Disney World Suggestions
- Thread starter schnarkle
- Start date
notreally
1,000+ Posts
well, depending on how important planning is to you.... you have entered a new world of planning your vacation. the parks are big and massive. there are some really, really, really serious disney folks out there and they have done a ridiculous amount of research on the parks policies, tendencies, and so forth. having said all that, if you want to enter into that..... start here:
The Link
after that i would highly suggest buying the mini-mickey handbook. you can get it on amazon for probably 5 or 6 bucks. it is your bible.
if you actually follow the plans in the book, you can see more in 2.5 hours than the most people see in a day. trust me, i have been to disneyworld with family when i was young and remembered all the ridiculous lines we waiting in. oh, hell yeah it was still fun, but when i took my own daughter and did the research..... we covered all the parks in 4 days with afternoons off and a day at one of the swim parks. i'm not some anal planning guy either. this is just one of those things that you have to, or it can be a real beating.
if possible, stay on site. the "e-nights" are only available for people staying on site. also, don't miss "phantasmic" or whatever the show at the stuidos theme park. fun night. they have packages where you can buy your meal at one of the restaurants and get your ticket to the show. they have a private seating area for those people and you go through a back entrance. the best decision we made the whole trip.
The Link
after that i would highly suggest buying the mini-mickey handbook. you can get it on amazon for probably 5 or 6 bucks. it is your bible.
if you actually follow the plans in the book, you can see more in 2.5 hours than the most people see in a day. trust me, i have been to disneyworld with family when i was young and remembered all the ridiculous lines we waiting in. oh, hell yeah it was still fun, but when i took my own daughter and did the research..... we covered all the parks in 4 days with afternoons off and a day at one of the swim parks. i'm not some anal planning guy either. this is just one of those things that you have to, or it can be a real beating.
if possible, stay on site. the "e-nights" are only available for people staying on site. also, don't miss "phantasmic" or whatever the show at the stuidos theme park. fun night. they have packages where you can buy your meal at one of the restaurants and get your ticket to the show. they have a private seating area for those people and you go through a back entrance. the best decision we made the whole trip.
bradford702
100+ Posts
You can not see it all and do not try to. Take your time, let the kids be kids and do not rush. What you don't see this time, you will see next time. Our first trip there we tried to do to much and wore the kids down. Ever since then we have changed our vacation planning. Outside of travel and hotel plans we do not plan anything. Its vacation it is suppose to relaxing with no time dead lines. Disney makes this a little hard if you want to have meals with the characters because they have to made 6 months out (it might be 3 months), that probably goes for any dinner restaurant at Disney. So my advise is make travel plans, book hotel, buy park hopper tickets and relax. If he kids want to play in the pool for the afternoon, let them play in the pool.
hornyhoosier
500+ Posts
While you are in the Orlando area, you should try Giordano's Pizza. The place is from Chicago but has expanded to one place, Orlando. The pizza is absolutely phenomenal.
AustinBat
2,500+ Posts
There's a great book called "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World". It's great. We used the 2 adult plan (they have plans for different types of families) at Epcot and never stood in a line. We thought that perhaps it just wasn't a busy day, but at dinner we overhead a woman say that they had done nothing but stand in line all day. We didn't use it for WDW, but saw everthing at Epcot easily in one day.
Check out Ridemax.com. We used it when we went last summer and it really does work wonders for cutting down your wait times.
ridemax
The Unofficial Guide is also good (used it also), just not as detailed as Ridemax. It does have good info, though.
If this is your first time then I would suggest staying in the park. It really is a learning experience the first time you go and I think it's easier staying in the park. The bus sytem they have is really good and you can get to and from any of the parks very easily. We stayed at the Caribbean Beach Resort. It was essentially a Motel 6 with lipstick. Of course, we were never in the room so it wasn't tha big a deal. I think most of the moderate and lower hotels are going to be like that.
Note - If you do stay at DW, make meal reservations ASAP. Nothing like telling your daughter she can't have breakfast with the princesses because dad didn't make reservatis soon enough.
The main thing I would stress to anybody going to DW is to not get stressed out about the inevitable crap you have to put up with. Stuff is really expensive, there are a lot of people, etc. Just enjoy for what it is and you'll have a good time.
ridemax
The Unofficial Guide is also good (used it also), just not as detailed as Ridemax. It does have good info, though.
If this is your first time then I would suggest staying in the park. It really is a learning experience the first time you go and I think it's easier staying in the park. The bus sytem they have is really good and you can get to and from any of the parks very easily. We stayed at the Caribbean Beach Resort. It was essentially a Motel 6 with lipstick. Of course, we were never in the room so it wasn't tha big a deal. I think most of the moderate and lower hotels are going to be like that.
Note - If you do stay at DW, make meal reservations ASAP. Nothing like telling your daughter she can't have breakfast with the princesses because dad didn't make reservatis soon enough.
