What's wrong with my plans?

[Darth Insidious]

ADR window is coming soon. Please share your thoughts on this plan. We are a family of 5 (5, 12, and 14 for the kids). Husband is a veteran with PTSD, so we don’t want park open to park close every day. The older kids do not want to rope drop. The plan is husband/kids can do as much of this as they want or head back to the hotel, but I’m trying to spread things out. The kids don’t like rides that much, but they may enjoy Disney rides more than they did at Six Flags, but I’m not anticipating needing to get on all the rides. Will buy G+/ILL when needed. Husband should have DAS. We have the 6 day park hopper military tickets. We ended up with a 3 way split sort of by accident but all 3 kids (even the 14 year old boy) really want to check out the royal rooms at POR so we are keeping it. 4 nights at POR royal rooms, 6 nights at Shades of Green, 2 nights at Kidani savannah view.

Husband wants 2 park days, 1 day off, so that’s the pattern here
Youngest wants to meet lots of characters, get a makeover, eat at CRT, BOG, Crystal Palace, and T-Rex, see the fireworks and some shows, see Harry Potter World
12 year old wants a super fancy dinner at Victoria and Alberts, makeover with her sister at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, time to shop in the parks, eat at BOG, see Lion King and Nemo shows, Harry Potter World and Jurassic Park
14 year old wants to eat “at cool places”, Galaxy's Edge, see the sights, Discovery Cove, and water park if it’s warm enough (will go on an off day if we can), says he's up for whatever

Tuesday 2/13 Arriving at MCO at 9:30pm, check in to POR

Wednesday 2/14 World Showcase: plan for World Showcase only, but may check out some of the Festival of the Arts stuff in the rest of Epcot. Starting here due to potential late night the night before and also 12 yo is an artist and want to catch the festival before it's over

10:30 Topolino’s or Chef Mickey if I get incredibly lucky (will set reservation alerts), beignets at the resort if not
4:00 Akershus for the little one, Biergarten for the older kids (mostly want a place to really sit and get a break from the crowds and guaranteed food without lines)
7:45 Epcot fireworks cruise if I can get it

Thursday 2/15 Magic Kingdom Fantasyland: only plan to stick to Fantasyland, the rides there, meet characters, Enchanted Tales with Belle. I realize CRT and BOG is a lot in one day but trying to avoid walking all over the place and second Magic Kingdom day will have Crystal Palace and fireworks dessert party, so I don’t think moving it would be any better. And both girls really want to do CRT and BOG on princess makeover day.

10:00 Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
12:00 parade with G+ to help with crowd
12:45 CRT
6:00 dinner at BOG, maybe catch fireworks in Fantasyland after

Friday 2/16: off- may hit Disney Springs if we are up for it (youngest wants T-Rex and to build a lego character) check out POR and do a carriage ride

Saturday 2/17: Discovery cove, move to Shades of Green

Sunday 2/18: Galaxy’s Edge and Fantasmic- Will buy ILL for Rise

10:00 Droid depot
11:00 Oga’s for mocktails (won’t stay long, I know it’s cramped in there)
Docking Bay 7 for lunch
ride Rise and MFSR, shop, explore
4:00 Savi’s
5:00 Fantasmic Dining package
maybe check out Toy Story Land or other rides if the older two want
8:00 Fantasmic
9:00 Oga’s for nighttime in Galaxy’s Edge with my son while the others go to the hotel?

Monday 2/19: off, O’hana for breakfast, might go check out Ft Wilderness

Tuesday 2/20: Universal for Harry Potter and Jurassic Park stuff only

Wednesday 2/21: Magic Kingdom Day 2 (everything but Fantasyland)

4:00 Crystal Palace
Seats and Sweets to avoid the crowd for fireworks
depending on how everyone is doing, we’d either hit the rides earlier in the day and leave after fireworks, or potentially start the day late with Crystal Palace and stay for extended evening hours. Between G+ and DAS, I think we could ride most of what we want.

