Finalizing our Schedule

Walt Disney World
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Alright DH and I did the food budget today so this is what I’m looking at. I’m pretty confident that we have a good plan, but it is my first time including resort days and staying within easy travel/walking distance of EP and DHS. Tell me oh wise forum what I haven’t thought of:

Dates - July 2 to July 9
Travelers - two adults (me and DH)
Parks - MK, EP, and HS (no AK for DH this time)
Resort - WDW Dolphin

July 2

  • Arrive at MCO 3:45
  • Uber to WDW Dolphin (believe it will be cheaper than shuttle)
  • Dinner at Kimonos

July 3

  • DH will play golf in the morning, eating breakfast at Picabu first
  • PPO BOG for me (just for the early access, probably will only get a Bellini)
  • Peter Pan float and Hei Hei ice cream cone are on my snack list
  • DH will join around 3 or 4 for a few rides
  • Dinner at CHH
  • Fireworks… maybe from the hub if we decide to brave it and stake out a spot early enough

July 4

  • Resort day at the pool (recover from being trampled on the way out of MK the previous night)
  • Breakfast at Picabu
  • Lunch at the Cabana Bar
  • Dinner ADR for 5:15 at California Grill (hoping to move later, res finder is on it)
  • Watch fireworks from the top of CR

July 5

  • Breakfast at Java Bar
  • Full day at EP
  • Behind the Seeds tour (no time scheduled yet)
  • Lunch at Sunshine Seasons
  • Afternoon in World Showcase
  • Dinner at Spice Road Table to watch Illuminations

July 6

  • Breakfast at Picabu
  • Resort day, enjoying the pool until mid afternoon
  • DHS for ToT, RNR and one of the TSL rides
  • Dinner at the Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge
  • Watch Star Wars fireworks

July 7

  • crazy teacher friend and I attempt the every ride challenge on what is probably going to be a really busy day.
  • DH plays golf and steers clear of the crazy people (but in all reality maybe meets us in the park where we finish…or stop in our potentially futile but still super fun attempt)

July 8

  • Breakfast at Java Bar
  • DHS in the morning to shortly after lunch. RD to do TSL and the new pixar things that we will have not done yet. (no shows, as we’ve seen them and they are not top favorites that need attention on this trip).
  • Head to EP to spend the late afternoon/evening snacking through World Showcase. Hoping to grab a SDFP for Illuminations to end the trip.
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:grinning: I think it looks great!

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Like it! Only option I would give is to rent a car one way from Mco to hotel… I usually do Alamo at Dolphin/swan and then this way you could stop for some goodies for the room…but park wise I like it a lot.
Every Ride…trip report

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I can’t get further than this. Liquid breakfast?! Hardcore.

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:joy::joy::joy: if I’m feeling really healthy i’ll get a cupcake too. Figure if I’m crazy enough to do WDW the week of the 4th, I may as well lean in :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Ooooo thanks for the tip!!!

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Can you tell me more about this challenge? Is it just MK or all parks. This sounds so fun to try. Also your trip sounds like just the right amount of relaxing mixed with madness. Very cool

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So I first heard about the idea of trying to ride every ride in one day through Parkeology.

However the every ride gives a bit more meaning with the opportunity to fund raise to support a good cause.

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How is that even physically possible in WDW?! :astonished: I know that during busy seasons they have longer hours, but there are also longer waits then too.

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WOW!! Every ride? We did 4-park challenge a few years back and it was fun but we were exhausted!! (Think our goal was the “headliners”). I will have to go find my old trip report and read it!! :grinning:

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It requires tremendous strategy, lots of good luck, perfect weather, and low crowds. Not many have succeeded as compared to the number who have attempted!

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Big fan of Swan / Dolphin.
Big fan of Kimonos
You guys must really like Picabu?
Don’t overlook FUEL for breakfast sandwiches, and hot/cold deli subs. They also have a froyo self serve setup that is kinda nice/convenient.

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Thank for the specific feedback! This is our first time at the Swan/Dolphin. I had heard good things about Picabu, but will add Fuel to the list. There isn’t a ton of info out there about the on site food options (or other specifics) for these resorts so any other info you have share about eating at the resort would be super welcome!

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Kind of like eating the 72 oz steak at The Big Texan- although at Disney there isn’t a park full of people watching you fail.

Except… they should put the Every Ride Challengers on a screen, like the Hunger Games. That would. be awesome. People could send you snacks!!

