First timer WDW questions

[mitushib]

Hi

This is my first time at Disney and I have some newbie questions which probably may have been asked and aswered millions of times but just one more time please

1. I am staying offsite so is the entrance to all the parks the same or does each park have separate entrances which are at different places?
2. How do you go between parks? Is there a bus/shuttle/monorail between parks and if yes how much doe sit cost?
3. I have 3 days to do 4 parks. I plan to do AK and DS on the same day. Is it feasible with a 2.5 yrs old?
4. How does the EMH work? If park hours say till 10 and say EMH doe sit mean we have to leave at 9?
5. I hear about strollers which can be rented and if its stolen then getting a new one from the rental office. Are these places throughout the park or just one place at the entrance?
6. Apart from the sit down reservations which have ADR's are there other snack places in the parks?
7. In the places where the characters are [I have a lunch at Crystal palace] do you have to pay to get your photos clicked?


Have a few more queries but I guess this is more than enough for my first post.

I hope some of you take the time to answer.

 

[nightshaderose]

I think I can help with a few of your questions.

All the parks and their entrances are fairly spread out. If you've got a car with you, that might be the best way to get from point A to point B, but Disney does have a pretty good public transit system (better than many cities around here), with monorail between MK and Epcot, boats between Epcot and the Studios, and busses everywhere. I believe that officially the transit is only free to on-site guests and Annual Pass-holders, but I've never seen any of the CMs checking ID or anything like that, nor have I seen anywhere to buy a transit pass (If any of you more experienced Disney-goers out there know different, please let me know, as I have friends asking me these things now too ).

Extra magic hours are above and beyond published park hours, so if the park officially closes at 10, you leave at 10 and the on-site guests stay till midnight, or whenever.

There are plenty of other places to eat in the parks, counter-service restaurants, snack carts, and the like. I've found Disney food to be pretty dependably good, no matter what kind of restaruant it's from.

I hope that helps some.

Eliz

 

[jimmiej]

1. Each park has a separate entrance. MGM & Epcot are fairly close to each other, but AK & MK are quite a distance apart. At the MK, the car parking is at the Transportation & Ticket Center. You then catch a boat or monorail to the park entrance.

2. Between most parks, use the Disney bus. Exceptions: MGM to Epcot (& vice versa), you can ride the boat or walk (about 30 minute walk); Epcot to MK (& back) uses the monorail.

3. Yes, but don't plan on doing everything. Make some choices ahead of time on what you want to see. Also consider some down time. WDW can be exhausting!

4. EMH is for those staying in a Disney hotel. Since you're offsite, you just follow the published hours. EMH is an EXTENSION of those hours for resort guests.

5. Can't help you with this one. Our kids are older.

6. Yes. There are fast food places and snack places. Check out the menus at http://www.allearsnet.com. Click on dining.

7. No. Just have your camera ready. You can take pics & sometimes a cast member will take it for you so you can be in the pic.

Welcome to the DIS!

 

[Goofy4]

3. I have 3 days to do 4 parks. I plan to do AK and DS on the same day. Is it feasible with a 2.5 yrs old?
5. I hear about strollers which can be rented and if its stolen then getting a new one from the rental office. Are these places throughout the park or just one place at the entrance?
6. Apart from the sit down reservations which have ADR's are there other snack places in the parks?

3. My 2.5 year olds would never had made it, but YMMV. You'll need to buy the Park Hopper option to hop between parks.
5. Epcot has 2 locations. I believe the other parks are just 1 -- close to the entrance.
6. Counter service (meals) and snacks are located throughout the parks.

 

[twojo21]

1. theres the main entrance for walt disney world then there are seperate entrances for each park ie magic kingdom, mgm/disney studios, etc
2. there are buses between all the parks, the monorail from magic kingdom to epcot & a friendship boat from epcot to mgm/disney studios
3. yes you can easily split park days up, youre not going to see everything in 4days so just go at your own pace & have fun
4.since youre staying offsite you do not get to use the emh thats for onsite wdw guests only, so the park closing time is when you leave hours are posted on disneys website
5. each park has a stroller rental area, cost $8. keep your receipt incase its lost/taken or when you hop to another park.
6. yes there are tons of counter service restaurants & stands in the parks, there is tons of dining variety.
7. there is no charge to have your photo taken with your camera.

have fun at wdw!

