10 things most first-timers don't know

[ocean134]

You cannot WALK to all the parks from a single resort hotel.

I would also add that you cannot walk to all of the parks from the other parks.

Good point!

 

[jrtoastyman]

You cannot WALK to all the parks from a single resort hotel.

I got a message from my SIL who is planning their first trip to WDW about a month ago -- she said that she found a hotel in Celebration "near the WDW Gate," and wanted to know if she'd be able to walk to the parks from there. Cracked me up, I've tried to explain the scale of the place, but it clearly hasn't sunken in yet. Wish I could be there to see their reaction when they arrive.

(As an aside, they aren't staying there, will be staying onsite)

 

[rachel09985]

Not strictly true. According to a chart in the Unofficial Guide, there are a handful of TS restaurants that do book up at the 180-day mark, but there are many others where you can get a table with much less notice, including some where the bar on the chart is effectively at zero. I would agree that it pays to book in advance, but not necessarily 6 months in advance. It depends on the place. (Also, if you don't see availability at the place you want, keep checking back for cancellations. People change their plans all the time.)

Well yeah I know you don't need to. A lot First timers don't even realize that the restaurants accept reservations though. If they want to do the must do restaurants you have to. It depends on what their food expectations are going to be.

 

[nan1217]

...she said that she found a hotel in Celebration "near the WDW Gate," and wanted to know if she'd be able to walk to the parks from there.

OK, that is funny since we all know the scale of the place, but maybe she had visited Disneyland and thought it would work similarly?

 

[mousiemom]

The best time to go on rides at MK is during the 3pm parade. Lines are normally much smaller then.

You can get your family crest done in UK pavilion store or at Ragland Road store in DD I got one my last trip SO cool! & great xmas gifts.

i want to hear more about the family crest, how much?

 

[jrtoastyman]

OK, that is funny since we all know the scale of the place, but maybe she had visited Disneyland and thought it would work similarly?

I know that they haven't, I think they just are thinking that it's like going to a Six Flags.

 

[threvester]

My tip? If you have a tobacco user, make sure they bring plenty of smokes/tobacco from home. Although hubby found his snuff offsite, it was way more expensive.

This depends on where you live..cigarettes at the Hess station on property were $3 a pack cheaper than they are here in CT

 

[FirstTimeDisneyVisit]

Fastpass is free for all Walt Disney World Guests.[/QUOTE]

god i wish i knew that on my first trip ... so sad !

 

[mousiemom]

here are mine:
-i have to have hand sanitizer or baby wipes in my backpack, lots of germs everywhere!
-don't forget about the art class in HS
-pack flip flops in backpack for water ride in AK
-use that photopass card everywhere, order a photocalendar when you get home, 24 great pictures for $25.00! great souvenir, i get one on every trip!
-buy your 2 day base ticket for the package and upgrade tickets at your resort.
-if driving, pack bottled water for parks, freeze overnight and you have cool water in parks

 

[jrtoastyman]

-buy your 2 day base ticket for the package and upgrade tickets at your resort.

i'm intrigued -- what is the benefit of doing this?

 

[siskaren]

i'm intrigued -- what is the benefit of doing this?

I'm curious, too. The only reason I can see is if there are multiple people on the same reservation and not everyone wants the same kind of tickets. When you book, everyone on the package has to have the same kind of tickets, but after check-in, if some want to add days or add the park hopper or water park fun and more options, they would be able to do that.

 

[emksmama]

I got a message from my SIL who is planning their first trip to WDW about a month ago -- she said that she found a hotel in Celebration "near the WDW Gate," and wanted to know if she'd be able to walk to the parks from there. Cracked me up, I've tried to explain the scale of the place, but it clearly hasn't sunken in yet. Wish I could be there to see their reaction when they arrive.

(As an aside, they aren't staying there, will be staying onsite)

This is an on going debate with my father. The last time we were there was 1985, so we only had MK and EPCOT, and he is insisting that we will be able to walk between all 4 parks when we take our big family trip next month. I even showed him the maps, and he points to the ROADS and says "see? there's a walking path!" It's driving me crazy to the point I finally told my mom and DH that I refuse to discuss it any further with him. We're staying at SoG, and I keep telling him we can walk to the Poly for the monorail and he said that we can just keep walking.

