Yup, done that 
One very small item ticked off the to-do list 
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Herre is the deal - donât wreck the vacation by over planning.
You are going with 2 4 yr olds that will be amazed by a balloon for 15 minutes. I remember one time we were there and I litterally said - âStop (having fun) - we are late for having fun over THERE!!â So go, have a bit of a plan, know you wonât see everything or even close to all of it - but go at your kidâs pace. YES I try to get maximum ROI on the rides - but you need to switch it to maximum ROI with your family. Go early, go at their pace, take naps - and just be in the NOW of the vacation. Everything will work out
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There is no essential blueprint. You could eschew all tips and suggestions, and have a great time at WDW. Miss rope drop, pick fastpasses for nothing but parades and Small World, eat all your meals at Tonyâs⌠youâll still have a blast. That said, if youâre here, it means youâre a planner, so this is what I would recommend:
- Make Rope Drop (RD) a priority
- Schedule mid-day breaks every day. Two hour minimum
- Have many snacks handy, or be prepared to buy. Give your children a little something every hour. We donât do this normally, but always at the world
- Consider not doing any fireworks. Many wouldnât even consider skipping, but with small children and considering the impact and stimulation of a day at WDW, think about it. At most, I would do 1 evening show at Magic Kingdom (MK), one at Epcot in your whole 2 week stay
- And on the subject of such a long stay, plan on minimum 2 pool days. And I mean pool days⌠youâll be tempted to stray (e.g. go to Downtown Disney on one of your off days). Donât do it, trust me.
- Not all Table Service restaurants require 180 days notice. Try lunch at Biergarten on your Epcot day. Show starts at 1:15pm, otherwise Iâd recommend noon lunch. Iâm sure that you could get a reservation there now, and do Rose & Crown for supper if you have a relative working there
- Iâd give serious thought to cancelling your dining plan and paying out of pocket. Dining plans rarely save money, and if you want to do any sit down restaurants at all (like Rose & Crown), it gets awkward using up the credits.
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We travel to Western Europe and back yearly with our kids 4 and 7. The time change and jet lag are GREAT NEWS for rope drop- your kids will be up and at 'em by 4 am for the first few days.
As for the rest- you have pretty sound advice here! These guys know what theyâre talking about! I second all of their advice!
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If youâre intent on arriving at rope drop, plan for at least an hour to get to a park. Disneyâs Caribbean Beach Resort has 7 motor coach stops that are stopped at before they leave the resort. Depending on where you stay (what section within the resort), your ride time on the motor coaches will vary.
I recommend requesting a room that is relatively close to a bus stop if you can.
My familyâs very favorite restaurant in WDW is the Wolfgang Puckâs Express in Disney Springs (the one next to the Christmas store. The one by Cirque De Soleil is disappointing!). Itâs Quick Service - but you feel like itâs Table Service! You order at the counter and they bring it to you in the dining room - which looks like a restaurant anyway. The food (everything!) is fantastic - and the Crème Bruleeâ is Killer! Defintately try it if you can!
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I booked our first trip at about the same time out. Bought the UG joined lines, learned what I could and we had a great time. You are taking the time to learn, so you will be fine. My only thing to add is that with little kids, being there early is important but if you arenât there at the exact moment of rope drop you will still get a ton done in the morning. We sometimes got there 15 minutes after rd it isnât the end of the world. And I really donât understand waiting an hour or more before the parks open just to not wait in line! BUT my kids are little and headliners are often not the goal.
I have taken my four year old niece over the past year and the only advice I would add is be aware sometimes the fireworks scare younger children. My niece wears headphones during the night time shows. Your children my not have this problem but I was caught off guard the first time she started crying during the fireworks.
If thereâs a popular ADR you want and itâs book up, keep trying - people cancel all the time! I booked and planned a trip in under 60 days over the summer, and just by checking back often I was able to get all FPP+ and ADRs I wanted, including Toy Story and Be Our Guest breakfast!
Welcome! Best advice for little kids I have ever heard is to take their lead. Likely theyâll be early birds but will tire by early afternoon. Take a break for a nap or pool time, then return later if you want. I find we only need a break at MK as it is the longest day for us.
And I agree about letting them keep doing things that may seem important, but that interest them greatly. My DD4 spent lots of time coloring at Epcot. Much to my displeasure. 
But she loved it and that is what matters.
If you have ANY question I would pose it on the Chat. You will get a timely and enthusiastic response, even if it is a question that is asked frequently. Many others probably have the same question and will benefit as much as you.