1st timer

Ruana74864

Earning My Ears
Joined
May 6, 2006
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61
I will be going to DisneyWorld July 15, 2006. I will be alone. I have foot problems and can't stand in one place to long, any suggestions. (1st trip to DW and I not sure of anything). Also any suggestions on anything. I will be traveling alone. I have a teacher's conference that ends on the 15th and will be staying at DW Resort. :Pinkbounc :cheer2:
 
Hi. You have come to the right place to get information & advise. I've only been to Disney twice (1st time over 25 years ago, 2nd time the end of last month). That said, I don't have as much advise as others will be able to give & I may be off base on some things (others with more experience, please correct me if I'm stearing this person wrong!)

If at all possible, arrive about 25 or 30 minutes before the park opens & then find a bench to sit down and rest until you can make your way onto the rides etc. I'm not sure if you're planning to go to Magic Kingdom, but Animal Kingdom has Morning Extra Magic Hours on July 15th, which means that because you are staying at a Disney Resort, you can get in earlier than the general public (I believe at 8am instead of 9am. It's open until 7pm). The crowds are less when the parks first open & during Extra Magic Hours so you don't have to stand in line as long.

Have a plan of the attractions or rides you definitely want to go on & the ones you would like to do if possible. Use the Fastpass (FP) system as much as possible. It is great! (If you don't know about it, do a search on this board or ask & someone can tell you about it). You will be able to walk past people on some of the best/busiest rides without waiting as long. Work into your plan the attractions where you sit down for a period of time, in order to give your feet a rest. Don't feel like you have to see everything in the one day (it's impossible anyway). Get a FP for the most popular ride first, and then do other things nearby early in the morning when there is not a big line up. Use your FP when you can & get new ones when it says you are able to. This will allow you to decrease your time standing in lines.

I just want to say go & have a blast. If you feel you need to sit down, do it. Find a nice place & people watch or view a parade or sit down attraction. I'm not sure if you can rent wheel chairs at Disney or not, but lots of people use wheel chairs & scooters there. It's very accessible. Maybe something to look into? Does anyone else know about this?
 
Hi and Welcome to the Dis!! :disrocks:
I too have foot problems and really pushed it when we went. Disney does rent wheelchairs (not a good option when you are by yourself - unless you are VERY used to it), they also rent scooters which would be a big help to you when standing in line. You also might want to consider a cane with a seat attached. It flips down flat and out of the way when not in use. Beware of World Showcase,,it's enormous!! I thought I could do it and ended up making my way around bench by bench.
Take your time, use fast passes to avoid standing in line for long periods of time. Try to find your spot for fireworks/parades early. That way you can find a bench or planter to sit on. Wear your most comfy shoes, bring a change of socks..changing sweaty socks mid day can do wonders.
Hope this helps!! Have a great time!!
Kimba
 
Welcome! :sunny:
Just a word of caution, it's going to be crazy HOT in July, plus it usually rains most afternoons in the summer in Florida. Be sure to slather on the sunblock, drink plenty of water and seek A/C!

You can rent the electric scooters, they are expensive, but it's worth it if you need it. You didn't specify how long you would be staying or what resort, but if you are staying several days, you might want to look into renting a scooter from an outside company that will deliver it to your resort. They are considerably less expensive. The parks have only a certain number of scooters for rent, so if you arrive to a park later in the day, there might not be one available. http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=20 Here's the place for scooter info.

I hope you can grasp how much territory you will need to cover in a day, we're talking several miles of walking, no exaggeration!

You might want to invest in a good guide book, I really like the Unofficial Guide. Once you surf around here for a while, you can get into more specific questions that we can help you with. I also suggest that you take a look here http://www.allearsnet.com/index.html for more wonderful info.

Good luck & have fun! :thumbsup2
 

Ruana74864 said:
Many thanks. Any advice on what not to miss. :woohoo:

Do not miss Soarin' !!!!!!!! It is awesome!!!
Also Mickey's Philarmagic is great!!

