Help an indecisive mom with major FOMO plan a short trip

[Wosmama6]

DH, 4.5 yo DS and I will arrive in TPA Thursday morning around 930 (if spirit airlines allows us). Our current plan is to hop in our rental car and book it to USF for a quick harry potter/transformers/minions whirlwind, check into All Star Sports when we're done, and then hit Friday am EMH at MK with dessert party during fireworks to end the evening. Then we check out of AS Sports Sat am, go to Legoland, check into Legoland Beach retreat, fly out at 3pm Sunday.

I have one day tickets for MK and one day tickets for Legoland, but i haven't been able to pull the trigger on the USF tickets because of the tight timeline and the possibility of a delayed flight.

Important context - DH works at least 80 hours each week and is on his feet for most of that. DS, like most kids, is not a happy camper when tired, even if he's surrounded by magic. And I am pregnant, which means I can't ride much outside of MK, but it also means that my major hip joint issues slow me down a LOT.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Harry Potter and did an adults-only WWoHP trip for my 30th bday, and DS has seen some of the earlier movies and loves my wand. The go-getter in me with major FOMO says go for it and deal with the fatigue later. The practical, tired pregnant lady in me says to skip the parks on Thursday - play in the pool, make a dinner reservation at Dis Springs or one of the other resorts, and rest up for Friday. Or go to MK on Thursday, ride what we can with fastpass and come home early to sleep so we can go all out Friday at MK.

Help me decide?

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I’d do either some MK time on arrival day or maybe a character dinner so DS can meet some characters and some pool/resort time. We have a tradition of doing Chef Mickeys on arrival day, I know the foods not great but the characters are and it’s a nice welcome to WDW

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I would definitely skip Universal while pregnant and with a 4.5 year old. I would do a leisure day at the pool and do some MK on arrival day. Just take it slow. I would also skip LEGOLAND. I'm not a big fan of hopping all over Orlando when staying at a WDW resort. I would add on another day to WDW. That's a lot of moving around for a short weekend while being pregnant and having a small child.

 

[monorailsilver]

I would be the Practical one too! We don’t do a park on arrival day as we are all tired and there is no way I could start my trip already tired.

I bet your DH would enjoy the down time after his busy work weeks. Let your son rest, not sure if you are waking up extra early and if he will nap on the plane-mine never did. And with your hip, why push it, I mean if you aggravate it on day one, you are going to have a miserable day 2, 3,....

 

[100AcreWood]

I would also plan on Universal for another trip. There are too many rides you and your ds would have to pass on. Wait until he is older and do a Universal Trip.

Lego land is awesome, especially at his age. Also it’s less crazy than Disney and would feel more relaxed. Good luck!

 

[Wosmama6]

thanks so much everyone. i think i'm set on skipping universal (and will choke down some le fou's brew, i guess ) . we are only staying two nights at disney and then one night at legoland, and if i have to send DH and DS to legoland by themselves after a long MK day, so be it.

i think if i can get a room at AoA, Pop or ASMo (i couldn't find a value for weeks period and got the AS Sports one, so i'm hopeful), we'll just hang out in the resort and make a good dinner reservation. if we end up at AS Sports, we might go to Dis Springs? We've never been!

Any recommendations on a dinner? I would love to do Jiko, but for the kiddo's sake, I'm thinking TREX or the backyard bbq?

Thanks so much, y'all!

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Backyard bbq is fun and you’ll get to hang out with characters. I’d recommend that or another character meal to cut down on M&G lines on your park day. Trex is very loud and food is just ok, but your son would probably like it (unless the Dino’s, noise and meteor showers scare him like my wimpy son). And Jiko is great but not very kid friendly.

 

[Wosmama6]

Friday MK tickets and dessert party are already booked.

So, if you had to choose, Thursday:

A) Relax at the pool in the afternoon, pay $170 for MBYBBQ, hit the campfire sing along, do 12 hour MK day the following day that ends w/ dessert party viewing fireworks (kiddo wouldn't be interested in HDDR, Aloha)

B) Pay $315 for a few leisurely hours at MK; ride whatever we can with fast pass, maybe see the parade; take an afternoon break on MK day the following day but come back to park for dessert party

C) Relax at pool, grab dinner at Dis Springs (probs ~$100ish), do 12 hour MK day the following day that ends w/ dessert party viewing fireworks

I'm asking because the BBQ price seems BONKERS to me, esp cause the food is meh, and at that point why not just get the dang park tickets? but it also seems like a great experience for littles, and there is a $150 difference... WHY CAN'T I EVER MAKE DECISIONSSSSSSSS

 

[disneydreamer1980]

The food at BYBBQ tastes like the same food from the Trailsend buffet, not terrible but not great either. You’re paying for the characters, the dancing with the characters, the experience. For me, if this was close in price to another day st MK, we’d just do that.

 

[kreckl]

Are you traveling very early? I would try to get an afternoon time for chef Mickey, and hang at the pool, maybe a resort pool movie, maybe play mini golf....early bed. We like a taste of Disney and often do a character meal on the first day, rest early and head out early the first full day-
I would also reevaluate your twelve hour mk day. Burning the candle at both ends is tough.

 

[Wosmama6]

these are all great points and ideas, thanks @disneydreamer1980 and @kreckl ... of course, last night hubby (who has worked 100+ hours in the last 7 days) says "what?! we're not going to universal?! heck no!!!" soooo there ya go.

 

[mcm574]

Even though I know it will be quite a while before we're back in Orlando (coming from CA), I refused to even entertain the idea of Universal on this trip, because I feel like my kids (4 and 9) would ruin it for me! The older one likes Fantastic Beasts, and they both know who Harry Potter is, and they're into wands and whatnot... but honestly, when I (finally!) make it to WWHP, I want to TOTALLY immerse myself in it - and I can't do that with those two pulling on my arm every 30 seconds! Maybe when they're teenagers, I guess!...

 

[disneydreamer1980]

WWOHP is absolutely amazing. I’m a die hard Disney fan, but it’s the best theming I’ve seen. I don’t blame him for wanting to go!

 

[ElenaRN]

IMHO its not worth the price of admission for a 4 1/2 yo and a pregnant woman for Universal. I love the WWoHP but I'd probably skip it this trip.

I'd maybe go to Disney Springs for lunch, pool in afternoon, mini golf at night.

 

[Pesky]

Agree with PPs. We love the dark side (USO) and the kids are begging to go back. But my youngest was 7 when we went. I wouldn't have attempted it any sooner as the rides (with the sole exception of the stuff in the Dr. Seuss area) can be rough and intimidating, even Despicable Me. Polite pass on that expense and I agree with doing a character dinner at one of the hotels and pool time. I'd keep it nice and casual. Plus realize pool time will probably immediately knock your DS out so you won't have to worry about him being too keyed up to sleep or anything.

 

[Wosmama6]

Hubby insisted and is picking up an extra shift to cover the cost. I dunno how he's gonna cover the cost of an overtired 4 year old buuuuuutttttt we'll see lol. Has anyone had luck doing a walk up for the dessert party or no? Thursday, after hours party that night, 5 crowd level. I don't want to buy them ahead of time in case DS passes out before they start.

 

[kreckl]

Seems like you needn’t have posted here at all but instead asked your husband! Good luck with your crazy busy few days. I hope you have a great time.

 

[Wosmama6]

Yep. I tried to tell him that people that know better than him say otherwise. I really had no idea he'd be so adamant about it. And he is usually just along for the ride.

 

[kreckl]

He sound s like he works hard so he deserves a vacation he wants!

 

[Wosmama6]

Exactly. My worrier tendencies (and yalls good advice) just take a backseat.