Kelli, Colin & Juliette's Disney Getaway

Hi Kelli! 🌴 Here's the whole week mapped out for you, Colin & Juliette — your park days, your Lightning Lane game plans (thrill-forward, just how these two will like it), your two big meals, and a pile of insider notes. All hours come straight from My Disney Experience, but Disney can tweak them, so give the app a peek each morning.

Lightning Lane is Disney's paid skip-the-line system (it replaced Genie+ and FastPass+). It's the single biggest way to save hours in line — here's everything you need, tailored to your four parks. Don't worry about memorizing it; I'll book these with you when your window opens.

The three kinds of passes

How Multi Pass tiers work

• At Magic Kingdom, EPCOT & Hollywood Studios, your 3 advance picks are 1 from Tier 1 (the headliners) + 2 from Tier 2. At Animal Kingdom there are no tiers — pick any 3.
• After you tap into your first ride, you can book another (you hold up to 3 at a time), then keep refilling as you go. Grab your Tier 1 ride first — those windows disappear fastest.
• With your Park Hopper, once you've used a pass you can even book your next one at a different park — handy for that MK → EPCOT evening.
• Scan in from 5 minutes before to 15 minutes after your arrival window. Character meet-and-greets are not included — those always use standby.

Your park-by-park cheat sheet

A note on what's worth it: Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios are where Lightning Lane pays off most (lots of high-demand rides). EPCOT and Animal Kingdom are often fine with just one Single Pass on a calmer day — we'll decide together based on the crowd forecast for your exact dates. Prices and ride tiers can shift, so I'll confirm the final picks when we book.

Your EPCOT time lands right in the middle of the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival — and 2026 is its 30th anniversary. More than 30 Global Marketplace booths ring World Showcase with small plates from around the world, and every booth will be open during your stay (whether you graze on the Monday-night Extended Evening Hours hop or give EPCOT its own day). Think of it as grazing your way around the lagoon: little tapas-size bites, mostly $5–$11 each, so you can share and try lots.

Kelsey's must-try savory bites

• Cheddar & Bacon Soup, pretzel roll LegacyCanada — the festival's most famous bite, a true rite of passage$6.29
• Slow-roasted Pork SliderHawai'i — sweet-and-sour DOLE pineapple chutney & spicy mayo$5.99
• Dumplings Trio NewChina — pan-fried chicken, pork & veggie with sweet-and-spicy sauce$7.35
• SchinkennudelnGermany — baked ham, onion & cheese pasta gratin (a kid favorite)$5.29
• Taco de CamarónMexico — crispy tempura shrimp taco with chipotle aïoli$8.50
• Fry FlightThe Fry Basket — three loaded fries to share (truffle-parm, sweet-potato casserole & sea-salt vinegar)$7.99
• Chicken Souvlaki GyroGreece — warm pita, tzatziki & tomato-cucumber relish$6.99
• Trio of Escargot in croissant dough LegacyFrance — for the adventurous; garlic-parsley dip$9.25

Sweets & kid favorites

• Belgian Waffle with cookie butterBelgium — whipped cream & speculoos crumble (a guaranteed win)$5.49
• Mango-Peach Bubble TeaChina — green tea with white boba$7.95
• Pumpkin Pie Funnel CakeAmerican Adventure — pumpkin-pie ice cream, chocolate sauce & streusel$12.50
• Remy Strawberry-Cheesecake MilkshakeSunshine Seasons — topped with a mini cheesecake & white-chocolate Eiffel Tower$11.49
• Mickey Celebration MacaronSunshine Seasons — a sweet 30th-anniversary photo op$6.29
• Berry Paleta ice popMexico — filled with condensed milk, chili-lime dusting$7.00
• Apple Strudel with vanilla sauce LegacyGermany — a warm classic$4.99
• Pickle Milk ShakeBrew-Wing Lab — the dare-you treat the kids will beg to try$6.49

Menus & prices via Disney Food Blog and Undercover Tourist. Booths and items change through the festival, so I'll confirm the current favorites closer to your trip.

