Orlando/Disneyworld Thread (Part 3)

snit_girl

gemnjordsnjades wrote: »

Hi everyone! Ive read quite a lot of this thread and learnt that there are loads of Disneyworld experts on here so Im hoping for a bit of advice please for our 1st Disneyworld holiday.

We have no fixed date so would welcome suggestions on the best months to go. We would prefer to go during term time as I imagine this would be cheaper and the queues for the rides would be shorter. We would prefer to go during warm weather really to get a few days relaxing by the pool inbetween the theme parks.

There will be myself (adult), DD age10 and DD age2. I am hoping to persuade a friend to come with us but if she cant come does anyone have experience going as a group of 3? Would my 10yo DD still enjoy the rides if she had to go on alone? (obviously DD2 would be too small for them) Are there rides for both ages to enjoy together?

Thanks for reading and TIA for any advice.
Gemma

So far we've been in May, June, July, Aug and Sept (May this year) and September is by far the best time, the rest are too hot and too busy.

October might be good too but there is school holidays to aviod. September was quiet, not too humid and everything was decorated for halloween (go to the Disney Halloween party, it's amazing).

We tried May this year thinking it would be quiet since schools were still in but it was chaos. Schools there are finishing up for summer and taking trips to the parks, they were mobbed with massive groups wearing the same t-shirts. Never again

snit_girl

5hep wrote: »

Day 1 Arrive airport at 9.15
Day 2 Universal studios
Day 3 Animal kingdom
Day 4 Seaworld
Day 5 Day in sun by the pool
Day 6 Hollywood studios
Day 7 Islands of adventure
Day 8 Day in sun by the pool
Day 9 Epcot
Day 10 Discovery cove + Dolphin swim
Day 11 Busch gardens
Day 12 Day in the sun by the pool
Day 13 Magic kingdom
Day 14 Aquatica waterpark
Day 15 Depart airpot at 15.45

great list. we're just back from our 7th visit and loved every minute.

Days by the pool - I find it too hot for this. The pool is busiest at night when the heat is more tolerable. You could use these days shopping or at a park.

Lots of parks close early. Animal Kingdom @ 5, Universal / I of A @ 6 or 7ish. We hopped about the disney ones a lot but I see you can't. Planning wisely solves this.

Hollywood Studios - open until about 11, see fantasmic at 9 or 10 depending on the day
Epcot - good fireworks at 9
Magic Kingdom - Amazing fireworks at 9 or 10 and a night parade 3 or 4 times a week. This is a must see, we did it 3 times.

Customer services can give you times and maps for all of the parks instead of having to go around to collect them all.

Magic Kingdom and Epcot are huge, it takes us 2 days to get around them. Although this depends on queue lengths.

Universal studios and Islands of Adventure are great, Harry Potter is new and amazing, I think we went 4 times. If your ticket allows this then it is worth doing. And although they close early this is to get you to City Walk, the bit leading up to the parks. Its all clubs, bars, shops and restaurants. Free entry to most things and I think entry to clubs with your park ticket.

Sea World also has night shows but they are only on in the summer, ending in September.

We stayed on international drive and theres loads to do at night, cinema, mini golf, go karting, shopping, restaurants, bars, dinner shows, etc. Mostly if we were at a park we got home around 11/12 and fell asleep, else it was out for dinner and a long walk up and down idrive.

Hope you have fun, I'm jealous and want to go back soon (we're already planning it :rotfl:)

chaosweddings

Hi everyone,

I have just received a quote from a ta for £3652 for 3 ad and 2 x 13 year olds, the original quote was for 14 nights flying on the 13th oct 2012 london to mco with 14 nights at tuscan villa resort. we wanted to be nearer to i drive so the gave us vista cay resort for a extra £490 so its was £4052

We have had to change the date as our council have changed the half term to the 26th oct so the new quote has us flying out on the 20th oct 2012 and staying at vista cay resort, the new quote is over £1800 more

is this right, if anyone else has quotes for this date could you tell me the rough price as im sure this is too much

thanks

Dollymixture

bluemonkey and snowbelle - thanks so much for your helpful replies

blue monkey - it's good to hear from someone else who has experienced taking a child with autism to Disney World. We've been in two minds about it for quite a while as our son is very sensitive to noise and light, but i think now he is a little older he will cope better, and he has been begging to go for a long time!
Which deluxe villas have you stayed in? I was looking at Old Key West and Saratoga Springs - but are they in a good area? Maybe we could do a week there and then two weeks in a proper villa away from Disney. Then we could make use of the free dining for the first week and do some character meals, etc and also use the free parking.
I was able to price up for Oct 2012 on the disney site - but when you said about special offer prices not being available yet - so you mean the prices will come down more? Thanks again for your help.

