Too much?

[TwisterMomma]

Hello--we are 2 months out from our first family Disney Trip (we took our oldest with my in laws when she was 6 months old, but she obviously doesn't remember that!) and I'm finalizing all the details. We will be going for a week in early May with our 5 year old, 3 year old, and 17 month old.

I really wanted to get "the experience" this time (and make it easier on us with little ones), so we are staying onsite and doing the whole dining plan and magic band shebang.

I was lucky enough to go to Disney more than once as a child, but table service restaurants where a pretty rare experience as a kid. When we went 5 years ago, we didn't make any advance reservations, so it was all counter service. With my desire to maximize the dining plan value and try out some of the restaurants that we missed out on in the past, I'm wondering if I might have overdone it terms of what kids that age can handle. And maybe being too full?

Thoughts?

Sunday--Arrive midday, swim, counter service Disney Springs for lunch, Boatwrights at Port Orleans Riverside for dinner

Monday--Magic Kingdom, Be Our Guest for lunch, Counter service for Dinner

Tuesday--Animal Kingdom, counter service for lunch, Tusker House for dinner (but it is an early reservation)

Wednesday--Magic Kingdom Day 2, counter service for lunch, Ohana for dinner

Thursday--Day off. Disney Springs for counter service lunch, meeting friends at Whispering Canyon Cafe for dinner

Friday--Disney Studios. Counter service lunch. 50s prime time for dinner.

Saturday--Epcot (This is the day I'm most worried about). Akershus for Princess lunch and Biergarten for dinner.

Sunday--leave early AM, so no real meals required

 

[PrincessL]

Hi TwisterMomma! Where are you staying at? POR I'm assuming by your first day? Also, are you planning on taking mid day breaks?

You know your kids best but, I'd say that is totally doable if you go at a leasurly pace and take breaks. Take cues from your kiddos!

We went last year with our DS5&3 at the time and left DS1 with our parents at home. I had a similar touring plan and we did not take enough breaks. DS3 by day 5 was exhausted, over stimulated and just over it! We had a terrible meal at O'Hana, food was excellent our children were not! Not in the tantrum sort of way but whiny and tired. Just ruined an experience DH and I were looking forward to. I was so bummed but realized we just expected way to much. This year with all three we are doing rope drop, pool/nap time and then dinner and fixable after that.

You have some great restaurants picked out. Beirgarten and Ohana are our favorites! Two buffets in one day might be a lot of food and will take up a big chunk of your time at Epcot. Both are great experiences though!

 

[TwisterMomma]

Yes, Port Orleans French Quarter.

I'm not sure about the breaks--we are relying on bus transportation, so I'm not sure if that is just going to take too long to leave and come back. We will be bringing a stroller, so I'm hoping the two youngest will nap in the park. I've thought about trying to hit a show during that time so they can chill out a bit.

My parents are coming with us, so hopefully that will help.

As for the two buffets at Epcot...I know! I really wanted the Princess experience for my oldest, though. And my top restaurants was the Biergarten. We aren't doing Park Hopper, so we cannot come back another day to hit it. Our Disney vacation planner recommended doing the breakfast at Akershus and in hindsight, I sort of wish we had done that. It would have solved our Epcot Fastpass dilemma too!

 

[PrincessL]

Yeah, breaks and the buses eat up a lot of time. That's nice that your parents are coming! An extra set of hands will give you a lot of flexibility. Why don't you try and switch to breakfast...sometimes last min availability can pop up!

Planni g is half the fun!!! Enjoy!!

 

[LAKid53]

Not sure if your children will enjoy either the food or atmosphere at Beirgarten. Do they like pizza? If so, see if you can get a reservation for Via Napoli - excellent pizza.

Btw, the fried chicken at Prime Time is the bomb!

Take the boat from POFQ to Disney Springs...much faster than the bus.

 

[TwisterMomma]

They actually love a local German restaurant, so I'm not too worried about that.

 

[ToTBellHop]

That dining at Epcot does seem like a lot of food in 5 hours or so. Ever consider a breakfast instead? The Garden Grill character breakfast is yummy and has great interaction for kids.

I would strongly consider the afternoon break. Late-April/early-May is typically mid-80s every day. A full day out in that can spell trouble with kids. Never underestimate the healing properties of a pool break.

 

[contrariwise]

Hi TwisterMomma! Where are you staying at? POR I'm assuming by your first day? Also, are you planning on taking mid day breaks?

You know your kids best but, I'd say that is totally doable if you go at a leasurly pace and take breaks. Take cues from your kiddos!

