Planning a wdw trip, Lots of questions!

[Hatbox66]

Sooo im starting to plan a trip to wdw. First time EVER. Yay!! And im looking at everything possible and i have alot of questions that i cant really answer so im looking to all the lucky ducks who have had the pleasure of going or who go on a regular basis. Ok so here it goes.

1. Is getting a whole package worth it?
2. Meal plans. Worth it? Is there a limit to where i can eat? (I was thinking the two meals a day plan since i have never been i think it would be fabulous to eat in the park)
3. Good hotels? Im kinda leaning towards the Orleans french quarter. But my fiance brought up a good point. We'll prolly need one with the monorail attached.
4. Do you guys get rental cars? Is it possible to go through the whole trip not needing one?

Uh yeah that's all i can think of for now. I might think of some more but those were the most important on my mind.

[mickeyfan1999]

PM sent.

[schwanzie]

i'm no help for some of the questions because we are dvc members so never had a package. we have also never used the meal plans. we usually stay at old key west and have a kitchen in the room so we go to a grocery store and pack lunch/snacks to bring with.

i've only stayed at one hotel with the monorail (contemporary) and that was for a short period of time, but it was nice having the monorail right there. disney makes transportation very easy so that you do not need a car when you're there. we've gone without a car multiple times and just used the buses, monorails, or boats.

hope that helps. :)

also, congrats on planning your first wdw trip! you're going to have so much fun!

[SirScott99]

1. Is getting a whole package worth it?
2. Meal plans. Worth it? Is there a limit to where i can eat? (I was thinking the two meals a day plan since i have never been i think it would be fabulous to eat in the park)
3. Good hotels? Im kinda leaning towards the Orleans french quarter. But my fiance brought up a good point. We'll prolly need one with the monorail attached.
4. Do you guys get rental cars? Is it possible to go through the whole trip not needing one?

1. What exactly do you mean by "whole package"?
2. This is always a question in my family of 4 and we always opt against it. There is no limit depending on what kind of meal plan you have/get. The second part of that last sentence depends on where you want to eat. Once you decide on resturaunts, come back with this question.
3. There really is no such thing as a "bad hotel". It's all about how much you want to spend and of course the biggest part of it: location, location, location. French Quarter is not bad money wise but you have to take the bus everywhere yet also just outside "the middle of everything". Do you have a budget?
4. I have never gone to WDW with my family and not rented a car. We do this because we like to be on our own schedule. For example, we use our DVC membership to the absolute fullest and therefore park at the Contemporary and walk to MK, park at Beach and walk to EPCOT and park in the Studios/Animal Kingdom parking lot. I tell you this because: Long story short, we drove to Beach, wrnt to EPCOT then monorailed over to MK for extra magic hours. Now to get back to our hotel (which was Old Key West), we had to take the bus back to Beach and then drive. I was waaaay too tired and hurting so my dad took the bus back to Beach and I took the bus back to OKW..... problem with Disney transportation? I waited 20 minutes for my bus to come at 1am at the MK bus stop back to Old Key West. It just so happened that particular day our plans didn't call for parking at Contemporary but normall we would have and we would have been back at the room within 20 minutes. Basically the point I'm trying to make is that you are on Disney's schedule and it's a major pain to wait for transportation. Especially after normal park closing and you have 40-50 people waiting in line before you for the bus, you could wait easily an hour. Another reason to get a car is Magical Express picks you up at your hotel 3 hours prior to your flight. Now depending on what time you choose your return flight will cause wasted time. For example, we had a 7:30pm flight last week and left studios at 4pm (mainly because we had to have the car back by 5 or they charge another full day). My final point about a car: IT'S GREAT!!!!! Convenience is very very very key when in WDW.

Now many other things go into your decision for these answers. How long are you going for? Like I said, do you have a budget? How much does style of hotel/price matter? If let's say you can get a nicer hotel but it's a little more expensive than choice B, will you do it? What about park hoppers? Depending on time of year, water park option?

I'm sorry for all the questions but I used to be a travel agent's assistant so this entire post is basically the travel agent in me coming out. I've also been to Disney over 40 times (not to brag, just stating my experience) so I know what I"m talking about (not that anyone else does, because I'm sure people livingi n FL have better information/advise than I do).

Hope this helps and feel free to ask more questions

[Hatbox66]

Thanks schwanzie! I know im so excited... even though it is a long ways away lmao!

Alrighty Sirscott.
1. the whole package as in i mean the whole disney vacation package that you can customize on DS.com. Which includes hotel, food (if you want), flight, and rental car
2. Im reading it, it looks like there is no limit, but what i meant was can they be used only in cartain parks? Certain restaurants? Certain foods? I only ask bc i thought the regualr disneyland meal plans were just vouchers for denominations. Not like wdw where you can have your 3 meals a day.
3. Personally i really dont care where we stay. I honestly wouldnt care if we stayed across the street or in a best western. However my fiance made it clear he wants to stay somewhere in the park. So i would prefer somewhere that is "in the middle of everything" and nowhere that is gonna cost me a months pay to stay at.
4. Im kinda leaning towards renting a car. I get exactly what your saying. Thanks.

[Allotes]

The regular dining plan gives you 1 table service, 1 counter service and 1 snack per night of your stay. You can use 3 table service on one day if you like. Snacks are good on bottled water. Just about all of the restaurants will accept the dining plan. A handful at DTD don't, but I think that's it.

The meal plan at WDW is completely different from DLR, and from what I've experienced, way better

[Carol]

I'm not sure if any of my advice will help but I will put my 2c in anyway!

I think it all depends on the length of your stay at WDW and what you want to visit.

If you are only going for a short time, definitely stay on site and get the dining plan etc.

Personally (because we have to come from so far away) we only get there every 2-3 years but stay 6 weeks each holiday. We get a 3 bedroom condo offsite just off the 192 for the whole time at a mere fraction of what it would cost to stay at a Disney Hotel. We prefer to put our money into getting an annual pass to both Disney and Universal parks (as well as eating at various nice restaurants and buying stuff!).

If we have a special occasion while we are there (birthday or anniversary) we book one night at one of the 'flash' Disney hotels and have a meal at that restaurant that night.

We always rent a car so that we are not on anyone else's schedule as well as go to Tampa, Busch Gardens, Universal, Seaworld, Outlet Malls, restaurants etc when it suits us.

If my husband wants to go somewhere else for the day but I want to go to Disney, I just catch the public bus that goes down the 192 every 1/2 hour straight to Magic Kingdom.

[flyosu]

Between my wife & I, we have been to WDW about 40 times...so here's my advice

1. The "packages" are definitely worth it. It will be your cheapest way to get lodging, tickets (and meal plans if you want them) We have always gone with the package deal up until now (we just became DVC members this year) Alos... if you are a Disney Rewards Visa Card holder, and you book your trip through WDW Travel, you get six months no interest to pay off your trip when it is charged to your DRVisa Card!!!

