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As a Floridian, going to Disney World is a rite of passage and I've been maybe 8-9 times. Last time was not even a year ago and after reading this thread I want to go again. Can't think of any recommendations though. I remember loving the Maelstrom at Norway in Epcot, but I went last time and it was definitely underwhelming. I coulda sworn there was a part where you did a small drop backwards (after the troll) but it didn't happen.. must have remembered wrong. Also I once stayed at the Contemporary when I was a kid and its amazing. Monorail right outside your friggin room. Also not loud like you might think.
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May 8, 2013 18:32
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I put together a big map of the entire resort, listing all the parks, water parks and hotels. I also included the TTC and the two monorail lines. I did it because this is exactly the sort of thing I would have loved to see when I was still a newbie and trying to figure out where everything was in relation to everything else. And I think it drives home the convenience being close to Epcot or the MK. I may have missed a hotel or two. If you see something I left out, tell me & I'll fix it. Oh, I included Downtown Disney, too. Once it's good I'll add it to the OP. Click for big:  Magic Kingdom Hotels C - Contemporary GF - Grand Floridian P - Polynesian WL - Wilderness Lodge The first three hotels are all connected by the Magic Kingdom Resort monorail, which runs clockwise and stops at the Magic Kingdom, Contemporary, TTC, Polynesian and Grand Floridian. (The Magic Kingdom Express monorail runs counter-clockwise and only stops at the Magic Kingdom and the TTC. The two lines are side by side: the hotel line is the inner ring and the express is the outer ring.) Wilderness Lodge is NOT on the monorail line; boats run from Wilderness lodge directly to Magic Kingdom. Take a bus from WL to the TTC. Epcot Hotels B - Boardwalk Inn SD - Swan and Dolphin (technically two separate hotels, but many people treat them as one) YB - Yacht Club and Beach Club (again, two separate hotels, but they are similarly themed and share the same space) These hotels are walking distance to Epcot (particularly the Yacht and Beach Club). They are all served by boats that run a 5-stop circuit: Epcot - Hollywood Studios - Boardwalk - Swan & Dolphin - Yacht and Beach Club. If you walk (or boat) to Epcot, you'll enter the park at World Showcase, not the main park entrance at the far end of Future World. This is especially cool if you're just hitting Epcot for dinner or Illuminations. All other hotels AA - Art of Animation Resort AK - Animal Kingdom Lodge AS - All-Star Music Resort CB - Caribbean Beach Resort CS - Coronado Springs FW - Fort Wilderness (a campground) KW - Old Key West PC - Pop Century PO - Port Orleans SG - Shades of Green SS - Saratoga Springs TTC - Transportation and Ticket Center. The monorail lines are marked in orange: two lines ring the Magic Kingdom resorts, and the Epcot express runs back and forth between Epcot and the TTC. Downtown Disney and the two water parks are also marked. Lincoln fucked around with this message at 21:36 on May 15, 2013 |
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May 12, 2013 23:41
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You forgot Fort Wilderness!Lincoln posted:And is it possible to walk from WL to the TTC? Technically, you could, although I don't think there are any sidewalks on the road there. You would absolutely be better taking the bus directly to whichever park you wanted to go to or taking the boat right to MK. I stayed there last October, and I never waited long for the boat. I should also mention that I HATE boats but somehow have no problem with the Disney boats 
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May 13, 2013 00:41
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Walking around Disney roads can be pretty dangerous during the night, but as long as you keep a look out during the day you can walk from WL to TTC... or from Shades of Green to the Polynesian and take the monorail into the park for a much lower price. Just, you know. Wear bright clothes, really watch the road when crossing and stay tight against the curb otherwise. Like lamb said, there's not much in the way of sidewalks when walking along Disney roads unless you're closer to the parks/TTC/parking lots afaik.
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May 13, 2013 01:45
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A few years ago, the boat that ran between WL and MK also stopped at Ft Wilderness. Probably still does. Another boat ran between WL and at least the Contemporary (might go to others as well). I would not recommend walking between WL and MK, but it is possible. In a theoretical sense, it is possible to stay at any Magic Kingdom or Epcot resort and never use a car or bus (or walk along roads) to reach three of the parks.
