Parents - Disney World?

[red95gts]

My wife and I are looking into making a trip to Disney World this summer with our kids (ages 13, 9, 4, and 2). We've never been before and the number of vacation packages is overwhelming.

Any suggestions or do's & don'ts from people that have been?

Thanks

[Steve]

My wife and I are looking into making a trip to Disney World this summer with our kids (ages 13, 9, 4, and 2). We've never been before and the number of vacation packages is overwhelming.

Any suggestions or do's & don'ts from people that have been?

Thanks

We just got back from there yesterday. It was alot of fun. Michelle and Lyn helped me out a great deal with our trip with lots of tips, especially Michelle who should be a certified Disney expert. lol.

If you stay on the Disney property at one of their hotels, you get free transportation to all of the parks which is very convient. We stayed at the Yacht Club which was very nice and comfortable.

I would HIGHLY suggest making reservations at the places you want to eat months in advance otherwise you won't be eating anywhere other than a quick service place with the same three options the whole time you are there. Every restaraunt at the hotel had a 2 hour wait. And since you are going with little kids, as you know when they are hungry they aren't going to wait two hours to eat and not be upset about it.

You can always rent a car to eat off property, but its a pain in the ass to get anywhere if you are driving. The property is SO huge, it's easy to get lost. Disney seems to count on the fact that they have you locked in on the property and the prices on everything reflect that. So be prepared for the expense.


Also, be sure to check their schedule for special events for when you are planning your trip, like Spring break or anything like that. If crowds aren't your thing, be sure not to schedule your trip during one of these times.

Tuesday night we were on Main St to watch the Electric Parade (which was great, Emma loved it and she's two) but after it was over, the street was SO packed and crowded it was elbows to elbows of thousands of people who could barely move to get where they wanted to go. (Think 635 traffic at rush hour of nothing but people as far as you can see.) We got a place an hour ahead of time on the curb to wait, then waited another hour after that for the Wishes Show. (It's amazing what they can do with that castle!)


The short story is - plan it out down to every detail and the trip will be great and tons of fun for you and your family. But if you don't, it can quickly become a very stressing trip you will regret going on. lol.

[jdgregory84]

Do everything. The 13 year old is old enough to ride pretty much anything, so it might not be a bad idea for you two to try and get some of the older rides done with eachother, if your wife is capable of watching after the younger ones for half a day or so. Fast passes are a must. Fast pass, 20-30 wait in line. No fast pass 2 hour wait. Get to the parks when they open and ride the popular stuff first, then catch the shows later when it's hot outside so you can be inside and not die. Food and drinks are EXPENSIVE. From what I remember my parents telling me, getting there, and staying there is pretty affordable, but eating is a real wallet thinner. We stayed at the Disney Music themed hotel and it was pretty nice, but I'm sure the others are basically identical.

I was 21 when I went and I don't think I've had a vacation that I've enjoyed as much as Disney World. Oh yeah, there are also really cool fireworks/laser shows at each park at night.

[AdamLX]

We went back in January and had everything planned out for us by my wife's executive assistant who goes at least twice a year (for the last 10 years).

Some of the high points:
Stay on Disney property so you have access to Disney Magic Hours. One park per day will either open up early or stay open later for guests staying on resort grounds which makes a massive in wait time and crowds.

You can navigate within everything using the buses between all parks. I believe they are on 10-15 minute intervals.

If you book through Disney I believe they send you a shit-ton of information for each park, map and ride layout etc. This is your new Bible. The secret to getting through the parks is mapping out route. Each park has a Fastpass which allows you to go to a ride and print out a ticket for each person in the party and will tell you to return between 4pm and 5pm (example). This lets you skip a two hour long wait (Soarin'). When you get to the park, go to the most popular ride and get a Fastpass so you can then go wait in line for a few rides and come back and almost get right on the Fastpass. When you get off that ride, rinse and repeat for other rides.

We stayed at the Swan Resort by Epcot which was a really good location.

