getting it all in????

[bkahrens]

So I have pretty much decided we are headed back next January for DD's 8th bday. We were there 2 years ago for our younger daughters 4th bday and thought it would be nice to try again. Last time they were young and we spent more time swimming at WL than much else. This time I want things to be different. This time it's January so I'm thinking smaller crowds and not necessarily swimming weather.
Here are the things I'd like to do:
Breakfast at CRT
Hoop De Doo?
DisneyQuest
Pirate & Princess party (if they still do it)
Illuminations
Tour world showcase
spectro parade and wishes
Fantasmic
We didn't do any of these but spectro and I'd really like to try it. We will most likely be there for 5 nights/6 days, possibly 6 nights. Do you think we can do it w/o running like crazy people? I am hoping to not be super structured and kinda go with the flow. I fear I'm pushing too hard. What do you all think

[KAT1811]

I think you'll be fine. I'd certainly try the Hoop-Dee-Doo! We love it as it is very fun!!! My recommendation is to have an itinerary of some sort. I'm not saying that you need to have everything scheduled down to the minute but have a general idea of where you are going for the day. For example you might want to:

Day 1 - Magic Kingdom, Breakfast at Crystal Palace (BTW I love CP breakfast! Great choice!)

Day 2 - Hollywood Studios, Fantasmic!

Day 3 - Disney Quest, Hoop-Dee-Doo (allow a lot of travel time to FW. Depending on your mode of transport it can take quite a while to get there)

Day 4 - Epcot, World Showcase (I'd get DDs a "passport" and have them collect stamps from all the countries, don't forget about the paper masks and collecting a charm for it in each of the countries), & Illuminations (Great show!)

Day 5 - Magic Kingdom, Pirate & Princess Party (this you'll have to plan around whatever day the MK is hosting the party during your stay), Spectromagic, & Wishes

Day 6 - Epcot (if you do go 6 nights)

Anyway, you get the idea. The more organized I am the more my family sees. if you have a general plan I think you'll be fine. Good luck!!!

[DizneyRox]

I'd pass on DisneyQuest, it's really not worth giving up anything else for.

The above iterary is probably good enough. The problem I think many people have is they think they need to do everything, sometimes it's just nice to sick and people watch, or take a leisurely walk around the world. I've been there for probably a year no in total visits, and have yet to do some pretty major things. Havne't done a tour at MK, haven't stepped foot inside a water park, and there are more than a couple resorts I don't think I've seen anythng except signs for.

[diz_girl]

Since they are older they will probably want to spend more time in the parks, so you will definitely be able to do most or all of what you want without running around like a mad person.

As for the CRT - just keep in mind that you are paying a lot of money for the castle experience, nothing else. Don't expect the food to be anything stellar.

They already have this year's Pirate and Priness parties scheduled through early June, which seems to illustrate the success of them, so I'd expect that they'll have them again in January 2009. I've heard that they're a lot of fun and they have the best fireworks that I've ever seen at WDW and maybe ever.

As for Disney Quest, I thought that I read somewhere that it was proving unsuccessful and it's future is in jeopaardy. Maybe I'm wrong about that one - I don't want to scare you.