WWYD on a day you have MNSSHP?

[Annette_C]

DD8 is excited to attend her first MNSSHP this year! We have tix for 10/28 and, since we'll be arriving on 10/26 (pm), we've decided to make 10/28 our full MK day.
DH and I are disagreeing on how to spend the day without burning out DD. I presented 2 options:
1) To have breakfast at our OKW villa (not too early) and get to MK around 10. Do a few rides and have lunch at CP to break up the day. Since we have a ADR at CP at 2, by the time we're out, we can start getting ready for the MNSSHP (I understand you can start at 4).
Go around the park for the party, watch the 1st parade and fireworks and head back.
2) Have breakfast at 1900 Park Fare (I have ADR for 10:45). Continue to MK after that. Do rides and stuff you don't get to do during the MNSSHP and then, at 4, follow above plan for the party.
DH says it's too much. He says to cancel both breakfast and lunch and just go to MK around noon. Get a quick hot dog at Casey's, do some rides until 4 and continue as above.
What would you do or what have you done when going to the MNSSHP?
Thanks!

 

[catne]

last year, we went to Boma for breakfast at about 9:00, then went to AK just to see Nemo the Musical (had missed it earlier in the week) Then we went back to our resort and took a nap. We had an early dinner reservation at CRT at 4:10. We were in and out of CRT in just over an hour. It was a great way to start the party. I would not start out at MK in the morning, or even in the early afternoon...too long of a day. Either do your breakfast & take a break, or don't go to MK until your 2:00 CP lunch.

 

[baler31]

Is that your only MK day ? I would really try to have another day to do MK, while the parties are generally not crowded they are not ideal for touring MK. We enjoy the parties for the characters, parades, fireworks etc. We don't ride very much and just save that for another MK day. For party day we hang out at the resort and head into the park around 4 for an early dinner ADR. We usually do The Plaza but anything would be fine. After dinner is the perfect time to get in one or two rides before lining up for one of the character headliners.

I really think trying to do all day at MK will be a bit much unless your family is used to it. If you must I would just wait and head in at 2 for your ressie at CP and then grab some CS later on but would try to search for a later ressie.

 

[Forever Fairy]

This will be my 3rd MNSSHP. Honestly, I would wait until afternoon to go to the MK. I normally make early dinner reservations somewhere (Crystal Palace, LTT, or any of the Monorail Resorts).

To be honest, we always sleep in late the night we go to the party. We then head to the MK late afternoon and to a couple of things that aren't offered during the party. We then get our wristbands at 4PM and then go to dinner. By the time we are done, the party is about to start. Don't forget that the park is open until late (midnight I think) and they have so many events to enjoy.

Finally, I agree with some of the other posters. I'd try to do another MK day when there isn't a party - simply to see the Electrical Parade. Then you won't feel like you have to cram it all into one day.

 

[Beauty & the Best]

What resort are you staying at? I ask b/c if you go ahead and do that 2pm reservation, then go back to the resort to get ready for the party, you might be rushing a bit unless you're at an MK area resort.

I've battled with this too & decided to do a big lunch on MNSSHP day and then do snacks or a quick cs for dinner at the party - like corn dog nuggets while waiting for the parade.

It sounds like you're planning on a big day at MK.

IMO, I would

A) Redo your ADRS this day altogether. Get to MK for rope drop and do cs for breakfast. Leave the park around noon or 1 pm and head back to the resort for a nice break w/ naps and/or swimtime. Head back to the park to be there @ 4pm - have an early dinner adr or cs at a monorail resort or in MK. Enjoy the party

B) Sleep in and get a cs breakfast at your resort. Hang out at the resort that day and swim and/or go play minigolf or see the Boardwalk until your 2 pm ADR at CRT. Stay from 2 pm onward at MK. Enjoy the party when it starts at 7 pm.

You guys will have a blast at the MNSSHP, but if you're too tired it will be a waste. Don't plan too much for this day, the party is the big event.

Have fun!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I would plan an easy day, DTD or water park, maybe miniature golf. I wouldn't do a park that day.

 

[Rekenna]

What we have done twice for MNSSHP and plan to do for our first MVMCP coming up is:
(1) sleep in,
(2) go to DTD to eat at T-Rex,
(3) hang out at DTD to go to World of Disney, Lego Store, etc.,
(4) go back to the resort to nap and/or swim
(5) get ready for party at resort
(6) head out to the party about 5pm
(7) enjoy all the extras the party has to offer for as long as the boys can take it or when we reach the end of the party-whichever comes first

ie-party days are "take it easy" days-that is a long time for my boys to be awake and we want to take advantage of all the special stuff at the parties, I also plan a sleep in day for the next day as well-we will go to Epcot where it is not always necessary to hit at rope drop, I also don't make ADR's for party times-it takes too much time. We will probably do something like Cosmic Ray's for a late dinner during MVMCP-we have done this before and it works well.