2. We have used the meal plan on our last 4 trips and it is great! It's so nice to not have to worry about "how much money are we spending on food?" while at the Parks. You mentioned the 2 meal a day plan... the dining is kept track of via your room key. If you bought the 2 meal a day plan for say a 5 day trip... your would essentially have 10 sit down meals per person. These can be used as needed. You can not use them at all one day and bank the points, you could use them 2 time meals a day, or you could use all 10 meals in a day if you wanted to. Same goes for the snacks and counter service. All that being said... we have never PAID for the dining plan. We have always gone during the free dining promotion. You will need to do some research on prices to see if it would be cost effective for your needs.

3. Good Hotels... in our opinion, you can't go wrong with a Disney hotel. We have stayed at all price levels and enjoy them all. For a Value hotel, we love Pop Century (it is the most conveniently located of the value resorts). We have never stayed at French Quarter, but we have stayed at Port orleans Riverside which is right next door. It has a bit more of secluded feel. Both hotels have boat service to downtown disney which is a nice perk. Those two hotels are also fairly centrally located, the only long bus ride would be to the Animal Kingdom. We have stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge... cool hotel... VERY long bus rides to everywhere but the Animal Kingdom! Conversely, if you stay at a hotel on the monorail line near the magic kindom... you will have longer ride times to any parks other than the MK. To be at a hotel "on the monorail" you are going to have to sign over the rights to your firstborn child... so not necessarily worth it!!! (i think we are talking close to $400 A NIGHT at those on the cheap side!)

4. Rental car not required! WDW has an excellent transportation system. While a rental car might cut your wait times for the bus and make for a more relaxing ride back to your resort after the parks close, it is definitely not a neccesity. if at any point during your stay, you decide you want to go to another off WDW park, there are bus vouchers you can buy to get you there (from Mears bus service) for a reasonable price. There is also an on disney car rental location that will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the rental center in the event you just wanted to rent for a day or two.

hope this helps a little!

---------- Post added at 06:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:44 PM ----------

Something I forgot to answer about the dining plan...
It should cover the majority of restauraunts in the parks and at the WDW hotels. It also includes some restaurants at downtown disney... but not all of them. Character dining, and event dining like the hoop-dee-doo review, mickey's backyard BBQ & the Luau at the Polynesian cost two sit down meal points. Those we usually pay for out of pocket as it's not a good value to cash in your dining point for them. "White linen" restaurants such as Narcoosies at the Floridian, California Grille at the Contemporary, and theYachtsman at the Yacht Clubare also equal to 2 sit down meals.. however these ARE worth it because you are looking at meals ranging $75 and up (per person) when you count the appetizers, main course, and desserts. If you look online hard enough, you should be able to find what restaurants are covered on the plan, and the type of service they are ( ie. counter service, sit down, white linen, and also snack locations)

[Hatbox66]

Allotes, Carol, and flyosu Thank you so much its all very helpful.

[qbot86]

1. Yes, I find that getting the whole package is usually the best, easiest and cheapest route to take.
2. I usually try to plan trips to coincide with free dining offers, but I went this January and paid for the dining plan. It's certainly not cheap but I still believe that it is worth it. You can eat at about 90% of restaurants on Disney property and can order nearly anything off the menu (in other words, you can easily make your money back). Even if it ends up being a little more than what you'd spend otherwise, it is worth it for the convenience alone. Since the dining plan is linked to your room key (which also doubles as your park entrance pass), one quick swipe of the card gets you i and out of any sit-down restaurant. Also, you never have to think about how much you're spending on food while in Disney. I tend to opt for the one with 1 quickservice and 1 table service plus snacks. When I purchased in January however, I opted for the two table service. Either one is good; it really depends on restaurant preference.
3. I've never stayed in the French Quarter but I LOVE the Riverside. It's a very nice hotel and a good location. If you want to go cheaper, Pop Century is a decent option too. The monorail is nice, but any of those hotels will cost you an arm and a leg. If you're on a budget or don't mind waiting the extra 15-20 minutes for a bus, save yourself several hundred (thousand?) dollars and go the cheaper route.
4. I have never needed a rental car as I always use the buses. Then again I've always been a student on a budget when I went down there so I just sucked it up and waited the 20 minutes at Disney's bus stop (since Disney transportation is free). If money isn't an issue and you don't have the patience to wait in the hot sun for a bus, then I assume a rental car is probably a decent investment. Personally, I'll always just stick with Disney's free bus system though :lol:

Hope I could help some.

[AnthonyFromLasVegas]

Just wanted to add my imput from my previous trips...

1. Is getting a whole package worth it? Package like air, hotel, park tickets? No you can piece it together for less
2. Meal plans. Worth it? Is there a limit to where i can eat? (I was thinking the two meals a day plan since i have never been i think it would be fabulous to eat in the park) Dining plan is so worth it
3. Good hotels? Im kinda leaning towards the Orleans french quarter. But my fiance brought up a good point. We'll prolly need one with the monorail attached. I stayed at Port Orleans-Riverside, it was basic, had no problems with it at all, also they have awesome beignetes (SP?), you don't need to stay at a hotel that has a monorail, each hotel has a shuttle to the parks, but if you want a monorail you're going to pay for it.
4. Do you guys get rental cars? Is it possible to go through the whole trip not needing one? It all depends if you plan to go to Universal, Sea World or to explore the city, also if you have a car and are staying on site your parking at the parks is free. If you don't plan on going anywhere else you don't need one the Magical Express will take you from the airport to your hotel. Everytime I have gone I get a rent a car.

[MouseMasters]

1. I say yes. It's convenient, and that way you can start planning things out a lot easier than if you purchase stuff one at a time.
2. I am a local so I really don't get the opportunity to speak on personal experience with the DDP, but a lot of my online friends has used the plans and they have thoroughly enjoyed it. Snack plans seem to the better hit as you can just swipe the card and carry on with your popcorn/soft drink. As far as actual meals, they tended to use the QSR as snacks (I think that's what they said, lol) and TSR's they charged to the room. It just depends on convenience, though.
3. Any on the MK monorail line are good hotels, but everyone seems to love the Polynesian. It is beautifully themed and is only 2 stops away from MK.
4. Again, I am a local and have my own car, so I don't rely on rentals, but if you want to go to another theme park and don't want to have to rely on taxis/city buses, then I say rentals are the best way to go.

[Anders Limpar]

3. It seems a lot of people really like the Contemporary and the Polynesian. I've usually stayed at Grand Floridian and its my favorite but its very expensive.

