Disney Vacation (7 Viewers)

[Reaper]

I'm going to be slowed down by 2 Grandmas, a grandpa and an older aunt.I'd assume I steer the group towards Peter Pan 1st then and grab fast pass for splash mountain?

One thing to note about this - if you have members of your group that will not ride you can still use their ticket to get a Fastpass (FP) which could allow for multiple rides for other members of the group. Let me give an example to make sure what I'm saying is clear. Let's say you have 6 in your group - the 4 you mention above and you and your kid. Maybe your group gets to Peter Pan and the older folks don't want to ride you can take all 6 tickets and get 6 FP. Then you could send them to the Hall of Presidents while you take your kid on Peter Pan 3 times. Same applies if you have kids too small to ride - you can still get a FP with their ticket and others can use it. Granted you can't get other FP during that time but if you plan things well it can really pay off (obviously it depends on the size and makeup of your group)

You can also get 3 FP for Peterpan and 3 FP for splash mt at the same time if the 3 older folks will not ride either. If you have a quicker person break from the group, that person can be a FP runner at the two rides and meet up at a specific destination to save time and get the FP at the earliest possible time.

Cool... I downloaded the Disney Mobile App which looks fantastic....Seems to me like most of her rides are in Fantasyland so, Day 1 we should just head straight there and knock out whatever we can before our 2:45 Princess Lunch.....Maybe catch some parade and head back.There seems to be no Early MK "Magic Hours" during our stay which we counted on a bit, thanks Mick!!!! Day 2 Has early hours for Animal Kingdom which is cool since we can knock that out and get back early and maybe use the pool/boats whatever....Then Day 3 clean up whatever we missed at MK... I'm thinking Since Day 3 is a Tuesday the park might have less traffic and I'll hit Splash Mtn then.

Make sure you hit the parks early, about 30 minutes before the official opening time. If you do that you'll be able to knock off the most, if not all, of the popular attractions in Fantasyland before it gets swamped. During this time do not do any shows or attractions that have large capacity (Mickey's Philharmagic, Its A Small World, etc.)Do those attractions after 11:00 when the park begins to get crowded.

Would you include the Carousel in that after 11am group?

 

[Godsbrother]

I'm going to be slowed down by 2 Grandmas, a grandpa and an older aunt.I'd assume I steer the group towards Peter Pan 1st then and grab fast pass for splash mountain?

One thing to note about this - if you have members of your group that will not ride you can still use their ticket to get a Fastpass (FP) which could allow for multiple rides for other members of the group. Let me give an example to make sure what I'm saying is clear. Let's say you have 6 in your group - the 4 you mention above and you and your kid. Maybe your group gets to Peter Pan and the older folks don't want to ride you can take all 6 tickets and get 6 FP. Then you could send them to the Hall of Presidents while you take your kid on Peter Pan 3 times. Same applies if you have kids too small to ride - you can still get a FP with their ticket and others can use it. Granted you can't get other FP during that time but if you plan things well it can really pay off (obviously it depends on the size and makeup of your group)

You can also get 3 FP for Peterpan and 3 FP for splash mt at the same time if the 3 older folks will not ride either. If you have a quicker person break from the group, that person can be a FP runner at the two rides and meet up at a specific destination to save time and get the FP at the earliest possible time.

Cool... I downloaded the Disney Mobile App which looks fantastic....Seems to me like most of her rides are in Fantasyland so, Day 1 we should just head straight there and knock out whatever we can before our 2:45 Princess Lunch.....Maybe catch some parade and head back.There seems to be no Early MK "Magic Hours" during our stay which we counted on a bit, thanks Mick!!!! Day 2 Has early hours for Animal Kingdom which is cool since we can knock that out and get back early and maybe use the pool/boats whatever....Then Day 3 clean up whatever we missed at MK... I'm thinking Since Day 3 is a Tuesday the park might have less traffic and I'll hit Splash Mtn then.

Make sure you hit the parks early, about 30 minutes before the official opening time. If you do that you'll be able to knock off the most, if not all, of the popular attractions in Fantasyland before it gets swamped. During this time do not do any shows or attractions that have large capacity (Mickey's Philharmagic, Its A Small World, etc.)Do those attractions after 11:00 when the park begins to get crowded.

Would you include the Carousel in that after 11am group?

Unfortunately this is a slow-loader so it belongs in the before 11am group.

 

[DanFouts]

Is Polynesian worth the $$

We are staying at offsite hotel for Disney portion, and Universal property (Royal Pacific) for Harry Potter portion. Polynesian would add about $800 to total cost for Disney part and wondering if I should splurge. Other info..kids (5, 7), we have rental car, would be for 4 nights....

 

[Godsbrother]

Is Polynesian worth the $$We are staying at offsite hotel for Disney portion, and Universal property (Royal Pacific) for Harry Potter portion. Polynesian would add about $800 to total cost for Disney part and wondering if I should splurge. Other info..kids (5, 7), we have rental car, would be for 4 nights....

