Our trip to Disney is right around the corner…just 81 more days! I posted in early January about the restaurants where we made reservations in Disney (post here), but today I’ll update you with our timeline for each day we’ll be in Orlando.
I’ve put together this timeline based on my research on WDW Prep School, The Unofficial Guide To Walt Disney World 2016, Disney Tourist Blog, the Disney planning site, and Mouse Savers. For me, planning a trip is half the fun! This works well for Disney especially, where planning ahead is critical if you want to eat in certain places and ride attractions without long waits.
Sunday
On Sunday, we’ll fly from Baltimore (where we’ll be for our friends’ wedding) to Orlando in the morning. After arriving around noon, we’ll pick up our rental car and drive to the hotel. We plan on getting unpacked and changing and then heading to Universal Studios for the remainder of the afternoon and evening. We have park hopper tickets at Universal, so we can freely go between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure by foot or by taking the Hogwarts Express! We’ll be tired this evening, so we’ll likely head to bed early.
On our way home, though, we plan on stopping at a grocery store to pick up some water (Orlando’s water is really yucky) and snacks for the week.
Monday
On Monday morning, we have breakfast reservations at Cinderella’s Royal Table in Magic Kingdom at 8am, which is an hour before the park opens. We’ll be up bright and early so that we can take some photos of Main Street and the castle without the bustling crowds that will arrive later in the day. We also planned this early reservation because it allows us to dine at the castle without missing out on early morning touring time, which is some of the best.
After breakfast, we’ll spend the rest of the morning and early afternoon in Magic Kingdom. We don’t have lunch reservations, but there are many different places where we can stop to grab a bite as we get hungry. Then, probably around 1pm or 2pm, we plan on heading back to the hotel to rest for 2-3 hours. Nearly every Disney expert recommends an afternoon break regardless of the age of the travelers because that’s when the sun is the hottest and the crowds are the highest. We’ll go rest for a little while or swim before heading back to Magic Kingdom in the late afternoon.
A few more hours of touring and we’ll head to California Grill, which is located in the Contemporary Resort, just one monorail stop away from the park, for our dinner reservation around 7pm. It’s a lovely restaurant with delicious food and probably the “fanciest” meal we’ll have all week. (Though almost nothing in Disney is really fancy!)
After dinner, we’ll head back into Magic Kingdom for a little more touring and Wishes (the nightly fireworks show) at 10pm. We plan on viewing the fireworks close to the front of the park so that we can bow out afterwords and get back to the hotel in time for a good night’s sleep!
Tuesday
On Tuesday morning, we’ll leave for Animal Kingdom about 30 minutes before the park opens at 9am. We plan on heading to the safari first since we’ve heard that the animals are most active in the morning, and then to ride Expedition Everest, which is a roller coaster that I’ve heard several people describe as the best ride in any Disney park! After a few more hours exploring Animal Kingdom and some lunch (wherever sounds good), we’ll head to our hotel again for the same mid-afternoon break we took on Monday.
After some sleeping, pool time, or whatever, we’ll go to Hollywood Studios. On previous trips, I have visited Hollywood Studios for an entire day, but almost every attraction is closed right now for refurbishment! The park is expanding to include Star Wars Land, which is a massive project. To allow for this, there have been many permanent closures and some temporary. All this to say, we’re only spending a half day at Hollywood Studios!
We’ll tour what is open at Hollywood Studios (and hopefully ride Rockin’ Roller Coaster at least a few times–I love it!), and then head to Hollywood Brown Derby for dinner at 6pm. We initially had reservations at 50’s Prime Time Cafe, which I outlined in my Disney dining post, but I changed our reservation a few weeks ago to Hollywood Brown Derby for a few reasons.
First of all, I’ve been to 50’s Prime Time twice, and though it’s fun, I was really up for trying something new. Secondly, Riley and I looked over Hollywood Brown Derby’s menu and became super interested in their options–especially the house specialty, grapefruit cake! And finally, because I could book a Fantasmic dinner package at no additional cost. With this, we will get VIP seating tickets after our dinner for Fantasmic, which is an incredible water/lights/character show at Hollywood Studios.
So, after dinner and a little more touring, we’ll head to Fantasmic around 9pm to enjoy our VIP seats and the show!
Wednesday
On Wednesday, we’re heading to EPCOT, which is probably my favorite park. It’s really like two parks in one, with the World Showcase, which is like a string of mini-replicas of 11 different countries, complete with gardens, buildings, shops, and restaurants for each one, and Future World, which has lots of innovation/technology/futuristic rides and pavilions. It’s massive (twice the size of Magic Kingdom) and just unbelievable.
All that to say we’ll definitely arrive at EPCOT before it opens on Wednesday so that we can enjoy the quieter morning touring hours together. I can’t wait to explore this park as an adult because I remember with joy how much it captured me as a kid!
We have lunch reservations at Le Cellier, which several people have told me is their favorite Disney restaurant. I’ve never been, but it’s in the Canada pavilion in the World Showcase, and I know the restaurant is known for its cheddar cheese soup and pretzel bread, and that’s about all I need to know! Sign me up.
