Comments on my plan please

bennettp23

bennettp23

New Member
Well, we are nearly there. Orlando from the UK 9-23 August. We have our tickets, 14 days unlimited for everything so we have options. First timers with 2 adults and 2 kids (4 and 9) Staying in a villa on Windsor Palms. Have a hire car for the duration.
what do you think of this:

09-Aug Saturday Arrive (land Orlando at 2pm)
10-Aug Sunday Epcot IllumInations at 9pm
11-Aug Monday Hollywood Studios Fantasmic show
12-Aug Tuesday Blizzard Beach water park
13-Aug Wednesday Magic Kingdon
14-Aug Thursday Magic Kingdon Fireworks at magic kingdom
15-Aug Friday Kennedy Space
16-Aug Saturday Animal Kingdom
17-Aug Sunday Universal Studios
18-Aug Monday Bush Gardens
19-Aug Tuesday IOA
20-Aug Wednesday Wet n wild
21-Aug Thursday TBD
22-Aug Friday TBD
23-Aug Saturday Fly home

I still have to think about restaurants. It is my wifes 40th on the day we arrive 9 August and my 38 on 10 August so need to think of something to do restaurant wise...

Any help appreciated!
 
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Philasusan

Member
I like to spend my last night at the Magic Kingdom for sentimental reasons. Watching the night parade and Wishes helps me get through until the next visit. If you like water parks, you may want to add Aquatica or Typhoon Lagoon to your itinerary (possibly even substituting one for Wet & Wild which is an inferior park). I would also add at least one more evening at Epcot with a dinner at one of the many destinations in the World Showcase.
 
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LizC

LizC

Well-Known Member
I second the idea that you should make ADR's asap. As far as which ones, that really depends on your preferences. I'm sure if you let us know what you and your family are in interested in (upscale, character meals, in park, etc...) you will get lots if suggestions in not time at all! :)

Edit: Have you made Fast Pass+ reservations?
 
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LizC

LizC

Well-Known Member
disney4life2008 said:
Be Our Guest - reserve now and if you figure you do not want it before arrival - cancel. Ohana is also nice. Do you have the dining plan?
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Seems unlikely he would be able to reserve Be Our Guest at this point, even 'Ohana seems a long shot. Unless I'm missing something, which is definitely possible.
 
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BrianV

BrianV

Well-Known Member
Universal and IOA are now essentially one park now that the HP train connects the two. As such not sure you can as easily delineate one day for IOA and one day for universal. Consider buying express pass which is essentially an unlimited fast pass. There are some different variations and all cost a fair amount. With express pass, you could probably to IOA and universal in a day. Otherwise you will need two days as you have.
 
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bennettp23

bennettp23

New Member
Original Poster
Hmm Steak for the 10th (but there needs to be chicken for the wife :)).

Happy to do restaurant chains, especially with the two young kids.
Is there somewhere not too far away from where we are staying (might be tired after the flight) for dinner on Saturday night, more relaxed, wife does not eat red meat and likes Italian) Olive Garden?
Cheesecake Factory one night?

Then we are onto the WDW restaurants, I hear EPCOT is good, any recommendations?

Sorry, but I really have no idea when it comes to disney and dining!

Also, any thoughts in the Pirates and fireworks voyage?
 
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bennettp23

bennettp23

New Member
Original Poster
BrianV said:
Universal and IOA are now essentially one park now that the HP train connects the two. As such not sure you can as easily delineate one day for IOA and one day for universal. Consider buying express pass which is essentially an unlimited fast pass. There are some different variations and all cost a fair amount. With express pass, you could probably to IOA and universal in a day. Otherwise you will need two days as you have.
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Interesting, that would save a day.
 
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disney4life2008

disney4life2008

Well-Known Member
BrianV said:
Universal and IOA are now essentially one park now that the HP train connects the two. As such not sure you can as easily delineate one day for IOA and one day for universal. Consider buying express pass which is essentially an unlimited fast pass. There are some different variations and all cost a fair amount. With express pass, you could probably to IOA and universal in a day. Otherwise you will need two days as you have.
Click to expand...

I do not agree - while you can do both parts in one day with park to park access a lot of the shows will be missed. I say buy a 2 day park to park. Crowds will be HIGH in August as well
 
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cw1982

cw1982

Well-Known Member
LizC said:
Seems unlikely he would be able to reserve Be Our Guest at this point, even 'Ohana seems a long shot. Unless I'm missing something, which is definitely possible.
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I respectfully disagree. While it's very difficult to get ADR's for either of those places at, say, 3 months out, many here have found that tough-to-get ADR's seem to open back up when trips get closer due to people's plans changing. The fairly new rules with ADR's require 24-hour cancellations to avoid a no-show fee per person, so more and more people are cancelling ADR's as their plans change rather than hanging onto them until the last minute and just not going.