The Polynesian is awesome and has the best transportation options of any Disney resort. If you can fit it in your budget then you won't be disappointed (nor would you be with any of the Deluxe resorts). If you think the price is too steep then I would consider one of the Moderate resorts which are pretty nice too. It is really a personal choice -- I like staying on Disney property better but you do get more bang for your buck if you go offsite.

 

[AcerFC]

Is Polynesian worth the $$We are staying at offsite hotel for Disney portion, and Universal property (Royal Pacific) for Harry Potter portion. Polynesian would add about $800 to total cost for Disney part and wondering if I should splurge. Other info..kids (5, 7), we have rental car, would be for 4 nights....

Major draw for Poly is that its on the monorail line and its an easy walk to transportation center. You would not need the car at all so I guess the cost for car vs extra cost for room. Being on Disney site also allows you to take advantage of Extra Magic hours and Meal plan. Im going later this year and staying in Poly for first time. People here say its great

 

[stbugs]

Is Polynesian worth the $$We are staying at offsite hotel for Disney portion, and Universal property (Royal Pacific) for Harry Potter portion. Polynesian would add about $800 to total cost for Disney part and wondering if I should splurge. Other info..kids (5, 7), we have rental car, would be for 4 nights....

I actually mentioned it before, but I actually enjoyed driving to the parks on some days, even easier than the convenience of the Polynesian. When you stay on site, you can park at any of the parks for free with your parking pass.The other great part about the Polynesian is the pool. We went last year with an almost 4, 7 and 10 year old and they loved the pool. If your kids swim well, they will enjoy the water slide volcano. We did parks in the morning and early afternoon and headed to the pool for the rest of the afternoon before dinner and whatever we did at night. It was really nice. If the off-site hotel doesn't have a cool pool, I would recommend the Polynesian, worth the extra $$$.ETA: Since I live in NC, it isn't a bad drive down to Orlando, so I might be in a little different position on driving since I wasn't paying for the car.

 

[stbugs]

Is Polynesian worth the $$We are staying at offsite hotel for Disney portion, and Universal property (Royal Pacific) for Harry Potter portion. Polynesian would add about $800 to total cost for Disney part and wondering if I should splurge. Other info..kids (5, 7), we have rental car, would be for 4 nights....

Major draw for Poly is that its on the monorail line and its an easy walk to transportation center. You would not need the car at all so I guess the cost for car vs extra cost for room. Being on Disney site also allows you to take advantage of Extra Magic hours and Meal plan. Im going later this year and staying in Poly for first time. People here say its great

You don't need a car, but I have to say I used our car a lot. We loved eating at the Boardwalk (which is on the meal plan) and I took my oldest over to Universal one morning to do the Harry Potter ride. We drove somewhere almost every day, usually for dinner or to drop folks off at different parks (had the park hopper).

 

[RBM]

Starting to plan our trip for this fall. Looking at Carribbean Beach or one of the Port Orleans. Any vets want to chime in on those two Id appreciate it.

Going to miss Beach Club, mostly that amazing pool. But my parents will not be joining us this tear so we dont need the big villa.

 

[AcerFC]

Starting to plan our trip for this fall. Looking at Carribbean Beach or one of the Port Orleans. Any vets want to chime in on those two Id appreciate it.Going to miss Beach Club, mostly that amazing pool. But my parents will not be joining us this tear so we dont need the big villa.

I really did not like Carribean Beach. It was too big for me (walk to main square was close to 15 minutes) and where we were was awful for the busses

 

[Witz]

Hey everyone

Thinking about planning a last minute trip to Walt Disney World in the beginning of April 2012. It would be me, my wife and two 3 year olds.

We would probably go for 5 days or so. Thinking stops at the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and maybe a stop at Sea World.

Any thoughts on the best place to say (especially with kids that age) and would you suggest any other parks that may be better suited? I've been starting to read through this topic but there is a lot to take in.

Thanks!

 

[AcerFC]

Hey everyoneThinking about planning a last minute trip to Walt Disney World in the beginning of April 2012. It would be me, my wife and two 3 year olds. We would probably go for 5 days or so. Thinking stops at the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and maybe a stop at Sea World. Any thoughts on the best place to say (especially with kids that age) and would you suggest any other parks that may be better suited? I've been starting to read through this topic but there is a lot to take in. Thanks!

Check your PM GB

 

[The Ref]

Starting to plan our trip for this fall. Looking at Carribbean Beach or one of the Port Orleans. Any vets want to chime in on those two Id appreciate it.Going to miss Beach Club, mostly that amazing pool. But my parents will not be joining us this tear so we dont need the big villa.

I really did not like Carribean Beach. It was too big for me (walk to main square was close to 15 minutes) and where we were was awful for the busses

And I stayed at port orleans a few months back and had the same complaints.

 

[Godsbrother]

Hey everyoneThinking about planning a last minute trip to Walt Disney World in the beginning of April 2012. It would be me, my wife and two 3 year olds. We would probably go for 5 days or so. Thinking stops at the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and maybe a stop at Sea World. Any thoughts on the best place to say (especially with kids that age) and would you suggest any other parks that may be better suited? I've been starting to read through this topic but there is a lot to take in. Thanks!

