First Timer - Last min trip, any advice?

[adcadc]

Hi everyone!

I've finally booked a trip to WDW. It's always been my absolute dream to go but I've just never gotten around to it. I'm a frequent visitor to Disneyland Paris but until now will have never been to America!

It will be just my friend and I going on the trip. We're going during the first week of September for 7 days. I was just wondering if anyone has any tips/advice for us?

I am quite (embarrassingly) obsessed with much of WDW despite never actually visiting it, so I know quite a lot about the four parks and most of the rides etc, but was just looking for some first time advice to really make the most of our trip.

We will be staying offsite unfortunately, but we got a really good deal so it's not too bad. We plan on visiting WDW everyday except for one day to go and visit Universal. Unfortunately we haven't bought our park tickets yet (doing it this weekend) so we can't sort out all of our fast passes etc on the Disney experience website yet. We also haven't actually decided which park tickets to get. Hopper or no hopper? Is the extra money really worth it?
We're also not sure how many days to get the tickets for. As I said we'll be visiting Universal for one day, so that brings us down to 6 days. However our flight lands in Orlando around 2pm and once we've gone through customs etc, got the transfer to our hotel (which is about 50 minutes away) and settled in etc, we're thinking it'll be quite late afternoon. So is there any point in spending the extra money for an extra day in the parks, when we'll probably only get a few hours in the park on our first day?

So many questions + things to decide!

I know you all probably get questions like this all the time, so I'm very sorry to bore you all with it again, but I figured this would be the best place to ask.

Thank you in advance for any advice you can provide me with

 

[Elise79]

I would recommend using Undercover Tourist for your tickets and buying the Magic Your Way tickets.

If you buy a 5 day base ticket now you can upgrade the ticket once you are there to add hopping fi you find you need it or an extra day (providing you do it before you use your last day on the ticket).

We have been known to head to the parks on our arrival day but you really will need to see how you feel.

As you are offsite you can do FP from 30 days in advance so you have time to get your tickets before your window opens

 

[adcadc]

I would recommend using Undercover Tourist for your tickets and buying the Magic Your Way tickets.

If you buy a 5 day base ticket now you can upgrade the ticket once you are there to add hopping fi you find you need it or an extra day (providing you do it before you use your last day on the ticket).

We have been known to head to the parks on our arrival day but you really will need to see how you feel.

As you are offsite you can do FP from 30 days in advance so you have time to get your tickets before your window opens

Ah that's great thank you!
Yeah I think we're going to buy from Undercover Tourist. The only problem is it takes about 2 weeks for the tickets to arrive, so we won't be able to sort our fastpass stuff until then, but it isn't a huge problem.

I heard that fastpass slots fill up online really fast. Does this mean certain rides might be completely unavailable to book a fastpass for? Assuming we come to book our fastpass slots in around two weeks time?

Thanks for the help

 

[Elise79]

Ah that's great thank you!
Yeah I think we're going to buy from Undercover Tourist. The only problem is it takes about 2 weeks for the tickets to arrive, so we won't be able to sort our fastpass stuff until then, but it isn't a huge problem.

I heard that fastpass slots fill up online really fast. Does this mean certain rides might be completely unavailable to book a fastpass for? Assuming we come to book our fastpass slots in around two weeks time?

Thanks for the help

In my experience Undercover Tourist tickets don't take the 2 weeks arrive they are usually a bit quicker

The only things you may struggle to get will be 7 dwarves mine train and Anna & Elsa meet and greet. Everything else should still be available

 

[dixonsontour]

Have fun!

I know the temptation is to try and do everything but take time to take it in - stop on Main Street and think yes I'm really here.

Remember to drink - free water from any quick service location at disney - just ask.

 

[adcadc]

Have fun!

I know the temptation is to try and do everything but take time to take it in - stop on Main Street and think yes I'm really here.

Remember to drink - free water from any quick service location at disney - just ask.

Thank you! Yeah I definitely agree on the taking it all in part. Definitely must find time to not rush and just soak up the wonderful atmosphere. Thanks for the tip about water, didn't realise they offered it free that easily, will certainly make use of it!

In my experience Undercover Tourist tickets don't take the 2 weeks arrive they are usually a bit quicker

The only things you may struggle to get will be 7 dwarves mine train and Anna & Elsa meet and greet. Everything else should still be available

Oh really? That's good to hear, hopefully that's the case for me then

Oh I would quite like to ride the mine train, but if I can't then it isn't the end of the world. It's good to know that they're the only two things likely to be full up.

Thanks again for your help