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OK
Kimonos -
Order simple nigiri and stay away from expensive hipster mayo maki (tongue in cheek description - if designer maki is your thing, then of course, go for it) Their nigiri quality and price might make you think the place is a bargain.

Picabu -
It’s all fine and dandy, and the food is decent, but it’s kinda no-frills. It’s a little gloomy, for lack of a better word. Think small cafeteria with a decent selection food, and a carpeted, decent sized seating area. I don’t think there are any windows. I mean, it’s fine, and it’s good, but if there’s one place in Swolpin that is “matter of fact” - Picabu is it. It might as well be in a Best Western in Kansas. It is what ii is, and it is not trying to be anything else. You’ll see. If you are looking for Happy, Fun, DISNEYWORLD breakfast, Picabu is not that. Well priced and good? Yes.

Cabana Bar and Garden Grove:
Check daily menus. Sometimes they have special menus, like BBQ night. GG does have a seafood buffet a few nights per week.

Il Mulino and Shula’s - I’ve never been to either, but they are both ALWAYS mentioned in the “Best Italian / Best Steak” in WDW threads. Always. And they are always, mentioned by some as “clear winner.”

FUEL -
I thought our 9 dollar hot sandwiches were going to be a “hotel priced letdown” but I will go back every time we visit for those. Kimonos and Fuel are our DEFINITES now. I’d try to get to Kimonos at least twice in a 5 night stay. Kimonos is NOT going to be the best sushi you’ve ever had, BUT, in the realm of WDW overpriced everything, I’d rather pay for sushi at Kimonos, than eat a 20.00 over priced, so-so meal. Kimonos nigiri is probably the same price as one of your neighborhood sushi joints, and the quality is there. Fuel has packaged snacks, cold drinks, and hot sandwiches (breakfast sandwiches, too!) They also have that froyo station with 4 or 5 flavors, plus a self serve toppings bar - like a small Red Mango if you are familiar. When we went last time, they had a “Dole Whip” flavor, and guess what? It was fantastic. I got a vague answer when I asked two different workers if it was in fact Dole Whip, or froyo.

The Fountain is a diner themed restaurant that is just out of place. It’s kinda near an entrance, and it has short walls. So it’s just a little bit weird to be seated at a table at a busy time with people walking along the hotel hallways. The Fountain is good, but I think it’s about 2 dollars overpriced per meal. Burgers, sandwiches, and ice cream. Some interesting sundaes. I’d rather go to fuel, and get one of their sandwiches, and some froyo, but that’s me. Did I mention that Fuel was surprisingly good?

Todd’s Bluezoo - never been, but it’s another Swolphin place that is ALWAYS in the convo of best seafood in WDW. They have a happy hour menu, that, rumor has it, should be on everyone’s radar if you are near at happy hour times.

Boardwalk is at your back door, of course. I’m fan of stopping Ample Hills on my way back from Epcot, or on my way TO Epcot, or, well, frankly, any time I leave my room.

The pool -
Check out the seating area RIGHT BEHIND the waterfall. That’s my jam, right there. Water fountains, and bathrooms, and you can slip into the pool behind the waterfall That waterfall is nice shoulder massage, btw.

Also, Dolphin’s hallways might be confusing. You’ll laugh about this post when you are walking - you’ll see. Pro Tip tho - There’s an escalator RIGHT NEXT to Picabu that goes straight to the bus queue. There’s also a walking path at the bus queue that leads RIGHT TO to pool complex. We are pool people, so we stay at those rooms down the hallway next to the fitness room (which is also VERY NICE - lots of towels and bottled water in fridges in the fitness room!) Those rooms have patios with tables and chairs, and you can walk out of your sliding doors right to the pool walkway. Highly recommend those rooms if you are pool ppl. Beats elevators and long hallways. They are also close to the bus, the fitness room, and picabu as well.
Next to the fitness center just inside the entrance from the pool complex is an electric board with Hotel activites for the day/week.

Enjoy your stay!
Also, on your MK fireworks day? Have you thought about doing the dessert party? There’s more than just desserts. We made it a dinner, and we ate VERY well. Well, it wasn’t healthy, so we ate a lot, maybe not “well.” They had cheeseburger egg rolls, and spinach dip, plus deli meat/cheese crackers - it’s not just desserts.

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Thank you so much for this!

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Or Fast passes😜
My husband said instead of the gamer sending deadly things we could send lost little kids or families on their cell phones to slow them down.
We are liking this Isea too much.

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