The Magic Kingdom is a must-do and with two 3-year olds you may need 2 days to tour the park. However if your kids do well at MK and you have the time then I would probably go with the Animal Kingdom over EPCOT or Disney Hollywood Studios, though DHS has the Pixar area and some good shows for kids.I've never been to the Orlando Sea World so I can't comment on that.

 

[Godsbrother]

Starting to plan our trip for this fall. Looking at Carribbean Beach or one of the Port Orleans. Any vets want to chime in on those two Id appreciate it.Going to miss Beach Club, mostly that amazing pool. But my parents will not be joining us this tear so we dont need the big villa.

I really did not like Carribean Beach. It was too big for me (walk to main square was close to 15 minutes) and where we were was awful for the busses

And I stayed at port orleans a few months back and had the same complaints.

For both of these resorts it really depends on where your room is. Personally I prefer the Port Orleans but in this price range you should also consider Coranado Springs.

 

[Payne]

Starting to plan our trip for this fall. Looking at Carribbean Beach or one of the Port Orleans. Any vets want to chime in on those two Id appreciate it.

Going to miss Beach Club, mostly that amazing pool. But my parents will not be joining us this tear so we dont need the big villa.

I really did not like Carribean Beach. It was too big for me (walk to main square was close to 15 minutes) and where we were was awful for the busses

We just got back from Port Orleans Riverside and this is how I felt about it as well. Too big. Four bus stops within the resort. There were days where my girls asked if we were at the park and we were not even out of the resort. I understand I am in the minority here. But I didn't care for it at all.

 

[Usual21]

Is Polynesian worth the $$We are staying at offsite hotel for Disney portion, and Universal property (Royal Pacific) for Harry Potter portion. Polynesian would add about $800 to total cost for Disney part and wondering if I should splurge. Other info..kids (5, 7), we have rental car, would be for 4 nights....

When you go to the Harry Potter section of Universal, hit the rest of the park first and save the Potter section for the afternoon. Most of the crowd beelines for Potter and the wait times are RIDICULOUS. I went back around 4 p.m. and got to go in all the shops and the rides without a problem.

 

[Witz]

Hey everyoneThinking about planning a last minute trip to Walt Disney World in the beginning of April 2012. It would be me, my wife and two 3 year olds. We would probably go for 5 days or so. Thinking stops at the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and maybe a stop at Sea World. Any thoughts on the best place to say (especially with kids that age) and would you suggest any other parks that may be better suited? I've been starting to read through this topic but there is a lot to take in. Thanks!

The Magic Kingdom is a must-do and with two 3-year olds you may need 2 days to tour the park. However if your kids do well at MK and you have the time then I would probably go with the Animal Kingdom over EPCOT or Disney Hollywood Studios, though DHS has the Pixar area and some good shows for kids.I've never been to the Orlando Sea World so I can't comment on that.

I think I agree - just focusing on MK and AK due to their age (as opposed to going to Epcot, etc). At least for a first trip.

 

[GreekFreak]

Starting to plan our trip for this fall. Looking at Carribbean Beach or one of the Port Orleans. Any vets want to chime in on those two Id appreciate it.Going to miss Beach Club, mostly that amazing pool. But my parents will not be joining us this tear so we dont need the big villa.

Try to rent a studio at the beach club on points.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Starting to plan our trip for this fall. Looking at Carribbean Beach or one of the Port Orleans. Any vets want to chime in on those two Id appreciate it.Going to miss Beach Club, mostly that amazing pool. But my parents will not be joining us this tear so we dont need the big villa.

If you have a car with you, Port Orleans Riverside is fantastic. Because of the layout of many small buildings, there is parking throughout the grounds allowing to pull up right by your room. The walk from our Riverside room to our car was shorter than the walk from our Yacht Club room to the elevators. On Epcot, Animal Kingdom, or Hollywood Studios days, free parking at the parks will be faster than taking the bus, and you aren't at the mercy of the bus schedule. (I would still take the bus to Magic Kingdom, but that's because the busses bypass the TTC, saving at least 45 minutes each way.) The water shuttle from Riverside to Downtown Disney is fun, too. Because of the size of the grounds, there are four bus stops within Riverside. The busses go clockwise around the villas, then swing by the main lobby and restaurants. If you catch the bus at the lobby, it's 10-15 minutes to the turnstiles at MK. I've found Riverside to be a lot quieter at night, especially late at night, than other Disney properties because of the layout. Since the villas are spread out, there isn't a parade of families walking by your front door like you might get at the larger hotels, certainly the value resorts. If you have light sleepers in your party, it's worth considering. You also aren't at the mercy of elevator bottlenecks. If you don't have a car with you, a lot of the bang for the buck at Riverside goes away IMO. It can be a long walk to the restaurants and the main resort pool. (There are several small pools throughout the grounds good for a quick dip if/when you do laundry and safe for small children, but they don't have pirate ships with built-in waterslides or anything like that.) The nearest bus stop might send you on a loop around the grounds before sending you to the parks. I loved my stay at Riverside and would stay there again, but if I was flying in and wasn't planning on spending time off Disney property, I'd be tempted to skip renting a car and staying at a different WDW resort.

