Evening Entertainment - with kids

[IceQueen]

I have drawn up a basic itinery for our trip but am stuck about what to do in the evenings - anyone have any ideas. We don't want to get back from the parks and just loll around at the hotel every night.

Date Activity / Park
Tuesday 22nd April Arrive pm - see BIL & SIL
Wednesday 23rd April SeaWorld
Thursday 24th April Gatorland am - (friends arrive pm)
Friday 25th April Magic Kingdom
Saturday 26th April Shopping / Pool park
Sunday 27th April Animal Kingdom
Monday 28th April MGM Studios
Tuesday 29th April Shopping (Virgin spree?)
Wednesday 30th April FREE DAY
Thursday 1st May EPCOT
Friday 2nd May Back to Favourite Park
Saturday 3rd May Check out us (11.00am)TBA
Sunday 4th May Check Out (friends) (11.00am)

I have heard Disney have evening parades/fireworks, anyone know what parks and what days? We have hopper tickets so we can go back to a park in the vening to watch a parade and not use up an extra day, is this the case. Sorry, so many questions and so little time.... HELP

Sarah

 

[Madjock]

Sarah,

We enjoyed Down Town Disney in the evenings. I don't know how old your kids are but they had a little train ride and a carousel and they have a great lego site where you can sit down and let the kids play with the lego, and then of course you have the shops to wander in and out of. The atmosphere at DTD is very chilled and enjoyable.

We also loved the Boardwalk at the weekends where they had street entertainers and it was great to wander up and down then grab an ice cream and sit back and enjoy.

We also played mini golf on ID one evening which was great fun and took us a while, I think it was called something like Pirates Cove, it was definitely Pirates something.

Annmarie

 

[jwhiting]

Yes it is called Pirates Cove and it is great fun.

Why not try the Disney alternative at Fantasia Gardens (I think that is what it is called, I'll have to have a look in Simon's book).

I gather it's quite near the Swan hotel.

Animatronics and neat little tunes if you do a good shot.

Sounds excellent !!!

Julian

p.s. Downtown Disney is fantastic as well.

 

[richard3330]

Totally agree on the mini golf.

The courses in Orlando are great - I agree Pirates Cove is fantastic, as are the 2 Disney ones (one themed after Summer and one themed after winter).

I also agree that DTD is a great place to spend the evenings - there is lots to do. The atmosphere at The Boardwalk is lovely too.

Also, if you are near Universal then Citywalk is a great place to spend an evening with its array of shops, restaurants and bars.

Have a look at the WDW website for an opening times plan with details on which days and at which parks parades are on.

Have a great trip.

Richard.

 

[signtalker]

At MK they do whats called "Fantasy in the sky(FITS), usually about 9.00/10.00 not sure what times these would be on the dates you are visiting, this is not to be missed an excellent firework display, again at MK spectro a parade of characters and marvellous lighting(again you would have to check on whether that would be running).

MGM have fantasmic, which, I can honestly say is my favourite, to get good seats you need to be sitting yourself down a good hour or more before the show, this is set on the small lake(?), and is a mixture of special effects and mickey mouse, and other characters this starts at 9.00, you can do a fantasmic dinner package for this where you eat at one of the restaurants, and have specially reserved seats(so no queing or sitting to get a numb bum!!)

At epcot they have the illuminations9.00, well worth a look, and if you book a table at the rose and crown pub for 7.30 and ask for a patio table you will get an excellent view.

Hope this helps.

Jules

 

[Disney owl]

Another vote for Fantasmic atMGM also loved the fire works at Epcot.

My kids also enjoye d swimming in the pool at night, though we wre in a villa so could go in anytime. This will depend on your hotel.

 

[peewakio]

I agree with fantasmic. If you pre-book a meal at one of a number of the MGM restaurants you will be give priority seating so you won't need to queue for hours for a decent seat (get ready for the mexican wave).

If you are staying on or near International Drive, XLs at the Pointe is good for the kids. It has about 40 simulators (gol, motor racing etc) so the kids can play on them til they drop. And you can have a decent night with the other half as well. Its pretty expensive at $25 each for unlimited use so it mounts up if you have a few kids, but what the hell your on holiday.

 

[Dimplenose]

What about a meal at one of the Disney Hotels? There are character dinners at some. We went to Wispering Canyon Cafe at Wilderness lodge one evening, not a character meal but plenty of fun for the kids - my 8 year old loved it.

Libby