After lunch, we’ll tour for a while longer or head back to our hotel for another afternoon break. I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t leave EPCOT, though, because of its size and offerings. (Plus we have a break day on Thursday, which I’ll explain below.) Whether we take a break or not, we have dinner reservations at 6pm at Via Napoli, which is a pizzeria in the Italy pavilion in the World Showcase. Yum!
Before we leave EPCOT on Wednesday, we’ll watch Illuminations at 9pm, which is another water/lights/music show. (Every park but Animal Kingdom has a nightly show, Animal Kingdom does not because of the animals!) After Illuminations, we’ll head back to our hotel. I’m sure we’ll be exhausted by this point!
Thursday
…Which brings us to Thursday! We decided to take Thursday as a rest day. We’ll sleep in, eat breakfast at our hotel, and then decide what to do for the rest of the day. Our plan is to go back to Universal Studios and/or Islands of Adventure because we have a two-day ticket and will have only used one of the days on Sunday.
We plan on spending the late morning and early afternoon at the parks and then heading back to our hotel to freshen up before we head to Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney). Disney Springs has lots of charming shops and delicious restaurants, not to mention top-notch people watching. This day is also my blog’s 4th birthday, so I hope to find a cupcake or some other celebratory dessert to celebrate! We’ll round out our low-key day there and head to bed early if we’re tired.
Friday
We haven’t nailed down our plans on Friday because we want it to be our flex day based on what where we’d like to spend more time. I’m almost positive that we won’t need any more time at neither Hollywood Studios nor Animal Kingdom (though I’d be open to either if Riley wants to revisit one), so I think we’ll either spend the entire day at Magic Kingdom or the morning at EPCOT and the evening at Magic Kingdom.
What I do know is that we’ll spend the evening at Magic Kingdom since we have a 5pm dinner at Be Our Guest, which is a restaurant located inside the beast’s castle. (I can’t wait to try the grey stuff!) Of course, if we’re both dying to head back to EPCOT for the entire day, I can cancel our reservation at Be Our Guest and we can go another time! I really want to make a plan on Friday based on where we want to be and what we want to do, especially if there’s something we weren’t able to do earlier in the week.
If we are at Magic Kingdom after dinner on Friday, we’ll enjoy Wishes, the fireworks show, one last time, before heading back to our hotel to pack and prepare for our departure the following day.
Saturday
Being that our flight departs early on Saturday morning back to Dallas, we won’t have time for anything but showers and breakfast before we load up and head back to the airport. Though an early flight means no more vacationing, it also means getting home early to rest, grocery shop, do laundry and prepare for the week ahead. We will, of course, also have Sunday to recover. I’m sure we’ll need both days–Disney is a super fun vacation, but not a super restful one. We can’t wait!
We’re really looking forward to our trip in May! I’ve already started packing and buying items here and there that we’ll need, which makes it feel so close and exciting. If you’re a Disney lover, you totally get this post and all the planning that goes behind Disney trips. If not, that’s okay–you can read one of my others! 😉
// What are your favorite attractions or restaurants in Disney? What’s your favorite park?
This post was so helpful! My husband and I are trying to plan a trip to Disney and feel very overwhelmed! Are y’all staying off-site? Our travel agent is recommending that we stay at a hotel on-site, but I’m trying to weigh the pros and cons of each (convenience of the close proximity to the park, travel time to and from park, cost of rental car, and the biggest factor – price).
Hi Brianna! I’m so happy for you and your husband–Disney is the best! We are staying off site. Our trip was a Christmas gift from my parents and most of it is being paid for by my mom’s travel points, since she travels many days a week all year long for work. (The flights, rental car, hotel, and even Universal tickets are being taken care of with her points! We’re paying for food and my parents bought our Disney tickets!)
We would have loved to stay on site and were interested in Port Orleans French Quarter or Riverside in particular. But you’re right–it is super pricey. There are definitely some conveniences to being on site, though some are more centered around families. For example, you can only get a dining plan if you’re staying on site. And though dining plans make the vacation feel all-inclusive, every breakdown I’ve seen shows that they aren’t worth the financial cost (though the peace of mind that comes from pre-paying may be worth it to many). Also, when you stay on site you can take advantage of extra magic hours. However, Shannon Albert (founder of WDWPrepSchool.com) actually recommends that you plan your trip around extra magic hours because that park will be most crowded. So, for example, if Magic Kingdom has EMHs on Monday, she says to play to go there on Tuesday, when the crowds have moved on to the next park with EMHs. (I highly highly recommend her site for help–she’s been my best resource!)
You also have to consider transportation. Off-site you have to drive and pay to park, but you can come and go as you please without waiting in long lines. Another consideration is making advanced fast past reservations–you can make them 30 days ahead of time if you’re staying on site and 60 days ahead of time if not. If you’re not going at a busy time of year, though, that may not matter.
I know there are so many things to consider! Like I said, check out WDWPrepSchool for help. At the end of the day, I would always prefer to stay on site because of the all-inclusive feel. However, when weighed against the cost, it makes more sense to stay off site and still get to have great (though pricey) dining reservations. I also do like the idea of having a rental car because Disney’s bus system is notoriously slow and inconsistent.
