A round of queries and seeking advice about a Trip to Orlando WDW

[AwateaDawn]

Hi all,

Firstly I must thank DisBoards generally for their awesome help and advice when I planned my first-ever-abroad-trip to DLRP last November. Unfortunately the new found confidence means I am now planning to go to WDW solo in 2012 in November/December.

Problem is I have decided that Orlando is a little more confusing - not in the least because I have never been to America before.

Here's what I've come up with so far;

I want to go for a 'holiday of a lifetime' in 2012 after I graduate so I want to try and do as much as I can whilst I am there, but as I am not earning that much at all, I aim to keep it down to a minimum if possible. Possibly will turn out to be an oxymoron I suppose ^^

I won't be hiring a car as my age then (24) will require me to pay an extra $25 a day - and I'm scared of driving an automatic.

Also though I may be able to get friends or family to come along too, the first may not be able to afford it and the latter aren't Disneyfiends so will be still doing things on their own.

I want to;
*Do all the Disney parks (thats why I'm going ), except for the Games, Sports and Water Parks (prefer just a quiet (lol) swim in the resort pools).
*Go to Busch Gardens, Universal Studios and Water World/Discovery Cove (Things I wont see in England-kind-of-things)

The other parks are not as *important* to me, though obviously if I can I will.

Ever since they have had the Animal Kingdom park at WDW I have wanted to go (Lion King is my fav Disney film) and so I have decided to treat myself to some nights at the Animal Kingdom Lodge Savannah view, at least 3 nights and near the end of the trip (so I am hopefully over the jet lag so can enjoy it even more).

For the rest of the holiday I plan to be in a very budget hotel with shuttles to the other parks.

Anyway...

-I've heard that it takes about 5 days to do Disney justice - is that correct?
-Would you recommend to be at a disney hotel when you dont have a car to look around disney?
-What are transfers like from Orlando Airport to hotels? Prices?
-How easy is it to get around Orlando if you dont have your own car? Any taxi quotes or buses?
-Is a 14 day trip to Orlando a must or is it possible to go for say... 10 days as I am on my own?
-How much does food generally cost in the parks? I'd plan to buy the meal plans whilst in WDW because I found them incredibly useful in DLRP but what about elsewhere?
-Are there clothes washing facilities in the hotels or would I need 14 days worth of clothes? (Note the plan of saving luggage space for souvenirs )
-How long do the other parks take that I have mentioned?
-Are there standard restaurants near most of the hotels? I'm quite a happy meat and two veg girl so will be fine with simple food (good though ) if its cheaper than paying much more in the hotels.


And again finaly;

Does anyone have any low-priced hotels (sort of like English Travelodges/Premier Travel Inns) they know about nearby with shuttles that they could recommend? When I was in DLRP I barely saw my hotel room as I was out of the place at 6.30am and not back until 10.30pm so all I need is a bed and a bathroom!

And does anyone have any idea when off-peak (quietest) season is around November-February? I've always been lucky with DLRP and hit it at its quietest so I have avoided the masses - and pretty much walked on to every ride. Are there such off-peaks with WDW?

Finally I am sorry about the mass of questions, which are more than likely repeats from others, but the whole thing has kind of swamped me.

Thank you in advance,

 

[disney_princess_85]

First of all, don't panic: yes, there is a lot to take in at first but if you have a general look around these boards, you will get a good feel for the place. I've answered some of your questions below (answers in red):

