Disney World Trip Tips
- Thread starter zrinkill
- Start date
CanadianCowboysFan
Lightning Rod
- Messages
- 25,624
- Reaction score
- 8,433
ChldsPlay;4592337 said:
problem is, then you might have to park at the site, can't get the extra hours, can't have your packages sent to your hotel like if you are at site hotel etc
CliffnDallas
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 4,484
- Reaction score
- 215
Avoid Gay day.
rkell87
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 8,443
- Reaction score
- 880
dw-secrets.com
we have been 4 dimes and this is the single best thing we have gotten.
it is about 30.00 but totally worth it, it has everything you could want to know for your trip but the single biggest thing it provides that saves you money is alerts to when disney is offering there dinning plan for free.
if you can get the dinning plan for free you will save a ton of money and be really happy because you get one line service, one snack, and one table service per day per person and you can use two days worth of table service meals and go someplace like Cinderella's castle for a really nice meal and experience but you will have to plan on doing that in advance because days and time for the castle are set 6 months in advance.
other than that if you like rides take advantage of the extra park hours and the monorail that runs through your hotel. identify popular rides that you want to hit in the park you are going and get a fast pass first thing in the morning, especially in epcot and animal kingdom because they have few big attractions so fast pass gets to plus 5 hours quickly, when you go to epcot, soarin' needs to be first priority because the ride takes forever, test track is second and they are on opposite ends.
finally, ask and you shall receive. disney is all about customer service and experience, ask for anything, be greedy, and you will get more than you expect. ask to be upgraded when you check in, ask cast members for fast passes, if there is a show/event you need to pay money for, ask if you can attend for free, make sure to get, and wear a first timer button, especially on your child and dress him cute in mickey ears or something. ask, ask, ask I can't stress it enough if you stop and talk to cast members(find an excuse, say you aren't sure where something is, then ask if they have a fast pass for when you get there) and they will usually hook you up. we went once when a pirates movie was coming out and they had a pirates and princess costume party after the park closed for a couple thousand people that paid $60 each, we attended for free.
hope this helps
we have been 4 dimes and this is the single best thing we have gotten.
it is about 30.00 but totally worth it, it has everything you could want to know for your trip but the single biggest thing it provides that saves you money is alerts to when disney is offering there dinning plan for free.
if you can get the dinning plan for free you will save a ton of money and be really happy because you get one line service, one snack, and one table service per day per person and you can use two days worth of table service meals and go someplace like Cinderella's castle for a really nice meal and experience but you will have to plan on doing that in advance because days and time for the castle are set 6 months in advance.
other than that if you like rides take advantage of the extra park hours and the monorail that runs through your hotel. identify popular rides that you want to hit in the park you are going and get a fast pass first thing in the morning, especially in epcot and animal kingdom because they have few big attractions so fast pass gets to plus 5 hours quickly, when you go to epcot, soarin' needs to be first priority because the ride takes forever, test track is second and they are on opposite ends.
finally, ask and you shall receive. disney is all about customer service and experience, ask for anything, be greedy, and you will get more than you expect. ask to be upgraded when you check in, ask cast members for fast passes, if there is a show/event you need to pay money for, ask if you can attend for free, make sure to get, and wear a first timer button, especially on your child and dress him cute in mickey ears or something. ask, ask, ask I can't stress it enough if you stop and talk to cast members(find an excuse, say you aren't sure where something is, then ask if they have a fast pass for when you get there) and they will usually hook you up. we went once when a pirates movie was coming out and they had a pirates and princess costume party after the park closed for a couple thousand people that paid $60 each, we attended for free.
hope this helps
CanadianCowboysFan
Lightning Rod
- Messages
- 25,624
- Reaction score
- 8,433
Double Trouble;4592963 said:
why would you do that?
Cajuncowboy
Preacher From The Black Lagoon
- Messages
- 27,499
- Reaction score
- 81
CanadianCowboysFan;4593259 said:
We had some friends that went during gay day by accident. They didn't realize it was that day when they booked it. They said it was so over the top disgusting that mostly men were purposefully flaunting being gay by necking right in front of kids and everyone. They had some pics to show the park personell but it went ignored. It's one thing to have your alternative lifestyle. It is an entirely different thing when you know it is out of the mainstream and against the vast majorities moral compass to shove it in thir face and that is what happens during gay day.
