Where to start?

[donsteele]

We are starting to do the detail planning for our '08 trip. First one to WDW.

Here is our trip info.
10 days or so at WDW.
15g, 13g, 12g, 11b, 7b and 2b.
Most likely economy resort, open to suggests.

My main ? right now is Where to start?

If we are going to hit all the parks on this trip should we put some logic to it or should we just go, go, go?

To me the Animal Kingdom would be a good place to start because it seems a little slower.

Can you help?

[jenperich]

I usually start at Magic Kingdom because we tend to fly in to Orlando in the late morning. But, this year we're flying in the night before, so we're going to start at MGM. That night there are extra magic hours at MGM. So, it just worked out. But, Magic Kingdom is a great place to start. It's the heart of WDW.

[MarkC]

Don, I always tell people who ask that the biggest key is when you go. Look at Intercot's site about crowds, etc. If you must go in summer, either go right away or at the end. That being said, you'll have time to hit all the parks and waterparks. You should probably plan on splitting up at different times as your oldest group of kids are going to have different interests than your youngest ones. Go to the parks early in the morning and late in the evening. Take swimming breaks in the afternoon. Take advantage of extra magic hours when possible. Take your time as this can be overwhelming for younger ones. I'm sure there are a lot more items and other posters will give better advice than I just provided. Have fun......... Mark

[Michigander]

Just my own prefrence but I start at Ak because it's not so hard on the body. I then take a day off and go to MGM then a day off and go to Epcot and a day off and last but not least MGK on our days off Igo to the water parks and totally chill out. I like doing MGK last because it stays open the later then the other parks for us people who don't stay on property. It also seams to be the park that is hardest on my body. For some reason all the different walk way textures make my back and feet hurt worse then other parks. I feel like I need to build myself up for this park.

[TiggerRPh]

I usually start at Magic Kingdom because we tend to fly in to Orlando in the late morning. But, this year we're flying in the night before, so we're going to start at MGM. That night there are extra magic hours at MGM. So, it just worked out. But, Magic Kingdom is a great place to start. It's the heart of WDW.

Well....first of all, it depends on when you go. Since we go in December, all of the parks other than Epcot close early when we go...so we always go to Epcot when we arrive mid-day.

Second of all....most guidebooks will tell you not to start out at MK, especially if you've never been because of the special atmosphere of the park. The others will be a let down.

I've never had good luck on evening EMH's...I'm not sure I'd do that on my first day.

[TiggerRPh]

My main ? right now is Where to start?

If we are going to hit all the parks on this trip should we put some logic to it or should we just go, go, go?

To me the Animal Kingdom would be a good place to start because it seems a little slower.

Can you help?

I'd need to know what time of year we're talking and when you're arriving....oh yeah, is this the day you're arriving or the first full day?

My generic response would be to start at AK if this is your first full day or Epcot if it's you're arrival day.

[Zippy_D_DooDah]

Since this is your first trip to WDW, you just have to start at MK. It's where the magic began back in '71 and It is always the first park we hit, even if it's only for a few hours. For the past few years, we have gotten in on Sunday (sometimes in the morning, other times in the afternoon). We check in and hop a bus for the MK. Our room has been ready before the 4:00pm time on our last few trips, so we usually head back to where ever we are staying around 1:00pm or so. On our first full day, we usually take advantage of EMH at Animal Kingdom on Monday. Be sure to check the EMH schedule to see which parks are morning and which are evenings.

[WED1901]

My opinion is that since this is your first trip go to MK first. If your there 10 days you will not have to rush around to try to fit everything in. We all ways take advantage of EMH. Seems we walk on most rides. EPCOT EMH is the only one we dislike the most but still go. Mission Space, Soaring, and Test Track are always long waits. Hit the water parks while your there. One night go over to Ft. Wilderness Camp Grounds take in a movie at the campfire program. Have fun!! :mickey:

[Tygger7]