 

[glvsav37]

Reaper, tried to send this to you but you can't get any new messages:

\\\\\\\\\

....i vaguely remember that you said while back that your daughter was a bit afraid of dark situations?

I posted a reply but it may have gotten buried in that that thread a while back when you first mentioned it.

If she is and you still have time for some last minute shopping, go and get yourself a few packs of glow bracelets from the local dollar store.

My daughter is also afraid of really dark situations and I saw this tip on another Disney family board and it worked awesome!! She called them her magic bracelets and when ever a ride got too dark she would just hold her hand up.

have fun!

////////

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Reaper, tried to send this to you but you can't get any new messages:\\\\\\\\\....i vaguely remember that you said while back that your daughter was a bit afraid of dark situations? I posted a reply but it may have gotten buried in that that thread a while back when you first mentioned it.If she is and you still have time for some last minute shopping, go and get yourself a few packs of glow bracelets from the local dollar store. My daughter is also afraid of really dark situations and I saw this tip on another Disney family board and it worked awesome!! She called them her magic bracelets and when ever a ride got too dark she would just hold her hand up.have fun!////////

This is a very good idea. Those glow bracelets and necklaces can be useful in parks after dark for spotting kids even if they aren't afraid of the dark. And if you're camping out for a nighttime parade, having your own glow stuff will be a lot cheaper than the Disney street vendors selling single glow necklaces for $20.

 

[stbugs]

Is Polynesian worth the $$We are staying at offsite hotel for Disney portion, and Universal property (Royal Pacific) for Harry Potter portion. Polynesian would add about $800 to total cost for Disney part and wondering if I should splurge. Other info..kids (5, 7), we have rental car, would be for 4 nights....

When you go to the Harry Potter section of Universal, hit the rest of the park first and save the Potter section for the afternoon. Most of the crowd beelines for Potter and the wait times are RIDICULOUS. I went back around 4 p.m. and got to go in all the shops and the rides without a problem.

Hmmm, may have to try it. We went to Universal last year for one day (my oldest and I) and we booked it there right at the start and the wait for the ride wasn't bad, but it got pretty packed quickly. We did a few other rides and headed back as we just really wanted to hit Harry Potter.

 

[Premier]

Here right now. 100 minutes for Peter Pan.

 

[PIK95]

Here right now. 100 minutes for Peter Pan.

Oof!

 

[dickey moe]

Got a text earlier today that Disneyland was on lock-down because of a suspicious package. The park was evacuated. They found out it was related to geocaching (basically GPS treasure hunting). Oops.

 

[Reaper]

Thanks gslv...im armed with glow sticks!!!!! And shes on board with the plan...

Btw ....ate at Whispering canyon tonight...not a fan of the hooligans and ketchup shtick..lol

Food was just ok...glad it was meal plan cuz $40 plus per person for the bbq is steep!!

I would not recommend for someone to travel to wilderness just for that.....

 

[jeter23]

Thanks gslv...im armed with glow sticks!!!!! And shes on board with the plan...Btw ....ate at Whispering canyon tonight...not a fan of the hooligans and ketchup shtick..lolFood was just ok...glad it was meal plan cuz $40 plus per person for the bbq is steep!!I would not recommend for someone to travel to wilderness just for that.....

Really? That is one of our favorite spots. I was not exactly impressed with the schtick, but liked the food a lot. All you can drink milk shakes are tasty.

 

[GreekFreak]

Thanks gslv...im armed with glow sticks!!!!! And shes on board with the plan...Btw ....ate at Whispering canyon tonight...not a fan of the hooligans and ketchup shtick..lolFood was just ok...glad it was meal plan cuz $40 plus per person for the bbq is steep!!I would not recommend for someone to travel to wilderness just for that.....

Agree on the Whispering canyon. Food was not worth the money or the extra trip there. If you want decent BBQ at WDW, just go to Flame tree BBQ at Animal Kingdom.

 

[Yankee23Fan]

Reaper, tried to send this to you but you can't get any new messages:\\\\\\\\\....i vaguely remember that you said while back that your daughter was a bit afraid of dark situations? I posted a reply but it may have gotten buried in that that thread a while back when you first mentioned it.If she is and you still have time for some last minute shopping, go and get yourself a few packs of glow bracelets from the local dollar store. My daughter is also afraid of really dark situations and I saw this tip on another Disney family board and it worked awesome!! She called them her magic bracelets and when ever a ride got too dark she would just hold her hand up.have fun!////////

This is a very good idea. Those glow bracelets and necklaces can be useful in parks after dark for spotting kids even if they aren't afraid of the dark. And if you're camping out for a nighttime parade, having your own glow stuff will be a lot cheaper than the Disney street vendors selling single glow necklaces for $20.

