1st Disney World Trip

nolachick

Hey guys,
im helping my sister plan her family vacation to walk disney world orlando in July.
She lives out of the country and has never been so I offered to help do some research.

We only have 3 days there (Sat, Sun, Mon) and we want to make the best of that time.

i'm looking for:
:flowerforyou: money saving tips
:flowerforyou: must see/must do activities
:flowerforyou: recommended places to stay
:flowerforyou: any other tips you'd like to give

P.S. My nephews are 3 and 8 years old and its their first time!

THNX A MILLION

poustotah

We live in Florida and go to Disney on occasion. We have a baby so we bring a diaper bag and I put a bunch of snacks in there so we don't have to spend money on extra food. I hide it under a bunch of diapers and stuff so that when they check my bag, they don't find it.

Make plans well in advance and get a hotel where you can use your key card to get fast passes on the rides - otherwise you're going to spend TONS of time in lines.

Other than that, I got nothin - it's expensive to go there.

redxmasqueen

Epcot is a must and of course the Magic Kingdom. The last time I went, I purchased the meal plan and I thought it was more than worth the cost. I can't remember what it's called but utilize the fast pass for rides whenever possible. It really cuts down on wait times for rides!

nolachick

there are fast passes? wow did not know that. how do I get these?

nolachick

Epcot is a must and of course the Magic Kingdom. The last time I went, I purchased the meal plan and I thought it was more than worth the cost. I can't remember what it's called but utilize the fast pass for rides whenever possible. It really cuts down on wait times for rides!

there's a meal plan? definately did not know about t his either. do i purchase this from the disney site? what's included?

wannabefit4life

This is a great place to get started!!

http://allears.net/pl/planning.htm

bluespring

Hey guys,
im helping my sister plan her family vacation to walk disney world orlando in July.
She lives out of the country and has never been so I offered to help do some research.

We only have 3 days there (Sat, Sun, Mon) and we want to make the best of that time.

i'm looking for:
:flowerforyou: money saving tips
:flowerforyou: must see/must do activities
:flowerforyou: recommended places to stay
:flowerforyou: any other tips you'd like to give

P.S. My nephews are 3 and 8 years old and its their first time!

THNX A MILLION

Hi ya.
Go here for the best Disney info you can get:
http://www.disboards.com/
Have a great time.
:bigsmile:

jabbogurl

I wouldn't purchase the meal plan, its a waste money, especially with kids, unless you eat 10 lbs of food in a sitting. Bring a cooler into the park. It's totally legal and ok with their rules. A lot of people do that and pack sandwiches, otherwise its about $10/person/meal for like a hamburger. You can get fast passes, but you can only have 1 pass per 1 time slot when you get one, so plan out what you want to get them for. For example, if the return time is between 4 and 5, then your other fast passes can't be for the same time. Not all rides have them. Also, if you want to save on parking, park at downtown disney, which is free and take the disney bus to the parks, otherwise its about $11 to park there.

Disney souvenirs are really expensive there, so be careful about what you buy. And, they sell a lot of the same things at the outlets malls and at the Walmart off of 535 near disney. They have a HUGE disney souvenir section. Hope that helps! Have fun! I literally live behind the Magic Kingdom and used to work at Disney.

JD92

for a 3 and an 8 year old, i reccommend Magic Kingdom for sure! i went when i was 8 (going in again in July - at 19 im no less excited!!!) and absolutley loved it there. Universal was also good, but theres alot of rides that have height restrictions if i remember it right.

Seaworld is amazing aswell, definitley worth a visit, especially with young kids. me and my sisters loved it.

theres also a Harry Potter Park in Universal if your nephews are interested in that! theres a version of Hogwarts with a tour, the village of Hogsmeade with shops and some rides, which im sure are young kid friendly. im so looking forward to this!!

Islands of Adventure sounds like a lot of fun for kids, it has a few different themed islands such as Dr Seuss, Jurassic Park, Toon Lagoon, Marvel Superhero Island..

