First time going ... please help!

[Love4Travel]

Quite a few firsts for me here. First time on this board, first time going to FL and first time ever going to WDW! Me and my DFi are going for 7 days, 6 nights, September 14-20 for a friend's birthday. We're staying at the WL, while 2 of our friends are staying at CBR and the other 2 have not decided yet. I'm the only one in our WHOLE group who plans anything. I get way, way too stressed out if I don't have some sort of plan and idea of things to pack and do. That's what's got me in such a stressed position now. I've got our hotel already booked, I'm buying our tickets from UT along with the tickets for IoA since we're going to go there for 1 day. We're driving down from NC to FL so I don't have to worry about airplane tickets. What's really stressing me is where to eat, we're not doing a dining plan, and which rides to definitely ride, what to definitely do. My DFi wants to golf and go to Epcot, so I'm going to make a golf reservation for him. What I'm needing help with is what to pack/bring and places to eat.

I already made the reservation for my friend's birthday for all 6 of us at the Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney because she said that was where she wanted to eat. I bought a small crossbody bag to carry in the parks so I can keep my tickets, cash, etc. in there. So please help me out, any and ALL tips are much needed!

 

[MHSweb79]

Now, take a deep breath. You are going during a time of fairly low crowds, which will help. You are also going during "free dining" so you will probably want to make some dining ADR's soon, as walk-ups to the better restaurants will be hard to come by unless you all like to eat at 9:30pm.

I would advise you to get a good guidebook, like the Unofficial Guide, which will tell you all you need to know about every eatery as well as 800 pages of other good stuff.

Also, check out the crowd calendars over at easywdw.com and plan your park days. This will tell you which parks or nearby resorts to plan your meals at. You can also get restaurant reviews over at allears.net

If you plan your park days and a few ADR's, you'll be ahead of 80% of the rest of the people there. Also, don't be afraid to veer from the plan if someone wants to do something else - it's a guide, not a prison sentence.

Have fun!

 

[Love4Travel]

Wait, wait, wait ... first off, thank you for the welcome! Second off, I thought you had to reserve a room using the "free dining"? I'm so confused. When I booked our room, I knew there was some discount about free dining and also a different discount with 30% WL which I used when I chose the WL for us to stay at. I asked if I was also going to get free dining when I booked my room and they said no that was only if you were paying full price for the room. So how does the free dining work?

 

[Heidi Lou]

YOu can get free dining if you are booking a package plan i think. ...room and tickets. you should call back and ask if you maybe have another discount already applied to your reservation. If they applied another discount offered to your reservation already, then you didnt get the free dining. But if you booked a package paying regular price for the room, you are eligibkle if rooms are still available for the discount. Last year we had to change our reservation to another hotel due tp the fact that the rooms alotted to have the free dining offer were already booked up. We will be there the same time as yall this trip and go every year...so we know what we like to do and what we would recommend (just our opinions of course) but if you want to know anything specific let me know! I'd be happy to tell you some of opur favorites!!! It is so the Happiest Place on Earth!

 

[Love4Travel]

Okay, so you do have to book a package deal without a discount to get the free dining, that's what I was thinking. I would love to hear some of y'all's favorite restaurants. I want to try Beaches and Cream and 50's Prime Time, any other places you really recommend?

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Beaches and Cream is really hard to get into because it is sooo tiny. It holds like maybe 50 people! We tried it for a late dinner the first week of June at aound 8:45 with a party of 4 and the wait was 1.5 hours long!!! We decided not to wait. With a large group it will be even harder unless you get there before it opens and are the first people in.

Loved 50's Primetime...lots of fun! Also really liked Crystal Palace and Chef Mickey's for breakfast. 'Ohana might be fun for a group, but we thought all the food was too sweet. My teens thought the best meal we've ever had at WDW was House of Blues. DH loved the seafood bar at Cape May Cafe. Biergarten would also be very fun for a group with lots of food choices for everyone. Hoop De Doo would be an absolute blast with friends and the fried chicken can't be beat! Have fun planning.

 

[Love4Travel]

I really hope we can get into Beaches and Cream, I've heard that the No Way Jose is really, really good. We're not all going to be dining together the full time, so maybe we'll go when it's just the 2 of us. I've also heard about Chef Mickey's but all the reservations I've been trying for are booked. So besides dining, is there anything you would definitely say don't forget to take?

