Confused newbie...is there a guide for dummies?

[hopetoseedisney]

I've never been to WDW, and my husband surprised me yesterday by telling me that he wants to take our two children (son will be 5 and daughter will be 7) December 6-14, with two days on each end to travel (so actual dates for WDW would be Dec 8-12). We do not do water parks, and we prefer to stick with the various Disney properties since this is our first visit. My husband is the only one of us who rides roller coasters. None of us have been to WDW and do not know much about it. I would greatly appreciate it if you can either point me to threads relating to newbies' first trips or various other issues such as how much I can expect this trip to cost us, if there are discounts for airline employees (and if it's worth it to use them or not), and any other tips for first time trips to WDW. We think at this point we will probably just purchase 4 day park hopper passes, and we will do two days in various parks, and take a day off before spending the last two days in parks as well. I ordered the deluxe passporter (got it for $27 shipped at amazon), and I also have the Birnbaums guide for this year. Some other questions off the top of my head...
Is there a list of rides for those under 40"?
How do you keep things dry in your backpack if you ride a water type ride?
I wear glasses, do any of the rides request that you remove your glasses?
Where is the cheapest place (but nicest) to stay during our visit? (we were considering the Animal Kingdom Lodge because our children love to see animals - can you really watch them from your balcony?)
I'm sure there are other questions, but I'm so overwhelmed that I'm not sure where else to start?

 

[dgaston]

Welcome to the DIS! These boards will be a good resource for you. I'll try to highlight a few of your questions and others will have more answers, I'm sure.

A lot of people feel a week is good length of time for a first trip. Just remember that no one sees everything-that's why so many of us keep going back for the magic.

Both Disney water parks and coasters are very special. You may change your opinion of some of those. My DH loves to spend a lot of time floating in a tube at either BB or TL. And most of the coasters are pretty mild. It's those tea cups that get me in trouble!

A great source for discount information is Mary Waring's www.mousesavers.com I use this all the time, and find it to be very helpful.

I also use the Passporter. That will answer a lot of your questions. When the search function is working here, you could look for first trip and see what comes up.

AK would be a great place to stay, but pricey. You might look at the moderates (POR, CBR, and CSR). I think staying onsite for a first visit is great.

Learn about how to make PS (Disney talk for reservations) for character breakfasts.

Even on Kali River Rapids, stuff in the center hasn't gotten too wet. Don't know about glasses, but my 21 yo DS lost a baseball hat on BTMRR. (He knew everything and wouldn't listen to Mom!)

Have fun planning!

 

[Saffron]

I'll try to help a little.

First of all, if you want to know about Walt Disney World (WDW) resorts, go to the Resorts boards here. They can answer any and every question for you, from which room has the best view to which is the quietest, etc. The least expensive resorts on Disney property are the All Star resorts -- All Star Sports, All Star Music and All Star Movies. They are very popular with children your age. They are VERY Disney themed. While the rooms are the smallest on property, they will be a great fit for a family your size. All three have food courts and free bus transportation to the parks. (All resorts have free transportation to the parks.) The buses run almost continuously while the parks are open. One more thing about the resorts -- all of them are quality resorts. While some rooms may be smaller and the amenities may be different, the quality of the rooms, the staff, the atmosphere and the safety of the resorts are the same! Everyone has their preferences and different expericences, but you just can't beat a Disney resort. They are all excellent, no matter what price range you pick.

I don't do coasters at all, period. nadda, nope, not gonna do them. But -- I love WDW! There is so much for everyone to do, that I just can't fit everything I want to do in one trip! You will have a blast! For any and all information about rides or touring the parks, visit the Theme Park Attractions and Strategy board here.

To keep your back pack dry -- line your back back with a super large freezer bag and zip tight before going on any water rides. That should help. Anything you are really worried about, wrap in indivdual plastic bags. For tips like that, visit the Tips board here.

For a height chart, someone is bound to have one, or know where to find a list for those under 40" rides. Ask at the Theme Park Attractions and Strategy board.

As far as your glasses go, no, you'll never have to take them off, but you may want to secure them with one of those holders that go around your neck, because you may need to take them on or off during the 3-D movies, I'm not sure. Or if you're on a faster or bumpier ride, you may just want to know they're secure. You can not miss the 3-D movies! You will love them! They give you special 3-D glasses before you enter the theaters. You may be able to slip them on over your glasses, or you may want to take your glasses off. You can ask this question on the Attraction and Strategy board.

