Going to Disney World tomorrow, any must do's?

[runningman]

Wife and I and our three kids are flying out in the morning.  Any suggestions?  Staying at the Port Orleans hotel in the park.  Thanks!

Matt

[72SE]

Must do? Enjoy the warm weather we have been having  A lot to do on Disney property. Kids might like Sea World. Come on over to Daytona for the beach and Speedway. Have a great time,    Mike

[General_01]

We went back in 2003. Cathy and Cindy were 6 and 5 then.

They loved Magic Kingdom. They went on the Big Mountain<?> roller coaster ride quite a few times. The night show of fireworks is awesome also. Remeber to look up to see Tinkerbell.

At Disney Studios(it was MGM when we went), the Tower of Terror was fun, but the girls did not want to go. The Star Wars ride was also fun. It is a simulator you sit in and you feel like your in a spaceship trying to escape from a bigger ship. The night show "Fantasia" is also a very good fireworks. For the older kids and adults, the Aerosmith Roller Coaster ride is great. I also think there was a Dinosaur ride here. Pretty fun. Not exciting, just a tram ride with dinosaurs and stuff popping out at you.

Epcot is supposed to have a great fireworks show, but we never made it. Kids will like the Figment ride. Kinda corny for adults though.

If you have little kids, bring an autograph book for them. The Disney characters roaming the place will sign them for the kids.

Have a fun time. Our kids are going to Disney World in a couple of weeks with the Grandparents. Mom and Dad have to stay home and work.

[ACUDANUT]

ain't you waiting until the last minute for advise??  I have been there 3 times with the family.  That mouse will take every dime you have, Haha 
My daughter can't wait to go again.  I would rather hang out in the heated pools with a stiff drink or two.
Can I go too

[runningman]

Thanks guys, the wife and I were there with another couple back in 2000 with no kids so I am sure things will be a lot different this time.  My kids are 9, 6 and 4...yeah this is last minute but better late then never right 

[General_01]

Well I will tell you this. You will enjoy it a lot more this time around. Nothing beats watching your kids having the time of there life at Disney. That was the funnest part of the trip for me. Watching my girls go up to Alice and Cinderella with there eyes full of wonderment was just great. I will remember the looks on their faces forever.

[runningman]

Yeah, my two youngest are girls and they are really excited.....I am sure they will love it

[AKcharger]

Tower of terror!!!! 

[moparsuebear]

The best thing I can tell you is don't try to see it all in one day... get a Park Hopper pass. When the park starts getting crowded about mid-day, go back to your hotel. Take a swim with the kids, everyone take a nap, and then go back to the parks in the evening when it's cooler and less crowded. That's the best part of staying at disney. Also, the hotel busses that take you from park to park, run rather slowly! If you have a rental car, I suggest driving that to the park. Once you pay for parking, it's good at each park that day. Also, be sure to use plenty of sunscreen. Although it may not seem hot, that Florida sun is dangerous! I know, I grew up in Florida!!

Be sure to take the monorail at least once. It's a blast and if you can, ask if you can sit in the front with the "captain" cause it's a thrill to be right in the front. The kids may get antsy if you take the boat across cause it's so darn slow! and they can see the magic kingdom from across the lagoon and they may go batty from the slow paced boat!! LOL The boat is nice to take back to the hotel in the evening.

The most important thing is to enjoy yourselves, not wear everyone out by running from ride to ride. and get good use out of the hotel! I am sure you are paying a lot of dough for that room and its anemities, so use them!!! Don't think you have to get your money's worth. If your kids are whining, you're hot and thirsty and everyone is miserable, don't think you have to see it all. Just head back to the hotel and rest and regroup! Oh, and if your hotel has a breakfast buffet, have everyone fill up in the morning, and you're less likely to spend a ton of moola in the park. The best burgers in the park are at Pinnochio's, right next to It's a Small World ride in the Magic Kingdom. The best sit down meal is at the Liberty Tree Tavern in Frontierland. Yummy monte cristo sandwiches!! and be sure to get everyone a Mickey Mouse ice-cream bar at least once! I know they are very pricey, but oh so worth it!!!

