Orlando/Disneyworld Thread (Part 3)

nuttyp

The esta part needs doin ideally at least a month beore you go, as prev mentioned there have been a few hiccups just lately with the website. On the way to check in, there will be someone who will ask you for you esta numbers (they did all of us) and then they ushered us through.

jackieblack

HardyRexion wrote: »

Thanks
We are only going for 10 nights and will only be visiting 1 water park so would like to go to the best option...

They all have their pros and cons.
'Best' means different things to different people.

As I say, we loved it but others will tell you they preferred Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon - its horses for courses.
I think most people would have a good time at any of the water parks.

manxcat2011

z1985m wrote: »

is that that thing we've to do online? i've not even had a look at that yet. she's only going to be 7 on her birthday so it'll obviously be me who fills it anyway? or am i missing something?

You need to do an API and an ESTA. With a lot of airlines you can log into your booking and do your API there but some differ. I would ask your TA if you aren't sure.

ESTA costs $14 each and lasts for 2 years or until your passport expires if it's got less than 2 years remaining on it. Make sure you use this site - https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

GemJar_2

This time next week I will be bouncing off the walls and worrying about not packing my toothbrush we (Me aged 22, boyfriend aged 28) fly from Manchester on Tues 21st Feb and we (mostly I) are being like children about it all, I'm soooo excited, never been to America before. We're staying on Int Drive and have decided to do the parks for a few days and play the other days as they come (shopping!!). I've just found out that you can have dinner with an astronaut, which I think sounds fantastic but the bf thinks it will be for kids... I think he's just a little jealous that he's not an astronaut.

Just thought I'd share the link for the park tickets we bought as I thought they were a really good price http://www.park-tickets.com/disney-parks/fun-in-the-sun-package-2.aspx
"4 days in Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom with Fastpass. 1 park per day to be taken over a 14 day period. No hopping but you can come and go from the same park on the same day. 2 days in Universal Studios and/or Islands of Adventure, over a 14 day period. 1 Days access to Seaworld (plus second day free, upgrade given at park - see signs on exit)" Thats £287.34 for adults and £263.29 for children. Tickets arrived in about a week, but it was $15 extra to ship, although you can pick the tickets up while you're there apparently. Tickets are in the card form for disney (micky and daffy duck ) and paper tickets for seaworld and universal.

The rest of our holiday was booked though lowcostholidays and came to £1125 for return flights with virgin and the hotel, best western international drive, plus cashback through topcashback which was about £50-for two weeks, thought that was a pretty good deal!

tori.k

z1985m wrote: »

is that that thing we've to do online? i've not even had a look at that yet. she's only going to be 7 on her birthday so it'll obviously be me who fills it anyway? or am i missing something?

What a fantastic surprise for her, as the others have said you need to fill out a ESTA the API just means advance passenger information this you do/did this when you booked your flights. i really wish i had told my kids we were off to spain or somewhere untill we got to the airport, your be pushed to beat this birthday surprise next year

jackieblack

GemJar wrote: »

This time next week I will be bouncing off the walls and worrying about not packing my toothbrush

They do sell toothbrushes in Florida
As long as you have your passport and tickets (flights and parks) and have done your API and ESTA, don't sweat the rest.
Take half the clothes ( and double the money) you think you'll need.
You'll have a fab time.

jeanniebeanie_2

Although I have done Florida and the parks many times, I have a question for the park experts.

Our next trip we will be staying onsite (Swan) for a couple of nights and will be meeting up with others who are not. Will I be able to let someone else use my room key in EMHs to access the rides I don't want to do?

ETA It will be a male, so was wondering if my (female) name would be on the card and is it likely to be noticed?

blue_monkey_2

Hi Jeannie, I just PM'd you.

Your question though, we showed our key to get into the park - but not for the rides. They sometimes section of certain areas of the park and only let those with a room key into those (such as the entrances near the castle in MK).

Are your tickets on your key? I do not think someone without a key is going to get into EMH to be honest, they might get into MK about half an hour before it opens and then you can pass them your key - however, ours did have our full name on (inc. kids) I guess he could put his hand over the name.

jeanniebeanie_2

Thanks Blue.
I am thinking of the 3 hour evening EMHs, so they will be already in the park with us, and my understanding is that they are happy to let anyone shop and eat in EMHs, but need to see room keys to allow access to rides. We will have separate park tickets to keys. Thanks for info regarding names on keys.

blue_monkey_2

Hmmm, come to think of it they never asked us for keys when we was in Epcot on EMH. DH had the keys and we only used them first thing, never in the parks.