What do you think of my itinerary? Any advice?

[beattyfamily]

We are arriving in Orlando 6:05p on November 29 (my birthday) and staying overnight at the Hyatt Orlando Airport hotel. The next morning, we'll pick up the rental around 7:30a and head to the BWV for our first stay 'home' although this is our 5th trip! There are 9 of us going this time. My family of 4; DD's ages 4 and 7. Also my DH's 14 year old niece and my BIL and his wife and 2 DS's, ages 7 and 10. It is everyone's first time except my family's.

Warning; We've always stayed at monorail resorts because our DD's LOVE MK so I'm not too used to, or familiar with, getting to and from MK or the monorail resorts for PS...any help would be appreciated!

Also, we're not crazy about AK only like Epcot a little bit more so that is reflected in our itinerary. Some years we skip AK but we're not going to since we have guests this year.

Can you review our itinerary and post any problems or suggestions that you have?

Saturday - Arrive in Orlando 6:05p. Check in at Hyatt Orlando Hotel, check out hotel. Eat somewhere at the airport! No car yet.

Sunday - Pick up rental car around 7:30a. Head to BWV to check in around 8:00a. Head to MK (around 8:30a - 9:00a) by bus (is that the best route?) & then Chef Mickey's for dinner at about 6:30p; what's the best way back to BWV at around 8:00p? Are the buses still running?

Monday - Breakfast in room; MGM and stay for Fantasmic at 6:00p and do the Fantasmic package at H&V around 4:30p.

Tuesday - Breakfast in room; Epcot till about 3:00ish? Back to room to get ready for PS at Crystal Palace at 5:00ish before MVMCP!!

Wednesday - Breakfast in room OR Krispy Kreme run OR if I don't get CRT for Thursday, then we'll be doing Storybook today at Epcot for breakfast and then run over to AK. Stay for parade at 4:00p; check out the Boardwalk, DTD, or back to Epcot for Candlelight Processional at 6:45p (no package this year...don't want too many PS's)

Thursday - EE @ Magic Kingdom and hopefully CRT. Back for boat rental or Surrey bike rental and relaxing/swimming. Possibly Candlelight Procssional if I didn't get to it the night before at 6:45p and possibly DTD/Boardwalk.

Friday - Leave BWV and say goodbye to WDW; head to Hard Rock Hotel at Universal and do IOA today.

Saturday - Universal; Church at 6:00p

Sunday - Check out and head home for 11:25a flight!

Thanks for any insight or help! I'm getting overwhelmed because we have newbies coming and because there's so much Xmas stuff going on. It's already just about time for the PS for Chef Mickey's, and Storybook so I've got to make some decisions fast!

 

[mommystieg]

When we stayed at BCV in June we really took advantage of the walk to Epcot and then rode the monorail to MK. We also rode the Friendship boat to MGM. It is a nice walk-although probably not the quickest way to get around-but we just LOVE to ride the monorail!!

 

[pnelson]

We also are arriving at the BCV on November 29th and doing MK on Sunday and MVMCP on Tuesday. We are coming from Cocoa Beach. My only thought was that I think you are getting a late start on Sunday to go to MK which is an early entry day. But that's me-We are early risers and would be out of the airport hotel by 7 am! Why aren't you getting your rental until 9:30?

We are going to the Wilderness Lodge for dinner after our day at MK-I think from Chef Mickey's, you could take the monorail to Epcot, and then walk through Epcot to get back to BWV.

We are also doing MGM on Mondays and don't plan on doing the Fantasmic dinner package because we also love Prime Time. I'm hoping with lighter crowds that we will be alright.

We have PS at LTT the night of MVMCP-I thought you did too?? We will also be heading to HRH for 3 nights starting on Sunday.

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by pnelson
My only thought was that I think you are getting a late start on Sunday to go to MK which is an early entry day. But that's me-We are early risers and would be out of the airport hotel by 7 am! Why aren't you getting your rental until 9:30?

Well, the reason for that is the rental company, National, and my return flight...I've got the rental from Sun 9:30a to Sun 9:30a and my flight is at 11:25a. I thought I'd be charged another day if I picked up my rental at let's say 7:00a and then returned it at 9:30 - 10:00 for the 11:25a flight?? So I booked the same each way. I can't make actual changes now as my total of $111. (which is wonderful!) would probably change dramatically. Maybe I'll check National's policy on a late return of about 2 hours??

We have PS at LTT the night of MVMCP-I thought you did too?? We will also be heading to HRH for 3 nights starting on Sunday.

I do. BUT we invited my 14 year old niece AFTER I made the PS and they are not able to add her to my PS so I'll have to switch to CP at 60 days.

You have a good memory!

 

[XStAnt]

I like your itinerary. It's not overwhelming and leaves room for changes/flexibility.

I especially like the fact that it gives your group some options to split up some evenings if people want to do different things. For example, on Wednesday your family may want to do Candlelight Processional, but your BIL's family may want to do DTD. Your plan allows that. With a group that large you may find people wanting to go off and do something different that what you want/planned. My only advice is to keep flexible and let them do it if they want.

Your plans look great. PLenty of park time, plenty of rest time, plenty of flex time.

Have fun.

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by XStAnt
I like your itinerary. It's not overwhelming and leaves room for changes/flexibility.

I especially like the fact that it gives your group some options to split up some evenings if people want to do different things. For example, on Wednesday your family may want to do Candlelight Processional, but your BIL's family may want to do DTD. Your plan allows that. With a group that large you may find people wanting to go off and do something different that what you want/planned. My only advice is to keep flexible and let them do it if they want.

