Am I Being Too Ambitious?

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

Veterans please critique my park plans. I fear that I may be over-planning, and possibly overextending our trip. We are taking our first trip to Disney one full week in early May, Saturday to Saturday. Family of four, children are 4 and 11. We are doing a three-way split stay (AKL, FW, WL). I know I’m crazy.

Saturday, Arrival day at AKL:
Apprx 2 pm flight arrival, explore resort, hit the pool, ADR at Chef Mickeys for 6:50 pm

Sunday, Magic Kingdom:
We have early morning magic booked and will focus on Fantasyland and Tomorrowland only. We are leaving the park around noon to eat lunch and nap at the resort,AKL, for about four hours. Returning in the evening for more rides and fireworks.

Monday, Resort Day:
Enjoy resort, AKL, more pool time, late morning ADR at Ohana breakfast.

Tuesday, Magic Kingdom:
Focus on Frontierland and Adventureland. Leave park around 2 pm for lunch and nap at resort Fort Wilderness for about four hours. Head to Animal Kingdom for After Hours event at 7 pm. We will likely leave this event by 11 pm.

Wednesday, Epcot:
Late morning start at Epcot. Leave after lunch for nap at the resort, Fort Wilderness. Return late evening for fireworks.

Thursday, Resort Day:
We are staying at Fort Wilderness during this portion of our trip and will be exploring the resort via golf cart and enjoying the pool.

Friday, Unplanned Park Day:
We have an additional park ticket, but are debating on whether we should use it for a morning at Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom. The remainder of the day will be spent at Wilderness Lodge. We have an early evening dinner ADR at Artist Pointe. This is our last evening so we will need to pack and prepare for departure.

Saturday, Departure Day:
Late morning flight.

So, let me know what you guys think! I am open for suggestions.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I don’t think this is too ambitious at all. Lots of rest/resort time. Now a three way split stay is ambitious though, lol.

 

[epcotobsessed]

I personally would not leave AKL for Chef Mickeys, unless you love Chef Mickeys. Any of the AKL restaurants are better and then you don't have the 1-ish hour of travel time after you've just arrived.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Veterans please critique my park plans. I fear that I may be over-planning, and possibly overextending our trip. We are taking our first trip to Disney one full week in early May, Saturday to Saturday. Family of four, children are 4 and 11. We are doing a three-way split stay (AKL, FW, WL). I know I’m crazy.

Saturday, Arrival day at AKL:
Apprx 2 pm flight arrival, explore resort, hit the pool, ADR at Chef Mickeys for 6:50 pm

Sunday, Magic Kingdom:
We have extra morning magic booked and will focus on Fantasyland and Tomorrowland only. We are leaving the park around noon to eat lunch and nap at the resort,AKL, for about four hours. Returning in the evening for more rides and fireworks.

Monday, Resort Day:
Enjoy resort, AKL, more pool time, late morning ADR at Ohana breakfast.

Tuesday, Magic Kingdom:
Focus on Frontierland and Adventureland. Leave park around 2 pm for lunch and nap at resort Fort Wilderness for about four hours. Head to Animal Kingdom for After Hours event at 7 pm. We will likely leave this event by 11 pm.

Wednesday, Epcot:
Late morning start at Epcot. Leave after lunch for nap at the resort, Fort Wilderness. Return late evening for fireworks.

Thursday, Resort Day:
We are staying at Fort Wilderness during this portion of our trip and will be exploring the resort via golf cart and enjoying the pool.

Friday, Unplanned Park Day:
We have an additional park ticket, but are debating on whether we should use it for a morning at Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom. The remainder of the day will be spent at Wilderness Lodge. We have an early evening dinner ADR at Artist Pointe. This is our last evening so we will need to pack and prepare for departure.

Saturday, Departure Day:
Late morning flight.

So, let me know what you guys think! I am open for suggestions.

I don't think it's overly ambitious but I'm curious as to why you scheduled your MK days while staying at AKL and your AK evening for when you are staying at a MK resort? In terms of location and transportation, you would have cut down on a lot of hassle by starting your trip at Ft. W and WL and doing Chef Mickey's, MK and O'hana then and then staying at AKL for the after hours event. I don't think the park plans are ambitious but you are criss-crossing the entirety of WDW a lot.

