If you like to critique itineraries, want to check mine?

[Happyjen27]

I'm looking for someone to determine whether there are some gross tactical errors, impossible timing, etc.

I've never been to the World. My kids (DD5 and DS5) have never been, and my husband hasn't been in 30 years.

I've been enjoying the planning process, so this may be quite detailed, but, I am fully prepared to throw this all out the window if something cool happens and I'm willing to follow the magic. I've set up an itinerary because I don't want to be that person staning in the middle of the road saying "I don't know, what do you want to do?" back and forth.

Each day, I'm ranking each objective in order, and if I can get 2 or 3 things done a day, anything else will be considered a bonus. If my kids wish to ride Buzz Lightyear 8 times, that is what we will do. We will be following the kids on this trip, not dragging them around.

Anyway, if anyone is interested in checking to see if this is possible without breaking the space/time continuum, I'd appreciate it. My kids still sleep 12 hours a day, and while I'm not sticking to bedtime all the time, I do know from my visit to Hershey Park they are not commandos and will not nap in a stroller, but they will nap at the hotel.

Thursday
Arrive at WDW ~10AM
Drop me and Kids off at Poly, DH to drop car off and come back to Poly
--Ride Bus to Disney Hollywood Studios
1. 11:30 Beauty and the Beast show (this is a maybe if we are running late)
Lunch: Starring Rolls (amazing cupcakes!!)
2. 1:20 Lights, Motors Action! (a must do for DS, this whole day is planned around this show)
3. 3 PM Parade
Bus to Poly and settle into room
Dinner: Cap’n Cooks
Friday
7:45 Magic Kingdom
Take the train to Fantasyland! (train because it's parade taping day)
1 Grab FP for Peter Pan
2 Ride Winnie the Pooh
3 Ride Peter Pan
4 Grab FP for Dumbo
6 Ride Dumbo
Lunch: Colombia Harbor House
Take boat to Tom Saywer Island

Return to resort to relax and get showered for dinner

Dinner: 5:35 ADRs at Chef Mickey
 
Saturday
Animal Kingdom
Breakfast: 8 AM ADRs at Tusker House
1. Walk onto Safari
2. Go to EE, adults walk on single rider lane (use babyswap) or pull FP
3. Go to Dinoland to hunt for Dinosaur bones
4. Take turns Riding EE on FP (Check out lines to ride Dinosaur for grown-ups)
5. Flights of Wonder (11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 3:00, 4:30. Sit on LEFT)
6. Festival Of The Lion King (12:30, 1:30, 2:30)
3:00 PM Bus to Resort
Nap
Dinner: 6:40 ADRs at ‘Ohana

Sunday
Magic Kingdom
Fronteirland:
1. Get FP for Big Thunder Mountain then walk on
Liberty Square
2. DH and DS Haunted Mansion
3. DD and me to ride Prince Charming's Carousel
4. Pirates of the Caribbean
5. Jungle Cruise
6. Enchanted Tiki Room
7. Aladdin’s Magic Carpets

Lunch 12:30 Boat to Wilderness Lodge; 1:30 ADR at Whispering Canyon
Pony Rides at Fort Wilderness?
Boat to Magic Kingdom/transfer to boat to Poly
Nap
Dinner: Contempo Café in Contemporary Dessert: S’mores at the campfire
• 6PM Torch Lighting
• 7PM Campfire
• 9 PM Electric Water Pageant (all depending on kids' energy levels)

Monday
Sleep in a bit, wait for MIL/FIL/SIL/BIL to arrive at Poly to stay for remainder of trip.
Epcot
1. Get on Soarin’, pull FP
2. Character spot?
3. Ride Spaceship Earth
Lunch: 12:45 ADRs at Via Napoli in Italy Pavilion in World Showcase (ride boat over)
8. Ride The Seas with Nemo and Friends
9. Hit Turtle Talk with Crush
10. Ride Soarin on FP
11. Big kids grab FP for Mission: Space
12. Future World East: Innoventions Plaza has JAMMitors show (15 min after the hour, every hour)
13. Big kids ride Mission:Space

