First Disney Day Itinerary--too much?

[Lumiere Lover]

Seems like a long time between breakfast and lunch. Maybe add time for a big snack in between meals.

 

[mshanson3121]

You could do something along the lines of this:

Bus to Marina, Boats to Contemporary start at 6:45 am every 15 min according to Ft Wilderness CM--be there by 7 am, few minute walk to Magic Kingdom

8:05 am Be Our Guest breakfast

Fantasyland rides: Peter Pan’s Flight; Meet Gaston; Enchanted Tales with Belle

7 Dwarf Mine Train FP+ 10:55 – 11:55 am (try and move this earlier, say 10:15 or 10:30)

Walk to Adventureland

Jungle Cruise

Pack snacks, and take a snack break (skip Peco Bills). Tom Sawyers Island is a nice spot for a break. Allow about 30 minutes to get there/eat/go back over. It's shaded, quieter and they have picnic tables.

Magic Carpets

Splash Mountain FP+ 1:05 – 2:05 pm(try and get this earlier, 12:15 or 12:30)

BTMR (try and change this FP+ to right after Splash)

Frontierland train back to front of MK

Catch boat back to Ft Wilderness, bus to cabin

Rest/swim/Dinner in cabin from 3:30 until 7:30

Return to Magic Kingdom

Try and get a 4th FP+ for rides or for Tinker Bell M&G. You're honestly not going to get much done between 7:30 and 9:00. Nowhere near what you've listed. I would stay in Tomorrowland and do those rides, so you're closer to Main Street. Also, I'm pretty sure the meet and greets are done at 10 pm, so you won't be able to meet Cinderella/Rapunzel after the parade.

Back toward Main Street for 10 pm Wishes -- haven't figured out where... You'll want to be in Main Street by 8:30 if you plan on watching the parade, and no later than 9:15 for Wishes, because most people who watch the parade will stay for Wishes. So it'll be hard to get a spot.



~*~

 

[tinkerbella16]

Since you want to do Festival of Fantasy, I would put in a show like Country Bears or Tiki Room that are better for the younger crowd to give some breaks off your feet in Air Conditioning. That itinerary would ware me out and it's why I don't do Festival of Fantasy parade.

This is how I feel. We don't really do afternoon parades at all, because we like to be out of the park by 1pm the latest to take our break at the resort. The earlier the break, the better.. so we aren't in a rush and can be refreshed and enjoy the evenings. Parades have never been our thing anyway, we'd rather be on the rides when everyone is watching the parades.

 

[Paigevon]

I moved BTMR immediately after SM, followed by 1:30 lunch at Pecos Bills, Country Bear Jam, then FoF parade, Frontierland railroad to MK has us arriving there at 3:55 with touringplans at slowest walking speed.

 

[Nancyg56]

Since you want to do Festival of Fantasy, I would put in a show like Country Bears or Tiki Room that are better for the younger crowd to give some breaks off your feet in Air Conditioning. That itinerary would ware me out and it's why I don't do Festival of Fantasy parade.

I have missed this parade that past two trips because the folks I tour with had had enough. It is a long day if you start before RD for breakfast and then go go go.

Then I would skip FoF that day, and do an afternoon break instead, so that you guys can have more rest, because you won't be getting much at all otherwise. You could do FoF on your last day.

I agree.

OP- be aware that breakfast at BOG is expensive but I do not think it is substantial enough to skip lunch. As much as I enjoy this meal...we go every trip....it never holds us until 2 or 3.

One thing to remember is that ther is no way you will get it all done, not if you were there 10 days. So as you tou, make sure you all enjoy what. You are doing at the time, and don't worry about the things that get away. I took my little Princesses that I babysit for in AUgust. It was wicked how and they just could not manage long days. We missed every parade, and Wishes. We missed a lot of attractions, and we did not get into many shows except for the Forzen sing a long. They had a blast and think that they saw all they needed to see. WE are going again, and I hope we can manage WIshes and the afternoon parade, but as nice as that parade is, it will be the first thing I ditch. It is a commitment no matter how you look at it. You either get to the MK early enough to see it, or you are stuck in the park until at least 4 PM> So you compromise a rest break and stayIng out for evening entertainment.

