A skeptical family of First-Timers take on WDW Nov 15-22** NOV 28 update

Hey there

- I think anyone that thinks AK and DHS are either (A) oblivious to anything but rides or (B) Nuts. We spend two days @ AK each trip and have no problem filling them. And we don't ride Dinosaur either. (Too scary for DD, and I find it total bore.) Make sure to take the time to walk the trails and definitely see FotLK. The Nemo show gets mixed reviews, but it is a serious time eater (40 minutes long, plus typically 30 minutes to wait to get in), so if you aren't sure about it, save it until late in the day.

DHS: Our families least favorite park, and we don't typically spend a full day there...but I can't argue it is a 1/2 day park either, especially if you want to see the shows, and really most of them are pretty darn good. Our favorite is the Indiana Jones Stunt Show, I think even if your kids aren't familiar with the movies they would enjoy this. If you don't feel the need for multiple rides on TSM, then if you don't make rope drop, just have someone get the FPs and head for RnRC and Tot instead.
 
Hi! I'm joining in on the fun here. Your plans sound great!!! I'm so jealous you are staying at the Poly. I've always wanted to stay there. I am going in October with my boyfriend for his first trip - he thinks Disney is all for babies. He just doesn't know the fun he's in for! I can't wait to read about the rest of your plans - and then your trip!!
 
HS plans sound great! :thumbsup2

ToT is my have at this park. I can't wait to ride this again (and again and again and again)!

I've only been on RnR once... this was last October. DH10 and I rode together, and I didn't think she got her bag and hat secured in the pouch very well... so I spent the entire ride worried her stuff was going to fall out, LOL! Thankfully everything stayed where it was. Hopefully I'll be able to enjoy the ride this trip!

We enjoyed our dinner at Sci-Fi back in '07... DH and I both had the ribs, and they were really good. Last year we did lunch at 50sPTC because I wanted to try something different... it was good, but my DDs said they wished we had gone back to Sci-Fi. So that's a definite for our next family trip!
 

My family and I never take the recommended afternoon breaks. We never use the resort pools (well, my daughter did late a couple of nights at BC after the parks closed). We aren't commandos with a touring plan, but we go for the parks and we love the parks. When we need a break, we duck into a show or a restaurant and rest.

Not sure if that might change this time at the Poly, being so easy to get to and from MK and Epcot.

I loved Lights Motors Action when we finally got to see it last Sept. But it is very hard to fit into your park schedule. They only show it once or twice a day and it's kind-of a long walk and you want to get there about 20+ minutes early for a seat (they "sell out").
 
I do full days at both parks, I have no issue riding something twice or just hanging on a bench watching people go by.

I am quite jealous of the ToC, I haven't even figured out how to edit the title of my PTR to show when I've updated.

We were on the fence about the Luau, but the price and the reviews turned it into a no, but I'm sure it will be fun, and at least your husband can't blame you since it was his idea.:rotfl:
 
Just joining in and I love your plans so far. I'm sure that you're family will appreciate all of the hard work you're putting in to this vacation, at least they'd better! :rotfl:

My husband is the same way...very anti-Disney for absolutely no reason and he's never even been there!! I was forced into making a deal with him that would allow me to plan a future WDW vacation....we go to the World when our youngest is 5 (in 4 years!!) and he gets to go to a soccer match anywhere in the world. He thinks that my Disney obsession will pass before then but little does he know.....especially not since I've got the Dis to keep it going!

Can't wait to hear more of your plans and especially to read your upcoming trip report and see how your family reacts. :thumbsup2

- Christine
 
That's cool that you pasted it onto a blog. I really like that idea!
Since you scrapbook, do you paper or digital scrapbook? I used to do paper and then I discovered Polaroid My Memories Suite scrapbooking and I am waaaay more addicted to scrapbooking than ever before. I have the 12x12 pages printed at Costco and then slide them right into my traditional scrapbooks along with the older pages that were not digital. So fun!

anyhoo...thanks for following along!

tell me more about the Polaroid My Memories Suite...I am seriously considering making the jump to digital scrapbooking, but I am not finding a good place/site with to make the jump!
 
I am excited about eating at Yak & Yeti too...mainly for the wonton dessert! When I did my whirlwind preplanning trip, we ended up skipping AK, so I have no idea what to expect! I have the entire day planned there for New Year's Eve...hoping that everyone else will want to celebrate NYE in a park and head for MK, DHS, and Epcot for the day...I don't plan to be ANYWHERE inside the other 3 parks that day and if we miss NYE fireworks so be it...if we want we can step out on the Boardwalk and see both DHS and Epcot at midnight...but really my plan is to be sleeping so we can hit the parks EARLY the next morning while everyone else is sleeping off NYE! :rotfl:

I :love: Tower of Terror...and plan to ride it as many times as I can. I really can't see the hype of Toy Story Mania...yes it is fun...but to kill myself at rope drop :scared1:!
 
I'm intrigued by the Polaroid My Memories Suite too....I had to check it out. Do you have the software or do you do the online version?

- Christine
 
So excited to get to talk about Polaroid My Memories! I adore the program and I am SERIOUSLY not a computer person which means it has to be very user friendly. It definitely is! The program used to be on an actual disc set that you would order from the website but I think now you can pay for it and downloads/uploads (whatever:lmao:) from their site. I think it's in the $40 range.
The best way to check it out is to look it up on youtube. There are quite a few tutorials on youtube that are great!! The program is just for scrapbookers and not like photoshop where it's just TOO much and too complicated. The initial program comes w/ tons and tons of digital "background papers", embellishments (digital buttons and flowers and such), lots of fonts, all sort of stuff. And if there is not enough digital stuff already, you can go to their website and buy more "papers" and things and it all automatically will download and "merge" into your program so that those items will be there when you are choosing things to design your page with. For example, the initial software probably doesn't have Disney themed papers and embelishments but you can find them online and buy them and add them into your program. Fun stuff!
The trick when doing the digital pages, is to add shadowing under your photos and embellishements and things and then when it prints, things look very 3-d and the graphics are great. I have the pages printed at Costco in 12x12 and then slide them right into my book. I think they look way better than my paper pages!
just go youtube it, easier than me trying to explain probably:thumbsup2
The fact is that I actually get pages done for my books now because it's easier to sit at my desk and use a nice neat program than to drag out the boxes of stamps and scissors and glue!
 
I'm intrigued by the Polaroid My Memories Suite too....I had to check it out. Do you have the software or do you do the online version?

- Christine

well, I haven't been online to their site in a long time so I'm not sure what they are offering. I actually have the physical disc set but that's because I bought it a couple years ago. They probably have a rinky dink trial that you can get online to test it. But...they also probably now offer the full version software that can be downloaded. If it's in the 40$ range, it's probably the one I have.
 
I just read this on allears and thought you might find it interesting:
Where Does The Music Come From?

Ha! this is a great article! I'll have to try to get David to read it, he's obsessed with speakers:rotfl:
He has a crazy knack for hearing every little tone and sound (he's very musical and plays guitar also). He's going to love the sound during parades and fireworks I'm sure!
Thanks for sending me this link!
 
Your day sounds great! That's how we've always done Disney. "Do what we want to do in the park then head to a water park or back to the resort or downtown!"

I think you'll find with the older kids that there's a good bit to do in DHS.. well I will always think of it as MGM.... There isn't much there for younger ones like my two year old. My mom and Joseph will probably stay and do more park the day we go, and I'll bring her back to the room for a nap.

We're also trying SciFi because we never have!

Sci Fi looks like a cool place, huh? Even if the food isn't good, that's ok! Hope you have a great time also:goodvibes

Sounds like a great day! I loooooooooove ToT! The theming is really out of this world (and I do love the elevator drops too). Next time you're there, look at the directory next to the out-of-service elevators (where the preshow is). There are letters missing from the board and it used to be that if you looked at the bottom, you could find the missing letters....
1894311150_dc6040f518.jpg


Unfortunately, I don't think it's there anymore :sad2:

No matter how many times I ride, I can never get over how cool the special effects are. I get giddy just thinking about it!

And I agree with you that ToT and RnRc are way better than TSMM! When I go with BF, we'll be running for a FP at RD with the masses but as soon as we get it we're heading straight for ToT and RnRc to ride as many times as we can while everyone else is at TSMM!

that's cool, about the directory. I'll certainly look for it! The one time I went on TOT there was no wait at all, so I really just buzzed right on through. The theming was awesome but I imagine I missed alot by not having to wait anywhere. Can't wait to do it again but once will definitely be enough. UGH on those drops!

Hey there

- I think anyone that thinks AK and DHS are either (A) oblivious to anything but rides or (B) Nuts. We spend two days @ AK each trip and have no problem filling them. And we don't ride Dinosaur either. (Too scary for DD, and I find it total bore.) Make sure to take the time to walk the trails and definitely see FotLK. The Nemo show gets mixed reviews, but it is a serious time eater (40 minutes long, plus typically 30 minutes to wait to get in), so if you aren't sure about it, save it until late in the day.

DHS: Our families least favorite park, and we don't typically spend a full day there...but I can't argue it is a 1/2 day park either, especially if you want to see the shows, and really most of them are pretty darn good. Our favorite is the Indiana Jones Stunt Show, I think even if your kids aren't familiar with the movies they would enjoy this. If you don't feel the need for multiple rides on TSM, then if you don't make rope drop, just have someone get the FPs and head for RnRC and Tot instead.

Yep, I sooooo want to wander the trails at AK! That is a must-do:cool1:

Hi! I'm joining in on the fun here. Your plans sound great!!! I'm so jealous you are staying at the Poly. I've always wanted to stay there. I am going in October with my boyfriend for his first trip - he thinks Disney is all for babies. He just doesn't know the fun he's in for! I can't wait to read about the rest of your plans - and then your trip!!
Hey, our guys are cut from the same cloth! David thinks we're going to a baby place too! boy will he be surprised:lmao:

HS plans sound great! :thumbsup2

ToT is my have at this park. I can't wait to ride this again (and again and again and again)!

I've only been on RnR once... this was last October. DH10 and I rode together, and I didn't think she got her bag and hat secured in the pouch very well... so I spent the entire ride worried her stuff was going to fall out, LOL! Thankfully everything stayed where it was. Hopefully I'll be able to enjoy the ride this trip!

We enjoyed our dinner at Sci-Fi back in '07... DH and I both had the ribs, and they were really good. Last year we did lunch at 50sPTC because I wanted to try something different... it was good, but my DDs said they wished we had gone back to Sci-Fi. So that's a definite for our next family trip!

Oh cool, I was wondering what to order there. I think someone else mentioned ribs from there too. I'm all over ribs! And a milkshake to wash them down!
p.s. yes, I hope you enjoy RR coaster this time. It is sooooo fun. That's how I feel about Space Mt. I want a re-do on that ride because the only time I did it, I had a complete spazz guy behind me that was verrrrrry distracting.

My family and I never take the recommended afternoon breaks. We never use the resort pools (well, my daughter did late a couple of nights at BC after the parks closed). We aren't commandos with a touring plan, but we go for the parks and we love the parks. When we need a break, we duck into a show or a restaurant and rest.

Not sure if that might change this time at the Poly, being so easy to get to and from MK and Epcot.

I loved Lights Motors Action when we finally got to see it last Sept. But it is very hard to fit into your park schedule. They only show it once or twice a day and it's kind-of a long walk and you want to get there about 20+ minutes early for a seat (they "sell out").

We do have park hoppers so it's not that we can't do a mid-day break. It's more that with the older kids, hopefully slower season, nice weather, than just stopping and eating and resting will be fine. I'd rather complete the park and then go back to Poly early and hang the rest of the day than to bounce back and forth probably. I think coming up on maybe day 5 or 6, we do go back mid-day though because we'll go to Extra Hours at MK one night and then another night just for Elec parade.
Ok, good to know those details about LightsMotor Action. I really haven't gone that far into my "research" to figure out how to plan the exact day out so that will be good to know to maybe work around that:thumbsup2

Joining in! I'm about halfway through you ptr and I am thoroughly entertained :)

Glad to hear it and glad to have you aboard:welcome:

I do full days at both parks, I have no issue riding something twice or just hanging on a bench watching people go by.

I am quite jealous of the ToC, I haven't even figured out how to edit the title of my PTR to show when I've updated.

We were on the fence about the Luau, but the price and the reviews turned it into a no, but I'm sure it will be fun, and at least your husband can't blame you since it was his idea.:rotfl:

Trust me, it's a miracle I figured out how to do the Table OF Contents! Thanks to my buddy here on Dis, she explained it so nice that even I got it right away. I'll help you out if you need it!

Just joining in and I love your plans so far. I'm sure that you're family will appreciate all of the hard work you're putting in to this vacation, at least they'd better! :rotfl:

My husband is the same way...very anti-Disney for absolutely no reason and he's never even been there!! I was forced into making a deal with him that would allow me to plan a future WDW vacation....we go to the World when our youngest is 5 (in 4 years!!) and he gets to go to a soccer match anywhere in the world. He thinks that my Disney obsession will pass before then but little does he know.....especially not since I've got the Dis to keep it going!

Can't wait to hear more of your plans and especially to read your upcoming trip report and see how your family reacts. :thumbsup2

- Christine

Thanks so much for following along!! Geez, another husband out there like mine. Darn right! My husband will "get it" once we get there. I'm sure of it. Not maybe as crazy as me, but he will definitely tell me it is waaaaay better than he imagined and I can't wait to hear him utter those words:banana:

I am excited about eating at Yak & Yeti too...mainly for the wonton dessert! When I did my whirlwind preplanning trip, we ended up skipping AK, so I have no idea what to expect! I have the entire day planned there for New Year's Eve...hoping that everyone else will want to celebrate NYE in a park and head for MK, DHS, and Epcot for the day...I don't plan to be ANYWHERE inside the other 3 parks that day and if we miss NYE fireworks so be it...if we want we can step out on the Boardwalk and see both DHS and Epcot at midnight...but really my plan is to be sleeping so we can hit the parks EARLY the next morning while everyone else is sleeping off NYE! :rotfl:

I :love: Tower of Terror...and plan to ride it as many times as I can. I really can't see the hype of Toy Story Mania...yes it is fun...but to kill myself at rope drop :scared1:!

Let's put it this way.....You will love AK. I'm just certain of it. I may have even been MOST impressed by AK of all the parks. You feel like you've been swept away and stuck in a different country and it's amazing.
 
Howdy! I just saw this thread and thought I'd pop in. It makes me wish I was planning a first-time trip to Disney World. I'm so excited for you guys!

At the same time, I'm so worried for you guys too! I haven't read all the posts so I don't know if anyone has cautioned you -- first timers can wear themselves out trying to do and see everything. Even people who've been a few times can do that. Don't feel like you have to "get your money's worth" and pack in absolutely everything. Every time I'm at the parks, I see cranky, tired, overwhelmed families. I've heard comments from people about how they went to WDW once and it was awful, don't know why anyone would go again, etc., all because they went in the middle of summer and tried to go commando. :scared1: WDW is HUGE. Think of it like a buffet; you can't eat it all. Remember you're on vacation. Go slow. If you miss something, or something goes wrong with your precision plans, just think of it as an excuse to return another year. :thumbsup2

Also, I don't know how your family is, but I ended up driving mine crazy with all the planning talk. I looove planning trips, especially to Disney. Finally, my husband and daughter both told me to shut up about it because they wanted a few surprises left when they got there. :lmao:

I can't wait to hear how things go for you and yours! It's gonna be a blast!
 
Howdy! I just saw this thread and thought I'd pop in. It makes me wish I was planning a first-time trip to Disney World. I'm so excited for you guys!

At the same time, I'm so worried for you guys too! I haven't read all the posts so I don't know if anyone has cautioned you -- first timers can wear themselves out trying to do and see everything. Even people who've been a few times can do that. Don't feel like you have to "get your money's worth" and pack in absolutely everything. Every time I'm at the parks, I see cranky, tired, overwhelmed families. I've heard comments from people about how they went to WDW once and it was awful, don't know why anyone would go again, etc., all because they went in the middle of summer and tried to go commando. :scared1: WDW is HUGE. Think of it like a buffet; you can't eat it all. Remember you're on vacation. Go slow. If you miss something, or something goes wrong with your precision plans, just think of it as an excuse to return another year. :thumbsup2

Also, I don't know how your family is, but I ended up driving mine crazy with all the planning talk. I looove planning trips, especially to Disney. Finally, my husband and daughter both told me to shut up about it because they wanted a few surprises left when they got there. :lmao:

I can't wait to hear how things go for you and yours! It's gonna be a blast!

Thanks and welcome on in!!

I honestly think we'll have plenty of relaxing time. We have pretty much 7 full days and the last one I don't have a single thing planned for yet, and a couple of them are sleep in days or get back to resort by 5pm ish or so to relax all evening. Also...with the kids being older, life is so much more simpler than those good ol' stroller days! I've also told myself over and over that it is impossible to do it all so I'm prepared to leave some things behind. By not having to deal with characters, we'll probably save lots of time with that. (haha, watch my husband have a secret character obsession that finally comes out when we get to Disney!). Also, staying at the Poly will be great because it's so close in case we do need a nap time! :cloud9:

That's funny that your family wants you to zip it up too! I get eye rolls and "MOM!" all the time as soon as the word "Disney" rolls off my tongue.
 
Ok, I have to check out that Polaroid program!! :cool1: I do traditional & digital scrapbooking, but I haven't ever printed a page!! I can't find somewhere that will do true 12x12. We don't have Costco, only Sam's an hour away. :scared1:

We loved Sci-Fi & 5O's Prime Time. I think my kids all got burgers at Sci-Fi, but I had some sort of steak. Not sure what it was, but it had blue cheese on it. YUMMY!!

I agree about AK. We love it!! :hug: We liked DHS, too, but MK is still my favorite. You really have to plan at DHS for the shows. We got in at the back of Indiana Jones & had to stand. We got seats for Beauty & the Beast, but they weren't very good. I'd love to be closer next time. And we totally missed The Little Mermaid!!

On the break thing, I think you'll be ok. Your kids are older, so they can handle it. We went too long on some days for our kids. "Just one more thing" can get you!! ;) However, I did plan most of our ADRs for lunch instead of dinner. It gave us a break in the air conditioning during the heat of the day. Some days we made it back into the parks after our break, some days we just went to DTD for dinner. It worked for us, even with our kids being little! :thumbsup2
 
So excited to get to talk about Polaroid My Memories! I adore the program and I am SERIOUSLY not a computer person which means it has to be very user friendly. It definitely is! The program used to be on an actual disc set that you would order from the website but I think now you can pay for it and downloads/uploads (whatever:lmao:) from their site. I think it's in the $40 range.
The best way to check it out is to look it up on youtube. There are quite a few tutorials on youtube that are great!! The program is just for scrapbookers and not like photoshop where it's just TOO much and too complicated. The initial program comes w/ tons and tons of digital "background papers", embellishments (digital buttons and flowers and such), lots of fonts, all sort of stuff. And if there is not enough digital stuff already, you can go to their website and buy more "papers" and things and it all automatically will download and "merge" into your program so that those items will be there when you are choosing things to design your page with. For example, the initial software probably doesn't have Disney themed papers and embelishments but you can find them online and buy them and add them into your program. Fun stuff!
The trick when doing the digital pages, is to add shadowing under your photos and embellishements and things and then when it prints, things look very 3-d and the graphics are great. I have the pages printed at Costco in 12x12 and then slide them right into my book. I think they look way better than my paper pages!
just go youtube it, easier than me trying to explain probably:thumbsup2
The fact is that I actually get pages done for my books now because it's easier to sit at my desk and use a nice neat program than to drag out the boxes of stamps and scissors and glue!

Dang I wish I had a costco...they have a 12x12 size? I am going to have to check other print companies and see who else has a 12 x 12 size. I so love 12x12.
 
Ok, I have to check out that Polaroid program!! :cool1: I do traditional & digital scrapbooking, but I haven't ever printed a page!! I can't find somewhere that will do true 12x12. We don't have Costco, only Sam's an hour away. :scared1:

Do you have Creative Memories?? they do BEAUTIFUL books.. which you can do all on your own.
 














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