What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

Disney Vacation (5 Viewers)

@Big Blue Wrecking Crew

my FP recco's are as such
MK: Any of the mountains Big thunder, Splash, Space Mtn. Splash and Big thunder are generally walk ons before 10am. So plan to FP at least 1 and get to another early. 
Haunted mansion is another good option b/c that is an omni mover and can only load so many guests at a time. 
Jungle Cruise is a good one too b/c that is a classic ride and the boats hold a decent amount, but load slow. 
The other attractions worth of a FP my not be up your kid's speed: Generally Peter Pan is must (b/c of the same issue with HM), or Buzz lightyear (generally a walk on late at night)
I wouldn't FP Pirates, Laugh floor, small world or any of those attractions b/c you can gauge throughout the day and hit them as needed. 

Epcot. You are caught between test track and Soarin here as your Tier 1. Tough call. Both very popular. Test track has a single rider line, so if you want to split up, then FP soaring would be your best bet and then Single ride TT. TT generally loads slower and Soarin has 3 theaters so it holds more, but realize you'll be waiting for at least one of these for over an hour if you don't do it 1st thing in the am. 
Your other tier 1 is Frozen, which i doubt you are eager to do. 
Space Ship earth  and mission space  are really the only other 2 rides worth FPing for your group. 
Do not FP Illuminations b/c you can see tat from anywhere in the park and it is the last thing happening at that park, so it will tie up your 3rd FP all day. 

Studios: The Tiers here are not super bad. Your choice for Tier 1 is going to be either Aerosmith coaster or Toy Story. Both really great rides. RnR coaster does have a single rider line, so you can save time there. TSMM added a 3rd track which helps, but the standby line for either will still be long. Then I would say Tower of Terror (A great Tier 2) and then Star tours. I recommend the Star Wars show over Fantasmic right now. Both are great, but Fantasmic is more character based, and while its not 'kiddy' SW is just more mature.

AK: Rivers of Light aside, your choices here are Everest, Dinosaur, Kali and Safari. Add in Lion King for reasons I mentioned elsewhere. Everest is a must, but they also have a single rider line which IMO is the fastest of all SR lines. Dinosaur loads slow, so i would def try and FP that. And Kali is a tough one b/c the line is often too long vs the actual length of the ride. I have to say, I often skip this one if I don't have a free FP b/c its frankly not that great of a ride,....unless it is 800 degrees in august and you need to cool off. The safari is best early in the AM and the line moves pretty well....the trucks are big and load fast.   

 
AcerFC said:
Just booked Tiffens for first viewing. Now we need to decide on this or hoop de doo. We have never been. Any advice
Click to expand...
Can't comment on many other shows as we went for the first time a year ago, but we went to Hoop De Doo...we all liked it.  Food was good, and the show was entertaining.  We sat literally dead center against the stage.  I ended up "paying for it" later as I got picked to go on stage and play the Indian Scout in the last skit they did.  After I finally got off stage, I didn't have any time to eat my dessert!

 
Fat Nick said:
Can't comment on many other shows as we went for the first time a year ago, but we went to Hoop De Doo...we all liked it.  Food was good, and the show was entertaining.  We sat literally dead center against the stage.  I ended up "paying for it" later as I got picked to go on stage and play the Indian Scout in the last skit they did.  After I finally got off stage, I didn't have any time to eat my dessert!
Click to expand...
Thanks for this. I ultimately decided to cancel this reservation. Few reasons

1. When we first booked the trip, AK was only opened until 7 so we figured we would leave early. ETA: Now its open to 9 with ROL show

2. The campgrounds can be a hassle to get to so we wanted to see the ROL show. It would be tough leaving for HDD and then making it back

3. Tiffens menu looks real good

We will hit HDD in a future visit. I appreciate the feedback though

 
Last edited by a moderator:
AcerFC said:
Thanks for this. I ultimately decided to cancel this reservation. Few reasons

1. When we first booked the trip, AK was only opened until 7 so we figured we would leave early. ETA: Now its open to 9 with ROL show

2. The campgrounds can be a hassle to get to so we wanted to see the ROL show. It would be tough leaving for HDD and then making it back

3. Tiffens menu looks real good

We will hit HDD in a future visit. I appreciate the feedback though
Click to expand...
Let us know how things go...The wife is already trying to plan our next trip (We've got #2 on the way in June, and she's actually pondering going in late fall when the new one is ~3-4 months old.  I think she's crazy, but we'll see...

 
glvsav37 said:
and unless they cut the trees down in those 2 months, I doubt it got any better. 

I'm a big fan of dessert parties, but this one does not compute in my book. Viewing issues aside, its a (cue Gilligan Island music) 3 hour tour on a boat that you can walk on normally any time and (unless you are a HUUUGE fan) Tianna isn't normally a big, hard to see character. 

If you want a sneaky spot to watch that parade from, here is my secret spot.  do you know where the Barber Shop is on Main St? Is just to the right of the big doors the parade exits Man St from, across the side street from the Fire house. Go there. Nobody realizes there is any space around the corner from the Emporium and you can get a belly-to-the-rope spot. Plus you get then benefit of seeing them come straight at you (the Dragon is specifically awesome from this angle), and being it is just before the performers go off stage, you get a higher chance of some extra attention b/c they are basically done with their dancing routines. 
Click to expand...
@AcerFC Ahhhhhhh  What did I do!!!!!!?????

https://twitter.com/WDWNT/status/829832545160294400

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Fiancé and I plan on going for a quick one week trip after our wedding.  We should have booked Boardwalk off this site a family member told us about for 114 points. It since filled. 

