Complete beginner for Disneyworld Florida!

[Rosabelle]

Hi all, I'm a bit lost as to where to post this so admin feel free to move if I'm in the wrong place .
I've been to DLRP 5 times, I've a little insignificant birthday next July 2016 (I'll be 40 eeeek!) so I've sort of decided to have a blow out 2 week trip to WDW Florida! However I haven't a notion where to even begin so could some kind member direct me to the starting point please? Re acvomodation, flights from Ireland, tickets etc.
thanking you all in advance
Rosie

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

I would suggest you get yourself a copy of the Brits guide, probably the best 12 quid or so you will spend.
Coming from DLPR to WDW, is like going from the corner shop to a supermarket. The 2 parks may be familiar but you could spend 14 days here and never see it all.
It is truly massive, and that's not even including Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld, Aqauatica, Busch Gardens or even a trip to the coast or Kennedy Space Centre.

My first tip would be to determine whether you want on site or off site, and then when you can go with regards to booking the flights, and take it from there.

 

[LiquidSunshine]

Agree with the PP.

Start first with where you want to stay - on or off site. On site, take a look at booking direct with Disney, the offer for next year is currently running until this October.

Look at where else you want to explore. Universal, Busch Gardens, Sea World, Discovery Cove, beaches, Kennedy Space Center etc. There is so much to see & do! Take a look at sites like Florida Tix for ticket prices for all the major attractions.

Flights from Ireland - Dublin offers the pre-clearance for immigration, saves having to do it on the other side. Airlines such as Aer Lingus also fly direct to Orlando from Dublin. Take a look at comparison sites like Skyscanner for prices.

 

[Rosabelle]

Thanks so much for the starting point guys
We've always stayed onsite in Paris, my daughter has sp. needs and is a w/chair user and we find the closeness of the hotels a big plus, it's much easier for us to be able to walk to the parks instead of cramming on and off buses. I wonder would it be the same at WDW? If the on site hotels are all a bus ride anyway, then we might as well be off site. but then with the free dining and extra 7 days offer......

My ideal trip is 7-10 days for the parks, haven't decided which ones yet but Def WDW ! and then I'd like to head down to the Keys for another week of r&r . There'll definitely be 5 in my group, me, my mam and my three children aged 22, 12 and 5. I'm hoping to meet up with my brother and his family who is travelling from China.

Is there another forum you'd recommend for me to go get started on? I never realised how big Disboards are till I ventured out of the Paris Trip Board

thanks everyone

 

[LiquidSunshine]

Thanks so much for the starting point guys
my daughter has sp. needs and is a w/chair user and we find the closeness of the hotels a big plus, it's much easier for us to be able to walk to the parks instead of cramming on and off buses. I wonder would it be the same at WDW? If the on site hotels are all a bus ride anyway, then we might as well be off site. but then with the free dining and extra 7 days offer......
Is there another forum you'd recommend for me to go get started on? I never realised how big Disboards are till I ventured out of the Paris Trip Board

thanks everyone

The buses at WDW are very good. They have been adapted for wheelchair users i.e. room for manoeuvring and if my memory serves me correctly, dedicated space for wheelchair users & seat belts. The buses also raise up and down and the drivers assist (there are ramps the drivers will put in place).

The Disney website appears to have lots of useful info for wheelchair users, but this may help with regards to the buses to and from the parks.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/guests-with-disabilities/wheelchair-buses/

I find the UK Trip Planning Forum a great place for Q&As, and picking up tips. I also venture to the Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies forum, but prefer here.

 

[Rosabelle]

thank you I'll check that out now

 

[micksn]

I went for my 40th in 2008 for a once in a lifetime trip and have now been four times! Staying onsite is great for access to the 4 Disney parks and 2 water parks. Booking with free dining gives you great flexibility to try all the restaurants including character dining. Have a look at the official website for an idea of prices for different resorts next July. Although we have visited Universal for one day trips we find there is plenty to do at WDW to fill a 2 week break. It's always cheaper to book resort/ticket/dining package seperately from the flight. We tend to book our package direct with Disney. Have a look at www.allears.net for an idea of resorts and dining. I would recommend the unofficial guide for 2016 which will come out in August as a really good guide book.
Have fun planning!

 

[Rosabelle]

Haha I think I'll be the same as you with some return trips!