Suuuuuure, Dad....YOU walk, we'll take the monorail, and see who does better!

Awesome tips...I was 14 the last time I went, and this is DH's first time, so this thread is amazing help!

 

[mousiemom]

I'm curious, too. The only reason I can see is if there are multiple people on the same reservation and not everyone wants the same kind of tickets. When you book, everyone on the package has to have the same kind of tickets, but after check-in, if some want to add days or add the park hopper or water park fun and more options, they would be able to do that.

this always works out for us cause i have more time to save! that's the only reason we do it!!

 

[chanty]

Wowsers! I learned a few things!! Thank you!

After 6 trips to WDW, here are my tips:

- keep your $1 bills for mouse keeping
- book an early character breakfast buffet in a park to get in early! Quite the feeling to walk around in an empty park!!
- go against the crowd - start at the back and move to the front! Don't stop along the way! Beat the crowds!

Thats all I can think of...for now

 

[chanty]

Oh, oh, oh! Pick a pearl in Japan @ Epcot is a must see/do! I love it!

 

[holden]

I think this was mentioned but our favorite souvenir is free! The animation lesson at DHS teaches you how to draw a Disney character that you can take home! It's a must do for us. I love to see how the kids draw better each time we go.

 

[GraceMonica]

Someone said pee before you go on the monorail. I say pee before you go on pretty much any ride! Rides do break down from time to time and you don't want to be stuck on one when you need to pee!

Id say for first timers, do as much research as you can. Learning about all the things Disney World has to offer will pay off in the end.



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[tjevans]

Sweet tea is available in many places, you simply must ask for it rather than look on the menu.

I'm not going to read through six pages to see if this has been posted, but that's not tea (at least not the last time I went), it's Nestea.

Nestea is to tea as Nescafe is to coffee.

 

[ZoZo]

If you see something that you like, don't wait to buy it because you might find something better later on! Buy it right then because chances are you'll never make it back to the store again.

This is great advice - if you see something you like, buy it right then and there, you may never see it again at a different store (or they may not have your size elsewhere). There are many "repeat items" from store to store, but some items seem to be specific to one store only.

The good news is, if you buy something and decide to return it, you can return any item to any store on property; returtns to not have to be made at the original store where you purchased the item. You can buy something at a store at AK, and if you change your mind, return it to your resort gift shop (or other convenient store). This makes it so much easier to decide what to buy, especially for people who are indecisive like me! Just keep your receipts!

 

[rainydayplay]

Make copies of the back of your paper tickets (if not on your KTTW) and bring it with you, in case they get wet, lost, etc.

Also do this with your Photo Pass cards. If you have a picture of the back or have written down the number on the back, you can still get to your pictures if you happen to lose the card.

The weather in Florida can be brutal if you're not used to heat and humidity. People underestimate how the weather can affect them, and can get dehydrated before they realize it. When I see people walking around in jeans during the hotter months, I just shake my head.

Don't forget about the RAIN...almost every day at rough 4pm. Ponchos are good, but bring your own if you can!

If you see something that you like, don't wait to buy it because you might find something better later on! Buy it right then because chances are you'll never make it back to the store again.

This is true some of the time but we did find a lot of overlap in the merchandise from store to store and park to park. My husband wanted a specific size in a certain style shirt and we must have been to at least 10 shops in the World that had the same shirt but were out of his size.

There are some things, though, that if you don't buy it then and there, you'll never see it again. And you'll be totally shocked that it isn't anywhere else on property...

One thing we do (especially with my DD) is to take pictures of items she thinks she wants (could be done for all of us, though). Towards the end of the day, we go back through those pictures, and she picks what she thinks she can't live without. That way, we don't have to argue all day over what she wants and how much money she wants to spend, she actually thinks about her purchases before she buys them...and sometimes, she's really just satisfied with a picture of her with the item instead of buying it. (And sometimes she will take a million pictures of all the neat things to buy.)

Gosh...there was something else I had wanted to share....but, right now, I can't think of what it was. Curse the internet for going out when I had a great idea!