Orlando Florida/Disneyworld (Part 2) *CLOSED*

ceebeeby

Hi,

I wonder if I could get some advice?

We're off to Florida for 3 weeks in September. So far the only thing we've booked is Discovery Cove Ultimate - which gives us the tickets for Sea World, Aquatica and Busch Gardens (we got the 10% off for early discount). We booked DC for a Tuesday as a guide book we had said middle of the week tended to be quietest. Do you know which day of the week would be best for Busch Gardens and Sea World. Aquatica we were going to use as a filler (the ticket lasts for 14 consecutive days) as we think we're going to love this - it looks like you can use it multiple times if wanted, and we're staying in LBV, so is fairly close by.

Next thing we're looking at is Disney tickets - and we're thinking of either the 7 or 10 day pass (non park hopping and has to be used consecutively (sp?)) for right at the beginning of the hols.

Can anyone recommend the 'quietest' days of the weeks for going to the following parks:

Magic Kingdom
Animal Kingdom
Disney MGM Studios
Epcot

We're pretty flexible on whichever days. Also, how long would you recommend allowing for each park? We're 2 parents, 2 children (10 and 15) and fairly fit.

Och, whilst I'm at it, why not fling in another query .... does anyone have any experience of the Titanic exhibition and the Ripley's Believe It or Not - they looked like fairly cheap fill in day activities ....?

The other things we wanted to include was Universal Studios and NASA (but no shuttle launch in Sept, so can again, be flexible on whatever day of the week)

It doesn't look like we'll have time for the everglades (I've been before, but hub & kids haven't), or anything further afield.

Thanks so much for any advice you're able to offer.

(PS, thanks so much have also registered on mousesavers .... think I actually might grow ears and whiskers soon!!)

Dear_Mr_Echo

Ceebeeby - I've just been looking up this sort of info today. Here's a couple of pages to check out...

undercovertourist.com

touringplans.com

The 2nd link doesn't have the dates you will be there displayed yet but presumably will nearer the time. And as yet I haven't looked to see if the advice that the two sites give actually end up with the same results but it's a starting point.

As regards Disney Tickets, a deal I posted a few weeks ago from Ticketmania might be a good option for you - see quote below. Having said that I haven't checked any Disney ticket prices since then, so there may be better deals around now.

Dear_Mr_Echo wrote: »

Hi
We're off to Orlando in April and we were considering just doing the Disney parks "on the gate" and getting the Flex tickets for the other parks. I was passed this info by a member of the DVD Forums and thought it might be useful to anyone popping off to Orlando in the next few months.

Basically it's a Magic Your Way 4 day ticket with a free upgrade to 7 days (expires 14 days from 1st use) from Ticketmania. Adult price is $220, child (3-9!!!) $184. Only minor niggle is that there's no hopping between parks on the same day but these did seem to be the best value around if the Disney Parks aren't going to be your main reason for being there - this works out cheaper than three on the gate visits.

Hope this helps someone.

Edinburghlass_2

ceebeeby wrote: »

Hi,

I wonder if I could get some advice?

We're off to Florida for 3 weeks in September. So far the only thing we've booked is Discovery Cove Ultimate - which gives us the tickets for Sea World, Aquatica and Busch Gardens (we got the 10% off for early discount). We booked DC for a Tuesday as a guide book we had said middle of the week tended to be quietest.

I wouldn't disagree with this but... entry to DC is restricted to 1,000 people so it is never over busy and its usually recommended to go to DC at the w/end when the other parks might be busy.

Do you know which day of the week would be best for Busch Gardens and Sea World. Aquatica we were going to use as a filler (the ticket lasts for 14 consecutive days) as we think we're going to love this - it looks like you can use it multiple times if wanted, and we're staying in LBV, so is fairly close by.

Florida residents can buy a Seaworld annual pass quite cheaply so I think you'll find the w/ends busy.

Next thing we're looking at is Disney tickets - and we're thinking of either the 7 or 10 day pass (non park hopping and has to be used consecutively (sp?)) for right at the beginning of the hols.

I would advise the UK Premium 5/7 day pass for Disney which can be used over 14 days rather than consecutively and are hopper passes then you can mix and match your days with Seaworld etc. approx cost £155 per adult. This way you spend say the day in Magic Kingdom then pop on the monorail to Epcot for the evening, my favourite fireworks are at Epcot. To be honest by the time you do Disney and the Seaworld trio I really don't think you'll have much time or desire to factor in fill in days As you have plenty of time, do a search for Disney Tickets and check out all the websites, check for postage and/or cc charges or if you are ordering via a US website if there is a charge for delivering to your hotel or if you have to pick them up. The UK tickets are not allowed to be sold to you once you are in US

Can anyone recommend the 'quietest' days of the weeks for going to the following parks:

Magic Kingdom
Animal Kingdom
Disney MGM Studios
Epcot

We're pretty flexible on whichever days. Also, how long would you recommend allowing for each park? We're 2 parents, 2 children (10 and 15) and fairly fit.

Och, whilst I'm at it, why not fling in another query .... does anyone have any experience of the Titanic exhibition and the Ripley's Believe It or Not - they looked like fairly cheap fill in day activities ....?

