First time and I got airmiles

[prosperosbks]

Hello. Despite the economic downturn it looks like that this year for the first time I will be able to take my wife and daughter to WDW. Last Disney type trip was to DLParis on the Eurostart and 4 nights at NY NY Hotel. Before that 30 years ago I went to DL Ca.

Anyway for the first trip (2 weeks) I suspect we wont get much further than the Disney Parks themselves or should I also plan to do another park (swimming with Dolphins is something my 9yo would like to do) Possibly a side trip to the Space center also.

I am not sure I want to drive out there (although I can hold my own against Greek drivers)

I suspect I want to stay in one of the Disney hotels with consierge service.

Is it easy to get to all the Disney parks from these hotels?

The disney hotels seem quite a bit more expensive. Are they worth the
extra? Should I be looking to get the free dining.

Is better value to be had at other hotels.

Will 2 weeks of "total Micky be too much." Should I make sure I spend time at other parks.

Will anyone take airmiles. I got about 5000.

My 9yo daughter absolutley loves water parks. Will Typhoon Lagoon and the other one satisfy or will she be boared after 1 day.

I am quite happy to stich together a holiday myself rather than a Travel Agent. Any good tips to be had

Many thanks for your help.

 

[WiganTony]

Hi and welcome,

From our experiences:

I am not sure I want to drive out there (although I can hold my own against Greek drivers)

Driving is fairly easy out in Florida - DW has also driven on a few occasions (not that I am in any way impying she is no good at driving!!). Note that if you do book a package deal, be very careful of the additional insurnace charges - it can often be cheaper to rent your own car before you go and simply not pick up the "package" car.

I suspect I want to stay in one of the Disney hotels with consierge service.
Is it easy to get to all the Disney parks from these hotels?

All Disney hotels have transport to the theme/water parks and Downtown Disney. If you are planning to spend the majority of your time at Disney, may be worth considering not renting a car. However, public transport from Disney is limited to getting to Seaworld, I Drive, Florida Mall and Kissimmee. If you do rent a car, parking is free at the theme parks (saving you $14 per visit).

The disney hotels seem quite a bit more expensive. Are they worth the
extra? Should I be looking to get the free dining. Is better value to be had at other hotels.

Difficult to say. As an example, you can probably get a decent standard of accommodation for around £50/night (hotel/apartment/possibly a villa) outside of Disney.

However, if you take into account free Disney Dining offers, then this is worth around £20A/£10C per night, so for your party of 3 (assume DD is under 10) you would be getting £50 Quick Service dining free for paying £100/night for a moderate resort (or check if offer still on for Old Key West/Saratoga Springs - currently £100/night for a studio but with DDP so even greater savings).

Will 2 weeks of "total Micky be too much." Should I make sure I spend time at other parks.

Possibly (although many may disagree)!! Would suggest that you do visit Seaworld, possibly take three or four days out to visit the Disney waterparks, a beach etc etc. When we first visited in 2005, we only used 4 days Disney theme park admissions on our ticket, and used the remaining three days up over Easter last year.

Will anyone take airmiles. I got about 5000.

If you mean the Airmiles Company, you could try looking for flights but I suspect you may struggle to find miles+money flights for peak holiday dates this year.

My 9yo daughter absolutley loves water parks. Will Typhoon Lagoon and the other one satisfy or will she be boared after 1 day.

Our DD (age 11 now) absolutely loves the water parks. We tend to use these as rest days so have a lie-in and get there mid-morning, then stay until we get restless (or have a dinner reservation to get to!!. You could also split a water park day with some shopping if desperate

Hope the above helps.

 

[fuse04]

Welcome to DIS

I don't think there is any chance of dd being bored with the water parks, these are as big as the normal theme parks. It is easy to trvale between the Disney parks as Disney have an extensive free transport net work of Bus, monorail and baot, the latter two are fun in themselves. We don't usually have a car but this isn;t a porblem as there are cabs and also Mears operate a shuttle service between Disney and all the other major attaractions, used to be $16 pp retrun but it might now be $18. Whilst we like Disney we also like going to other parks such as Seaworld, universal, Discovery cove and Busch Gardens.

We stay on site which is much more expensive than staying outside the world. However we like being in Disney all the time (resort theming is superb) and not just visiting for the day, there is the free Disney transport and it allows us to maximise our time....completely stress free. Again with food it is chepaer to eat off site but disney do have some great restaurants and the free DDP will save you a packet (we have free DDP in August)

 

[prosperosbks]

I am sure someone must have done a "how to" video at disney. Can any recommend a good one at YouTube etc.? I talking like how you settle into your rooms,visit the parks. handle ticket entry and stuff liket that?

 

[disney_princess_85]

I am sure someone must have done a "how to" video at disney. Can any recommend a good one at YouTube etc.? I talking like how you settle into your rooms,visit the parks. handle ticket entry and stuff liket that?

I've never come across such a video. You will be able to find all the information you need on the Dis, via the search function or through the advice of other members. By the way, it's customary to thank people when they take the time to help you, as WiganTony and fuse04 did.

 

[prosperosbks]

I surely do thank all of you. Please forgive me.
But I had not thought our correspondance was over yet and would have entended my thanks at the end.

Thank you for your reminder that I should be more curteous.

 

[disney_princess_85]

I surely do thank all of you. Please forgive me.
But I had not thought our correspondance was over yet and would have entended my thanks at the end.

Thank you for your reminder that I should be more curteous.

No problem!

Everyone is very helpful here, it's a great community. A first visit to WDW can seem very daunting as there is so much to take in. I went for the first time in 2008 and I just read loads of information (mainly on here) before I went. I suggest that you start your research by having a general look around the site, maybe focusing on trip reports to get a feel of how other people do it.

As for your query whether two weeks at Disney will be too much Mickey- well, I didn't know that existed! Seriously though, there is so much to do other than WDW in Orlando. It just depends on what you want to get out of your first trip really.

 

[higgy66]

We spent 2 weeks at WDW last October with a 6 & 5 year old and we never strayed from Disney. So much to do and see and also with children you have to take it at there pace and not rush around to fit everything in.

We spent a couple of days at the water parks and the odd afternoon by the pool due to the heat and at the end of 2 weeks there was so much we hadn't managed to see.

We used Disney transport throughout and it was great - you just need to plan abit more if going from hotel resort to hotel resort as the busses are not direct so you need to go via a park. On the odd occassion when eating out at night at the various resorts we got the bus there and a cab back.

We plan to go back next year and will still only do Disney but we will add seaworld this time.

I think we'll leave the other parks until they girls are older so they can enjoy the bigger rides!

 

[WiganTony]

I am sure someone must have done a "how to" video at disney. Can any recommend a good one at YouTube etc.? I talking like how you settle into your rooms,visit the parks. handle ticket entry and stuff liket that?

Not sure if this is what you want, but Disney do their own free planning DVD. You can order one from their website (www.disneyworld.com).