4. A rental car is not required especially if you stay at one of the resorts on the monorail line. I have heard however that the buses can be sketchy at times. And sometimes its nice to have the rental car to avoid waiting for the bus. I've mainly stayed at GF and have had no problems waiting for buses. Although, we usually go in early March when its not incredibly crowded. If you go when its more crowded you might find yourself waiting in lines for buses.

[little miss vinyl]

I thought I'd throw some of my two cents in:

We have stayed at French Quartes and LOVED it! It is actually the smallest resort (# of rooms) on Disney property so we've never had long waits for buses when parks closed. Also, their food court had the Beinettes and Hand dipped Ice cream - both big crowd pleasers in our crowd. You can walk to Riverside for their sit down restaurant (we never did with small kids, ate sit down in the parks). Good luck with you planning and enjoy your trip!!

[meghalemily]

1. Is getting a whole package worth it?
2. Meal plans. Worth it? Is there a limit to where i can eat? (I was thinking the two meals a day plan since i have never been i think it would be fabulous to eat in the park)
3. Good hotels? Im kinda leaning towards the Orleans french quarter. But my fiance brought up a good point. We'll prolly need one with the monorail attached.
4. Do you guys get rental cars? Is it possible to go through the whole trip not needing one?

1. I have noticed that occasionally you can find a better deal if you book your own air fare, but the convenience of the "one stop shopping" that the Disney site offers is sometimes a better option. The majority of the time the prices are similar if not the same. I would say get it through the site!
2. When I've gone with my in-laws they don't like the meal plan, they don't like the restriction. However, if I were planning a trip with myself and friends I would get the dining plan. You don't have to worry about do you have enough cash or trying to keep your charging straight. My in-laws say that there are restaurant restrictions, but I didn't notice any. They also mentioned menu limitations, but I never noticed two different menus,
3. We're actually staying in the French Quarter when we go in November and I'm very excited. I've heard that it's secluded and centrally located in the park. I have stayed at the Fort Wilderness Lodge and that was a great hotel it was boat ride to MK and a bus ride to all the other parks and downtown Disney. One of the perks to staying at one of the more deluxe hotels is you can pay a little more and get a club level room and included in that price is a continental breakfast, snacks during the day, and desserts with free wine and beer at night. It was nice that if you were a little hungry while lounging in the room you can just run over and get something to eat (and if you got the meal plan you wouldn't have to waste a meal or snack on breakfast)
4. I would say do not bring a car. The Disney Magical Express picks you and your luggage up at the airport, so you don't even have to worry about lugging it through the airport. It takes you directly to your hotel and they bring your bags up when they get there. There is some sort of transportation to every place you'd want to be. You may have to wait to get on a bus but I've never waited longer than 20 minutes for one (and that was just missing the last bus).

It is so much fun, once you get there all you have to worry about is just having a great time, and it is impossible not to!!! ENJOY YOUR TRIP!!!

[Hatbox66]

Love it. This is all so very helpful. Thanks everyone. :)

[lindsey1128]

I'm taking a trip in a little over a year and my question is how many Vinylmations are a good number to bring for trading?

[meghalemily]

I'm taking a trip in a little over a year and my question is how many Vinylmations are a good number to bring for trading?

As many as your carry on, suitcase and TSA will let you!!!!! :)

[lindsey1128]

As many as your carry on, suitcase and TSA will let you!!!!! :)

I will most likely be driving, so I guess it's as many as I can fit in my car, haha.

[crazybones27]

1. Is getting a whole package worth it?
2. Meal plans. Worth it? Is there a limit to where i can eat? (I was thinking the two meals a day plan since i have never been i think it would be fabulous to eat in the park)
3. Good hotels? Im kinda leaning towards the Orleans french quarter. But my fiance brought up a good point. We'll prolly need one with the monorail attached.
4. Do you guys get rental cars? Is it possible to go through the whole trip not needing one?

Uh yeah that's all i can think of for now. I might think of some more but those were the most important on my mind.

Is it just you and your fiancé going? Here are my opinions :). I'm sorry I didn't read everyone else's since a few of them were pretty long and I'm late to the game.

Is the whole plan worth it I believe so, but I would rent the car and book the flights separately. I would only suggest renting a car if you are traveling with a child that needs a stroller and car set. My reasoning for this is we found after 4 trips with children it's easier to transfer a sleeping child to a carseat then wait in a bus line holding them and having to fumble with bags and a folded stroller while possibly having to stand for the ride back. Without kids I think the buses are great :thumbsup:.

We almost always get a meal plan now even with being DVC members. We love it :). We have done the quick service plan and the regular dining. If you get the regular dining just do your research before your at 180 days so youmcan book the dining you want accordingly. Some places fill up as soon as the booking window opens :).

The reason to book the flights separately is because you can probably find them cheaper and you can always call Disney to add Magical Express later when you've booked them.

As for hotels they are all good. Right a list of what you're looking to get out of a hotel, how much you wanna spend per night, and really how much time you are going to spend there. I love being on the monorail with the kids, but without them it's not needed really. If all your doing there is sleeping I think a value is fine. If you have the money to spend and want something nicer then a moderate and up is the definite way to go :).

I think I might have covered your questions :). I hope this helps.

Edit: check out the tickets and packages section on Disney worlds site and go to Specials. I don't know when you're going but they are offering free dining for select daes between now and March of next year :).

[MsDisneyFan]

1. Is getting a whole package worth it?I think the package is definitely worth it. I don't know what the cost of everything would be if you piece it together, but it's definitely convenient to get the package through Disney. Also, you can really save money if you go during one of the free dining plan promotion periods.
2. Meal plans. Worth it? Is there a limit to where i can eat? (I was thinking the two meals a day plan since i have never been i think it would be fabulous to eat in the park)Food can really add up in WDW! My mom and I recently went to Disney during a free quick service dining plan promotion so we got 2 quick service meals and 2 snacks a day. I believe the quick service package is dropping to 2 quick service meals and 1 snack a day, but I still think it's a good deal if you get it for free!
3. Good hotels? Im kinda leaning towards the Orleans french quarter. But my fiance brought up a good point. We'll prolly need one with the monorail attached.I don't know about needing a monorail hotel since I never stayed in one, but I love the value resorts! Pop Century was by far my favorite- I think it depends on how much money you want to shell out for the room. I find that I'm never really in the room since I spend most of my time in the parks so for me having a cheaper room is worth it. The buses can definitely get backed up though. We waited well over an hour the one night just to get home.
4. Do you guys get rental cars? Is it possible to go through the whole trip not needing one?When I go to Disney with my dad we always just drive to Florida so there's never been a need to rent one. With that said, cars come in handy if you want to go to Universal Studios, Seaworld or anywhere else not on Disney property. My mom and I recently went to Disney together, flew and didn't rent a car. We didn't miss having a car though since we didn't plan on doing anything outside of the Disney parks. My fiance and I are going next year for our honeymoon and we plan on driving down because we want to have a car accessible.

