🏰

Walt Disney World

September 21–28, 2026 · 11 Guests · 6 Adults, 5 Kids

🏨 Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
👧 Kids' Heights — Ride Eligibility
🧒Bryce38"
🧒Oakley38"
🧒Blakely42"
🧒Lincoln44.5"
🧒Rosalie48"
Mon21Sep
Arrival — Typhoon Lagoon
💧 Typhoon Lagoon✈️ Arrival
🚌 Disney bus from Contemporary
⚠️ Ticket Note: The complimentary water park arrival-day benefit may end Sep 8, 2026. Budget for a separate water park ticket or confirm with Disney. Note: a separate source suggests the water park check-in benefit is returning summer 2026 — verify before your trip.
Early AM flight = full day potential. Treat this as a 2–4 hour splash, not a full day. If flights are delayed or kids are fried, pivot to the Bay Lake Tower pool instead.
💧 Getting There + Tips▼
Transport: Disney bus from Contemporary → Typhoon Lagoon, ~20 min.

Height: Ketchakiddee Creek kids' area is for guests 48" or shorter — all 5 kids ✅

Pack in carry-on: Swimsuits, sunscreen, goggles, water shoes, dry outfit.

Dinner: Steakhouse 71, Contempo Café, or mobile-order resort food — keep it easy.
Tue22Sep
Pool Morning + Halloween Party Night
😴 Rest AM🎃 Party 4pm–midnight
🚝 Monorail — steps from your room
Pool all morning → MK at 4pm on party ticket. No park ticket needed today. Eat a real meal before 6pm — don't rely on candy all night with 5 kids.
🚝 Getting There▼
Monorail station is inside the Contemporary — walk downstairs and board. 5 min to MK. Best hotel access to Magic Kingdom on property.
🎃 Party Priority Stack▼
Pick your focus — you can't maximize all four with 5 kids:

  • Boo-to-You Parade — aim for second showing (better viewing spot)
  • Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks
  • Haunted Mansion (short lines during party)
  • Trick-or-treat trails
  • Fantasyland rides (Dumbo, Small World, Peter Pan)
  • Rare characters only if kids truly care
Best Value NightTuesday = cheapest tier + fewest crowds in Sept
Wed23Sep
EPCOT — Food & Wine Festival
🌍 EPCOT
🚌 Direct bus from Contemporary (easiest for group)
Best crowd day for EPCOT. Food & Wine booths for adults, big kid rides in Future World. Build in indoor breaks — EPCOT is deceptively exhausting with young kids.
🚌 Getting There▼
Direct Disney bus from Contemporary → EPCOT (~20 min) is easiest for 11 people. Monorail route requires a transfer — less ideal with strollers and a big group.
🎢 Must-Do Rides▼
  • Frozen Ever After ⚡ LL — any height ✅ all kids
  • Remy's Ratatouille Adventure ⚡ LL — any height ✅ all kids
  • Guardians of the Galaxy — 42" min (Blakely, Lincoln, Rosalie only) Individual LL
  • Seas with Nemo · Gran Fiesta Tour · Spaceship Earth (good indoor reset)
👸 Characters & Dining▼
Anna & Elsa meet & greet · Akershus for lunch, then World Showcase + Food & Wine afternoon. Book July 23 at 6am.
Optimal DayWednesday = best crowd day for EPCOT all week
Thu24Sep
Topolino's Breakfast → Hollywood Studios
🎬 Hollywood Studios
🚌 Bus/rideshare to Riviera → 🚡 Skyliner to HS
Breakfast at Riviera rooftop, then Skyliner to HS. Accept this as a later-start day — use LL heavily. Thursday is one of the best crowd days for HS.
🚡 Transport — Important Note▼
Contemporary does NOT connect to the Skyliner. Take bus or rideshare to Riviera Resort for Topolino's, then Skyliner → HS (~10 min). Budget extra transfer time for 11 people.
🍳 Topolino's Terrace Breakfast▼
Mickey, Minnie, Donald & Daisy as French artists — unique costumes only here. Upscale plated food, rooftop views, rated #1 character meal at WDW. Book July 23 at 6am.
🎢 Must-Do▼
  • Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway ⚡ LL — any height ✅ all kids
  • Slinky Dog Dash — 38" ✅ all 5 kids
  • Rise of the Resistance — 40" min — Blakely, Lincoln, Rosalie only ⚠️ Bryce & Oakley (38") do NOT qualify
  • Toy Story Mania · Disney Junior · Frozen Sing-Along · Beauty & the Beast Live
🍽️ Dining▼
Woody's Lunch Box (lunch) · Hollywood & Vine Minnie's Seasonal Dine — Halloween theme (book July 23)
Optimal DayThursday = one of the best crowd days for Hollywood Studios
Fri25Sep
Animal Kingdom
🦁 Animal Kingdom
🚌 Disney bus from Contemporary
Rope drop at 8am. Wrap by early afternoon — daily storms hit 2–3pm. Plan this as a half-day + pool recovery afternoon.
🎢 Must-Do▼
  • Kilimanjaro Safaris ⚡ LL — any height ✅ all kids
  • Festival of the Lion King ⭐ — check show times, don't miss
  • Na'vi River Journey — any height ✅ all kids
  • Flight of Passage — 44" min (Lincoln & Rosalie only) Individual LL
  • Expedition Everest — 44" min (Lincoln & Rosalie, thrill-ready)
  • TriceraTop Spin · Gorilla Falls · Finding Nemo: The Big Blue show
🍽️ Dining▼
Satu'li Canteen — mobile order, best food in AK · Flame Tree BBQ — quick with great outdoor seating
Flexible ParkAK is forgiving any day — rope drop beats the crowds
Sat26Sep
Chef Mickey's → Magic Kingdom Full Ride Day
🏰 Magic Kingdom
🚶 Walk or 🚝 Monorail from Contemporary
No MNSSHP tonight — park open late. Book Chef Mickey's as early as possible (7am slot). Saturday is your highest-crowd MK day — every minute at rope drop counts.
🚶 Walk vs Monorail▼
Walking path from Contemporary → MK is often faster and more predictable than the monorail on a busy Saturday. Monorail can have waits. Both are steps from your hotel.
🎢 Must-Do Rides▼
  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ⚡ LL — 38" min ✅ all 5 kids!
  • Peter Pan's Flight ⚡ LL — any height ✅ all kids
  • Jungle Cruise ⚡ LL — any height ✅ all kids
  • TRON Lightcycle Run — 48" min (Rosalie only) Individual LL
  • Buzz Lightyear · Winnie the Pooh · Dumbo · Haunted Mansion
  • It's a Small World · PeopleMover · Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away — new night parade!
ModerateRope drop critical Saturday — crowds build fast by 10am
Sun27Sep
Magic Kingdom — Princess Day
🏰 Magic Kingdom👸 Princess Day
🚝 Monorail or 🚶 Walk from Contemporary
MNSSHP tonight closes MK at 6pm — BBB + Royal Table fill the day perfectly. Don't over-plan rides. This day is about photos, Fantasyland, characters, and castle magic.
🌅 Rope Drop Rides▼
Peter Pan's Flight ⚡ · Winnie the Pooh · Dumbo · Under the Sea – Little Mermaid · It's a Small World · Princess Fairytale Hall
💄 Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique — 10–11am▼
Makeover lasts all day + ideal castle lighting after. Bring dresses from home to save money. Book July 23 at 6am. Consider Memory Maker for unlimited photos.
🍽️ Cinderella's Royal Table — 1–3pm▼
AC break · princess interactions · post-makeover magic. Wraps naturally before 6pm closure. Book July 23 at 6am — your #1 booking priority. Note: requires 2 table service credits per person on the dining plan.
🌙 After 6pm MK Closure▼
Pool night · Monorail resort crawl (Grand Floridian, Polynesian) · Fireworks visible from Contemporary · Early pack + calm bedtime
Works Perfectly6pm closure fits BBB + Royal Table flow — strategically excellent
Mon28Sep
Check-Out & Departure
✈️ Departure
🚐 Prebook Mears Connect or private vans to MCO
Checkout by 11am. Don't do a farewell MK loop unless your flight is genuinely late — airport buffer with 5 kids and 11 people's luggage is non-negotiable.
✈️ Getting to MCO▼
Disney's Magical Express no longer exists. Best options for 11 people:
  • 2 prebooked private SUVs — cleanest for a group with luggage, ~35 min to MCO
  • Mears Connect — book at mearstransportation.com, standard or express
  • Minnie Van — Disney's in-app service, larger vehicles available
Budget 2+ hours before your flight: transport + check-in + TSA with kids.
🍳 Departure Morning▼
Steakhouse 71 · Contempo Café (quick, mobile order) · Or Chef Mickey's if you moved it off Saturday
📅 Key Booking Dates
🚨 RIGHT NOW — Don't Wait
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party tickets for Sep 22. 6 adults ($169) + 5 kids ages 3–9 ($159) = ~$1,811 incl. tax. September dates sell out by early August.
⭐ July 23 at 6am ET — Your Single Most Critical Morning
As a Disney resort guest you can book dining for your entire stay on one date — 60 days before arrival. Book in this exact order:

1. Cinderella's Royal Table (1–3pm, Sun Sep 27)
2. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (10–11am, Sun Sep 27)
3. Topolino's Terrace breakfast (Thu Sep 24)
4. Akershus lunch (Wed Sep 23)
5. Chef Mickey's earliest AM slot (Sat Sep 26)
6. Hollywood & Vine · Be Our Guest · backup restaurants
⚡ September 14 — Lightning Lane Booking Day
Disney Resort guests can purchase Lightning Lane 7 days before their stay. Sep 14 is your big LL planning moment — not each park morning. Be ready at 7am ET. Book Individual LL (TRON, Rise, Flight of Passage) first, then LLMP by park.
✅ Before You Arrive — Airport Transfer
Prebook airport transfer for 11 guests. Mears Connect (mearstransportation.com) or 2 private SUVs. Don't leave this to day-of Uber with luggage and 5 kids.
🍽️ Character Dining Options
Cinderella's Royal Table
Inside Cinderella Castle · Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
✅ #1 Priority▼
🏰 Inside the Castle👸 Princess Dining⚠️ 2 credits on DDP
Characters: Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Snow White, Jasmine.
Note: Requires 2 table service credits per person on the dining plan — plan accordingly.
Why it's special: Only restaurant inside the castle. Post-makeover magic.
~$45–65+ per person · Book July 23 at 6am FIRST
📅 Paired with: Sun Sep 27 Princess Day — 1–3pm after BBB makeover.
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
Inside Magic Kingdom · Princess Makeover Experience
✅ #2 Priority▼
🏰 Magic Kingdom💄 MakeoverNot a meal
Princess hair, makeup, and costume experience. Best at 10–11am after rope drop. Bring dresses from home to save vs. in-park prices.
Varies by package · Book July 23 at 6am — second booking after Royal Table
📅 Paired with: Sun Sep 27 — 10–11am, castle photos, then Royal Table at 1–3pm.
Topolino's Terrace — Breakfast à la Art
Disney's Riviera Resort · Breakfast only
✅ On Your Plan▼
🚡 Skyliner to HS🍳 Breakfast onlyPlated (not buffet)
Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Donald & Daisy as French artists — unique to this restaurant.
Rated #1 character meal at WDW. Skyliner to HS after is seamless.
~$54 adult / $33 child · Group cost: ~$489+ before tax · Book July 23 at 6am
📅 Paired with: Thu Sep 24 Hollywood Studios — bus to Riviera → Skyliner → HS.
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
EPCOT Norway Pavilion · Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
✅ On Your Plan▼
🌍 EPCOT👸 Princess DiningBuffet + Plated
Characters: Snow White, Cinderella, Belle, Aurora, Ariel — best princess variety in one meal. Book for lunch then spend the afternoon at World Showcase.
~$55 adult / $33 child · Book July 23
📅 Paired with: Wed Sep 23 EPCOT day — right in the Norway Pavilion.
Chef Mickey's
Disney's Contemporary Resort · Breakfast & Dinner
✅ On Your Plan▼
🏰 Steps from your room🍳 BreakfastBuffet
Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Pluto — the full Fab Five.
Book earliest slot (7am if available) so you still hit rope drop. Walk to MK may be faster than monorail on busy Saturday.
~$52 adult / $33 child · Group: ~$480+ before tax · Book July 23
📅 Paired with: Sat Sep 26 MK full ride day. If no early slot, consider moving to departure morning (Mon Sep 28).
Hollywood & Vine — Minnie's Seasonal Dine
Hollywood Studios · Lunch & Dinner
💛 Consider▼
🎬 Hollywood StudiosBuffetHalloween theme Sept
Characters: Minnie, Mickey, Goofy, Pluto in Halloween costumes. Good buffet. Adds character interaction to an otherwise character-light park day.
~$49 adult / $33 child · Book July 23
📅 Pairs with: Thu Sep 24 Hollywood Studios day.
Tusker House — Donald's Dining Safari
Animal Kingdom · Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
⬜ Backup Only▼
🦁 Animal KingdomBuffet
Characters: Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Mickey in safari outfits. Only use if Topolino's is unavailable — Topolino's is far superior.
~$52 adult / $33 child · Book July 23
📅 Backup for: Fri Sep 25 AK day.
