a few questions... can you help me make sense of...

[halloween12]

I saw someone earlier ask about parking... there is quite a lot that confuses me about parking...

1. We are staying OKW and we will be nipping off to different parks outside of Disney so we were going to hire a car anyways. I know that we can park just next to the villa - but can we also use the car to drive to different parts of Disney? (we are quite a way from MK and the buses and monorail sound like they can be crowded and lengthy). Do we have to pay for parking? and if not how do we avoid being charged?

2. Do we need to hire a car and pay extra for sat nav?
Do some car models come with satnav built in? and are they just trying to rip us off?
Can i just upgrade the satnav that I have and use it over there?

3. Do i pay up front for car hire?

....
DINING - we are on the dining plan
We have made a few reservations:
planet hollywood - the night that we arrive (because DTD is easy to get to from OKW) 1 CREDIT
Olivias the morning of our wedding (31st oct) 1 credit
Cinderellas royal table the afternoon of our wedding (31st oct) 2 credits
but we dont know where we will be on any given day for the rest of our trip and we dont want to feel restricted.

4. how likely is it that we can turn up and be seated with in a reasonable amount of time for a sit down meal?

5. could we do that at Olivias (as we know we will deffo be at OKW every day) with it being out of the parks is it less busy?

6. is olivias any good to eat at? I've read mixed reviews

7. can anyone be more specific about his food and wine thingy at epcot? Can i use dining credits for that?

ALSO...
8. we are massive horror fans, we have moved heaven and earth to get married at Halloween and we are doing MNSSHP the same night... but we would also like to fit in the scary night thing at Universal studios... our children will be 9 and 13... I know that it is recommended for over 13+ but will they stop us going in with our 9 yr old?

- just for further clarification... we are not an average family and she is not an average 9 year old... we have 2 full sized coffins in our house as book/dvd cases, the kids each have a tarantula and snake in their bedrooms and quite strangely we just picked up my daughters deceased pet rat from my friend who is a taxidermist (she wanted him pickled in a jar after he died? lol)

 

[london75]

2. Do we need to hire a car and pay extra for sat nav?
Do some car models come with satnav built in? and are they just trying to rip us off?
Can i just upgrade the satnav that I have and use it over there?

Most don't come with it and if it's your first time driving it certainly makes life easier but if you can manage your first drive from the airport they can be bought over there really cheaply.

Regarding upgrading your own, sometimes yes and we did but it depends on make and model and can still cost more than buying a cheap US one from Walmart.

 

[madmumof2]

All parks charge parking. Disney resort guests can park in Disney parks for free. Universal guests can park in Universal parks for free etc etc.

Disney guests have to pay parking for Universal/Seaworld and vice versa.

 

[halloween12]

Most don't come with it and if it's your first time driving it certainly makes life easier but if you can manage your first drive from the airport they can be bought over there really cheaply.

Regarding upgrading your own, sometimes yes and we did but it depends on make and model and can still cost more than buying a cheap US one from Walmart.

Thanks - we fly in the day before our disney trip starts, and we are staying a hotel for 1 night to catch up on our sleep, works out cheaper to fly on a tuesday and gives us a night to relax before Disney - so we could maybe go and buy one the night we arrive if wall mart is easy to get to?

x

 

[halloween12]

WHOOP WHOOP that was my first quote!! I cant multi quote yet - but still proud of myself

All parks charge parking. Disney resort guests can park in Disney parks for free. Universal guests can park in Universal parks for free etc etc.

Disney guests have to pay parking for Universal/Seaworld and vice versa.

Brilliant - thanks
How do they know that you are a disney guest? do we get something to hang from our rear view mirror or something? x

 

[chmurf]

How do they know that you are a disney guest? do we get something to hang from our rear view mirror or something? x

at OKW you'll ge given your Key To The World.
It's your room key, tickets, etc.

At the toll booth at the entrance of the parks, just show your KTTW to the CM ahd that's it.
On the KTTW there is your check out date, so the CM will know you are a resort guest and let you through free of charge

 

[wilma-bride]

1. We are staying OKW and we will be nipping off to different parks outside of Disney so we were going to hire a car anyways. I know that we can park just next to the villa - but can we also use the car to drive to different parts of Disney? (we are quite a way from MK and the buses and monorail sound like they can be crowded and lengthy). Do we have to pay for parking? and if not how do we avoid being charged?

When you first arrive at OKW and check in, you will be issued with a parking pass, valid for the length of your stay. When you got to any of the Disney parks, just show your parking pass and you will be waved through. We just leave it on the dash unless we are offsite, then we stick it in the glove box until we come back.