For your plan, I would skip the parade on the first day, that is an early morning and it killed my girls. No Wishes that day! I would get out around 1 or 2, rest, and then on the second MK day watch the parade.

 

[mshanson3121]

I moved BTMR immediately after SM, followed by 1:30 lunch at Pecos Bills, Country Bear Jam, then FoF parade, Frontierland railroad to MK has us arriving there at 3:55 with touringplans at slowest walking speed.

If all goes well, and you have the bare minimum wait times, yes, you should be at the front of the park by 4:00.
You then have to walk to the dock, which will take you another 5+ minutes. 4:05.
You then have to wait for a boat which will be 5 to 15 minutes. Let's assume 10 minutes. 4:15
The boat ride is 15 minutes. 4:30
You then have to wait for the bus. Let's assume it's only 5 minutes. 4:35
You then have to ride back to your cabin, 5-10 minutes. 4:45.

So, in a perfect world if all goes well, you should be back to your cabin by 4:45. If the parade starts late, if someone needs to go to the washroom and you miss the first train, the next boat, etc... it could mean a 5 minute difference, it could mean a 20 minute difference. As others have mentioned, your plan really is too ambitious for a first day, with a young child. You have her getting up very early in the morning, leaving at 7, traveling for a breakfast at 8:00, followed by a very long 7 hours in a theme park with not much of a rest, traveling back to the cabin, giving her very little rest there (you'll only get a couple hours, tops by the time you have supper), and then plan on taking her back to the park for a very late night watching fireworks. Even if she's an early riser and normally up by 6, I'm going to assume you don't allow your not even 5 year old to stay up till 10 or 11, so this will really be pushing it for her. And as you said - a long day at home is nothing compared to a long day at Disney, lol. It's not just the long hours, or the physical fatigue that comes with a busy day - it's the absolute excitement and sensory overload that can do children in, and is another reason why they need a break.

I understand that your in laws are leaving earlier and you want them to experience as much as possible with you, but quite honestly - that's their problem, not yours. And your youngest shouldn't have to be drug through the wringers on her first day, just because they have to leave early. So, I would say tell them that you are sorry, but that's too long of a day for your youngest, that you will be taking an afternoon break, so that you can enjoy the fireworks that night and that if they wish to stay and watch the parade, they are more than welcome to, and then they can come back and join you at the cabin. You and your children can obviously watch FoF on your last day in the park.

Also, the more I think about it, your evening timeline definitely would not work, anyways. You have to allow a full hour for getting from the dock at the campground, to back in through the gates at MK. So, if you don't leave until 8:00, you won't be through until about 9:00. Which means you'll have no time for rides, you'll just basically be walking through to find a spot to watch Wishes. Now, someone could act as spot holder while you take your kids on A ride, but that would be about it. If you actually wanted to get even 2 or 3 rides in, you'd have to be back in the park by 7:30 at the latest, which means leaving the campground at 6:30, which means you would have completely wasted your time even leaving the park.

You're not going to be able to do everything. Not with the small amount of time you have in the park. Not even if you had 10 days. So you might as well pick your 3 FP+ for each day, then pick realistically 3-4 other things you want to do, and that's it. Anything above that is a bonus. To the minute touring plans are a waste. Because a) they're not even accurate on some rides b) their wait time predictions can be off c) I'm going to guess you're not scheduling in things like 10 minutes to sit and eat a snack or 10 minutes for a bathroom break. Also, you can't "schedule" those anyways, not with a young child, because you don't know when she's going to need to pee or get hungry. You can "plan" a potty break at 10:00, and spend your time going and trying and she doesn't have to, and oh, wouldn't you know, she has to go 20 minutes later... detour! d) you can't plan/schedule in advance your child's interests. All it takes is for your child to spy one thing that catches their attention that they want to experience - a character for example, and your entire plan is shot. So just because a computer tells you "yes you can CRAM all this in and have 2 minutes to spare"... really, really does not mean it's going to even come close to happening.