About the plane tickets, I have no clue, but you can ask on the Transportation board.

Click Here for another great information site. This site includes all the menus from every resort and every park, so between the guides you bought, these boards and that site for the menus, you should be able to figure what your budget will need to be. Once you find a restaurant that sounds interesting, come back to our Restrauant board and ask about it!

Have fun planning, it's almost as fun as being there! LOL!

If you're not sure where to ask a question, just come on over to the Community Board here and someone will help you or point you in the right direction. Or just come on over to relax and have some fun.

Have fun planning! I'm very excited for you!

Maggie

 

[beansmom]

WOW! I am soooo jealous...nothing like the first time!!

You have come to the absolute BEST source for Disney info. I bought tons and tons of guidebooks but none of them gave me an iota of the info I gleaned from this and wdwig.com.

I would buy a guidebook (at halfprice or on ebay cheap if possible). It's nice to have one. Look through several but they are all basically the same.

It would be a bit easier to help if you could tell us how much you WANT to spend. When my dh, dd and I go, we plan on $5k...we have no desire to be frugal on vacation! But last time, we brought home $1200 of that 5k. This time I'm hoping to really only spend about $3200.

You are gonna have the best old time!!

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Also visit THIS SITE for some more great Disney tips. They have a great transportation wizard that shows you how to get from one place to another at Disney. You can find the transportation wizard under the resort link. If you have any other questions just let us know. Have fun planning!!

~~~Denise

 

[bigs1923t]

For a family with small children I would recommend a cabin Fort Wilderness. They have a bedroom, full kitchen & living room. You still have full housekeeping services each day. The cost is about the same as a deluxe hotel but in the long run it comes out cheaper. You dont have to go out to breakfast everyday which helps in getting ready to go with children. You can eat dinners there if you want but we dont as a rule. The campground has lots of things for kids to do. There is a sing along with an outside movie each night. You can rent a golf cart for your stay and use it to "cruise" in the campground. They are also handy to have waiting for you when you return from the magic Kingdom late at night with tired kids.

 

[ceecee]

Buy the Birnbaum's books and there's even one for kids. My DD started looking at it when she was 4 and she still does at 7 before our trips. You can plan out some things you definately want to do to maximize your park time. It is full of tips and fear factor ratings for various rides. It also has hotels and restaurants. It was a great source of info for us, I read every book I could on Disney. Reading these boards will help too, but it gets addicting.

 

[crazymomof4]

Did you order the free video from Disney yet? If not call 1(407)-W-DISNEY or go on their website at: disneyworld.com to order one. I think they refer to it as a "vacation planning video".

 

[robinb]

hopetoseedisney,

Welcome to DIS!!!

You should check the airline discount rates. My father worked for United and got the Beach Club (a deluxe resort) for under $100 per night a couple of years ago.

There is plenty to do for kids under 40", but are your kids that short? My 3 1/2 year old is almost 40" and we're hoping to take her on Splash Mountain in December.

Good luck ... and you found a great place to get your questions answered . Just look at the different boards and choose the right one to ask the question and you'll be fine!

 

[buzz2400]

My son was 5 when he first went to WDW. We had to rent a stroller every day. If you need to save money, buy a cheap one before you go and bring it along. It will save you a lot of money in the long one. A five year old gets tired very fast. There is a lot of walking to do. Also if you are tight on money, stay at the All Star Movies. It is themed very nice and geared towards young children. Also you can go to your local library for tour guides. Read all of them for free and then buy the one you like the most. About glasses. I wear glasses also. When I go on any ride that I might lose them, I take them off and put them in my fanny pack. That way I don't have to worry about losing them. (Big fear of mine because I am blind without them). About water rides, bring a ziploc bag and put anything you don't want to get wet in it. That way if your backpack gets wet you don't have to worry. The Kali Rapids at Animal Kingdom does have a storage unit in the middle where you can stow your things. And like someone said before, if you have any questions, just post. I have found that everyone on this board if very helpful. Hope you have a terrific trip.

 

[hopetoseedisney]

