vacation

[thestinker]

Got a good one planed this year fellas. We are taking the kids to Disney World. They are really looking forward to it. Also, I have never been either, so it will be cool to go for me as well. As an added bonus, we are going during my work shutdown time, which just happens to match up with fathers day and my birthday....how cool is that.

Riley

[cabinetman]

You will have one heckuva good time. Take a lot of pictures, and take note of some good woodwork.
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[radhak]

Some advice - google 'tips for visiting disney' to find some great ideas (apart from the very banal ones, or even sneaky advts).

My personal tips -
(a) if you can avoid weekends, you save yourselves half the stress. at the very least, avoid Magic Kingdom on sat/sunday.
(b) try to reach at the park opening (8am sometimes, 9am others). yes, it's early, but worth it.
(c) as soon as you enter, head for the rear part of the park. (MK has a train that takes you around; get off at Toon world). Then work your way backwards to the front.
(d) Have lunch early - 11 am. You'd amazed at how many crowd into all the eateries between 12 to 2, leaving the rides sparse. And you can snack at 4pm, giving you needed strength. And yes, drink tons of water.
(e) buy your tickets before-hand online, or from other authorized sellers. saves time at entrance; gives you the chance to plan your days
(f) get hold of each park's map and event schedule and plan with it.
(g) don't plan on 'park hopping'. you never have time/energy to do more than one a day.

and don't forget the camera!

Have fun.

[Uncle Cracker]

You can make reservations for many of the in-park restaurants, and can also get "fast pass" reservations at many of the more popular attractions. Do this early. Saves line waiting. The parks are very busy this time of year, even with the economy. Some attractions are closed for rehab (and because the staff is at bare minimums). Find out which ones before you waste time trekking over, or get the kids' hopes up. Bring plenty of water and hydrate often. Bottled water is available in the parks, but as everything else, is very overpriced. Can't overemphasize the need for comfortable shoes...

[jcjrsmith]

Spend some time here: www.allears.net

And here: http://www.wdwinfo.com/

You will be there during the one of the hottest times of the year. Dring LOTS of water. Sunscreen all the time.

You will not see everything, so don't try to. This is important becasue people who have never been there often do not realize how huge the place is. You can see the families who try to do it all - they are really easy to spot, and they are usually miserable. Take it from someone who has been there over 25 times...relax.

Here is what we like to do, especially when visiting in the summer: Get a good breakfast in you. Get to the park of your choice about half an hour before opening. Stay in the park until about noon-1 p.m. Just about then the parks are hitting peak, with lots of hot, hungry people and tempers are starting to get a little thin. Head back to your hotel (much easier if you are staying on site). Grab a lite lunch and either a nap, or throw the kids in the pool for a while and then some rest. Go out to dinner, then back to the park. It is summer time, the parks are open late, you get to see the amazing fireworks shows. And, you won't be so tired the next day.

Two pairs of comfortable shoes are a must - rotate each day. They may look hideous, but I discovered the joys of Crocs a couple of years ago - they are lightweight, waterproof (work GREAT at waterparks), loose enough to prevent blisters from rubbing, and they keep your feet cool.

We do park hop, but we do it by hitting one park in the morning and another in the evening. We also plan water park days - Disney has two amazing water parks.

If you haven't made your dinner reservations, Get Thee to www.allears.net and view the menus and make your reservations by calling 407-WDW-DINE. Slots fill up fast.

We are going down in August and we will be arriving at our hotel around 3-3:30. After a day of airports, car rental and filghts, we typically just relax the rest of that day and start on the parks first thing the next morning. We will check in, hit the pool to unwind, then head to the Contemporary for a late seating at Chef Mickey's. After dinner, stroll thru the shops at the Contemporary, then just before the 9 pm "Wishes" fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom, take the elevator to the 15th floor of the Contemporary. This is California Grill restraunt. Hang a right out of the elevator, another right, down the ramp and out the door to the walkway along the roof of the hotel which overlooks the Magic Kingdom. Disney pipes in the music from the fireworks show and you get and amazing view.

Have fun, and if you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

[cabinetman]

Saves line waiting. The parks are very busy this time of year, even with the economy.

Get used to waiting in line. While waiting you may see some weird things. For example, a guy said he was waiting in line for Space Mountain and could tell some people don't have a concept of the rides. A woman in front of him was carrying luggage.
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[Ed62]

We've been three times. If you have as good a time as we did, it will be time well spent.