We went last year with our DS5&3 at the time and left DS1 with our parents at home. I had a similar touring plan and we did not take enough breaks. DS3 by day 5 was exhausted, over stimulated and just over it! We had a terrible meal at O'Hana, food was excellent our children were not! Not in the tantrum sort of way but whiny and tired. Just ruined an experience DH and I were looking forward to. I was so bummed but realized we just expected way to much. This year with all three we are doing rope drop, pool/nap time and then dinner and fixable after that.

You have some great restaurants picked out. Beirgarten and Ohana are our favorites! Two buffets in one day might be a lot of food and will take up a big chunk of your time at Epcot. Both are great experiences though!

I agree PrincessL. My daughter was 6 or so on our first trip, and I can remember one particular dinner at California Grill (before a party at the MK no less) where she was just exhausted. She didn't behave badly, but she was just wiped out.

OP - play it by ear and don't be afraid to monkey around with the reservations once you're there and you can gauge your family better. Don't try too hard to do it all. If you had several weeks there, you couldn't do it all.

 

[MickeyMomV]

I would strongly consider the afternoon break. Late-April/early-May is typically mid-80s every day. A full day out in that can spell trouble with kids. Never underestimate the healing properties of a pool break.

I second this!! Everybody always says that they are afraid of too much time away from the parks. I understand the desire to spend as much time at the parks as you can but making your kids be full go, go, go for 12-14 hours a day for 7-8 days is not going to end well. We always plan for a 4-5 hour break regardless of travel time and have never been let down.

 

[PrincessL]

I have friends that rave about 1900 park fair at Grand Floridian. That has a princess dinner as well. Maybe consider for Monday when you have two counter services. Just a thought

 

[ToTBellHop]

I second this!! Everybody always says that they are afraid of too much time away from the parks. I understand the desire to spend as much time at the parks as you can but making your kids be full go, go, go for 12-14 hours a day for 7-8 days is not going to end well. We always plan for a 4-5 hour break regardless of travel time and have never been let down.

Same. Honestly, the parks are a zoo at mid-day anyway. We prefer to get to the park for open, enjoy a couple of hours for the big rides when lines are shorter, and then head to the resort after lunch for nap/swim. We are back in the park by 4 to enjoy the evening.

 

[contrariwise]

Same. Honestly, the parks are a zoo at mid-day anyway. We prefer to get to the park for open, enjoy a couple of hours for the big rides when lines are shorter, and then head to the resort after lunch for nap/swim. We are back in the park by 4 to enjoy the evening.

Really good point. The parks start to get gridlocked midday.

 

[TwisterMomma]

Funny you say that--I actually have a reservation there, but I'm about to cancel it in favor of Tusker House the next day--used up all our table service credits. Oh well! The problem is I cant pick any other one I'm willing to give up and after dropping that much $$ on a dining plan, we aren't going to pay any more out of pocket. It is what it is!

 

[danyoung56]

We prefer to get to the park for open, enjoy a couple of hours for the big rides when lines are shorter, and then head to the resort after lunch for nap/swim. We are back in the park by 4 to enjoy the evening.

I do almost the same thing. I usually do lunch in the parks, then head back to my room for an old guy nap, and then back into the parks around 4 or 5. The crowds have diminished, the sun is starting to go down, I'm well rested and cooled off. What's not to like?

 

[MomofPrincessGrace]

Also, remember that BOG at lunch is only a counter service credit, meaning that you can use that extra credit to do maybe a signature restaurant (Hoop De Doo & Cinderellas Royal Table would be really fun for kids). We preferred doing our big meals in the morning because we could go HOURS without being hungry. Just remember that you dont want to eat too frequently or you wont be hungry enough to get your money's worth out of each meal.

 

[Tk0021]

We took our daughters 5 and 3 last year and we did take two mid day breaks, but we stayed at the Contemporary and walked back to the hotel. The EPCOT and AK day we did not take a break and our kids were fine, but we have season passes to a local amusement park and go all the time. Grant it, its not WDW, but we do spend the whole day there, so my kids had some practice. We also did not take a day off from the parks. As far as the meals. My girls loved the character dinning and hugged every character, but barely ate at the quick service meals.

 

[monykalyn]

I have friends that rave about 1900 park fair at Grand Floridian. That has a princess dinner as well. Maybe consider for Monday when you have two counter services. Just a thought

or consider a late breakfast on day off at one of the resorts-1900 Park Faire would work there. Or if any flexibility at all on departure day-early breakfast at resort (ohana, 1900 PF)? Obviously if flying and using DME that won't work
It has been several years since my girls did the Park fair meal but it was really great experience.

 

[Martha46]

Not sure if your children will enjoy either the food or atmosphere at Beirgarten. Do they like pizza? If so, see if you can get a reservation for Via Napoli - excellent pizza.

Btw, the fried chicken at Prime Time is the bomb!

Take the boat from POFQ to Disney Springs...much faster than the bus.

My grandchildren love the Biergarten. Lots of choices.