Has anyone been to Disney World? It's so confusing. So much to do and places to stay. So little time. HELP!!

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jacquiannousse

If expense is only a moderate issue you should consider going to Disney Paris or Disney Tokyo.. their parks are MUCH nicer than the Florida parks.

http://www.orlandofloridasucks.com

holmeskaykay

There are a few websites that are helpful when planning your disney trip. I've linked them below. My last trip to Disney was in 2005 (so ready to go back :) ). Walt Disney World Info is a Terrific site. It even has a message board like this where you can ask questions. There are a lot of real disney fanatics that go every year and give you some great tips. Also AllEarsnet gives you alot of info on disney. You can even view most of the disney restaurants menus! I used both of these all through my planning process. It was the first time i had ever stayed on Disney Property at a Disney owned hotel. I had been several times before but stayed offsite. Very different experience than staying off property. If your budget allows i would recommend staying on property. Not only are you close to the parks but you can use Disney transportation (buses, monorail, boats, ferrys) to get around the property. Plus you can make use of Disney's extra magic hours. When you stay onsite each day one of the major parks will open an hour or so early (for disney hotel guests only) or stay open up to 3 hrs after general closing. I found that a great benefit as we didn't feel rushed as much as i did staying off property. Nothing like walking around the Magic Kindgom at 1am and feeling like you practically have the place to yourself! Plus you can use Disney's Magical Express service which will shuttle you from Orlando airport to your Disney resort. Loved this service. They give you special luggage tags that you attached to your luggage before you leave. You check your luggage at your home airport like normal. When you arrive in Orlando no need to go to baggage claim. They get your luggage and send it directly to your hotel while you go check in at the Disney Magical Express desk in the airport. You board your designated bus and your off to the Disney Resort. Your luggage is brought direct to your room. Ours got to our room 15 mins after we arrived.

Definately do an itinerary. Do your research on these sites. Find out what parks have the extra magic hours for the dates you will be at Disney and plan accordingly. Also check out the restaurants you would like to eat in while at disney. Sit down restaurants require a Priority Seating reservation. Most of those can be set up 60-90 days before your trip. You will definately want to do this if you plan on going to a character meal or any sitdown restaurant in the parks or at any of the disney resorts.

Here are a few tips i picked up from these sites.

1. Don't expect to do EVERYTHING your first trip to disney. It's a big piece of property with alot to do. Go to Disneyworld.com and pinpoint the things you want to see and do and add them to your list of activities.

2. Make priority seating reservations!

3. If your child is 5 and under get a stroller! Big parks with little legs. One of the best investments you can do on your trip.

One last tip, there is also a great book to help you plan your trip. The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. You can find it at any Barnes and Nobles, Borders or on Amazon.com. It will give you all the info you would ever want and comes out every year so the information is relatively current.

Good Luck with your travels!

Piper M

I too am going to be at Disney World in a short period of time and haven't been there in a long time. I went to Yahoo and in the search engine I put Disney World tips and hints and found a lot of pages with people's tips on them. Hope you have a great time.

AE N

What ever you decide to do.
Make you priority seating for dining as must on your list. That way you know where your going to eat each day.

You can use rider switchoff and use the Fast Pass system as much as you can

ginger

I've never been but a co-worker of mine goes every year. She starts planning next year's trip when she gets back from this year's. She has a disney guide book that tells everything. She does stay inside disney and takes the trams and boats to places from her hotel. I know she makes reservations to eat dinner for most nights of her trip. If you want to dine in the princess's castle or whatever you have to make reservations. She goes to a water park. I don't know if there is more than one though. This year she went on a safari of some kind in animal kingdom I guess and a meal was included in that. She schedules a lot of things before hand. But with 3 people you won't have to be as prepared as that. She takes a large group of her family. I wish I had her e-mail and you could talk to her. She is like a disney expert. I hope you have fun!! I know I wasn't much help, sorry.

Natterjack9

The great thing about Disney is that they offer so many choices for just about any budget. The bad thing is there are so many choices it can seem overwhelming! However, planning the trip and the anticipation that comes with it is part of the fun. Don't waste the money on a travel agent or someone else planning your vacation. It is just as easy to do it yourself, and you eliminate the middle man.