That is why we never go during that time. Frankly, they don't have a straight day so why should they have a gay day?
kmd24
Active Member
- Messages
- 3,436
- Reaction score
- 0
We've gone the last three years; twice the week after Thanksgiving and once the week after New Year's Day.
Some quick tips.
Character meals. Book early. Reservations open 180 days out. Akershus over Cinderella's Royal Table (we did both at breakfast; Akershus better and cheaper. Same princesses.). We like Crystal Palace (Pooh and friends) and Hollywood and Vine (Little Einsteins, Handy Manny, Oso). I'd skip Chef Mickey's. Too many other places to see Mickey and friends.
When to eat. I really like to schedule a sit down meal in the park either around 11 or at 1:30 or 2. It's really nice to get off your feet for a while, have a good meal, and give your kid a break. If you do it early or late, the wait will be shorter (your reservation is not a real reservation, more like a suggestion), and eating early or late will allow you to be in the park while the biggest percentage of people are sitting down to eat.
Where to eat. Of the sit down places we've been, I like Portobello the best. Unfortunately, we go to a lot of character buffets, none of which are all that great. I guess Crystal Palace and Tusker House are pretty good. The breakfast at Akershus is good. We ate at Les Chefs de Paris in Epcot, and I liked that pretty well. I've eaten at Ohana before, but I don't really remember what I thought. We usually stay at the Wilderness Lodge because you can take the ferry to Magic Kingdom, but I don't like the food at the Whispering Canyon Cafe, and the other sit down (Artist Point) isn't really appropriate for little ones. The place we stayed last year (Caribbean Beach) wasn't any better, though.
Buses. Since you're staying on resort, take them. So much easier than parking.
Extra Magic Hours. We're split on this. My wife likes them, but the EMH parks are always the busiest. The extra hour is nice, but if you go to a non-EMH park, lines will be shorter. The exception to me are special events like parades and shows (there's a Christmas party at Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios has a laser show, both after hours).
Park Hopper. Skip it. Especially since you're there so long, you'd just be wasting time on a bus.
Meal plan. We always do the middle one - 1 quick service meal, 1 sit down meal, and 1 snack every day. Incidentally, all the quick service meals count the same, even if one or more of the meal plans is for a child. We're 2 adults and a 5-yo, and the meals are not small. Plus, we do a lot of character meals, which tend to be buffets. Just one QS and one sit down per day is a lot of food.
Parades and characters. At the front of each park you can pick up a map and a flier that has the times and locations for parades and character appearances. You'll definitely want to know when the parades are whether you're watching them or not, since you can get stuck in an area for a while.
Rides. If you are willing to separate from your group, you can get in the single rider line for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Expedition Everest, and Test Track. I think RnR and EE are the two best rides on the resort, so I do this a lot. Usually my wife takes my daughter to the Beauty and the Beast show at Hollywood Studios and I ride RnR 4 or 5 times while they're in the show. At Animal Kingdom, EE is right up the way from the Nemo show, so we do the same thing there.
Stroller. If your 5yo is like my 5yo, he/she doesn't ride in a stroller anymore. Don't care. You're riding in it today, kiddo. Seriously, if I had just one piece of advice to give, this would be it. There's a lot of walking, and your kid will be a lot happier after getting pushed around all day. Plus, it gives you a place to stash stuff and tie balloons to. You might think it's a pain to carry around, but it's a lot less of a pain than carrying your kid on your shoulders or in your arms. I'm talking about a good umbrella stroller, by the way. Something you can easily fold up and put under a seat.
Water. Not a bad idea to either bring some bottled water with you or buy some when you hit the park. Another little thing that makes a big difference when your group is getting tired.
Camera. We've tried it both ways, with my nice digital SLR and a little pocket Nikon. The Nikon was better, even though the pictures weren't as good. Just less of a pain. I got one of these thinking it would help, but it didn't help enough to make we want to carry it.