What do you reccomend?

Eating, and near everything primarily. 

Boardwalk (pool view) vs Polynesia (lakeview)  vs Animal Kingdom (savannah)

Boardwalk and Animal Kingdom were priced similar.  Polynesia was about $750 more for the week. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Gottabesweet said:
Fiancé and I plan on going for a quick one week trip after our wedding.  We should have booked Boardwalk off this site a family member told us about for 114 points. It since filled. 

What do you reccomend?

Eating, and near everything primarily. 

Boardwalk (pool view) vs Polynesia (lakeview)  vs Animal Kingdom (savannah)

Boardwalk and Animal Kingdom were priced similar.  Polynesia was about $750 more for the week. 




 




 





 
Click to expand...
cool. lots of good FBGs in here who can answer any questions you have. 

is this a 1st trip for both of you or have you been before?

what month are you planning on going? 

All of those resorts you mention are top notch. They all fall into the Deluxe category (Disney has 3 categories Deluxe, Moderate, and Value) and all have great benifits; location being the biggest. 

The Boardwalk is a really great resort. IMO one of my favorites for charm and uniqueness.  Location is great b/c it is right smack between Epcot and Disney Studios—both within walking distance or a smooth boat ride. If it is just the 2 of you, I can see you spending a lot of time in Epcot enjoying World Showcase and all the eating and drinking to do there. Plus, you have the whole Boardwalk right outside the resort which is great for a late night stroll, some night entertainment and a surrey ride around the lake. 

Animal Kingdom Lodge is a really unique resort. If you like animals, it is amazing, the architecture is so very authentic and most of the cast is from Africa so if you like talking to them, you can great some great conversations about Africa. Downside is that it is huuuuuge and it is the furthest resort from most of the parks and action. If you book there, I highly (actually, strongly...actually just don't even consider anything else) booking in Jambo house. The resort is actually 2 resorts, Jambo and Kadani. Kadani is the Disney Vacation Club side, and it doesnt have nearly the amount of amenities that Jambo has*. Mainly Jambo has the only quick service restaurant, and that is huge b/c that is where you will get your morning coffee and your quick bite before heading out to the park. Plus, Jambo has the amazing grand lobby which is just amazing to walk into.

*I mention Kadani b/c in your post you talk about 'points' so I imagine you are talking about renting DVC points. If you still were, there are DVC rooms at Jambo so make sure you book there and not Kadani should you go that route. 

The Polynesian is the oldest resort, yet the newest b/c it was just all redone. Along with the contemporary, it is the original WDW resort. Again you cant go wrong. It is more expensive b/c it is considered a "monorail resort" b/c for obvious reasons, the monorail stops there and is you main way in and out of the Magic Kingdom. You are also a short walkway over to the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) to grab the Epcot monorail. Also, you have a direct line of sight to the castle and there are few better places to close out a night then on the beach there with a drink watching the nightly MK fireworks. 

So, of your choices, there is really no bad choice. If I had to pick....I would say BW, Polly then AK (unless you are into animals, then factor that in), however others might disagree. That said, there are a ton of other really good resorts too, so if you want info on others just ask.

For example, the Contemporary will give you a similar location and experience as the Polly, and the Yacht and Beach club will be the same as The Boardwalk.

Being it is just the 2 of you, there really is a whole lot to do if you like eating and drinking. We can talk about that a bunch, just let us know your cuisine preferences and such. Lots of great romantic opportunities for dinners and special things to do we can point you to. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I don't mean to leave anyone else out.  I know Bruce, Capella, AAA, Acer, Belljr ,and probably a few others that I'm leaving out.  Thanks to all.  This thread is just as good and knowledgeable as the DIS boards IMO.

 
Gottabesweet said:
Fiancé and I plan on going for a quick one week trip after our wedding.  We should have booked Boardwalk off this site a family member told us about for 114 points. It since filled. 

What do you reccomend?

Eating, and near everything primarily. 

Boardwalk (pool view) vs Polynesia (lakeview)  vs Animal Kingdom (savannah)

Boardwalk and Animal Kingdom were priced similar.  Polynesia was about $750 more for the week. 
Click to expand...
Everything glv said was spot on. I will agree that if its the two of you, spring for the park hoppers, stay at beach club and enjoy the heck out of all the great places to eat at epcot. There is also beaches and creme and cape may to enjoy. 

Have a great time and happy wedding. 

 
In The Zone said:
@glvsav37 man you are awesome.  You do great work in this thread and I for one really appreciate it. I'm not planning a Disney trip anytime soon but every time I come into this thread I want to book a trip. Thanks for all that you do. 




 




 





 
Click to expand...
Thanks GB!! That means a lot. I like to think of this thread as my little sanctuary away from the rest of the FFA pissing matches—especially these last few months. 

But, I know WDW is a very big, confusing and expensive place and a lot of people feel overwhelmed in the planning. And while I don't know much about politics, saving lives or anything else, I kinda do know Disney. So if anything, I can at least try to help someone enjoy their vacation!

