The Falcons Plan (1st timers)

[falcon46]

Having done lots of reading both on this site and unofficial Guide, here is my first draft. Any comments greatly appreciated

Wednesday 28th Jul Arrive MCO 15:25 Unpack, Meal Sizzlers

Thursday 29th Jul Shopping
Friday 30th Jul Epcot (day 1)
Saturday 31th Jul Discovery Cove
Sunday 1st Aug Magic Kindom (Day 1), Evening - Cirque Show
Monday 2nd Aug Typhoon Lagoon
Tuesday 3rd Aug Universal Studios
Wednesday 4th Aug Kennedy Space Center
Thursday 5th Aug Epcot (Day 2)
Friday 6th Aug Sea-World
Saturday 7th Aug Busch Gardens
Sunday 8th Aug am Boggy Creek & Titanic expo. pm Shopping & Ripleys
Monday 9th Aug MGM Studios,
Tuesday 10th Aug Blizzard Beach,
Wednesday 11th Aug Animal Kingdom,
Thursday 12th Aug Day at the Beach,
Friday 13th Aug Magic Kingdom (Day 2),
Saturday 14th Aug Shopping Day 2,
Sunday 15th Aug Islands of Adventure
Monday 16th Aug Wet 'n' Wild
Tuesday 17th Aug Day at the beach,

Wednesday 18th Aug Drop luggage off at DTD Virgin Check-in, then do ??....??:angel:

[Mike]

Phew... you've got a busy schedule! Looks pretty good!

Couple of thoughts... youre 1st MK day is on an Early Entry day for Disney on-site guests- I'm presuming you are not staying on-site... so maybe replan to avoid that (the days are shown on this link (http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10174&highlight=early+entry+days) ) ...which beach(es) are you planning to visit? What about an overnight to do the 2 days together, and halve the driving? The gulf is prettier than the Atlantic, IMO, but takes longer to get to...

Busch Gardens will probably be busier on a weekend day than mid-week (although all days in Aug will be busy!), and as they have no FastPass equivalent, might be easier to do a dis/universal park that day instead, and reschedule for midweek?

..last day... what about using one of your waterpark days on the last day, after dropping off the luggage... use the waterpark $1 rental towels, and dry your swimwear on the car parcel shelf while you have lunch after the park! Alternatively, have a leisurely morning at Celebration, take a stroll around the lake, have lunch, coffee on the lakeside... (sorry, putting my favourite things into your plan now!:D)

Mike:cool:

[falcon46]

Thanks for the TIPS Mike will certainly reschedule the MK day. What is Celebration ?

[GerryH]

I know a lot of people suggest taking things easy on the first full day (your shopping day) but we've always found that we've more energy for the parks that day than any other. You'll almost certainly be awake very early as your body is still on "UK time". You could easily be up early enough for an early character breakfast and still be at a park for opening time.

That would leave you a day later in your holiday for a lazy morning and some shopping. With the full schedule you have planned you'll probably appreciate a relaxing day in the middle of your holiday.

[Mike]

Celebration (http://www.celebrationfl.com/) is a town built by the Disney corporation in the early 1990s... their idea of the perfect community. It is a little surreal, almsot too perfect at times, but we like it! It's just off the 192 (signed and on the maps) and worth a visit for an hour or so any time.. we go after the parks, for tea/dinner (some nice restaurants) or just coffee. The Hotel there is very pretty too!

Here's (http://www.thedibb.co.uk/photopost/showgallery.php?si=celebration&perpage=12&sort=1&cat=all&ppuser=&friendemail=email@yourfriend.com&password=&x=9&y=12) some pics we took at Christmas, and a couple off the web:

http://orlandorealestateflorida.com/images/dntn_across_lake.jpg

these are the Celebration Hotel:

http://www.celebrationhotel.com/images/celebration_hotel_florida_home_hotel.jpg

http://www.celebrationhotel.com/images/celebration_hotel_florida_waterfront.jpg

Mike:D

[Earthbound]

Morning Falcon!!
Agree with the point that you'll still be on UK time for the first morning. I would personnally take in EPCOT on your first full day & MK on the first Friday - this fits in with the "lightest days". If you're booked for Cirque on the Sunday, then maybe visit MGM or EPCOT (day 2), leave earlyish, freshen up if you have time, eat & then take in the show. I would also probably swap over Seaworld & Universal Studios days to avoid heavier crowds & again agree with Mike that Busch should really be a midweek visit - don't forget that it's approx an hours drive each way!!
You also fly out the day before me - maybe if we've got time we can meet up for a beer somewhere!

[spider]

I too think that on the first full day, being up with the larks due to the time-difference, we are planning MK on the Friday and then having a shopping day on the Saturday after hopefully being well and truely worn-out the day before.

Last time we went, we had a shopping day for the first day, and being up at 4am (don't ask - my youngest DS nearly got throttled!!!) it turned out to be such a LONGGGGGG day and regret not doing anything except for a brief trip to Walmarts and McDs, as we didn't have a hire car till the following week!!!

Epcot would probably be ok, but we are doig MK on Friday as it is meant to be a light day (mmmm, but that is in July!!!)