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May 13, 2013 04:07
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HPanda posted:A few years ago, the boat that ran between WL and MK also stopped at Ft Wilderness. There still is, but I don't think there's a boat from FW to the TTC, so if you wanted to ride the monorail to Epcot, you'd need to take the boat to MK, then get on the monorail there. You'd be better off taking the bus directly to Epcot.
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May 13, 2013 14:17
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Our 2 almost 3 year old had a blast the 6 days we were there! No crying, no whining. To those say it's inviting disaster must be around some misbehaved kids. Also the flower festival has tons of characters set up and awesome food at every country. We left about 830am and would get back about 930pm, no naps. Cafe De France in Epcot was garbage besides the little Remy they bring around. Le Cellier in Canada is always awesome but 2 dining credits now Boma has great food for a buffet. Coral Reef is so-so. If you're not on the glass all you hear is people complaining. Toolband fucked around with this message at 04:09 on May 16, 2013 |
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May 16, 2013 04:00
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Toolband posted:Our 2 almost 3 year old had a blast the 6 days we were there! No crying, no whining. To those say it's inviting disaster must be around some misbehaved kids. I don't care how well behaved the kid is, most of em are going to get bitchy when they're hot and tired just like adults. I'm glad you had a good experience, but I stand firm in my assertion that it's a better bet to wait for your kid to have the increased stamina, patience, and self-control that comes with being six or seven before dragging them around theme parks. I've seen too many stressed the gently caress out kids and their parents at Disney to say otherwise.
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May 16, 2013 04:11
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Nathilus posted:I don't care how well behaved the kid is, most of em are going to get bitchy when they're hot and tired just like adults. I'm glad you had a good experience, but I stand firm in my assertion that it's a better bet to wait for your kid to have the increased stamina, patience, and self-control that comes with being six or seven before dragging them around theme parks. I've seen too many stressed the gently caress out kids and their parents at Disney to say otherwise. Kids are also free before 3 so I see more kids throwing fits at Walmart than at Disney Toolband fucked around with this message at 04:28 on May 16, 2013 |
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May 16, 2013 04:17
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I think it comes down to the kids. Parents should assess their kids on an individual basis. For us, our two-year-old can't get enough Disney World and every trip we take is magical for her. If we had a kid that was prone to temper tantrums, sickness, or otherwise had a high stress level, we would need to reconsider. As she is, we would have missed out on some incredible vacations if we had waited until she's older. It is an extra challenge and set of considerations than when going without toddlers, and some parents just aren't capable of pulling it off, but don't write it off right away.
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May 16, 2013 06:49
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Nathilus posted:I don't care how well behaved the kid is, most of em are going to get bitchy when they're hot and tired just like adults. I'm glad you had a good experience, but I stand firm in my assertion that it's a better bet to wait for your kid to have the increased stamina, patience, and self-control that comes with being six or seven before dragging them around theme parks. I've seen too many stressed the gently caress out kids and their parents at Disney to say otherwise. v  v Anything to do with kids at any Disney park is going to anecdotal at best, negative or positive. There's some four year olds out there that are more mature than seven year olds in terms of stress and self control. There's some kids that wouldn't do well going until they're 10+. HPanda posted:I think it comes down to the kids. Parents should assess their kids on an individual basis. For us, our two-year-old can't get enough Disney World and every trip we take is magical for her. If we had a kid that was prone to temper tantrums, sickness, or otherwise had a high stress level, we would need to reconsider. As she is, we would have missed out on some incredible vacations if we had waited until she's older. This is dead on though. It really depends on the kid and that's how any parent should approach it. Plus, if you're staying at an onsite resort, a ton of them have child care. In this case you can just take the kid back to the hotel and let them nap with a caretaker if the parents want to go back with the park. For most kids, you'll be fine as long as you have a stroller and you don't expect to whip through the park. You give the kid plenty of rest, keep them well hydrated and come prepared (change of clothes, medicine, bandages, snacks if they're super little, etc) and it's usually fine. The kids that are stressed are with parents that are trying to do the whole park in a day and it's just too much for them because they're tired, they're hot, they're hungry, everything going on is too much for them- whatever. There's also a bunch of quiet hideaway places at most of the parks to just take a kid so they can settle down if they're getting overexcited or freaked out by the giant characters and so on and so on. You can do it, kids can get a lot of enjoyment out of it at any age, but the kid's parents need to judge if they're good to go, and be ready to blow $150 on tickets then have to leave in 10 minutes if they were wrong.