And yes, there are lots of great Disney-minded folks in here as you mentioned. Always appreciate the fun conversation and opinions 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
glvsav37 said:
sorry GB....didnt see your reply

here you go

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/02/breaking-walt-disney-world-ticket-annual-pass-price-increases-announced/
Click to expand...
Thanks buddy - that is what I was reading too.  It definitely says the Florida passes are increasing but I can't find anything on non-FL resident passes.  I'm not going to worry about it - we aren't going until September and I talked to a CM and assuming free dining is available we will still have to buy regular tickets and upgrade to an Annual Pass at the end of the week like you suggested.  I was more curious what it's going to run me.  It's already going to be 5k so I guess another 100 or so won't kill me. :)  

I cant believe my family of 6 will be 5 adults and 1 kid according to Disney. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
glvsav37 said:
Here are the latest aerial construction photos for Avatarland at Animal Kingdom. With a hard date for it to open this spring, I'm excited to see how this tracks to the finish line. 

(for bigger photos, just right-click on each one and view it in a new tab. Sorry, not sure why they didn't code this to open in a lightbox or something).


 
Click to expand...
That doesnt look so finished. 

I was hoping they would do a soft opening for when I was down there. We had that with the fantasyland expansion and it was awesome. Doesnt look great for us based on those pics. It will just give us an excuse to go back

 
Let's talk free dining.  Anybody stay at Port Orleans - Riverside and do FD?  I've heard they have a small number of rooms - anybody have any luck doing this?

I'm staying there because it's a moderate so I don't have to upgrade and I have 11 people (one infant) in my group - PO was the only place I could get two 5 person rooms that wasn't ridiculously expensive.

My backup plan is to get 3 value resort rooms.

 
Also, since I'm already booked at PO (for now) I'll go back and read all the input on that resort but would love to hear any comments/recommendations you guys have.

 
Riverside is one of the most car-friendly resorts.  It's a long series of small buildings, so the rooms are relatively quiet.  There are parking lots all around, so you can usually park really close to your room.  

Can be a hike to resort dining and the big pools.  We will often get resort QSR to go and take it back to the room.  There are several small satellite pools with laundry houses that are rarely used - so if you don't mind a no-frills pool to yourself, you can get one.  

Easy drive to Epcot and DHS.  Not bad to AK.  Still recommend the Disney buses to MK to bypass TTC.

There's boat service to Disney Springs through some low-traffic areas.  We like to take the boat to French Quarter, hop off for beignets, then catch the next boat to Disney Springs.

Riverside rooms are repped to have more storage space than most.  Some buildings have rooms with Murphy-like kids beds.

I'm a fan, but that's because we always have a car with us in Orlando.  It's a tough resort to walk.

 
Bruce Dickinson said:
Riverside is one of the most car-friendly resorts.  It's a long series of small buildings, so the rooms are relatively quiet.  There are parking lots all around, so you can usually park really close to your room.  

Can be a hike to resort dining and the big pools.  We will often get resort QSR to go and take it back to the room.  There are several small satellite pools with laundry houses that are rarely used - so if you don't mind a no-frills pool to yourself, you can get one.  

Easy drive to Epcot and DHS.  Not bad to AK.  Still recommend the Disney buses to MK to bypass TTC.

There's boat service to Disney Springs through some low-traffic areas.  We like to take the boat to French Quarter, hop off for beignets, then catch the next boat to Disney Springs.

Riverside rooms are repped to have more storage space than most.  Some buildings have rooms with Murphy-like kids beds.

I'm a fan, but that's because we always have a car with us in Orlando.  It's a tough resort to walk.
Click to expand...
Thanks Bruce - we'll be driving as always so no worries there.

I think our plan is to hit up the water parks a couple of days so probably won't spend a lot of time at the pool.  Hopefully it work out but I'm resigned to a Value and will just be pleasantly surprised if we get it to work out. 

 
Riverside is my wife's favorite resort and it is up there for me.  We did get in a building that was quite far from the dining hall, but the walk is beautiful.  The grounds are much more enjoyable if you have to make that walk, especially compared to the other moderates like Caribbean Beach and Coronado Springs.  We loved spending an afternoon doing laundry and swimming in the aforementioned satellite pool that had 4 other people there.  I liked their food court better than Coronado.  The boat ride over to Disney Springs was a great way to kick off our trip the evening we got down there.  

 
Random question- we have a reservation of 4 for Ohana on Sunday that we made quite a while ago. Recently, my mom and sister decided to meet us at Disney for a few days. They would be interested in joining us at Ohana but I'm unable to edit my reservation to add people; there's obviously no new reservations for 6 available; and I tried calling Disney Dining and all they can tell me is that there is no reservations for 6 available. I seem to remember the tables being fairly large here; should I just bring them along and try to talk our way in? I can't find a number for the restaurant itself so I'm not sure how else to go about it......

