So....here's our deal. We are excessive over-planners. From 1 year out until arrival day, we make/edit/reprint/re-edit/examine our plans at least once a week. We have built our own guidebook that we edit and print before each trip. So, why would I be coming to you looking for feedback?
Well, our next trip is Spring Break 2012 (March 31-April 5/6) and we are looking at doing things a bit different. Historically we are morning EMH nuts. Every morning EMH we are there and can get a land plus done before regular opening. On the flip side, we almost never have done night EMH. We have a 7yr old and the usual plan is 8am-2pm in a park and get out for a nap/pool time then back to the park until fireworks and then to sleep. This trip, we are looking at doing night EMHs. And (maybe) lots of them.
We've culled the data from the last 5 years of park hours and EMH and think we have a good idea of WDWs operating hours for our visit. What I ask of you is....what do you think? Are the upcoming plans something feasible/intelligent/ludacris? Your thoughts and input will not go unheeded - we love to get input on our plans!
Day 1 (Sat, Mar 31) - right now we are planning a no-park arrival day at Old Key West. We drive about 16 hours to get to WDW and usually try to drive overnight and arrive by 8am to get into a park for morning EMH. Then, by 3pm, when our room is ready, we are dead. This time - 10am arrival and check-in, hang out at the pool and lunch at Olivia's and dinner at the Backyard BBQ (which we and DD love - don't try to talk us out of it!).
Day 2 - Epcot morning EMH, so all the big FutureWorld stuff. 10am late breakfast at Akershus to get our Princess time, then WS boat rides and 12pm Behind the Seeds Tour. Back to room for a nap around 1pm. Dinner at 5pm at Chef Mickey, then MK EMH until 2am or so - doing Adventureland, Frontierland, and LIberty Square attractions.
Day 3 - Sleep in. This might prove pretty difficult for early risers like me and DD, but we'll be pretty pooped I expect from the late night. 11am lunch at Pepper Market and on to Animal Kingdom around 1pm. Get FPs for whatever we can, see 3:15 Nemo show, dinner from some counter service around 4pm, then whatever attractions we can do before the expected 8pm closing.
Day 4 - MK has 7am EMH and we will be there by 6:30am ready to rock Fantasyland and some Frontierland when it opens at 8am. Tom Sawyer Island at 10am and a light lunch at 12pm. Ride the monorail over to GF for DD to do the Wonderland Tea at 2pm, then back to the room at 3 for a nap. Over to Epcot at 6pm for a counter service dinner (Yakitori? tangierine?) and then night EMH until midnight.
Day 5 - AK has 7am EMH, so we'll be doing Everest and the Safari early, then breakfast at Pizzafari and 10:30am Lion King show. That gets us back to the room around noon because I expect we'll all need the rest. Around 4pm, head to Studios (finally!) for dinner at 50s Prime Time and then night EMH until 1am.
Day 6 - MK at 7am again for Tomorrowland. I expect at least 2x on SM and Buzz, plus visits to CoP and a ride on TTA. Maybe a ride on the Teacups as well before 10am early lunch at Cosmic Rays. 11:30am we are back in the room to sleep. At 3pm over to Epcot to simply walk the Flower and Garden exhibits - no rides, just taking it all in. 8pm dinner at La Hacienda and then Illuminations and EMH until midnight again.
Day 7 - Studios at 7am for all the big rides. Breakfast at the Sunset Ranch and then some more attractions. Over to the Boardwalk for lunch at Big River Grille and who knows what until we pile in the car...
So, our hope is that all the naps will offset all the late nights and early mornings - we will likely have some Saturday-Sunday trial runs at home where we sleep based on those hours to see what kind of mood it puts us all in! The other BIG wrench is that (we are DVC) we booked OKW already, but at the 7 month window are going to try for Bay Lake Tower. If that happens we will have one less night/day and have to rethink things to get our Studios time.
Anyway, suggestions? Ideas? Thoughts?