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May 16, 2013 13:52
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That's why we went 5 nights 6 days and in off season. We literally never waited more than 20 minutes for any ride if we didn't use our guest assistance pass. Our son has anxiety and sensory issues and he got thru it fine. Let your child tell you what they want to ride and do. We let him play in the splash fountains at the parks and he loved them and we loved watching him. It's not all about the child making memories, we have memories for a lifetime watching him have fun. On the way back to the hotel one night he hugged us both on a Disney bus and said " I love both of you, you two are my best friends"
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May 16, 2013 14:06
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Fluffy Bunnies posted:The kids that are stressed are with parents that are trying to do the whole park in a day and it's just too much for them because they're tired, they're hot, they're hungry, everything going on is too much for them- whatever. Exactly. You have to have realistic expectations. For example, my 6-year-old doesn't get to use a stroller when we go to the mall - he's old enough to walk. But when we go to Disney, I'm not going to have the same expectations about what is appropriate. If he's tired, he gets to ride in a stroller. Technically he should be able to suck it up and walk, but realistically, we're ALL going to have a terrible time if he's whining all day. Planning has a huge impact on how your kids do at the parks as well. Disney World is not really the kind of vacation where you can have a good time without a decent amount of research and preparation beforehand.
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May 16, 2013 14:44
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I never look at Disney was a relaxing vacation anyways. I always say you need a vacation when you get back from Disney
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May 16, 2013 16:23
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The best thing Disney has for parents with kids (besides child care and things like that) is Child Swap. It allows parents to take turns on the rides. First one waits in line like normal, but gets a ticket for the other one to fastpass the line when they get off. My first trip was when I was around 6 years old, and my sister was less than a year. My parents took turns watching her, which meant I got to ride most things twice in a row. That was rad as gently caress. I am going on my first solo trip in December, and I am extremely amped to be headed down without the addition of a family. I'll actually be meeting family there, but I'll be staying in a different resort, and will only catch up with them for a few hours at a time. The last trip I took was fustrating as hell because my family didn't want to wait in any lines, yet they chose to go during Spring Break, so we sat around looking at things we could be doing, rather than doing things. None of that this time around.
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May 16, 2013 16:24
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TheBigBudgetSequel posted:The last trip I took was fustrating as hell because my family didn't want to wait in any lines, yet they chose to go during Spring Break, so we sat around looking at things we could be doing, rather than doing things. 
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May 17, 2013 00:48
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Have any of you had the experience of getting "used" to Disney World, and then going to another theme park (in my case, it was Universal's parks) and noticing how much less attention to detail there is?
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May 17, 2013 08:38
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Yes! This was especially jarring with Busch Gardens. My family always used to go to Busch Gardens when I was growing up and I loved it. Then, when I went off to college at UCF, my now wife and I would go to Disney parks all the time. Years later, we went to Busch Gardens for the first time in years and it was like a completely different experience than what I remembered. The customer service was horrible, the employees had that same sort of vacant stare that teenagers at fast food jobs get, and everything just felt dirty. Even the other guests at the park just seemed more rude. We've gone a few times since and I've learned that I can only really enjoy it if I take it as a completely separate sort of park. It does have an awesome Sesame Street area. The Universal parks (Universal and Islands of Adventure) aren't too bad, especially IoA. I could be biased on that one, though, since I worked at Universal for a couple months during busy season. I was able to see the attention they put into everything there. It's not quite up to Disney, but definitely higher than parks like Six Flags.