Oh, and one more thing. Magic bands. You can buy magic bands to use even if you stay off site (we did!), but you can’t use them as a credit card or a dining plan the way you could if you were on site. You can, however, use them for fast pass reservations, park entry, dining reservations, and memory maker!
Hope this was helpful! Feel free to email me if you’d like to further discuss–I’ve researched a lot!
xo,
b
I love your plan for Magic Kingdom – breaking up the day w/downtime at the hotel and a sit-down dinner in the evening. Not to mention, walking down Main Street w/o the crowd is simply magical.
I’m a Disney lover too, so this post is great! I’m counting down the days until my November trip for (hopefully!) the Wine and Dine half marathon.
Yes, a little downtime will be nice. (And probably necessary!) I should probably be “training” for our trip…most sources say we’ll walk about 10 miles daily. It’s starting to get warmer, maybe I’ll extend my Charley walks, hah! We can’t wait to walk down Main Street without the crowds! I can’t really imagine that!
I’m so glad you (and so many others) are Disney lovers, too! November is such a lovely time to go. And the Wine and Dine half marathon would be a blast! Good for you!
xo,
b
“Soarin'” in Epcot is definitely one of my favorite Disney rides! It actually may not have been built the last time you were at Disney World. It was first built in Disneyland and the ride there is actually called “Soarin’ over California.” It simulates hang gliding over Cali and gives you an incredibly real feeling, complete with mist on your face as you fly over the Golden Gate bridge. And it’s air conditioned! My other favorite Disney activity is super underrated and is actually a 4D movie in Magic Kingdom, Mickey’s PhilharMagic (also air conditioned!) The line moves super quick since it is in a large theater. It is a super fun experience and a nice way to sit down for a bit!
Soarin’ is my FAVORITE Disney ride of all time…AND IT’S CURRENTLY CLOSED. It’s being refurbished into Soarin’ around the world instead of just around the states. It’s supposed to reopen in the summer, but I wish it would open by May! I remember PhilharMagic!! We will definitely do that again now that you’ve reminded me!! Love it.
xo,
b
Nooo! I’m so sad! But at least you’ve been on it before. Guess you’ll just have to go back again one day 🙂
I know, I’m so sad too! Yes, definitely. We’ll have to go back. 😉
xo,
b
I would advise you to do Expedition Everest before the safari at Animal Kingdom! Everest is quick, so you can ride 2 or 3 times before any substantial line forms. The safari lines will still be very short then, and it will still be early morning! The only downside to this is that the attractions are on opposite sides of the park, but getting to ride Everest with little to no wait is worth it. It’s definitely one of my favorite rides!
We’re getting a Fast Pass for EE, so we should have any trouble getting right on, but if we can’t get Fast Passes, I’ll totally follow your recommendation! Thanks, Lily!
xo,
b
Ohh where to begin haha. First, WHEN ARE YOU GOING?! I’ll be there in May as well. Second, my family has been going to Disney at least once every year since I was born and refer to it as our second home. Also, California Grill is a permanent fixture on our dining each year. It is SUPERB. But! Last year I convinced them to all try Le Cellier. Mind. Blown. It has now earned a permanent spot. I also suggest that at downtown Disney you go to the bowling alley. You can bowl and eat dinner at the same time. It is so fun and the food is actually really excellent. That’s all I can remember I wanted to say for now but I’m sure I’ll think of more 😉 haha
We’ll be there the second week in May! So glad that you like our restaurant choices…and thanks for the awesome suggestions!!! 🙂
xo,
b
The last time I went to Disney World, I had dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table and loved it! The food was delicious and I loved having all the Disney princesses there. It was worth it for me.
YAY! I really can’t wait!!
xo,
b
I FOUND YOU! I couldn’t be happier that I found you. <3 Wedding planning is getting the best of me. 🙁
Aww, you’ll do great! Check out all of my wedding posts here for help if you need it: https://blairblogs.com/love-story-and-wedding/ Congratulations on your engagement!! Best of luck!
xo,
b
All I’ve gotta say is YES to Expedition Everest! xoxo rode it probably 8 times on our chorus trip in high school, half of those times alone because everyone else had moved on. So excited for you guys!!
AHH, now I really can’t wait. Anything with the Maddog seal of approval is great for me!
xo,
b
This is going to be such a great trip and I’m so excited for you guys! My husband and I are going to Washington DC in May so I’m loving all these preparatory posts 🙂 Speaking of my trip, we’re actually flying into Baltimore and will be spending half of a day there before catching our flight home do you have any recommendations for restaurants or things to do? I know that you grew up around there! Thanks!
Thanks, Corie! In Baltimore, definitely spend your afternoon in the Inner Harbor. It’s gorgeous and lots of fun! There are so many great waterfront restaurants. If you have the time, walk up to Federal Hill. The view is gorgeous and it’s where Riley and I got engaged! Have fun! 🙂
xo,
b