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Moleskin for blisters, good rain ponchos (not the dollar store kind - too short, you will get soaked wearing them), sunscreen, touring plans for each park(from either the back of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World book or from the companion website - touringplans.com), pony tail holders, copies of your ADRs and hotel reservations, camera, beach towels if you plan to go to waterparks...if I think of anything else I will add it.

 

[babydoll65]

Your dates fall during free dining but you have to book a pkg. with at least two day tickets. You should check into it. If you can, get a ress for kona cafe for breakfast at the poly. And via napoli in epcots Italy pavilion has great pizza. The Coronado springs resort has the pepper market which is a great quick service restaurant.

 

[GaBelle]

Regardless if you choose the free dining discount or not, do make some dining reservations if you wish to have some sit down meals. I second the recommendation of breakfast at Kona Cafe! Our family's favorite!
We will be at the WL the exact dates as you. Be prepared for rain, but don't let it discourage you. Bring extra shoes for this reason.
Sunscreen is a must! Several people have suggested frogg toggs cooling towels. I'm going to try these out on our September trip!

 

[Hootch]

may or may not be a good deal. I would expect that for two adults staying at WL it wouldn't make financial sense, but I would run the numbers to be sure.

Think about how you want to eat. The DDP includes:


One table service or buffet meal

breakfast: includes entrée and non-alcoholic beverage OR full buffet, and tax (gratuity not included)
lunch and dinner: includes entrée, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage OR full buffet, and tax (gratuity not included)

One quick service meal includes entrée or complete combo meal and non-alcoholic beverage at breakfast; entrée or complete combo meal, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage at lunch & dinner
One snack from a wide variety of options

Herehttp://disneyworld.disney.go.com/media/wdw_nextgen/CoreCatalog/WaltDisneyWorld/en_us/PDF/2013Dining.pdf is a link to the brochure.

If you like appetizers over dessert it may fell limiting. Some people do not want to take that much time out of touring the parks, Some people enjoy the respite of a sit down meal. (It will be hot.) Some people like the dining plan because they know the cost up front. It reduces the stress of the trip.

If you are really into dining, there is the option to upgrade to the Deluxe plan.

Whether you choose free dining or not, it will impact your trip, As a PP noted, attendance is relatively low at this time, but a fairly high percentage will be doing the dining plan. It is important, if you plan to do much table service dining, to get your ADRs. The sit down restaurants fill up fast.

There are several online resources. This site has menus and reviews. All ears.net has them also. Disneyfoodblog.com has a lot of information also.

Personal favorites - Sanaa in Animal Kingdom Lodge; La Hacienda de San Angel, Rose & Crown and Via Napoli in Epcot; Grand Floridian Cafe; Kona Cafe at the Poly, Artist Point and Flying Fish higher end; Victoria and Albert's very high end.

Rides

MK - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Buzz Light Year, Pirates, Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion,

Epcot - Soarin' and Test Track are the two big ones but take time to see some of the things in the country pavilions. WDWent.com provides times for these.

Hollywood Studios - Toy Story Mania, Rock and Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror and Star Tours are our favorites.

Animal Kingdom - Dinosaur, Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids, The Safari Ride are the most popular. There are also some interesting shows.

 

[Love4Travel]

I'm bring 2 pairs of tennis shoes, that should be enough right? I'll throw in some moleskins, thanks for that tip. Do you recommend the spray or rub on sunscreen lotion for the parks? Unforunately, my DFi has forbidden us from going to V&A because he doesn't believe the price is worth it, but maybe I can talk him into breakfast at Kona Cafe on the day we're leaving. He wanted to stop by Target and pick up some cereal bowls and a little thing of milk so we don't have to eat breakfast anywhere while we're there, which I'm a little disappointed by. Is Chef Mickey's good for lunch or dinner as well as breakfast?

