first time to Disney World
- Thread starter terion
- Start date
lclark0621
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2004
- Messages
- 1,792
Well these boards are a great place to start.
Also go to DisneyWorld.com
Pick up a copy of Birnbaums guide to Disney World as well as maybe one of the other unofficial guides to the parks.
Also go to DisneyWorld.com
Pick up a copy of Birnbaums guide to Disney World as well as maybe one of the other unofficial guides to the parks.
terion said:Any recommendations? We are bringing 2 and 4 yr. old. We don't even know where to start. Looking for tips on hotles and attractions
You can check out the different parts of this forum. You first have to decide if you want to stay onsite or offsite. We fly, and we dont' want to rent a car, so staying onsite is a no-brainer for us. Plus, DH loves the fact that he doesn't have to drive for a week. Then you have to decide how much you want to spend on your room. How long are you staying? What type of things do you like? Girls or boys for kids? If you give more information, I'm sure that people can help in any way you need. I'd ask very specific questions, too. Welcome. I love the Dis for information.
all4fun
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2001
- Messages
- 3,317
terion said:Any recommendations? We are bringing 2 and 4 yr. old. We don't even know where to start. Looking for tips on hotles and attractions
Hi and welcome to the Dis!
Before our first trip to WDW (pre-home pc, lol) we went to our local Barnes and Noble bookstore, pulled a bunch of books on central Florida from the travel section and started there. We eventually settled on "The unofficial guide to Walt Disney World" and although the author can be a bit cynical at times, found it to be an invaluable source of information - just about everything you would want to know is covered. We also really love The Passporter. If you like the book format these would be my two suggestions. You might find after you do a little research this way you can come here with more specific questions to ask here on the boards.
Besides the Dis, I also like http://www.allearsnet.com which is a very user friendly site with everything from planning information to menus to all the restaurants at WDW.
http://mousesavers.com is a wonderful site if you're looking for coupon codes for rental cars and hotel accomodations.
hth,
Cheryl
newfamilyluvsdisney
ben is earning his ears
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2005
- Messages
- 24
we were just to the pop century resort and absolutely loved it, we think your little ones would enjoy it very much. the atmosphere is geared towards families. they have an interactive childrens pool with fountains and huge icons that your children are sure to recognize. we would suggest not wasting your time at a moderate, the amenities aren't worth the extra money and won't come close to impressing your kids. the food court is very festive and there is outdoor eating areas. if you have any other questions feel free to ask, we have been to wdw over 20 times. we hope you have a wonderful time!
Welcome! My tips...
after dealing with the hassle of staying off-site with our son on our last visit (wasn't my idea), I highly recommend staying on-site, if you can afford it. The moderates are very nice and come with a free coffee maker and refrigerator. And the value-priced hotels are quite reasonably priced when compared to other hotels.
If you will have a car at Disney World, there may be days/times when you would find it easier to drive to the park rather than take the bus -- parking is free if you stay on-site. IMO, it's well worth paying the $ for parking, if you stay off-site.
We always take our own bottled water, juice boxes, and a few snacks. Though security checks all of the bags, I've never had a problem taking these items in to the parks -- I can buy a case of large bottled water for the price of two small bottles at Disney World.
Take it easy with the parks -- try not to over-schedule your trip. Check out the Disney World planning books at your local library. Before your visit, know what rides and attractions are age/height appropriate for your kids.
Take a break in the afternoon. When we had just our son, I would take him back for a nap while my husband rode the rollercoasters and such. Now that we have two young children, we plan to head back to the hotel for a nap for the baby and me while DH and DS play in the pool. This is unlikely to be the last time you ever go to DW, so don't feel like you have to do absolutely everything.
If you find yourself stuck at the park with a child that needs a nap or quiet time, find someplace quiet and out of the way and take a break. I highly recommend the monorail at MK as a great nap-taking destination.
Some experiences I enjoy doing with the kids: having at least one character meal and getting their silouettes done at the little store on Main Street in Magic Kingdom.
Since your children aren't in school yet, definitely go at some point when school is in session -- I like fall and winter for the low crowds. Plus, hotel prices are lower. Check prices for your trip as a package and a la carte. Be aware that DW sometimes offers room discounts to AAA members (more than pays for the AAA card) and to Annual Pass holders (may be worth it if you plan to go again within the year).
Order the free planning video from http://www.disneyworld.com and check out this site and http://www.mousesavers.com and http://www.allearsnet.com for great information that will help you to be prepared.
Good Luck,
EthansMom (and now Molly's too)
after dealing with the hassle of staying off-site with our son on our last visit (wasn't my idea), I highly recommend staying on-site, if you can afford it. The moderates are very nice and come with a free coffee maker and refrigerator. And the value-priced hotels are quite reasonably priced when compared to other hotels.
If you will have a car at Disney World, there may be days/times when you would find it easier to drive to the park rather than take the bus -- parking is free if you stay on-site. IMO, it's well worth paying the $ for parking, if you stay off-site.