Very good advice. We've done that when my son was small and had darkness issues. I will also offer another piece for the few that it would affect - when younger my son was dealthy afraid of loud noises. He would lose his mind. So staying in the parks during the fireworks was near impossible and with that we lost out on some extra magic hours. I figured out that at least in EPCOT, you can go into the Seas of Life acquarium during Illimuniations and you can't hear them at all. So he would play in there and look at the fish until the show was over and then we would go back out for EMH's. Worked very well. We noticed a few other people do that too. There are similar rides in the far end of MK that give you the same ability, not sure about Studios.

 

[bshell27]

Does the $20-50 sandwich work for Room upgrades at check in?

 

[bshell27]

Does the $20-50 sandwich work for Room upgrades at check in?

bump for the day crowd.

 

[Godsbrother]

Does the $20-50 sandwich work for Room upgrades at check in?

bump for the day crowd.

I guess it doesn't hurt to try but I have never heard of a Disney front desk castmember accepting cash in exchange for a room upgrade.Disney sometimes does free upgrades at the time of check-in though. This happened a couple times to us (upgraded from standard view to garden/theme park views) and once my sister in-law was upgraded at the Polynesian from a standard view room to a Concierge Club level suite, which was a huge upgrade. She gets teary-eyed every time she talks about it.

 

[Reaper]

Whew... Just got back. I'll be brief with a few thoughts...

- God bless you guys who do this regularly but, IMO, money is better spent elsewhere but, i get it, I come from a Disney family and grew up

staying at the Contemporary and Polynesian for years (30 Years ago)..

That's just a tough "vacation" for me... I kinda like getting more for my money, getting better service and having more relax time. Not here to debate though - I totally get it. (Though I think you should be committed if you do all that during a hot month )

- Wilderness Lodge - Meh. I stayed here cuz i thought I was saving over the monorail hotels and It was most conveniently close to the MK - What I didn't figure on was my kid passing out early, having grandparents to babysit and not really a lot to do on the grounds.... I kinda wish I was at a Boardwalk property and able to walk to a lot of places for more nightlife - Granted I never had nightlife on my wish list Pre-trip.

Rooms were meh and restaurants were very Meh and limited.

- Fast Pass - Saving grace. I remember as a kid waiting over an hour for plenty of attractions. This worked out great...

Had to laugh though, Remembering the advice given here about waiting for Philharmonic, I sent my group to the Pooh Ride while I got a Fast pass for Peter pan... made my way back and I find out they all wound up in the Philharmonic for the 1st attraction of the day. The only one's in the whole place.

- Saturday Night and Epcot not open Late???.... Ugggh. Tried to escape the kid and get some late Epcot in....The Magic Hours didn't really jive with our trip much.

-Overall my daughter had a great time and that's really all that matters on this trip... Funny she did the Haunted Mansion and Pirates but, wouldn't do Snow White... Her Highlites had to be the Parades and shows and Lunch at the Castle plus a Character dinner at Floridian. Loved Pirates, the Speedwat Cars and Buzz.

Well, maybe I'll be back in 5 years or so... Whew.

Thank You all... Enjoy!!!

 

[FBGirl79]

Anyone ever travel to Disney with a person that needed a gluten free diet? I see some good information on the innerwebs, but I'm looking for any good/bad experiences here, places to avoid, etc.

My mom's allergist had her on a GF diet for one of our trips and we had no issues at all. Disney is great about handling allergies of all types and restricted diets. When you make your dining reservation, there is a place below to check off any allergies you have. Remind them when you check in that you have a food allergy and they will send the chef to your table before you receive any food. My husband & I are both allergic to shellfish and have never had a problem at all.

 

[FBGirl79]

Sweet.I'm going to be slowed down by 2 Grandmas, a grandpa and an older aunt.I'd assume I steer the group towards Peter Pan 1st then and grab fast pass for splash mountain?

Not knowing about the health of the older people in your party, if any of them need a scooter or have trouble with stairs you can also use that to your advantage. Disney offers something called a GAC (Guest Assistance Card) and it is so that people don't have to explain their disability or need for assistance at every single ride. What happens is you get to the ride, show them your GAC and they direct you to the handicapped entrance. This may be the regular line or it may be the FP entrance. Two trips ago my mom had severe bursitis in her hip and while walking was doable albeit painful, she could not do steps. We went to Guest Services, explained that she could not do steps and that she may need them to stop or slow down the belt on the continuous moving rides (Peter Pan, Snow White, Pooh, Buzz Lightyear, Haunted Mansion, etc.) and they gave her a GAC with a stamp that said, "alternate entrance". I believe it is good for up to 6 people in your party and everyone can enter through the alternate entrance. We didn't get it with the intention of skipping lines but we ended going through the FP or Handicap entrance on the above mentioned rides and had no wait so it was a nice bonus. It is worth having if you think they are going to have any issues. Just make sure you show it at every ride and the castmembers will direct you where to go but we found it was most useful.

 

[FBGirl79]

Wow, I can't be away from FBGs for 2 months again! I had almost 10 pages to catch up on. Hope everyone enjoyed their trips who have recently been and hope the rest are having fun planning.