Epcot is very boring for kids... not much fun there for them, except the fast track ride. That is a blast!!!! Be sure to go on Tower of Terror at MGM. The best ride in all of disney!!! and the haunted mansion is NOT all that scary, even for youngsters. It's a fun ride.

Because I grew up in Florida, I've been to disney a "billion" times. If you need any further info, let me know!!! Me and Akcharger, (Bill) were just there last September. You are never too old for Disney!! Have a great time!!!!

[Ghoste]

If you are having trouble finding a character that your kids want to meet, check around one of the ones your kids aren't interested in and you will soon enough see a staff member who is a character handler, just ask them where ______ is and they'll check the schedule on their clipboard and tell you when and where.
The other do is to keep your hand on your wallet, every ride ends in a gift shop.  Also, when we stayed at Port Orleans, they had mini fridges and microwaves in the rooms.  Take advantage of them because you'll soon get sick of ten dollar hot dogs in the parks.

[runningman]

Thanks for all the info    We are leaving Saturday morning so we will have a little time to check everything out.  I need to write all this stuff down 

[moparsuebear]

oh, and Epcot does have a character show every day.... they have a special room where you line up and get pictures taken with the characters. Check the times for that! and be sure to buy a Photo Pass!!!!! They will explain at the park what that is. It's a great thing to have!!!

[runningman]

We have a whole pack of stuff, food vouchers and what not.  I will look to see if we have those, if not I will check when we get there.   

[bordin34]

-Cirque de soloeil (sp) is a good show
-For you, try the Petty Experience 1-800 be petty is the number I think. You can buy used tires from there for $5
-Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom
-Walk around animal kingdom and just look around its great
-Safari ride at animal kingdom
-Rafiki's planet watch at animal kingdom
-Khali River Rapids at Animal
-A Bug's Life at Animal
-Norway at Epcot
-The Mars thing at Epcot THAT DOES NOT SPIN the spinning one will make you feel ungood
-SOARIN' quite possibly the best thing at Epcot
-Test Track Epcot
-The FREE soda thing at epcot Club Cool I think, do not try Beverly
-The Imagination thing at Epcot
-The communication thing at Epcot inside the globe
-Run Away train at Magic
-Haunted House at Magic
-Space Mountain at Magic
-The stunt show at MGM or whatever is is now with the Opels or whatever
-Backlot tour at MGM
-Eat at the Buffet in the Animal hotel they have some really good soup
I am sure I missed a lot
Have Fun

[oldgold69]

have fun feeding the worlds richest mouse. lots  to see

[71ChallengeHer]

The Electric Parade at the Magic Kingdom is beautiful.   We went to a character breakfast at the Yacht Club. Nice buffet and the kids get to have breakfast with some of the Disney Characters. At Epcot the kids can make free crafts at each of the countries.

[Shakey]

Wife and I and our three kids are flying out in the morning.  Any suggestions?  Staying at the Port Orleans hotel in the park.  Thanks!

Matt

Any suggestions?

Watch out for the morbidly obese people riding the electric scooters 'cause they're too big to walk!

Be especially careful of the scooters that have the bumper sticker on the back that reads "Property of Disney" as these are rentals and these people are able to walk to the park but are just too lazy to walk around the park and they have little or no experience driving these things.

[ACUDANUT]

 That's funny 
However I just might try that idea.

[dodgecharger-fan]

DON"T LET THEM ADD CHARGE CAPABILITIES TO YOUR PARK PASS CARD!!

That sucker works just about everywhere in the parks. Gift shops, restaurants, etc...

It's nice that you don't need to carry cash around, but it's way too easy to "put it on the room."



I'm only half kidding. It's more of a warning than anything else. If you can control it, it's actually a great convenience. If you can't, then it's a real shocker when signing the bill at the end of your trip.
I kept a running tally - roughly - in my head throughout the week. The only one surprised was my wife and she felt bad about spending so much. I played that for as long as I could.  I ordered stuff for the Charger.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Now must be a good time to go.  I've been going for the past 3 years in late July early August when its the hottest & most crowded.