Stress. Don't. Surprisingly, lots of guests in the park are not nice. They're extremely worried about how long they're waiting in line or the next event on their itinerary. My wife is an optimizer when it comes to these trips, so we've started staying longer so that I can tell her not to worry about seeing and doing every little thing in the perfect order according to some tip site or guy on in a football forum on the internet. It can add up to a lot of needless stress. If you stop having fun, take a step back and reboot. Vacations are supposed to be fun.
There's some cool new stuff in Magic Kingdom. You'll have a good time.
Some quick tips.
Character meals. Book early. Reservations open 180 days out. Akershus over Cinderella's Royal Table (we did both at breakfast; Akershus better and cheaper. Same princesses.). We like Crystal Palace (Pooh and friends) and Hollywood and Vine (Little Einsteins, Handy Manny, Oso). I'd skip Chef Mickey's. Too many other places to see Mickey and friends.
When to eat. I really like to schedule a sit down meal in the park either around 11 or at 1:30 or 2. It's really nice to get off your feet for a while, have a good meal, and give your kid a break. If you do it early or late, the wait will be shorter (your reservation is not a real reservation, more like a suggestion), and eating early or late will allow you to be in the park while the biggest percentage of people are sitting down to eat.
Where to eat. Of the sit down places we've been, I like Portobello the best. Unfortunately, we go to a lot of character buffets, none of which are all that great. I guess Crystal Palace and Tusker House are pretty good. The breakfast at Akershus is good. We ate at Les Chefs de Paris in Epcot, and I liked that pretty well. I've eaten at Ohana before, but I don't really remember what I thought. We usually stay at the Wilderness Lodge because you can take the ferry to Magic Kingdom, but I don't like the food at the Whispering Canyon Cafe, and the other sit down (Artist Point) isn't really appropriate for little ones. The place we stayed last year (Caribbean Beach) wasn't any better, though.
Buses. Since you're staying on resort, take them. So much easier than parking.
Extra Magic Hours. We're split on this. My wife likes them, but the EMH parks are always the busiest. The extra hour is nice, but if you go to a non-EMH park, lines will be shorter. The exception to me are special events like parades and shows (there's a Christmas party at Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios has a laser show, both after hours).
Park Hopper. Skip it. Especially since you're there so long, you'd just be wasting time on a bus.
Meal plan. We always do the middle one - 1 quick service meal, 1 sit down meal, and 1 snack every day. Incidentally, all the quick service meals count the same, even if one or more of the meal plans is for a child. We're 2 adults and a 5-yo, and the meals are not small. Plus, we do a lot of character meals, which tend to be buffets. Just one QS and one sit down per day is a lot of food.
Parades and characters. At the front of each park you can pick up a map and a flier that has the times and locations for parades and character appearances. You'll definitely want to know when the parades are whether you're watching them or not, since you can get stuck in an area for a while.
Rides. If you are willing to separate from your group, you can get in the single rider line for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Expedition Everest, and Test Track. I think RnR and EE are the two best rides on the resort, so I do this a lot. Usually my wife takes my daughter to the Beauty and the Beast show at Hollywood Studios and I ride RnR 4 or 5 times while they're in the show. At Animal Kingdom, EE is right up the way from the Nemo show, so we do the same thing there.
Stroller. If your 5yo is like my 5yo, he/she doesn't ride in a stroller anymore. Don't care. You're riding in it today, kiddo. Seriously, if I had just one piece of advice to give, this would be it. There's a lot of walking, and your kid will be a lot happier after getting pushed around all day. Plus, it gives you a place to stash stuff and tie balloons to. You might think it's a pain to carry around, but it's a lot less of a pain than carrying your kid on your shoulders or in your arms. I'm talking about a good umbrella stroller, by the way. Something you can easily fold up and put under a seat.
Water. Not a bad idea to either bring some bottled water with you or buy some when you hit the park. Another little thing that makes a big difference when your group is getting tired.
Camera. We've tried it both ways, with my nice digital SLR and a little pocket Nikon. The Nikon was better, even though the pictures weren't as good. Just less of a pain. I got one of these thinking it would help, but it didn't help enough to make we want to carry it.
Stress. Don't. Surprisingly, lots of guests in the park are not nice. They're extremely worried about how long they're waiting in line or the next event on their itinerary. My wife is an optimizer when it comes to these trips, so we've started staying longer so that I can tell her not to worry about seeing and doing every little thing in the perfect order according to some tip site or guy on in a football forum on the internet. It can add up to a lot of needless stress. If you stop having fun, take a step back and reboot. Vacations are supposed to be fun.