 
3 hour lunch said:
Random question- we have a reservation of 4 for Ohana on Sunday that we made quite a while ago. Recently, my mom and sister decided to meet us at Disney for a few days. They would be interested in joining us at Ohana but I'm unable to edit my reservation to add people; there's obviously no new reservations for 6 available; and I tried calling Disney Dining and all they can tell me is that there is no reservations for 6 available. I seem to remember the tables being fairly large here; should I just bring them along and try to talk our way in? I can't find a number for the restaurant itself so I'm not sure how else to go about it......
Click to expand...
You can always try it - I would keep trying the reservations and if you strike out there just get there early and let them know the situation.  Worst case scenario is I'm pretty sure you can eat at the bar there so you could pick 2 folks to do that.

 
Gut reaction is to show up 20-30 minutes early and explain the situation to the host stand.  Might have to wait a bit, bit the lounge at Ohana is actually really nice and there's room for squirrely kids to move around.

 
Thanks to all the regular contributors in here, you guys are an amazing wealth of knowledge.

We're looking at a possible Disney World trip next summer, probably early June if we do it. We're not fans of the heat, but with kids in school and other activities there's no other realistic time we could do it. I thought maybe the heat and summer crowds could be a little bit less in early summer as opposed to July.

We've never been to Disney World, but we've gone to Disneyland 3 times in the past 5 years (family of 4, kids are 13 and 11).  Our main focus and enjoyment is the rides.  The kids couldn't care less about meeting characters, and we like the big shows but don't care about the smaller ones or parades. We're all about hitting our favorite rides multiple times. So over a 3 day trip we'll ride Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Pirates 5-6 times each, and many other headliners 2-4 times each. We work the FastPass system to its max efficiency and park hop frequently to make it work.

But it sounds like this just isn't realistic at WDW, and it's really hard to hit the headliners more than once or twice. Is that a fair assessment? It's not a deal breaker, it would just require some different expectations going in.

 
@3 hour lunch there is a popular podcaster who is 100% certain that it would not be a problem. He's discussed a bunch of times, and I've even spoke to him about it directly, that the Disney 180 reservation system is flawed and you can absolutely add to your reservation at the desk and they will seat you. 

He claims to have tried it at multiple locations with various number of additional guests and he claims to never have an issue. 

Of course, kindness always works in your favor. So as @Bruce Dickinsonsays, show up early, be honest and offer to be flexible and wait a bit for the bigger table.

 
themeanmachine said:
Thanks to all the regular contributors in here, you guys are an amazing wealth of knowledge.

We're looking at a possible Disney World trip next summer, probably early June if we do it. We're not fans of the heat, but with kids in school and other activities there's no other realistic time we could do it. I thought maybe the heat and summer crowds could be a little bit less in early summer as opposed to July.

We've never been to Disney World, but we've gone to Disneyland 3 times in the past 5 years (family of 4, kids are 13 and 11).  Our main focus and enjoyment is the rides.  The kids couldn't care less about meeting characters, and we like the big shows but don't care about the smaller ones or parades. We're all about hitting our favorite rides multiple times. So over a 3 day trip we'll ride Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Pirates 5-6 times each, and many other headliners 2-4 times each. We work the FastPass system to its max efficiency and park hop frequently to make it work.

But it sounds like this just isn't realistic at WDW, and it's really hard to hit the headliners more than once or twice. Is that a fair assessment? It's not a deal breaker, it would just require some different expectations going in.
Click to expand...
It can be done - you just have to get there at the right times.  Also - if you are staying on property absolutely take advantage of EMH (Extra Magic Hours).  You can sometimes hit a ride like Space Mountain or Big Thunder 4-5 times in an hour depending on how it works out.  Now, one caveat to what I'm saying - I've never been in the summer - I've been like 12-13 times now but never summer so YMMV.  Also - at rope drop, head directly to them and ride them as much as you can while everyone else is sleeping, parking or getting a coffee.

 
glvsav37 said:
@3 hour lunch there is a popular podcaster who is 100% certain that it would not be a problem. He's discussed a bunch of times, and I've even spoke to him about it directly, that the Disney 180 reservation system is flawed and you can absolutely add to your reservation at the desk and they will seat you. 

He claims to have tried it at multiple locations with various number of additional guests and he claims to never have an issue. 

Of course, kindness always works in your favor. So as @Bruce Dickinsonsays, show up early, be honest and offer to be flexible and wait a bit for the bigger table.
Click to expand...
Floated the question to a group of Moms Panel applicants/members... one says the jump from 4 to 6 is more difficult than 3 to 4 or 5 to 6 as you are asking for a different style of table than you reserved when you reserve for 4 and show up with 6, be prepared for them to say no...  another says to try to make another reservation for 2 at about the same time if you can, show up early and explain your reservations for 4 and 2 are actually one big group of 6... another says it depends on the night and who is in charge at the time... and one suggesting if you're staying on property to go to the Guest Relations desk in your resort's lobby as soon as you can and explain the situation.  The concierge there might be able to take care of it, as they can call restaurant host stations directly.  

 
themeanmachine said:
Thanks to all the regular contributors in here, you guys are an amazing wealth of knowledge.

We're looking at a possible Disney World trip next summer, probably early June if we do it. We're not fans of the heat, but with kids in school and other activities there's no other realistic time we could do it. I thought maybe the heat and summer crowds could be a little bit less in early summer as opposed to July.