Superflous attempts to get people fired up - We are upset that we won't be able to go to the Adventurers Club! The lack of night EMH monorail will not impact on our decision to stay at BLT! Does anyone know if New Fantasyland will be open yet? (these final comments are intended for humor only, not discussion)
Well, our next trip is Spring Break 2012 (March 31-April 5/6) and we are looking at doing things a bit different. Historically we are morning EMH nuts. Every morning EMH we are there and can get a land plus done before regular opening. On the flip side, we almost never have done night EMH. We have a 7yr old and the usual plan is 8am-2pm in a park and get out for a nap/pool time then back to the park until fireworks and then to sleep. This trip, we are looking at doing night EMHs. And (maybe) lots of them.
We've culled the data from the last 5 years of park hours and EMH and think we have a good idea of WDWs operating hours for our visit. What I ask of you is....what do you think? Are the upcoming plans something feasible/intelligent/ludacris? Your thoughts and input will not go unheeded - we love to get input on our plans!
Day 1 (Sat, Mar 31) - right now we are planning a no-park arrival day at Old Key West. We drive about 16 hours to get to WDW and usually try to drive overnight and arrive by 8am to get into a park for morning EMH. Then, by 3pm, when our room is ready, we are dead. This time - 10am arrival and check-in, hang out at the pool and lunch at Olivia's and dinner at the Backyard BBQ (which we and DD love - don't try to talk us out of it!).
Day 2 - Epcot morning EMH, so all the big FutureWorld stuff. 10am late breakfast at Akershus to get our Princess time, then WS boat rides and 12pm Behind the Seeds Tour. Back to room for a nap around 1pm. Dinner at 5pm at Chef Mickey, then MK EMH until 2am or so - doing Adventureland, Frontierland, and LIberty Square attractions.
Day 3 - Sleep in. This might prove pretty difficult for early risers like me and DD, but we'll be pretty pooped I expect from the late night. 11am lunch at Pepper Market and on to Animal Kingdom around 1pm. Get FPs for whatever we can, see 3:15 Nemo show, dinner from some counter service around 4pm, then whatever attractions we can do before the expected 8pm closing.
Day 4 - MK has 7am EMH and we will be there by 6:30am ready to rock Fantasyland and some Frontierland when it opens at 8am. Tom Sawyer Island at 10am and a light lunch at 12pm. Ride the monorail over to GF for DD to do the Wonderland Tea at 2pm, then back to the room at 3 for a nap. Over to Epcot at 6pm for a counter service dinner (Yakitori? tangierine?) and then night EMH until midnight.
Day 5 - AK has 7am EMH, so we'll be doing Everest and the Safari early, then breakfast at Pizzafari and 10:30am Lion King show. That gets us back to the room around noon because I expect we'll all need the rest. Around 4pm, head to Studios (finally!) for dinner at 50s Prime Time and then night EMH until 1am.
Day 6 - MK at 7am again for Tomorrowland. I expect at least 2x on SM and Buzz, plus visits to CoP and a ride on TTA. Maybe a ride on the Teacups as well before 10am early lunch at Cosmic Rays. 11:30am we are back in the room to sleep. At 3pm over to Epcot to simply walk the Flower and Garden exhibits - no rides, just taking it all in. 8pm dinner at La Hacienda and then Illuminations and EMH until midnight again.
Day 7 - Studios at 7am for all the big rides. Breakfast at the Sunset Ranch and then some more attractions. Over to the Boardwalk for lunch at Big River Grille and who knows what until we pile in the car...
So, our hope is that all the naps will offset all the late nights and early mornings - we will likely have some Saturday-Sunday trial runs at home where we sleep based on those hours to see what kind of mood it puts us all in! The other BIG wrench is that (we are DVC) we booked OKW already, but at the 7 month window are going to try for Bay Lake Tower. If that happens we will have one less night/day and have to rethink things to get our Studios time.
Anyway, suggestions? Ideas? Thoughts?
Superflous attempts to get people fired up - We are upset that we won't be able to go to the Adventurers Club! The lack of night EMH monorail will not impact on our decision to stay at BLT! Does anyone know if New Fantasyland will be open yet? (these final comments are intended for humor only, not discussion)