The main thing I would stress to anybody going to DW is to not get stressed out about the inevitable crap you have to put up with. Stuff is really expensive, there are a lot of people, etc. Just enjoy for what it is and you'll have a good time.
We've been a few times. My top suggestions:
1. Do some planning. We have never done the detailed plans in any of the books, but we have been very cognizant of which rides would be most popular, which rides are busiest at what times of day, strategically used fast passes, etc. A little planning goes a long way. The Unofficial book is good, Intercot is good, and there are a number of other websites or books that can help. The absolute worst thing you can do is find yourself standing around the park debating "what are we going to do next" and having the family all argue about it. That type of ad hoc stuff will put you in long miserable lines.
2. If your family will allow it, try to get to the parks when they open. We always found that we could get most of what we wanted done at every park in the first 1 1/2 -2 hours of the day. For example, in Epcot one morning, we managed to ride Mission Space, Test Track, and Soarin' twice within the first 45 minutes of the park opening. Later in the day, people wait 1-2 hours for each of these rides. Similarly, in Magic Kingdom, we were able to ride all the small kids rides in Fantasy Land within an hour instead of waiting over an hour for each ride as too many people do.
3. I recommend staying on Disney premises. There are a lot of reasons why (can get in parks early or stay late, Disney experience, etc), but my number one reason is nap time. Staying on property allows you to head to the hotel mid-day and get a little rest, perhaps relax in the pool. There are WAY TOO MANY parents dragging kids around the park at 3:00 or so, and they are alll just miserable. Don't be those parents. You will have a car if you're driving so you'll be able to easily go back and forth to the hotel even if you stay in the cheapest on-site discount resorts (and staying on property gets you free parking at the parks).
4. Learn about Fastpasses and use them. With the exception of Pirates of the Caribbean, all of the premier rides have fast passes. Learn about them and use them.
1. Do some planning. We have never done the detailed plans in any of the books, but we have been very cognizant of which rides would be most popular, which rides are busiest at what times of day, strategically used fast passes, etc. A little planning goes a long way. The Unofficial book is good, Intercot is good, and there are a number of other websites or books that can help. The absolute worst thing you can do is find yourself standing around the park debating "what are we going to do next" and having the family all argue about it. That type of ad hoc stuff will put you in long miserable lines.
2. If your family will allow it, try to get to the parks when they open. We always found that we could get most of what we wanted done at every park in the first 1 1/2 -2 hours of the day. For example, in Epcot one morning, we managed to ride Mission Space, Test Track, and Soarin' twice within the first 45 minutes of the park opening. Later in the day, people wait 1-2 hours for each of these rides. Similarly, in Magic Kingdom, we were able to ride all the small kids rides in Fantasy Land within an hour instead of waiting over an hour for each ride as too many people do.
3. I recommend staying on Disney premises. There are a lot of reasons why (can get in parks early or stay late, Disney experience, etc), but my number one reason is nap time. Staying on property allows you to head to the hotel mid-day and get a little rest, perhaps relax in the pool. There are WAY TOO MANY parents dragging kids around the park at 3:00 or so, and they are alll just miserable. Don't be those parents. You will have a car if you're driving so you'll be able to easily go back and forth to the hotel even if you stay in the cheapest on-site discount resorts (and staying on property gets you free parking at the parks).
4. Learn about Fastpasses and use them. With the exception of Pirates of the Caribbean, all of the premier rides have fast passes. Learn about them and use them.
Basketball Jones
500+ Posts
"Learn about Fastpasses and use them. With the exception of Pirates of the Caribbean, all of the premier rides have fast passes. Learn about them and use them."
-- this is KEY. Read and learn about using them . You can grab one, and then go to another ride and come back for your fastpass ride, then grab a fast pass for another ride, etc. The popular rides fill up quickly, and fast passes go quickly, so plan it out.
-- use the parent-swapping method to get onto rides that allow it
-- a couple of the posters have mentioned staying on site. First time we went, we didn't. Been twice since, and it does make a difference because you get the "extra hours" where it's not as crowded. Plan your park visits around which one has the extra hours (I think they call them Magic Hours)
-- at Epcot, they actually have some decent restaurants. If you haven't made a lunch reservation, do so now. The restaurant in the Canada section is particularly good.
--I've never bought the Disney meal tickets, and they seem to be a waste
--I've driven to Orlando once. THere's not a lot to see in between, unless you want to swing down to the Redneck Riviera beaches, which are nice.
--the nighttime shows are all pretty decent. Since it's your first time, be sure to see the Parade of Lights then the night show at teh Magic Kingdom
-- this is KEY. Read and learn about using them . You can grab one, and then go to another ride and come back for your fastpass ride, then grab a fast pass for another ride, etc. The popular rides fill up quickly, and fast passes go quickly, so plan it out.