We've never been to Disney World, but we've gone to Disneyland 3 times in the past 5 years (family of 4, kids are 13 and 11).  Our main focus and enjoyment is the rides.  The kids couldn't care less about meeting characters, and we like the big shows but don't care about the smaller ones or parades. We're all about hitting our favorite rides multiple times. So over a 3 day trip we'll ride Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Pirates 5-6 times each, and many other headliners 2-4 times each. We work the FastPass system to its max efficiency and park hop frequently to make it work.

But it sounds like this just isn't realistic at WDW, and it's really hard to hit the headliners more than once or twice. Is that a fair assessment? It's not a deal breaker, it would just require some different expectations going in.
Click to expand...
I travel in summer too and have those handful of rides we hit multiple times in a trip. So, no, i don't think its a fair assessment. 

With your kids ages and focusing on what rides you like, eliminating the ones you don't you will have no problems with rerides. Being you are not fans of the heat, I suggest getting to the parks early and making you FPs for later while relaxing at the resort mid day. Going early to the parks makes many big rides almost 'walk ons'. Plan you meals off-times—brunch at 11, dinner at 4, etc and zig while everyone else is zagging. Don't care about fireworks, use that time for rides. 

Resort choice will also play into how 'mobile' you are and how quick you can get across property. Once I saw you were a DL visitor, my immediate reaction was "oh, they are in for a surprise when they find out how big WDW is." But fear not, it is very manageable, esp if you don't mind grabbing a taxi or uber for a quick trip. 

Do you have an idea on where you want to stay? Monorail or the other deluxe resorts offer the best location and ability to NOT rely on the buses so much. Plus they have more dining options on property so you can eat during your breaks. 

 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Bruce Dickinson said:
Floated the question to a group of Moms Panel applicants/members... one says the jump from 4 to 6 is more difficult than 3 to 4 or 5 to 6 as you are asking for a different style of table than you reserved when you reserve for 4 and show up with 6, be prepared for them to say no...  another says to try to make another reservation for 2 at about the same time if you can, show up early and explain your reservations for 4 and 2 are actually one big group of 6... another says it depends on the night and who is in charge at the time... and one suggesting if you're staying on property to go to the Guest Relations desk in your resort's lobby as soon as you can and explain the situation.  The concierge there might be able to take care of it, as they can call restaurant host stations directly.  
Click to expand...
Bruce dropping names......

lol

 
themeanmachine said:
Thanks to all the regular contributors in here, you guys are an amazing wealth of knowledge.

We're looking at a possible Disney World trip next summer, probably early June if we do it. We're not fans of the heat, but with kids in school and other activities there's no other realistic time we could do it. I thought maybe the heat and summer crowds could be a little bit less in early summer as opposed to July.

We've never been to Disney World, but we've gone to Disneyland 3 times in the past 5 years (family of 4, kids are 13 and 11).  Our main focus and enjoyment is the rides.  The kids couldn't care less about meeting characters, and we like the big shows but don't care about the smaller ones or parades. We're all about hitting our favorite rides multiple times. So over a 3 day trip we'll ride Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Pirates 5-6 times each, and many other headliners 2-4 times each. We work the FastPass system to its max efficiency and park hop frequently to make it work.

But it sounds like this just isn't realistic at WDW, and it's really hard to hit the headliners more than once or twice. Is that a fair assessment? It's not a deal breaker, it would just require some different expectations going in.
Click to expand...
The rides at DLR and WDW are similar.  If you're looking to mix it up, I'd consider Universal Orlando.  The rides at UO Islands Of Adventure are different and slightly more aggressive - thrill rides themed around Harry Potter, The Hulk, Spider-Man, Jurassic Park, The Mummy might play better with the 11- and 13-year-olds than redoing Disney in a larger space.  

Another off-the-wall suggestion.... if you're about the rides above all, I'd also consider something from the CedarFair or Six Flags family.  CedarFair is at the forefront of aggressive thrill rides in height, speed, and twists.  Their signature park is Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio - it's out on a point on Lake Erie between Toledo and Cleveland.  Six Flags won't have quite the speed or height of CedarFair stuff, but they have more theme/licensing with the DC Comics characters (Batman, Superman, their friends and enemies), and Looney Tunes (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, their friends and enemies).  Some Six Flags parks have rollercoasters where you wear VR goggles and see a story play out as you coast along.    

 
glvsav37 said:
I travel in summer too and have those handful of rides we hit multiple times in a trip. So, no, i don't think its a fair assessment. 

With your kids ages and focusing on what rides you like, eliminating the ones you don't you will have no problems with rerides. Being you are not fans of the heat, I suggest getting to the parks early and making you FPs for later while relaxing at the resort mid day. Going early to the parks makes many big rides almost 'walk ons'. Plan you meals off-times—brunch at 11, dinner at 4, etc and zig while everyone else is zagging. Don't care about fireworks, use that time for rides. 

Resort choice will also play into how 'mobile' you are and how quick you can get across property. Once I saw you were a DL visitor, my immediate reaction was "oh, they are in for a surprise when they find out how big WDW is." But fear not, it is very manageable, esp if you don't mind grabbing a taxi or uber for a quick trip. 

Do you have an idea on where you want to stay? Monorail or the other deluxe resorts offer the best location and ability to NOT rely on the buses so much. Plus they have more dining options on property so you can eat during your breaks. 

