Orlando/Disneyworld Thread (Part 3)

KarenG

Matt_Nixon wrote: »

Visiting Disney early November, only staying in Orlando for 3 days maximum, wheres the best place to buy tickets?

For which parks? Just Disney? Not a great deal of discounts for entry for only three days. Would you want to buy a ticket that would leave days left over for a different trip?

pinkzebra

MoneySavingMamma wrote: »

Hi, we're looking to book a Virgin Flydrive to Orlando this November, looking at car hire, can we get away with basic hire? What are the local taxes & charges?
We've got a nearly 1yr old, can I take the car seat on the plane or as extra luggage? There is £500 between basic & Fully inclusive, then more again for Platinum which includes the car seat.

I definitely wouldn't go for the basic car hire. You must have proper insurance. We have been before, and we have had our car damaged in the car park at the apartments we were staying in. Someone must have reversed into the back of our car and driven off. It needed a new bumper and a couple of lights.

Luckily, we had the insurance - so we just took it to the nearest Dollar and they just swapped it for another car - no questions or money needing to be paid.

In the USA, if you had an accident involving another vehicle, the passengers/other driver could sue you for $$$$$$'s - with the good insurance packages, you are covered for things like that.

Also, if you don't take the insurance, you will probably have to give the hire company a huge deposit.

Not worth the risk in my opinion.

pinkzebra

Sorry, I forgot to add - Car seats can usually be taken on the plane in addition to you normal luggage allowance (the same goes for buggies if you need to take them). You just hand the seat over at check in, they stick a sticker on it, and you collect it in the baggage reclaim area at the airport in Florida.

Platinum insurance is great if more there will be additional drivers, but we normally just take the 'gold' (as we have just 1 driver).

Margo99

Hi,
I have had a good read of this excellent thread but this is my first post, I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice, please.
I have got the following seperate quotes from the Virgin website for 2 adults + 2 kids:

Flight: 22 May - 03 Jun 2013 = £2350
Hotel: 22-28 May (Disney All Star Movies Resort) = £616
Hotel: 28 May - 03 Jun (Loews Royal Pacific) = £926

Would it be better to book direct with the hotels? Or via another website?
Also how / can we, get the Disney kids eating for free 'vouchers'?
And do Universal do similar eating offers?

Thanks for any info :beer:

Margo

financial_filly

Margo99 wrote: »

Hi,
I have had a good read of this excellent thread but this is my first post, I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice, please.
I have got the following seperate quotes from the Virgin website for 2 adults + 2 kids:

Flight: 22 May - 03 Jun 2013 = £2350
Hotel: 22-28 May (Disney All Star Movies Resort) = £616
Hotel: 28 May - 03 Jun (Loews Royal Pacific) = £926

Would it be better to book direct with the hotels? Or via another website?
Also how / can we, get the Disney kids eating for free 'vouchers'?
And do Universal do similar eating offers?

Thanks for any info :beer:

Margo

Hiya

Do you mean the Disney Dine for Free offer? which is where you can dine for free (either counter meals or table meals) for the length of your stay at a disney hotel BUT you have to buy Disney Park tickets at the same time to qualify. Also staying at All Star Movies wouldn't qualify for free dining (you can buy it) because it is a value resort.

I've just looked on Complete Orlando's site & they have All Star Movies for £574 standard room or £637 for a preferred room for the week you stated.

I stayed at All Star Movies in September (first time ever to Disney) and also booked through Complete Orlando and had no problems whatsoever.

If i can help anymore just shout.

JustWonderful

rawbob wrote: »

I'm going to Orlando at the end of the month. Can I expect to get in to Fantasyland? Or do I need to register? Where do I register? The wife and I only have a one day park hopper for Disneyworld as we are there for a week for our honeymoon before heading to California. Thansk for any help.

I just got back from Disney- we went into the new Fantasyland and you didn't need to be a DVC member- we just walked right in.

The restaurant wasn't open but we went on a Little Mermaid ride and there was also Ariel's Grotto but we didn't go there as time was short.

Had an amazing 16 days at Old Key West, would 100% reccommend it- the only downside is the counter service meals if you are on the DDP...We used Wolfgang Puck Express at Downtown Disney for breakfast a few times and that was really nice.

Margo99

Hi FF,
Thanks for the reply.
I'll checkout Complete Orlando, then come back if I got any questions, thanks again.

vivatifosi

JustWonderful wrote: »

I just got back from Disney- we went into the new Fantasyland and you didn't need to be a DVC member- we just walked right in.

The restaurant wasn't open but we went on a Little Mermaid ride and there was also Ariel's Grotto but we didn't go there as time was short.

Had an amazing 16 days at Old Key West, would 100% reccommend it- the only downside is the counter service meals if you are on the DDP...We used Wolfgang Puck Express at Downtown Disney for breakfast a few times and that was really nice.

Glad you had a good time at OKW JustWonderful. Did you pop over to Port Orleans in the end, or just use DTD for your breakfasts?

In terms of the Fantasyland extension, this weekend it is shut for cast member previews (certainly today and I think tomorrow as well). I've heard from various cast members that they are going over dates over the next week. While their previews are happening nobody else is allowed in, so whether it will now be shut for a week or so until the allocated guest previews start I don't know. It's certainly worth checking out if anyone is interested.

vivatifosi

Just wanted to give a quick update on Kennedy Space Center if anyone is interested.

It had changed quite a lot since our last visit in January. First, you have to pay for parking now. This makes having a KSC annual pass a good deal. Again its down to economies - if you are going more than once in a year, the KSC annual pass is a good option. It also gives 20% off food and 10% off merchandise while you are there. Parking is free with an annual pass.

Next up, the Space Shuttle is moving to its new building on Nov 2nd. So if anyone is in Florida then, this may be something they want to look into visiting for. I'm not sure if there's an additional cost, but check it out if you're interested. Its new building is due to open to the public 4th July 2013. Once its moved into the building they will finish the construction around it!

Also, the new additional cost tours are really interesting and go to places that the old tours have never had access to. This is because KSC is between space programs currently. As a result you can actually visit one of the launch pad complexes - one that has been used by both Apollo and the Space Shuttle - you can take pics from inside the perimeter and then you can walk in the flame trench. There are also specialist tours to the control room and I think the vehicle assembly building (VAB). These are currently scheduled to run until the end of the year but may be extended beyond that. The cost is $25 on top of the admission charge. Well worth doing if you're a space junkie like me.

maemaesmummy

I'm really looking forward to visiting in Feb...(last visit Dec 2011) we are very lucky to be getting a VIP behind the scenes tour including some off limit areas and our tour guide is Charles Duke (who has actually been to the moon!) Can't wait!