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May 17, 2013 09:12
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HPanda posted:The Universal parks (Universal and Islands of Adventure) aren't too bad, especially IoA. I could be biased on that one, though, since I worked at Universal for a couple months during busy season. I was able to see the attention they put into everything there. It's not quite up to Disney, but definitely higher than parks like Six Flags. Agreed with this. The Harry Potter section at IoA puts a couple of areas at Disney World to shame, honestly. For a fun time, go to any of the Disney parks and then a Six Flags. 
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May 17, 2013 16:21
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HPanda posted:The Universal parks (Universal and Islands of Adventure) aren't too bad, especially IoA. I could be biased on that one, though, since I worked at Universal for a couple months during busy season. I was able to see the attention they put into everything there. It's not quite up to Disney, but definitely higher than parks like Six Flags. The difference in quality is still noticeable. Marvel Island might be cool but the Hulk queue is disgusting and poorly designed and the paint in the Spider Man queue is often flaking/picked off. Jurassic Park and the myth area (I haven't been since Harry Potter World Land went up) are both amazingly designed, but there is still a notable lack of the Disney flair in the staff and cleanliness of the areas. Gotta admit though, Universal is good at designing set pieces. The gates of Jurassic Park with the iconic theme music blaring. The Men In Black queue, OH MY GOD  .
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May 17, 2013 19:56
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Going to chime in as a grizzled Disney World vet here (Been there about 6 times now since I was about 6 years old. 5 of which fall in the last five years). My last visit was Thanksgiving weekend of 2012. Here's some general tips. - Walking shoes. Dear God. Walking shoes. My girlfriend attempted to go out in wedges the first night we were there, and I wound up having to carry her around world showcase on my back by the end of the night. In terms of small children, if they're uncomfortable covering 4+ miles in a day, they go in the stroller. - I will tell you right now that you should consider basing where you stay on the age of the group you're with. If you have younger kids, I'd stay closer to the Magic Kingdom for obvious reasons. We were at the Floridian when I went at age 6, and it was pretty much perfect thanks to the monorail. Older groups should really consider staying on the Boardwalk by Epcot because it's frankly very fun to be able to go around there at night as a teen/adult. Also, being able to comfortably walk to World Showcase is pretty fantastic. - We have gone with dining plan and without. It really just depends on your eating habits. If you eat one large meal per day, it's generally a good investment. If you graze, it's a bit of a wash. I will post some restaurant reviews at the end of this. - Abuse extra magic hours when possible. If a park is open three hours late one night, go back and take a midday nap so you can take advantage of it. All of the locals and families with small children will be gone. All of the wait times will be cake. My dad and I regularly do this with Hollywood Studios so that we can hit Midway Mania and Rock 'n Roller Coaster ad nauseum. The morning hours are eh. - The Magic Kingdom seems to always have the biggest crowd (for obvious reasons), but it's very easy for rides to suddenly have low wait times out of the blue. Also, don't be intimidated by some of the lines on rides here. Jungle Cruise rarely lives up to the full wait time, same with Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain. This is not true of Splash Mountain though. Two days go by very quickly here. - Epcot is probably the most adult-oriented of the parks. My dad and I regularly geek out in Epcot because it's all about either A. The future or B. the non-US world. You can easily kill two days here thanks to World Showcase. - Animal Kingdom is a beautiful but horribly designed park. You need to hustle to hit all the headliners in one day here, and you also really need to keep an eye on your kids because there are some particularly narrow pathways. That said, you can easily accomplish this park in one day. - Hollywood Studios has picked up in recent years. It's a lot more polarized than other parks, with rides either being very thrilling (Rock 'n Roller. Tower of Terror) or generally calm (Great Movie Ride). There's also a TON of live shows to watch here. This is a nice park to sort of break up the days between the other parks - ALWAYS RESERVE TABLE SERVICE DINING. It will make your life a hell of a lot easier to plan. Now then. TheGreyGhost's preferred restaurants: Chefs De France: It's declined in recent years, but it's still excellent. I usually get the beef tenderloin off the dinner menu, and it's pretty much always excellent. Make sure you get a reservation. Le Cellier Steakhouse: Lunch is one coupon. Dinner is two now. Generally the best steak you can get inside