Busch Gardens is about wildlife, with water rides and coasters. im pretty sure there is a zoo in it of some sort, i remember vaguely seeing a lion?

nolachick

how about tickets?
are park hoppers worth the extra cash?

and what's the best web site to buy the tickets? are there any coupons/discounts I can use towards them?

rjvt006

i know its not normal disney but the water parks there are alot of fun Typhoon Lagon is one of them

hamncheese67

I've been to Disney lots as a vacationer and as a local. I live a couple exits from Disney now. Three days is not a lot of time so you should first decide if your trip is going to be just Disney or not. As mentioned, there's Sea World and Universal, plus a lot of other sites to see if you travel outside of the area. With a 3 and 8 year old, I'd probably focus on Disney. But you should read up and see if there is anything else of interest for you and your family. If you decide to go all Disney, then you should go with the 3-day park hopper. Next, becomes the choice of on Disney property or off property for lodging. (Meal plans as mentioned above only come if you stay on property.) This comes down to deciding on what works within your budget vs. convenience. Staying on property has the benefits of having parking included (up to $14/day now I think) and you'll have a place nearby if you want to take a break. Also bus service from the hotels to the parks is rather convenient. On property lodging ranges from value to very pricey so you'll want to look at all your options. Also since you're coming to Florida in July, it's going to be really, really hot, and there's a possiblity of having brief afternoon rainstorms.

If you decide to stay off property, look into a condo even for a few days. A lot of people own vacation property near Disney and you can get good deals for a rental. You can then have kitchen for breakfasts and you can prepare your lunches to take into the parks. A lot of good advice on this can be found on the sites allears and disboards mentioned above. Also planning the trip comes down to the type of person you are. Through the Disney site you can reserve all your dining in advance which is recommended if you want to go to the finer establishments. Otherwise, you'll get stuck with a lot of counterservice which isn't particluarly good for you and overpriced.

I'd also agree with the previous posters that for Disney with kids, you want to spend a day at Magic Kingdom and Epcot is worthwhile. Hollywood Studios is ok, but can be skipped with limited time. If the kids really like animals, then Animal Kingdom is worth the visit. I'll also repeat something I said earlier - it's going to be really, really hot. So pack up lots of water when you do go to the park.

NobodyKnows

Made my first trip there earlier this year and stayed 4 nights. We didn't go with the Park Hopper, and I wouldn't recommend it for anyone on their first time. There is so much to see at Magic Kingdom that it easily an all day trip. Until you learn your way around the different parks, I don't believe it is realistic to fit multi-parks into one day.

I highly recommend the meal plan, but go with a Quick-Serv meal plan. Sit down dining is very time consuming and many of the places in the Magic Kingdom are impossible to get same day reservations. If you want to do a character meal, you better call asap and try to schedule it.

We stayed at one of their All Star resorts, which are their most inexpensive. You won't be in the room much anyway, and they were more than adequate. If you stay on Disney property, you get free transportation to all of their destinations. I have heard from several friends that cab drivers in Orlando is a hit or miss. Some will try to rip you off, so staying on Disney property is a way to avoid that potential nightmare.

Good luck!

xraychick77

go to universal..its soo much better.

ceschwartz

With small kids staying at a disney hotel might be worth it if you can find a deal. You get two hours of extra park time which helps you get ahead of the crowds, plus when they fall asleep around 2, you'll still have time to take them "Home" and back. Try to hit the popular rides early or during a parade. With small kids I'd rule out the park hopper pass. You'll have plenty of things to do at one park for the day.

Hazelhaze05

I live 45 mins from Disney... My best suggestion for a hotel would be PRICELINE! We stay by the parks quite a few times a year. You can stay at a nice resort that's no more than 15 mins from the park, with a free shuttle for $60-80. Resorts are great because there's tons to do there when you're not at the parks. You can also get a refrigerator for the room, and have snacks for cheap meals. Bring your own snacks into the park, a water bottle is great so you can just refill it. If you need any suggestions feel free to message me.

Polish_Princess

My family and I just went there last month, spent about a week there. I would recommend Universal Studios - Islands of Adventure (http://www.universalorlando.com/Amusement_Parks/Islands_of_Adventure/islands_of_adventure.aspx). My sister took my niece to Disney Hollywood Studios (which has a lot of the Disney Junior shows like Handy Manny, Little Einsteins, etc - she is 3 and had a blast!). Also my husband and I flew down through Southwest for about $350 total. Go to www.visitorlando.com, there you can sign up to a get a free Magic card, which gives you discounts to different places. Also we went to a place called WonderWorks (http://www.wonderworksonline.com/orlando/) and played glow in the dark putt-putt (http://www.puttingedge.com/home.htm), really fun!