 
Click to expand...
We would stay at one of the on property resorts, but not sure which one yet - willing to splurge a bit, so easy access would be high on the priority list. I've had a hard time wrapping my head around which ones are the most generally convenient to the broadest number of parks. I was thinking maybe Contemporary since it's got the monorail, and MK is the park I could see us being the most likely to want to spend more than one day in.

And to AAABatteries point, we are totally up for hitting rope drop (much to my family's dismay sometimes at DL, but I drag them and they are always thankful when they see how much we get done), then we take a mid-day break and head back in the evenings.  It's good to see this is do-able, and perhaps we can get more done than I thought. Though I realize the park hopping isn't as viable as at DL, unless that means hitting one park in the morning, and a different one in the evening after a break.

 
Bruce Dickinson said:
The rides at DLR and WDW are similar.  If you're looking to mix it up, I'd consider Universal Orlando.  The rides at UO Islands Of Adventure are different and slightly more aggressive - thrill rides themed around Harry Potter, The Hulk, Spider-Man, Jurassic Park, The Mummy might play better with the 11- and 13-year-olds than redoing Disney in a larger space.  

Another off-the-wall suggestion.... if you're about the rides above all, I'd also consider something from the CedarFair or Six Flags family.  CedarFair is at the forefront of aggressive thrill rides in height, speed, and twists.  Their signature park is Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio - it's out on a point on Lake Erie between Toledo and Cleveland.  Six Flags won't have quite the speed or height of CedarFair stuff, but they have more theme/licensing with the DC Comics characters (Batman, Superman, their friends and enemies), and Looney Tunes (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, their friends and enemies).  Some Six Flags parks have rollercoasters where you wear VR goggles and see a story play out as you coast along.    
Click to expand...
Good call, I will check this out.  We went to Universal in LA last time we went to DL and liked it - loved the Harry Potter area, and liked the Mummy and Jurassic Park rides, but thought too many of the attractions were motion simulators. May need to build in a couple of days for this. Looking to spend a week at WDW, then another week at the beach, so Ohio is out for this one, but may look into that for the future.

 
themeanmachine said:
We would stay at one of the on property resorts, but not sure which one yet - willing to splurge a bit, so easy access would be high on the priority list. I've had a hard time wrapping my head around which ones are the most generally convenient to the broadest number of parks. I was thinking maybe Contemporary since it's got the monorail, and MK is the park I could see us being the most likely to want to spend more than one day in.

And to AAABatteries point, we are totally up for hitting rope drop (much to my family's dismay sometimes at DL, but I drag them and they are always thankful when they see how much we get done), then we take a mid-day break and head back in the evenings.  It's good to see this is do-able, and perhaps we can get more done than I thought. Though I realize the park hopping isn't as viable as at DL, unless that means hitting one park in the morning, and a different one in the evening after a break.
Click to expand...
staying at a deluxe will make it easier, but of course there is a cost factored in there.

the contemporary is a great choice b/c even though it is a "monorail resort" to get to the MK, its easier to walk then to take the mono. There is a path that runs from the Contemp parking lot to the MK front gate, its just about a 1/2 mile. We stay at the adjoining resort Bay Lake Tower for that very reason. The themeing is overall modern and not overly "Disney" but being it was one of the original WDW resorts, there is a lot of history there. We love their quick service restaurant, the Contempo Cafe, for a quick breakfast or lunch. There is also a marina right there, so on one of your mid day breaks, you can rent a small speed boat or jet ski and zip around the lakes. There is one at the Grand Flo as well)

The Polly and Grand Floridian are the other 2 monorail resorts, and unless you have a compelling reason to stay at one of those—theme, nostalgia, prestige—the Contemp is the only one where you can walk, either of those are monorail or boat only to the MK. Both great and convenient options, but walking is the fastest. Of the 3 MK Monorail resorts, The Polly has the best pool IMO. Plus, on a night where you may not want to be in the park, you can watch the fireworks from the beach at either of these resorts, or from the roof of the Contemporary.

Even though there is a Monorail to Epcot, you would need to transfer at the TTC (its between the Contemp and the Polly) for an Epcot bound monorail. Its not a huge deal, just another stop, but the resort monorail goes clockwise, so it is the 1st stop coming from the Contemp, where as is its the 3rd or 4th stop from either the Grand Flo or Polly. There is a walkway to the TTC from the Polly which is generally quicker.

On the other side of the property is the Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach, and then the Swan and Dolphin. These resorts are in the Epcot and Disney Studios area. There is a small gateway, kinda back door, into Epcot that serves these resorts. Both walking distance, about .3 of a mile for either. Then there is a boat launch to the Studios, you can walk that too but it is not that close, the boat is the way to go. 

If you are planing on pool time, the Yacht and Beach have probably the best pool on property, Stormalong Bay.

The Swan and Dolphin are in the same area, but they are not Disney-owned resorts. You get some of the benefits of being on property—the magical express (free shuttle from airport), buses around property, etc—but not all—FP booking 30 days out vs 60, no dining plan, etc. The walk is a little further to Epcot, .62 of a mile, but very doable, and the boats stop there as well.

The other 2 deluxe resorts—Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge—are both beautiful in their own right, but are a lot more off the main path and if saving travel time is a major driver for staying there, then I would bypass these for now.

