Planning Burnout!

[rigama]

We're going in May and can make our ADRs on the 27th, and I'm trying to get our dining finalized and I'm so overwhelmed! How do you decide where to eat and when?? Do you avoid EMH or do you take take advantage of them and plan your food around which park you'll be in?

DS wants to do Chef Mickey's for breakfast on our first full day, but wants to do Epcot as the first park of the full day. How long does it take to take the monorail from the Contemporary to Epcot? Will we be able to make park opening, thereby making it in time for rope-drop and sign-ups for Jedi Training?

I really am having fun planning this trip, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment!

 

[lilclerk]

DS wants to do Chef Mickey's for breakfast on our first full day, but wants to do Epcot as the first park of the full day. How long does it take to take the monorail from the Contemporary to Epcot? Will we be able to make park opening, thereby making it in time for rope-drop and sign-ups for Jedi Training?

It won't take long to monorail over to Epcot, but keep in mind that you will need to transfer to a different monorail at the Transportation and Ticket center so there will be some waiting time.
Jedi Training is at the Hollywood Studios, not Epcot.

Personally, I take advantage of EMH. I figure, I'm paying the premium to stay on site, why not take advantage? Yes, the crowds may be higher, but for me, I'm not really out to cram in as many rides as possible, I just love being in the parks at night.

 

[Kristia]

Not totally sure about timing, but if it is not morning EMH and you can get the first seating at Chef Mickey's, you may be able to make it to Epcot for opening but would be cutting it close. The main thing that I wanted to comment on is that the Jedi Training is a Disney Hollywood Studios and not Epcot. I don't think you could make it to DHS from Chef Mickey's before opening as you would have to take a bus.

 

[rigama]

Jedi Training is at the Hollywood Studios, not Epcot.

Gah! I know...See! I told you I was feeling overwhelmed!

Thank you

 

[lilclerk]

Gah! I know...See! I told you I was feeling overwhelmed!

Thank you

No problem! No matter what, you'll have an awesome trip, don't stress =)

 

[EvilQueen-T]

we plan our adr's around what park we'll be in and either book in that park or at a nearby resort. in the case of dhs we often book around the boardwalk. we always plan to be in whatever park is open latest but we're not morning people. we do this even when we travel with our 7 y/o granddaughter but she's a go go go burn the candle at both ends kind of girl.

 

[coltow]

we plan our adr's around what park we'll be in and either book in that park or at a nearby resort. in the case of dhs we often book around the boardwalk. we always plan to be in whatever park is open latest but we're not morning people. we do this even when we travel with our 7 y/o granddaughter but she's a go go go burn the candle at both ends kind of girl.

We plan parks around ADR's too. But we usually plan to start at what park is open the earliest, we are morning people We hardly ever book a breakfast so that we can make the most out of each morning. We get up and go, take a break then go to where ever dinner ADR is and play the evening/night by air.

 

[HopLow]

I plan ADRs around what park I'm planning on being in. Definitely take advantage of EMHs!!! The parks are less crowded since only resort guests are allowed in, which makes it easier to hit some of the more popular attractions. What I do is plan out what parks to go to on particular days based on EMHs and then make my ADRs based on where we are planning to be. Either way, you're in Disney and you'll have a great time!

 

[flavious27]

We're going in May and can make our ADRs on the 27th, and I'm trying to get our dining finalized and I'm so overwhelmed! How do you decide where to eat and when?? Do you avoid EMH or do you take take advantage of them and plan your food around which park you'll be in?

DS wants to do Chef Mickey's for breakfast on our first full day, but wants to do Epcot as the first park of the full day. How long does it take to take the monorail from the Contemporary to Epcot? Will we be able to make park opening, thereby making it in time for rope-drop and sign-ups for Jedi Training?

I really am having fun planning this trip, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment!

The best way I figured out to plan is to use google calendar and plan around the emhs. We also seem to visit the parks in the order they were built, which is fine for us.

We also try to get an early start when we have a lunch, but try for a later start when we have a dinner show because we won't have a lunch.

One thing that makes it easy to plan is to use the calendars on disney's website. Right now you can see the hours until the end of may.

 

[mickeysshoes]

We plan parks around ADR's too. But we usually plan to start at what park is open the earliest, we are morning people We hardly ever book a breakfast so that we can make the most out of each morning. We get up and go, take a break then go to where ever dinner ADR is and play the evening/night by air.

Boy our families would get along percert!! We use the same plan of attack! We do take one morning to let the family sleep in and I do laundry and on this day we do a late O'hona breakfast.

 

[Clamman73]

DS wants to do Chef Mickey's for breakfast on our first full day, but wants to do Epcot as the first park of the full day. How long does it take to take the monorail from the Contemporary to Epcot? Will we be able to make park opening, thereby making it in time for rope-drop and sign-ups for Jedi Training?

You will probably not make it to Epcot before 9:00. In Sept., I did a 7:30 breakfast at Kona (parked there), got on resort monorail back around to TTA and over to Epcot monorail (and we got on just as it was about to leave) and made it to Epcot around 9:10 - 9:15. So, if you just miss an Epcot monorail, you have to wait a bit for it since there's only two trains on the line.

 

[SMS55]

I really am having fun planning this trip, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment!

It's your vacation don't go crazy over it. Persoanlly I am just not a big fan of the dining plan. I guess since I have the luxary of driving I will go to some places off property that I like. The cost per day of the plan just doesn't appeal to me. You also have to plan and stick to some rigid schedule for what in my opinion are marginal savings. I have to work around too many schedules when I am back home that it's the last thing I want to do when I am on vacation. Sometimes it is better to wing it. Reserve what is an absolute must. If you have small kids perhaps a character breakfast or dinner at Chef Mickey's but have fun with the trip. I have booked Chef Mickey's within a week or two of going. I do tend to go during slower seasons because I usually buy a seasonal pass, so keep that in mind, but this is your vacation, have fun with it. Don't burn out planning it.

 

[ddbowdoin]

We're going in May and can make our ADRs on the 27th, and I'm trying to get our dining finalized and I'm so overwhelmed! How do you decide where to eat and when?? Do you avoid EMH or do you take take advantage of them and plan your food around which park you'll be in?

DS wants to do Chef Mickey's for breakfast on our first full day, but wants to do Epcot as the first park of the full day. How long does it take to take the monorail from the Contemporary to Epcot? Will we be able to make park opening, thereby making it in time for rope-drop and sign-ups for Jedi Training?

I really am having fun planning this trip, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment!

I'll try and break this down nice and neat!

1.) First step is head to Touring Plans, from there I take a look at all of my days, see what EMH is up, park hours, etc etc etc and crowd levels.

2.) Dump crowd information into a spread sheet, really focus on what parks look most ideal.

3.) from there I attack ADR's, but I mostly stay within a close proximity to my park of the day. If I am at MK, I am not making an ADR at AK or DHS. I stick to the monorail resorts or in MK. Same goes with whatever park I am planning for that day. Hustling from parks to resorts can be a hassle from time to time.