The first thing you need to decide is where to stay. The only advice I would give you for sure is to stay on property at a Disney resort. Contrary to what many people think staying at at a Disney resort is the best way to experience Disney, and their resorts are price competitive with anything else in Orlando. The one thing you get at the Disney resorts that you don't at the others is perks. Disney takes good care of their resort guests with so many perks it is unreal. One good example is the unlimited use of their transportation. The off-site hotels do offer shuttle service, however you are on their schedule, not yours, and in some cases it may be an extra charge. Oh, and the busses are not full of screaming kids. In fact the kids in most cases are on their best behavior, they are having fun at Disney! That is only one example, not even taking into account the famous Disney service. Disney also offers free shutlle service to and from the Orlando Int'l Airport, so renting a car is not a necessary expense. We used the Magical Express shuttle service our last visit and it went perfectly. No rental car, and we didn't even have to handle our bags, they were delivered to our room. You really do need to pack a change of clothes and any medication in a carry on bag, because your luggage may not be delivered for a couple of hours. You can find more info about the Magical Express at the Disney website, because you have to call and make separate arrangements for that, with flight numbers and times.

There are 4 levels of Disney resorts, value, moderate, deluxe, and vacation club. Each level is true to it's name. The value resorts are the least expensive places to stay in Disney, but don't let the value tag fool you. These are great places to stay, with pretty good food courts, large pools, and decor that you have to see to believe. I have stayed at the All-Star Movies resort twice with my kids and we had a great time each time. The rooms are on the small side, but that never bothered us. The resorts are geared more towards vacationing families.

The moderate resorts are a step up in cost from the values. The rooms are a bit bigger, as are the resorts themselves. They have a food court and a sit down restaurant, large themed pools, quiet pools, and don't have to share a bus line (the All Star's in the value are share busses quite often.) We have stayed at the Caribbean Beach resort and loved the stay. The service was great, and it was a nice change to be able to sit down at a restaurant a couple of times during our visit.

The deluxe resorts are the cream of the Disney resort crop. All of them are situated around the lagoon that is in front of the Magic Kingdom and are connected by the monorail system, except for the Animal Kingdom lodge. These are the most expensive resorts on property, but also give you the most in terms of amenities. They all have multiple restaurants, have character meals, and in the case of the Polynesian a dinner show (they have a luau.) Of these my favorite is the Polynesian, which is also my overall favorite. When you walk into the Polynesian you feel like you walked into a tropical paridise instead of a Disney resort. The rooms are large, pools are fun to be in, and there is just something about watching the fireworks over Cinderella's castle from the balcony of your room.

The vacation club resorts are a little tougher to get into. In terms of price they are up there with the deluxe, but these are considered "home away from home" resorts. They have a small kitchenette to a full kitchen, depending on the size room you choose. Of these my favorite is Saratoga Springs. In fact if the Polynesian is my favorite, Saratoga Springs is 1A. We stayed here for the first time this past April and loved the place. These resorts have tons to do on their own besides going to the park.

When you go to the park, remember to pace yourself. You are not going to be able to see everything in one day. Our typical schedule for when we visit Disney is to get up early and eat breakfast, go to whichever park you plan on visiting for the day and get there pretty much when it opens. Stay until lunchtime, then head back to the resort for some food and some swim time (and a nap!) Eat dinner, then head to a park for the night time fun. If you time it right you will be going against the rush and crowd, going back to the park as many are leaving for dinner or for the day. It helps avoid some of the long lines.

When buying your park passes, the only thing I would recommend as a must is to get the park hopper option on your passes. The base ticket only allows for one park on one day. The park hopper pretty much allows you to come and go as you please. For example, if you spend the day at the Animal Kingdom, but then decide to hit the Magic Kingdom for the night time parade and fireworks (which are must sees!) you are only allowed to do that with the park hopper option.

