WWYD? Can't decide between two plans!

[OllieDannyandMe]

Our plane is scheduled to arrive at 8:45 a.m., and then, we will take Disney's ME to the Pop Century Resort.

I have two different plans for our first 48 hours, and I cannot decide between them. Please help!

Plan A: On day one, arrive at Pop Century to drop off our luggage. Take a cab to a late character breakfast at 11:20 a.m. Return to the Pop. Check into the room, if it is ready. Explore the resort, play in the pool, or take a nap. Dinner at 5:30 p.m. Then over to the Magic Kingdom for EMH until 2 a.m. On day two, sleep late. Visit a character breakfast at 10:55 a.m. Take the monorail to Epcot. Explore Future World. Head over to World Showcase late in the afternoon and walk to dinner at 5:30 p.m. Return to World Showcase for Illuminations. (Basically, this plan calls for Magic Kingdom in the evening on day one and Epcot on day two.)

Plan B: On day one, arrive at Pop Century to drop off our luggage. Check into the room, when it is ready. Explore the resort, play in the pool, or take a nap. Character dinner at Epcot at 4:10 p.m. Explore Future World. Head over to World Showcase in the evening for a viewing of Illuminations. On day two, a character breakfast before the MK opens. Arrive for rope drop. Spend the day exploring the MK. If tired, return to the resort for a nap or to swim in the pool. Dinner at 8:10 p.m. (Basically, this plan calls for Epcot in the evening of day one and Magic Kingdom on day two.)

So what do you think? Which plan would be better for a mom and her seven year old daughter?

 

[MareSINY]

Here are my thoughts:

Our plane is scheduled to arrive at 8:45 a.m., and then, we will take Disney's ME to the Pop Century Resort. If you land at 8:45 you should be at your resort by no later than 11am.

Plan A: On day one, arrive at Pop Century to drop off our luggage. Take a cab to a late character breakfast at 11:20 a.m. Return to the Pop. Check into the room, if it is ready. Explore the resort, play in the pool, or take a nap. Dinner at 5:30 p.m. Then over to the Magic Kingdom for EMH until 2 a.m. On day two, sleep late. Visit a character breakfast at 10:55 a.m. Take the monorail to Epcot. Explore Future World. Head over to World Showcase late in the afternoon and walk to dinner at 5:30 p.m. Return to World Showcase for Illuminations. (Basically, this plan calls for Magic Kingdom in the evening on day one and Epcot on day two.) You must have an early flight if you're arriving at 8:45am, so staying at MK until 2am might be a bit much for a 7 year old. You also might have trouble making an 11:20am breakfast. It will add extra traveling stress.

Plan B: On day one, arrive at Pop Century to drop off our luggage. Check into the room, when it is ready. Explore the resort, play in the pool, or take a nap. Character dinner at Epcot at 4:10 p.m. Explore Future World. Head over to World Showcase in the evening for a viewing of Illuminations. On day two, a character breakfast before the MK opens. Arrive for rope drop. Spend the day exploring the MK. If tired, return to the resort for a nap or to swim in the pool. Dinner at 8:10 p.m. (Basically, this plan calls for Epcot in the evening of day one and Magic Kingdom on day two.) This plan sounds much more do-able for you and a 7 year old.

What I usually do on our first day (we usually arrive around the same time) is check in, get our keys/tickets and head to MK (always our first park). We spend a few hours in the park, get some lunch and in the afternoon return to our hotel for a couple of hours of relaxation (or pool time) before heading back to the park for a few more hours that night. Starting off with a ressie when you wont have much time to make it there is going to add so much stress to your vacation that I really don't think it's worth it. If your daughter is anything like my nieces they will want to hit a part as soon as you arrive. They can't get to the parks fast enough.

I hope you and your daughter have a great time on your trip!

 

[Payson]

How long is your trip?

I vote for plan 1 if you have plans to do another day at MK. I love to go to MK first - and I think a 7 year old might too. Plus epcot could take all day. But, if this is your only time to go to MK, I vote for plan 2 because I would think a 7 year old would like more time there.


You could always ask your daughter what she feels like doing once you get there? Or is that dangerous? lol!

Have fun!

 

[eeyoresmom]

Plan B would be my choice. I wouldn't want an early dinner after a character meal like you have planned at 11:20. Plus, it seems like it is more running around and you will most likely be tired from such an early flight. You wouldn't be back at the resort for your nap until around 1:30 and assuming your room is ready ( it may not be) that only gives you a few hours until you need to leave for your dinner ADR. You said you MAY nap...Will your 7 yo be able to make 2 AM EMH at MK after an early morning flight without a nap???? Plan B sounds like less running around and more relaxing overall.