Tuesday
Magic Kingdom
7 AM Catch Boat or Monorail to MK
8:05AM Girls to go to BBB.
Tomorrowland/Fantasyland
8 Grab FP for Buzz Lightyear then walk on and ride
9 Ride Tomorrowland Speedway
10 Ride Buzz Lightyear
11 Grab FP for Winnie the Pooh
12 Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor
13 Look for “Push” the talking garbage can, usually just outside of Cosmic Ray’s

Lunch: 12:55 ADRs at Cinderella’s Royal Table
5 Mickey’s Philharmagic
6 Wander down Main Street
Parade: 3 PM Stand by flagpole
QS for dinner at Capn Cooks
Stumble to bed

Wednesday
Hollywood Studios
1. 8 AM ADRs for Hollywood and Vine
2. BIL run during breakfast to get FP for TSM
3. DH and DS and DD to the Jedi Academy Sign-up.
4. walk on or use FP for TSM
5. MIL to take kids to Honey I Shrunk The Kids Playground
6. Big kids grab ride RnRc, then ToT or reverse depending on times on App.
7. Big kids pick up littles and MIL
8. Get FP for Star Tours, or walk on, depending on line
9. See any of Friday’s favorite shows while waiting for Star Tours FP
11. Snack at Starring Rolls
Back to resort for Nap
After nap, monorail to Magic Kingdom
1. Ride It’s A Small World
2. Ride Tomorrowland Transit Authority
3. 6:15 Grab dinner at Casey’s Corner and stake out parade/wishes location
4. 7 PM Parade
5. 8 PM wishes
Back to resort to bed

Thursday
Favorites day, DD and DS's choice!!

If time and energy allows, at 4:30 PM to Hollywood Studios to see Fantasmic!

Friday
Pack up, check out and monorail to GF
10:40 ADRs at 1900 Park Fare

 

[Lovin' Disney]

When are you going? Is it this coming week? That makes a big difference.

 

[Happyjen27]

Arriving 11/29.

Leaving 12/7.

Sorry

 

[Lovin' Disney]

AAAH! I just typed a giant paragraph and it deleted somehow. I'm going to reply and keep editing it so it doesn't happen again.

Thursday
Arrive at WDW ~10AM
Drop me and Kids off at Poly, DH to drop car off and come back to Poly
--Ride Bus to Disney Hollywood Studios
1. 11:30 Beauty and the Beast show (this is a maybe if we are running late)
Lunch: Starring Rolls (amazing cupcakes!!)
2. 1:20 Lights, Motors Action! (a must do for DS, this whole day is planned around this show)
3. 3 PM Parade
Bus to Poly and settle into room
Dinner: Cap’n Cooks
You can't be sure how long it's going to take for the bus to pick you up. They come every 15 minutes or so, so your DH might get there right after one has just left. Then you have to figure in riding there, walking to the entrance, going through bag check, going through the entrance, and walking to Beauty and the Beast. That will take 45 minutes-1 hour, I would guess. That seems to be the biggest rule of thumb---everything takes longer than you'd think it would. Would you consider going to the B&TB show that starts after the parade ends? Then you wouldn't have to worry about rushing. You'd still be able to make it to Captain Cooks for dinner. Also, be sure to arrive at L,M,A at least 20 minutes before it starts or you'll be up in the nosebleed seats. Leaving is a nightmare.