In true Disney fanatic form, we got back in early December from our last trip and by February I couldn't stand it anymore and are now booked for a week at the end of April for the Flower & Garden Festival. This is going to be our first trip staying off site. I was planning on staying on property and got distracted one day looking at houses to rent for a possible big family vacation next year and while on VRBO I found some great deals on Wyndham Bonnet Creek. We ended up getting 7 nights in a 2 bedroom for $587. We can't even touch Pop Century for that plus my mom is going so the second bedroom is perfect. The resort touches Disney property on 3 sides and is located inside the Disney gates next to Carribean Beach resort so other than the Disney buses (they have their own buses)hopefully we won't miss being "on property". We usually drive everywhere anyways so I doubt we will miss that. A lot of their rooms have views of the Epcot fireworks so I'm hoping for a nice view too.

This will be our first time paying out of pocket for food but we have a full kitchen so I will probably just make breakfast in the morning before we go and then plan us grabbing something quick for lunch or even packing some sandwiches and then paying for dinner somewhere. I'm not doing a lot of real cooking on vacation!

Planning a trip within 2 months I didn't think we would be able to get into our favorite Ohana or LeCellier but we got both so I'm stoked about that. The rundown for restaurants thus far is:

'Ohana

Le Cellier

Captain's Grill Dinner(this place is totally underrated...we love it for dinner)

Captain's Grill Breakfast Buffet (haven't been before but $16 bucks and you can also order off the menu sounds like a good deal)

Mexico in Epcot-Counter Service (We eat dinner here and sit on the little dock area and watch Illuminations

Wolf Gang Puck Express-DTD

Cookes of Dublin-DTD Counter Service

Casey's Corner in Magic Kingdom for lunch

Beaches & Cream at Yacht & Beach Club

Flippers Pizza-Off property but so good!

Big River Grill or ESPN Zone-haven't been to either before.

So far before buying groceries (which will be limited to breakfast items, a few snacks and maybe a couple days of PB&J for park lunches) I have estimated the cost of the above food for 3 people (my mom & I split meals when we can bc we never finish one alone) and included the cost of 1 snack per day per person @$4 a snack and we are only around $600. For all 3 of us to get the Disney Dining Plan if we stayed on property was going to be over $1100 so that is a nice savings right there.

Having our Annual Pass has been nice because we have been able to do new things to save money on trips like rent DVC points to stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge and now stay at a non Disney owned resort that has a ton more space than we are used to (not to mention a full kitchen, jacuzzi tub, 6 pools complete with 2 lazy rivers). I'm getting excited...the countdown is on!

 

[RBM]

Looking like 10 days in September at Caribbean Beach. Already told the wife I will require 2 nights at Ohana.

Le Cellier or The Yachtsman for a steak?

 

[Premier]

Reaper > a group of us were at Epcot last Saturday and all of us were discussing how it closes at 10 and makes absolutely no sense. At least leave the world showcase open. Completely baffling to me.

 

[Premier]

Having our Annual Pass has been nice because we have been able to do new things to save money on trips like rent DVC points to stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge and now stay at a non Disney owned resort that has a ton more space than we are used to (not to mention a full kitchen, jacuzzi tub, 6 pools complete with 2 lazy rivers). I'm getting excited...the countdown is on!

I have an annual pass, but I have no idea what this means. Please explain?

 

[AAABatteries]

Thanks gslv...im armed with glow sticks!!!!! And shes on board with the plan...Btw ....ate at Whispering canyon tonight...not a fan of the hooligans and ketchup shtick..lolFood was just ok...glad it was meal plan cuz $40 plus per person for the bbq is steep!!I would not recommend for someone to travel to wilderness just for that.....

Really? That is one of our favorite spots. I was not exactly impressed with the schtick, but liked the food a lot. All you can drink milk shakes are tasty.

We had a great experience at WC - my oldest son asked for straws and the waitress threw a handful of straws at the kids. She even has a waiter throw some extras on the table. Mildly entertaining and the kind of stuff we had heard they would do. But then my son shoots the straw paper off the straw at the waitress playing around. She LOVED this and goes in the back and brings out a box of 500 straws and gives them to my kids and the kids at the next table. This started a chain reaction of several tables grabbing straws and people shooting straw paper all over the restaurant. Very memorable experience for the kids and the food wasn't too bad either (they also loved the bottomless milkshakes).

 

[FBGirl79]

Having our Annual Pass has been nice because we have been able to do new things to save money on trips like rent DVC points to stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge and now stay at a non Disney owned resort that has a ton more space than we are used to (not to mention a full kitchen, jacuzzi tub, 6 pools complete with 2 lazy rivers). I'm getting excited...the countdown is on!

I have an annual pass, but I have no idea what this means. Please explain?

Since your tickets are already paid for, you don't have to go with the normal Disney packages/discounts to try to get the best deal plus you get free parking if you decide to stay off-site to save even more. We rented DVC (Disney Vacation Club) points from an owner last November and stayed 8 nights at Animal Kindgom Lodge in a Studio for $1176. It would cost probably triple that to book through Disney. Even paying for the dining plan we saved money staying there over staying at a moderate resort with free dining. I did an actual cost comparison about 10-15 pages back I believe. Our trip next month is only costing us $586 plus the cost of food for a 2 bedroom condo at Wyndham Bonnet Creek located on Disney property. Technically the resort touches 3 sides of Disney property and is next to Carribean Beach Resort but you access it within Disney Property kind of like the Swan & Dolphin resorts. The cheapest we could get with the annual pass discount and dining plan at Pop Century was going to be over $1900 for 3 adults. Having the APs has given us flexibility that I don't think I would have had if I was having to pay $600+ in tickets every trip.