Magic Kingdom: packed and an all day affair. Be prepared to go non stop for 12 hours.
Hollywood Studios: With kids, you have to see the show Fantasmic at night. If the show starts at 6:45pm, you need to be in line at 5pm.
Animal Kingdom: Go during Magic Hours and you will have zero wait in the morning. We walked right onto the Safari ride.

[Leah]

First get this book: http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CDQQ8wIwAw#

It gives you tips, plans, and other ways to make the best of your trip.

Then, check out this website-it helps track the crowds so you can pick a time that may be less busy.

http://touringplans.com/

I did this for Disneyland-we'll be there Monday.

[SMKR]

2 words:

FAST PASS

[dumpycapri85]

My parents are there now and my wife and I will be taking our son there for his 3rd birthday in Oct . We grew up in Fl. so we have been a ton of times and all I can say is you will drop some coin but your kids will never forget it . It is another world . All the advise you have been given is dead on and I will add when you get to the parks in the am run (dont walk ) to the back of the parks and work your way forward . You will hit the crowds around noon when everybody eats and be closer to the front at the end of the day . If you will be there more then 3 days get the park hopper pass so you can jump back to the stuff you want to do again after you see what you want . HAVE FUN !

[gearhead78]

We went last summer and ended up going to Hollywood the last day for about 1/2 a day. I had a better time there than all the other parks and wish I had spent at least a full day there if not two.

We stayed at the pop-culture resort it was cool but I would have liked to see what the other were like.

The fire works at the magic kingdom where the best I have ever seen.

The food at the resort and in the park was marginal at best.

Everything is stupid expensive.

If you have small kids that want to see the characters get ready to wait 1-2 hours in line each time you want to see one.

If I had the extra money I would go again in a second

[95DRGT]

Start walking now to prep cause you will walk your ass off.

Get the Fast Pass

Check into doing the 'time share' spill deal with Hilton or Hyatt vacations. We got a 3 bedroom condo for the week for $199 just off property. Of course you will have to listen to a 2 hour spill on buying a condo. I tell them right before the meeting starts we are not buying and they will usually cut it short. It is worth in my opinion especially if you are strapped for cash plus being able to cook and save on the eating out deal.

Not to be harsh but I wouldn't take any kids under the age of 5.

[Gargamel]

2 Words:
Too EXPENSIVE

[AdamLX]

2 Words:
Too EXPENSIVE

We ate at some little diner across at the Dolphin hotel just because it was close by.

2 hamburgers (awful quality)
1 basket of fries
2 cokes

$40.

[HenryJ]

First get this book: http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CDQQ8wIwAw#

It gives you tips, plans, and other ways to make the best of your trip.

Then, check out this website-it helps track the crowds so you can pick a time that may be less busy.

http://touringplans.com/

I did this for Disneyland-we'll be there Monday.

This is exactly what we did when we went last October and it worked out great. The longest waits we had were standing in line with my 3yo to get the disney character autograph's and that wasn't that bad.

[HenryJ]

My wife and I are looking into making a trip to Disney World this summer with our kids (ages 13, 9, 4, and 2). We've never been before and the number of vacation packages is overwhelming.

Any suggestions or do's & don'ts from people that have been?

Thanks

Wear good shoes and bring fold up strollers for the 2yo and 4yo. If you want to borrow the book Leah is talking about let me know.

[sdun]

The last time we went my wife got us a meal plan and it was the best thing that she did. We ate at all of the nicest places in the parks. You eat burgers or the like for lunch but for dinner you go to the nicer places and everyone including the kids gets appitizer(sp), meal, and desert. It was awsome. Planet Hollwood, Brown Derby, big river boat(can't remember the name), etc... We ate like kings and I kept track of what it would of cost and some of the meals would of been 3 to 4 hundred bucks. You can order the most expensive thing on the menue everytime for everyone. If you stay on the property everyone has a card that does everything, park entrance, all of the food, hotel room door, etc..

[78X]

2 Words:
Too EXPENSIVE

2 words

get the Meal Plan