Your plans look great. PLenty of park time, plenty of rest time, plenty of flex time.

Have fun.

Thanks so much for the vote of confidence! I was actually thinking I had too many PS! But my DD's love character meals and I love the sit down meals once in awhile. I don't really want to cook even though I'll have a kitchen!

 

[XStAnt]

I didn't even realize you were staying at a Villa and would have a kitchen. Now I have to chastise you for eating out so much and not cooking on your vacation Seriously, you are on vacation and shouldn't feel the need to cook if you can afford to eat out. If they like character meals, go for it!!

There was a thread a few months ago about how many pS's someone should have. One poster made a great comment. It's better to have too many PS's and then cancel if you're too tired/busy/sick of characters, then to not have enough PS's. Even if you had a cancellation charge it's still better to have made them and then decided not to go (although, if you decide not to go to a meal cancel as early as possible so someone else can get the PS).

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by XStAnt
I didn't even realize you were staying at a Villa and would have a kitchen. Now I have to chastise you for eating out so much and not cooking on your vacation Seriously, you are on vacation and shouldn't feel the need to cook if you can afford to eat out. If they like character meals, go for it!!

There was a thread a few months ago about how many pS's someone should have. One poster made a great comment. It's better to have too many PS's and then cancel if you're too tired/busy/sick of characters, then to not have enough PS's. Even if you had a cancellation charge it's still better to have made them and then decided not to go (although, if you decide not to go to a meal cancel as early as possible so someone else can get the PS).

Too funny! I don't like to cook at home (and I have to everyday) so I really don't want to cook on vacaction!! I will buy some food for breakfast, snacks and maybe a quick sandwich and drinks but that's about it.

Thanks again!

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by pnelson
My only thought was that I think you are getting a late start on Sunday to go to MK which is an early entry day. But that's me-We are early risers and would be out of the airport hotel by 7 am! Why aren't you getting your rental until 9:30?

UPDATE!!

Thanks to your thought-provoking post (that's why I posted my itinerary) I called National car rental and they were able to change my pick up to 7:30a and drop off to 8:29a and my rate actually went down from $111.16 to $110.21!!! I just couldn't go to 7:00a but I think this will help us a lot our first day!

Thanks so much! I really thought I didn't have a choice and that if I made ANY changes, my rate would skyrocket but it didn't.

 

[beattyfamily]

Bump!

 

[jennymouse]

I think your itinerary looks good too. Glad you're able to get to MK earlier that first Sunday, it will help.

I hope you have better luck with the buses at BWV than we had. Although we were always too tired to do it, you can get off at the Swan/Dolphin and walk to BW. Another thing we did do was if coming "home" from AK or MK, you can take a bus to MGM and then take the boat (or walk) "home." I don't think this was necessarily faster, but we liked the boat ride better than all those stops (4) at the other resorts on the buses. With the bus, at least it only made one stop for S/D and another for BC/YC whereas the bus stopped at each resort.

We took a taxi home from our dinner at CG. It was worth it not to have to walk to MK all full from dinner and then endure all those stops coming home that night.

Have fun!

Oh, did I tell ya! I've got another grandbaby on the way so I'll soon be one of those dangerous stroller drivers too! I thought you'd get a kick out of that one!LOL

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by jennymouse
I think your itinerary looks good too. Glad you're able to get to MK earlier that first Sunday, it will help.

I hope you have better luck with the buses at BWV than we had. Although we were always too tired to do it, you can get off at the Swan/Dolphin and walk to BW. Another thing we did do was if coming "home" from AK or MK, you can take a bus to MGM and then take the boat (or walk) "home." I don't think this was necessarily faster, but we liked the boat ride better than all those stops (4) at the other resorts on the buses. With the bus, at least it only made one stop for S/D and another for BC/YC whereas the bus stopped at each resort.

We took a taxi home from our dinner at CG. It was worth it not to have to walk to MK all full from dinner and then endure all those stops coming home that night.

Have fun!

Oh, did I tell ya! I've got another grandbaby on the way so I'll soon be one of those dangerous stroller drivers too! I thought you'd get a kick out of that one!LOL

First Congratulations!!! That's great news! I'll be sure to look out for your stroller! I'm almost threw with stroller as my youngest will be 4 for our next trip and the older is 7.

Secondly, your thread in the transporation board is the reason I'm worried about getting to and from MK. We usually stay at a monorail resort so I'm getting worried.

We'll have a car so we'll probably drive to AK.

We may try the bus for Mk and see how it goes that Sunday and then decide from there about MVMCP and the EE morning...and we may even try (when we're heading back 'home') to take the monorail to Epcot and walk 'home'. We'll see.

Is there a boat to MGM and Epcot or just MGM? Did you ever do that? We'll probably walk to both and maybe take the boat home??

Nice to hear from you!

 

[jennymouse]

Originally posted by beattyfamily
Is there a boat to MGM and Epcot or just MGM? Did you ever do that? We'll probably walk to both and maybe take the boat home??

Yes, there's a boat to Epcot too. We walked it though...well, until the moleskin incident, after that we took the boat. We never walked to/from MGM. It looked like quite a hike to us!

 

[beattyfamily]

So Epcot is a closer walk from BWV than MGM?

I should take the boat to MGM, huh?

Walk to Epcot till I'm in pain?

Thanks for the tips!