 

[5Rings]

Starting to plan our trip for this fall. Looking at Carribbean Beach or one of the Port Orleans. Any vets want to chime in on those two Id appreciate it.Going to miss Beach Club, mostly that amazing pool. But my parents will not be joining us this tear so we dont need the big villa.

I really did not like Carribean Beach. It was too big for me (walk to main square was close to 15 minutes) and where we were was awful for the busses

And I stayed at port orleans a few months back and had the same complaints.

Stayed at Orleans for business last year. Thought it was a dump.

 

[parasaurolophus]

Having our Annual Pass has been nice because we have been able to do new things to save money on trips like rent DVC points to stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge and now stay at a non Disney owned resort that has a ton more space than we are used to (not to mention a full kitchen, jacuzzi tub, 6 pools complete with 2 lazy rivers). I'm getting excited...the countdown is on!

I have an annual pass, but I have no idea what this means. Please explain?

Since your tickets are already paid for, you don't have to go with the normal Disney packages/discounts to try to get the best deal plus you get free parking if you decide to stay off-site to save even more. We rented DVC (Disney Vacation Club) points from an owner last November and stayed 8 nights at Animal Kindgom Lodge in a Studio for $1176. It would cost probably triple that to book through Disney. Even paying for the dining plan we saved money staying there over staying at a moderate resort with free dining. I did an actual cost comparison about 10-15 pages back I believe. Our trip next month is only costing us $586 plus the cost of food for a 2 bedroom condo at Wyndham Bonnet Creek located on Disney property. Technically the resort touches 3 sides of Disney property and is next to Carribean Beach Resort but you access it within Disney Property kind of like the Swan & Dolphin resorts. The cheapest we could get with the annual pass discount and dining plan at Pop Century was going to be over $1900 for 3 adults. Having the APs has given us flexibility that I don't think I would have had if I was having to pay $600+ in tickets every trip.

I feel like everybody that loves disney should get an annual pass at least once and go several times that year. It is amazing how cheap things can be. So many discounts available and so much to do. We got them in 2008 and went 5 times. It was awesome.

 

[Reaper]

Oh... As I gain My strength back, come to, and reflect on my trip I have to say we did one thing right that I would recomend to all 1st timers or those w/ young kids going for their 1st time....

the 1st day at the Magic Kingdom, I thought it was real nice to get there before opening to see the Gates Open / Intro with Mickey and Friends....

Kinda set the stage for my daughter for what was to come and was the perfect start to "it all"....

Like I said, we came from a Disney Family and My Grandmother started it and was so into Disney that she would cry at just the site of something Disney or Mickey as she got older, She Passed away a few years back and this was our 1st trip since... My mom and aunt were in tears at this intro show. I was surprised they didn't bring her Ashes.

 

[FBGirl79]

Starting to plan our trip for this fall. Looking at Carribbean Beach or one of the Port Orleans. Any vets want to chime in on those two Id appreciate it.Going to miss Beach Club, mostly that amazing pool. But my parents will not be joining us this tear so we dont need the big villa.

I really did not like Carribean Beach. It was too big for me (walk to main square was close to 15 minutes) and where we were was awful for the busses

And I stayed at port orleans a few months back and had the same complaints.

Stayed at Orleans for business last year. Thought it was a dump.

Which Port Orleans did you stay at? We stayed at French Quarter last September and it had just finished a full refurbishment (including the rooms...queen size beds, 2 sinks, granite countertops, new tile in the bathroom, etc.) and it was beautiful. It is a small resort so everything is close and you aren't stuck walking a mile to get a drink at the food court or to go for a swim at the main pool. We never made it to Riverside but I believe that it is currently undergoing or just finishing a full refurbishment as well so it should be updated and in good shape now but it is a big resort so you can be stuck far from everything. We liked French Quarter so much that we just booked 8 nights in September last night.

 

[5Rings]

Starting to plan our trip for this fall. Looking at Carribbean Beach or one of the Port Orleans. Any vets want to chime in on those two Id appreciate it.Going to miss Beach Club, mostly that amazing pool. But my parents will not be joining us this tear so we dont need the big villa.

I really did not like Carribean Beach. It was too big for me (walk to main square was close to 15 minutes) and where we were was awful for the busses

And I stayed at port orleans a few months back and had the same complaints.

Stayed at Orleans for business last year. Thought it was a dump.

Which Port Orleans did you stay at? We stayed at French Quarter last September and it had just finished a full refurbishment (including the rooms...queen size beds, 2 sinks, granite countertops, new tile in the bathroom, etc.) and it was beautiful. It is a small resort so everything is close and you aren't stuck walking a mile to get a drink at the food court or to go for a swim at the main pool. We never made it to Riverside but I believe that it is currently undergoing or just finishing a full refurbishment as well so it should be updated and in good shape now but it is a big resort so you can be stuck far from everything. We liked French Quarter so much that we just booked 8 nights in September last night.