[SirScott99]

You don't need a monorail hotel because it's only useful if you're going to MK every single day. It takes longer to get to EPCOT using a Monorail than it does bus. If you don't want to stay at a value for whatever reason, I'd go with French Quarter. It's not overly expensive but it's not dirt cheap either (in comparsion to value hotels). It's kind of in the middle but if you really want middle then go for Boardwalk/Beach Club.... though there you will have a problem with the "paying a months salary". I'd definitely go with FQ and get the dining plan. Before you get the dining plan though, you have to figure out what resturaunts you will be going to because some require 2 dining points rather than just 1.... examples of these include: Le Cellier, Yachtsman Steakhouse and Brown Derby. If you just plan on going to a resturaunt that requires only 1 dining plan point then definitely go with the standard. I would book the flights separately because like someone said, you can probably get them cheaper. I still think a car is a huge positive.... btw, how long are you going for? I don't think it was ever said

[Hatbox66]

Im planning on staying for about 5 days. The first day we get there though will hopefully be a flight where we get there in the evening, sleep, and then just go to the park the next day.

[SirScott99]

Im planning on staying for about 5 days. The first day we get there though will hopefully be a flight where we get there in the evening, sleep, and then just go to the park the next day.

Ok well if you're going to be there for only 5 days I wouldn't suggest a car. I don't think in 5 days you would really need it as you probably won't be doing much other than the parks. It's actually really 4 days since the first day you're getting there in the evening, am I understanding that correct? The money you save on a car (which could be a couple hundred) you could probably put toward a hotel like Beach Club or Boardwalk. I would look there first and then go to a moderate like French Quarter

[MsDisneyFan]

I agree with SirScott99- if you're only going to be there for 5 days then I don't think a car is necessary.

[Carol]

Ok well if you're going to be there for only 5 days I wouldn't suggest a car. I don't think in 5 days you would really need it as you probably won't be doing much other than the parks. It's actually really 4 days since the first day you're getting there in the evening, am I understanding that correct? The money you save on a car (which could be a couple hundred) you could probably put toward a hotel like Beach Club or Boardwalk. I would look there first and then go to a moderate like French Quarter

Absolutely agree with you - with only 4 days you are basically doing a park a day and squeezing in a trip to Downtown Disney on one of the days - Disney transport will be fine.

[vinylmation_nation]

1. Yes
2. Yes food at Disney is super expensive if you pay out of pocket, so the meal plan is so worth it. Make reservations at cinderella's table, they have amazing food, a great view and it's a great experience!
3. Personally I think the Polynesian is by far the best hotel and it's on the monorail. The atmosphere is amazing and you're right on the lake where they have shows!
4. If you plan on being at Disney the whole trip there is no need for a rental. Disney will not only pick you up from the airport they will drop you off too. Plus there are buses and monorails to take you wherever you want to go in disney and they don't cost extra!

I use to work at Disney so if you have anymore questions I would be more than happy to help! Have fun!

[Hatbox66]

Yeah i know 4 days isnt a lot but still i will be happy either way :) Seeing as i have never been. Im sure the wdw honeymoon will be longer. Haha. Thanks for the info. My fiance wanted the rental car but i wasnt too sure since there's always buses or something to take you there. This definitely confirms everything.

[MsDisneyFan]

Yeah i know 4 days isnt a lot but still i will be happy either way :) Seeing as i have never been. Im sure the wdw honeymoon will be longer. Haha. Thanks for the info. My fiance wanted the rental car but i wasnt too sure since there's always buses or something to take you there. This definitely confirms everything.

"Short" trip or not, have fun! :thumbsup:

[Hatbox66]

Haha thanks! ;D Yeah 4 days is too short for anything disney.

[shiningcat]

Definitely going to be taking some info from this for when I go in May. SUPER EXCITED!

In case I missed it, I was told by staff at the Disney Store that I should spend at least an entire day at Magic Kingdom.

True facts?

[Allotes]

Definitely going to be taking some info from this for when I go in May. SUPER EXCITED!

In case I missed it, I was told by staff at the Disney Store that I should spend at least an entire day at Magic Kingdom.

True facts?

Yes. And get fast passes for everything that has one. The wait time for Peter Pan without one is just ridiculous

[crazybones27]

Definitely going to be taking some info from this for when I go in May. SUPER EXCITED!

In case I missed it, I was told by staff at the Disney Store that I should spend at least an entire day at Magic Kingdom.

True facts?

You might even want two full days at Magic Kingdom. If it's your first time you might need that extra day to get everything in you're looking to do :).

[shiningcat]

Yes. And get fast passes for everything that has one. The wait time for Peter Pan without one is just ridiculous

Good to know!! The S.O and I weren't sure if it was worth the money, but I suppose if you only have limited time there, you don't want to spend it all waiting in lines. :3

---------- Post added at 05:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:19 PM ----------


You might even want two full days at Magic Kingdom. If it's your first time you might need that extra day to get everything in you're looking to do :).

Will just have to see how things go, we only have 5 days (two spent in travel).

I know it was suggested to spend the day we arrive in Downtown Disney.

They also suggested that we go to Magic Kingdom first because then we know if we want to go back or not. :3

[qbot86]

Good to know!! The S.O and I weren't sure if it was worth the money, but I suppose if you only have limited time there, you don't want to spend it all waiting in lines. :3

I could be misreading your post, but the fastpasses shouldn't cost you any extra. They come automatically with the park tickets.

[crazybones27]

Good to know!! The S.O and I weren't sure if it was worth the money, but I suppose if you only have limited time there, you don't want to spend it all waiting in lines.

Fast passes in Disney World are free. Unlike other theme parks you do not have to pay extra for fast passes.

[SirScott99]

Fast passes in Disney World are free. Unlike other theme parks you do not have to pay extra for fast passes.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel, technically that's not true. You have to pay to get into the park and then the use of fastpasses costs you no extra. So I guess you could say that a fastpass costs you the same amount as that days pass :lol:

[crazybones27]

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel, technically that's not true. You have to pay to get into the park and then the use of fastpasses costs you no extra. So I guess you could say that a fastpass costs you the same amount as that days pass :lol:

:tap: I said you don't have to pay extra for them. :lol:

[MsDisneyFan]

In case I missed it, I was told by staff at the Disney Store that I should spend at least an entire day at Magic Kingdom.

True facts?