Friday


7:45 Magic Kingdom
Take the train to Fantasyland! (train because it's parade taping day)
1 Grab FP for Peter Pan
2 Ride Winnie the Pooh
3 Ride Peter Pan
4 Grab FP for Dumbo
6 Ride Dumbo
Lunch: Colombia Harbor House
Take boat to Tom Saywer Island

Return to resort to relax and get showered for dinner

Dinner: 5:35 ADRs at Chef Mickey
 
I would get there before 7:45. It's going to be CROWDED. Plus you'll have to go through bag check and go through the giant line to get into the park. I wouldn't expect to get to Fantasyland until about 8:30. Once there, here's how I would do it: FP for Peter Pan, ride the Carrousel, ride It's a Small World, ride Peter Pan, get a FP for Winnie the Pooh (the FP machine is next to Peter Pan), see the Mickey's Philharmagic show, ride the teacups, ride Winnie the Pooh, get a FP for Dumbo, ride the Barnstormer, check out Casey Jr's area, then ride Dumbo. Definitely start out on the Peter Pan side even though it's on the complete opposite side of Fantasyland because the line for that one gets LONG early in the morning and stays that way all day. I've never been to Tom Sawyer Island so I have no opinion on that. I would leave by about 3:00 that afternoon because it's going to take awhile to get out of there.
Saturday

Animal Kingdom
Breakfast: 8 AM ADRs at Tusker House
1. Walk onto Safari
2. Go to EE, adults walk on single rider lane (use babyswap) or pull FP
3. Go to Dinoland to hunt for Dinosaur bones
4. Take turns Riding EE on FP (Check out lines to ride Dinosaur for grown-ups)
5. Flights of Wonder (11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 3:00, 4:30. Sit on LEFT)
6. Festival Of The Lion King (12:30, 1:30, 2:30)
3:00 PM Bus to Resort
Nap
Dinner: 6:40 ADRs at ‘Ohana

Tusker House usually takes us closer to 1.5 hours. If you can be out in an hour, you should be able to walk onto the Safari. There is a lot of walking between the Safari, EE, and Dinoland. A LOT. The Safari and EE are pretty much on complete opposite sides of the park. If it's a priority, I'd get all 4 fastpasses (using your children's tickets), walk to Dinoland, and have one parent ride EE twice and then switch off with the other. Or do this for Dinosaur (but that ride is not great--EE is WAY better). When it's the 2nd parent's turn to ride EE, I'd have the whole family walk over that way and the 1st parent could take the kids through the animal exploration trails. Then 2nd parent could call 1st parent and they could meet up for the Flights of Wonder show, which is in that area. Then grab some lunch/snack and head over to the Lion King show. You'll want to get there about 15 minutes or so early for that one, too.

Sunday
Magic Kingdom
Fronteirland:
1. Get FP for Big Thunder Mountain then walk on
Liberty Square
2. DH and DS Haunted Mansion
3. DD and me to ride Prince Charming's Carousel
4. Pirates of the Caribbean
5. Jungle Cruise
6. Enchanted Tiki Room
7. Aladdin’s Magic Carpets

Lunch 12:30 Boat to Wilderness Lodge; 1:30 ADR at Whispering Canyon
Pony Rides at Fort Wilderness?
Boat to Magic Kingdom/transfer to boat to Poly
Nap
Dinner: Contempo Café in Contemporary Dessert: S’mores at the campfire
• 6PM Torch Lighting
• 7PM Campfire
• 9 PM Electric Water Pageant (all depending on kids' energy levels)

Looks doable. You know that Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness are two different places, right? Wilderness Lodge is where the restaurant is, while Ft Wilderness is where the Chip and Dale Campfire is. That takes awhile to walk to, so give yourself some extra time.
Monday
Sleep in a bit, wait for MIL/FIL/SIL/BIL to arrive at Poly to stay for remainder of trip.
Epcot
1. Get on Soarin’, pull FP
2. Character spot?
3. Ride Spaceship Earth
Lunch: 12:45 ADRs at Via Napoli in Italy Pavilion in World Showcase (ride boat over)
8. Ride The Seas with Nemo and Friends
9. Hit Turtle Talk with Crush
10. Ride Soarin on FP
11. Big kids grab FP for Mission: Space
12. Future World East: Innoventions Plaza has JAMMitors show (15 min after the hour, every hour)
13. Big kids ride Mission:Space