one of the parks. The Filet is well seasoned, although I distinctly remember enjoying my dad's porterhouse as well. A good lunch option. Rose and Crown English Pub: Used to be mediocre, is now above average. It's typical British fair if that appeals to you in any way. The rum butter sauce in one of the desserts is excellent. Coral Reef: Has declined over the years. Used to be excellent. It's more of a novelty to me now. You can get just as good of food elsewhere, and the aquarium view is highly overrated. The Hollywood Brown Derby: Good, but not worth two credits. The signature Cobb salad is lacking. Flying Fish Cafe: Easily my favorite restaurant on site. It's got an absolutely incredible seafood and steak menu. By far the best meal I've had at Disney. Is a signature restaurant now. Yachtsman Steakhouse: The most overrated of the signature dining restaurants. Prime NY Strip is under par. Ribeye was incredibly tough. Really lousy appetizer menu as well. Grand Floridian Cafe: Good entrees, everything else was very eh. It's a nice choice if you're at MK for the day. Sci-fi Dine-in: Very average food, but it's one of my favorite gimmicks of any Disney restaurant. Beaches and Cream: I saved my favorite for last. This is the one restaurant I have been to every single time at Disney. It's basically a better Johnny Rocket's, but it's a very nice spot to just be with your family as well. Do the Kitchen Sink challenge. Get Ice Cream at the counter one night. I wish there were more restaurants like this around Disney. In terms of hotels: Grand Floridian: Typically seen as the flagship of the Disney hotels, and rightfully so. It's elegant, but you do know you're in Florida the entire stay. Not as much entertainment on site for kids as some other hotels however. Contemporary: According to my father, "The room was nice, but the place is drat loud and ugly as sin." Yacht Club: I've stayed here twice now, and it's a very nice place, but it's in a weird place compared to the rest of boardwalk. You have to walk farther for pretty much anything on Boardwalk than you would anywhere else. Beach Club: My preferred hotel at this point. It's right between the Yacht Club and Epcot. It's close enough that you can eat in Epcot whenever you want on a park hopper. It's got the best pool in all of Disney. It has the marketplace for morning food if you need it. I'm always thoroughly happy with it. Stay on the club level if you can; it's a lot quieter. The snacks and free drinks save you a lot of trouble, and you can smuggle them into the parks and save money.
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May 18, 2013 02:58
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1. Don't go on Memorial Day weekend. 2. Don't go on Space Mountain without a Fast Pass.
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May 25, 2013 14:51
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Hadn't been here in a couple of weeks, so I was re-reading the OP to see if there was some glaring omission I needed to address, and I started thinking that one of the big questions my wife and I always get is, why do you guys go to Disney World all the time? Well, we don't go all the time. We've averaged about once every two years since our first visit in 1999. But I usually do the regular song-and-dance routine: great service, attention to detail, etc. I think some sort of explanation belongs in the OP: what makes WDW so special that we always feel the need to return? I've been lots of places (lived and vacationed all over the world, in fact), but none pull me back like Disney World. I frequently struggle to explain it properly without sounding like a cult member. The best thing I've come up with: aside from all the fun and food and service, you always have the knowledge that you're wrapped in an envelope of vacation security. Nothing bad will happen while you're there, and your hosts will always take care of you. You'll never get conned by some trinket-selling local, and you'll never have to take the "scenic route" in a smelly cab. Try getting that at some all-inclusive in St. Thomas. Or wherever. You guys have anything better? How do you convince people it's the place to go? Remember, this thread is intended for first-timers. Lincoln fucked around with this message at 20:02 on May 25, 2013 |
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May 25, 2013 19:57
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Lincoln posted:The best thing I've come up with: aside from all the fun and food and service, you always have the knowledge that you're wrapped in an envelope of vacation security. Nothing bad will happen while you're there, and your hosts will always take care of you. You'll never get conned by some trinket-selling local, and you'll never have to take the "scenic route" in a smelly cab. Try getting that at some all-inclusive in St. Thomas. Or wherever. This is mostly true, as long as you stay ON Disney property. A lot of people that come to Disney get cheaper rooms on I-drive or 192, and some pockets of those places are just as dirty and full of con artists as anywhere else. Just do some research if you decide to stay off-property and you should be fine. Or just, you know, stay on Disney property.