Hope this info helps! Have a great time!

KayakAngel

I love Disney - we've been 4 times with my two sons. You're getting a lot of advice. The best advice I've seen posted so far is giving you the website to do your own research. The allears.net website has so much great information explaining all the details. Personally, I prefer to stay on property, especially with the young kids. It is wonderful to be able to grab the super convenient Disney transportation to get back to your room for breaks and naps (essential for kids and parents at Disney). We stay at the Value resorts, the All-Star hotels. I've stayed at the deluxe resorts twice, and while nice, they are SO expensive, we're back to the All-Stars. They are pretty cheap but perfectly acceptable, and you get all the advantages of staying on property (early admission or late exits most days and use of transportation). The meal plans are cool, I kind of enjoyed it, but it really depends on the eating habits of your family whether it's a good deal or not. Good luck! Planning a Disney vacation is as complicated as planning any foreign trip, but that website and the official Disney website are wonderful starts.

eeyorelvr09

We try to go every year. Another site that is good is disboards.com. I'm sorry if I'll be repeating stuff, but here is my advice.

You are only there 3 days, so I would just get regulat tickets and skip on the park hopper. The kids;especially the 3 year old will want to take a nap and probably would go back to the hotel room for that or use the baby center in the parks for that. If the parents are content on letting the younger one sleep while traveling, by all means get the park hopper. There are 4 parks and 2 water parks. I would not try to cram a lot into a short trip.

I would definitely recommend Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and Animal Kingdom to visit without a park hopper. Magic Kingdom is a classic and no one should leave WDW without going there. An do not forget the fireworks. EPCOT is fun because in the World Showcase, the kids can do what is called Kidcot where they go from country to country collecting and coloring pieces of paper that corresponds to that country. Also they have Kim Possible where the oldest one can go on a hunt to capture the bad guys and Innoventions is good for the kids and sparks imaginiation. Finally, Animal Kingdom is good for kids because of the animals they get to see on some of the attractions such as Maharajah Jungle Trek and Kilimanjaro Safaris.

If you are staying off property you will not be able ti utilize the bus transportation or the extra magic hours. I will explaing these hours in a bit. So if she wants to stay on property I recommend one of the Value resorts such as Pop Century or All Star Resorts. Their resorts are really cool in that the guests feel like ants compared to the decor of the resort.

The dining plan I would skip on, again, because it is a brief trip. Like others have mentioned, it's too expensive and you are better off packing your own lunches.

Now back to transportation and extra magic hours. Transportation starts running 1 hour prior and after the parks open and close. Again, if they do not stay on the resort, they will have to rent a car. With the extra magic hours, depending on the park, it will open 1 hour earlier or stay open 3 hours later. But this can only be utilized if they are staying on property. So, for example, If they are there on July 11 and there is A.M. magic hours for Animal Kingdom that means Animal Kingdom will open at 8 a.m. instead of 9 a.m. Also, if your sister and family wants to, they can untilize babysitting services if they are staying on property so that she can have some alone time for things that she wants to do that the kids cannot do (ie. rides)

Regarding rides, there is a list on that website i mentioned earlier (disboards.com) that you can check which rides have height restrictions. There is also the option to do a parent swap. The way this works is you have a family of 4 and only one child can go on the ride because they meet the height requirements. So one parent would go on the ride with the child while the other parent watches the child who did not meet the requirements all while keeping their spot in line. So when the first parent comes back they switch and waiting parent can now go on the ride. They have to make sure to get the parent swap pass when they can get into the park, usually at guest relations.

Finally, for now, the last piece of advice is. STROLLER RENTAL. Your sister and the family can rent a stroller for $13/day. They pay for it at guest relations and they MUST keep their receipt because they have to drop the stroller off once leaving the park, butt he receipt shows that they paid for 3 days and they can pick up a stroller at the next park. The kids will not want to walk all day so this will be a saving grace instead of lugging their strollers on and off the bus, but they can certainly do that to save the $$.