Kimba
 
Ruana74864 said:
Many thanks. Any advice on what not to miss. :woohoo:

Oh my gosh, a not-to-be-missed list could be taylored totally differently for every possible person and situation!

If you don't mind giving us a little background to go on, it would be easier to tell you. :)

-Will you be going to all 4 parks?
-Are you a thrill ride lover? Rollercoasters okay?
-How about mild thrills? A little speed or small drops? In boats?
-Do you like live shows or music?
-Does interaction with the performers interest you at all?
-Interested in meeting Disney Characters at all?
-Looking for fine dining?
-Any fears or hates? (snakes, spiders, heights, etc.?)
-Suffer from motion sickness?
-Do you like history and culture?
-Do you mind getting wet on a ride?
-Do you like animals?
-Interested in parades or fireworks?

I hope these questions don't seem to personal, but as you can see, there is a massive list of must-dos! ;)
 
:welcome: :disrocks: :cheer2:
the Unofficail Guide (UG) has a website, also:
http://www.touringplans.com/tp2/UG2_index.php?PageID=0

Personally, I would pick up UG, Tour Guide Mike (sponsor at top of page) guide & read these boards.

The tip on the scooter is s super one, don't weaken your ankle further. enjoy your time in WDW. There will be plenty of folks hopping/hobbling off & on their scooters, if you're worried about that. There are so many reasons for needing one.

See above post to tailor to your needs. Will you go 'commando pirate: ' simply 'gung- ho' :goodvibes or do it leisurely :cloud9: ?
a few of our favs--believe me this is just a tip of the iceberg!:

MK: Splash Mt/Teacups/Jungle Boat Ride/PotC/Thunder MT/Space MT/Toon Town/CoP/HM/Buzz Lightyear/Hall of Pres/the Riverboat/Wishes!

Epcot:Spaceship Earth!Soarin'/MS/TT/Maelstom/Uof E/Innoventions/HIStA/
eating & drinking in & exploring all the countries! Illuminations!
Perhaps try a Segway Tour, Dive Quest

AK: Kilamanjaro Safari/EE/Dinosaur/Festival of the LK Show/Pangani FT/Kali RR/It's A Bug's Life

MGM: Indiana Jones Show/Fantasmic!/The Great MR/ToT/RnR/Studio Bklot Tour/MuppetVision 3-D/ST/Beauty & Bst Show/Lights, Motors,Action!

Lots of folks bring a spray mister into the park--use fanny packs or messenger bags w/provisions for an insulated water bottle--stock up on rain ponchos from the Dollar Store--sunglasses.
I like to pack 3 pair of shoes & switch off every day, bring Body Glide, moleskin & bandaids-

Be there well ahead of rope drop, have your route planned out, but keep an eye to the main advantage

If you're by yourself bring a slim book to read whilst waiting in restaurants.

You'll have a Magical Trip!
Jean
 
Oh my gosh, a not-to-be-missed list could be taylored totally differently for every possible person and situation!

I will be going to MK, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom. I only have from Saturday afternoom until Tuesday at noon. Decided on 3 day single park pass.

-Are you a thrill ride lover? Rollercoasters okay?

Do Not like rollercoaster. Afraid of heights and walking up stairs that you can see through is not fun. Heights on the ride are not a problem

-How about mild thrills? A little speed or small drops? In boats?
Love them :yay:

-Do you like live shows or music? YES

-Does interaction with the performers interest you at all?
:yay: Like this idea

-Interested in meeting Disney Characters at all? Pictures a great idea for grandchildren when I return. Would also like them for my students next year.

-Looking for fine dining? I am going to use the dining package.

-Any fears or hates? (snakes, spiders, heights, etc.?)

HEIGHTS, very childish rides like DL Alice in Wonderland (this was many, many years ago and I don't know that it is still there)

-Suffer from motion sickness?

No

-Do you like history and culture? VERY MUCH

-Do you mind getting wet on a ride? No

-Do you like animals? Abosolutely love them. Teacher life sciences. Work at zoo during summer.