You mentioned you are traveling with a small child. I would most definitely rent a stroller or bring one with you. The older kids, like 4-7 years old, don't want to ride in a stroller generally. However, there is so much walking that a stroller is a must, because they will tire out quickly. Also, plan a character meal somewhere in the trip. Our favorite is the character breakfast at Chef Mickey's in the Contemporary. Mickey and his pals come right to your table and talk to you, take pics, and give autographs. It is a very easy and fun way to get to see the fab 5! (Make sure to pick up an autograph book from one of the gift shops. Almost all of the characters give autographs and the kids all have a blast collecting them.)

For more info I would recommend a couple of different places. First, go to the Disney website, www.disneyworld.com. Here you can do a resort comparison and decide which resort you think will work for you. You can get a quote on your vacation, and even include the passes. (However, I would recommend calling to make the actual arrangements. I am just leery about making vacation plans on the internet. I want to make sure that I have a person to talk to. I know, how old fashioned!) You can even get descriptions about each ride in any park so you can make sure to target the rides and attractions that interest you. Second, check out the disboards. The disboards is a message board website that has more info on it than any other place I have ever seen. There you can get dining reviews, resort reviews, trip reports, and tons of tips and tricks of how to enjoy your vacation from people who go often and know what they are talking about. Finally, go to the bookstore and pick up the Birnbaum's guide to WDW. There are tons of guide books out there, but that is the one that has worked best for us.

Hope this helps. Just relax and have fun with it. Making the plans to go is fun too!

btlrboyz

sorry i need more info---go to www.allearsnet.com i planned my trip due to their suggestions and it was sooooo helpful~~~~~have fun~~~~~

SCOTT & ELLIE W

buy the book "The unofficial guide to WDW"...it will answer more than anyone here can...

xillith

Yes Disney is huge! And fun!!! I recommend any of the hotels that are considered "Magic Kingdom Resorts on the monorail" (Contemporary, Polynesian, or Grand Floridian) or any of the ones that are considered "Epcot resorts" (Yacht & Beach, Boardwalk, Swan and Dolphin). Especially if you are NOT renting a car.

Of course Disney offers free bus transportation all over their property, it is slow and always literally FULL of screaming kids, not relaxing. There is a monorail between MK and Epcot, actually fun to ride. There is a boat between the back of Epcot and MGM or you can walk (probably about a half mile) along the canal by the Disney Boardwalk. So that is the big three "all wrapped up in a bow" then if you have to suck it up and take a bus to Animal Kingdom once isn't too bad, you could always take a taxi.

The cheap Disney hotels like Pop Century or Pop Music are not walking distances to parks, it is all buses to get to parks.

If you are taking the Magical Express pack a change of clothes for your carry on bag. It can somethimes be Midnight before you recieve your luggage in your room.

If you have the chance get the Meal Plan it is a money saver, depends on the package. Also if you have the chance, rent a car it is really that much easier.

Have fun!

starconfusionco1

click on this link, look for vacation planning kit and that should u help you

that link was the wrong one, trying to locate it 4 u

here ya go
http://goflorida.about.com/od/disneyworld/ss/wdw_travelguide.htm

iainandgill

Hi,

Disney is just the best place in the world. We live in the UK and in 2000 were the lucky winners of a family holiday to Florida in a competition on the back of a kelloggs frosties packet! We flew out with Virgin Atlantic, were picked up from the airport in stretch limo and stayed at Disneys Caribbean Beach resort for 3 weeks. That was the best ever holiday and Disney has so much on offer. The parades are superb, the shows fantastic and the Main street electrical Parade and fireworks totally magical. Everyone who we met before we went said once you have been to Florida you will not want to go anywhere else........how very right they were ;-)

For a first vist I would say stay at a Disney Resort, go for the best one for your own budget as they are all very similar and the Disney buses make getting to and from the parks very easy. We loved the place so much that we bought a vacation home just a few miles from Disney - you can see the Magic Kingdom fireworks whilst sat in the spa with a glass of wine at night. Have a look http://www.floridavillawithpool.co.uk For our family now a villa on the outskirts of all the action is what we want, but for a first trip I would always say stop in a Disney resort.

If you do decide to stay in Disney and you are there for more than a week I would get a hire car for part of your stay. There is so much more to the Orlando area than just Disney and as much as we love the Disney parks we also love Seaworld, Universal Studios and Discovery Cove - let your kids (and yourself) have a magical swim with the dolphins. Its not cheap but another unforgettable experience.