Ok I think it's on site I need. Somewhere nice, maybe the equivalent of the Sequoia Lodge in Paris, that's our fav . Sure we can always head off out to Universal to give my Harry Potter fan his fix. However I'm thinking August would now be best having read that thread about the tour groups who go about yelling & chanting. That would terrify my daughter with sp. needs & anytime they approached would result in a nightmare meltdown for us to deal with. So if I can avoid it I will.
Thanks for all the help so far , I really appreciate it

 

[micksn]

Sounds like a good plan. If your daughter is little and has additional needs I would recommend Port Orleans French Quarter as a nicely priced moderate resort. It's smaller than the other moderates and is easy to get about. The rooms are in separate buildings (think the lodges at Sequoia) It has the river where you can use the boat to get to DTD and it has a nice pool. Your next price up would be a studio at OKW or Saratoga which are both deluxe villa resorts and offer good value for money with the uk discount and full dining plan included. After that it would be Animal Kingdom Lodge or the Wilderness Lodge - The Sequioa Lodge is most similar to the Wilderness Lodge in its theme, but it is far superior for its rooms and amenities. If you book before 20th Oct for 2016 you will get free dining, 100 dollar gift card and memory maker (photo package) included.

 

[kizzle]

Not sure how it works at Disney Paris

But if your staying at Disney World take advantage of https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/

You can book 3 fastpasses each for rides 60 days in advance (staying at disney) 30 days (outside of disney)

also if you plan to eat in restaurants at Disney you can make reservations 180 days in advance

I used Memory maker last year through https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ cost roughly £110 but was really good (maybe because I took way too many photos lol) anyway with memory maker all your ride photos are free, you scan your card (or magic band if you link it) and done, not just for rides but you get photos as you walk around the parks and they make you do funny poses and add extra magic to the photos and does create some fun memories. Worth it if your able to split the cost in your party.

 

[Rosabelle]

Ok those hotels seem far more reasonable than what I was looking at. I priced 10 days at the Polynesian with park tickets for 5, "free" dining, $100 gift card & free memory maker & it was over €7,000 without flights

Thanks for the pre booking tip re dining, I will definitely do that! I do enjoy researching the restaurants just as much as everything else I love the sound of that memory maker! Sounds amazing!

In DLP we're not usually allowed to use fp's with dd. we get an easy access pass which allows us in through the exits and usually ahead of most q's. I'm assuming it will be the same set up at WDW too.
Thanks guys

 

[LiquidSunshine]

I would recommend Port Orleans French Quarter

I will second Port Orleans French Quarter.

It is the smallest & quietest of the Disney resorts and is classed as a moderate. It is lovely to walk around, it is beside the river, where you can take the boats down to Downtown Disney (soon to be renamed Disney Springs). It is also a 10min stroll along the river to Port Orleans Riverside - bigger resort.

 

[micksn]

If your are looking at French Quarter or other moderates it would be worth you upgrading to the Disney Dining Plan rather than the Quick service plan that's included. That way you get a table service meal per night stay which includes all the character meals.

 

[micksn]

Just noticed that you said for 5 people? The only moderates that sleep 5 are Port Orleans Riverside and Carribean Beach resort. You could get a 1 bedroom appartment at Old Key West which sleeps 5 and has lots of space, but it costs more!

 

[scoobydooby]

Buy and read the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. Better than the Brits Guide IMO x50. I could give a detailed reply, but I promise this is the best advice I could possibly give you even 10 trips in myself. Happy planning

 

[Rosabelle]

Yep 5 people but we can be split into 2 rooms. We are usually told to stay in the adapted rooms as soon as I mention dd & her w/chair. Last trip they wouldn't let me book two standard rooms at the SL & insisted I take adapted rooms at the SF :-(. These are two rooms interconnecting that sleep up to 6.
I cannot wait to buy that guide

 

[BagOLaughs]

Don't forget that WDW is huge! The area that Disney owns is the same size as Manhattan (if Wikipedia is to be believed)

So leave 1hr to get between parks/hotels/downtown disney etc.

On average I found it took between 30 - 45 mins to get around but sometimes you have to wait for a bus and other times there are other issues.

The Disney website advises that you leave 1hr 30 mins travel time for dinner reservations, which is fine for "worse case senario"

 

[Jon84]

For a UK comparison, think the size of Manchester!

We scrapped a Garden Grill reservation by the skin of our teeth due to bad weather and slow busses, we'd allowed an hour from POR to Epcot

 

[Rosabelle]

For a UK comparison, think the size of Manchester!

We scrapped a Garden Grill reservation by the skin of our teeth due to bad weather and slow busses, we'd allowed an hour from POR to Epcot