End of October - 13 days

[Zarch]

First ever trip this October, two adults, two kids (7 and 9).
Staying out at High Grove in Randy and Barbs DIBB Villa.

This is what we've sort of come up this so far. A sort of 2 days park on, 1 day off (lazy) type approach.

Sat 19/10/19 Land Orlando 18:28 (MAN > Atlanta, ATL > MCO), pick up hire car. Drive to Villa.
Sun 20/10/19 Get bearings/food shopping etc, pick up magic bands in the afternoon? Don't worry about fast passes this day?
Mon 21/10/19 Epcot
Tue 22/10/19 Animal Kingdom
Wed 23/10/19 Lazy Day - Water Park
Thu 24/10/19 Hollywood Studios
Fri 25/10/19 Magic Kingdom
Sat 26/10/19 Lazy Day - Mall Shopping
Sun 27/10/19 Kennedy (avoiding disney as halloween party day)
Mon 28/10/19 Magic Kingdom
Tue 29/10/19 Lazy Day - Water Park
Wed 30/10/19 Epcot
Thu 31/10/19 Animal Kingdom
Fri 1/11/19 Lazy, Fly Home 19:55 (MCO > MAN direct)
Sat 2/11/19 Arrive 07:45
Sun 3/11/19 have a lie in!
Mon 4/11/19 Kids back to school.

We've decided against Universal as we don't think we can realistically fit things in.

Not sure whether to drive to Kennedy or get the bus?

Are we trying to cram too much in there?

Any thoughts or tips would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[MENTALMUM]

Your itinary looks good, my only advice is to be flexible, you can change things and move things around depending on how you feel or what the weather is doing. Also when booking fastpasses you may find you are unable to get what you want for the day planned in the park and you may have to move things around if they are 'must do' fast passes. We are quite flexible, we have some things set in stone including MNSSHP and the dessert party at magic kingdom, once booked they are difficult to change, after that we see what fast passes are available and go to the parks based on what we can get. Even this is flexible as we sometimes get up and make a decision on the day. I understand if is hard when you go for the first time and are trying to find the right balance but it is your holiday so enjoy it in whatever way suits you.

[Zarch]

Thank you for the reply.

Get what you're saying about being flexible.
Maybe when 30 day FP are released our days may change around.

But i'd hope we can still stick to two days on, one day off sort of approach.

Being honest I don't like the thought of us being tied to a schedule created months in advance, but I feel fast passes sort of dictate that?

[MENTALMUM]

Originally Posted by Zarch

Thank you for the reply.

Get what you're saying about being flexible.
Maybe when 30 day FP are released our days may change around.

But i'd hope we can still stick to two days on, one day off sort of approach.

Being honest I don't like the thought of us being tied to a schedule created months in advance, but I feel fast passes sort of dictate that?

See more...

Sadly fast passes do now dictate a lot of the holiday especially if you want the big or new rides, we went the year pandora opened and have been back three times since then and still not managed a fast pass, thankfully we are not fanatical about and just keep trying. If we don't get one then it won't ruin out holiday. We have gone to parks without any and managed to get some on the day while queuing for other rides.
Two days in and one day off sounds like a great idea, have a pool day to recharge your batteries ot do some shopping, I am sure your trip will be amazing, enjoy x

[elle10]

Hi, we’re there the same 2 weeks as you.
Only advice I’d give is don’t do a water park on a Saturday. I’d try and swap your lazy shopping day on the Tuesday with the water park on the Saturday.
Plus we will still book Fast passes on water park days just in case the weather turns rubbish and we end up going to a theme park instead.

[TheRobsters]

That looks good to me... your approach would be what we would do, my only real comment is that having your first days more relaxed would not be something we would do. The excitement of it all means that our first day would definitely be a trip to a park, magic Kingdom is always our first park.
As someone commented about water parks on a weekend, we always thought this was true. but we have just returned and went to a water park on a Saturday and it was fine, got there about 1 found loungers and no real queues for slides.

[Guest]

I agree with PP that suggested swapping that Saturday and Tuesday around, I always find Tuesday to be one of the better days in the park. I also would do something on the first day, we are always raring to go when we arrive, it would drive us mad to take it easy.

[Zarch]

Thanks all.

Yeah, maybe head to one of the parks in the afternoon to pick up magic bands etc on that first day after doing some food shopping and stuff in the morning.

I've swapped the days mentioned around too... that does sound good... means water park in week 1 and week 2 rather than close to each other in the first week.

Keep those comments coming... very much appreciated.