The other things we wanted to include was Universal Studios and NASA (but no shuttle launch in Sept, so can again, be flexible on whatever day of the week)

It doesn't look like we'll have time for the everglades (I've been before, but hub & kids haven't), or anything further afield.

Thanks so much for any advice you're able to offer.

(PS, thanks so much have also registered on mousesavers .... think I actually might grow ears and whiskers soon!!)

Sign up for https://www.disboards.com and check out the UK planning board

vivatifosi

Hi ceebeeby,

Brilliant advice from Edinburgh Lass. In terms of Ripleys and Titanic, last time I was in Orlando (January) they were redeveloping the old Mercado site and the Titanic exhibition wasn't there. It may have been moved, but it isn't on I-Drive AFAIK. If you do plan to go to Ripleys or Wonderworks, which is the other cheap I-Drive fill in, look out for the money off coupons in the many free tourist mags.

Days per park? Magic Kingdom - 2 definitely, MGM 1, AK 1. Epcot - I would either allow 2, or go back in the evening of AK day and use my ticket as a hopper and have 1 full Epcot day and 1 shared day.

If your September visit spans the Labor Day weekend, then expect the Disney Parks to be busy over that period. We find the Magic Kingdom busy at weekends, and Epcot busier at weekend evenings, but September isn't too bad generally.

Although you can't get to the Everglades, you may want to take a short trip to Disney's Wilderness Preserve as that gives you some of the experience locally. You can also take airboat trips from Boggy Creek, which is not too far away. If you do go on an airboat, remember to stand up back, or expect to get whipped in the face by smelly grass and keep your mouth shut or it looks like you've got parsley stuck in your teeth (I really enjoyed that trip, as you can probably tell....)

Enjoy your trip!

CL

Hi ceebeeby,

We are just back from 2 weeks in Orlando yesterday. We went to Busch Gardens on a Sunday and met a local man who told us that his family go every weekend, because it costs them just $11 per month for unlimited entry. He said weekdays are less busy and Sunday mornings are quiet while people are at church.

Aquatica was very, very busy in the afternoon, but was OK in the early evening (from about 4.30).

We went to Seaworld on a Thursday and it was very busy, but as there are only about 2 rides to queue for, this was OK and the theatres for the shows are large, so as long as you are there 15-20 minutes before the shows, you should get a seat (and Seaworld and Busch Gardens are owned by the people who own Budweiser, so they give out free beer!!:beer: )

We had Flex Tickets and also used Aquatica to fill the evenings, instead of our hotel pool, as we were only a few stops away on the I-Ride. Bear in mind that parking is about $10 per park, per day, so it is probably cheaper to use the I-Ride to get there if you can, rather than pay for parking.

We went to Disney (Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom) mid week and it was so busy it was crazy. Queues in Epcot were over 1 hour long for nearly everything from 10am onwards. Try to get there as early as possible and do all the rides you want to as early as possible, as the queues got longer as the day went on. Soarin' in Epcot had 120 minute queue at 3pm. I would get a Fastpass for the ride you most want to do as soon as you get in to the park, and get another Fastpass as soon as you are allowed.

Likewise in Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure get there early. They open at 9am, but people queue to get into the park at about 8.15. In IOA Pterodactyls has the longest queue, and from 9.30am the queue was 60 minutes long. We did 2 mornings in IOA instead of 1 full day as the queues were not too bad before 11am.

It is obviously a matter of opinion, but I wouldn't spend as much as 7 days in Disney unless I had younger children. I would get a hopper for 4 or 5 days.

Ripley's is $20 per adult and there are coupons for $2 off in all the coupon books. We spent about an hour and a half there.

Hope this helps.

Edinburghlass_2

You can now buy a parking ticket for the Seaworld parks which is much cheaper than daily parking, see this link from DC.

http://www.discoverycove.com/en_custcare_faq.aspx#parking

If you are there over the Labour weekend you might think about checking with DC and changing your booking there to be on the w/end instead of visiting the other parks on a busy w/end, or of course it could well be a shopping w/end.

Don't forget Everest at Animal Kingdom and CL can you tell us about Aquatica, it looks great.

ceebeeby

Hi everyone,

Thanks so very much for all your fab advice. I've got the Brit Guide so also taking hints from that. I get a bubble of excitement every time I feel a bit closer to having a proper planner.

We went for DC mid-week as it's the day after my parents arrive, and they're only there for a week so we wanted them to be able to make the most of the 'extra' on the tkt.

Edinburghglass, don't know what happened, but tried to thank you and doesn't look like it's come up on post #713 - just wanted to say I really appreciate your advice.

bex32

Have found a code on disboards for seaworld which is southwestairlines which is for employees but have done a dummy run and it works and there is a thread on dis where non emplyees have bought and used tickets with no refence to it. Don't know whether to go for it but it makes one day ticket around £25 and i think you can get extra day free too, worth the risk?

Edinburghlass_2

I've twice been an employee of Busch, so yes use it

sharonace

If you are a serving or former member of the UK military, and have ID proving that, some of the theme parks let you in for free. This includes Busch Gardens in Tampa, which is worth the drive over from Orlando.