 

[DWillowBay]

Veterans please critique my park plans. I fear that I may be over-planning, and possibly overextending our trip. We are taking our first trip to Disney one full week in early May, Saturday to Saturday. Family of four, children are 4 and 11. We are doing a three-way split stay (AKL, FW, WL). I know I’m crazy.

Saturday, Arrival day at AKL:
Apprx 2 pm flight arrival, explore resort, hit the pool, ADR at Chef Mickeys for 6:50 pm

This might be the only over-planned area that I can see. If you flight arrives at 2:00 (assuming that it's on time), you may get to the resort in time for some exploration, but probably not enough pool time (and associated time eaters like changing clothes, etc) in order to get to Chef Mickey's. When you go to Chef Mickey's you're going from one end of the property to the other. Budget for travel time.

The 3-way split is not something I would do in one week. I have done 2 and that was fun. But three may be challenging.

In terms of this: Friday, Unplanned Park Day:
We have an additional park ticket, but are debating on whether we should use it for a morning at Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom. The remainder of the day will be spent at Wilderness Lodge. We have an early evening dinner ADR at Artist Pointe. This is our last evening so we will need to pack and prepare for departure.
I would suggest Hollywood Studios. Your 4 year old might love the Disney Jr, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast Show and Toy Story Land. ...and your 11 y o might enjoy some of the more 'mature' rides and shows (Indiana Jones).

That's just my 2 cents! I'm sure you'll have a great time!!

 

[SG131]

The only thing that sounds ambitious is the 3 way split. Other than that to me it sounds like way too much down time for not a very long trip. Transportation back and forth eats up a lot of time. I would personally do a little less of that, but I know some people prefer the breaks. No matter what with a trip that’s only a week long you will miss a chunk of stuff at the parks, for me I prefer seeing more of the parks.

 

[Minniemoo15]

I would plan my parks for the resorts I am staying at... Ie: do AK when you are staying at AKL and MK when you are staying at WL

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

I personally would not leave AKL for Chef Mickeys, unless you love Chef Mickeys. Any of the AKL restaurants are better and then you don't have the 1-ish hour of travel time after you've just arrived.

I know, it is not ideal. I wanted to kick start the trip with a character meal. My son’s one request for this trip is to meet Goofy. I figured this would check that box immediately. If it were just me, I would try Boma for dinner the first night.

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

I don’t think this is too ambitious at all. Lots of rest/resort time. Now a three way split stay is ambitious though, lol.

Don’t I know that three way split is going to haunt me. Nothing I can do now, rented DVC points.

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

I don't think it's overly ambitious but I'm curious as to why you scheduled your MK days while staying at AKL and your AK evening for when you are staying at a MK resort? In terms of location and transportation, you would have cut down on a lot of hassle by starting your trip at Ft. W and WL and doing Chef Mickey's, MK and O'hana then and then staying at AKL for the after hours event. I don't think the park plans are ambitious but you are criss-crossing the entirety of WDW a lot.

Great points, for sure. A little backstory: we booked a cruise and rented DVC points for the beginning and end of our trip. The cruise was canceled and I was left to put the pieces together by filling in the middle of the trip with a short stay at Disney, instead. MK days are booked around extra morning magic and the ADR’s we were able to get at Be Our Guest and Cinderella’s Royal Table...and also from consulting crowd calendars. We are certainly criss-crossing a lot this trip...and this may be something I should reconsider. Just not sure I want to shift dining, fastpasses and touring plans this late in the game.

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

My three way split is locked in due to rented DVC points. So, unfortunately this is non-negotiable. I am also leaning toward HS for our unplanned park day. I agree the kids would enjoy those attractions and shows, although we would not have a ton of time to do them all with a half day in the park. Thank you for your help!

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

The only thing that sounds ambitious is the 3 way split. Other than that to me it sounds like way too much down time for not a very long trip. Transportation back and forth eats up a lot of time. I would personally do a little less of that, but I know some people prefer the breaks. No matter what with a trip that’s only a week long you will miss a chunk of stuff at the parks, for me I prefer seeing more of the parks.

The naps I think are going to be essential for my youngest. I am a “go all day” kind of theme park tourist, but my family are not.

 

[cruisingmom1977]

It doesn’t sound too ambitious to me at all. It sounds like you are trying to make it work with what you have. If it were me, I’d budget in Uber/Lyft money for getting from resort to resort for your ADR’s. I swear it turns into the best money we spend while we are there. It can take FOREVER when relying on Disney transportation to get from resort to resort.