-I've heard that it takes about 5 days to do Disney justice - is that correct?
I don't know where you have heard this but I would say this isn't enough time, especially if you're big on Disney.
-Would you recommend to be at a disney hotel when you dont have a car to look around disney?
If you can afford it, 100% yes.
-What are transfers like from Orlando Airport to hotels? Prices?
If you book a stay at a Disney hotel, Magical Express transfers are complimentary. This is a coach that takes you directly from MCO to your hotel (and back again when you're going home).
-How easy is it to get around Orlando if you dont have your own car? Any taxi quotes or buses?
I've only ever got taxis and they're reasonably priced. A one-way trip to Universal, for example, is $25-$30 (excluding tip).
-Is a 14 day trip to Orlando a must or is it possible to go for say... 10 days as I am on my own?
You'll probably get more done if you're by yourself so 10 days might suffice. It depends really, it sounds like you want to visit a lot of places and you have to be careful not to cram too much in.
-How much does food generally cost in the parks? I'd plan to buy the meal plans whilst in WDW because I found them incredibly useful in DLRP but what about elsewhere?
Many people say it's expensive but I think it's quite reasonable. Burger and chips will set you back around $7 in a counter service restaurant. There are many table service restaurants onsite that vary in price.
-Are there clothes washing facilities in the hotels or would I need 14 days worth of clothes? (Note the plan of saving luggage space for souvenirs )
There are laundry facilities at each hotel.
-How long do the other parks take that I have mentioned?
How long is a piece of string? It really does depend on a lot of factors, e.g. crowd levels, weather etc.
-Are there standard restaurants near most of the hotels? I'm quite a happy meat and two veg girl so will be fine with simple food (good though ) if its cheaper than paying much more in the hotels.
There are many restaurants on International Drive and the surrounding area. However, they are more difficult to get to if you don't have a car.

Hope I've helped a bit!

 

[AwateaDawn]

First of all, don't panic: yes, there is a lot to take in at first but if you have a general look around these boards, you will get a good feel for the place. I've answered some of your questions below (answers in red):

Hope I've helped a bit!

You've helped loads thanks It's given me a lot of things to think about too. My biggest emphasis is on Disney most definitely so I might switch my plan on its head.

I'll try not to panic But ITSSOBIGANDSCARY! But very exciting too!

Edit:
Just wanted to add that to me $7 is incredibly cheap for food! I was expecting more like... er.. $30 or something per meal. That means more holiday money whee!

 

[disney_princess_85]

Just wanted to add that to me $7 is incredibly cheap for food! I was expecting more like... er.. $30 or something per meal. That means more holiday money whee!

Well, it's approximately that amount for a 'quick service' meal, i.e. one you pay for and collect at the counter and find your own table to eat it at. The table service restaurants are obviously more expensive but you can have a good meal for a reasonable price, e.g. $20 for a main course, dessert and a drink. There are pricier restaurants where it will cost you more like $60 for the same, however these are considered 'signature' dining experiences.

I'd recommend buying a guide book so you have all the essential info in one place. Popular ones are Brits Guide to Orlando and The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. 2010 versions of both books are available to buy at Amazon etc.

 

[wideeyes]

I would give the Disney parks at least a week though as it is your first trip you may want longer to do them. I think how long you spend in the parks depends on your interests, we spend quite a bit of time at epcot as both myself and DD love it however we spend less time at US as my DD is not really into the movies the rides are based on. We do half a day at AK however if you are into Animals you may want longer there or spend an extra day.

We used mears shuttle buses to get to US and Seaworld it was $14 return so cheaper than a taxi if it is just you.

I would go for a 14 day trip, I have just done a 10 day trip and it was fine for us however it was our 3rd trip and we know what we want to do and things we are happy to give a miss. On our first trip we wanted to fit in as much off the rides and shows as possible. Also depending on when you go it can be very hot and may need breaks and time in the pool.

 

[igk]

Well, it's approximately that amount for a 'quick service' meal, i.e. one you pay for and collect at the counter and find your own table to eat it at. The table service restaurants are obviously more expensive but you can have a good meal for a reasonable price, e.g. $20 for a main course, dessert and a drink. There are pricier restaurants where it will cost you more like $60 for the same, however these are considered 'signature' dining experiences.

I'd recommend buying a guide book so you have all the essential info in one place. Popular ones are Brits Guide to Orlando and The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. 2010 versions of both books are available to buy at Amazon etc.

I was just going to say that about the books. Definitely get at least one of those two books - preferably both, and have a good read of them. They will help you enormously. The Brit's guide will be good at it will be your first time in USA/Orlando, and the Unofficial Guide will be useful for getting more detail especially about Disney Resorts and restaurants.

Youve got plenty of time if you're going in 2012, so relax and enjoy the planning

 

[wayneg]

Just wanted to add if you did find the confidence to drive companies like http://www.usrentacar.co.uk/under25.htm do special policies for under 25's, you pay £55/week rather than the $25+/day
Total cost for 2 weeks rental would be from £374 fully insured with a tank of fuel.