-Interested in parades or fireworks?

Defintely :bounce:
 
We were first timers until this past week, we just got back yesterday!!! :cool1:
I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend tourguidemike...link at top of page, spend the 20 bucks, it is a great investment!!! The advice here is awesome as well. We followed sample touring plans from tour gude mike and we never waited more than 10 mnutes for anything!! We followed his advice for the best places to see Spectromagic parade and Wishes and we had awesome seats! I was very skeptical about the hype I had read about it, but his plans worked for us! There is a wealth of info on his site, reviews of rides, dining, etc.
You do a considerable amount of walking, there is no way to avoid it, from the bus stops to the park entrance, all over the park, from the bus to your room, I dont have any health problems and my legs and feet were screaming every day, begging me to go no more LOL.
Start a walking program TODAY! (I read the advice and didnt do it :rolleyes: and paid for it later)
But is it all worth it??????????
Without a doubt....YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Plan to take an afternoon rest in the heat of the day in your room, relax in the pool for a while, floating in the pool felt so relaxing to not have my feet touching anything lol!
Have a great trip!
 
I have been on the Segway tour at Epcot 3 times and would not recommend it for someone who has trouble standing. You are basically standing on a platform for the entire tour. You can shift your weight a bit, but you are still standing.

I see someone posted a link to the disABILITIES Board. If you go there, check out the disABILITIES FAQs thread. That has information about renting ECVs, including links to the places that DIS posters have reported good experiences with.

If you do rent an ECV or wheelchair, my hint is to make sure you use lots of sunscreen on your thighs/legs (if they are not covered with clothing). The legs are right in the sun most of the day while you are riding a wheelchair or ECV and you can get a nasty burn pretty quickly.
 
Ruana74864 said:
I will be going to MK, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom. I only have from Saturday afternoom until Tuesday at noon. Decided on 3 day single park pass.
:) What a shame you won't be going to MGM, I was thinking that you would be a perfect candidate for Who Wants To Be A Milllionaire, Play It! Oh well, something to look forward to next time......... and I promise that once you get bitten by the Disney bug, there WILL be a next time! ;)

-Are you a thrill ride lover? Rollercoasters okay?

Do Not like rollercoaster. Afraid of heights and walking up stairs that you can see through is not fun. Heights on the ride are not a problem
:) Well, I would say definitely to take Space Mountain, Expedition Everest, Rock 'N Rollercoaster and probably Tower of Terror (because of the height) off the list! Stairs that you can see through and heights are both involved in the seating for Lights, Action, Motors, Stunt Show.

-How about mild thrills? A little speed or small drops? In boats?
Love them :yay:
:) Cool, then you are perfect for Pirates Of The Caribbean (boat ride, small drop), Maelstrom (boat ride, small drop), Test Track (fast but no drops and great thrills for ride wimps), possibly Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (a mini-coaster, lots of mild thrills), Soarin' and probably more.

-Do you like live shows or music? YES
:) You will find amazing entertainment all around the World Showcase in Epcot. Get an entertainment schedule when you enter the park and go from country to country. I HIGHLY recommend Off Kilter in Canada, British Invasion in UK, Voices of Liberty in America, MoRockin' in Morocco, acrobats in China and more! In Animal Kingdom, you will LOVE Festival Of The Lion King. It's like an awesome 30 min. Broadway show!

-Does interaction with the performers interest you at all?
:yay: Like this idea
Ah, well, once again Millionaire would have been perfect for you, you could actually end up in the Hot Seat, playing for points and prizes instead of money! :rolleyes: Sure you don't want to go to MGM?
In the UK pavilion in Epcot, there is a short outdoor show called World Showcase Players. They are hysterically funny and do recruit volunteers from the audience. If you show up early and make a nuisance of yourself while they are setting up, they might just think you are a good candidate! ;)


-Interested in meeting Disney Characters at all? Pictures a great idea for grandchildren when I return. Would also like them for my students next year.
:) In the MK at Toontown, there is an area where you can wait in line to have an audience with your favorite characters. Don't be shy about giving your camera to others to take your pic. People really are nice and will do this for you. The characters turn up all over the place. In Epcot, in the back of the UK gift shops, the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet gang are often stashed away for visits and pics. Also, Mary Poppins at times. Beauty & the Beast can sometimes be found in the perfume shop in France. Aladdin, Jasmine & Genie in Morocco. Just ask a CM and they can help you find your characters.

