Disney tips

[stormpetrel]

Alright, I'm finally biting the bullet and taking the kids to Disney. I thought I'd just get online and buy some tickets and get a hotel reservation. Man, was I wrong. They have like a million places to stay and many many different ticket packages. For those who have been or go often, what's the inside info nuggets that I need here? I think I'd like to stay close to the theme parks so we don't have to travel much to and from each day. What hotels do you like? Dislike? What are the secrets to making this as painless as possible? Should I buy through Disney directly or go with a Travel Agency? Thanks!!

[Shave A Buck]

Depends on the budget. there are great off property hotels around that could save you money and dining out too can be cheaper off property. There are meal plans and special deals Disney offers so be sure to check with an agent first. The ecconomy we are in could be your friend for a change. Either way bring your wallet as Disney ain't shy.

[Greyfox]

Do yourself a favor a get the Guide to Disney book.

[Legion]

The California one? I didn't stay there, but the foyer and building of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel looked amazing. There is also a shuttle bus which runs from there to the airport (Which is how I came to be in the building). If I need a hotel I'll be staying there.


As far as the park goes...

If it is sunny go on splash mountain first so you can dry off, if it is cloudy go on it last. And don't take your camera. You get surprisingly wet.

Go on the starwars ride as many times as you can. There are several different adventures and it is awesome.

[steelcity2]

Go during the week if you can. Last year the girl and I went to Magic Kingdom and Epcot in late Feb or early April for two days. Each day we were done with the parks by 6pm and literally did everything there. We did the Volunteer get a day thing last year and then they offered us a 2nd day for $20. I had hotel points from work so for two days at Disney it cost me $40 plus food/drink.

[steelcity2]

Also check Tampa or Orlando craigslist for tickets.

[Hammertime1]

Some of the time shares will give you free tickets just for listening to their motivational sales pitch! For $300.00 in tickets it was worth 30 minutes. Get a map in advance, find the most important rides to everyone and knock out furthest first, grab a fast pass on the way for another ride so you don't have an extended wait for the next ride. Get their early too. I have seen the buzz light year ride fast pass tickets in morn start showing times of 7pm and 4 hour plus waits for normal line. Wife has also shopped for discounts/ specials on the tickets and they were waiting at hotel when we arrived. She said it was Dw tickets and ended up basically getting a free day from purchase of tickets through them.

[aceinyerface]

Alright, I'm finally biting the bullet and taking the kids to Disney. I thought I'd just get online and buy some tickets and get a hotel reservation. Man, was I wrong. They have like a million places to stay and many many different ticket packages. For those who have been or go often, what's the inside info nuggets that I need here? I think I'd like to stay close to the theme parks so we don't have to travel much to and from each day. What hotels do you like? Dislike? What are the secrets to making this as painless as possible? Should I buy through Disney directly or go with a Travel Agency? Thanks!!

Depends on everything. Mostly how much money you have to spend.

The All Star are the cheapest Disney Resort. But they are also the furthest away, hardest to get to (we ended up taking cabs because the busses took so long). If you have the means, a step up in hotels is worth it.

If you get a package, don't forget to take off your last day's park admission (you will be going to the airport, not the park).

We added a park hopper so we could come and go at will.

Get a travel guide, pick the main ride you want to do, use the fast pass as soon as you get to the park, then do all the other things until time to redeem the fast pass.

There is an iPhone app for wait times on the rides. Get it, it helps.

The more info you give, the more tips people can give.

[CyberJCM]

It kinda depends which "Disney" you are referring to. :)
Since your in NC I'm assuming DisneyWorld, for which I can't help you I'm afraid.
If it's DisneyLand, I've got a few tips for you, since we used to have annual passes.

[maxman]

dude. I have never been more serious here.
You will love the place.
all the information you need is on allears.net
It is THE guide to Disney.
I booked through CAA (AAA is the USA version).
I got the meal package and read that website up down left and right.

We had such a good time. Read that website.

[Tim_McD]

Going to Disney is an expensive vacation and it can be a horror show if you dont plan it well. Use the experience of others to help you along (much like this forum), I would recommend:


The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (current year) by Bob Sehlinger & Len Testa. This book s/b considered a "must read" before you start your reservation process.
wdwinfo.com / mousesavers.com / allears.net - pretty much in that order for usefulness in my opinion. One of the most important things it to review the theme parks' "Disney World Closings, Disney Rehabs" section - because nothing is worse than finding that your chosen resort's pool is closed or a hot attraction is offline for repairs

A critical factor: the age of your kids. If your kids a real little, do yourself a favor and limit the number of parks you hit.