To the OP, if you're interested in either of those, particularly Be Our Guest, I'd suggest checking about once a day starting in the next few days to see what's available. If you're persistent, you stand a pretty good chance at catching something, but you'll probably have to keep trying. The closer the trip gets, the more likely you are to find something, in my experience.

Other suggestions:
50's Prime Time and Sci Fi (Hollywood Studios)
Garden Grill or Akershus (Epcot... both are character meals)
Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom for Pooh and friends)

There's also some pretty decent quick service choices out there :)
 
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rt06

rt06

Well-Known Member
There is a rocket launch scheduled for August, date to be determined. I would arrange my itinerary around that event. How often do you get to see that?
 
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loriloughs

loriloughs

Member
I agree with everything cw1982 has to say. You won't be disappointed with 50's Prime Time, Akershus or Crystal Palace. The kids will love those. There are lots of choices for off-site restaurants not far from Windsor Palms. You have done a good job of breaking up your holiday as far as the parks go. However, it is very ambitious, especially with small children. First I would choose Typhoon Lagoon over Blizzard Beach with small children. BB has lots of huge slides your 4 yr old will not be able to do.next, I would get rid of Wet-N-Wild altogether. (Sounds like you have flex tickets for IOA, Universal, Seaworld, Busch Gardens, Wet-N-Wild?). If you do have those tickets, I would do SeaWorld instead of WnW. Please know that Kennedy Space Center is almost an hour east of Orlando and Busch Gardens is an hour west. Lots of driving! I would do no more than 2 parks consecutively. This is the most important advice you will get - Get to the parks BEFORE they open and go back to your villa to rest about 1-2 in the afternoon. TAKE THE BREAK! Go back to the parks around 4-5pm and you will be refreshed for the nighttime events. Also be sure to rent a buggy for your little one! You can stop at a store and buy an inexpensive one $20 or $30 and leave it behind. There is so much to tell you I can't fit it all in. And I haven't even touched on the FastPass+. Since you are staying off-site you will most likely not have MagicBands. That means that you can book FP+ only 30 days out. That's why it's so important to get to parks at opening and RUN to the headliner attraction. There are websites with good tips. You can google them. Have so much fun!
 
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BrianV

BrianV

Well-Known Member
disney4life2008 said:
I do not agree - while you can do both parts in one day with park to park access a lot of the shows will be missed. I say buy a 2 day park to park. Crowds will be HIGH in August as well
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Yes, two days would be better, but with a four year old, many of the rides will possibly be too big. Most of the rides in marvel island, for example. Also perhaps the dueling dragons, rip rocket roller coaster, maybe the mummy. Taking that in mind, and if you had an express pass, IOA is a half day and universal another half day.

I guess what I was really trying to say though is that you cannot any longer really say that you'll do one day at IOA and one day at universal. Maybe someone can confirm,but I read that the potter train ride is one way, meaning if you take it, you are in the other park and there to stay for some length of time. You might find that after taking the train, you see all you want in the second park and are done.

That said, the last time we went we were very leisurely and spend 4 days, with mid afternoon pool breaks, etc.
 
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bennettp23

bennettp23

New Member
Original Poster
OK, Wet and Wild has been dropped.

rt06 said:
There is a rocket launch scheduled for August, date to be determined. I would arrange my itinerary around that event. How often do you get to see that?
Click to expand...

That would be amazing, that would be my highlight of the holiday! Any ideas when it is likely to happen? I will amend the plan if that comes up.

New plan:

Date Day Proposal
09-Aug Saturday Arrive
10-Aug Sunday Epcot IllumInations at 9pm
11-Aug Monday Hollywood Studios Fantasmic show
12-Aug Tuesday Blizzard Beach water park Fireworks at magic kingdom
13-Aug Wednesday Magic Kingdon
14-Aug Thursday Magic Kingdon
15-Aug Friday Kennedy Space
16-Aug Saturday Animal Kingdom
17-Aug Sunday Universal Studios
18-Aug Monday Bush Gardens
19-Aug Tuesday IOA
20-Aug Wednesday SW
21-Aug Thursday Typhoon lagoon
22-Aug Friday TBC
23-Aug Saturday Fly home

Just starting to work on dinner reservations now....

If we see restaurants in WDW that we like, is it much hassle to go there for dinner from other parks or from the villa? Is that what people do or is it best to stick to places close to where you are during the day?
 
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