As I said, plan your FP+, your meals/extended breaks, pick a few other things to work into the plan and that's that. Don't waste your time with to the minute touring plans that with a young child, are really likely to not happen. (And I can say this because I've been there done that with an 8 & 5 year old. Ask me how well the touring plans went, how many unscheduled things happened, and how much longer it can take to get a 5 year old from point A to point B when ever step they're spying something and stopping to oooh and aaah over it Everything at Disney takes longer than you think it will, just remember that, lol )

I shared an afternoon break timeline above, you could try that, but in all honestly, I would plan on being at the front of the park, walking through the gates to leave absolutely no later than 2:00, so that you can have at good 3-4 hours at the cabin resting. Leave the campgrounds around 6:00, back in park by 7:00, so you can do a few rides before you have to grab a spot for Wishes.

 

[Paigevon]

I truly took what you said to heart, @mshanson3121

I actually deleted the entire evening plan. MIL, FIL, SIL can go back whenever ready, but I think we (DD, DH, self) are going to head back at the earliest 8:30 pm to have a treat in Main Street, watch the parade and fireworks, and then if we really feel like it, ride one or two rides in Tomorrowland before heading back. If she's super sleepy, we'll watch the fireworks from the dock at the marina and not go back at all.

 

[mshanson3121]

I truly took what you said to heart, @mshanson3121

I actually deleted the entire evening plan. MIL, FIL, SIL can go back whenever ready, but I think we (DD, DH, self) are going to head back at the earliest 8:30 pm to have a treat in Main Street, watch the parade and fireworks, and then if we really feel like it, ride one or two rides in tomorrow world before heading back. If she's super sleepy, we'll watch the fireworks from the dock at the marina and not go back at all.

That's probably a good thing. Your morning plan was pretty good, and you can normally get quite a bit done between the hours of 9-11 (11 is when the crowds start building). But yeah, having been there done that, I think you're better off skipping the parade, getting a good rest. That way your evening will be more enjoyable. Also, if you want to watch MSEP, you're going to want to be in the park by 8:00 (which means leaving cabin at 7:00), because you'll want to have nabbed your spot by 8:30 at the latest. But again, if you take an afternoon break, that shouldn't be a problem. For us, our DD was used to being up by 7:00 and going to bed at 8:00. I found 10:00 pm was really the "witching hour" for DD, when she was really starting to get tired, and by 11:00 she was passed out in the stroller, lol. We only did two late nights though, the other nights we had them in bed on time (or close to it), so that they wouldn't get overtired.

The biggest thing is just be flexible, and follow the children's lead. The trip is really about them (not that we don't enjoy it!!!). But, if they'd rather stand in line for 30+ minute to meet Jessie & Woody, rather than go on the ride you'd planned... let them. My children LOVED the characters, even more than the rides I think, and consequently we ended up with several unplanned character M&Gs, and we didn't do some of the rides we'd planned. A couple times they wanted to do rides twice, so they did (and again missed the others I had planned). I think if you follow their lead, you'll have a great trip. Just remember to plan lots of time for traveling back and forth between parks and cabin (60 minutes coming to get through gates and about 45-60 minutes leaving). It's better to have allowed too much time, than not enough. Same with meals, if you're doing a sit down meal, plan at least 60-90 minutes depending where it is. Just because you have an 8:05 reservation, doesn't mean you'll be seated at 8:05. Plan 45 minutes for counter-service. Try and eat your counter-service meals at non-peak times like 11:30 or 1:30 to avoid crowds/waiting in line.

 

[abnihon]

This sounds like my MK day in Jan with a 3 year old.
We started with EMH at 8, had 11am lunch at BOG, watched Fof parade, took break from 3:30-6:30 at Contemporary and came back till 10pm (Wishes was 8 and close was 10 that night)
It was intense but I was surprised how well my son did.

I only did it that way because we had one park day on that trip.

Next time am planning alternating early park days with late park days.

I'd say go for it but be flexible.