For our first trip, we had a 2 yr old who still napped and a 7 yr old who could go like a lumberjack. We stayed on the monorail system (Polynesian - my fav, but damn expensive) and limited our Disney experience to the Magic Kingdom.
It was good that that my wife and I could split up, take the 2 yr old back to the room within 20 min - while the other stayed in-park with the 7 yr old.

Other tips:


Book to arrive on a Sunday; Everyone within driving distance of Disney comes in for daytrips on the weekend and the parks are more congested.
Dont plan on attending the parks on the day you arrive or leave. Enjoy the hotel / resort's amenities those days and tackle the park fresh. If you stay in the Disney resort system - you will be amazed at the things to do / see at the resorts, so use the travel days to enjoy the immersive experience.
You will be doing a ton of walking, so be realistic about the kids (and your) endurance. First time visiting means that you will want to do it all - but the Magic Kingdom will take at least 2 full days, Epcot is an easy 2 days, both Hollywood and Animal Kingdom are long single days.
Park Hoppers for the first timer or folks with small kids are not worth the money. Enjoy a single park per day - esp since you can leave and get readmitted as often as you like within that single day.
If you are within the Disney system, take a break during the day - head back to the resort for a swim and freshen up - go back in the late afternoon / evening to see the park in a different way (and everyone else is heading home at those times).
Read up on the Fastpass system - you will be forever grateful if you do
Less than 3 day admission - buy the tix from Disney, as there isnt a discount. Over 3d, you can do better with AAA or a site like undercover tourist.
DONT BUY CRAIGSLIST / eBAY TICKETS - there is no way to verify if they have been used and since most ticket expire 14d after first use you could be buying twice at the gates

[Mr5x5]

Check out disdads.com and disboards.com. Been a few years but I would stay on-site.

[Hammertime1]

Oh and if you have younger ones bring snacks and water. You will save a ton on food and beverages. We like to get a place with kitchen and do breakfast and most diners in. Check temperatures for time your are going those water bottle fans work. you can save a ton getting elsewhere. First two times my daughter was not walking yet and that made a world of difference for keeping her cool in stroller. My buddy I served with in military with is a quadraplegic and that is what they use to keep him cool in hot weather or out in sun. I saw several people who had kids with the onset of heat stroke and we assisted with our spray fans and frozen water bottles. A little planning can keep a day wonderful versus someone getting very sick. A lot of people forget to keep themselves or kids hydrated. I was like a drill instructor with my family and my drink water routine.

[DamnFineBob]

It is pretty much impossible to plan a trip to DisneyWorld yourself, without books and extensive advice, as you now know.

I went through AAA, which really took the sting out of it. If you're a member, give them a call. Also, you get 10% at many of the off-campus restaurants, like Planet Hollywood, when you show your membership card.

A few options are: Do you want to go to only one of the Disney parks each day, or do you want to option to come and go as you please? If its the latter, you want to pony up a few more $'s for the "Park Hopper Package." There are also meal plans available for 1, 2, or 3 meals a day, if you stay in their hotels. The package meals are usually self-serve, order at the counter and grab a bag of chips, and you may just want to have one package meal a day for breakfast, and spend a few $'s for regular meals in restaurants in the parks.

As you might know, Disney has various hotel "resorts" scattered all around DisneyWorld. If you stay at one of these, you have unlimited FREE transportation to the various parks. The transportations isn't terribly luxurious, though. Most "resorts" depend on a fleet af aged Bolshevik-era busses to get you to the parks. You'll stand in a corral labeled with a sign designating where the bus stopping there will go. Every 20 minutes a bus comes by, and the cattle... I mean guests pile on, usually with 50% of them standing in the aisle for a 15-20 minute journey. SOME resorts have monorail access, which can provide transportation to SOME of the parks, in addition to the bus service. Contemporary Lodge, Wilderness Lodge, and Fort WIlderness have boat transportation to at least one of the parks, in addition to busses, as I recall.