The Crystal Palace
Magic Kingdom · Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
⬜ Backup Only▼
🏰 Magic KingdomBuffet
Characters: Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet. Great for the littlest kids. Only use if Chef Mickey's is unavailable.
~$52 adult / $33 child · Book July 23
📅 Backup for: Sat Sep 26 MK full ride day.
⚡ Lightning Lane Guide
📅 September 14, 2026 is your big LL day. Disney Resort guests book Lightning Lane 7 days before their stay — not morning-of. Be ready at 7am ET. Book Individual LL (TRON, Rise, Flight of Passage) first, then LLMP by park.
🌍 EPCOT — Wed Sep 23
MUSTFrozen Ever After— any height ✅ all kids
MUSTRemy's Ratatouille Adventure— any height ✅ all kids
GETGuardians of the Galaxy— 42" min (Blakely, Lincoln, Rosalie only)
MAYBESeas with Nemo · Gran Fiesta · Spaceship Earth · Living with the Land
🎬 Hollywood Studios — Thu Sep 24
MUSTMickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway— any height ✅ all kids
MUSTRise of the Resistance— 40" min ⚠️ Bryce & Oakley do NOT qualify
GETSlinky Dog Dash— 38" ✅ all 5 kids
MAYBEToy Story Mania · Frozen Sing-Along · Beauty & Beast show
🦁 Animal Kingdom — Fri Sep 25
MUSTKilimanjaro Safaris— any height ✅ all kids
GETFlight of Passage— 44" min (Lincoln & Rosalie only) Individual LL
GETNa'vi River Journey— any height ✅ all kids
MAYBETriceraTop Spin · Gorilla Falls · shows
🏰 Magic Kingdom — Sat Sep 26 + Sun Sep 27
MUSTPeter Pan's Flight— any height ✅ always 60+ min without LL
MUSTSeven Dwarfs Mine Train— 38" ✅ ALL 5 kids qualify!
GETJungle Cruise— any height ✅
GETTRON Lightcycle Run— 48" min (Rosalie only) Individual LL
MAYBEIt's a Small World · Carousel · Little Mermaid · Philharmagic
🍱 Disney Dining Plan
Disney Dining Plan (Table Service) — 2026
Kids ages 3–9 eat FREE all year with adult plan purchase ✅ Confirmed for 2026
$98.59 per adult / per night
🎉 Kids ages 3–9: $0 / night in 2026
Your group: 6 adults × $98.59 × 7 nights
6 adults × $98.59 = $591.54/night
5 kids ages 3–9 = $0 (free!)
Child under 3 = no plan needed (shares from adult plate)
Total: 7 nights × $591.54 = $4,140.78
🍽️
70
Table Service Meals
10 people × 7 nights. One sit-down restaurant visit for all 10 = 10 credits. ⚠️ Cinderella's Royal Table = 2 credits/person
🥡
70
Quick Service Meals
Counter service restaurants. All 10 eat lunch together = 10 credits. 7 group lunches total.
🍦
70
Snack Credits
Dole Whips, Mickey pretzels, popcorn, ice cream bars, bottled drinks. ~1 snack per person per day.
☕
10
Resort Mugs
Refillable at any Disney resort (not in parks). Unlimited soda, coffee, tea at your hotel.
📋 Example Day — All 10 People
☀️ Breakfast: Chef Mickey's (table service) −10 TS credits
🌞 Lunch: Satu'li Canteen (quick service) −10 QS credits
🌴 Afternoon: Dole Whips (snack) −10 snack credits
After day 1: 60 TS · 60 QS · 60 snacks remaining
📌 Important Rules & Fine Print
✅Credits are pooled — anyone on the reservation can use any credit. Grandma skips a snack, a kid uses an extra one.
⚠️Cinderella's Royal Table = 2 table service credits per person. That's 20 credits for your group of 10 — nearly a third of your 70 total TS credits in one meal.
⚠️Kids ages 3–9 must order from the children's menu where available.
❌Gratuity not included at most restaurants (Cinderella's Royal Table is an exception — gratuity included).
❌Resort mugs cannot be used in the parks — resort only.
❌Must be purchased as part of a Disney Resort package. Must include all guests ages 10+ for the entire stay.
📅All credits expire at the end of your stay. Use them or lose them.
💡 Is It Worth It for Your Trip?
The math works in your favor given your dining lineup. You have 5 character table-service meals planned (Chef Mickey's, Topolino's, Akershus, Royal Table, Hollywood & Vine). At $50–65+ per person per meal, you'd spend well over $4,000 out of pocket on table service alone for 10 people — roughly breaking even before accounting for quick service and snacks.