Snowbelle - thanks very much for your advice! That's interesting to know about the beaches on the Gulf coast. It'd be nice to spend a few days there if we can and relax away from Disney. I'll have to look into that. Thanks for the links too. Lots of reading to do now!! :rotfl:

purplemusky

Hi can anyone help I have been looking at these Kids Eat Free Tickets that people are selling on ebay and also use of their car parking passes for parking on site at Disney Orlando. The car park passes are selling for £15 a week which seems like a good buy as it costs $14 a day to park there.

Has anyone done this and especially with kids eat free tick are they worth it.

If anyone has any advice it would be much appreciated - not going until May next year, but just getting information together. Thanks :j

BaggieBoy_3

I was going to ask about the "kids eat free". Seems like a decent deal but wasn't sure. We're in Orlando for 11 days soon

Also was looking at the Orlando Flex Ticket Plus http://www.americanattractions.co.uk/orlando-flexticket/plus.php . This seems to cover most of the things we want to do. Anybody had any experience of this?

chaosweddings

we bought a kids eat free ticket and found it was worth it, we used it on most restaurants and if ds didnt want a kids meal he would swap with me. just about to put mine on ebay

BaggieBoy_3

You got one or two "kids eat free". If you want to sell let me know

blue_monkey_2

Dollymixture wrote: »

bluemonkey and snowbelle - thanks so much for your helpful replies

blue monkey - it's good to hear from someone else who has experienced taking a child with autism to Disney World. We've been in two minds about it for quite a while as our son is very sensitive to noise and light, but i think now he is a little older he will cope better, and he has been begging to go for a long time!
Which deluxe villas have you stayed in? I was looking at Old Key West and Saratoga Springs - but are they in a good area? Maybe we could do a week there and then two weeks in a proper villa away from Disney. Then we could make use of the free dining for the first week and do some character meals, etc and also use the free parking.
I was able to price up for Oct 2012 on the disney site - but when you said about special offer prices not being available yet - so you mean the prices will come down more? Thanks again for your help.

Snowbelle - thanks very much for your advice! That's interesting to know about the beaches on the Gulf coast. It'd be nice to spend a few days there if we can and relax away from Disney. I'll have to look into that. Thanks for the links too. Lots of reading to do now!! :rotfl:

I would definately recommend ear defenders for your first time as the fireworks can be a bit intense and loud. My son and daughter had them (she would actually vomit when the fireworks started) gradually removed them though and now we no longer need them (I still take them though - just in case).

Take his paperwork/blue badge and you can get a Guest Assistance Card which enables you to use the exits, on the busy rides they give you a time to come back. Universal were reluctant to give him one tbh but there was no problem at BG, SW or Disney.

We stayed in OKW. I just priced up OKW and yes, I'd snap it up at £1700 for a 2 bed, I think this is an offer price as it is usually around 3k and with free dining too makes it worthwhile - you can have character meals with the free dining plan but these MUST be booked as soon as booking opens (187 days if staying in Disney resort) as they book up fast.

You can get free transportation from the airport too if staying onsite and they collect your cases and take them to resort so you'd not need a car for week 1 - save some money there. Do stay in Disney week 1 as it'll make things easier for getting tickets as you cannot get them til you check in - we got ours in week 3, they actually told us we had to buy more tickets (at 1k!! was not impressed) because the lady we booked it with did not tell us this so make sure you book Disney accomodation and ticket for week 1. We did wangle ours when there but it was not worth the hassle it caused.

On the day you check out you can leave your cases at OKW and have a day out at MGM or Epcot then walk over, collect your car from Disney's Swan Hotel (Alamo desk) in the afternoon and then go and get your cases. You do not need a car in Disney - especially if you are on the dining plan as you eat there and do all of Disney on week 1.

I've got to get mine in bed, if you have any other questions then please ask. We did 3 weeks there and did a week in each resort, Animal Kingdom Villas, OKW and Hilton Vacation Club at Seaworld (would recommend this resort too - it's over the road from Seaworld, you can walk or get a free shuttle from the hotel - saves money on parking!!).

YeovilFC

Hello all,

Visiting Orlando for the first time next month for three weeks... can't wait!

I was hoping for some advice...
When we are over there there is going to be a satellite launch at Cape Canaveral August the 5th. We'd love to go and watch as it sounds amazing, but there is a massive list of viewing locations on the NASA website.
Does anyone have any experience of watching a launch and if so could you recommend a decent (preferably no so crowded but I'm realistic!) place to go and watch it from? We will have a hire car so no problems with transport.

Thanks in advance