 

[GaBelle]

I'm bring 2 pairs of tennis shoes, that should be enough right? I'll throw in some moleskins, thanks for that tip. Do you recommend the spray or rub on sunscreen lotion for the parks? Unforunately, my DFi has forbidden us from going to V&A because he doesn't believe the price is worth it, but maybe I can talk him into breakfast at Kona Cafe on the day we're leaving. He wanted to stop by Target and pick up some cereal bowls and a little thing of milk so we don't have to eat breakfast anywhere while we're there, which I'm a little disappointed by. Is Chef Mickey's good for lunch or dinner as well as breakfast?

2 pairs of tennis shoes should do it. If you happen to have a pair of teva sandals or crocs, bring them. They are great for rainy day touring. But don't run out and buy a pair.
I prefer spray sunscreen for the convenience factor, but whatever type you usually use will work. Just don't forget to reapply. My FIL got sunburned badly one trip because he never reapplied sunscreen.
Unless you guys are big breakfast eaters, I think breakfast in the room is smart.
Can't help with Chef Mickey's, sorry.

 

[Love4Travel]

I don't have a pair of crocs and I'm not sure what teva sandals are so I'm going to say I don't have them either but I'm tell my DFi to bring his crocs. Yeah, we'll definitely be reapplying the sunscreen and I'll take both kinds I guess. Apply the cream in the room and take the spray on to the parks with us. We're really not big breakfast eaters that's why we're doing the cereal bowls.

 

[darthbrazen]

Okay, so you do have to book a package deal without a discount to get the free dining, that's what I was thinking. I would love to hear some of y'all's favorite restaurants. I want to try Beaches and Cream and 50's Prime Time, any other places you really recommend?

Usually you either get the room discount or the free dining, not both. Check with the travel agent you booked with, and they can give you your options.

You still need to get your ADRs done now. Those fill up really fast, and many of the more popular ones will be booked up withing a few weeks of them opening them for availability. We are going in November, and I tried to get in Be Our Guest, and it was completely booked at 150 days out.

 

[Dizneydaz]

I bring sneakers but end up wearing my crocs all the time.

Even when we have DDP we usually eat our braekfast in the room. Cereal, fruit, poptarts (I've brought along a cheap toaster or you can pick one up at Target or Supre WM). Quicker than going to the food court and waiting for their toaster.

One very helpful item I bring is a surge protector with multilple outlets-very convenient to plug in all my electronics or recharging-and there aren't a whole lot of outlets in the rooms.

 

[KevinK]

Chef Mickey's I think only has characters at breakfast and dinner. My family and I have eaten both breakfast and dinner at Chef Mickey's, both are very good with lots of selections and yummy deserts.

Some attraction tips:
At AK, do the safari first thing
At HS, get a fast pass to Toy Story Mania first thing since on many days they run out by noon time.
At Epcot, get fast pass to Soarin first thing
Utilize the fast pass system all day long
Parks are least busy at opening
I try to avoid evening EMHs and tend to go to the park the day after that park has EMHs.

 

[navywifetill2002]

I ran your dates for WL to compare the discounts. I put in 5 day standard tickets for the sake of running numbers so that could change your totals a little.

I got $1563.97 for a Courtyard View with the 30% discount and no tickets or dining. The 5 day standard tickets at Undercover Tourist are running 583.90 without any codes.

I got $2513.14 for a standard room, 5 day standard tickets, and the standard DDP (1 TS, 1 QS, & 1 snack per night).

With the room only it's an upgraded room from the "free" dining plan and leaves you $365.27 to spend on food. If you think you can eat for less then that I'd stick with the room only discount but if you think you'll be spending more then that I'd go with the dining discount.

If you have any questions feel free to keep along or PM.

 

[BigDisneyGuy]

Primetime is a must if you have kids between 6 and 13, waitresses really give the kids a hard time, elbows off table, eat your veggies. Sci-Fi drive in is really cool if you have kids, you actually sit in a car as your table. Food just ok though. Morocco great food and belly dancer good for any men in your party. Mexico another good place to eat. Have a great time!

 

[JJZMgailey]

One very helpful item I bring is a surge protector with multilple outlets-very convenient to plug in all my electronics or recharging-and there aren't a whole lot of outlets in the rooms.

^^This is the BEST tip EVER!!!

We like to bring a jar of peanut butter, craisins, and tortillas and make roll-ups for snacks while we're out and about to fill in the cracks between meals too.