Riverside. There were chips in the walls, cracks in the bathrooms, old furnishings, it was overall a very disappointing experience. Check in took 30 minutes due to foreign speaking Disney trainees at the desk. Terrible dining. A poor experience. But I was in Orlando for a conference, and didnt spend much time at the hotel. Glad to hear they are remodeling.So I leave Sunday with my kids (8-5-2) for a week. Have a 5 day pass. Two character meals setup, the rest we are just going to wing. Can we bring food/drinks into the park? We are staying offsite and have a rental car, so we are flexible--any "must eat at" family restaurants on or off site?thanks

 

[The Ref]

Got an e-mail for residents today. The 3 day $99 pass is back, and it comes with $80 a weekend night at a value resort.

 

[FBGirl79]

Starting to plan our trip for this fall. Looking at Carribbean Beach or one of the Port Orleans. Any vets want to chime in on those two Id appreciate it.Going to miss Beach Club, mostly that amazing pool. But my parents will not be joining us this tear so we dont need the big villa.

I really did not like Carribean Beach. It was too big for me (walk to main square was close to 15 minutes) and where we were was awful for the busses

And I stayed at port orleans a few months back and had the same complaints.

Stayed at Orleans for business last year. Thought it was a dump.

Which Port Orleans did you stay at? We stayed at French Quarter last September and it had just finished a full refurbishment (including the rooms...queen size beds, 2 sinks, granite countertops, new tile in the bathroom, etc.) and it was beautiful. It is a small resort so everything is close and you aren't stuck walking a mile to get a drink at the food court or to go for a swim at the main pool. We never made it to Riverside but I believe that it is currently undergoing or just finishing a full refurbishment as well so it should be updated and in good shape now but it is a big resort so you can be stuck far from everything. We liked French Quarter so much that we just booked 8 nights in September last night.

Riverside. There were chips in the walls, cracks in the bathrooms, old furnishings, it was overall a very disappointing experience. Check in took 30 minutes due to foreign speaking Disney trainees at the desk. Terrible dining. A poor experience. But I was in Orlando for a conference, and didnt spend much time at the hotel. Glad to hear they are remodeling.So I leave Sunday with my kids (8-5-2) for a week. Have a 5 day pass. Two character meals setup, the rest we are just going to wing. Can we bring food/drinks into the park? We are staying offsite and have a rental car, so we are flexible--any "must eat at" family restaurants on or off site?thanks

Sorry I didn't get a chance to respond before left. If you check this before you hit the parks to answer your question yes you can take any food/drink into the parks that you want with the exception of glass bottles & alcohol I believe. As far as restaurants...lots of people here including myself love Ohana and consider it a must do on every trip. Off site, we love Flippers pizza which has multiple locations. Hope you have a great trip!

 

[DanFouts]

Just keep checking for cancellations. I know I have two reservations I am gonna cancel in April and I think one is Ohana. I booked it a few nights as we are staying at the Poly. I also nabbed a Garden Grill finally after checking for a few weeks. ONLY six weeks to go!

Thanks for the ideas! I 've been watching it...got it down to 9p. Went ahead and reserved it and will watch to see if they open any as I get closer. After hearing all the reviews here about Ohana, I just had to try it!

When are you going anyway? If I drop a Ohana reservation I'll post it here so someone can be locked and loaded to grab it.

Thanks!Will be there April 3-9

Got it down to 7:45p on the Thursday we are there!

 

[Disco Stu]

Starting to plan our trip for this fall. Looking at Carribbean Beach or one of the Port Orleans. Any vets want to chime in on those two Id appreciate it.Going to miss Beach Club, mostly that amazing pool. But my parents will not be joining us this tear so we dont need the big villa.

If you have a car with you, Port Orleans Riverside is fantastic. Because of the layout of many small buildings, there is parking throughout the grounds allowing to pull up right by your room. The walk from our Riverside room to our car was shorter than the walk from our Yacht Club room to the elevators. On Epcot, Animal Kingdom, or Hollywood Studios days, free parking at the parks will be faster than taking the bus, and you aren't at the mercy of the bus schedule. (I would still take the bus to Magic Kingdom, but that's because the buses bypass the TTC, saving at least 45 minutes each way.) The water shuttle from Riverside to Downtown Disney is fun, too. Because of the size of the grounds, there are four bus stops within Riverside. The busses go clockwise around the villas, then swing by the main lobby and restaurants. If you catch the bus at the lobby, it's 10-15 minutes to the turnstiles at MK. I've found Riverside to be a lot quieter at night, especially late at night, than other Disney properties because of the layout. Since the villas are spread out, there isn't a parade of families walking by your front door like you might get at the larger hotels, certainly the value resorts. If you have light sleepers in your party, it's worth considering. You also aren't at the mercy of elevator bottlenecks.

Same goes (probably even more so) for the cabins at Fort Wilderness.