2. Do we need to hire a car and pay extra for sat nav?
Do some car models come with satnav built in? and are they just trying to rip us off?
Can i just upgrade the satnav that I have and use it over there?

If you are asking if you need to hire a car, that is a whole other discussion. As far as whether Sat Nav is bult in, with rental cars I don't believe that is the case otherwise they wouldn't be able to charge you extra for it. We have downloaded the US maps for our Sat Nav and use that while we are in Florida.

3. Do i pay up front for car hire?

It makes sense to book and pay in advance for car hire as the best deals can usually be found here before you travel.
....
DINING - we are on the dining plan
We have made a few reservations:
planet hollywood - the night that we arrive (because DTD is easy to get to from OKW) 1 CREDIT
Olivias the morning of our wedding (31st oct) 1 credit
Cinderellas royal table the afternoon of our wedding (31st oct) 2 credits
but we dont know where we will be on any given day for the rest of our trip and we dont want to feel restricted.

4. how likely is it that we can turn up and be seated with in a reasonable amount of time for a sit down meal?

It really depends on the size of your party, time, where and what meal. You might not have any problems getting walk-ups at some of the less popular places (particularly outside the parks). If there are any restaurants you KNOW you will want to eat at, I would make ADRs as, with free dining valid during that period, you are likely to be disappointed. Lunches inside the parks will be more difficult at TS places as most people will eat in the park rather than leave and come back. Certain meals (character meals and 'novelty' restaurants will more than likely be fully booked).

5. could we do that at Olivias (as we know we will deffo be at OKW every day) with it being out of the parks is it less busy?

Olivias does get busy as it is quite a popular restaurant at OKW. I wouldn't have thought you would have a probelm getting seated at off-peak times though.

6. is olivias any good to eat at? I've read mixed reviews

It's subjective. We really enjoyed the food when we went but it was ruined for us by people smoking nearby (we were seated outside). I would definitely try it at least once though.

7. can anyone be more specific about his food and wine thingy at epcot? Can i use dining credits for that?

You can use snack credits for items from the Food & Wine Festival booths.

ALSO...
8. we are massive horror fans, we have moved heaven and earth to get married at Halloween and we are doing MNSSHP the same night... but we would also like to fit in the scary night thing at Universal studios... our children will be 9 and 13... I know that it is recommended for over 13+ but will they stop us going in with our 9 yr old?

- just for further clarification... we are not an average family and she is not an average 9 year old... we have 2 full sized coffins in our house as book/dvd cases, the kids each have a tarantula and snake in their bedrooms and quite strangely we just picked up my daughters deceased pet rat from my friend who is a taxidermist (she wanted him pickled in a jar after he died? lol)

I would NOT take a 9-year old to Halloween Horror Nights. They won't stop you coming in but the advice is there for a reason. Have you experienced Saw: The Experience (not the ride but the walk-through attraction) at Thorpe Park? I can only liken it to a longer, more intense version of that. It really depends on your child though. Would you let them watch an 18-rated horror movie? Or be in one? Because that is what it is like....

Hope my answers are of help

 

[orangetiggs]

Your not that far from magic kingdom really, we stayed there last year and drove several times, there is a back way past port orleans and the normal way. Also we didnt find the buses busy from okw and we stayed dureing oct half term

We always pay for ar upfront but dont get it with a package i booked ours wth usrentacar this year. Also never get sat nav either but then we have been a few times now

We walked up to olivas several times during our stay and several restaurants in the parks too, had a little wait but no more than 20 mins i wouldnt have said

Looks like we shall see you there as we check in 1st nov

 

[dixonsontour]

They give you a paper for the dashboard for free parking at disney. October isn't a busy time so you will be fine on disney transport if you wish.

For car hire you are better hiring and paying in advance in the uk eg from usrentacar or netflights.

If you have a 'free' car with a package holiday it can still work out cheaper to book with one of these companies and ignoring the free car rather than paying to top up the insurance. Price both ways and decide. Worse thing is to turn up and try and do it at the desk at the aiport (high pressure sales and you knackered from a 9 hour flight do not mix)

For dining - we have eaten once at olivia's and it was ok. You will get in there as a walk up.

You probably wont get in the more popular meals. Shame to miss out on the themed places like whispering canyon and sci fi. Even older kids tend to like them and don't dismiss a character meal - one on the morning of your wedding would be great imo.

I like touringplans - gives you a best day each park. they can vary alot - shame to do a park on a busy day when you don't have to. then fit your reservations in eg sci fi lunch on your HS day.

