if your girls do not take well to a break don't try to force it on them. On your EPCOT day, I just assumed you meant you were going to eat dinner at the Cantina on the Lagoon so you could catch the fireworks. If that is not what you meant, it is a really good way to relax before the fireworks (with a seat!) and let the kids cool down. Plus when the fireworks starts you've got a good seat to watch. We do that all the time. Have fun!!!

 

[CRSNDSNY]

ABSOLUTELY take at least one break a day! Since we can return often with DVC, we tend to hit the parks early in the day. By 1-2, we are back at the villa taking a break. We then head out again about 4. Maybe it's for a dinner ressie, but we will hit the parks again around that time. We also do NOT spend an entire day in one park. We tend to bounce around since variety is the spice of life! We also find the bus rides between parks can be a bit relaxing.

Us too.
Right after lunch time we tend to navigate back to our resort to hang out, nap, relax, etc. It's a nice break. Then we're all revved up for dinner and nightime activities.

ENJOY your resort....you're goign to have really beautiful accomodations. We like to make the most of enjoying them!

 

[Cinderella]

Ditto to the break. I am 36, and I couldn't do without the afternoon nap. You will have a great time - my partner's brother is just over there, and the weather is in the high eighties - perfect.

 

[JimMIA]

I'll just start by concurring with several earlier posters. When we took DD on her first WDW trip (the one where I decided to buy DVC), we did a similar schedule for four days.

I only remember four things clearly about that period: 1) MELTDOWN, 2) MELTDOWN, 3) MELTDOWN, and 4) MELTDOWN!

I can't even imagine what a MELTDOWN X 2 would be like!

Arrive Orlando airport 11:10 take ME to Old Key West May 7th. Dinner that evening at Fulton's

That would be good for us, driving 3 hours from Miami...but if you have a long flight...ME...room not available for checkin...I dunno.

May 9th- Waterpark, don't know which one, that night Chef MIckey's for dinner.

The twins would ordinarily love Chef Mickey's, but the water parks may take a lot out of them. We have a pool and DD4goingon24 is used to swimming, but it still wipes her out. I might do something less strenuous that day, or at least incorporate a long nap in the afternoon.

Just need to know how to plan the days so we see all of the great parades and fireworks.

One little caution here. Every kid is different, but not all kids (including those who have been regularly exposed to them) enjoy fireworks.

DD4goingon24 is fearless. I'm not making this up -- one of her favorite things is going to the Everglades to see the alligators and snakes. But she doesn't like fireworks. We are going May 14-19, and she is very excited...as long as she does NOT have to do fireworks! She even told me she doesn't want to do Soarin' again because of the fireworks...which are really incidental. Anything really loud, like IllumiNations or Wishes, is out of the question. Two years from now, that will change, but right now we don't do fireworks.

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

Since your staying at the BCV I agree with Deb & Bill about SAB instead of the water parks. Also, the whole area (BCV & BW) is an attraction in itself- they have the surrey bikes, you can rent the water mice, they have a pirates cruise for the kids and lots of other stuff to do.

If your going to go 3 straight days at the parks, make sure that you rent a stroller.

I'd keep your ADR's the way they are, but if you can't make it one night don't worry about it. We were going to go to Boma's one night but my DD5 wouldn't wake up from her nap so we went to the ESPN club and rented the surrey bikes, then went to Epcot about 7:00 and explored the countries and stayed for illuminations. Illuminations can be view from some of the BCV rooms and you can hear the music as well. We watched illumination twice from our room. (you can even see the MK wishes too.)

Its great that you have a plan but don't be afraid to deviate it if your have to. The night before we were going to Boma's we stayed late at the MK-- it wasn't planned but the crowd leaving after wishes made us turn around and hit the line free rides for the extra hour. We got to go on a few more rides, but it altered our plans for the next day. If they need to take a break- take it.

Have a great time!!!

 

[twins4disney]

Thanks to everyone for the great advice. Our plan is to hit the parks early and then stay until around noon to go back for a swim or nap. At this point the kids are eally good nappers, on the weekends now we have to wake them up in the evening! Of course who knows what will happen at DW. I have learned through these boards and all of the guidebooks that mid afternon breaks are a must, no worry there. We would be crazy not to incorporate a nap in every day!
Can't wait to go!
Thanks again