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May 26, 2013 00:03
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Roar posted:This is mostly true, as long as you stay ON Disney property. A lot of people that come to Disney get cheaper rooms on I-drive or 192, and some pockets of those places are just as dirty and full of con artists as anywhere else. Just do some research if you decide to stay off-property and you should be fine. Yeah. My family was cheap the first few times I went and we stayed off property and wouldn't eat in the parks. Which is fine if you are loving broke and that's the only way you can afford to visit Disney, but at that point I'd argue you should probably save your money on a cheaper vacation. The difference between staying on-property and off is night and day. For me, the best part of WDW is the attitude of fantasy that is very intentionally engendered. It might be an illusion, but the parks are just the right mixture of diverting and a little stressful that when you stay inside the illusion for a week, you really can get to a point that all the poo poo you spend your life worrying about is completely not even on your mind. You don't have to argue or negotiate with anyone to be treated fairly. You don't have to worry about transportation. You can do what you want, at your own pace, and everything is taken care of for you in an aesthetically pleasant way. To me that is the core experience, more so than some meh to good rides. I'm a thrill ride lover so Universal has more that caters to my particular interest in that regard. Universal doesn't make me hate returning to the real world in the same way WDW does, however.
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May 26, 2013 00:40
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Lincoln posted:Hadn't been here in a couple of weeks, so I was re-reading the OP to see if there was some glaring omission I needed to address, and I started thinking that one of the big questions my wife and I always get is, why do you guys go to Disney World all the time? Well, we don't go all the time. We've averaged about once every two years since our first visit in 1999. But I usually do the regular song-and-dance routine: great service, attention to detail, etc. I mean, my biggest suggestion is, if you can afford it, stay on Disney property. Even the Value resorts are really nice places to stay (even if they aren't as intricately themed as the Moderate and Deluxe) My last trip, I ended up in a condo (a very nice one) just outside of the parks near Animal Kingdom, and while the condo itself was lovely (and my parents nabbed it for a cheap price due to their timeshare) we were in the middle of Tourist Trap Alley. Just lots of tacky things to distract people from spending money at Disney. We went into a store in one strip mall that you could just feel the sleeze. Disney may be a corporate giant, but at least, inside their parks, they try to make their invasion of your wallet seem less garish. Most nights, we also ended up parking next to the tackiest looking medieval dinner show and if that isn't hell on earth, I don't know what is.
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May 26, 2013 06:17
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Medieval Times is awesome how dare you. I bet you don't like gatorland also.
spacebrospiff fucked around with this message at 15:04 on May 26, 2013 |
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May 26, 2013 07:00
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Roar posted:This is mostly true, as long as you stay ON Disney property. A lot of people that come to Disney get cheaper rooms on I-drive or 192, and some pockets of those places are just as dirty and full of con artists as anywhere else. Just do some research if you decide to stay off-property and you should be fine. This is a really good point (one that others here have made), and one that I keep overlooking as I contribute to this thread. Not everybody stays on-property. Still, now that people can choose between $99/night on-property and $79 off, I feel good about pushing the former.
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May 26, 2013 14:55
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Not technically a first timer although I haven't been for about 7 years or so. This time we're doing off-property since the kids are older and there's a HUGE difference in pricing if you want a suite. Also, I'm more excited about seeing oldschool Florida ripoffs than I am DW, since that's something new to me (although the kids don't feel the same way). My actual question is this - there's a huge price break on multiple days, so much so that a 5 day non-park-hopper is cheaper than a 3-day park hopper in price. Can I take advantage of this by buying 5-day MYW tickets then using them to change parks twice over 3 days?
