This To-Do List is for the Six Night variant of the FastPass+ 2016 Basic December Itinerary. For To-Do-Lists for other itineraries, see this.
A. MORE THAN 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR PLANNED ARRIVAL DATE
(Note that a good travel agent, such as Destinations in Florida, can do almost all of this for you, for free. If you use Destinations in Florida as you travel agent through a link for this site–like this one–then they share a bit of the pixie dust they get from Disney with me.)
1. Confirm your budget, planned dates, intended hotel, kids’ development and heights, and your transportation choice and its availability for your planned dates.
2. Make your plane reservations, if flying. Make any other needed transportation arrangements.
3. Create your My Disney Experience account here and add your family members to it
4. Set up your hotel and tickets. Call 407-939-7675 (preferred, because this allows you to tell the reservationist which building at your resort you wish to be in), or click here to use Disney’s online system.
- If you are following my itinerary, you want the hotel you’ve picked for six nights, seven day, no hopper, no “water parks and more” tickets, the Dining Plan, and Disney’s Magical Express
B. 181 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE
1. Login to your MyDisneyExperience.com account, click the “Things to Do” tab at top right, under Dining hit “Make Reservations,” and practice trying to reserve restaurants (hint: use the search box at the upper right).
This may well drive you crazy, but the site works better than it used to…and is likely the only way you can get your Cindy reservations done! (as the site opens up a new reservable day at 6a, whereas the phone reservation line opens at 7a).
2. Collect your planned restaurant reservations together. You will want to do them online in order of hardest to reserve first. This is how they are listed below.
C. EXACTLY 6am EST, EXACTLY 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE
(For an 180 day calendar, see this).
1. Be on the restaurant website 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.
2. Make as many of the following as you have patience for (try to get through at least Chef Mickey’s), in the exact order listed:
- Cinderella’s Royal Table Lunch (dining plan, two credits): Thursday at 11a or later if you can; earlier than 11 only if your sole option…
- Chef Mickey’s (dining plan, one credit) Thursday 7p. Later is OK, but not a whole lot earlier
- San Angel Inn as Candlelight Processional Dining Package (dining plan, two credits): Wednesday 5.45p. Can be earlier but not later.
- Crystal Palace around 5.30p Tuesday. Earlier is OK, but not much later
For those you don’t make online, make them by calling call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463)
3. Go to the site for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and order tickets for your family for Tuesday
D. 60 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE
1. Go to your MyDisneyExperience account at 7a and set up the following FastPass+
- Saturday evening at Epcot: Book just one, Test Track, for 6-7p
- Sunday at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Expedition Everest 9-10a, DINOSAUR 10-11a, Kali River Rapids 1-2p
- Monday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Tower of Terror 9-10a, Toy Story Midway Mania 10-11a, Frozen Sing-Along 11.30a show
- Tuesday at Magic Kingdom: Haunted Mansion 11.30a-12.30p, Peter Pan 12.30-1.30p, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 1.30-2.30p
- Wednesday at Epcot: Soarin’ 11a-noon, Living with the Land noon-1p, Turtle Talk with Crush 2p show
- Thursday at Magic Kingdom: Book afternoon FastPass+ for Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain. Design the times for them around the time of your reservation for Cinderella’s Royal Table, and don’t set one for 2.30-3.30p, as you will need that time for the afternoon parade. (A FP+ 2-3p and/or 3-4p is OK, as you can use them at the beginning of the 2p window or end of the 3p window without interrupting your parade viewing.
- Friday at Epcot: Spaceship Earth 9-10a, Mission Space 10-11a, Frozen Ever After 11a-noon
2. Do online check in, requesting as you do special location points
E. NOTES ON PACKING ETC. BEFORE YOU LEAVE
1. Bring your MagicBands in your carry-ons
2. If you use Disney’s Magical Express, you do not need to collect your bags at the Orlando airport unless you arrive late in the evening/at night or are an international traveler. 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 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.
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!