Could you leave children with your in laws at hotel while you, your husband and maybe SIL go back for evening stuff?
I think that would be fun

 

[ruthies12]

Thank you!! We're hoping to catch the Campfire on arrival night! We'll be there at 4 pm at the latest, but closer to 11 am if things go as planned. Just swimming, exploring, early dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe, then campfire planned for arrival day.

I haven't read all the responses but wanted to throw in 2 suggestions- If you plan to leave AK and go back, I would highly recommend driving your own car over taking the busses. Otherwise you are just going to spend a bunch of wasted time on transport. From Ft Wilderness, driving to AK was much much easier.

Also the night you do the campfire, whatever time it starts at, get there a half hour earlier. It's not a guarantee, but Chip and Dale usually come out a half hour before the official start and they run around and play with the kids. You can get some quality character time easily if you show up early. If they don't come out early, at least you'll be able to get a good seat.

 

[JaimeK]

I'd skip Adventureland and go to Tom Sawyer island with a snack until it's time for Splash/BTMRR. The ILs can sit and relax, the little one can explore.

 

[Paigevon]

I'd skip Adventureland and go to Tom Sawyer island with a snack until it's time for Splash/BTMRR. The ILs can sit and relax, the little one can explore.

Unfortunately, the Adventureland stuff is MIL/FIL "must do" list! Will follow DD's lead and take her to Tom Sawyer island if needed, but we have had a 10 am - 10 pm day at Seaworld last summer and she did great. She fell asleep while I carried her to the car, and our only breaks were eating lunch and watching the shows. She is exactly 43 3/4 inch without shoes on, so she will probably be tall enough with shoes for BTMR and Splash Mountain, but if she decides she doesn't want to ride, we're going to split up and take turns riding those two seperately and watching her play at Tom Sawyer island.

I haven't read all the responses but wanted to throw in 2 suggestions- If you plan to leave AK and go back, I would highly recommend driving your own car over taking the busses. Otherwise you are just going to spend a bunch of wasted time on transport. From Ft Wilderness, driving to AK was much much easier.

Also the night you do the campfire, whatever time it starts at, get there a half hour earlier. It's not a guarantee, but Chip and Dale usually come out a half hour before the official start and they run around and play with the kids. You can get some quality character time easily if you show up early. If they don't come out early, at least you'll be able to get a good seat.

Will do! I was thinking driving to AK would be ideal. We have a Disney Springs afternoon to Epcot evening planned, would the boat be recommended in this case? For our 1900 Park Fare breakfast/HS day we were planning to boat to MK, monorail to GF, then bus to HS, bus back to cabin--is that advisable? Thank you!

This sounds like my MK day in Jan with a 3 year old.
We started with EMH at 8, had 11am lunch at BOG, watched Fof parade, took break from 3:30-6:30 at Contemporary and came back till 10pm (Wishes was 8 and close was 10 that night)
It was intense but I was surprised how well my son did.

I only did it that way because we had one park day on that trip.

Next time am planning alternating early park days with late park days.

I'd say go for it but be flexible.

Could you leave children with your in laws at hotel while you, your husband and maybe SIL go back for evening stuff?
I think that would be fun

Glad to hear he did so well! If she is rested, fed, and eager to return, we'll go back early and enjoy the extra time! We are also alternating late nights with sleeping in a bit! Although now I'm thinking it may take longer than I planned to get to the Grand Floridian on Day 4, so maybe less sleeping in than I hope that day!
1) Early MK with 4:30-8:30ish break
2) Sleep in, 11 am Disney Springs, Epcot for 3:30 Akershus ADR, explore until desire to return
3) AK early morning, long mid-day break, return to AK for night activities
4) Sleep in a bit, 10:30 am 1900 PF ADR, HS hopefully until Fantasmic
5) Early MK for 8:30 CRT ADR, stay until 8-ish, drive home

 

[Paigevon]

That's probably a good thing. Your morning plan was pretty good, and you can normally get quite a bit done between the hours of 9-11 (11 is when the crowds start building). But yeah, having been there done that, I think you're better off skipping the parade, getting a good rest. That way your evening will be more enjoyable. Also, if you want to watch MSEP, you're going to want to be in the park by 8:00 (which means leaving cabin at 7:00), because you'll want to have nabbed your spot by 8:30 at the latest. But again, if you take an afternoon break, that shouldn't be a problem. For us, our DD was used to being up by 7:00 and going to bed at 8:00. I found 10:00 pm was really the "witching hour" for DD, when she was really starting to get tired, and by 11:00 she was passed out in the stroller, lol. We only did two late nights though, the other nights we had them in bed on time (or close to it), so that they wouldn't get overtired.