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Jun 5, 2013 15:45
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Remulak posted:Can I take advantage of this by buying 5-day MYW tickets then using them to change parks twice over 3 days? Unfortunately, no
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Jun 5, 2013 17:10
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We're planning our first WDW Vacation in roughly 2 years. I have some questions if you folks wouldn't mind answering. 1: We're planning on going either the last week of Feb, or first week of March, I've read those are good dates to go. Confirm/Deny? 2: My kids will be ages 5 and 3. Some have said this is too young. I know the 3 year old will be limited, but my daughter is 3 right now and I think she'd be just fine. We want to get a good trip in with extended family before they all start school. 3: We're tentatively planning on grabbing a Family Suite at the Art of Animation Resort, since it will be my wife and I, 2 kids and the mother in law. Would those accommodations be reasonable for our party? 4: Money. I'm planning on budgeting 6,000 dollars for the trip, not including getting there. I figure 4K of it will go to the Room, Dining Plan, and Tickets. Will 2,000 get me through a week there? I ask because my 5 year old daughter will want to do the Bippity Boppity Boutique and all sorts of other expensive add ons. This is also going to be a big once a decade trip for us, so I don't want to think about money in the slightest while I'm there. I'm thinking 2K will cover the extras for the most part, especially if we get the normal DDP. Thanks for any advice!
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Jun 5, 2013 23:31
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skipdogg posted:We're planning our first WDW Vacation in roughly 2 years. I have some questions if you folks wouldn't mind answering. 1. That's one of the best times to go to avoid crowds. Late February to mid-March is when crowd sizes start to very slowly creep up. Just try to avoid a holiday weekend if you can. Otherwise, you're golden. 5-minute wait times as far as the eye can see. 2. Yeah, we had this conversation in this same thread. Verdict: depends on the kids. Disclaimer: I do not have kids. Scroll up for more. 3. A family suite at Art of Animation has 3 beds, sleeps six. One bed is a pull-out sofa type thing. Sounds like it's right up your alley. 4. I couldn't look up room rates that far in advance, so I entered dates for mid-October, which would be about the same rate. A family suite (Art of Animation) for 5 nights, plus 6-day park hoppers for everybody totals $3,327. Add the quick-service dining plan, and it's $4,154. The standard dining plan makes it $4,453. Those numbers could be off based on the actual room rates for the week you stay. HOWEVER...Disney has been running one of two (sometimes both) deals every offseason for the last several years: either 15-30% off your room rate, or free edit: Oh hey also, the most expensive package at Bibbity-Boppity Boutique is $190 +tax. That's for the full costume & everything. Looks like $6,000 will be more than enough, food & extras included. You'll also want to get a Yoda backpack for yourself and a Snow White costume for the wife. Lincoln fucked around with this message at 12:17 on Jul 11, 2013 |
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Jun 6, 2013 00:09
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skipdogg posted:We're planning our first WDW Vacation in roughly 2 years. I have some questions if you folks wouldn't mind answering. 1. Yes 2. It depends on your kids, but I'd say they're not too young. Disney World's not like Universal or Six Flags where most of the attractions are too intense for little ones, it's really geared to include young kids. Just make sure you make lots of time for midday naps and downtime if need be. Don't go with the expectation that you're going to go full bore doing every ride in the park for days on end either. I always try to build in a day or two to just hang out by the pool or playground, or go to Downtown Disney. If there was a big age spread with your kids, it might be more difficult, but at those ages the younger one will pretty much go along with whatever the 5-year-old wants to do, and they'll both be too small for the bigger kid rides. 3. Yes 4. That should be a comfortable budget, absolutely. Regarding the dining plan - have you done it before? I ask because in my experience unless you're getting it free, it's better to just pay for your food when you want it. I've been to Disney World with the dining plan twice. Once I got it free and once I paid for it. Besides it being annoying because you have to track your credits if you want to make sure to use them, I found that I ate a LOT more than I otherwise would have in order to make it pay for itself. How close to 3 will your daughter be? If she's just turning 3, or small for her age, tell Disney she's under 3 when you book, and she'll be free. Given the ages of your kids, you might want to save some money by not doing the parkhoppers. In order to get your money's worth out of them you really need to be going from morning till night, because of the time it takes to get between parks. I've never gotten parkhoppers and I've never once wished I'd put out the money for them. One thing you might want to look into is a Disney Visa. They're running a promo where you get $100 for signing up, and they give you various perks throughout the year, one of which right now is a 20% discount at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Plus you always get 10% off of merchandise purchases of $50 and over, which is very helpful if your kid wants the life-sized Sully doll or you get sucked into the world of pin trading. Lincoln posted:HOWEVER...Disney has been running one of two (sometimes both) deals every offseason for the last several years: either 15-30% off your room rate, or free standard dining plan. In your case, the free dining plan is probably worth more. You can only take advantage of one or the other per vacation, not both. This is true, but the AOA Family Suites are usually excluded from discount promotions. Even if they do offer free dining, and AOA isn't excluded, technically AOA is a value resort, so you'd get the quick service dining plan free rather than the full DDP. Still, if it's free it's obviously a good thing to take advantage of.