The mid-range category is the Moderates. These are great resorts as well, but in that middle area of location and amenities. They also tend to be larger in size then the Deluxe and a bit more spread out. You will need to bus around from these and you could have a walk from your room to the bus stop. In this category you have Port Orleans, Caribbean Beach, Coronato Springs and Ft Wildreness cabins. While I've never stayed at any of these, I've visited each of them and my pick is Port Orleans based on overall charm. Plus, there is a boat that takes you to Disney Springs which is a big draw for a non-park night (think of the Downtown Disney in DL at x3-4 in size). You can get there by bus, but it is crowded and a boat is a nice way to avoid the traffic. The Caribbean beach is right up there as well, but I dont favor it more b/c I'm not a fan of the pastel, island style, that's really all, otherwise it is a fine resort. The other 2 I would avoid just based on location and the CB and PO are more then fine options.

The Values are the 3rd category, but if you are even considering Deluxe, there is no sense in even going into these—unless you want us to.

Between categories, you will generally find at the Deluxe resorts 1-3 sit down restaurants, a quick service and a few gift shops. 1 sit down and 1 QS at the Moderates and QS type dining hall type eatery at the Values. Of those, the Deluxe ones usually have a dedicated character meal and/or a heavily themed restaurant. We often eat at other resorts for various reasons, but realize that besides the monorail or boat, there is no resort > resort buses. You'd have to taxi or uber between resorts. In itself not bad (we do it often) but many people dont realize that the majority of the buses are Resort > Theme Park (and back) only.

As far as park hopping....yes it is a bit more challenging the DL whereas the 2 parks are basically across the street from each other. But as others have said, parking hopping is just as natural in WDW—just more along what you said, a park in the AM and another park in the PM.  There is no set plan, each park has their own unique daytime and nighttime entertainment. But for someone who is really interested in the big rides, you can do the Studios and/or Epoct in a 1/2-2/3 of a day. And as @Bruce Dickinson pointed out, you'll find some of the same rides as you would at DL.

I recommend visiting this site, it gives pretty good info about different types of touring options and ways to get the most out of your visit. Plus, good info about FastPass and what rides are worth it and whats not. For you, with your family, I would look to booking a good number of your FPs for the 2nd part of your day. If you can get them out of bed and be at rope drop, you can accomplish a lot.  Then as the park swells into afternoon and evening, you'll have your FPs to get you through quicker. As the night tapers off, the crowds relax and those bigger rides start showing lower wait times again. Plus, remember, as long as you are on line before the posted park closing time, they will let you ride—so if you want that reride factor, be sure to keep that in mind.

 

 
AAABatteries said:
Anybody paid for the Express Transportation option?  My wife mentioned it to me but thought it was free with an AP or Park Hopper option.  I'd consider paying for it as an add-on to the AP if it was good for the year.  $150 just seems like too much to pay for 7 days - could call Uber and get the speedy transportation and Just deal with the line to get in.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/express-transportation-options/
Click to expand...
I've never done it and i'll admit I'm not a fan. But that is more of a "how much is too much?" type of thing for me. That said, it has gotten pretty good reviews and does save time. But I'm with you, if i'm paying, screw waiting for the 'special bus' and put me in a private taxi or uber.

 
Also @themeanmachine I forgot to mention....I'm not sure how it is handled at DL, but security screening has gotten very tight at WDW. At each park entrance they make you go through a full bag check and I'm hearing that they are making people go through the metal detectors more frequently. It is a huge bottle neck and time needs to be budgeted for this.

If it is at all possible to tour without a backpack or bag, I would suggest it. They offer a separate "no bag" line which moves much, much faster. Coming with someone who normally needs their own Sherpa to carry my park gear it sounds strange. But with your family being older, you might be able to do it, even if it is just for those PM visits where it will be cooler out.

 
glvsav37 said:
Also @themeanmachine I forgot to mention....I'm not sure how it is handled at DL, but security screening has gotten very tight at WDW. At each park entrance they make you go through a full bag check and I'm hearing that they are making people go through the metal detectors more frequently. It is a huge bottle neck and time needs to be budgeted for this.

If it is at all possible to tour without a backpack or bag, I would suggest it. They offer a separate "no bag" line which moves much, much faster. Coming with someone who normally needs their own Sherpa to carry my park gear it sounds strange. But with your family being older, you might be able to do it, even if it is just for those PM visits where it will be cooler out.
Click to expand...
Fantastic info, thank you for laying this all out, very helpful!

When we were at DL this past summer, security had gotten a lot tighter there as well. Everyone thru metal detectors, and full bag searches. Security lines could get pretty lengthy, was definitely something we had to factor in. I can't imagine not taking a backpack, especially in the summer, for water bottles, and we tend to carry snacks. But good point on evening visits, may be able to leave them at the hotel. 

 
glvsav37 said:
staying at a deluxe will make it easier, but of course there is a cost factored in there.

the contemporary is a great choice b/c even though it is a "monorail resort" to get to the MK, its easier to walk then to take the mono. There is a path that runs from the Contemp parking lot to the MK front gate, its just about a 1/2 mile. We stay at the adjoining resort Bay Lake Tower for that very reason. The themeing is overall modern and not overly "Disney" but being it was one of the original WDW resorts, there is a lot of history there. We love their quick service restaurant, the Contempo Cafe, for a quick breakfast or lunch. There is also a marina right there, so on one of your mid day breaks, you can rent a small speed boat or jet ski and zip around the lakes. There is one at the Grand Flo as well)

The Polly and Grand Floridian are the other 2 monorail resorts, and unless you have a compelling reason to stay at one of those—theme, nostalgia, prestige—the Contemp is the only one where you can walk, either of those are monorail or boat only to the MK. Both great and convenient options, but walking is the fastest. Of the 3 MK Monorail resorts, The Polly has the best pool IMO. Plus, on a night where you may not want to be in the park, you can watch the fireworks from the beach at either of these resorts, or from the roof of the Contemporary.