If you do stay in Disney and want to get out for a low cost day without a hire car, get the Disney bus to Downtown Disney and then a cab to tho Orlando Premium Outlet Mall (under $10 for the journey). This is at the very bottom end of International drive. Once you have had a look around the mall jump on the I Ride trolly bus which stops in the parking lot, (unlimited travel up and down I Drive for just a few $'s each), and visit the I Drive attractions. Wonderworks, Ripley's Believe it or not, Titanic, Mini Golf, Fun Spot go karts, endless shops and restaraunts - a great day out for not much cost.

Any questions please ask - we love talking about Florida and wish our lives away until our next trip.

Have a fantastic time - I guarantee you will return ;-)

flitter_86

I think the first step is deciding when you want to go. Second step would be arranging airfare, rental cars, hotels, etc. As far as hotels, there are thousands in the Orlando/Disney area. My family just got back from a week in the area, and we rented a villa in Sandy Ridge. The price of the villa was very comparable to that of a hotel room, and we had an entire house to the 4 of us for the entire week. 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, screened in pool, full kitchen, two living rooms, pool table, etc. Do a search for villas, and you'll be sure to find something.

Once you decide when, where, and how, decide what you want to do. You have several theme parks to choose from: Disney (MGM, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Magical Kingdom), Universal (Universal, Islands of Adventure), SeaWorld, Busch Gardens (in Tampa, less than 1 hr away), and much more. You'd be less than an hour away from both Cocoa and Clearwater beaches. Many boat rides, dinner shows, shopping districts. You'll never be bored. Each of these places have excellent websites that you may want to consider looking at.

If you're still clueless, I'd consider talking to a travel agent who knows quite a bit about the Orlando area. They can help you figure out what you'll want to do on your vacation.

I hope you have lots of fun on your vacation! Make sure to take a break once in a while, it's tough to be on the go all the time.

Stefbear

We went in 2005. I love the countries around the world area. They ahve a village from every country in the world and it is so neat. To visit every part of the park you need more than one day to do it. I suggest not staying in Disney but in a hotel just outside Orlando which will save you some money. You will have fun. Don't let anyone monopolize your trip either. Just relax and have fun. Go online and get a map or layout of the park to help in where you want to start your visit.

Katie

HI, i live in MA. and have traveled to Disney world 9 times. I am 19 years old, but the last trip i planned by myself. My honest opinion is to stay inside Disney. Disney world is set up as its own town almost. there are hotels outside disney property wich are cheaper, but you would have to rent a vehicle. If you stay in a disney resort, they will pick you up in the "Magical express" which will take you from the airport to the resort. It will even get your bags from the baggage claim for you. There are a ton of resorts on property. Once you are checked in, there are nice busses provided to people who stay on disney property. I dont know if you know this, but disney world is essentially 4 major parks, 2 water parks, 1 downtown area, many golfcourses, and more. the 4 major parks are Animal Kingdom (my fav.), Magic Kindgdom, MGM, and Epcot. You should buy a hopper ticket so you can go to one of these parks in the morning, than take a bus to another park in the afternoon. May i suggest epcot at night becausr "illuminations" fireworks are amazing. If you are staying for 4 or more days, plan on 1 park per day and if you get sick of the park, hop to another one, or go swimming. Downtown disney is also a good idea, although not an essential. it has alot of shops, a lego store, pleasure island (which is nightclubs), but if you are short on time, this is where i would skip it. there is a feature known as the fastpass, and it is included in your ticket, and you can only have one at a time. It allows you to come back to a ride and wait in a shorter line. Expect to wait 1 hr for most rides. usually you dont notice how long it takes. it goes by fast. Anyway, i have to get going but there is so much more to say. you can e-mail me with questions at Katelynn4747@yahoo.com, i will answer them gladly