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Jun 6, 2013 01:29
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We've never done the DDP, and I'm personally on the fence about it. I don't like to eat when I'm hot/sweaty/active and will go most of the day just snacking on granola bars and drinking Gatorade. I think we would have to work to use all the credits on the DDP. My wife's cousins though go and they get their moneys worth out of the DDP. We're going for 7 days/6 nights, and I anticipate a more relaxed schedule than most folks. I'll be in no rush to see everything, and will work around the kids schedule. I think the Park Hoppers will be worth it though, with the MIL coming with us, we can get away for a few hours to do our own thing, so if the kids spend the day at Animal Kingdom we can do Epcot at night or something. My MIL doesn't get around so good and will probably only be getting 3 or 4 days worth of tickets to the park. The AOA family suites have gone up a bit in price since I last looked. I wouldn't be opposed to spending up to an extra 100 a night on the hotel to get a much nicer experience. Thanks for the info, definitely stuff to think about.
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Jun 6, 2013 19:12
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Roar posted:It's all fake, sure, but it's also super peaceful as hell. One of the chillest places in EPCOT. Yes that restaurant was one of our favorite. The food was good but it's really about the experience that place provides. When I was a kid I never expected something like that to be inside of a building. Also in Epcot is soda tasting station. There you can try different sodas that are sold in the rest of the world. I was particularly fond of the Japanese melon soda. Also OP thank you for this post I've book marked to have for when we plan our vacation to Disney.
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Jun 6, 2013 19:27
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BromanderData posted:Also in Epcot is soda tasting station. There you can try different sodas that are sold in the rest of the world. That's in EPCOT now? Also, congrats on choosing the correct soda as the best one.
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Jun 6, 2013 19:57
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BromanderData posted:Also in Epcot is soda tasting station. There you can try different sodas that are sold in the rest of the world. Is that back? It was there when I worked there but not last time I visited. If it's back I'm glad. Also I agree that the melon one is rad.
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Jun 6, 2013 20:07
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BromanderData posted:Also in Epcot is soda tasting station. There you can try different sodas that are sold in the rest of the world. Fun trick - get the Italian soda and tell your spouse "this is AWESOME, you have to try it". Have someone with a camera ready to capture the look on their face.
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Jun 6, 2013 20:27
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BromanderData posted:I was particularly fond of the Japanese melon soda. I have no idea how the tasting fountain works, but if you can, get some ice cream beforehand and make a melon soda float. Tastes like a dreamsicle, but melon and cream instead of whatever that devil dessert is. lamb posted:Fun trick - get the Italian soda and tell your spouse "this is AWESOME, you have to try it". Have someone with a camera ready to capture the look on their face. Seconding this.
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Jun 6, 2013 21:18
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Nathilus posted:Is that back? It was there when I worked there but not last time I visited. If it's back I'm glad. Also I agree that the melon one is rad. Our last trip there was in 2009 so I would hope it's still there. lamb posted:Fun trick - get the Italian soda and tell your spouse "this is AWESOME, you have to try it". Have someone with a camera ready to capture the look on their face. Also that would be so fantastically cruel.
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Jun 6, 2013 22:40
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