You can cancel any reservations easily online or at conceirge/guest services.

Not sure about Universal - hope someone can help.

 

[bex7583]

not quite the same but similar i went to the yorkshire scare grounds last halloween and that was age recomended 13 there was a boy who was 10 in front of us and he was less scared than me !! he ept teasing the actors, at one point he hid at the side of a fence and jumped out on one of teh cast and gave them a real fright

you know your own child and you can always come out if they really dont like it

i hated the scare grounds i actually was in tears , would not do anything similar again !!

 

[halloween12]

Thanks Guys - you are always so helpful and quick with responses

I went to the scare grounds too last year and was totally underwhelmed... found it funny but not scary, its a really personal thing i guess?

I can say hand on heart that my kids wouldnt have been scared of that at all.
We have shown them a preview vid of the Universal studios halloween thingy and they said they would love to go... more research perhaps?

 

[bex7583]

Thanks Guys - you are always so helpful and quick with responses

I went to the scare grounds too last year and was totally underwhelmed... found it funny but not scary, its a really personal thing i guess?

I can say hand on heart that my kids wouldnt have been scared of that at all.
We have shown them a preview vid of the Universal studios halloween thingy and they said they would love to go... more research perhaps?

omg i got totally attacked in the clown house , and my boyfriend just left me n laughed !! the clown was tickling n chasing me

 

[dixonsontour]

Thanks Guys - you are always so helpful and quick with responses

I went to the scare grounds too last year and was totally underwhelmed... found it funny but not scary, its a really personal thing i guess?

I can say hand on heart that my kids wouldnt have been scared of that at all.
We have shown them a preview vid of the Universal studios halloween thingy and they said they would love to go... more research perhaps?

We left universal as people were coming in for the horror party last year. Was all couples we saw. Aswell as the scare factor have a look into the adult vibe eg there were lots of stall opening to sell shots etc. Americans can be very funny with alcohol and kids mixing.

 

[wilma-bride]

We left universal as people were coming in for the horror party last year. Was all couples we saw. Aswell as the scare factor have a look into the adult vibe eg there were lots of stall opening to sell shots etc. Americans can be very funny with alcohol and kids mixing.

That, of course, is the other thing. It is very much an adult-orientated environment with lots of alcohol and very much an adult vibe. Again, not a place for (young) kids in my opinion. I wouldn't expose my child to it.

As for the PP who said you can always leave if you don't like it, the party tickets are not cheap and that's a lot of money to fork out to have to leave within the first few minutes.

 

[wilma-bride]

We have shown them a preview vid of the Universal studios halloween thingy and they said they would love to go... more research perhaps?

Try asking on the Universal board - you will get honest opinions there from the regulars who go all the time. Be prepared, though - as I said before, it is primarily aimed at adults and there are some who don't think children should be allowed at all.

 

[chmurf]

On top of my last reply, let me make it more complete

Do we have to pay for parking? and if not how do we avoid being charged?

as previously stated Disney resort guest park free of charge at Disney parks
Resort parking (outside of your own resort) is limited to 3 hours

2. Do we need to hire a car and pay extra for sat nav?

hiring a car is a good idea if you like to be able to go outside of the "disney bubble" and don't want to spend time in crowded transportation

I don't use satnav (on a personnal note)
US roads are a failrly comprehensive system, and Disney property is very well signed. It really helps looking at road maps before going, and probably make a spreasheet with itineraries
I find it very easy to navigate even though I know some people seem to consistentely get lost ... (beats me) ... anyway if you need satnav to go from your house to the nearest department store, then yes, it might be good to pay extra for satnav

Do some car models come with satnav built in? and are they just trying to rip us off?

some do. It depends on the car category you rent.
There is no way of telling in advance.

Can i just upgrade the satnav that I have and use it over there?

Some will allow you to change the "maps" inside the satnav, some won't.
Ask your local dealer/store

3. Do i pay up front for car hire?

book from the UK and prepay
A fullsize car for 3 weeks costs £450 if you book from europe
if you book in orlando or on us websites, the same car for the same period of time will cost you over £1200 (with discounted rates)

4. how likely is it that we can turn up and be seated with in a reasonable amount of time for a sit down meal?

very unlikely if you don't have ADR
especially if it's free DDP season.
if you're going in october, your ADRs should already be made.
The most popular restaurants fill up fast.
It will also depend on the time you show up at the restaurants, some time slots are busier than others.
All in all I would not base my dining on walk ins. Some people manage to do it without ADR, I wouldn't take the risk (but once again that's only my opinion)

5. could we do that at Olivias (as we know we will deffo be at OKW every day) with it being out of the parks is it less busy?

it's not that busy, but it might get busy at times
It's hit and miss.