Definitely true. I make sure I have a day alloted for each park. I know others don't do it exactly that way, but I find it's helpful. Magic Kingdom could definitely be stretched into 2 days and fast passes are definitely a must. Also, if you can take advantage of extra magic hours for MK I would do that. Gives you a little extra time in the park :)

[shiningcat]

Oh! Okay, he was saying he was told by a friend that it cost extra but that could be just bad info.

Thank you so much for all your help ^^!

If all goes well, I could see this becoming a yearly vacation for me.

Any advice on hotels while I'm here? I'd like to stay on the grounds.

[crazybones27]

Oh! Okay, he was saying he was told by a friend that it cost extra but that could be just bad info.

Thank you so much for all your help ^^!

If all goes well, I could see this becoming a yearly vacation for me.

Any advice on hotels while I'm here? I'd like to stay on the grounds.

Only in other parks(universal, six flags, etc) do you have to purchase something extra to skip the lines. In Disney you use you park ticket at the fast pass ticket machines. What happens is you go to a ride and see the line might be to long that you don't want to wait. At that ride there sometimes is a fast pass ticket machine. Check the time above to make sure you'll still be in the park at the return time. Once you've decided you'll be around take each park pass and put it in the machine. It will print a fast pass ticket for you to return between the time printed on it. When you return at that time head for the fast pass line and not the regular line. If you use the fast passes it can help to get through a lot of what you want to do.

As for hotels it all depends on how much you want to spend on them. The cheapest is Value, then Moderate, then Deluxe, and Deluxe Villas. Check out the hotels on the Disney World website. If you don't plan on spending a lot of time in the hotel I recommend a Value or Moderate. Make sure to check out the special offers to see if the time your going falls under a special promotion they might be running. I hope this helps :)

[MsDisneyFan]

If you don't plan on spending a lot of time in the hotel I recommend a Value or Moderate. Make sure to check out the special offers to see if the time your going falls under a special promotion they might be running.

:agree: I actually really like the value resorts. They're a good price, they have fun themes and since I don't spend a ton of time in the room I feel better knowing that I didn't pay a ton of money. Con to value resorts: super crowded buses when leaving the parks.

[crazybones27]

:agree: I actually really like the value resorts. They're a good price, they have fun themes and since I don't spend a ton of time in the room I feel better knowing that I didn't pay a ton of money. Con to value resorts: super crowded buses when leaving the parks.

:agree:

[Hatbox66]

Yeah we will prolly be staying at a value resort despite the buses. The onyl time we will be spending in the room is when we sleep so its not a huge deal to spend all the extra mopney for a more expensive hotel.

[SirScott99]

Con to value resorts: super crowded buses when leaving the parks.

Yeah that's true especially at MK. The bus from MK to Pop is really long. I think I've waited like 3 buses before I actually got on one

[mrmonka]

My small bit of advice on the value resorts, I personally enjoy Pop the best because there is only one stop. With the other values (Sports, Music, Movies) you will normally have to stop at all three, which leads to a longer ride and it can fill up quick too. Not saying that the Pop buses don't but at least you can see from who is waiting in line, how many people will be on the bus. Granted this will all change when Art of Animation opens, but for now, I think its the best situation.,

---------- Post added at 08:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:18 AM ----------


Yes. And get fast passes for everything that has one. The wait time for Peter Pan without one is just ridiculous

I still have absolutely no idea why this is a constant. Maybe because of the Tinkerbell movies?

[lintman]

I still have absolutely no idea why this is a constant. Maybe because of the Tinkerbell movies?

The wait time for Peter Pan was bad before the Tinkerbell movies. I think it is just a popular ride. Who doesn't want to take a flying ship out for a spin?

[MsDisneyFan]

Yeah we will prolly be staying at a value resort despite the buses. The onyl time we will be spending in the room is when we sleep so its not a huge deal to spend all the extra mopney for a more expensive hotel.

I think that's a smart idea. I personally like using the money we saved on the room for other things... like way too many souvenirs :rofl:

[884%399]

I am going to Disney World in early November for the first time in about 25 years (the last time I went was when I was a kid). This thread has been so helpful. I have a Dining Plan (part of a promotion). Is there a price limit to each snack, quick serv meal and sit down meal? And how do I know what is considered a "snack" or "quick service meal"? Is everything labeled as such? If I go into a restaurant for a sit down meal, can I order whatever I want and whatever the total, the meal is fully covered by the dining plan?

Also, I have a 6-day Park Pass (one park per day). I will, of course, go to all Four Parks and then decide at the tail end of my trip which two parks I want to re-visit. I really am looking forward to Animal Kingdom and, in fact, I will be staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge. On the day of my arrival (I arrive at DW in the afternoon), I don't plan on going to a park, since I won't have a "full" day. I was planning on spending that day/night at Downtown Disney.

A few final questions:

There is apparently a Vinylmation trading event on Nov 4 at Contemporary Resort? If I attend and have mostly pieces from recent Urban series; Cutesters; & Muppets 2, will that just not make the cut at an event like this?

Finally, has anyone gone to the United Way Benefit Sale in the past? Are there deep discounts on Vinylmation for this event? It's 5:30-9:30 AM on a Sat, Nov 5 (kind of early for me!). Is this worth participating in?

Thank you!!

[crazybones27]

I am going to Disney World in early November for the first time in about 25 years (the last time I went was when I was a kid). This thread has been so helpful. I have a Dining Plan (part of a promotion). Is there a price limit to each snack, quick serv meal and sit down meal? And how do I know what is considered a "snack" or "quick service meal"? Is everything labeled as such? If I go into a restaurant for a sit down meal, can I order whatever I want and whatever the total, the meal is fully covered by the dining plan?

Also, I have a 6-day Park Pass (one park per day). I will, of course, go to all Four Parks and then decide at the tail end of my trip which two parks I want to re-visit. I really am looking forward to Animal Kingdom and, in fact, I will be staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge. On the day of my arrival (I arrive at DW in the afternoon), I don't plan on going to a park, since I won't have a "full" day. I was planning on spending that day/night at Downtown Disney.

A few final questions:

There is apparently a Vinylmation trading event on Nov 4 at Contemporary Resort? If I attend and have mostly pieces from recent Urban series; Cutesters; & Muppets 2, will that just not make the cut at an event like this?

Finally, has anyone gone to the United Way Benefit Sale in the past? Are there deep discounts on Vinylmation for this event? It's 5:30-9:30 AM on a Sat, Nov 5 (kind of early for me!). Is this worth participating in?

Thank you!!

Based on where you're staying I can assume if you got the free dining promotion you got the regular dining for free. Going off that info you receive one snack, one quick service, and one sit down meal a day. You can get a snack at a ton of places from the popcorn carts, to ice cream shops, to a bagel for breakfast. A snack is anything $4(I think) and under. You will ALWAYS see a little purple dining plan icon next to snack choices on a menu or in a case. You can also use snack credits for bottles of sodas or water or coffee. Remember to always look for the purple dining plan icon. When you check in to the hotel tell them you've never had the dining plan and they will go through how it works for you.