interstatetours

Disney World is simply just Amazing. Definitely a wonderful place to come over and have fun in your vacation. I myself have lived in Orlando-Florida for over 10-years, and actually manage a Tourism Company right here in the area. I have been to Disney World numerous times and it certainly always is a fun and amazing experience. Keep in mind however, that Orlando is not only about Disney World. Orlando is also home to Sea World, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, great Restaurants, plenty of shopping and more!
If this is your first time coming to Orlando, I definitely would recommend coming to enjoy ALL of Orlando, that way you don't leave thinking you should have seen the other Theme Parks as well. I would suggest you staying a minimum of 6-7 days, that way you can see all Four of the Disney Theme Parks, plus the Two Universal Theme Parks, and if you have an extra day and are into Sea World, come visit it as well.
If the cost of your vacation is really not an issue, I would recommend staying within Disney Property at one of their Moderate Resorts, such as the Caribbean Beach Hotel or the Coronado Springs. However, if you're trying to save a little bit of money and yet stay within Disney, any of the All-Star resorts are a great choice as well. Now if what you want is to save as much as possible, I recommend staying off Disney Property at any other hotel in the area. There are hundreds of hotels in Kissimmee and Orlando, many within just a couple of miles from Disney where you can have a great stay and not pay as much.
If you are interested, as I mentioned earlier, we are a Tour Operator here in the area and work with all of the Disney hotels plus many hotels outside of Disney, you can email us your information at info@interstatetours.com and we will be more than happy to assist you in helping you plan a great Orlando Vacation.
Good Luch and hope you enjoy your visit to Florida.
http://www.interstatetours.com

tweetymay

If you plan on staying directly on Disney property, good for you. As for resorts, we always stay at a "value resort" such as Pop Century. These are often crowded, but we spend all day in a park so we don't care. We basically only sleep and shower in the room. If cost isn't an important issue, I would stay at either a moderate resort or deluxe resort. Use the following link to make comparisons. (We stay at the value resorts, but go and "visit" the other resorts. So I have pictures of us on the "beach" of the Polynesian, poolside at the Grand Floridian, and on the terrace of the Animal Kingdom Lodge!!)

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/resorts/resortBenefitComparison?id=BOSOPResortCategoryComparisonPage

By staying on property, you get Extra Magic Hours. This is where a park opens up one hour early or stays open 2-3 hours later for resort guests!

You can use the Magical Express to transport you to your resort from the airport, and then back to the airport at the end of your stay. While there, Disney's transportation system of busses, monorail and boats will get you anywhere you want to go onsite, including Downtown Disney!

Since you are travelling with a small child, I would STRONGLY suggest stroller rentals. (Believe me, renting is much easier than lugging your own stroller on and off the busses!) There is a lot of walking and a child can get tired easily even with all the Disney magic and excitement around!

If your older adult has any walking problems, they can rent an electric scooter. (I believe these are $50 per day- my sister gets one when we go) You can get discounts on rentals if you mention that you want one for the week. (you would get a different one at every park, though)

Don't miss out on a character meal! These are so much fun. If your child likes Pooh and friends, make sure you do the meal at Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom!

You don't mention the age of the child, but I will suggest this anyway. When you go to Magic Kingdom, get there when it opens. Immediately get on the train (inside the park-not the monorail) and ride it until you get to Toon Town. If you get there when the park opens, you can get to Toon Town before the characters come out. When they do come out, Goofy chooses one child (per day) to go with him and ride the Barnstormer Roller Coaster! (it is a "kiddie" coaster) In 2004, my niece was chosen! She was 4 years old! It was truly magical! Even if your child ISN"T chosen, you can go into the Judge's Tent and have your photos taken with many characters before all the long lines build up!

I also suggest going to your local bookstore as soon as you can and purchase a guide book. I have 2 favorites Birbaum's Guide to Walt Disney World, and PassPorter's Guide to Walt Disney World. Both these books give you any information you would want to know. (I prefer PassPorter's- they give VERY detailed descriptions of everything right down to restaurant menues!)

The best thing to do is to have a "loose plan". Know what you want to see, but be flexible. Take time to enjoy something you might "stumble upon" that might not be listed, such as a street performer, or enjoy a beautiful garden! We always point out wildlife and say..."Look, the happiest ducks on earth" (or rabbits, squirrels..etc)

Good luck in your planning, and have a great trip! (please feel free to email me if you have any other questions- maybe I can help- tweetymayyy62@yahoo.com)

di_ane1965@yahoo.co.uk

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