Many people manage without a car but for us its essential, Disney alone is the size of Greater Manchester, its a massive place.
Its far easier to drive there than here.

 

[Lizzybear]

I would normally say give driving another thought BUT as it's a solo trip i'd be inclined to say no: Although driving in the US is very easy once you get into the swing of it, I personally wouldn't want to/recommend a first time driver to not have a 'co-pilot' Mostly for the purposes of navigation but also for initial moral support Also (heaven forbid) breaking down or having an accident in a foreign country could be much more worrying alone. Orlando is a very easy area to get around without a car (much more so than many other parts of the US) so IMO for a first trip just doing the likes of WDW and US/IOA a car is more of a nice to have than a must have

 

[torsie24]

-I've heard that it takes about 5 days to do Disney justice - is that correct?

If you plan to go hardcore at each park, and not slow down to appreciate the magic then maybe. 2 weeks on site wasn't enough to see everything for us.

-Would you recommend to be at a disney hotel when you dont have a car to look around disney?

Yes, definitely. You also won't have to worry about getting fom the airport.

-What are transfers like from Orlando Airport to hotels? Prices?

See above answer

-How easy is it to get around Orlando if you dont have your own car? Any taxi quotes or buses?

Taxi's are expensive! ($40 ish to Idrive from WDW) Didn't try the bus system.

-Is a 14 day trip to Orlando a must or is it possible to go for say... 10 days as I am on my own?

If you only want to do Disney then 10 days would be OK

-How much does food generally cost in the parks? I'd plan to buy the meal plans whilst in WDW because I found them incredibly useful in DLRP but what about elsewhere?

About $15 for a counter service lunch. (Burger, chips etc.)

-Are there clothes washing facilities in the hotels or would I need 14 days worth of clothes? (Note the plan of saving luggage space for souvenirs )

We had a launderette in AKL. I don't konw about Mod/Value resorts.

-How long do the other parks take that I have mentioned?

We did US in a day, we didn't have time for any of the others, but if I'd paid for a DC ticket I'd want all day. And Busch is a long journey away so that'd be a whole day out too.

-Are there standard restaurants near most of the hotels? I'm quite a happy meat and two veg girl so will be fine with simple food (good though ) if its cheaper than paying much more in the hotels.

Yes, you can get to DTD easily, they have lots of restaurants. If you stay on I-drive then there are loads of cheap restaurants.


And again finaly;

Does anyone have any low-priced hotels (sort of like English Travelodges/Premier Travel Inns) they know about nearby with shuttles that they could recommend? When I was in DLRP I barely saw my hotel room as I was out of the place at 6.30am and not back until 10.30pm so all I need is a bed and a bathroom!

I can't recommend any, but be aware offsite shuttle buses could take well over an hour to get to any theme parks as they will share with other hotels. Also you may not be able to watch fireworks/ngiht shows as your last bus might be scheduled before they finish.

And does anyone have any idea when off-peak (quietest) season is around November-February? I've always been lucky with DLRP and hit it at its quietest so I have avoided the masses - and pretty much walked on to every ride. Are there such off-peaks with WDW?

First week of december! I hear its really really quiet. We plan on going that week next year to get good use out of our free APs.

 

[AwateaDawn]

Thanks for this I've actually gone (based on the info here so far) to a travel agent today to gather a potential quote.

The current plan is 8-9 days in Disney and the rest elsewhere.
4 nights on I-Drive
5 nights at DASR
5 nights at AKL
(Supposedly 5 nights are the minimum now)



That's one thing down ^^

I will go through the rest of the forum this weekend to try and glean more info - but the information here pretty much covers what I was most worried about

 

[darthtatty]

What are transfers like from Orlando Airport to hotels? Prices?

If you book a stay at a Disney hotel, Magical Express transfers are complimentary. This is a coach that takes you directly from MCO to your hotel (and back again when you're going home).

Magical Express is only available if you book via Disney.
weve stayed at a Disney hotel and booked via Virgin-we had a Mears Coach

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Magical Express is only available if you book via Disney.
weve stayed at a Disney hotel and booked via Virgin-we had a Mears Coach

Even if you book ME, you still sometimes ride a Mears coach rather than an ME coach.

 

[luke]

Even if you book ME, you still sometimes ride a Mears coach rather than an ME coach.

Mears operate Magical Express anyway

 

[AwateaDawn]

What are transfers like from Orlando Airport to hotels? Prices?

If you book a stay at a Disney hotel, Magical Express transfers are complimentary. This is a coach that takes you directly from MCO to your hotel (and back again when you're going home).

Magical Express is only available if you book via Disney.
weve stayed at a Disney hotel and booked via Virgin-we had a Mears Coach

I'll either book via Disney or Virgin so I should get this sorted I would go by Disney but they dont seem to advertise any external hotels on I-D which have shuttles to US and USIOA, even though I'd get a 'preferred fireworks viewing' and the other extras if I went via Disney.

 

[luke]

I would go by Disney but they dont seem to advertise any external hotels on I-D which have shuttles to US and USIOA, even though I'd get a 'preferred fireworks viewing' and the other extras if I went via Disney.

Disney only seem to offer 2 ID hotels, I would imagine that they have some sort of deals with them to offer only Disney shuttles tho in return for offering them

 

[AwateaDawn]

Disney only seem to offer 2 ID hotels, I would imagine that they have some sort of deals with them to offer only Disney shuttles tho in return for offering them

probably I think cost wise I may end up with Virgin. I had my DVD planning thing from Disney yesterday - been too over excited watching it ^^

I'm going to get the two books closer to the time to get the most up to date info - I tried to loan the books from the library system. They've had 4 and all have never been returned/stolen/replaced. *sigh*

Now as long as my job stays I'll be going!

 

[Neoshoegal]

I'll either book via Disney or Virgin so I should get this sorted I would go by Disney but they dont seem to advertise any external hotels on I-D which have shuttles to US and USIOA, even though I'd get a 'preferred fireworks viewing' and the other extras if I went via Disney.

That preferred fireworks viewing has to avoided at all costs at the Magic Kingdom, we've done it and it was without doubt the worst location ever.

Anyway. I'd agree with the others, if you don't have a car I'd also suggest staying on site at WDW. Take a bus or taxi the few days you want to do things off site. 2 days for Universal and IoA should be enough, if you're seriously organised and go on calm day, you might even do both in one day!

You might want to try and go during the Free Dining period, that way you won't need to go off site for dinner. Even the quick service dining plan is great especially if you'd decide to stay at the Port Orleans Riverside (the foodcourt there is the best!).

Like others have said, 14 days would be better than 10. Our first trip was 10 days, we were super organised and at the end of it, we were dead. And we didn't even do any other parks! 14 Days is great. We've been 4 times now and there are still things we haven't done even though we planned for them!

I also agree about the guidebooks. I've only bought the Unofficial Guide and it was amazing. We've also signed up for the Tourguide Mike website (there's a link on this website that gives you a discount) and it has been a huge timesaver.

 

[AwateaDawn]

Thanks - that clears it about the preferred fireworks

I'd try to get it during 'free dining' but unfortunately I am bound by my final exams which are in October, then it usually means mid or end of Nov but I'll be going for meal plans where possible anyway

On the meal plans it says 18% service charge is added on the meal - does this get charged to the KTW card? and how do you load money onto this card?

Current plan is around 10 nights/11 days in Disney and 4 nights outside of the parks (possibly less). The more I look into things the more I wish to add extra Disney nights on (in Das) at the expense of the externals. lol ^^:;

I can do DLRP in about 2 days in an organised manner and I've budgetted for at least 2 days in each Disney park (as there's only me I will only go as slow or as fast as I feel )

Does anyone know, apart from the books, if there is a current map of the insides of each of the parks? Showing where all the attractions are?

Many thanks ^^

DisneyDisneyAnimalsSafariWhoo!

 

[luke]

Does anyone know, apart from the books, if there is a current map of the insides of each of the parks? Showing where all the attractions are?

Here's the maps of all parks as well as the resorts

http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/

 

[AwateaDawn]

Here's the maps of all parks as well as the resorts

http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/

Awesome ^^ you guys are all great ^^