Trip planning - Second trip - where to start?!

[Guest]

In 2016 me, my mum and dad and brother and sister (all adults) went on what we thought was our once in a lifetime trip. We meticulously planned using the dibb as we didn't want to miss a thing.

We stayed onsite and had the DDP and had the most wonderful but planned trip. All the ADRS, lot's of signature restaurants, and mainly onsite or universal (with a shopping trip thrown in for us and Kennedy space center for the boys).

A year later and although we wouldn't change a thing about our first trip we started thinking how much time we would have gained with more QS so, fast forward and as luck has it we are planning our second trip. And it has been mentioned that more free time would have like to be allowed to at least feign the idea of being able to have some spontaneity.

Due to the fact we are all adults who are soon wanting to start families this time will probably be our last together as a family for some years but bonus and this time my OH is coming as well so a first for him.

We are going the last 2 weeks in Sept of this year and I am at a loss at where to start to try and plan in a way so we cover all parks, any adrs we may want and fastpass but still have sort of free/down time.

This is what I think we want to do...

Animal Kingdom - 1 (maybe a second in if we can)
Epcot - 1
MK - 2
Universal - 2/3
Volcano Bay - 1
1 other waterpark if time - probably TL
Hollywood Studios - 1
MNSSHP
A few evenings in Disney Springs
A Boardwalk evening
A few pool mornings / days
A few day trips outside the park

And then very quickly the time is gone and I can't even see where to place everything and what to do.

Does anyone else have this problem? Apologies for the essay but any help or advice would be mostly appreciated.

[bpalmf]

We're going back this year for the 2nd time as well. Think we'll do things roughly the same as you but perhaps not get there for rope drop like last time as we all had enough of the parks by about 2pm. Planning to go later in the day for most. Are looking again spending some time at Clearwater and going to Big Cat rescue too. We've also booked a night at universal hotel to get fast pass for their parks.

Its all a bit daunting and exciting at the same time

[HappyThoughts]

There’s always so much to fit in that if definitely seems overwhelming when you’re first planning it.

Im planning our 4th trip for 2 weeks start-mid Oct 2019. We won’t do Vocano Bay or day trips outside of the parks but to give you an idea of how to fit everything in here’s what my kids (currently 10 & 8) have planned for our trip, our final plan will be something pretty similar to this with MNSSHP added in somewhere.

1. Arrive, check in then hotel swimming pool
2. MK
3. AK
4. Morning at Epcot & evening at DS
5. IOA
6. Water park & then HS
7. MK
8. US & hotel swimming pool
9. Epcot
10. HS
11. Hotel swimming pool, DS & poss evening at a park
12. AK
13. MK
14. Fly home

Where we’ve repeated a few of the parks you could always use that time to do Volcano Bay or other day trips. HTH

[DisneyFoodie]

I bet everyone does this differently! But we are midday break people - usually rope drop till noon, then evening 4/5pm till close. So what I do is divide the holiday into half days and try and decide how many half days per park/Disney springs/ space centre/whatever. E.g. For our 9 night September trip we have 5 half days at epcot.

Then I look at crowd calendars and opening times to see what is a bad place to put something. E.g. No MK evening if there is a Halloween party, no epcot evening on a weekend during F&W. Then I just try to slot it all in as best I can!

Hope that helps a bit. Good luck!

[Squidgyness]

As a tentative plan we are looking at doing 3/4 disney days, 4/5 universal days and a space kennedy day, leaving the remaining days open.

Most likely something like:

1: Arrival, settle into hotel
2: Universal
3: IoA
4: Universal/IoA - possibly this will be swapped for a water park
5: Mall/Shopping day?
6: Universal/IoA - either
7: Space Kennedy
8: Animal Kingdom
9: Epcot
10: Easy day doing whatever
11: Third Disney day
12: Universal
13: IoA
14: Last breakfast and wander round hotel, then departure for airport

Gives me a nice baseline for modifications, can easily fit a water park in there if I manage to lose enough weight... Should give you an idea of how 2 weeks can easily fill up. I definitely admire your decision to go QS and a bit less organised, it was the best decision we made last trip. Don't think we had a "sit down waiter service" meal that wasn't a breakfast the whole trip. Can't say we missed it either!

[JP81]

Just as a suggestion, days at pool or away from Disney... Weekends. Absolutely Rammed and un enjoyable. There is a Busy Day Guide to the right that can help plan, but I think MK is defo a weekday Park!. US and IOA not really as busy.
Enjoy your trip

[Guest]

Originally Posted by DisneyFoodie

I bet everyone does this differently! But we are midday break people - usually rope drop till noon, then evening 4/5pm till close. So what I do is divide the holiday into half days and try and decide how many half days per park/Disney springs/ space centre/whatever. E.g. For our 9 night September trip we have 5 half days at epcot.

Then I look at crowd calendars and opening times to see what is a bad place to put something. E.g. No MK evening if there is a Halloween party, no epcot evening on a weekend during F&W. Then I just try to slot it all in as best I can!

Hope that helps a bit. Good luck!

See more...

Hi what is F&W?
Thanks

[DisneyFoodie]

Originally Posted by amcc

Hi what is F&W?
Thanks

See more...

Epcot Food & Wine festival. It is food and drink booths in world showcase from the end of august until November. It's great, but I hear it can be rowdy on weekends, so we avoid it then.