Now on to the quick service and sit downs. A quick service place is somewhere you can go and get a quick bite. You know the places with the ques where you line up and get a burger or sandwich or something. You can order almost anything off the menu and you get a drink and dessert. The same pretty much gores for the sit down places, but tips are NOT included so make sure you leave a tip. A tip though is if you haven't booked any sit down places yet for your trip I suggest looking in to that NOW. A lot of people start booking their sit downs 180 days in advance when their booking window opens. This causes a lot of people to not be able to get reservations or just to walkup and say they'd like to get a table. No matter what if you're unsure as to what you can order just ask the Cast Member and they will be more then happy to help you :).

As for the trade night at the Contemporary I say go. You never know what people are looking for. Just as long as you know what you have and what they're worth and make acceptable offers I don't see any reason not to go :).

While I have never been to the benefit sale I hear it's the best sale of the year and not to be missed if you're in the area :).

Edit: adding dining plan brochure link :). http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/media/wdw_nextgen/CoreCatalog/WaltDisneyWorld/en_us/PDF/2011Dining.pdf

[Crglrsn]

1. Is getting a whole package worth it?
2. Meal plans. Worth it? Is there a limit to where i can eat? (I was thinking the two meals a day plan since i have never been i think it would be fabulous to eat in the park)
3. Good hotels? Im kinda leaning towards the Orleans french quarter. But my fiance brought up a good point. We'll prolly need one with the monorail attached.
4. Do you guys get rental cars? Is it possible to go through the whole trip not needing one?

1. Our experience with the "whole package" was worth it.
2. Meal plan - definitely worth it, especially if you'd order the more expensive items. All of our table top service meals were fantastic (the California Grill [2 table top credits] in the Contemporary was our favorite - go right before the fireworks so you can see them from the restaurant - excellent food with an excellent view. :clap:). However, the quick service meals were basic fast food, and some uneatable. Overall worth the package in the long run.
3. We stayed in the Contemporary with a Castle view. We watched the fireworks nearly every night from our balcony. Only shame was that the Monorail would shake the bathroom when it'd run. Nothing too awful, but you'll notice it.
4. We did rent a car, and bid on it via Expedia (I think). Got it for $10.00 a day. :happy: But that was because we went to Universal (Harry Potter, specifically; which wasn't really worth the trip. We also stopped by a grocery story on the way there to pick up cokes and snacks, so that was nice. However, we took the buses & monorails 95% of the time and you'd be able to get by if you're sticking just to Disney.

Just my $0.02 and recent experience. :)

Hope your trip is fabulous.

[Phylers]

There is apparently a Vinylmation trading event on Nov 4 at Contemporary Resort? If I attend and have mostly pieces from recent Urban series; Cutesters; & Muppets 2, will that just not make the cut at an event like this?

Finally, has anyone gone to the United Way Benefit Sale in the past? Are there deep discounts on Vinylmation for this event? It's 5:30-9:30 AM on a Sat, Nov 5 (kind of early for me!). Is this worth participating in?


As a local, I can't address the Dining Plan questions (it doesn't really make sense for us since we don't actually need to eat on-property ;-)), but I can address these two. :)

Plenty of folks show up at Trade Nights with collections they deem undesirable, and the same people often leave surprised at how many trades they were able to make. While there are certainly those people who might get labeled as "trade snobs" (none, or very few, to my knowledge, are members here ;-)), most folks are willing to help out and will do common-for-common trades. For the most part, everyone is very friendly and willing to help work something out. :) Plus, Disney usually sets up a mystery trade box for us that recently they've been stocking with mostly chasers and variants, so you could wind up with something pretty nice to keep or trade! :thumbsup:

As for the Benefits Sale, the answer is ... no. It's not worth going. ... :look: ... Because less people will mean more for the rest of us. :lol:

Definitely go to the Benefits Sale! Get there early, make sure to have funds available, and prepare for discounts. Last year, the Vinylmation pickings were pretty slim, but the discounts were worth it for the people who got them - 75% off trays, and CYOs were (I think) about $2 each. With Vinylmation growing so much in just a year, it's safe to expect (or hope at least :cross:) that we'll see more Vinylmation offerings this year. If it's anything like the Sizzling Summer Sale, we will not be disappointed! :thumbsup:

And yes, the time stinks, but hey, it's what we have to do for a vinyl deal. :bonk: You can always take a nap after, right? ;-)

[884%399]

Thank you for your responses. So helpful. I hope I can enjoy at least a few sit down meals -- did not realize reservations might be needed; I am not a "plan too much in advance" kind of person. I am just so excited to go and get a break and just visiting D-Street will be great.

[meghalemily]

There is apparently a Vinylmation trading event on Nov 4 at Contemporary Resort? If I attend and have mostly pieces from recent Urban series; Cutesters; & Muppets 2, will that just not make the cut at an event like this?

Is there really?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Where can you find this info out??? My fiance and I will be in WDW at this time and would love to go!!! Tell me more!!!!

[elemenopy]

Is there really?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Where can you find this info out??? My fiance and I will be in WDW at this time and would love to go!!! Tell me more!!!!

Although it hasn't been confirmed on the Vinylmation blog or events pages yet, we've been able to find info about a pin trading event (http://eventservices.disney.go.com/pintrading/event?id=23253) on November 4th. I spoke to a few locals, who confirmed that pin trading events are also usually vinyl events. If you're in the area, you really should try to stop by :happy:

[884%399]

It was my understanding that the trading event at the Contemporary on 11/4 was Vinylmation. Is it just pins? Or when there is a pin trading event, is that synonymous with pin + Vinylmation?

[elemenopy]

It was my understanding that the trading event at the Contemporary on 11/4 was Vinylmation. Is it just pins? Or when there is a pin trading event, is that synonymous with pin + Vinylmation?

Where did you hear about the event from that would give you that impression? I've seen nothing official and only a few random posts here from non-locals. I sent the pin event link to a few locals and they agreed - if there is a pin trading event, vinyl traders are welcome and will show too. I'm just curious - did I miss something?

[garyb3529]

When we go we rent a house. We think it cost less then staying on the resort. We get a 3000sq room with 5 bedrooms, pool etc. for about $1000 for a week. Its about 15 minutes away from Disney and it feels like a home away from home. Next time we go, it will be for our anniversary so we'll stay at a Disney resort and do the Mickey Christmas

[aspen_snow04]

How long after closing do the shuttles run? Do they run early enough that you can arrive early for gate opening?