The biggest thing is just be flexible, and follow the children's lead. The trip is really about them (not that we don't enjoy it!!!). But, if they'd rather stand in line for 30+ minute to meet Jessie & Woody, rather than go on the ride you'd planned... let them. My children LOVED the characters, even more than the rides I think, and consequently we ended up with several unplanned character M&Gs, and we didn't do some of the rides we'd planned. A couple times they wanted to do rides twice, so they did (and again missed the others I had planned). I think if you follow their lead, you'll have a great trip. Just remember to plan lots of time for traveling back and forth between parks and cabin (60 minutes coming to get through gates and about 45-60 minutes leaving). It's better to have allowed too much time, than not enough. Same with meals, if you're doing a sit down meal, plan at least 60-90 minutes depending where it is. Just because you have an 8:05 reservation, doesn't mean you'll be seated at 8:05. Plan 45 minutes for counter-service. Try and eat your counter-service meals at non-peak times like 11:30 or 1:30 to avoid crowds/waiting in line.

If we're exhausted after riding BTMR/SM, we can also hop on the train out then and skip the parade. Playing it by ear.

Definitely! Thank you so much for all your help!

It's a challenge to meet the needs of such a large group. Our last day of MK before returning home, we have 8:30 CRT ADR, 1st Hair Cut at Harmony Barbershop at 12:00, 2:10 BOG lunch (snack in between!), and Anna & Elsa M&G FP+ ~3, in between and after will be whatever she feels like.

 

[5kidsmommy]

I truly took what you said to heart, @mshanson3121

I actually deleted the entire evening plan. MIL, FIL, SIL can go back whenever ready, but I think we (DD, DH, self) are going to head back at the earliest 8:30 pm to have a treat in Main Street, watch the parade and fireworks, and then if we really feel like it, ride one or two rides in Tomorrowland before heading back. If she's super sleepy, we'll watch the fireworks from the dock at the marina and not go back at all.

She might really enjoy watching the electric boat parade at the marina and then watching wishes from there. It's a lovely spot on the beach.

Also I will say I am not a parade person but I loved FoF, it truly is an awesome parade, I understand you not wanting to miss it. Perhaps you can time it so you can watch from the main street railroad station platform and then head back to the campground from there.

 

[Paigevon]

She might really enjoy watching the electric boat parade at the marina and then watching wishes from there. It's a lovely spot on the beach.

Also I will say I am not a parade person but I loved FoF, it truly is an awesome parade, I understand you not wanting to miss it. Perhaps you can time it so you can watch from the main street railroad station platform and then head back to the campground from there.

OH! That's a great idea!

Any idea what time we'd need to be waiting at the Main Street Railroad Station platform to get a nice spot to watch?

 

[mshanson3121]

If we're exhausted after riding BTMR/SM, we can also hop on the train out then and skip the parade. Playing it by ear.

Definitely! Thank you so much for all your help!

It's a challenge to meet the needs of such a large group. Our last day of MK before returning home, we have 8:30 CRT ADR, 1st Hair Cut at Harmony Barbershop at 12:00, 2:10 BOG lunch (snack in between!), and Anna & Elsa M&G FP+ ~3, in between and after will be whatever she feels like.