Even though there is a Monorail to Epcot, you would need to transfer at the TTC (its between the Contemp and the Polly) for an Epcot bound monorail. Its not a huge deal, just another stop, but the resort monorail goes clockwise, so it is the 1st stop coming from the Contemp, where as is its the 3rd or 4th stop from either the Grand Flo or Polly. There is a walkway to the TTC from the Polly which is generally quicker.

On the other side of the property is the Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach, and then the Swan and Dolphin. These resorts are in the Epcot and Disney Studios area. There is a small gateway, kinda back door, into Epcot that serves these resorts. Both walking distance, about .3 of a mile for either. Then there is a boat launch to the Studios, you can walk that too but it is not that close, the boat is the way to go. 

If you are planing on pool time, the Yacht and Beach have probably the best pool on property, Stormalong Bay.

The Swan and Dolphin are in the same area, but they are not Disney-owned resorts. You get some of the benefits of being on property—the magical express (free shuttle from airport), buses around property, etc—but not all—FP booking 30 days out vs 60, no dining plan, etc. The walk is a little further to Epcot, .62 of a mile, but very doable, and the boats stop there as well.

The other 2 deluxe resorts—Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge—are both beautiful in their own right, but are a lot more off the main path and if saving travel time is a major driver for staying there, then I would bypass these for now.

The mid-range category is the Moderates. These are great resorts as well, but in that middle area of location and amenities. They also tend to be larger in size then the Deluxe and a bit more spread out. You will need to bus around from these and you could have a walk from your room to the bus stop. In this category you have Port Orleans, Caribbean Beach, Coronato Springs and Ft Wildreness cabins. While I've never stayed at any of these, I've visited each of them and my pick is Port Orleans based on overall charm. Plus, there is a boat that takes you to Disney Springs which is a big draw for a non-park night (think of the Downtown Disney in DL at x3-4 in size). You can get there by bus, but it is crowded and a boat is a nice way to avoid the traffic. The Caribbean beach is right up there as well, but I dont favor it more b/c I'm not a fan of the pastel, island style, that's really all, otherwise it is a fine resort. The other 2 I would avoid just based on location and the CB and PO are more then fine options.

The Values are the 3rd category, but if you are even considering Deluxe, there is no sense in even going into these—unless you want us to.

Between categories, you will generally find at the Deluxe resorts 1-3 sit down restaurants, a quick service and a few gift shops. 1 sit down and 1 QS at the Moderates and QS type dining hall type eatery at the Values. Of those, the Deluxe ones usually have a dedicated character meal and/or a heavily themed restaurant. We often eat at other resorts for various reasons, but realize that besides the monorail or boat, there is no resort > resort buses. You'd have to taxi or uber between resorts. In itself not bad (we do it often) but many people dont realize that the majority of the buses are Resort > Theme Park (and back) only.

As far as park hopping....yes it is a bit more challenging the DL whereas the 2 parks are basically across the street from each other. But as others have said, parking hopping is just as natural in WDW—just more along what you said, a park in the AM and another park in the PM.  There is no set plan, each park has their own unique daytime and nighttime entertainment. But for someone who is really interested in the big rides, you can do the Studios and/or Epoct in a 1/2-2/3 of a day. And as @Bruce Dickinson pointed out, you'll find some of the same rides as you would at DL.

I recommend visiting this site, it gives pretty good info about different types of touring options and ways to get the most out of your visit. Plus, good info about FastPass and what rides are worth it and whats not. For you, with your family, I would look to booking a good number of your FPs for the 2nd part of your day. If you can get them out of bed and be at rope drop, you can accomplish a lot.  Then as the park swells into afternoon and evening, you'll have your FPs to get you through quicker. As the night tapers off, the crowds relax and those bigger rides start showing lower wait times again. Plus, remember, as long as you are on line before the posted park closing time, they will let you ride—so if you want that reride factor, be sure to keep that in mind.

 
Click to expand...
Also to add to this are a couple of other Deluxe DVC resorts.  Old Key West and Saratoga Springs. I stayed at SS my last visit and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's also of the beaten path a bit but the grounds were gorgeous. It's across the lake /pond from Disney Springs and is a short boat ride away. 

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

bigbottom
CHANCE FOR HOPE DIAMOND HOOP EARRINGS RAFFLE!
Replies
16
Views
321
Galileo
Galileo
Courtjester
Board Games--I know there is another thread but I can't find it
Replies
18
Views
469
Wildcat
Wildcat
ghostguy123
What's a good short vacation destination (solo)?
2 3 4
Replies
160
Views
4K
nirad3
nirad3

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 6 (members: 0, guests: 6)
Top