November Anniversary trip booked

[savafan]

My wife and I have booked a trip to POP for the 2nd week of November to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary. This will be her first time to WDW since 1996 when she was 8 years old, and her first time staying on site. I was last there in 1999, staying at Dixie Landings. Obviously, this will be the first time we will be there together as a couple.

From browsing around here, I can see that the parks have changed quite a bit since the 1990's. She's a huge Michael Jackson fan, so Captin Eo is her one big can't miss attraction, lol. Other than that, not really sure what to anticipate or expect. We have 8 day park hopper tickets, so we hope to take in a lot. I'd love to get her over to the ocean at some point, if only just to view it, but I have no idea what the weather will be like in November.

[faline]

Although time is getting a bit short, I'd suggest going on the Disney site and ordering the free vacation planning DVD. Go to the bookstore or the library and get a planning guide - The Official Guide by Birnbaum is a good one. Many folks like the Unofficial Guide so you might check that out as well. Once you've both had a chance to go through the materials, you can pick out what your must do's are. When you get to a park, start with your must do's. When you finish those, do what you want that you have time.

Don't overschedule. Typically, I plan which park we will be in for which day.

As part of your planning, check out the available restaurants as well. If you find any that you really want to do, I'd suggest trying to book an advanced dining reservation for those must-do dining spots. Since you can book six months in advance for table service locations, it's possible you could be shut out of a few.

Plan an off day in the middle of your trip. It can be quite draining to spend all day every day at the parks though it's quite tempting to do just that. Perhaps you can visit a beach on your "off" day.

Weather in mid-November can be quite pleasant. We've frequently spent a day at the pool in mid-December and even in early February. On the other hand, weather can be getting cooler and you might even need jeans and sweatshirts - particularly in the evening.

Are you going any time around the 11th? If so, you might finds crowds a bit heavier than you expected. Many New Jersey schools are off session for a few days around then and many of those folks use that time to take a family trip to Disney World.

There's much that's new since you were last there and much that has changed. Also, you'll now both to looking at the World through adult eyes so your experience will be quite a bit different than when you were kids. Many adults particularly enjoy Epcot so be sure to spend some time there.

Have fun!

[FriendsofMickey]

How we plan (and I love to plan):
1. I go to the Disney website and pull up the calendar. I add the open and close time (including extra magic hours) to a spread sheet. I also add what days shows, fireworks, and parades (and their times).
2. Based on the times of the fireworks, parades, etc. I determine which parks we want to visit each day.
3. Once I know what park, I determine where we would want to eat. (Even with park hopper, I try hard to stay at the same park or close to it).

I highly suggest you start making ressies for dinner as soon as you can, because the closer you get to the dates, the harder it is to get the restaurants.

Hope you and your wife have a great time! :mickey:

[savafan]

We will be there on the 11th (10th - 17th).

Do all restaurants require/accept dining reservations?

[faline]

We will be there on the 11th (10th - 17th).

Do all restaurants require/accept dining reservations?

I'd expect moderate crowds during your trip.

All table service restaurants accept reservations. Quick service restaurants do not. Some restaurants, typically the more expensive table service restaurants, require a credit card guarantee. This means that you give them a credit card number when you make the reservation. They will not charge your card. However, they have a cancellation window. If you do not cancel without that window or do not show up for your reservation, you will be charged a fee for person for the late cancellation or no-show.