Please Give My Your First-Timer Must-Do's!

[Planogirl]

I agree that it can be wise to split up from time to time. You can always meet up for meals or nighttime parades and fireworks.

Speaking of which, decide which of the fireworks shows or parades you want to see. Check the schedules to see when your chosen events will be and plan accordingly.

See the Maharajah Jungle Trek in Animal Kingdom and ride the Haunted Mansion more than once. Eat plenty of Mickey bars and relax when you feel like it.

 

[danceteachermom]

Your entire group could meet and enjoy some shows together. Our favorite is Lion King at AK. We also like Beauty and the Beast at DHS.

Don't miss the parades. I really like the Jamin Jungle Parade at AK and the Main Street Electrical Parade at MK.

If your group splits up for rides and such it is nice to have meeting times and places for shows and parades.

I have a former student who is a dancer in the new Disney Rocks show at DHS. It looks like a great show but I have not seen it live yet.

We are leaving in 21 days!

 

[GriswoldDisneyMom]

Hi all! Thanks for all the advice. Now I have to figure out how to catalog it! Additional info: The trip is May 26-June 1. The twin 17 yr olds are girls, and the two ten year olds are cousins, a boy and a girl. Only about half the group will be thrill-seekers, if that. I haven't ridden a theme park ride in YEARS because up until recently I've been too overweight. Now I'm scared to death of whether I can still handle it or not!

I think we are going to want try to do most stuff together. Our strategy is to decide the things each part of the group wants to do the very most and sort of map it out. So I'm guessing what some of you are saying is it's not practical to just go into every park and work your way through it in order?

Re: Character dining- I don't think any member of our group is dying to meet any particular character except one of my daughters is absolutely DYING to meet Goofy. Looking back at my mom's message, she says we are booked at Tusker House, Le Cellier, and Aloha. My daughter and youngest sister, both artists, are booked to meet an animator but I'm not sure where.

Re: the 3D thing: you do, in fact, not have to have both eyes to see in 3D IF you have a pair of 3D glasses with a red and a blue half in one lens. My daughter is blind in one eye from an accident and her stepmom one time took a pair of cardboard 3D glasses and cut each lens in half and put them together in one side and lo and behold, my daughter could see the 3D stuff. Problem is, those glasses are long lost.

Also, we are not doing the water parks at all, and don't know if we'll make it to Downtown. Also, even though my two sisters and I are all adults, if we do any drinking our parents will look at us and purse their lips and frown in disapproval, so I will probably be foregoing the Lava Lamp suggestion! But thanks.

Anyway, keep them coming and I will try to go back through and take notes!!

 

[DaisyMaisie]

"Re: the 3D thing: you do, in fact, not have to have both eyes to see in 3D IF you have a pair of 3D glasses with a red and a blue half in one lens. My daughter is blind in one eye from an accident and her stepmom one time took a pair of cardboard 3D glasses and cut each lens in half and put them together in one side and lo and behold, my daughter could see the 3D stuff. Problem is, those glasses are long lost."

I am sorry but no, she did not. Maybe she thought she saw in 3d but she didn't. The way it works is when they shoot a three dimension movie it is done using two cameras at the same time,at slightly different angles to give the same effect that our eyes see or perceive images. you can't see the 3d effect with one eye. That is because there are 2 images of everything and they usually don't overlap. They are off set to the right and left of each other just a little bit, at different distances depending on how far or close they need to look. So each eye is actually looking at a slightly different spot on the screen. You have to have two eyes to do that.


Believe me with all the money being invested in 3d right now, if there were a way to solve the problem for the 10% of the public who can't see 3d effects someone would be selling something.

You also might want to discuss with an optometrist what other ways a lack of depth perception could affect your daughter, and get some advise on how to compensate for those issues. For example my brother is required to have extra large mirrors on his vehicle.

 

[GriswoldDisneyMom]

Ah. Corrected, I am. Thanks. Well, whatever she saw, she was happy enough with the result to feel that she wasn't missing out on the experience. On the other hand, maybe she was being the kind, loving soul she is and humoring her stepmom and making her think it helped when it didn't make a difference.

Either way, your information is quite a bummer, because that means that she will not get to enjoy any 3D shows. Or, I guess, Disney being Disney, surely there is value in being on the ride or in the show or whatever, even if you can't see the 3D effect, and she will not be shortchanged much. I'm hoping???

 

[DaisyMaisie]

I am going to try and get some more information for you, regarding whether she will enjoy the show without the effect. I know if she does not wear glasses at all it will be too blurred. I have read some people say if they wear the glasses on the new 3d movies they can see it as 2d and enjoy it, I have seen others say it gives them a headache. So I will see if my brother knows anything about the technology Disney uses.

There aren't really that many 3d attractions. Personally I would skip its tough to be a bug because that really is all about the effect, but philharmagic might be really enjoyable. The music is very nice and if she can see it 2d she will like it.

Any chance she likes some thrill rides that some of the members of the party do not? In that case the group can split up. Or just pick something she loves and have everyone indulge with her. There is so much to enjoy!

 

[DaisyMaisie]

The consensus from people I spoke to is that with the modern 3d she will have a very enjoyable 2d experience as long as she wears the glasses. She may even think she is getting some effects.

Coincedentally I watcheda new 3d tv today, when I closed one eye (with the glasses on) it was nice and clear and I was able to enjoy the content.

If you have any doubt about it you could send someone in ahead and have them close one eye.

Michelle

 

[CinderEmma]

How exciting! I hope you have a wonderful trip (I'm sure you will!) There are a ton of great suggestions here already, but I thought I'd give you mine:

1. Since you have such a big group, maybe have everyone write down one thing they'd really love to see or do, then go in with some kind of plan. It's always easier to plan the day when you have an idea of what you'd like to do.

2. Take some walks around the neighborhood before you go and make sure everyone's walking shoes fit right - there's nothing worse than having achy feet or blisters when there's so much walking in Disney!

3. Enjoy everything; it's impossible to do it all, but have fun with whatever you're doing!

4. Try to open a park and close down a park - there's something magical about being the first people there or the last ones in the park.

Most importantly, have a great time!!! You will have a blast!

 

[lester5]

anything i see interesting i am copying and pasting to read lATER, THANKS FOR ALL THE INFO.

 

[goin' again!]

My advice is to just enjoy yourself! As others have said if you push too hard the first few days you'll just wind up walking around like a zombie. Make a list of the top 3 or 4 things that are absolute must-do's at each park, everything else is just gravy. have a magical vacation!

 

[MissMouseInTheHouse]

Congrats! You picked a perfect time to go and an awesome place to stay! I recommend a quick eating place to be the Cosmic Rays restaurant at MK. I also recommend going to MK at rope drop (there's an opening show which is very special!) and riding Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain ( You'll need a Fast Pass for this.), Splash Mountain ( You'll need a Fast Pass for this too.), Space Mountain, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, doing Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor, and so many more! In HS, I recommend Toy Story Mania, Rock'n'Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror ( if you're into thrill rides!), and the Great Movie ride. In AK, I recommend Expedition Everest, Primevil Whirl, Dinosaur, and Kali River Rapids. In Epcot I recommend Test Track, Soarin', and touring WS! Getting character autographs and Mouse ears are a must for first timers! Have a great time and lots of fun!