6. is olivias any good to eat at? I've read mixed reviews

it's relatively good, certainly overpriced (but since you'll be on the DDP it's not really a concern)
I would question the fact of doing Olivia's often. You'll probably get fed up (no pun intended) fairly rapidly.
There are so many restaurants to enjoy around WDW that it would be rather sad to do the same restaurant over and over again.

7. can anyone be more specific about his food and wine thingy at epcot? Can i use dining credits for that?

at food and wine you'll find kiosks offering food from all over the world in small portions. It's just enough to be able to taste something new and different.
At some kiosks you will be able to use a snack credit off your DDP for an offering. Some kiosks will restrict the kind of food you get for your snack credit. Some won't allow you to use DDP credits.
Most offerings are priced in the $3 - $6 range (with exceptions)

8. we are massive horror fans, we have moved heaven and earth to get married at Halloween and we are doing MNSSHP the same night... but we would also like to fit in the scary night thing at Universal studios... our children will be 9 and 13... I know that it is recommended for over 13+ but will they stop us going in with our 9 yr old?

your 9 year old will not be denied entrance
but this event is really intense and graphic.
I've seen your claim about not being your "ordinary" family.
I've been living with several pet rats who roamed freely around the house, they even slept with me in my bed. My brother in law had snakes, tarentulas, and other "creepy" critters. It's all child's play.
Halloween horror nights is mature stuff and not for the faint of heart.

The question you need to ask yourself is to know if you'd let your kids watch the bloodiest of horror movies all night, while you try to freak them out, and they manage to get through it without having a nightmare the following night.

It can be fun, it can be traumatizing too.

Now some kids manage pretty well to play tough in a controlled environment, such as their house, but totally freak out when they're in an unknown place, at night, with creepy, bloody creatures jumping right at them.

The final question is to assess if you consider your kids are up for it because they are "tough" enough, or because you wish they are because YOU want to go
As a parent, I find it to be the toughest question when trying to determine if something is suited for my kid or not (and he's only 4 lol)

I wouldn't take a 9 year old, but you know your kids better than anyone else. In the end you'll make the right choice

 

[chmurf]

They give you a paper for the dashboard for free parking at disney.

this is the parking permit for your resort
you need to display it behind your windshield so that security knows your allowed to park overnight at the resort
but this paper permit does not work at parks or other resorts. You need to show your KTTW

 

[Elise79]

but this paper permit does not work at parks or other resorts. You need to show your KTTW

The paper parking pass certainly works at the parks - never once had to show a KTTW with my pass in the window - just waved straight through.

Resorts are different - on every resort you have to stop at the guard shack and show ID. KTTW will be sufficient most times but they can ask for photo ID as well.

 

[Loftus]

Just to add, as you specifically mentioned MK, that you can't drive there. You park at the TTC then get the ferry or monorail to the park. The bus may well be as quick, if not quicker, as it drops you at the park entrance.

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

I can not stress strongly enough that if you want to do a TS dinner then you MUST make an ADR otherwise you will more than likely not be able to find anywhere to eat between 5:30pm and 9pm.

The 1st time we went to WDW we were sooooooo unprepared, i.e didn't know anything about the DIS boards and we hadn't made any PS reservations (Priority Seating was before ADRs) we had the most dreadful time and ended up eating some form of chicken nuggets and chips almost every night

The other thing that really upsets me is now when we go and we are sitting down, having made our ADRs, and seeing people come up to the podium with their toddlers wanting to sit down, rest and eat only to be told that there is nothing till 9:30 or 10pm

Now I know your kids are older but I would still advise taking a good look at the numerous website that give alot of information about the wonderfully variety of restaurants available. You then need to take a look at the the park hours and decide when you would like to do your TS meal. For us we like to do a TS dinner every night so we tend to make our ADRs for the park with the extra magic hour night opening. I know it sounds as if you are tying yourself down but really it's not so bad. Our ADRs are as follows

Big River Grill
Via Napoli e Pizzeria
Brown Derby
Kourzzina
Flying Fish
Le Cellier
Fultons
Tony's Town Square
Teppan Edo

Some of these are signature resturants and we'll have to use 2TS so we'll pay OOE for the Big River Grill and Via Napoli e Pizzeria.

Sorry this is such a rambling post but it is something I feel can't be stressed enough and can make a great holiday totally fantastic if planned properly.