We always take our own bottled water, juice boxes, and a few snacks. Though security checks all of the bags, I've never had a problem taking these items in to the parks -- I can buy a case of large bottled water for the price of two small bottles at Disney World.
Take it easy with the parks -- try not to over-schedule your trip. Check out the Disney World planning books at your local library. Before your visit, know what rides and attractions are age/height appropriate for your kids.
Take a break in the afternoon. When we had just our son, I would take him back for a nap while my husband rode the rollercoasters and such. Now that we have two young children, we plan to head back to the hotel for a nap for the baby and me while DH and DS play in the pool. This is unlikely to be the last time you ever go to DW, so don't feel like you have to do absolutely everything.
If you find yourself stuck at the park with a child that needs a nap or quiet time, find someplace quiet and out of the way and take a break. I highly recommend the monorail at MK as a great nap-taking destination.
Some experiences I enjoy doing with the kids: having at least one character meal and getting their silouettes done at the little store on Main Street in Magic Kingdom.
Since your children aren't in school yet, definitely go at some point when school is in session -- I like fall and winter for the low crowds. Plus, hotel prices are lower. Check prices for your trip as a package and a la carte. Be aware that DW sometimes offers room discounts to AAA members (more than pays for the AAA card) and to Annual Pass holders (may be worth it if you plan to go again within the year).
Order the free planning video from http://www.disneyworld.com and check out this site and http://www.mousesavers.com and http://www.allearsnet.com for great information that will help you to be prepared.
Good Luck,
EthansMom (and now Molly's too)
Start by answering some questions:
How much do you want to spend?
How long do you have to spend? (With little kids, you can take a short exhausting trip or a longer trip with half days or.....)
Then make some decisions:
As you can see already, where are you going to stay is a huge question. Your choice of hotel will make a big difference in the feel and convience and cost of the vacation. Your choices range from cheap hotels offsite to homes with pools offsite to value resorts on site to Deluxe resorts onsite to campgrounds onsite to condo accomodations onsite. Do you want the convience of a monorail resort (very pricey, but oh so convienent to the Magic Kingdom with little kids?) Do you want something that really feels "different" (onsite resorts tend to be a lot more than hotel rooms - a savannah room at AKL will have your four year old waking up to giraffes out his balcony - again, not cheap).
Attraction wise, I'd plan on spending one day in each park with a fifth day to go back and redo your favorite park. Your kids may love the MK or the animals at AK.
One good peice of advice, start early each day when the parks are less crowded. Don't start your kids on Snow White's Scary Adventures (its the first ride a lot of people see) - its dark and scary for a lot of kids and a lot of people have trouble with anything past that. If you start in MK - do Dumbo, Peter Pan's Flight, Pooh, then come back to Snow White (Small World is easy but almost never has a significant line).
Another, consider a character meal. They aren't cheap, but you eat while the characters circulate around the tables. Its efficient, good character time without standing in line.
How much do you want to spend?
How long do you have to spend? (With little kids, you can take a short exhausting trip or a longer trip with half days or.....)
Then make some decisions:
As you can see already, where are you going to stay is a huge question. Your choice of hotel will make a big difference in the feel and convience and cost of the vacation. Your choices range from cheap hotels offsite to homes with pools offsite to value resorts on site to Deluxe resorts onsite to campgrounds onsite to condo accomodations onsite. Do you want the convience of a monorail resort (very pricey, but oh so convienent to the Magic Kingdom with little kids?) Do you want something that really feels "different" (onsite resorts tend to be a lot more than hotel rooms - a savannah room at AKL will have your four year old waking up to giraffes out his balcony - again, not cheap).
Attraction wise, I'd plan on spending one day in each park with a fifth day to go back and redo your favorite park. Your kids may love the MK or the animals at AK.
One good peice of advice, start early each day when the parks are less crowded. Don't start your kids on Snow White's Scary Adventures (its the first ride a lot of people see) - its dark and scary for a lot of kids and a lot of people have trouble with anything past that. If you start in MK - do Dumbo, Peter Pan's Flight, Pooh, then come back to Snow White (Small World is easy but almost never has a significant line).
Another, consider a character meal. They aren't cheap, but you eat while the characters circulate around the tables. Its efficient, good character time without standing in line.
Welcome. You are in the right place. My family & I have done several WDW vacations, & I can't believe how much we have missed or paid to much for in the past. I've learned so much the past few months from the wise people on these boards.
I'll refer to past trips because we have an addition to our family who has only been once with us.
We usually stay on-site in a villa. (DH, myself, 3preteens). We find the kitchen to be priceless. We always rent a car mainly because we like eating off-site alot. We fly. We have always bought park hopper passes (although now they are called something different). This year it will benefit us to get an annual pass. This has extra discounts, but depending on how long you are staying may end up saving you money on your admissions as well.
We usually go back to the villa for a swim/nap.
There is so much more, but you probably want to decide were, how long, transportation, etc. before worrying about the daily routine of when your there.
Good luck
I'll refer to past trips because we have an addition to our family who has only been once with us.
We usually stay on-site in a villa. (DH, myself, 3preteens). We find the kitchen to be priceless. We always rent a car mainly because we like eating off-site alot. We fly. We have always bought park hopper passes (although now they are called something different). This year it will benefit us to get an annual pass. This has extra discounts, but depending on how long you are staying may end up saving you money on your admissions as well.
We usually go back to the villa for a swim/nap.
There is so much more, but you probably want to decide were, how long, transportation, etc. before worrying about the daily routine of when your there.
Good luck
We went to WDW with our then 6yo daugther last year. My DH and I had only been once before that and stayed off-site (which I plan on never doing again). We found that the resorts in the MK area were great, especially if you have small children. WDW in general is a big place and if you have children and they get cranky because they are tired and trust me, more than likely they will, then the monorail resorts are just a short ride away. We did a character breakfast and are going to do another one or two this year when we go back. It just really gets you in the Disney spirit. We went to the parks in the mornings, came back to our room sometime in the afternoon for a break (swimming in the pool, playing on the beaches, or just relaxing at our resort), and then went back to the parks in the evening.
The first thing you need to figure out is budget. How much can I pay for this vacation? If money is not an issue, then go with the deluxe resorts, you won't be sorry. We stayed at the Polynesian last year and it was awesome. Several nights we just stayed at our resort and watched the fireworks from the beach. They were great!!
Next are the ticket choices. If you think you may get tired of one park all day long, I would suggest park hoppers. This lets you go to different parks on the same day. We really liked that Advantage. My daughter really liked the MK, but by about the third day of our trip my DH wanted to go to Epcot. We all went to Epcot, but by the afternoon, my DD wanted to go back to the MK, so she and I went to the MK and he stayed at Epcot for a while longer.
Meals? If you have a picker eater like I do, you probably will not eat a lot of fancy sit down meals. I don't really know a lot about this because we didn't do alot of full service restaurants last year. But there are several good sites you can go and find out about the different restaurants and what they offer.
Savings? You can get sometimes go to www.mousesavers.com and get really good savings. They will let you know when special discounts are going to be offered, etc. Also, I have bought several books from B&N, but the one I really can't do without is my passporter. Go to www.passporter.com. There you can order your very own passporter. You will not regret you ordered one. I cannot tell you how many times last year I referred back to this book even after we got to WDW!!! This book is very informative.
Whatever you decide, just know that WDW cannot be seen in a matter of days or weeks for that mattter. If you go wanting to cram everything in on this one trip, you will not have a good vacation. Just go and relax and have a great time. Make a list of about 15 to 20 must see's and do's and if you get to all of those that is great! If you do anymore than those 15 or 20 that is just an extra bonus for you!!
Hope this helped. I'm no Disney expert, but just wanted to give you my thoughts!
Happy Vacationing!!!
The first thing you need to figure out is budget. How much can I pay for this vacation? If money is not an issue, then go with the deluxe resorts, you won't be sorry. We stayed at the Polynesian last year and it was awesome. Several nights we just stayed at our resort and watched the fireworks from the beach. They were great!!
Next are the ticket choices. If you think you may get tired of one park all day long, I would suggest park hoppers. This lets you go to different parks on the same day. We really liked that Advantage. My daughter really liked the MK, but by about the third day of our trip my DH wanted to go to Epcot. We all went to Epcot, but by the afternoon, my DD wanted to go back to the MK, so she and I went to the MK and he stayed at Epcot for a while longer.
Meals? If you have a picker eater like I do, you probably will not eat a lot of fancy sit down meals. I don't really know a lot about this because we didn't do alot of full service restaurants last year. But there are several good sites you can go and find out about the different restaurants and what they offer.
Savings? You can get sometimes go to www.mousesavers.com and get really good savings. They will let you know when special discounts are going to be offered, etc. Also, I have bought several books from B&N, but the one I really can't do without is my passporter. Go to www.passporter.com. There you can order your very own passporter. You will not regret you ordered one. I cannot tell you how many times last year I referred back to this book even after we got to WDW!!! This book is very informative.
Whatever you decide, just know that WDW cannot be seen in a matter of days or weeks for that mattter. If you go wanting to cram everything in on this one trip, you will not have a good vacation. Just go and relax and have a great time. Make a list of about 15 to 20 must see's and do's and if you get to all of those that is great! If you do anymore than those 15 or 20 that is just an extra bonus for you!!
Hope this helped. I'm no Disney expert, but just wanted to give you my thoughts!
Happy Vacationing!!!
pamouselover
“Have faith in your dreams and someday your rainbo
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2005
- Messages
- 3,188
Spend all your free time on the DIS web site reading everything you can!
In 2000 I planned are trip by using this web site for 14 people.
It turn out great!
'78- poly
'82' off site stayed w/family
'85 off site stayed w/family
'88 off site stayed w/family
94' off site stayed w/family
00' offsite Days INN
In 2000 I planned are trip by using this web site for 14 people.
It turn out great!
'78- poly
'82' off site stayed w/family
'85 off site stayed w/family
'88 off site stayed w/family
94' off site stayed w/family
00' offsite Days INN
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