Also, does anyone know if they are allowing in tripods? I've had problems at DL on occasion and my wife is going to WDW for XMas (Dec 26th - Jan 3rd) and is concerned they will tell her she isn't allowed in with it.

[Carol]

How long after closing do the shuttles run? Do they run early enough that you can arrive early for gate opening?

Also, does anyone know if they are allowing in tripods? I've had problems at DL on occasion and my wife is going to WDW for XMas (Dec 26th - Jan 3rd) and is concerned they will tell her she isn't allowed in with it.

The shuttles run for an hour after park closing and I would think they start early enough for gate opening - might depend on what resort you are staying at, so may pay to check that.

Lots of photography websites say that you are allowed tripods in the parks but may be asked to put them in lockers during the day when you are not using them. A lot of the photographers say that using the smaller gorilla tripods actually work better at Disney - easier to carry around, can stand on a table etc or attach to a handrail/tree etc so it may pay to do that instead.

---------- Post added at 07:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:18 PM ----------


When we go we rent a house. We think it cost less then staying on the resort. We get a 3000sq room with 5 bedrooms, pool etc. for about $1000 for a week. Its about 15 minutes away from Disney and it feels like a home away from home.

Same here. We don't need 5 bedrooms so get a 3 bedroom for about $600 a week (we go for 6 weeks so get a good price) about 15 minutes away from WDW. We prefer to have more space and save money (or spend it on vinyls). Mind you, we generally have an anniversary or birthday while we are there so book one or two nights at a disney hotel as a treat.

[SirScott99]

How long after closing do the shuttles run? Do they run early enough that you can arrive early for gate opening?

What do you mean by "shuttles"? Do you mean the Buses or the parking lot trams? The buses run until the very last guest leaves the park and the parking lot trams run for 90 minutes after park closing. This holds the same for EMH (like let's say Studios closes at midnight due to EMH, trams will stop at 1:30am)

[aspen_snow04]

What do you mean by "shuttles"? Do you mean the Buses or the parking lot trams? The buses run until the very last guest leaves the park and the parking lot trams run for 90 minutes after park closing. This holds the same for EMH (like let's say Studios closes at midnight due to EMH, trams will stop at 1:30am)

Sorry for the delayed response. Yes, I meant buses / trams / vehicular transport of any type that will get me back to my bed for the night. :sleep: I appreciate the info. I'm just trying to make sure access to my car and / or hotel will be at the ready or if I need to make plans to leave earlier than close just to be safe.

Thank you also for the tripod info. DL says the same things and it all depends on who you get at the security check point so I wanted to have all my bases covered.

Again, thank you both for the info!!

[lindsey1128]

I'm trying to plan a trip for January 2013, and I'm trying to avoid any major crowds. Does anyone know what dates the marathon will be taking place that year?

[crazybones27]

I'm trying to plan a trip for January 2013, and I'm trying to avoid any major crowds. Does anyone know what dates the marathon will be taking place that year?

Well the marathon is Jan 5-8 in 2012 so you can probably use that as a gauge for 2013. Normally they hold the marathons around the same to e each year. I sure if I'm wrong someone will correct me :look:.

[Phylers]

Well the marathon is Jan 5-8 in 2012 so you can probably use that as a gauge for 2013. Normally they hold the marathons around the same to e each year. I sure if I'm wrong someone will correct me :look:.

Nope, you're not wrong. :thumbsup: The WDW Marathon Weekend is always the first or second weekend in January. :thumbsup:

Actually, the more I think about it, I want to say it's the first weekend after New Years. :idea:


I'm trying to plan a trip for January 2013, and I'm trying to avoid any major crowds. Does anyone know what dates the marathon will be taking place that year?

Come at the end of the month. :thumbsup: The weather can be a little chilly, but the crowds are minimal. :happy:

[Carol]

I'm trying to plan a trip for January 2013, and I'm trying to avoid any major crowds. Does anyone know what dates the marathon will be taking place that year?

Marathon dates as noted in the other posts.

Crowds in January are very bad for the first week and then it goes really quiet.

The only thing you then need to watch for is South American tour groups - they always seem to visit mid-late January (as it is less crowded) and it is really annoying if you strike them at the park you are going to, as they form a big barrier on whatever ride they are going on and/or take up all the fastpasses in one chunk.

I particularly noticed this as a problem at Universal Islands of Adventure as the paths around the park are a bit narrower and these big groups of people (all in the same colour shirt and led by someone with a flag!) really tended to clog up the paths and the rides.

Those groups, and the cold weather aside, late January is a good time to visit.

[lindsey1128]

I have another question regarding my trip I'm trying to plan about a year out (by the way, thanks for all the answers to my last question!) So I'm going with my boyfriend, who happens to be a very, very picky eater. He's a fairly decent sized guy so obviously he needs a good amount of food to keep him going. When he doesn't eat enough, he gets really bad headaches. So to prevent this from happening, I'm trying to get an idea of what places we can eat at ahead of time (and maybe eventually make some reservations) so we aren't running around the park trying to find stuff to eat. I've found lists of restaurants on other Disney websites and even looked over some menus, but I figured since many of the people on here frequent WDW so often, it might help me out more.

We're planning on staying five days, we will probably stay at a value resort and we plan on hitting up all of the major parks (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios). For breakfast and maybe some dinners we will most likely just eat at the resort in one of those quick service cafe places, but we will definitely need to eat lunch and some snacks at the park.

As to what my boyfriend won't eat...the list of what he will eat is shorter so I guess I'll just list that. Basically all he eats is pizza (plain), chicken (just chicken fingers or fried chicken), salad (lettuce only), steak, chicken wings, basic kinds of pasta (spaghetti, rigatoni, ravioli, etc. in plain, smooth sauce). That's pretty much it I think...he doesn't like sandwiches or subs of any kind so anything like that probably won't work.

I'm sorry this is a rather long post, but I would appreciate any input or help from anyone who knows of any good places to eat that give fairly decent sized portions (and anything not too expensive would be great too). Thanks!

[crazybones27]

Lindsey1128 there are SO many places to eat in each park even for the pickiest eater :). Most quick service locations will have chicken fingers, burgers, and pizza. You can almost always find these on a quick service menu and if it has something he doesn't like tell them to leave it off. Just because it's quick service doesn't mean you can't ask to have things left off :).

The best place to look at menus I have found is on www.allears.net. They are usually pretty up to date on their menus and pricing. Almost all sit down restaurants will work with you if you tell them you're picky. For example we ate at The Wave(in the Contemporary) on our last trip. I wanted the Beef tenderloin, but it came with a blue cheese type sauce. I told the waitress I don't like blue cheese so she offered to have it put on the side so I could taste it if I wanted too. The restaurants in the parks will do the same.