If you sleep in, you're not going to walk onto Soarin'. I would send one person in for FP for everyone while everyone else heads to the Character Spot, then meet back at Soarin', rather than wait in the regular line. You could get FP right away, but they have been pretty strict with the 2 hour fastpass timeframe, so you might not be able to use them later in the day. I would save Spaceship Earth for the last ride of the night. It is not that close to this other stuff. Getting to lunch will take longer than you think. What are the little kids going to do while the big kids are on Mission Space? Can they go to Nemo and Turtle Talk while you guys do this? Have you considered going on Test Track? That one is a lot of fun.

Tuesday
Magic Kingdom
7 AM Catch Boat or Monorail to MK
8:05AM Girls to go to BBB.
Tomorrowland/Fantasyland
8 Grab FP for Buzz Lightyear then walk on and ride
9 Ride Tomorrowland Speedway
10 Ride Buzz Lightyear
11 Grab FP for Winnie the Pooh
12 Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor
13 Look for “Push” the talking garbage can, usually just outside of Cosmic Ray’s

Lunch: 12:55 ADRs at Cinderella’s Royal Table
5 Mickey’s Philharmagic
6 Wander down Main Street
Parade: 3 PM Stand by flagpole
QS for dinner at Capn Cooks
Stumble to bed

What will the boys do while the girls are at BBB? That will take a little while. Maybe have the boys do the Speedway because the line gets long as the day goes on. Everyone should definitely do Buzz & Monster's Inc.

Wednesday
Hollywood Studios
1. 8 AM ADRs for Hollywood and Vine
2. BIL run during breakfast to get FP for TSM
3. DH and DS and DD to the Jedi Academy Sign-up.
4. walk on or use FP for TSM
5. MIL to take kids to Honey I Shrunk The Kids Playground
6. Big kids grab ride RnRc, then ToT or reverse depending on times on App.
7. Big kids pick up littles and MIL
8. Get FP for Star Tours, or walk on, depending on line
9. See any of Friday’s favorite shows while waiting for Star Tours FP
11. Snack at Starring Rolls
Back to resort for Nap
After nap, monorail to Magic Kingdom
1. Ride It’s A Small World
2. Ride Tomorrowland Transit Authority
3. 6:15 Grab dinner at Casey’s Corner and stake out parade/wishes location
4. 7 PM Parade
5. 8 PM wishes
Back to resort to bed

You cannot get FP for TSM until the park opens. You should send BIL with everyone's tickets while DH & kids sign up for the Jedi Academy. RNRC and TOT are also going to have lines. I'd expect at least 1.5 hours between the 2 rides and I don't know that the kids/MIL want to spend that much time at the playground. Starring Rolls is not really in this area, either. Plus you didn't put in going to the Jedi Academy. They assign you a time. I think this morning at DHS is going to take way longer than you're thinking. I would skip MK and watch their closing stuff another night. Maybe the next night. Is Fantasmic this night? That's a great show. Or why don't you do DHS on Thursday and have Wednesday as kid's choice day? It's easy to underestimate the amount of time it takes to get from parks to resorts and such.

Thursday
Favorites day, DD and DS's choice!!

If time and energy allows, at 4:30 PM to Hollywood Studios to see Fantasmic!

Friday
Pack up, check out and monorail to GF
10:40 ADRs at 1900 Park Fare[/QUOTE]

 

[Happyjen27]

Awesome feedback!! I'm going to make some adjustments.

Arrival day, I'm fine scrapping B&TB completely, it was just an add on anyway. I'm truly at a loss as to what to eat in DHS because I hear it's all icky. I guess on day 1 we won't know how much better the food can be, so maybe it won't seem so bad. GOLDEN INFORMATION on how tough getting out of LMA is, is that just the kind of info I was hoping for!! Thank you!!

