To-Do List, Continued
(For the summary of this itinerary, see this. For a 180 day calendar, see this.)
C. EXACTLY 6am EST, EXACTLY 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE
(For an 180 day calendar, see this).
Be on the restaurant website here by at least 5:50am EST, and have your Cindy reservation all set up on the page. Keep refreshing, as you will be let in as soon as Disney’s system decides it is 6a.
Make as many of the following as you have patience for (try to get through at least Akershus), in the exact order listed:
- Cinderella’s Royal Table Lunch (dining plan, 2 credits): Wednesday at 11a or later if you can; earlier than 11 only if your sole option…
- Chef Mickey’s (cash): Saturday at 10:30a if you can; ok anytime 9a and later, but earlier times cut into sleeping-in time
- Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue (dining plan, two credits): Monday 6:15p show. The other two times don’t work well
- San Angel Inn as Candlelight Processional Package for the 8:15 Candlelight Processional show (dining plan, 2 credits): Friday 5:30. Earlier OK but cuts into your pool/nap time; no later than 6:30p
- Crystal Palace (dining plan): Second Saturday 6p if you can; earlier ok, but not later than 6:30p
- Akershus Banquet (dining plan): First Saturday 6:30p if you can, but no earlier than 6:15p, no later than 8p
- Downtown Disney’s Rainforest Café (NOT the Rainforest café at the Animal Kingdom!!) (cash): Wednesday 8p if you can; no earlier, but later is ok
For those you don’t make online, make them by calling call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463)
D. 180 DAYS BEFORE EACH OF YOUR MVMCP CIRQUE AND HOUSE OF BLUES DATES
1. Go to the site for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and order tickets for your family for Tuesday (Cash)
2. Order your Cirque du Soleil tickets (Category 2) for the 6p show on Wednesday at this site (cash).
3. Call the House of Blues Orlando at (407) 934-BLUE and order tickets for your second Sunday 10:30 Gospel Brunch (cash)
E. NOTES ON PACKING, ETC. BEFORE YOU LEAVE
1. Check in online at the link you can find on this page
2. If you use Disney’s Magical Express, you do not need to collect your bags at the Orlando airport. Disney will get them for you and, eventually, deliver them directly to your room. Your bags may arrive hours after you do; so, depending on the weather forecasts, have a carry-on with an appropriate change of clothes for Orlando weather on Saturday, as you will almost certainly go to Epcot on Saturday before your checked bags arrive.
3. Follow the instructions in the Magical Express packet you will receive in the mail regarding both tagging your bags pre-departure, and where to go at the Orlando airport to find your transport to your resort.
4. Bring a copy of your room reservation, confirmation numbers (such as for the Gospel Brunch) and any tickets for special events you may have received in the mail.
5. Pack breakfast utensils, as they are not always available in the gift shop: bowls, spoons, napkins
6. When you arrive at the hotel, look for the special “On-line Check-in” line, and get into it.
LINKS TO DAYS AND TO-DO LIST
The links below take you to pages with specific guidance on what to do every day of your first family Walt Disney World vacation, and the To-Do List for preparing for your trip.
- Summary
- To-Do List
- First Saturday
- First Sunday
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Second Saturday
- Second Sunday
LINKS TO BASIC ITINERARY VARIANTS
BASIC ITINERARY LESS SECOND SUNDAY: Summary To-Do List
BASIC ITINERARY LESS FIRST SATURDAY: Summary To-Do List
BASIC ITINERARY LESS FIRST SATURDAY AND SECOND SUNDAY: Summary To-Do List
BASIC ITINERARY 5 NIGHT VERSION: Summary To-Do List
BASIC ITINERARY RELAXED VERSION: Summary To-Do List
ITINERARY LINKS
- For itinerary design goals and the basic December Itinerary, see this
- For shorter and longer itineraries targeted at the same December week, see this
- For itineraries covering all the other parts of the year, see this
- To design your own itinerary, see this
- For rides that might be skipped, see this
- For a comprehensive guide to rides and attractions, see this
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10 comments
Dave, Thanks to your recommendations I just booked the Polynesian and requested the Tahiti 3rd floor! If I book a reservation for the Royal Table I have to pay now. But when I get there do I just show them my dining plan and get refunded? Thank for all your help!
Hey Bryan–that’s exactly it! See this thread on disboards.com: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1782116
Hi Dave: What a great site! I am planning our 3rd family trip to Disney and have always booked directly with Disney. Is there any risk booking through Disney Destinations? I did request a quote; they seem very nice and knowledgeable; i guess I want to make sure it all goes smoothly. Thank you for all of the great information – I plan to book the Polynesian!
Hiya Theresa, and thanks!–I assume you are talking about “Destinations in Florida,” my travel agent partner?
The basic trade-off for working with any travel agency is the trade off between time and control. Working with a travel agent takes less of your time–this matters more to first time visitors than to people experienced with the Disney systems–but in turn somebody else is doing your stuff, not you, which can lead to worries about exactly whats happening, and one extra step if you want to change something.
The first step in resolving this is working with an agency that is trustworthy (which these guys are), and the second–which many can’t do–is living with the absence of control…
You SHOULD be able to attach CRT to your dining plan (you need your resort reservation number) when booking online. However, disneyworld.com often has trouble attaching the dining plan to dining reservations and unfortuantely IT cannot fix this if you’re one of these guests. If the website attempts to charge your card we ask that you don’t complete the booking and pay….please just call us to book any dinner shows and Cinderella’s Royal Table to ensure the reservations get attached to the dining plan and you aren’t charged. But if you do pay by accident and your reservation is months away you can call us and we can rebook it and cancel the old reservation and refund your card (if you are inside of a couple of months of the resrvation just have the podium refund your card and use the dining plan on arrival). (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463)
Thanks as always! Do you have any interest in doing a guest post on this topic?
I was wondering if any of the restuarants in Epcot would work for the candlelight processional package. Why did you chose San Angel Inn? Thinking about Corel Reef
Thanks.
Hi Julie, no it can’t be any. You can find the list here: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/special-events/candlelight-processional/ Coral Reef is on it!
See the image on this page for why I recommend San Angel instead: http://yourfirstvisit.net/planning-your-first-family-trip/where-to-eat/dining-alternatives/the-comprehensive-guide-to-walt-disney-world-dining/the-comprehensive-guide-to-epcot-area-dining/
Hi Dave. Is the online system still opening at 6 a.m.?
If traveling the first week of December (week right after Thanksgiving), do you believe I still have to make the reservations 180 days before? If I am not sure yet what exact day we will do a breakfast at Cinderella’s castle, it is ok to make a reservation for a couple of days and then cancel later? there is no charge right?
also, with a 4-year old (almost 5 by then), do you recommend the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party? Or is it targeted to an older crowd?
thanks!
Hi Chanelle!
I don’t check the system so I don’t know how well it’s operating, but it’s supposed to open at 6a.
Yes, your dates are less crowded–but they are also the dates that experienced visitors–who all know you have to book 180 days out–go, so the most popular dining venues still should be reserved 180 days out.
I think that the party is a great choice for a kid that age!
You can multiple book and then cancel and get your deposits/pre-payments refunded. Cancel as soon as possible–both to make sure your money flows back and to open possibilities for others!
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