I think your best bet is to look through menus and pick places you think your BF will like. Print the menus and have him pick where he'd like to eat. Also pick a few you'd like to eat at. There are so many options out there.

Just off the top of my head:
Magic Kingdom: quick service - Cosmic Rays, Pecos Bill's, Pinocchio Villiage Haus (pizza and pasta) Sit down - Tony's Town Square(Italian), Crystal Palace(buffet)
Animal Kingdom: quick service - I love Flame Tree BBQ but it might not be for your BF, Sit down - Tusker House, or Rain Forest Cafe.
Hollywood Studios: quick service - Pizza Planet, Commissary(a maybe based on your BF :)), Sit down - 50's Prime time cafe, Bown Derby, Mama Melrose(Italian)
Epcot: quick service - Electric Umbrella, Sit Down - there are a ton of places in Epcot to pick from. Great pizza at Via Napoli, great steaks at Le Cellier, San Angel is great for Mexican food. It's really hard to think of just one or two for Epcot :sorry:.

I hope this helps a little :).

[lindsey1128]

Lindsey1128 there are SO many places to eat in each park even for the pickiest eater :). Most quick service locations will have chicken fingers, burgers, and pizza. You can almost always find these on a quick service menu and if it has something he doesn't like tell them to leave it off. Just because it's quick service doesn't mean you can't ask to have things left off :).

The best place to look at menus I have found is on www.allears.net. They are usually pretty up to date on their menus and pricing. Almost all sit down restaurants will work with you if you tell them you're picky. For example we ate at The Wave(in the Contemporary) on our last trip. I wanted the Beef tenderloin, but it came with a blue cheese type sauce. I told the waitress I don't like blue cheese so she offered to have it put on the side so I could taste it if I wanted too. The restaurants in the parks will do the same.

I think your best bet is to look through menus and pick places you think your BF will like. Print the menus and have him pick where he'd like to eat. Also pick a few you'd like to eat at. There are so many options out there.

Just off the top of my head:
Magic Kingdom: quick service - Cosmic Rays, Pecos Bill's, Pinocchio Villiage Haus (pizza and pasta) Sit down - Tony's Town Square(Italian), Crystal Palace(buffet)
Animal Kingdom: quick service - I love Flame Tree BBQ but it might not be for your BF, Sit down - Tusker House, or Rain Forest Cafe.
Hollywood Studios: quick service - Pizza Planet, Commissary(a maybe based on your BF :)), Sit down - 50's Prime time cafe, Bown Derby, Mama Melrose(Italian)
Epcot: quick service - Electric Umbrella, Sit Down - there are a ton of places in Epcot to pick from. Great pizza at Via Napoli, great steaks at Le Cellier, San Angel is great for Mexican food. It's really hard to think of just one or two for Epcot :sorry:.

I hope this helps a little :).

Thank you soooo much, that helped a ton! :)

[alugjk]

I don't think you'll have much trouble finding places for your boyfriend to eat, as Crazybones27 has pointed out. Also, I have found that Disney World is VERY good about catering to any special dietary needs. One of the friends we were with last time is a vegan and also can not have any gluten. They took care of his needs without any problem.
-George

[beckykb]

1. Is getting a whole package worth it? Not really. Everyone had different preferences so pick and choose what works for you.
2. Meal plans. Worth it? Is there a limit to where i can eat? (I was thinking the two meals a day plan since i have never been i think it would be fabulous to eat in the park) It's VERY sweet but if you don't eat a lot, its not worth it. My daughter and I are very light eaters so its not worth it for us. I wanted to get it for my husband, but they won't let us split it up.
3. Good hotels? Im kinda leaning towards the Orleans french quarter. But my fiance brought up a good point. We'll prolly need one with the monorail attached. There are shuttles that run prior to park opening thorugh a bit after park closing.
4. Do you guys get rental cars? Is it possible to go through the whole trip not needing one? We normally drive but, yes, once on property, its quite easy to never need a vechicle.


Uh yeah that's all i can think of for now. I might think of some more but those were the most important on my mind.[/QUOTE]

[tandedobbs]

My husband decided that he wants to go to WDW sometime next year or the year after.
Both of us have never been before and are very excited :mickey1:

Can anyone offer us some tips on where to stay (hotel-wise), what time of the year is best to go (so it's a little less humid than usual), what to do, where to eat, etc?

We want to make the most of this trip and plan on being there for six or seven days.

Thank you all very much!

[lintman]

The last time we went for a long trip was in November. It was great. The weather was perfect. It only rained once in 11 days. It wasn't crowded at all until closer to Thanksgiving so I would avoid that if we went back again and we caught the tail of Food & Wine at Epcot. A bonus was that we got to see all the Christmas decorations and go to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

A hotel recommendation would entirely depend on budget. We have stayed at Pop Century and it was fine. I won't go back if I don't have to. Art of Animation looks much nicer. I love Port Orleans French Quarter for a moderate. I liked that it was the smallest of the moderate resorts so there was only one bus stop. For a deluxe I don't know that you can go wrong anywhere. I haven't stayed there (yet) but I love the Polynesian. The grounds are beautiful and it has two of my favorite restaurants at WDW. We just stayed at the Beach Club Villas and there was nothing better than the couple minute walk to the International Gateway into Epcot. Plus the pool was amazing. Every time I saw someone in the quiet pool I wondered why they wouldn't go that little extra to Stormalong Bay.

I know there are threads on places to eat at the parks but I'm not sure about the resorts. We always eat at least a few meals in our hotel and we haven't had one so horrible I wouldn't go back but I will say that the food court at the French Quarter is the biggest weakness in that resort.

Good luck with the trip planning. There are a lot of helpful members here that will probably offer you much better advice.

[WALL-E]

If you can afford it, stay at Boardwalk. Easily my favorite hotel.

[crazybones27]

Since this thread already exists I have merged them together. In the future please do a search for existing threads.

[Phylers]

I'd read through here (vinylnation.net/forums/showthread.php?25791-Tips-pointers-and-advise-for-my-holiday!) and here (vinylnation.net/forums/showthread.php?25457-Advice-for-Flordia-trip) to start, as those are the most recent threads of similar topics.

Edit - and the thread in which we now reside. :lol:

[crazybones27]

I'd read through here (vinylnation.net/forums/showthread.php?25791-Tips-pointers-and-advise-for-my-holiday!) and here (vinylnation.net/forums/showthread.php?25457-Advice-for-Flordia-trip) to start, as those are the most recent threads of similar topics.

Edit - and the thread in which we now reside. :lol:

Oops my bad :o

[Phylers]

Oops my bad :o

You're good! I was tracking back, but I knew there was no way I'd find all the advice threads we've had (and both likely posted in :lol:) recently.