I hope that this has been helpful. I am a Disney girl since birth so if you have any more questions, please feel free to private message me and I will do an itinerary for them. It's the organizational freak in me. I do it for us and friends all the time.

erica79

we went in March and bought ou tickets at undercovertourist.com. It was by far the cheapest and had the best packages. For a 3 year old I would say Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom have the best stuff for that age. Don't try to do too much. Take your time and whatever you don't see, do next time. It's not enjoyable if you are rushing around.

FL_Nettie

I've been to Orlando many times and love Disney World! Other than what everyone else has mentioned, I would try to see the night parade at Magic Kingdom. It really is fabulous! We also bring some bottles of water so we don't have to pay for them. It's going to be HOT and crowded, so keep that in mind.

I was going to tell you to go to Mickey's Toontown to get pictures with the characters, but I looked it up and it's closed for renovations. According to the Disney website, "In the meantime, you can meet Mickey, Minnie and the Disney princesses throughout Magic Kingdom. Starting Spring 2011, they will greet Guests at the Town Square Exposition Hall." It's best to go early & get pictures done before the line gets long. You can bring your own camera and they'll sign autographs too.

Most of all, "Have a magical day!"

nolachick

With small kids staying at a disney hotel might be worth it if you can find a deal. You get two hours of extra park time which helps you get ahead of the crowds, plus when they fall asleep around 2, you'll still have time to take them "Home" and back. Try to hit the popular rides early or during a parade. With small kids I'd rule out the park hopper pass. You'll have plenty of things to do at one park for the day.

you get extra time if you stsay at a disney hotel? i think we're staying the palms kissimmee which includes breakfast and shuttles to disney. its a 2 bedroom suite with living room and kitchen so we should be able to save on dinner too.

nolachick

@Polish Princess - thanks so much I just ordered the Magic Card! can't wait to get it! it also comes with a free planning kit so hopefully that makes this easier too!

@Kayak Angel - thanks so much i'll have to see if i can change hotel reservations. they may have been paid for already. I believe we're staying at THE PALMS KISSIMMEE. anyone stayed there before? they had good reviews online and the place looks nice.

@Eeyorelovr - wow that's a lot of really helpful advice. I am starting to get more and more worried that they jumped the gun and prepaid for the hotel and we can't cancel. :ohwell: need to contact them ASAP. I would love an itinerary that would be fabulous. you are too kind! :flowerforyou:

thnx everyone for all your wonderful advice! keep 'em coming :bigsmile:

eeyorelvr09

I've been to Orlando many times and love Disney World! Other than what everyone else has mentioned, I would try to see the night parade at Magic Kingdom. It really is fabulous! We also bring some bottles of water so we don't have to pay for them. It's going to be HOT and crowded, so keep that in mind.

I was going to tell you to go to Mickey's Toontown to get pictures with the characters, but I looked it up and it's closed for renovations. According to the Disney website, "In the meantime, you can meet Mickey, Minnie and the Disney princesses throughout Magic Kingdom. Starting Spring 2011, they will greet Guests at the Town Square Exposition Hall." It's best to go early & get pictures done before the line gets long. You can bring your own camera and they'll sign autographs too.

Most of all, "Have a magical day!"

Yes- they are closed and Toontown is never to return except for Goofy's Barnstormer, I believe. They are expanding Fantasyland to include 2 Dumbo rides, more resturants and are adding Belle's castle which will have a resturant called Be Our Guest. THere will be counter service in the afternoons and table service in the evenings. There is controversy of having 2 castles, but Belle's castle cannot hld a candle to Cinderella Castle. All of this is expected to be completed sometime in 2012.

nolachick

one more thing guys~! we are spending one night in MIAMI before we head to orlando..... I was thinking about getting a place on the beach or in a nice area that we can relax a bit before the craziness of disney lol. again first time for my sis and nephews so something affordable but nice. but south beach is also fun and i dont want to stay anywhere too crazy that we cant sleep at night haha

there are a few hotels on south beach that seemed reasonable on Collins

SUGGESTIONS?

thnx a million! :flowerforyou:

mellimeter

Hi there,

I actually work for Walt Disney World, and would be more than happy to assist with any questions you might have! Just shoot me a message privately if you need!

-Melissa

nolachick

Hi there,

I actually work for Walt Disney World, and would be more than happy to assist with any questions you might have! Just shoot me a message privately if you need!

-Melissa

wow thanks so much! i'll definately keep that in mind.

Annie5859

bump