Honestly, I was hoping to spend around $2500 or so. We haven't started saving money yet (thought hubby doesn't know I have a small secret stash), but wanted to be sure it was a goal we could acheive with the short amount of time we have to save. Also, we planned on using the money that we would normally purchase the kids' Christmas and Birthday presents, and use that towards our trip. Our trip is going to be the family Christmas present. And, if anyone asked what to get the kids for their birthdays (both in the summer), then we were going to tell them disney dollars. And, I like to bargain shop, so I planned on picking up all sorts of disney items for the kids to have goodie bags, and wasn't going to purchase a lot of souveniers (sp?) while there - they have enough stuff, and Christmas is right around the corner (Santa will still bring them some gifts too). There used to be some really good rates for airline employees, but since 9-11 and now with pending war, the economy is not doing so well, and a lot of companies have dropped the discount or made it unappealing by offering a higher price than I can get with general discounts. One question comes to mind....is anyone concerned about making these plans when we might be on the brink of a war??? I guess what I'm asking is if I should wait a while before being concerned about the smaller details, and just work on the major issues (such as how we are getting there, where we are staying, etc.). Thanks again for the warm welcome. I'm an information hog, so whatever you can send my way is great!

 

[pamlet]

If you or hubbie are an airline employee call the Disney Res Center. They may very well offer airline rates. I know they offer the travel agent rate

Good luck! Y'all are going to have a great time!

 

[crazymomof4]

hopetoseedisney~ Welcome to the boards!!

One question comes to mind....is anyone concerned about making these plans when we might be on the brink of a war???

I am just about to totally commit to this trip- purchasing over $1300. in WDW php tickets and yes, the threat of war has definately crossed my mind. I keep remembering something I heard right after 9/11, that the terrorists had WDW listed as another potential target. Probably just a rumor. Since then I read an article by Mary Waring of mousavers.com (another great site!) addressing this topic. Her words about Disney security were very reassuring. I'll try to find that and post it here. ( Will have to be later. Right now my kids are screaming for breakfast.) I'm glad you posted this question. I'll be looking for other's thoughts and feelings on this topic.

 

[Selket]

I'm also planning a trip to WDW the same week you are (though that could change) and my first choice so far for hotels is the animal kingdom lodge. You might want to consider that in December it could be too cold to do much swimming - or it could be perfectly nice - you just never know that time of year. I also recommend buying ASAP the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. Great info in there on the rides. I second the suggestion to go to the WDW website and order their video - or DVD if you have a DVD player. I just got the DVD yesterday and it is great. I've been to WDW several times but my son who is 5 really enjoyed watching it. There is a great segment on the AKLodge which will answer your questions about can you see animals off the balcony!

Hopefully there will be codes out for that time of year for discounts on the AKL - perhaps down to $119 + tax for a standard room - I think that is what some folks got it for last December. Also there will be Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party going on at night (which costs extra). You can find info about that at http://www.wdwig.com The crowds should be light this time of year so I think it will be a great time to go - it is just miserable (in my opinion) to go when the parks are crowded and you spend all day standing in lines.

Enjoy!
Carol G

 

[donnsuz]

Ok, maybe I'm being sappy with the war and everything else in the world going on...BUT...How Cool Is This?!?!? Lots of people are taking time out of their lives to talk to a complete stranger about something they love and how to acheive it so she and her family can love it too Let's face it. In the grand scheme of things our trips to Disney World aren't really that important but how wonderful that we live in a world where we have the time, and the money (okay, when we pinch pennies really hard), and the freedom and ability to go some place so happy, and fun, and family oriented as Disney.

 

[BethR]

Very nice sentiments donnsuz. We are so lucky to have the DIS!

 

[bridgettesmom]

They do offer an airline employee discount it's around 40-50% off.It is more or less what they offer to the general public using"codes",except, that you can book your room ahead of time before these codes are out to the public.

If you find you are stretching your budget by staying at AKL the whole trip,maybe,you can split your stay with a moderate.

If you stay at AKL don't forget to make your priority seating at Boma for a unique "buffet experience.

If you go to www.disney.com and go their park section you will see the height requirement listed for the rides.

Hope this helps!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Actually, they do have a WDW Guide for Dummies (the Dummies series) but it is so full of errors, that I would never buy it again.