 

[OllieDannyandMe]

What I usually do on our first day (we usually arrive around the same time) is check in, get our keys/tickets and head to MK (always our first park). We spend a few hours in the park, get some lunch and in the afternoon return to our hotel for a couple of hours of relaxation (or pool time) before heading back to the park for a few more hours that night. Starting off with a ressie when you wont have much time to make it there is going to add so much stress to your vacation that I really don't think it's worth it. If your daughter is anything like my nieces they will want to hit a part as soon as you arrive. They can't get to the parks fast enough.

I hope you and your daughter have a great time on your trip!

Thank you!

So do you think I should stick with the Magic Kingdom on the first day and just drop that late morning character breakfast?

I, too, like the pace of Plan B, but then I feel sad when I think about not going to the Magic Kingdom as soon as we arrive. However, it may be better to wait and spend our first FULL day at the Magic Kingdom. Decisions, decisions!

 

[OllieDannyandMe]

How long is your trip?

I vote for plan 1 if you have plans to do another day at MK. I love to go to MK first - and I think a 7 year old might too. Plus epcot could take all day. But, if this is your only time to go to MK, I vote for plan 2 because I would think a 7 year old would like more time there.


You could always ask your daughter what she feels like doing once you get there? Or is that dangerous? lol!

Have fun!

Thanks We are going for 14 days, so we have lots of time scheduled in all the parks. Thinking about it that way, now I see that either choice will be fine. I want to start the trip on the right note, but I am probably over-analyzing it. I should pick one and go with it.

I did ask my daughter, and she was not sure. She still gets the parks mixed up. For instance, we'll be in Epcot, and she will say, "Let's go to the Haunted Mansion." And I have to explain that it would be quite the walk!

Last night, I described the parks by her favorite attractions (i.e. MK=Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain; DS=cartoon lessons, HISTK playground; AK=Yeti & Kali River Rapids; Epcot=Kim Possible), and she did not mind which one was first, as long as she was able to do them all. Although last year, we did not go to the parks for the first two days, and all she could talk about for 48 hours was the Haunted Mansion.

 

[OllieDannyandMe]

Plan B would be my choice. I wouldn't want an early dinner after a character meal like you have planned at 11:20. Plus, it seems like it is more running around and you will most likely be tired from such an early flight. You wouldn't be back at the resort for your nap until around 1:30 and assuming your room is ready ( it may not be) that only gives you a few hours until you need to leave for your dinner ADR. You said you MAY nap...Will your 7 yo be able to make 2 AM EMH at MK after an early morning flight without a nap???? Plan B sounds like less running around and more relaxing overall.

That's a good point about the spacing between the two meals. I'm not worried about the food, because we eat super light at breakfast. But it may seem like we just left one ADR before we find ourselves having to turn around and head back out to another. That's no fun, running pillar to post and not relaxing.

My 7 year old, unfortunately, is a night owl. She comes by it naturally, as both her dad and I are, too. I shouldn't complain, but it is difficult. If she was left to her own schedule (and I see this played out every summer), she would naturally fall asleep around 3 a.m. and wake up at noon. She's in summer school this year, and even though I wake her up between 6:30 and 7 a.m. every school day, she still will not go to sleep before midnight. There are nights where I am so tired that I can't even keep my eyes open, and she will come into my room and say that she can't sleep.

I probably need to take her outside for more physical activity. Then she might sleep!

Since we are going this month (August), I am thinking we will try to nap or swim during the hot afternoons and stay at the parks in the evening. I just hope we can wake up for rope drop most mornings! That's when we find it easiest to ride a few attractions with little wait. I'm getting excited!

So far, I am thinking I will either go with Plan B, or drop the 11:20 a.m. character breakfast and go with the remainder of Plan A.

Thanks everyone!

 

[sharonabe]

One more vote for PLAN B!

Not as much running around and not starting the 14 days off over tired.

 

[bartleyosu]

I vote plan b, too

 

[MareSINY]

Since your daughter is a night owl I think I'd do a Plan C.... here's my thoughts:

Plan C:

Arrive at your resort, check in and head to MK. Take an afternoon break, go back to the resort to rest for a bit and then head to Ohana for dinner. After dinner head back to MK for EMH, but I wouldn't plan to stay for the whole thing, since you said your daughter will stay up til 3am but sleep until 12 you don't want her cranky the next day or sleeping away the morning when you'd like to be hitting the parks. And you DEFINITELY don't want to tour the parks with a cranky kid because there's nothing magical about that!

First day you might want to go with a less is more plan. If you skip Ohana and do MK for a few hours, head back to the resort for a rest and then head back to MK for EMH you'd have more down time during the day and less stress of getting to an ADR. Ok, officially this is now Plan D.