Thursday 2/22 off: spa day for the kids at Shades of Green, hopefully Victoria and Alberts at night for me and the older kids, maybe some mocktails at Enchanted Rose, and Daddy-daughter time for the little one and the husband (Chef Mickeys and arcade maybe? Mini golf?)

Friday 2/23- HS/Epcot, moving to AKL- concerned this is too much?

HS in the late morning and afternoon (goal is to see the Beauty and the Beast and Frozen shows for the girls and Indiana Jones for the boys, maybe ride a couple of rides), possible Woody’s BBQ for lunch since the boys LOVE BBQ

Epcot (not world showcase) in the evening, possible Space 220 around 6, goal to do Moana walkthrough, aquarium, Nemo ride, and Turtle Talk. If older kids up for it possibly Soarin’ or Test Track

Saturday 2/24 Animal Kingdom
1100 Rhino Tour
12:45 Tusker House?
looking for a relaxed day here, want to catch Lion King and Nemo shows, do Safari, check out the trails, see Pandora and probably ride Navi, probably meet Moana

Sunday 2/25: off, hang out at AKL
breakfast at Boma
lunch at Sanaa?
flight home at 4:15


Thank you for any suggestions!

 

[coasternut22]

I want to let you know that I saw your post a couple of days ago, but have been hesitating to respond because there is a lot going on, and I wanted to take a fresher look. I also want to say that I appreciate your post from the perspective of an uber-planner. Someone like me really appreciates all of the work and time you put into this and making this experience enjoyable for everyone in your family. It really shows that you take each person's wants into consideration and that's an action of a person that cares about everyone. I very much respect that.

My advice isn't going to pertain to your plan itself, but what to consider from someone who has been an uber-planner. I've been there many times. I, too, wanted and still want the best experience possible for everyone in my family. I, too, want to do everything, maximize my time, and maximize my money. What I've found, over the years, is that it's okay to let some things go. I no longer need to visit every restaurant, do every hot ticket thing the vloggers say I should do, and have to implement every tip or hack they say to do. IMO, your plan is a who's who, what's what, every tip, hack, must-do that's been posted about and vlogged about. The thing is you don't have to do everything. The advice provided in forums and in the media is just that, advice. No need to go all out and plan everything based on it. What they are, are tools in case you get there and you need to adjust your plans on the fly.

For example, you explain that you will only stay in Fantasyland on your first MK day. That's a great plan, but I seriously doubt it will be stuck to. Things change, people (family members) are unpredictable. What happens when one family member really wants to ride Haunted Mansion? Are you going to tell them no, we agreed to stay in Fantasyland all day? People who don't plan don't know what they want until they get there. How will you deal with that? The reason I'm bringing this up, is because I, too, used to plan that way. I used touring plans plans, MDE, practiced getting F+ when it was used, etc. What happened is that my family became predictably unpredictable. So what happened was instead of using tips, tricks, vlogs, etc. to plan my day, I used them to plan what-if scenarios that I would adjust to (happily) on the fly. For example, you say you are only doing HP and Jurassic lands at Universal (I assume just IOA, but if you are buying one-day hoppers, you are a better parent than me). What happens if someone wants to ride Hulk? Or go to Suess land? These are the things you should be planning for as contingencies.

Going back to the who's who and what's what, your days are filled with all sorts of premium paid extras and top tier restaurants. BBB, Savis, Droids, fireworks cruise, rhinos tour, etc. It also looks like you have the money to do these, which is great and that is your choice. Regardless of the cost, sometimes these structured activities just start to meld into each other and some of the experiences are diluted because they come one after another. Sometimes, just enjoying the resort and parks themselves is enough. Especially for those who haven't been. Just know that the more of these premium activities you do in one trip, the less special they become.

Again, I appreciate the thought, and care, and time you put into this plan. From an uber-planner's perspective, your plan is amazing, and I'm certainly jealous. To answer your question, "What's wrong with my plan?" Nothing is wrong with your plan. It's well thought out and takes everyone's wants into consideration. We are very much alike in this regard. It's just that it's very premium experience and restaurant heavy, and many people may not be able to relate to that, which is why I suppose I'm the first to respond after two days. Sometimes we get so excited in trip planning that we want to do everything, and it's okay that we don't. That is what the next trip is for.

