Please help me think this through for my June trip - table meals and magical extras

Hello! I need wise Liner input, please!

Trip dates: Tuesday, June 12 - Thursday, June 22
Resort: All-Star Movies preferred, room-only reservation
Tickets: 6-day base via Undercover Tourist
Travel party: me, DH, DS19, DS8
Celebrations! My 50th (5/27), DS19’s 19th (5/27), our 11th wedding anniversary (6/9), DS8 last day of school (6/9) and Father’s Day (6/18)
Touring styles: Park commando (me), go with the flow (everyone else). My younger usually gets up early with me. My teen could sleep all day. Hubs is a late sleeper, too, but he typically gets up early for Disney. I am trying to relax a little to accommodate (e.g., go slower, probably not the first to rope drop), without being foolish (e.g., unwilling to miss early a.m. touring to avoid heat and crowds). I’ve already told hubs it is ok for us to separate some time for all of us to do our thing. His style is to like to stick together but he’s ok with separating occasionally.

First question: Does anyone see any glaring problems with this plan? I know the parks will be busier on the weekend than the weekdays, but I am avoiding MK and EP on the weekend, HS is basically always busy, and I am thinking a good touring plan, and maybe G+ and ILLs, will help us achieve our goals.

Park Reservations:
T 6/13 Depart CLE → BWI → MCO arrive 3:45 p.m. - check in, pool, dinner at resort, smores, movie under the stars, early bed
Wed 6/14 - MK Day 1 of 2
Thu 6/15 - EP Day 1 of 2
Fri 6/16- Rest Day 1 of 2
Sat 6/17 - AK Day 1 of 1
Sun 6/18 - HS Day 1 of 1
Mon 6/19 - Rest Day 2 of 2
Tue 6/20 - EP Day 2 of 2 (Hubs)
Wed 6/21 - MK Day 2 of 2
Thur 6/22 -Check-out, Brunch at Homecomin’, shop, possibly pool, arrive MCO 4:45, depart MCO 7:45 → BWI → CLE

Question 2: I want your feedback about my first MK day. I am using MK Day 1 as kind of a celebration day for the birthdays.
Capture Your Moment: 9:15
CRT breakfast: 10:00
Tour 11:30 - 1
Mid-day break 1-5 p.m.
Tour 5 - 8:30
Fireworks Dessert After-party Check in starts at 8:15, I am ok to let the crowd get ahead of us a little at the hub. Fireworks are currently expected for 9:15.

The dessert party, a 2nd EP day, and mid-day breaks are literally the only things that hubs asked to do. He hates the fireworks crowds and liked the dedicated space he had from our Thanksgiving night 2019 party.

Please tell me this looks like the start to a great day. We may not do a ton of rides but we will relax and enjoy ourselves in the MK. Tell me that we’ve got two days at MK, and we will have plenty of time to tour. Please tell me a park commando can change.

I’ve also considered having breakfast at 8 and bumping CYM to 9:45. Thoughts?

And I’ve considered moving the dessert party to my 2nd MK day to spread out the celebrations. More thoughts?

Thanks, Liners. I appreciate your input.

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Your first MK day looks perfect!

I am also ‘commando style’ and we end up running through parks a lot to pack as many rides as possible. Sometimes we need to make a conscious effort to slow down and feel like we are on vacation. Because we are :smiley: . I would not move breakfast to 8 am either.

Mid-day break is a great idea (even life-saving in summer heat)!

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Do CYM first. It could be roasting and you want to look fresh for the photos. There is always a chance of breakfast spilling on a nice shirt - so I would do CYM and then breakfast as you have outlined.

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I think moving your dessert party to the 2nd MK day would be a nice idea. That way you have that really special experience of the good viewing of the fireworks on your last night, and it spreads to special events out a bit more. Plus, that might make you feel less stressed about the lack of touring on your first MK day? You could instead use those evening hours on that first day to get rides in during the fireworks.

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Totally agree with this. We did this on our Feb trip. Last MK day! It was the perfect send off before we had to depart the next day.

When we were there in June of ‘22, I did two rope drop mornings. Fam hated me and complained all morning. And then I did two late start morning where I stacked G+ for the afternoon and evening and those happened to be my fam’s favorite days in the parks. I was on the struggle bud though because I am up before the rooster and ready to go!

Their most fave days were our rest days. Fort Wilderness is a vacation in itself!

Sounds like a great plan so far. Just remember the monistat chaffing cream, and the neck fans for everyone. Summer is brutal!

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I laughed at your rope drop comment, but only because same-same. I have put out there that outside of the first morning, no one has to rope drop. I will rope drop. They can come find me when they are ready. And yes, I’ll stack for afternoon. And I am sure my hubs and kids will appreciate daily breaks and two, count 'em two! rest days.

I plan to take the advice about moving the dessert party. Last time we did it on our last MK day, which was also our last night. As well as Thanksgiving. And my son’s fifth birthday. And it was great! That first MK night we will either ride and see fireworks from the rides or behind the castle - or if folks are done, we can watch from outside the park. I typically only schedule one thing per day, with the knowledge that I will end up cancelling even half of those.

I also plan to take the advice about leaving CYM first, then breakfast.

Thanks to everyone who weighed in. I feel more anxious with the planning than I did last trip, not entirely sure why. I like knowing I can count on liners to help me make a good plan!

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Love your plans of park days & rest days & am taking notes for our next trip. We just got back from a whirlwind 4 days of WDW (combo’d with other things we came to FL to do) where the only choice was commando. The midday breaks sound perfect & the definitely like the suggestion to move dessert party fireworks to the 2nd night. We happened to be near the dessert party after FWs and we were all jealous of all the treats & seats everyone in there was getting while we were slumming it outside. It will be a perfect sendoff.

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That is when you go to the park on your own and arrange to meet them when they’re ready. Problem solved!

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@robinlg1_664918 , I would also vote for moving the fireworks party.

That way not only do you have a lovely end to your vacation but you can get on some rides with much less waits during the fireworks on day 1.

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