The first MK day, good idea getting there earlier, we definately will!! I love the plan you laid out, thank you.

While the girls do BBB, I think the boys might sleep in, or hang out and take pics in the park, depending on how alert they seem when we get up.

On Epcot day you're right, sleeping in will not = walking onto Soarin. We will pull fastpasses for this and kill some other time. DH and I will have some adult time that night, and do TnT then, as well as RnRC so we can skip those on DHS day.

Wednesday DHS day, yes, it's going to take way longer isn't it? I'm doing TnT and RnRC on date night, so we can maybe hit our favorite one of these while the kids do the HISTK play area with MIL. 2 hours in that play area with 2 kids is too long for her I'm sure. So, one ride in single rider hopefully will fly faster.

I'm going back to the drawing board completely on the AK day. That is a lot of cross park action. I think we grownups might have to admit that this isn't a trip for us, and skip Dinosaur completely. EE is moving to the "maybe" pile, we'll play it by ear. The only necessity is Digging in Dinoland, my kids talk about that from the planning DVD all the time.

A million thanks to you! I'm working on being realistic and laid back, and you're definately helping with that.

 

[sharonabe]

Awesome feedback!! I'm going to make some adjustments.

Arrival day, I'm fine scrapping B&TB completely, it was just an add on anyway. I'm truly at a loss as to what to eat in DHS because I hear it's all icky. I guess on day 1 we won't know how much better the food can be, so maybe it won't seem so bad. GOLDEN INFORMATION on how tough getting out of LMA is, is that just the kind of info I was hoping for!! Thank you!!

The first MK day, good idea getting there earlier, we definately will!! I love the plan you laid out, thank you.

While the girls do BBB, I think the boys might sleep in, or hang out and take pics in the park, depending on how alert they seem when we get up.

On Epcot day you're right, sleeping in will not = walking onto Soarin. We will pull fastpasses for this and kill some other time. DH and I will have some adult time that night, and do TnT then, as well as RnRC so we can skip those on DHS day.
Wednesday DHS day, yes, it's going to take way longer isn't it? I'm doing TnT and RnRC on date night, so we can maybe hit our favorite one of these while the kids do the HISTK play area with MIL. 2 hours in that play area with 2 kids is too long for her I'm sure. So, one ride in single rider hopefully will fly faster.

I'm going back to the drawing board completely on the AK day. That is a lot of cross park action. I think we grownups might have to admit that this isn't a trip for us, and skip Dinosaur completely. EE is moving to the "maybe" pile, we'll play it by ear. The only necessity is Digging in Dinoland, my kids talk about that from the planning DVD all the time.

A million thanks to you! I'm working on being realistic and laid back, and you're definately helping with that.

Do you have park hoppers? You'll need them if you and DH plan to go to DHS the evening of your Epcot day. Not sure if it is worth it, though, if this is the only time you'll be hopping.

I don't see any time for World Showcase in your planning. The Holiday Storytellers will be on during your visit and they are all really good. However, our favorite is Norway. I think your 5 yr olds will get a kick out of the jokes he plays. Also, there is a great miniature train layout in Germany.

 

[danda22]

WOW! The furthest I have in my planning is: Arrive on 5/31 and even with that we haven't decided on driving or flying yet LOL. Definitely have to post my itinerary for some feedback from the pros once I have a plan. Awesome feedback and plans. I am amazed!

 

[JDX4]

I'm truly at a loss as to what to eat in DHS because I hear it's all icky.

My kids really enjoyed eating at the Sci-Fi theater. They loved sitting in the cars to eat, and enjoyed the short clips on the movie screen. We ordered burgers and milkshakes, and thought they were good. Not gourmet, but certainly tasty enough.

Have fun on your trip! You seem to have a good plan, and are willing to be flexible. I'm sure you'll have a great time.