 

[Darth Insidious]

That is what the next trip is for.

thank you so much for the thoughtful reply. That one line above is part of the problem. My husband has been clear that there will be no next trip. We went once, 6 years ago, and are going this time for the youngest. It’s the only reason he agreed to another trip. So I feel like we have to do everything we want to do but I know that’s not possible.

To answer the question about only doing certain areas, I guess I should say that’s the priority/goal for the day. The big complaint from all of them last time was too much walking. So I’m trying to bite off a more reasonable chunk each day. So no, I wouldn’t say no. I figure he will likely go off with the older two while I take the little one to meet princesses. And yes I am crazy and bought park hoppers for universal (to be fair military discount). I know last time, Harry Potter world alone was enough and they were ready to go but hit Seussland on the way out.

Your point about too much special stuff is a good one. The girls want to build light sabers because they can but it’s wicked expensive (and I have been saving for 5 years but likely a couple things will have to get cut). I may tell them, they get Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, brother and I get Savi’s (I’m actually the big Star Wars nerd in the family, have a Knight of Ren bounding outfit and everything).

I am concerned there’s too much. I do view most of the restaurants as optional except CRT and BOG. We regretted not doing BOG last time. Well, and V&A since my middle kid has built that up so much. We don’t do fancy stuff normally so it’s kind of a dress up experience in itself for her. Like getting a wand and robe at universal.

I am going to really think on your comments. I really appreciate your time. I may reserve the stuff in my plan and then think about what I can cut.

The fireworks stuff is because of crowds. He liked the cruise last time. He said it didn’t have to be the cruise but he’d like something like it. Maybe the dessert party at MK would be enough. We missed the MK fireworks and parade last time because of crowds and I did regret that. Trying to build in a way to see them this time while buffering him from the masses. He doesn’t have a problem with the sound of fireworks but won’t be able to tolerate being packed in a crowd for an extended time (hence G+ for parade).

 

[MainMom]

I would try to get Topolino's on 2/19 instead of Ohana. You have a better chance with it being later in your trip. Or you could also try to get it on 2/23 since you are starting HS later and could just skyliner over from Riviera. This would make for a longer day, but give you a full day off on 2/19. It just depends on how bad you want Topolinos. I would skip a breakfast ADR on your first full day and play it by ear with your morning plans. If everyone is up and ready to go head to the park. If some want to sleep in let them while the others explore the resort.

I think your Friday 2/23 is an good plan since you are switching resorts. Just take the skyliner from HS to Epcot. Stack your G+ for Epcot. I would grab Soarin'/Test Track if possible just to have them in case some want to ride.

Just a couple of suggestions from a fellow planner.

 

[Darth Insidious]

I would try to get Topolino's on 2/19 instead of Ohana. You have a better chance with it being later in your trip. Or you could also try to get it on 2/23 since you are starting HS later and could just skyliner over from Riviera. This would make for a longer day, but give you a full day off on 2/19. It just depends on how bad you want Topolinos. I would skip a breakfast ADR on your first full day and play it by ear with your morning plans. If everyone is up and ready to go head to the park. If some want to sleep in let them while the others explore the resort.

I think your Friday 2/23 is an good plan since you are switching resorts. Just take the skyliner from HS to Epcot. Stack your G+ for Epcot. I would grab Soarin'/Test Track if possible just to have them in case some want to ride.

Just a couple of suggestions from a fellow planner.

Thank you. I really appreciate it. I was thinking breakfast might be too much that first day and you just talked some sense into me. I think I just wanted to give the youngest some Mickey since we aren’t going to MK that day. Which is probably silly since she will be amazed by everything anyway. Debating doing fireworks cruise another night just for the take it easy vibe you’re suggesting. Just haven’t figured out where to put it if I do.