If you're actually considering doing the FoF parade, and then trying to come back for the evening parade and Wishes, you are 100% wasting your time even bothering to leave the park. You won't be back to cabins until 5:00, and you'll have to leave the cabins by 7:00. That's a lot of back and forth which is tiring in itself. The point of an afternoon break is to leave early before they get tired. There's no point in leaving at 4. You'd be better off to just book a nice sit down supper in the park, maybe hit up Tom Sawyer's Island for a rest, do some sit down things like Country Bear Jamboree, Hall of Presidents (good for a snooze), Carousel of Progress, even People Mover.

but we have had a 10 am - 10 pm day at Seaworld last summer and she did great. She fell asleep while I carried her to the car, and our only breaks were eating lunch and watching the shows.

You're asking her to do a 7:00 am to 11:00 pm + day, that's 4 hours longer, and it has more rides, activity, commotion etc... Sea World is far less demanding than MK.

 

[Paigevon]

If you're actually considering doing the FoF parade, and then trying to come back for the evening parade and Wishes, you are 100% wasting your time even bothering to leave the park. You won't be back to cabins until 5:00, and you'll have to leave the cabins by 7:00. That's a lot of back and forth which is tiring in itself. The point of an afternoon break is to leave early before they get tired. There's no point in leaving at 4. You'd be better off to just book a nice sit down supper in the park, maybe hit up Tom Sawyer's Island for a rest, do some sit down things like Country Bear Jamboree, Hall of Presidents (good for a snooze), Carousel of Progress, even People Mover.

You're asking her to do a 7:00 am to 11:00 pm + day, that's 4 hours longer, and it has more rides, activity, commotion etc... Sea World is far less demanding than MK.

Not trying to catch evening parade, just Wishes, even if it's from the Marina.
--
Yes, I know, that's why I was planning to be back by 5 at the latest (7-5) and only return to MK if she's well rested.

 

[mshanson3121]

Not trying to catch evening parade, just Wishes, even if it's from the Marina.
--
Yes, I know, that's why I was planning to be back by 5 at the latest (7-5) and only return to MK if she's well rested.

Ah, earlier you had mentioned going back for a snack, the evening parade, and Wishes. So that's why I mentioned just staying through.

 

[Paigevon]

Ah, earlier you had mentioned going back for a snack, the evening parade, and Wishes. So that's why I mentioned just staying through.

Ah okay! That's only if we end up heading back earlier instead of staying for the parade. Sorta want to have a couple game plans depending on how things go. If she's getting sleepy and grumpy at 12, for instance, no way going to push for 3:00 parade and 4:30 before we make it back!

 

[Bosco69]

Unfortunately, the Adventureland stuff is MIL/FIL "must do" list! Will follow DD's lead and take her to Tom Sawyer island if needed, but we have had a 10 am - 10 pm day at Seaworld last summer and she did great. She fell asleep while I carried her to the car, and our only breaks were eating lunch and watching the shows. She is exactly 43 3/4 inch without shoes on, so she will probably be tall enough with shoes for BTMR and Splash Mountain, but if she decides she doesn't want to ride, we're going to split up and take turns riding those two seperately and watching her play at Tom Sawyer island.


Will do! I was thinking driving to AK would be ideal. We have a Disney Springs afternoon to Epcot evening planned, would the boat be recommended in this case? For our 1900 Park Fare breakfast/HS day we were planning to boat to MK, monorail to GF, then bus to HS, bus back to cabin--is that advisable? Thank you!


Glad to hear he did so well! If she is rested, fed, and eager to return, we'll go back early and enjoy the extra time! We are also alternating late nights with sleeping in a bit! Although now I'm thinking it may take longer than I planned to get to the Grand Floridian on Day 4, so maybe less sleeping in than I hope that day!
1) Early MK with 4:30-8:30ish break
2) Sleep in, 11 am Disney Springs, Epcot for 3:30 Akershus ADR, explore until desire to return
3) AK early morning, long mid-day break, return to AK for night activities
4) Sleep in a bit, 10:30 am 1900 PF ADR, HS hopefully until Fantasmic
5) Early MK for 8:30 CRT ADR, stay until 8-ish, drive home

Props to you! After several visits I've learned to make one or two phenomenal restaurant reservations and pick out fast passes that revolve around those reservations. I hate feeling like I'm rushing my kids from one thing to the next. No one really enjoys that