But you are so close to so much of Europe and other places I want to see. My trip to Italy next summer for DH and I is costing us a small fortune if that gives you any consolation.
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Planning update
Well, there’s a week and a half to go, so I’ve started reviewing and refining my no-plan plan. (I’ve also had my traditional inexplicable-depression-before-a-Disney-trip depression, which was less fun than it sounds. I think I’m out of it now.)
So, anyhoo, there have been some changes I haven’t told you about. You might be cross.
Accommodations
AKL is out. I got buyer’s remorse when I entered the cost into my spreadsheet. I’ve compromised with perhaps my favourite resort that I’ve stayed at (though only once): CSR. This halved the cost. It also helps deal with a problem: how to get Three Bridges into the schedule. Well, I’m staying there now, so 3B is the dining destination on arrival day. This also deals with the worry about “will I make my ADR on arrival day?” 3B doesn’t do ADRs, so no time pressure, and it stays open till late.
Dining
It turns out that food is important to me, so dining has led the planning. Originally I went for my usual breakfast strategy, but that won’t work this time because of all of the very late nights that I’ll be doing with the After Hours events. Equally, I don’t want to be wasting park time in restaurants, when I’m let in at 7pm and will be wanting to make the most of my time.
So I came up with an Early Dinner Strategy — at least for the first two days.
I’m limited to restaurants outside the parks on those days, and I wanted to choose venues that made sense in terms of where I’d be likely to be and the other goals I’d set.
For my EP After Hours day, that ended up being fairly straightforward: Narcoossee’s. First off, I’ve never been there, and I’m trying to avoid (too much) repetition. Secondly, it’s in the GF, which is a definite destination for me: I want to spend some time in the lobby, listening to the pianist. Thirdly, it’s on the monorail loop, and I want to arrive at EP by monorail, as I want to do the part that encircles SSE.
My HS After Hours day proved to be more tricky. I am, of course, limited by what ADRs are actually available. At first, I allowed myself to be tempted by CG reservations that kept popping up. I’m jonesing for a good steak, and I find the view breathtaking. Annoyingly, although the 50th prix fixe has gone, it has been replaced with another prix fixe, and one that I don’t find particularly inspiring. But the final nail in the coffin was watching a WDWNT YouTube review: while they had window seats, the window shades were almost completely down, so no breathtaking view to admire on arrival, or while dining.
But my HS day is also supposed to be focussed around the Skyliner, and CG is nowhere near that. I was eventually drawn to Flying Fish. It ticks all the boxes and recent reviews suggest that it’s as good as it’s ever been.
Touring
Day 1 starts with breakfast in the hotel. I adore the Barcelona Bar, and they serve breakfast, and I’m not tied to a time, so that’s perfect. I get up when I get up and I eat when I eat.
The focus of the first part of the day is touring Skyliner resorts. The following route makes sense to me: bus to HS, Skyliner to RR and CBR, Skyliner to BC, then YC, Swan and Dolphin, boat to BW, and dinner at Flying Fish. Perfect, no?
From there, Skyliner to HS for After Hours. I’ll have three hours of general entry, and three hours of AH access. I have no idea what my plan is for either of those times.
Day 2 starts with a trip to DS. No specific plan other than to find somewhere to eat (I’m thinking Earl of Sandwich, or the Chicken Guy, or Polite Pig, or do I get the ribs from Morimoto Asia . . . there are many options: maybe mix and match during the day — though better not eat too much as I have Narcoossee’s at 5pm). At some point I want to take a boat to . . . well, which resort did we settle on that’s worth visiting? Port Orleans?
From there a bus to MK and the walk to GF for the lobby pianist and dinner. I’ll take the monorail to EP, either by walking to the TTC via the Poly, or by taking the monorail all the way round the lake.
I have a bit of a plan for EP AH. Do SSE and Soarin’ on arrival. Aim to be at GOTG shortly before 9pm, when I believe AH people can get in line. I’m planning on skipping Epcot Forever, unless someone can convince me otherwise.
I’m worried about EP AH. It’s had terrible reviews (for the one night they’ve so far run it). There aren’t that many attractions at EP, and they’ve done dumb things like roping off half of WS so you can’t enjoy a quiet walk around it, and put in a pointless DJ, so that there’s awful music instead of Disney music. I’ve read about long lines at GOTG. In hindsight, maybe I should have bought a day ticket and paid for a GOTG LL?
Day 3 is MK. It starts with an early lunch at Kona Café, at @JuliaMc’s request. And then? I have no idea. I need a park pass to MK in order to ride Tron, so that’s why I booked it. And that’s my one objective. Oh, and watching HEA, of course. Other than that? MK is my least favourite park. I’m not a Walt worshipper and I’m not that impressed by OG rides and attractions. Oh, other than PM, of course. Dinner is at LTT, also at @JuliaMc’s request. Maybe I’ll blow her off and do BOG.
Day 4 is AK. Not much of a plan here, either. I currently have breakfast at TH and I’d like to have dinner at Satu’li. I really want to do the Rhinos or Elephants thing, but there’s currently no availability. In the evening I have After Hours at Typhoon Lagoon.
