Orlando/Disneyworld Thread (Part 3)

vivatifosi

Got back from Orlando Sunday so thought I'd post a few updates:

* Kennedy: there's a special offer running at the moment, not sure how long for, if you pay an extra $7 on the day you can upgrade to an annual pass from the price of a day ticket. As I mentioned earlier, the shuttles have been on view in the Vehicle Assembly Building, though that is an additional cost tour. Seeing them though is astounding. Ground has broken on the display building for Atlantis and this will open in 2013.

* Disney: the Fantasyland redevelopment is carrying on apace, due to open later this year. Dumbo redevelopment which was scheduled for next month likely to slip a bit. The free concert programme for the Flower Festival at Epcot (April/May ish) has now also been published if anyone is around then and fancies going to see.

* Universal: has just announced new attractions programme that will be scheduled to come into place starting this Summer so worth checking their website. On a big recruiting drive, so good news for the people of Orlando too.

* Sunrail: breaking ground started on Sunrail, which will be a commuter rail line running from north of Sandford down through Osceola. This could be interesting for tourists looking to visit other areas or going to concerts in Orlando. The first phase will be completed 2014, all done 2016.


We were there the same time as the Obama visit that practically shut down the Magic Kingdom. Decided to go to Hollywood Studios instead. As a thank you, Disney put on the same fireworks show that they do at Christmas/New Year/4th July (never times we visit as too expensive and too packed) which was amazing. Well worth seeing if anyone does decide to go then. Their house band plays a live rock concert while fireworks were let off in time. Wow!!!

Lots and lots and lots and lots of Brazilian tour groups.

KarenG, I did wave to BLT on your behalf, hope you don't mind.

z1985m

booking a holiday through expedia a good idea? seem to have the cheapest prices, theres a site called holiday gennie thats showing on travelsupermarket and their prices are cheap but i feel a bit uneasy using them as i've never heard of them before.

is expedia a good idea? or should i just stick to thomsons e.c.t...

blue_monkey_2

z1985m wrote: »

booking a holiday through expedia a good idea? seem to have the cheapest prices, theres a site called holiday gennie thats showing on travelsupermarket and their prices are cheap but i feel a bit uneasy using them as i've never heard of them before.

is expedia a good idea? or should i just stick to thomsons e.c.t...

If you have found a hotel via Expedia, book that hotel directly. I used to always use Expedia but when you click through it adds on some sort of booking tax and every single hotel I have found on there recently I have found cheaper rates with the actual hotel so have a look at that site, do not get sucked into the cashback thing.

As an example, we wanted a night at St Petes Beach, Dolphin Hotel and Expedia was showing £130 Sun and £90 Mon - but the hotel wanted $119 a night plus taxes, I saved about £50 booking it with hotel and not expedia.

Have you thought of booking everything seperately? What are you looking for?

cuffie

I am trying to work out what is the easiest way of getting tickets, whilst still being able to hop around the parks.....

I already have Discovery Cove/Busch Gardens/Seaworld/Aquatica - they are already booked and paid for.

We want to spend 5 days to cover us at WDW
Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Downtown Disney/Marketplace

2 days to cover Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure

2 days to cover the water parks Typoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach

Is there a ticket that will let us do all of this on whichever day we like (within our 14 day holiday), and let us hop between the parks if we feel like it? If we "hop" from MK to Epcot (for example), and then want to go from Epcot to AK, I assume it is just using a "days" worth of ticket, and not a "1 entry" into the park (ie, so we want to be able to "hop back" to MK or AK). Do you see what I mean?

Do you think I have covered the days I need, or do you think I would need more than one day at these places?

Are we issued with one ticket to cover all (ie, if we lost one of the tickets we are stuffed??!).

I hope you can help. I have been on quite a few of the ticket websites listed in this forum and I'm getting myself a bit confused!!!

Also, do I need to book any restaurants before I go? In particular it is my son's 13th birthday while we are out there, and I would love to have that day at least already "arranged" so I don't have to worry about it!

Is it worth trying to cram in an Airboat ride? I really fancy doing that and I think the kids would love it too. How long should I allow - half a day?? I would think about "hopping" to one of the parks afterwards for the afternoon/evening......is this a good idea?

We have never been before, and I appreciate we are trying to cram a lot in, but to be honest, it is a huge amount of money we are spending, so I am not really planning on doing this type of holiday again! Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you so much.

KarenG

vivatifosi wrote: »

KarenG, I did wave to BLT on your behalf, hope you don't mind.

:beer:

Thank you!

We saw the Star Wars fireworks at Hollywood Studios once - and they were amazing. I'd love to see the ones you did! They found really great ways of using the hat as a focal point - was yours the same?

vivatifosi

KarenG wrote: »

:beer:

Thank you!

We saw the Star Wars fireworks at Hollywood Studios once - and they were amazing. I'd love to see the ones you did! They found really great ways of using the hat as a focal point - was yours the same?

I haven't seen the Star Wars fireworks but DH found the one we went to on YouTube. This one I think you can see the fireworks better as it is from further back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJeipvHi9Bs


This one was taken buy a guy who was standing relatively close to us (near the front). We were about three rows of people in front of him, however he didn't manage to get all of the fireworks in shot. Being that close though was amazing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MLsXeEOyNU

I'll have to toddle off and find the Star Wars ones now:D.

curlylou1986

hi everyone,
just wanted to say thanks for the advice i got for our honeymoon trip , been back a week and had a fantastic time away!

had bit of advice - we went to seaworld and universal and as recomended we were going to get a bus to seaworld (few issues with hubby and checking details in hotel) but then we ended up getting Mears taxi.
Really good company - asked at the hotel desk and they booked it for you, was $19 per person for return trip and was same cost for both seaworld and universal.
Only downside is they do pick up other people depending on the run - when we went to seaworld we got picked up in a 6 seater and another family was going elsewhere. When we went to UNIVErsal hubby booked for 8.20 and we werent there till half 9 then as there were other pick ups at other disney hotels on the way.

Everything was great though - the dining plan for us that we got with the hotel - Quiclk Service - was amazing, we hardly used any of the snacks so brought lots of sweet boxes back for people!
Thanks for all the advice and hope everyone who has a trip planne dhas a fantastic time!! :j

blue_monkey_2

That is what we do with our snack credits We go to the villans shop in HS where they sell loads of fudge blocks and we bring them back with the intention of giving them out as gifts..... LOL

So pleased you had a wonderful time.

Our planner is done and we have 9 weeks to go now so I'll post it up later if anyone cares, LOL. I do!! Tickets pretty much bought now, just a few odds and ends we will buy when we are there as we are not sure on timings. I'll bore you all with it later!!

boppy

rookierobs

Have used Kenwood travel 4 times and have always had no problem with them and had excellent deals

KarenG

vivatifosi wrote: »

I haven't seen the Star Wars fireworks but DH found the one we went to on YouTube. This one I think you can see the fireworks better as it is from further back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJeipvHi9Bs


This one was taken buy a guy who was standing relatively close to us (near the front). We were about three rows of people in front of him, however he didn't manage to get all of the fireworks in shot. Being that close though was amazing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MLsXeEOyNU

I'll have to toddle off and find the Star Wars ones now:D.

Awesome :T