There's some cool new stuff in Magic Kingdom. You'll have a good time.
rkell87
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 8,443
- Reaction score
- 880
kmd24;4593523 said:
this is good solid advice, I will add that you will only need the bus for animal kingdom and mgm of the 4 main parks because your hotel is one of three that the mono rail goes through and goes to epcot and magic kingdom
oh and mole skin! get it at walgreens or where ever and put it in your suitcase, it is a life saver when you inevitably get blisters
Kangaroo
Active Member
- Messages
- 9,893
- Reaction score
- 1
If you like German food book early for reservation it is all you can eat and was some good stuff (Epcot).
Never tried it but I have not heard anything good about the Italian restaurant in Epcot. The only thing I have ever heard was over priced and night as well went to Olive Garden for less things like that.
Never tried it but I have not heard anything good about the Italian restaurant in Epcot. The only thing I have ever heard was over priced and night as well went to Olive Garden for less things like that.
CanadianCowboysFan
Lightning Rod
- Messages
- 25,624
- Reaction score
- 8,433
Chefs de Paris is good, Tusker House is where we are having a character breakfast (Donald's Safari), along with Chef Mickey in the Contemporary Resort.
We are also going to the Crystal Palace for a character dinner.
I also like the Liberty Tavern at Liberty Square. Great pot roast.
We are also going to the Crystal Palace for a character dinner.
I also like the Liberty Tavern at Liberty Square. Great pot roast.
Cajuncowboy
Preacher From The Black Lagoon
- Messages
- 27,499
- Reaction score
- 81
CanadianCowboysFan;4593628 said:
Oh man. You are dead right on the Liberty Tavern. I forgot about that and it is fantastic.
- Messages
- 79,326
- Reaction score
- 45,818
Don't know about anybody else, but now I wanna go to Disney World. I haven't been since my H.S. senior trip. I don't have kids, so I'm waiting til my friend's son gets a little bigger so I can tag along on their trip. lol
He's four and isn't quite tall enough for some of the rides, and she wants him to get as much of the experience as her nine year old.
He's four and isn't quite tall enough for some of the rides, and she wants him to get as much of the experience as her nine year old.
The30YardSlant
Benched
- Messages
- 24,287
- Reaction score
- 0
CanadianCowboysFan;4593259 said:
Because apparently it always turns into an obnoxious "event" with a lot of people using the opportunity to intentionally make others feel uncomfortable (lots of over the top PDA and such) and usually several physical altercations take place. Disney receives thousands of complaints every year but there is simply nothing they can legally do about it.
Cajuncowboy
Preacher From The Black Lagoon
- Messages
- 27,499
- Reaction score
- 81
The30YardSlant;4594152 said:
They could stop having gay day.
The30YardSlant
Benched
- Messages
- 24,287
- Reaction score
- 0
Cajuncowboy;4594153 said:
They don't have a "gay day" and it isn't Disney supported or sponsered. It's something that the gay community has put together and a lot of them show up every year on the first saturday in June.
kmd24
Active Member
- Messages
- 3,436
- Reaction score
- 0
The30YardSlant;4591803 said:
As an adult, I agree with you, but for kids it's kind of the reverse.
EPCOT is a lot of walking, and, most of the rides in the front are really boring (Energy, The Land, Spaceship Earth) or not really great for little ones (Mission Space, some might put Test Track and Soaring in this category as well). On the plus side for kids, there are a lot of characters in Epcot, including some that are difficult to find or only found in Epcot (Mulan in China, Belle and The Beast in France, Marie from Aristocrats in France, Mary Poppins in England). There is some *really* good food in Epcot, and you can get decent wine in France and good draft beer in England.
Animal Kingdom is not my favorite, but I don't like zoos either. My kid and all 7 of her cousins love it, mostly because of the Safari ride, the Lion King and Nemo shows, and the character greeting spot in Camp Minnie Mickey. My favorite is the Nemo show because that's when I get to go single rider on Expedition Everest. The food in AK kinda sucks. Tusker House isn't bad for a buffet, but Yak and Yeti is very average, IMO.