The original plan was to transfer to UOR that night. I realised that this was idiotic, so I extended my WDW stay by a night, and reduced my UOR stay by a night. As that means I’m only staying there one night, I was able to persuade myself that it was OK to move from ES to Aventura.
Days 5 and 6 are at UOR. No plans for these days. There are things I want to do — visit the Jurassic Park Tribute Store, for example — but no schedule.
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Two additional thoughts about CSR. First, I’d vaguely like to take advantage of the great pool they have, so that might happen before breakfast on the first day. Second, they have a Spanish tiles class that looks really interesting. You make one of these:
It’s held in the Dahlia Lounge, at the top of the tower, which gives access to the balcony and view, that I believe is not normally available during the day.
The timing of the class is not great: I would have to do it on my first day, and it runs from 1-3pm: right in the middle of my Skyliner tour.
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Your plan looks great. I only have two questions: how does Chick-fil-A fit in and why is @JuliaMc making you go to LTT?
Also, with the heat you might take the boat, but the walk from BW to the Skyliner feels as long as to walk to HS.
Okay – one more question based upon the tile class: how do I convince my family that I need to go to WDW without them? They think I would miss them and should always take at least one of them along.
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The quiet pools in the various areas are really nice at night too - we stayed in Casitas, but walked over to the Ranchos pool one night to hang out because my daughter liked how it was more remote there. (Casitas quiet pool was nice too, of course.)
Also: When going to 3 Bridges, even if it looks empty I’d suggest adding yourself to the list in MDE before walking over. We saw some people told to come back later when we arrived at opening, even though the place had zero people in it yet - but because I had added us in MDE they just sat us down.
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I’m very sad to hear this. You need to do this one day. I’d be happy to stay there and not go anywhere else, TBH.
Completely understandable.
Overall, I love your no-plan plan. If I were to go to WDW I’m the summer again, I would want to do the evening thing for sure.
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This will be faster by boat or walking cuz you’ll have to skyliner to CBR and then catch another to DHS. But if it’s all about the leisurely view go for it!
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100%. Especially with some kind of view from your balcony, I could just never leave the balcony. Except to have a bread service at Sanaa of course.
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That may not be possible for your trip, unless things improve. Keep an eye on the situation.
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Of course. Still a great view.
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Booo – without the boat, I don’t think I’d bother unless you are dying for a beignet or can manage to see YeeHa Bob
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I wonder if you ask nicely will they allow you to swap? I mean, either way they’re getting $$.
Trust her on this one. LTT is prob the best meal in MK, even above CRT… with the potential exception of the nutella waffle.
ahhh i’m so jealous. in my upcoming 31 hour trip, i just won’t be able to make it over there. i am one of those annoying super fans who could quote the entire movie and has seen it somewhere in the triple digit range.
don’t underestimate his power. the joy i felt watching him perform was up there in my top disney moments and recaptured some magic for me.
The only thing I don’t like about your plans is that they don’t overlap with mine!
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When I couldn’t make the Christmas Party I asked what to do and they said I could apply those funds to another ticket so maybe that is possible?
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This is pretty accurate depending on where at BW you are. We were in the villas, so closest building to HS but we clocked it - it was .42 miles and a nine minute walk (at a purposeful pace) to security at HS. I didn’t track the walk to the skyliner, but probably a hair less than the walk to HS. However, because you have to switch lines, the actual travel time was close to 30 minutes. So agreed with the other posts - if you haven’t had your fill of the skyliner that day yet, do it. Otherwise, walking to HS from BW is way faster.
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This was a goal for us! We enjoyed it. Wine is far too expensive in my opinion… not just a little too expensive but more like “even for Disney this is crazy expensive”
As I said before, we loved that too.
This was a goal for me too. We did it!
We ate there in April, it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had at WDW…
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I’m not 100% sure the path from GF to Poly is open… it looked like it was inside the construction zone. I could have been looking at a different path though…
This was a thing for us last week. We planned to take the boat from OKW to DS for our dinner at Morimoto Asia… boat was closed because of water levels. So definitely check on that when you arrive.
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BlogMickey’s April 5, 2023 article said it was - at the time. There are several photos.
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It very well could be, I noticed a path that seemed to be inside a fence, but I completely admit that it was a passing glance and I wasn’t REALLY looking for it.
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The new path ( that you don’t need to cross the street) from Poly to GF is open. You walk past the construction zone.
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If you specifically want to spend time on the boat, this works, but it is a really short walk from Swalphin and you will have at least one stop between the two resorts (Epcot route will stop at BCV first). Mighr be worth walking this.one and enjoying the Boardwalk.
Worth visiting. Love this pool amd walking around alligator Bayou area.
Agree with this, if you want boat time, this is when I would take it. But I love the boat.
Wait - I knew there was an accidental “magical moment” I hadn’t thought of. It involved thinking you could catch a cab from the IG, with a melting down child at the end of the day, not knowing what I was doing and getting on the boat. Came around the corner and saw Crescemt lake for the first time, all lit up. I was so enchanted. Just smitten. I love the boat.
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