Staying Deluxe on the monorail loop comes with real advantages — here's how to squeeze every drop:

• Monorail to Magic Kingdom & EPCOT. Walk downstairs, hop the monorail — MK is minutes away (or take the resort boat). For EPCOT, ride to the Transportation & Ticket Center and transfer. Animal Kingdom & Hollywood Studios are Disney buses.
• Extended Evening Hours. As Deluxe resort guests you get bonus after-hours park time (fewer crowds, shorter waits) — and there are two nights during your stay: EPCOT on Mon, Oct 5 and Hollywood Studios on Wed, Oct 7, both 9:00–11:00 PM. We've built the plan around both.
• Early Theme Park Entry every day — 30 minutes before the general public at whichever park you visit.
• Park Hopper lets you jump parks after 2:00 PM — ideal for a morning at one park and dinner + a show at another (especially easy MK ↔ EPCOT on the monorail).
• The famous Dole Whip lives at your resort's Pineapple Lanai — and the Poly beach is one of the best free fireworks views on property.

Animal Kingdom · Flame Tree Barbecue — ribs, pulled pork & a smoked chicken salad, with hidden waterfront seating away from the crowds. A cut above typical counter food.

EPCOT · Regal Eagle Smokehouse (American Adventure) for BBQ, or graze the Food & Wine booths instead of a sit-down meal. Also great: Les Halles pastries in France.

Hollywood Studios · Woody's Lunch Box (Toy Story Land) for a totchos-and-brisket-melt classic, or Docking Bay 7 in Galaxy's Edge for a fun themed meal.

Magic Kingdom · Columbia Harbour House (Liberty Square) — the best counter-service in MK, with a quiet upstairs escape.

At the Poly — Capt. Cook's is a solid grab-and-go, and Pineapple Lanai is your Dole Whip HQ.

Quick-service picks via Disney Tourist Blog's Top Counter-Service list — menus shift, so I'll flag any changes.

📱 My Disney Experience is your command center. Digital room key, park tickets, Lightning Lane, Mobile Order, live wait times & PhotoPass all live in the app. Load Kelli, Colin & Juliette in before you leave home.

🍴 Park Hopper rules. You can hop to a second park starting at 2:00 PM — no reservation needed at the hopped-to park, just tap in. Great for monorail dinners at EPCOT.

🍴 No dining plan this trip, so meals are pay-as-you-go. Note Cinderella's Royal Table is a prepaid, prix-fixe experience (already handled), and Rainforest Cafe is paid at the restaurant.

📷 Memory Maker isn't on your package. Disney PhotoPass photographers will still snap your family in the parks and you can view them in the app — if you'd like to download them all (plus ride photos), I can add Memory Maker for you before the trip. Just say the word.

🎵 Mobile Order your quick-service meals to skip the lines, and grab free cups of ice water at any counter in the Florida heat.

⏰ Check park hours each morning in the app — Disney can adjust them — and remember Lightning Lanes modify only in the app, not online.

• Be ready at 7:00 AM on Sep 27. That's when your Lightning Lane window opens — the individual passes (Flight of Passage, Guardians, Rise, TRON) go fast. I'll be on it with you.
• Rope-drop the headliners. With older kids you can hit the big rides at early entry, then ease into shows and trails as the parks fill up.
• Your Halloween Party is set for Tuesday the 6th! Costumes are welcome (yes, even the grown-ups), so pack them — and bring a bag for trick-or-treating. Take Tuesday's daytime easy and arrive by 4:00 PM to soak up every minute.
• Lean on the monorail. Your resort is one of only a few you can ride straight to Magic Kingdom — use it for a midday break at the Lava Pool and back.
• Anything to add or tweak? A third dining reservation, Memory Maker, or locking in your Hollywood Studios day — I'm just a message away.