 

[BabybetterDisney]

Here's the biggest problem: Disney says checkin 3 p.m. but that's NOT guaranteed. Occasionally, people would complain about not getting the room until 5 or later. That would disturb your kids' napping.

 

[mshanson3121]

Veterans please critique my park plans. I fear that I may be over-planning, and possibly overextending our trip. We are taking our first trip to Disney one full week in early May, Saturday to Saturday. Family of four, children are 4 and 11. We are doing a three-way split stay (AKL, FW, WL). I know I’m crazy.

Saturday, Arrival day at AKL:
Apprx 2 pm flight arrival, explore resort, hit the pool, ADR at Chef Mickeys for 6:50 pm

Sunday, Magic Kingdom:
We have extra morning magic booked and will focus on Fantasyland and Tomorrowland only. We are leaving the park around noon to eat lunch and nap at the resort,AKL, for about four hours. Returning in the evening for more rides and fireworks.

Monday, Resort Day:
Enjoy resort, AKL, more pool time, late morning ADR at Ohana breakfast.

Tuesday, Magic Kingdom:
Focus on Frontierland and Adventureland. Leave park around 2 pm for lunch and nap at resort Fort Wilderness for about four hours. Head to Animal Kingdom for After Hours event at 7 pm. We will likely leave this event by 11 pm.

Wednesday, Epcot:
Late morning start at Epcot. Leave after lunch for nap at the resort, Fort Wilderness. Return late evening for fireworks.

Thursday, Resort Day:
We are staying at Fort Wilderness during this portion of our trip and will be exploring the resort via golf cart and enjoying the pool.

Friday, Unplanned Park Day:
We have an additional park ticket, but are debating on whether we should use it for a morning at Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom. The remainder of the day will be spent at Wilderness Lodge. We have an early evening dinner ADR at Artist Pointe. This is our last evening so we will need to pack and prepare for departure.

Saturday, Departure Day:
Late morning flight.

So, let me know what you guys think! I am open for suggestions.

Aside from the 3-way split .resort, it's very similar to what we're doing: 7 nights, 2 full resort days, 4 full park days. The only real difference is we're doing all 4 parks, and planning to do a park on our arrival night .

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

It doesn’t sound too ambitious to me at all. It sounds like you are trying to make it work with what you have. If it were me, I’d budget in Uber/Lyft money for getting from resort to resort for your ADR’s. I swear it turns into the best money we spend while we are there. It can take FOREVER when relying on Disney transportation to get from resort to resort.

We have budgeted this in, just in case. Did you guys use the Minnie vans?

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

Here's the biggest problem: Disney says checkin 3 p.m. but that's NOT guaranteed. Occasionally, people would complain about not getting the room until 5 or later. That would disturb your kids' napping.

This is my greatest fear, but we are adaptable. If the room is not ready we will find a quiet space to relax and rest off of our feet in the AC for a bit. I have researched a few spots in each park to relax and unwind with overwhelmed kiddos. DFB just made a video recently about that exact topic. For now I am hoping for the best, preparing for the worst.

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

Aside from the 3-way split .resort, it's very similar to what we're doing: 7 nights, 2 full resort days, 4 full park days. The only real difference is we're doing all 4 parks, and planning to do a park on our arrival night .

I would love to do a park on check-in, but I figured we may be all too tired after traveling all morning.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

The naps I think are going to be essential for my youngest. I am a “go all day” kind of theme park tourist, but my family are not.

if using boat to Fort Wilderness that is a 20m minute ride to keep the youngest awake. plus time to get where you are staying you will not be walking from boat. if you decide to drive remember you will need to take either a ferry or monorail to your car and then drive to resort. been there and it did not work

 

[elle21]

I wouldn't do that much down time/ resort time, but I know everyone enjoys different things. The one thing that jumped out to me was the late morning Epcot arrival, then leaving after lunch, then going back for the evening fireworks. I think I'd try to bring or rent a stroller (city mini with big shade) so the 4 year old can chill out/ rest in that, and just stay at Epcot for the day if you are arriving late. You'll hardly see Epcot otherwise. Walking around the countries is really enjoyable for the kids when you get different snacks, play Agent P, and buy the passports so they can visit the Kidcot stations and get their stamps. Don't miss the desserts at Les Halles! We got a tray of a whole bunch of desserts - then cut them, sampled, and voted on our favorites. It was fun and they were all so good.