-Looking for fine dining? I am going to use the dining package.
:) Enjoy! You might want to consider using 2 dinner vouchers to go to a Character Meal. You'll have a blast!

-Any fears or hates? (snakes, spiders, heights, etc.?)

HEIGHTS, very childish rides like DL Alice in Wonderland (this was many, many years ago and I don't know that it is still there)
:) No Tower of Terror at all then. Pretty much everything in Fantasy Land at MK is childish, except Mickey's Philharmagic, which is an awesome 3D movie!

-Suffer from motion sickness?

No
:) Well, as hesitant as I might be to suggest it, Mission:Space might be for you as long as you are in perfect health with no high blood pressure. It's a simulated shuttle mission to Mars, that is actually a sort of astronaut training mechanism that a large percentage of riders get, shall we say, sick to their stomach on. Those who like it say that it's an excellent thrill with very convincing sensations that you are blasting into space, complete with G forces and weightlessness. This is at Epcot. Also at Epcot is Soarin'. You are lifted up infront of a huge screen to see a simulated hang gliding flight over California. If you have height issues, the images of zipping over mountains is VERY real, but keep reminding yourself that it's only a movie. It's a magnificent ride, difficult to describe how incredible!

-Do you like history and culture? VERY MUCH
:) You are gonna be one happy camper in the World Showcase! Learn how to say "hello" in French, Arabic, Japanese, Italian, German, Chinese, Norwegian and Spanish and you will have a grand time chatting with the CMs in the pavilions. They all are from the countries they work at and are delighted to talk about their cultures and nations. Be sure to see the big show at the American Pavilion, usually it follows a performance in the lobby by Voices of Liberty. Bring some Kleenex.
Hall Of The Presidents at MK is a must, too.


-Do you mind getting wet on a ride? No
:) Kali River Rapids in AK is a fantastic wet ride. I would suggest a disposable dollar store poncho, since half of the raft gets sprinkled and half gets soaked to the skin. Ever heard of Murphy's Law? ;) Oh yes, there is a medium sized drop on this ride, but it's not scary, just big fun!
Splash Mountain at MK is a fun wet ride too, but there is the issue of a big drop at the end! You can see the drop from the outside and judge for yourself if it's for you. Actually it's not as bad as it looks. :smooth:

-Do you like animals? Abosolutely love them. Teacher life sciences. Work at zoo during summer.
:) Animal Kingdom, Kilimanjaro Safari is a must for you! Actually all of AK! Just be sure to drink LOTS OF WATER and slushies to stay cool. The AK is a very HOT park in the summer. No Expedition Everest though.

-Interested in parades or fireworks?

Defintely :bounce:
:) There is no shortage of them! Every park has fireworks at night except AK, for obvious reasons. All of the parks have parades currently except for Epcot. Check that valuable entertainment schedule for times.

Whew! I need a nap just thinking of all of these wonderful things. Honestly, this barely scratched the surface.

Here is a link to the current entertainment schedule, which is updated weekly, usually Saturday night. This will give you an idea what to plan on. Just click on the individual park name on the bar at the top of the page.
http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/index.htm

Have Fun! :sunny:
 
I want to thank everyone for all their help. I realllllllllllllllllllllllly appreciate it :thumbsup2
 
I just thought of 2 must-see attractions that I forgot to mention. They are both sit down and enjoy the A/C, 3-D movies that are great. At Epcot, it's "Honey I Shrunk The Audience", located in the Imagination pavilion and at AK, "It's Tough To Be A Bug", located under the Tree Of Life.

Glad to help. :sunny:
 


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