Mom and daughter on Expedition Everest; Animal Kingdom
  • On Aug 31, 2010
    Leslie from TX Asked Note: This answer was provided prior to the change to planDisney and may still contain references to Disney Parks Moms Panel.

    Experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    How do I plan my family itinerary for our first vacation to WDW in November? I have made resort reservations and several character dining reservations, but how do I know which park to go to on which day or in which order to do the parks with our meals?

    Hi Leslie! You're so smart to be making an itinerary for your family's first trip to Disney World! I've found that having a plan really makes for a more relaxing trip. 

    You don't mention in your question whether you will have the Park Hopper option on your tickets. If you don't, then you should plan to visit the park each day where you have made your dining reservations. For instance, if you have a reservation at Cinderella's Royal Table, then you should visit the Magic Kingdom that day.

    If you have the Park Hopper option, then you'll be able to visit multiple parks each day if you wish. Of course, you'll need to plan to be in the park where your character meals are located at the time of those meals, but you could choose to visit other parks before or after your meal.  I recommend that you start planning your itinerary by taking a look at the calendars here (click each park and then click "calendar") to determine the operating hours of the parks during your visit, as well as the times of any parades or shows you'd like to see and the schedule of Extra Magic Hours for resort guests. Use that information to decide which park(s)  you'd like to visit each day. You may also want to visit an unofficial site like www.touringplans.com which has a Crowd Calendar that predicts park attendance levels for each day.  Click here to view another question I answered with more tips for planning your itinerary.

    If you need more help planning your trip, come visit us again at the Moms Panel and give us more information about the dates of your trip and the dining reservations you've already made and we'll help you finalize your itinerary. Hope your first visit is magical!
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Meet the Panelist: Amanda, North Carolina

I'm a busy mom of two from North Carolina who loves to find ways to stretch a Disney Dollar so that I can enjoy the luxury of Disney's deluxe resorts and fine dining. Learn More About Amanda

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