I do not plan party days as my whole MK day, it's just too much for us and the boys. It's a lot of walking and a lot of over-stimulation to have to go through without proper rest/relaxation.

Less is more on party days IMHO.

Good luck and have fun no matter how you decide to approach it!

 

[prncess674]

Remember that just because you can get into the park at 4pm for a party doesn't mean the party activities begin at 4pm. Are you planning on dressing up? Costumes can be hot and uncomfortable. Also if you make it a lazy morning at the resort with a non park lunch you can save a park admission ticket day. You can then enter the MK at 4pm and enjoy some rides and entertainment before the party activities.

 

[Annette_C]

Thanks so much for the great advice.
We're staying at Old Key West (we're DVC members), in a 1 br villa. We usually stay at the Boardwalk so OKW will be a new experience.
I guess you're right, it might be way too much to do a full MK day + MNSSHP all in one day...
I'll have to rethink and rearrange that day's activities.

 

[hdmichael]

Our schedule this year with three 13 year olds is:

Sleep in
Eat lunch at noon at LeCellier (only time we could get for the kids)
Back in the room by 2:00
Leave by 4:30 for 1900 Park Fare
Party

And I don't think I have enough down time in the afternoon because we scheduled lunch rather than an late breakfast.

 

[msjprincess]

Whenever we go to MVMCP or MNSSHP we sleep in and then hang out at the pool or DTD until 2:30 or 3:00. We get to the MK just at 4:00. The first time we went to MVMCP we spent the day at Epcot before going to the party. We were so exhausted.

 

[phyllis1966]

We always start out at another park, head back to the resort for a swim and some R&R, then head to a 4:30-ish Plaza Restaurant dinner and MK for the rest of the evening.

 

[baileybelle]

We're doing MNSSHP on the 28th too. We're going to AK that day. We will be 4 adults and it doesn't take us long to do AK.

 

[Annette_C]

We're doing MNSSHP on the 28th too. We're going to AK that day. We will be 4 adults and it doesn't take us long to do AK.

Wow! We'll be at the same party!! How cool is that!!
I was debating if we should do AK too that day (it doesn't take us long to go through it either). But then I'll be back to square one with DH about the fact that dd will be too tired for the party at night.
How old are your kids?

 

[Bev J]

We usually go to a park in the AM, this year we will go DHS, have lunch at Sci FI at 12.30 then head back to our resort to relax for the afternoon- we will head to the MK around 5 or so. The parties are a very busy long night and without a break before we go we will not make it.
We choose our sleep in/rest morning for the day after the party, have a late breakfast and head to the parks in the afternoon.

Hope you have a fun time! we go on the 24 to the party!

Bev

 

[Chelley00]

We go to a park until noon or 1pm (usually MK), then go back to sleep/rest/relax/watch TV. We usually try and make a 4:30-5:00 dinner reservation, then head out to ride a couple rides until the party starts.

 

[KayKyle'sMOM]

My kids are 8 and 6, this will be our 2nd MNSSHP.

Our plan is to hang at the resort, eat a late breakfast in our villa, have the kids swim or explore the resort. Go to a late lunch at WCC at 2:30 and then head to the MK for the 4pm party entrance. We usually end up staying at the party til it closes.

 

[mom2meiko]

Here's our plan for our MNSSHP day... be warned, it's an aggressive plan....

• 8:25 am - Chef Mickey's for Breakfast
  
• 10:50 am - BBB at DTD for dd
  
• 1:15 pm - Sanaa at AKL - Kidani for me
  
• 5:50 pm - Dinner at CRT for dd
  
• 7:30 pm - Pirate's League for dh
  
• then party til we drop!

 

[baileybelle]

Annette C: My "kids" ages are: DD 26, DS 28, and DIL 27. They never get tired. I have a hard time keeping up with them. I'm the one who will need a nap!!!

 

[LaurenT]

I think it depends on your daughter - my daughter is 7 1/2 and has adhd and aspergers..there is no slowing her down....she could go 3 days with no sleep if we let her - usually that's not a good thing, but....
We are going to MVMCP...we will open the park with breakfast and CP and stay all day, grab the monorail for dinner at The Wave and return to MK for the party!
I did, however dedicate the next day to relax by the pool...nowhere to be except dinner at Kouzzina.....