 

[byoung]

Have a great trip and welcome to the DIS.

 

[iluvcountry]

3. I have 3 days to do 4 parks. I plan to do AK and DS on the same day. Is it feasible with a 2.5 yrs old?

Yes, it should be ok but what you should do is probably take a break for lunch offgrounds and maybe hang out in your room for a while, then head to the next park. You might be able to jump from park to park right away, but I just can't do that. (If you don't want to get off disney grounds you can visit Downtown Disney and spend some time in the air conditioned shops.)

 

[luvmyfam444]

1. If you can stay on property it will make your life a WHOLE lot easier - especially if you don't have a car. It costs to park---I think it's $7 a day. WE stayed off property once & decided to ride that hotels bus & it was AWFUL . They only ran the bus like 2 times in the a.m. & if you weren't planning on going then -then that's it. Same thing for the return home. I think they may have had an afternoon bus (like 3o) & then the other was when the park closed---& it was SOON after the park closed. We were @ MGM & were almost left---we went to the wrong parking lot (the hotel bus was @ the FAR parking lot---Disney buses of course park the closest---& we had to RUN catch it-they'd already pulled away & we flaggged them down---it wouldn't have been so bad if it had been Disney 'casue the busses run every 10 mins or so---but it only ran the 1 time @ park closing & of course it was standing room only. SO needless to say we will only stay on property because of the convenience of Disney transporation. OF course there are lines & you do have to stand sometimes - but just the fact that you can leave & go back to the hotel when you want & never have to worry about missing it!
-NOt sure exaactly about the rest of this question you asked but each park is completely seperate. They are not close to each other @ all..so yes, they each have seperate entrances into the park & it takes about 45 mins to go from 1 park to the next---well sometimes less but allow that much time to be safe.

3. My 2.5 yr did fine doing AK & MK on the same day - even staying up til midnight for the halloween party - but she did take a little nap. If your child is easy to nap then he/she can nap in the parks. I've gone to the Hall of Pres. w/my dd to sit in the a/c while they slept---got a good 1hr or so. Last time, though we got on the Transit Authority & rode around on it while she slept---just kept riding around & around..the motion was nice for sleeping. We dont usually leave the park for nap times0---but then again our trips aren't usually long so we don't want to waste the hr to go to & from hotel & all that hassle.

5. The strollers are AWESOME. So worth the $! A few years ago we tackled & umbrella stoller of out own & it was NO FUN & it was lightweight! BUt if ou are driving onto the property & not using the busses/monorail than bring your own stoller & save the $...but if you are gonna ride the transp-then PLEASE rent---for your sake & for mine! I HATE to be on the bus w/someone who has to have a seat for their stoller or who has it in the aisle & we trip over it Last visit there was a family of 4--4yo & 2yo w/TWO full size stollers! trying to carry the toddlers of the bus & the stollers---NIGHTMARE~~ Never had our stroller taken/stolen not out personal one or Dis---nothing to worry about there...

6. YEs---food is EVERYWHERE of course---kinda expensive- check into buying the dining plan -it's worth every penny!

7. Photos aren't taken at the ADR's---you take your own photos w/kiddo & character. At the parks you will find Dis photographers & they are also free to take the photos...DO THIS cause they take some good ones! They will give you a photopass (it's a creditcard thingy) & you can take it home after your trip & view photos & order wheat you want--sure they aren't cheap but some of the photos are priceless! It just depends on the photographer - but it's all free so you don't have to buy if you don't want.

Hope this answered some of your questions.