The Royal Table double-credit catch: Royal Table uses 20 of your 70 table service credits (28%) for one meal. Factor that into your planning — you'll have 50 TS credits left for 6 more potential sit-down meals.

The kids-eat-free bonus is the biggest win. Without the promo, kids ages 3–9 would cost ~$31.94/night each — that's $223.58/night you're saving, or $1,565 over 7 nights just for the 5 kids.
✈️ Flight Details
🛫 Outbound — Monday Sep 21 · Southwest WN #2438
CMH (Columbus) 5:30am → MCO (Orlando) 7:45am · 2h 15m
Arriving 7:45am = full day available. Water park opens ~10am — plenty of time to check in and head over. ✅
Early Arrival ✅
🛬 Return — Monday Sep 28 · Southwest WN #2725
MCO (Orlando) 6:50pm → CMH (Columbus) 9:10pm · 2h 20m
Departs 6:50pm — plan to leave resort by 4:00pm at the latest. A short farewell MK monorail loop is doable if you're checked out and ready by noon. Budget 2h for MCO check-in + security with 5 kids.
Leave by 4pm ⚠️
Last updated
May 30, 2026 · Built with Claude
Magic Kingdom
EPCOT
Hollywood Studios
Animal Kingdom
Water Park
MNSSHP
Princess Day