Ed

[thestinker]

Get used to waiting in line. While waiting you may see some weird things. For example, a guy said he was waiting in line for Space Mountain and could tell some people don't have a concept of the rides. A woman in front of him was carrying luggage.
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I love people watching....this is gonna be great

Thanks for the advice fellas. The wife got one of those books "how to see Disney, or the most of Disney" or something like that, and has been studying it. With a 7 yr old and 4 yr old we were not planning a terribly aggressive trip. See everything sounds like too much work. I mainly want the kids to have fun and do what they want. Brady age 4 wants to see his favorite characters play in the pool and ride some rides...his main concern it the monsters that live in the magic kingdom castle???? Britney age 7 wants to see princess. I want to eat and longe and see the parks and scenery, plus watch the kids. I figure this wont be our last trip and I really don't want to come home more beat down than when I left from trying to do too much. The wife has a friend who works for disney travel and she booked everything for us, all we had to do was tell her the days and times we wanted to eat where.

We did park hopper passes, but for the same reasons jcjrsmith mentioned. We did pass on the water parks to save a little cash, and because the kids a still skidish around water, and the pool at port orleans french quarter looks awesome. That will be all the water park they want right now. We also found out that sams and cost co will mail bottled water to your hotel room for 13 bucks a case...works out to about 50 cents a bottle, so we are shipping 2 cases and are mailing some granola and snack bars down also, just so we can have some easy snacks in our backpack. The kids and wife can go from fine to sick kind of hungry quick and that seemed like cheep insurance to us. Something cool, the iphone has apps for each of the parks that are interactive off GPS.... I need a bathroom and I am here, the closest one is....

I will post up about the adventure whan we get back, and please keep the advice coming

Riley

[cgallery]

Lots of good advice above. And you've done an excellent thing of staying on the grounds and getting park hopper passes. That will make life so much easier with young kids. Taking 'em back in the afternoon for a nap or pool soaking will provide you w/ some sanity and the ability to go back late into the night.

The only point I will mention is that Dumbo ride and the Tea Cups lines in the middle of the MK can take FOREVER. Keep the kids away from them until late at night, or go first thing in the morning (like, walk briskly to them after the gates open).

[herb fellows]

Don't know if this will fit in with your arrangements, but Disney is free on your birthday now, I believe. You'll probably have to go to their website and jump through a few hoops....

[OpaDC]

Will be there also early June. Going to give advice you rarely see in any books. LOOK UP!!! The craftsmanship and attention to detail is awesome. Been many times and still see something new every time. Disney coined the term "Imagineers" and they set the standard for creativity and artistry in these parks.

LOML and I like to go early, leave middle of the day or so, take a nap/swim /relax for a while, then return in evening. Whole different place then. And don't wear yourself out trying to "see it all", you can't. Have fun, I know we will.

[Uncle Cracker]

Also forgot to mention that, unlike in the past when everything ran on a fairly stable schedule, WDW's attempts to streamline have brought on a certain amount of haphazardness. For instance, the parades may not be at the same times every night (or may not even be the same parade), the closing times may vary by days of the week, fireworks and showtimes may fluctuate... Point is to get a current schedule, and confirm that the info you are planning from is the real deal. Also, a good supply of tranquilizers is not a bad idea...

[ironhat]

I'll have to agree with Jerry in PA about going back to the motel. We stayed on-site the first time and off-site the second. On the first trip we would wake up early and then, in the afternoon, take the tram back to the motel and swim/ nap/ eat, and back for the late afternoon/ evening session. If fanny packs are still allowable you need one each and fill them with hard candy, gum and granola bars. Well, it worked for us.

[scmhogg]

We went to DW when my youngest was 6 or 7. We stayed at the Grand Floridian. It is a great Hotel. The advantage back then, was the Monorail station in the hotel. We were able to pop back and forth when the adults got tired.

Steve

[Alex Franke]

We are taking the kids to Disney World. They are really looking forward to it. . .[snip] . . .which just happens to match up with fathers day and my birthday....how cool is that.

We're also going with the kids in June, the week of the 15th. Never been there with kids before, so it should be a blast. How old are yours? Mine are nearly 5 and 2.5.

You can check out the minimum heights ahead of time at any number of websites, so if you have young kids, be sure to check into that.

Also, I got a couple of insider tips on the fast pass from someone who used to work there. You can get a new fast pass right after the "start" time of the previous fast pass, and if you show up after the "end" time, they'll still let you ride. For the rides you'll want to do more than once, have everyone get a fast pass for it -- even if they don't want to ride it -- and you can use their passes to ride again.

And, if you're on your way to rude a fast pass ride, stop and get another fast pass first (if you're after the start time) and you'll get to the next ride that much quicker.