PS---be thankful you dont go at those times because, I swear, the WHOLE friggin country of Brazil goes at that time.

Every where you look there is a group of 25-30 teenagers wearing fluorescent green or orange shirts lead by a balding, overweight "leader" with man boobs wearing a skin tight fluorescent green or orange shirt waving a friggin flag in your face.

Don't get me wrong a lot of the 18-19 year old Brazilian girls are nice to look at but when they are in a pack like that they are rude, dont speak English & think they own the park...you gotta run to a ride when you see them commin' (thank goodness for the bright clothes) or else they push their way to the front....makes the bad scooter drivers look like the welcome wagon

Other than that its a GREAT time & gets better when the kids get older (my girls are 10 & 13 now)...less whining & more freedom for Mom & Dad

PSS----get the meal plan....might seem expensive up front but in the end its well worth it.

[TheGhost]

2 words.

Space Mountain.


I loved the hell out of that ride.

[68charger383]

French Onion Soup at the restaurant in Epcot France   

[moparsuebear]

Disney is the BEST place on the earth and its meant to enjoy and spend money!! Animal Kingdom is not worth going to, though. I'd rather go to Epcot than animal kingdom. I think you will get the most out of your time if you spend your days between Magic Kingdom and MGM. I am not sure if the water parks will be open this time of year or not.

Definitely take advantage of the FAST PASS deal!! At the popular rides they have these kiosks set up. You put your disney ticket inside the till, and out spits a ticket with a time on it that you can return to the ride and use the fast pass lane. It's great to pass up all those people in line!!! Oh, and you will get DRENCHED on Splash Mountain! I don't care what anyone says, everytime we've gone on it, we come off dripping, soaking wet!!! Not a fun way to spend the day. We usually go on that ride at the very end of our day or just before going back to our hotel.

I wish I was going with you all! Bill (akcharger) and I are going on a 7-day cruise in march. Can't wait for that!! You all have a blast at Disney and be sure to post pics when you get home!!
-Susan : )

[runningman]

Okay, we are back....

The weather was pretty nice, it was in the 70's for the most part during the day.  It rained a little one day and was in the upper 30's on Saturday morning when we were leaving.  We hit every park...I was told that President's day week is the busiest of the year and I can believe it.  It reminded me of being at Mardi Gras in New Orleans but with kids and a bunch of old people.  We had the meal plan so we ate good and the kids had a great time so all is good. 

Some observations....it would be better to stay at a resort with the monorail....much less time waiting on transportation...we had to wait for up to 30 minutes on buses multiple times during the day   

Don't bring kids that are still in strollers, there are a million people pushing strollers around and paying a ton of $$ for something their kids will probably never remember..

[Mike DC]

   
That big castle was a cool idea.  I just wish it was more of a badass one like you'd see in the Black forest of Germany or something.


Disney apparently built that thing with a forced-perspective.  It gradually gets smaller as it goes up, but looks more normal when you're looking up at it from down below.  They wanted to keep it under the minimum height to need a madatory flashing aircraft warning light. 

[ACUDANUT]

  Glad you made it back home safely.  So, would you do it again ?
NOT ME.

[runningman]

I probably would.......after doing some research on when the slower times of the year are..

[moparsuebear]

Some observations....it would be better to stay at a resort with the monorail....much less time waiting on transportation...we had to wait for up to 30 minutes on buses multiple times during the day   

Also, the hotel busses that take you from park to park, run rather slowly! If you have a rental car, I suggest driving that to the park. Once you pay for parking, it's good at each park that day.

I told you so!!! LOL

[runningman]

Yeah, we didn't have a car although my parents did bring their Liberty with the motorhome.  They took us a few places so it helped but it wasn't easy cramming seven of us in there.  I don't remember the buses being that bad before.  I guess the Port Orleans is one of largest resorts, seems like all of the other resorts had busses waiting for people but we had people waiting on busses.  It wasn't too bad though, the monorail does seem to be the way to go....