my plan so far... hints and tips needed!

[Rabel]

Some great plans.

We really enjoyed walking between Epcot and Hollywood Studios (or taking the boat) and people watching. If you want a quiet evening then watching the fireworks from Poly or Grand Floridian is lovely (and you may also catch the water display at the same time). Animal Kingdom is beautiful at night and well worth the effort.

[NatashaAudrey]

Originally Posted by THECRAZYMOUSE

Please don’t worry plans can always be changed there. Our first trip looked much the same, perhaps we did more ! And we are a family with two children 🙂 you’ll have a chance to refine your plans on your second once in a lifetime trip 😉 I hope you have a fantastic time.

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My hubby keeps saying to me that we can miss things as that is an excuse to go back.

I guess I'm just a bit of a perfectionist and want to be able to see and do it all - which is impossible considering the size of Disney alone!

In some ways the second trip could almost be better as this gives you a chance to repeat what you did like and miss out what you didn't.

[NatashaAudrey]

Originally Posted by Rabel

Some great plans.

We really enjoyed walking between Epcot and Hollywood Studios (or taking the boat) and people watching. If you want a quiet evening then watching the fireworks from Poly or Grand Floridian is lovely (and you may also catch the water display at the same time). Animal Kingdom is beautiful at night and well worth the effort.

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Thank you!

They are all lovely suggestions and I'M SO EXCITED to see AK at night! It looks incredible!

I guess I just need to remember it's okay if we can't do it all and this is just a guide rather than a we must do list.

[Rabel]

I always get stressed and anxious during the planning, but as I walk through the tunnel (we do MK on the first day) the stress goes. It is difficult to plan, and even more so when you haven't been there before, as there are so many options.

I still haven't done everything that I want to do at WDW and I'm a repeat visitor! I haven't been there to see the Halloween decorations (which I think that you will be there for) and would love to.

[NatashaAudrey]

Originally Posted by Rabel

I always get stressed and anxious during the planning, but as I walk through the tunnel (we do MK on the first day) the stress goes. It is difficult to plan, and even more so when you haven't been there before, as there are so many options.

I still haven't done everything that I want to do at WDW and I'm a repeat visitor! I haven't been there to see the Halloween decorations (which I think that you will be there for) and would love to.

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I'm glad you have said you feel like that too as I keep saying to my hubby "how can we plan for somewhere we haven't been before" especially when they are so many options. Also tiredness, how busy the parks are and the weather can all impact your plans!

We have MK planned for our first day (it just feels like what you are supposed to do lol)

I'm thinking we will get to see Halloween decorations as we have booked MNSSHP which is exciting!

[Rabel]

It is really overwhelming but you plan what you can and then enjoy it and go with the flow. MK on the first day will be great, you will be up early anyway! Maybe make a list of must do's and focus on them rather than trying to do everything. We normally end up changing or losing fastpasses as we don't get around to all of them or due to crowds, we would rather get into the parks early and then leave as they get busy.

The Halloween Party looks amazing and you will have such a great time. You may need to plan how to get all of the sweets back to the UK if you do the trick or treating.

[NatashaAudrey]

Originally Posted by Rabel

It is really overwhelming but you plan what you can and then enjoy it and go with the flow. MK on the first day will be great, you will be up early anyway! Maybe make a list of must do's and focus on them rather than trying to do everything. We normally end up changing or losing fastpasses as we don't get around to all of them or due to crowds, we would rather get into the parks early and then leave as they get busy.

The Halloween Party looks amazing and you will have such a great time. You may need to plan how to get all of the sweets back to the UK if you do the trick or treating.

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The bucket list is actually a really good idea! Yeah going to parks early and then leaving sounds like a great idea, especially if it gets mega busy!

I think my hubby is desperate to eat tons and tons of sweets so maybe we won't have any left to bring back to the UK

[Rabel]

Originally Posted by NatashaAudrey

The bucket list is actually a really good idea! Yeah going to parks early and then leaving sounds like a great idea, especially if it gets mega busy!

I think my hubby is desperate to eat tons and tons of sweets so maybe we won't have any left to bring back to the UK

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He'll have such a sugar rush! But he may also enjoy the ice cream (try plaza ice cream parlour on main street in magic kingdom - the ice cream sandwiches are very large and one snack credit) and the cupcakes (if you are eating at the resort use a quick service credit and swap out the drink for a cupcake, use the refillable mug for the drink). There are different cupcakes at each resort.

I found reading some of the food reports on here very useful when planning meals (and making sure that I got my money's worth). We have swapped quick service meal credits for snack credits (it was 1QS to 3 snacks) at Goofy's Candy Company at Disney Springs and brought back 35 packets of sweets with us (we really didn't use QS last time we were there). I think that the general consensus is that anything over $5 is a good use of a snack credit.

I haven't done Universal recently, but the food report associated with https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/sho... php?t=1128008 made it look V good!

[squishy]

We don’t plan rest days (me and 2 children) but we do plan some ‘down time’ every day - so we might have an early start and a full on park morning, but head out for (or after lunch) and then back to the hotel for a chill out; swim then showers and either just dinner or (more usually) a trip back to a park (sometimes for dinner!) for the evening. Sometimes, we have a chilled morning and go and do afternoon-park close.

The hardest day for us was Epcot from park open until ADR at Coral Reef at 4.30 - we could have done with escaping for a bit, but then we hit the pool afterwards. We also shopped for one day and then went into a park at 5/6 for FP’s and fireworks.

Spending all the food credits was a challenge (you must try the Magic Cookie Bar - available at Sunshine Seasons or Port Orleans resort) and sometimes there ADRs tie you down a bit - I ended up cancelling an ADR I really wanted just because it felt too much rushing/driving and we had a (last minute) FP we really wanted not to miss !

Flexibility/willingness to ditch the plan is helpful!