First Timer - HELP!

[leadfootlevi]

First timer for DW and DIS poster. Forgive me if I do anything wrong!

This trip is totally last minute. (2nd red flag!)

The details:
Me - 32
DH - 33
DS - 4
DFIL - 60 - He's a DW fanatic. They go once per year but have never stayed on-site and usually only go to MK one day during their trip.
DMIL - 55

Arrive Friday Oct 29
Depart Wednesday Nov 3

We're staying at POR. We have the DDP.

Itenerary (can change based on a whim or suggestions)

Friday (no park)
Check in, hotel pool, get tickets, etc.
9:30PM - Hoop Dee Doo

Saturday (MK day)
9:10 Ohana
For our QS, Pecos Bill's

Sunday (HS day)
4:10 Sci-Fi
Not sure what to do for QS - suggestions? Was thinking the hotel QS.

Monday (MK day)
2:05 Crystal Palace
MNSSHP!
For our QS, Cosmic Rays. Again, unsure of this. Maybe hotel QS?

Tuesday (MK day)
11:15 Chef Mickey's
For our QS Columbia Harbour House


Too much of MK? Should we switch a day to do AK? We are not park-hopping. Epcot is not on the list because we don't feel DS would enjoy it as much as he would MK. I'm worried about the late-ish ressie for CP on Monday since we will need to go back to the room for a nap due to the late party that night.

Thanks all!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

Well, I suppose you know your son the best, but there IS A LOT that kids can enjoy at EPCOT!!!

For instance - The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Soarin', Test Track, Imagination, Turtle Talk with Crush, Spaceship Earth, not to mention that EPCOT is one of the BEST places I know to find and meet characters!!!

Also, if you and your family want to explore the World Showcase, your son can colour his way "around the world" at the KidCot spots at each country!! He will receive a mask at the first one you visit and at each country, the CM will stamp the mask and write a greeting in that country's native language!! There are also markers for the kids to colour and decorate the masks!

My kids were 7 & 5 the first time we took them and we weren't sure if they would enjoy and/or appreciate Epcot but it ended up being their favourite park!!

I would say that 2 days at MK is enough and that you should give Epcot a try!

Whatever you do decide though - have a GREAT time!!

 

[leadfootlevi]

Would it be crazy to do Epcot on a day with extra hours, catch the Monorail to the Contemporary for Chef Mickey's at 11:15 and go back to Epcot?

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

Not at all!! I think it would be a lovely break in the middle of your day!! Your son will probably LOVE the Monorail rides!! Just remember that you will be riding 2 different monorails! The one from Epcot to the TTC and the one from the TTC to the Contemporary!

You can go to EPCOT for am emh and do a couple of rides, get a couple of Fastpasses then take a nice monorail ride to Chef Mickey's for your brunch then make your way back to Epcot for the afternoon! Sounds like a lovely day to me!

 

[leadfootlevi]

My next dilemma - I've read mixed reviews of the Sci-Fi Dine In. Some say the clips are scary for little ones. Thoughts? We can get into 50's Prime Time instead.

 

[leadfootlevi]

Here are the ressies we have:

HoopDeeDoo (for 2 adults, 1 child) - In-laws are flying in late
Ohana
SciFi
CP
CM

Excluding Sci-Fi, the cost for the meals is $468. If we all bought the most expensive Sci-Fi meal we could AND the most expensive QS meals in the parks including the most expensive dessert and the most expensive drink (Cosmic Rays, Fairfax Fair chicken and ribs), AND $5 snacks each time, we would spend $1185. The dining plan cost $900 for a savings of $285.

The in-laws have park tickets so we don't have to buy theirs, but, to get the dining plan, we had to purchase 4 adult 1-day base tickets at a cost of $414. We need to upgrade these so DH and I can get into the parks for 4 days. The cheapest way I could do this was to upgrade one of the tickets to a 2-day at a cost of $80 and upgrade one to a 4-day at a cost of $150. This brings the cost of the tickets (including DS's upgrade) to $779.


OR


We could pay for meals OOP. Realistically, we are not all going to order the most expensive thing on each of the menus. Nor are we going to feel like getting desert all of the time. And, how realistic is it that each snack is going to be $5? If we didn't have to add the in-laws to the MYW package, our tickets would cost $673.

I'm thinking the DDP is good if you're eating at more expensive restaurants/meals (2 of our ressies are for breakfast which is generally less expensive than dinner).

Can I take the in-laws off the ressie and get a cheaper/better room? (We'd have to get them a cab from the airport)

 

[leadfootlevi]

Just changed reservations...now we arrive 10/28 to take advantage of FREE dining. Even with 3 x $75 airline change tix fee, the package is $50 cheaper than original plans and we get an extra day!

No more changes...well, excepts for restaurants!