It appears to me, that if you spend more money to stay at a nicer resort, you'll have an easier time of transportation. Polynesian Resort is where I'll stay, if I ever go back. I was there once while trying to shortcut Disney's transportation system from the Monorail nearby. There are less frequest busses than from the economy Pop Century resort, but we were the only ones on the bus!

[JoshuaNY]

You did not mention your budget but you can not go wrong with any Disney Resort. I would definitely recommend staying on property. You stay immersed in the Disney experience and it just makes for a better vacation. For less expensive resorts I have stayed at the Caribbean Beach Resort which is fairly inexpensive and it was outstanding. The food court at the Beach resort was quite good. I have also heard great things about the ALL Star and Pop Culture Resorts. These 3 use buses exclusively for transportation. The Disney Port Orleans is also awesome.

If you are going for a higher end Hotel you cant beat the Yacht Club IMO. It is the best hotel I have stayed in. You can walk along the lake to get to Epcot, boat to MGM and buses to everything else.

All the years I have gone the only time I had problems with buses was when the park was closing and you may have to wait in line 45 minutes for a bus back to the hotel. But any other time the longest I have waited is 15 minutes and that is when you just miss it. I cant stress enough how much better it is to stay on property.

Oh and if you find yourself in the Yacht Club resort for any reason, they have the best public bathroom I have ever been in off of the lobby.

[life2short1971]

Orlando can be cold enough you want a jacket or warm enough you wish you were in shorts so check the weather and pack accordingly for your trip. Everything is expensive as hell inside the gates so have plenty of money on hand. Its easy for a family of 4 to spend $50 on lunch without living it up. Snacks and drinks bought inside are robbery without a gun and so are souvenirs. If you look at the attractions on the maps you can pretty much walk from one ending to another starting if you take a few minutes and study the the layout and show times. Chances are any hotel you stay at in the vicinity will have a shuttle service back and forth to the park as well.

[dpmtherrien]

When you go, if your planning on visiting more that one park, be sure to get a hopper pass. This will save you time and money.

[life2short1971]

If your kids are older either bring the small 2 way radios or
their cel phones so you can split up and meet back at times or places and stay in touch. The park is BIG.

[Comet]

How old are your kids., My two girls loved the crystal palace when they were young. Get a reservation before you go. The fireworks at night are fantastic too.

[stormpetrel]

Great info guys. Thanks for the help. We are going to Disney World not Land. Probably gonna try one of the "middle of the road" resorts like Port Orleans. We have 3yo boy and 13yo boy...I know that will be a challenge.

Keep it coming...I'm gonna check out those websites.

[life2short1971]

If you have never been to an amusement park with both you quickly findout the 3 year cant and won't ride the same attractions as the 13 year old so you and the wife are gonna spend most of the time apart. If I may make a suggestion you will find it worth the extra expense to bring a friend for the 13 year old so he has a partner to share the experience and relte to and it will also keep him from being alone and providing you and the Mrs. time to enjoy the park some as well with out being dragged from one side of the park to the other all day. Serious food fort thought. Chances are the other parent will even pick up the tab for their child just for the experience he will have. This is advice from a parent who has spent too many summers in theme parks.

[devorenm]

This may or may not be what you are looking for but the New York Times Magazine published a piece a few months ago about how to survive the Disney experience - including the places where you can sneak off to smoke a joint without getting caught....



Before anyone gets upset - it was satire.

[life2short1971]

I think the little "Hootervilles" have been scoped out and are now monitored starting the morning the article came out. : lol:

[Legion]

If you have never been to an amusement park with both you quickly findout the 3 year cant and won't ride the same attractions as the 13 year old so you and the wife are gonna spend most of the time apart. If I may make a suggestion you will find it worth the extra expense to bring a friend for the 13 year old so he has a partner to share the experience and relte to and it will also keep him from being alone and providing you and the Mrs. time to enjoy the park some as well with out being dragged from one side of the park to the other all day. Serious food fort thought. Chances are the other parent will even pick up the tab for their child just for the experience he will have. This is advice from a parent who has spent too many summers in theme parks.

Screw that! I'll hire a friend to mind the 3 year old! I'm going on the rides!! :lol:

[life2short1971]

Screw that! I'll hire a friend to mind the 3 year old! I'm going on the rides!! :lol:
whatever it takes for all to have a good time. That was his point to this thread I believe. :laugh: