first timer!!!!help!!!!

[fixiepixie]

i am so stressed!
this is going to be my first trip to wdw.i am going with my bf and we are staying in pop for 10days in august.
i have no idea wat to pack or where to begin planning!!!!!
i live in ireland and have been to dl paris three times but could never afford to go to wdw (as i was in college)and i hav no idea where to begin!!!!
outside of wdw we're going to seaworld, universal, islands,discovery cove and he wants to go to the space center. but i have no idea were to begin planning for all this!!especially wdw!!!!
help!!!!!

 

[yorkshiregirl]

Keep using this site as you will find invaluable help here. KSC etc all have good web sites which you can look at and find out more about.
We are staying in POP for 5 days in July and travelling around the other 13 days.
It will be hot so remember to pace yourselves. We find an early start, back to the resort for a rest and then going back in the late pm works for us. You will need a park hopper which allows you to visit more than one park a day for that. Pack lots of water at all times and use lots of suncream as it will be very hot and humid.
Don't plan too much in each day, you can always come back another year. Book your meals (ADR) as soon as possible as they get booked up.
Shorts and tee shirts mainly, with some nicer things for evenings if you wish. Very casual dress and anything goes really. A rucksack or messenger bag to carry the water etc. There are washing machines at POP so you don't need to bring loads of clothes. You will probably want to buy some out there.
I'm sure there will be lots of other advice coming your way. No question is too small or unusual here.
I envy you as a first time visitor there is something so special about that first visit you will be on

 

[jen_uk]

Hello!

Ok, how much of Disney do you want to do? If you are planning on mainly doing WDW then I would really consider cutting back on some of the Offsite stuff as it will be too much to fit into 10 days. As its your first time and you are staying onsite sticking to WDW will be easiest, as a rough guide MK takes 1 or 2 days, Mgm 1 day, Epcot 1 or 2 days and AK 1 or 2 days and then you have the waterparks on top of that which are fantastic!! WDW is HUGE, bigger than you can possibly imagine, alot of people think that you can get round it all in a few days and you can't! Also, it is very easy to try and do too much and then have park overload! Personally, I would plan to of all of the WDW parks and possibly Seaworld or a shopping day as a bit of a break.

Weather - it will be boiling HOT so make sure you take loads of suntan lotion and clothes that you feel comfortable in, it usually rains in the afternoon so a poncho would be good.

It might be a good idea to buy a guidebook before you go as there will be loads of info in there.

You will have a fab trip!

 

[wifey]

Welcom to the Disboards!! Try browsing the boards here for a few weeks and read some trip reports and have fun looking at all the photos. If you can get hold of a great book called A Brits Guide to Orlando 2007 by Simon Veness, it's full of useful tips and ideas. Take a look at the websites for WDW and Seaworld Universal Studios etc for an idea of what you will see when you get there and information on the attractions themselves and don't forget you can find out more about the menus Anything goes as long as it is not rude/offensive when you choose what to wear in the parks, just make sure if you go to the water parks to wear a one piece suit (no metal attatchments), have fun planning your trip

 

[fixiepixie]

thanks a million for your advice i really cant wait to go!!!
everyone just has amazing things to say about it!!!
being a huge disney fan i just cant stop thinking about going my bf thinks im mad!i just cant get it outa my head
he wont get excited till it comes closer the time to go
i thought i was the only one that could get this excited this far away from going - obviously i was wrong
thnaks again!!!

 

[florry]

Fixie Pixie - I'm sure we all felt exactly the same as you are feeling now, when we all planned our first time to WDW.

All our trips have been planned using these boards and the wonderful people who use them. We even arranged a meet in Epcot which was great.Simon Veness Brits guide to Orlando - We call it our 'bible' loads of fantastic info and tips.

Just keep asking you'll have a wonderful time.

We are also planning our next trip can't wait

 

[natalielongstaff]

welcome to the boards

i 2nd the tip about getting the brits guide, its a great start to planning your trip

 

[UKDEB]

Hi fixiepixie and welcome to the DIS .

Don't get stressed - the planning is half the fun! And we're here to help.

When are you going? That will have a bearing on what you'll need to pack. Do you have a guidebook at all? There are literally hundreds out there and you won't go far wrong with any of them, but I agree that A Brit's Guide to Orlando and Walt Disney World by Simon and Susan Veness is the best bet for a first-timer from the UK. It'll give you a good steer on all the parks and attractions, but you'll also pick up a lot of information about stuff you didn't even know you needed to know! They also offer a Personal Itinerary Planning service (at a discount if you own the book), which might take some of the stress out of the whole thing for you. I'm not on commission, btw!

You seem to be planning a lot in 10 days. As jen says, it's hard to comprehend the sheer scale of WDW and park touring is tiring, especially in Florida's sub-tropical climate. Better, maybe, to prune a couple of things from your itinerary and really make the most of the things you do choose to do. Not that I'd really know what to tell you to drop - they're all great parks and we enjoy Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure as much as the Disney parks. As long as you're prepared for a very full-on experience, you probably can do everything you've got planned, just make sure you take time to soak it all up - it's so easy to do everything commando style and end up coming home thinking it all went by in a whirl.

As you're staying onsite, you'll be eligible to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours. Disney opens one of its parks early each day, and one stays open late, for its onsite guests. You do need to bear in mind that this has the effect of making these parks busy, so avoiding them is often the best crowd-busting plan. During the first couple of days, though, when the jet-lag will have you awake at the crack of dawn, you might want to take advantage of the early opening parks to get some of the headliner attractions under your belts.

Do be sure to take in at least some of the evening entertainment at the WDW parks - my favourite is IllumiNations, the nightly firework show at Epcot, but Wishes (fireworks) and SpectroMagic (night-time parade) at MK, and Fantasmic at MGM, are also hugely popular spectaculars. Downtown Disney is also well worth a visit. It comes alive at night, but it's also open during the daytime.

 

[Haworthfamily]

WELCOM TO THE BOARDS

I second all the fab information posted above.

Spend time reading the boards, eveyone's so helpful on here, I'm not sure how I went to WDW before without them!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Whatever you do, you will have a great time. The first time is fantastic, when you walk into MK for the first time there is nothing like it!
Not sure how old you are, but Pleasure Island one night is great, but to drink alcohol, you need to be 21 and have proof of age.
August can be wet, especially in the afternoons and this can make it quite humid as well.
Don't try and see everything, you will come back soo tired. As people have said, stick to WDW this trip (then you have a reason to come back again!)

Try and have non park days (shopping days, pool chilling days)

Remember the 5 hours difference in time, this will hit you for the first week

WDW is huge as a resort, people can give you their views, but it is so difficult to describe until you actually enter the gates of the world. Remember its the size of Manchester.

other people will be able to give you a heads up about Pop, they will be able to tell you how to make the most of staying there.

Clothing, you will spend most of your waking hours in shorts and T's to be quite frank. 99% of restaraunts are happy for you to be in them in shorts and tops (plus shoes, they are more strict on that!)

Don't worry, you WILL over pack, we all did our first times, plus be prepared to have to buy a suitcase for bringing everything back with you

If you don't get to all the parks at WDw don't worry, its a great excuse to come back, as you will find once you have been you won't be able to stay away

 

[jns]

i am so stressed!
this is going to be my first trip to wdw.i am going with my bf and we are staying in pop for 10days in august.
i have no idea wat to pack or where to begin planning!!!!!
i live in ireland and have been to dl paris three times but could never afford to go to wdw (as i was in college)and i hav no idea where to begin!!!!
outside of wdw we're going to seaworld, universal, islands,discovery cove and he wants to go to the space center. but i have no idea were to begin planning for all this!!especially wdw!!!!
help!!!!!

Hello and welcome
My advice to first timers is to take it slowly and enjoy each park and not try to cover anything
August will be very hot and still busy
I would stick to WDW , try the water parks and Downtown
use fast passes
get the refillable mugs at Pop

Read some of the trip reports on the UK boards

ask lots of questions here

Enjoy the planning

 

[OneLittleSpark]

OK, I'll agree with everything that's been said and throw my tuppence into the mix. In no particular order:

Make sure you wear comfortable shoes, you will really regret it if you don't.

Test your suncream before you go. I had some that I'd put on my arms, face and neck back home with no problems, then I got to the World, put it on my legs and came up in a rash .

If you have any special needs (mobility problems, food allergies, veggie etc.) surf the boards and ask any questions you want. It's better to find out, just in case, before you go, than to find you really need it when you're there.

When you do the water parks, we find that putting an old T-shirt (the chlorine may bleach it, so make sure it's one you don't mind changing colour) on over your swimming things really helps protect you from sunburn (even waterproof suncream wears off after a while in the water). It also keeps you really cool when you're out of the water.

Wishes (the MK fireworks) can be viewed from anywhere in the park (and some places outside it), so you don't have to crowd into Main Street with everyone else. That said, things do line up better in Main Street (you'll understand when you get there).

If you do the River Rapids at AK, make sure you're covered in waterproof clothing and, if possible, do it last thing before you head back to your resort. You really get drenched on that ride; I've been soaked right through (and I mean right through) and you don't dry off properly in Florida because of the humidity, despite the heat.

Last point: if you need anything at all when you're there, just ask a Cast Member, they're all absolutely brilliant and seem to know everything!

Hope these help, I'm sure I'll think of 15 more points which I'll come and add later. Have a magical time and don't get too bogged down in the details, you'll know what to do when you get there; just follow your inner child !

 

[UKDEB]

enjoy each park and not try to cover anything

I think that's taking things a bit too slowly, Jackie, even for a first-timer!

 

[jen_uk]

I think that's taking things a bit too slowly, Jackie, even for a first-timer!

 

[dossie]

Hi Fixie Pixie

How exciting for you - like Obi says, the first time is truly amazing. On our first trip we had similar plans to yourself but I can assure you, once we got to WDW it was clear we were never going to fit it all in - especially with the heat, and the amazing resort hotels - as you want to soak them up too and take some chill time around the pools etc. I guess you won't want to do everything in every WDW park (although it's tempting) but with queueing etc it all takes time - and it WILL be busy in August.We managed to get to Universal but never made it to Seaworld or Kennedy Space Centre the first trip - WDW was all consuming for us!! And we loved just being there.

I agree with everything everyone has said and it's great you've discovered Disboards - I wish we'd had access to them for our first visit - really take your time to have a good read and post all your questions as everyone on here is really great. We're over this August with our two children (their first time) and in some ways it will be like our first time again as we are having to see the World from a whole new perspective.

Whatever you do have a fantastic first time - and you can guarantee it won't be your last once you get there!!!!

 

[fuse04]

Lots of very good advice already been given here so I thought you might like to know what worked for us for our first visit which was last year (on the basis this was our first and only trip as I do not do theme parks nor disney....see below )

We planned using the Unofficial Guide and they were spot on and highly recommend it. It only focuses on WDW and other major parks, and themes around them such as hire cars, touring plans, hotels etc and covers nothing about general Orlando.

We were there for 6 usable days (me,DW and DD 7) staying on site at POR. No way could fit everything in, (even we worked that one out!) so decided to focus mainly on WDW but as it was Feb decided to miss the water parks. We did AK, MGM, Discovery Cove, Seaworld, Downtown Disney and 2 days at MK. Got up early each day and found DC very relaxing so that we a bit like a rest day. Also SW was less walking that WDW and found it made a nice balance to the full on theme parks.

Well the experience was truly amazing , so much so I now do Disney amd theme parks and we are going back in 53 sleeps I can't imagine going anywhere else now.

Have a great time
Rob

 

[sharon78]

Welcome to the Dis

Congratulations on your booking

Youve already been given some fantastic advice & youve found the boards, so your well on your way to having a fantastic time at WDW & Florida.

 

[DznyLvr2005]

I suggest (I'm an experienced Disney Freak, been there 14 times!) The unofficial Guide to Disney World 2007 edition. Great book!!! It details everything from waits in line to restaurants, to show times! Real people write in with real experiences and tips!

 

[KK Cat]

Hi there, I'm in Ireland too. I've been to Orlando twice and am returning in 6 weeks for my 3rd trip. I've been in Oct and May and found it hot but bearable with crowds at a reasonably OK level. August will be much busier and hotter, so don't overestimate how much you will be able to accomplish. Disneyland Paris is a doddle compared to Florida because you can walk from hotels to parks, in Florida the parks and hotels are very spread out, about 15 minutes on a good day to get from hotel to each separate park.

On our first trip we went for 11 days, did Disney and one day to Kennedy Space Center and still felt that we only scratched the surface. We had no rental car, but were staying on Disney property (though not a Disney hotel).

On our 2nd trip, we stayed on IDrive with a rental car for 13 days. This time we did Universal 2 days, SeaWorld 1 day, Disney 7 days and Kennedy 1 day. (and shopping which I didn't get to on first trip (other than Disney shopping) )

On my upcoming trip it's 10 days again. Will be doing 1 day Kennedy, 2 days Universal and 8 Disney (going the evening after Kennedy that's why there's an overlap).

We usually end up doing 1 fairly full day of each Disney park and then only part days after that (maybe a few early hours, then shop/pool, and back for fireworks etc. There's still LOADS I haven't done, several rides I just haven't had time to do/see. I think I could go back to Orlando for 10 years holidays and still not do/see everything I would like too (good excuse to go back though ).

Have a great holiday, and feel free to ask any questions.

Anne Marie

 

[PoppyAnna]

I would like to add my voice to this thread, for what its worth!
I would like to encourage you to ask lots of questions on the boards, I have and its been invaluble for our up and coming trip.
DH and I went six years ago in the blissful days of no kids (well,just us). our trip in six weeks is like our first trip as it won't be all thrill rides etc. its goignt to be so different. I have asked for advice on everything from US nappies and supermarkets to where shall I sit in a restaurant at a character meal! and believe me I got answers!
I have found the planning an absolute thrill (and I'm not done yet) and I'm not even a planner type person.
enjoy every minute of it!