As other posters have said, a lot depends on what time of year you're planning to go. That said, the 2008 rates have not been published yet and you can't reserve vacation packages yet...HOWEVER, you can call and reserve your hotel room(s). Once the 2008 rates are published (I've heard August), then call back and convert your reservation to a package. Especially with that large of a group, I HIGHLY recommend doing the Magic Your Way, with Park Hopper and Dining Plan. It's so nice being able to be "spur of the moment" and switching parks in case your original plans don't work out. (i.e. the park you plan to go to is absolutely packed, then you can just go to another one.) The Dining plan is great because you don't have to worry about budgeting your food expenses...it's already paid for and you can order anything you want from the menu. Another tip: use the Intercot dining planner and be sure to make your Advance Dining Reservations 180 days before your trip. It sounds crazy, but you have to make reservations to get into the sit-down restuarants and character meals. Check out the Dining Section of Intercot...and all of the other sections of the website. I've gone to WDW dozens of times and there are lots of new things I've learned from this website. Yeah Intercot!!:rocks:

And most of all, enjoy the planning process. It really gets you pumped up and excited for the trip.:mickey:

Have fun and happy planning!!

[BelleBeauty]

I agree with other posters - if this is your first trip and with the young ones that you have in your group - you HAVE to start with the Magic Kingdom. We just never feel like we are truly in Disney until we get there :mickey:

I would suggest POP if you are staying at a value, with adjoining rooms. If you want to try a moderate Alligator Bayou at Port Orleans has trundle beds that the kids love.

Since you will be staying for 10 days, you may want to look into getting at least one Annual Pass. Cost is comparable and you might be able to take advantage of discounts along the way.

That being said - contact Magical Journeys. Planning so far in advance, it really helps to work the MJ. They will lead you in the right direction and watch out for any discounts or specials that pop up along the way. They will automatically book you for the better deal, and it really saves a lot of hassle on your part.

After that, I usually plan my schedule around what parks have EMH. We split the days, activity/park in the morning, rest at hotel (essentialy with young kids), and ativity/park in the evening. We also base our evenings around shows in the various parks. Then I move on to where to eat, etc. I recommend dining plan and park hoppers!

Good luck with your planning!

[Trixie1822]

one vote more for Magic Kingdom...

[bleukarma]

That’s easy! If it’s your first trip then start at the Magic Kingdom. Even if you’re just there for the morning, there is nothing like walking into the park and seeing the castle for the first time.

Planning out some strategies is probably the best idea. If you just “go, go, go” then you might miss some stuff or end up standing around with a map in your hand trying to figure out what to do next and that wastes precious park time! If you stay on site then I recommend taking advantage of EMH’s. And I agree with what other people have posted, since you have 10 days take your time. We normally go to the EMH park in the morning, then go back to the hotel for a nap or pool time, then hit another park in the evening. It may not be the same park depending on crowd level or dining preference, so I recommend the park hopper option.

Plan to see the fireworks shows and spectromagic parade! They can’t be missed!

Use fastpasses. Since you have such a large group try to plan on what the bigger kids want to do vs. what the younger kids want to do. This may save some arguments at the park.

[T-Belle]

I'm a research nut, so that's where I'd start. When my children were younger and not so familiar with the parks I bought a guide book, my favorite is "The Unofficail Guide To Walt Disney World". I asked them to read through and high light the rides, shows and things they would like to do. And then I would plan my attack from there. With so much to do, I wanted to make sure that we hit the things that interested them.

[LoriMistress]

Hello! There are many things that we don't know. We don't know what time of year you're going, your budget, etc. I would suggestion either signing up for The Unofficial Guide or Tourguide Mike. They're both extremely helpful on how to plan your vacation at WDW.

[pook@wdw]

Let me start by saying...:yay: You're going to Disney World!:mickey: You're gonna LOVE it !:cloud9: As you can see from all the posts replies your getting, we LOVE it too! OK...now that I've calmed down, let me give you our personal plan of beginning @ WDW. It may or may not help, but it works for us. We ALWAYS check in early @ our resort. Usually 7-8 am, pre-register, check our luggage, and head of tho the closest park to our resort. As we stay @ WL, we hit MK 1st. When we return to our resort for midday break, our rooms are ready, and our luggage is there. After lunch, naps, (for the little ones and mom), and a little down time @ the pool, we're off to another park for late afternoon & evening adventures! We're a 2 park-a-day family, and we don't wear ourselves out trying to do it all, cause we know we'll be back later in the week. As WDW is really not a "wing-it" kind of place, the more planning you do, the more likely you''ll get to do what you and the kids want. By all means, get them involved in the planning process!, And if you're planning on some special dining, get you're ADRs early! But, you're simply not going to be able to do it ALL, so don't even try. There'll just be more for your next trip. As many time as we've been, we always find something new each time we go!
Just remember some proper planning, and a little pixie dust, :pixie: you too can have a "Magical Journey" :wave:

[SBETigg]

I would start at the MK and plan on going back a few times. You have the time, so that's great. I would park hop to make the most of it all. For us, it's easier to take the parks in half day increments with some time off in between. For instance, Epcot is a huge park and a lot of walking, but MK has a lot of great attractions all together. So mixing them up works better for us than tackling them one at a time all in one day each.

The most important thing for now is to get your bearings. Study park maps. Start thinking about what your Must See attractions will be. Look at restaurant descriptions and see where you want to eat, or if you want to tackle table service dining and the dining plan or take meals as they come with counter service. It may seem intimidating at first but you'll pick up great tips here. Just keep asking questions as they come up and congratulations, you have a fantastic vacation ahead of you!

[Engine1822]

Go to any bookstore or Disney store, buy birnbaums guide to disney. Ny dw bought this for our first trip to the world. It was very useful in helping us avoid crowds and long lines in the parks. I hope this info helps you, it worked great for us!!:thumbsup:

[WelshieLover]

I would recommend the "Unofficial Guidebook". It is very helpful and I think unbiased. We don't do the "commando" tour plans that they have in there but I do get some good ideas from going through the advice they offer. We normally don't go when it is overly crowded and normally "close" any park we are in at the end of the day going on rides after a lot of the crowds have cleared out. This is especially wise during the hot and humid summer months. I agree the first morning definitely should be the Magic Kingdom. Another thing I would recommend is breaking off into groups. You can take the youngest and do Fantasyland while the older ones go off and do Space Mountain. Too much togetherness can lead to get on each others nerves :mad: . Splitting up and meeting back up for lunch and dinner but all being in the same park always brings good dinner conversation!

[Raye3201]

I would definitely recommend MK first...on our first trip I'll never forget seeing the castle for the first time and tears welling up in our eyes.
You have lots of time so you can always go back to MK a few times during the 10 days.

I'd also look into an annual pass - it usually evens out at about 8 or 9 days re. cost compared to a hopper pass. It'll save you big if you end up going back within the year - you can also save on rooms too.

If you enter MK early, I'd ride Dumbo first since there is no fastpass (you can get a fast pass to another ride, then wait for Dumbo). The line only grows longer later on, and your little one will love it. Our family has a tradition of hitting Dumbo first and then no Dumbo for the rest of the day.

You're gonna love Disney World! Enjoy!:mickey:

[tinksmom02]

My advice: pick up at least one guidebook (I like the Unofficial guide and Passporter). Intercot is wonderful, but sometimes it's nice to have a printed book to reference.

Definitely consider contacting Magical Journeys. Consider using the DDP, as well.

Order a vacation planning video from WDW.com to get your family all revved up for the trip (like they need it!)
Have your older kids browse the guidebooks and pick out what they most want to see/do. Help the younger ones do the same.

I think I would visit MK first, as a first-timer, although many say to save it for last--they feel the other parks are something of a let down after MK. We've never found that to be the case, each park is unique.

Since you're going to be there for such a long period of time, make sure you build in some free days, to explore your resort (or another), swim in the pool, visit a waterpark or DTD (we LOVE DTD!)

I don't think your planning needs to include a minute-by-minute itinerary. I like to plan a general guide for each day--what park we'll visit, a couple "must-do" attractions, and where we'll eat. It's structured enough so we'll get to do everything we want, but flexible enough to allow for changes (or visits to the Urgent Care Center, which is what happened when DD got bronchitis on our last trip! Hopefully that's one "attraction" your family will miss! LOL)

Anywho, you're in the right place for planning, that's for sure! Once you have some more specifics of your trip, you'll find you'll get more specific advice! :mickey:

Good luck!

[dumbo ears]

start with MK because its gets the magic flowing for the while trip and end with MK too.