-- use the parent-swapping method to get onto rides that allow it
-- a couple of the posters have mentioned staying on site. First time we went, we didn't. Been twice since, and it does make a difference because you get the "extra hours" where it's not as crowded. Plan your park visits around which one has the extra hours (I think they call them Magic Hours)
-- at Epcot, they actually have some decent restaurants. If you haven't made a lunch reservation, do so now. The restaurant in the Canada section is particularly good.
--I've never bought the Disney meal tickets, and they seem to be a waste
--I've driven to Orlando once. THere's not a lot to see in between, unless you want to swing down to the Redneck Riviera beaches, which are nice.
--the nighttime shows are all pretty decent. Since it's your first time, be sure to see the Parade of Lights then the night show at teh Magic Kingdom
Excellent information up and down the thread. Would like to echo a couple of comments:
1. Have a plan – Nobody is recommending that you need to rigid about this ride at that time – but have a clue about what you want to do. Most people do not and they just drift along.
2. The meal plans are not worth the money.
3. Character Meals – We did them with the kids in the morning – 7:30 AM and it worked very well without a mass of humanity.
4. Agree with the going to the park early. We did the Magic Mornings – Stay on the WDW property – and rode all of the things with the long lines first thing and then went back for a late breakfast (on days we knew would be crowded).
5. Kids want to swim in the afternoon – let them swim in the afternoon.
6. We did a bunch of the shows during the crowded part of the day. Kids loved them, limited crowds.
7. Fireworks are world-class.
8. CBS talks about knowing what rides are most popular – THIS IS CRITICAL. You need to know what rides require you to ride first thing, what rides you want to do a fastpass, and what rides never get crowded. Then make the plan.
9. It is very expensive – and many of the rides dump you off in a gift shop. We allow a certain number of gifts (1) and that is it.
10. I do think it is a good value – the parks are immaculate, great themes, friendly and fun. Lots of people.
In some ways, going to WDW is similar to going to Texas/OU – there are those people who take IH 30 to Fair Park, ***** about the traffic and parking, hate the Fair because they do not know where to go, and hate the Cotton Bowl because they stand in the bathroom line. When you know the tips and tricks – it becomes an experience to be savored.
1. Have a plan – Nobody is recommending that you need to rigid about this ride at that time – but have a clue about what you want to do. Most people do not and they just drift along.
2. The meal plans are not worth the money.
3. Character Meals – We did them with the kids in the morning – 7:30 AM and it worked very well without a mass of humanity.
4. Agree with the going to the park early. We did the Magic Mornings – Stay on the WDW property – and rode all of the things with the long lines first thing and then went back for a late breakfast (on days we knew would be crowded).
5. Kids want to swim in the afternoon – let them swim in the afternoon.
6. We did a bunch of the shows during the crowded part of the day. Kids loved them, limited crowds.
7. Fireworks are world-class.
8. CBS talks about knowing what rides are most popular – THIS IS CRITICAL. You need to know what rides require you to ride first thing, what rides you want to do a fastpass, and what rides never get crowded. Then make the plan.
9. It is very expensive – and many of the rides dump you off in a gift shop. We allow a certain number of gifts (1) and that is it.
10. I do think it is a good value – the parks are immaculate, great themes, friendly and fun. Lots of people.
In some ways, going to WDW is similar to going to Texas/OU – there are those people who take IH 30 to Fair Park, ***** about the traffic and parking, hate the Fair because they do not know where to go, and hate the Cotton Bowl because they stand in the bathroom line. When you know the tips and tricks – it becomes an experience to be savored.
Uninformed
5,000+ Posts
I like Universal.
Basketball Jones
500+ Posts
Nothing wrong with Universal -- we went there a few years ago, stayed at the Hard Rock. But it's not Disney, and never will be.
notreally
1,000+ Posts
i also thought the quality of the rides at universal where every bit as good as disney (in fact many of the imagineers went to work there)..... but it still isn't disney.
but ride for ride, i'll take universal.
what is funny is they copy each other's rides... not sure who is copying who because i don't follow it that closely, but for instance "men in black" at universal is the exact same concept as "jimmy neutron" at disney. there were others but it has been several years.
but ride for ride, i'll take universal.
what is funny is they copy each other's rides... not sure who is copying who because i don't follow it that closely, but for instance "men in black" at universal is the exact same concept as "jimmy neutron" at disney. there were others but it has been several years.
Went to WDW a few years back with a 4 yo and 9 yo. Very good time had by all but you have to get your crew to buy in that a WDW trip isn't about sleeping late and doing things on a whim. Follow a plan offered by one of the guide books and you'll end the day saying, "That was fun!" vs. "That was a grind." Quite a bit of walking is involved at WDW so our 4 (almost 5) yo got tired (i.e., grumpy) the first couple of days until we made her start riding in a stroller. That made a big difference as well.
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