 

[JamieUK]

If you have a 14 day Ultimate pass, can you still use fastpass or don't you need to?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Our first trip to WDW was when our twins were 3. We liked having a car because it made it easier with all our gear, and to get from place to place and back to our resort again. Sometimes when they'd fall asleep in the car we'd just drive around and see all the resorts. We also liked having our own umbrella strollers because it's a long trek back to the car and at the resort carrying a bunch of stuff and sleeping kids. I agree staying onsite would probably make your life easier, especially if you won't have a car rental, but it's not absolutely necessary. Remember, if you do have a car, taking a bus to another park won't help because you'll still have to go back later to get your car. That wouldn't work.

Not in the restaurants, but out and about in the parks they have photographers that will take your picture. They give you a card and scan it each time. Make use of these opportunities. It doesn't cost anything to take the pictures, and when you get home you can see them online and buy some if you wish. We did some two weeks ago and a few came out better than the same ones we'd taken with our own camera. I even ordered our Christmas photo cards that way and it was pretty easy.

One last tip: you should find a good book on WDW (like Birnbaum's) and study it before you leave, at least a little. Have some idea of the layout of WDW and the parks, and plot what rides and attractions you might like to do with your little one. It might make it a bit easier when you get there. Also, try to start the day early and get to the parks at opening - leave at least an hour (or more for MK) for travel to the parks if you're staying offsite so you'll be there at opening. Learn about the Baby Swap. It might work out to keep going in the parks (using some tips from posters above), but if you sense the child is tired it might make sense to stay for a few hours, then go back to your hotel for a while and rest. Later on, come back and stay until closing, your child will probably sleep in the stroller (bring something soft for his head).

You might want to start a thread asking people their opinions on what rides or attractions might be best with a 2 yr old in each of the parks. Good luck!!

P.S. If you're anything like the rest of us, be forewarned, there'll be another trip in your future once you see what it's all about and get a taste of the magic.

 

[canwegosoon]

If you have a 14 day Ultimate pass, can you still use fastpass or don't you need to?

There are MWY Base passes from 2-10 days in length which expire after 14 days of use. To the base passes you can add things like hopping(which the OP will need, plusses for water parks, and noexpiration) I think you might be refering to an Orlando Flex ticket which is also a 14 day ticket(but to 4-5 other parks on the Orlando area not WDW)

The WDW Fastpass System is not currently tied to your tickets(although from something I read it might be at some time in the future). Fastpass allow you to go on to on to a shorter ling on a high volume ride, but there are restrichions on how and when you can get them. Fast pass is available to all WDW park visitors. Read about it here: http://allearsnet.com/tp/fastpass.htm
Hope you all have a great trip.

 

[Rella Bella]

1. If you can stay on property it will make your life a WHOLE lot easier - especially if you don't have a car. It costs to park---I think it's $7 a day.

I SO agree with this! Even if you have a car. As first timers it is hard to even imagine the scope of the place! It is HUGE!! Each park is HUGE! The distance between the parks is long (with the exception of the Epcot/MGM connection...but that's a 30 min walk, or 15 to 20 boat ride).

The parking lot at MK is on the other side of a lake. You have to park, take a trolly to the 'Transportation Center', from there you can take the Monorail or the Ferry. So from your car to the gate at MK estimate needing 20 to 45 minutes, depending on: the crowds, the time of day, the timing of when you arrive compared to the transportation schedule and where you are parked.

Driving at Disney can be quite confusing... even when you've been there before. We have gone around in circles more than once, even with a map. So if you do drive allow plently of time. Staying at a Value can be almost as inexpensive as anywhere in Orlando and the benefits of being on property are not to be disputed... especially for first timers!

Check out this site on AllEars: http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/onoff.htm
(I disagree with them about Disney Transportation. We love it.)

 

[james15]

I know thoose deals on 192 and I- DRIVE seem hard to pass up.But staying in a disney resort is the only way to go.The transportation,free parking etc plus the over all disney experince makes it worth while.Watch out i booked thru hotel.com once and ended up at days suites and lets say that was not a good experince.