First Timers

[xmasinorlando]

Hi all

After weeks of reading 100s of posts on this site and copy/pasting tips to word doc (14 pages so far) thought I would introduce self and family, say thanks for all the info and give brief !! outline of 'once in a lifetime' holiday.

Who's going:

Me,37-Worn out nurse,Cheif trip planner, desperate for a holiday (who will need another after this one I think )
DH,37 DIS widower Happy to leave all trip planning to me and will go along with everything.
DD,16 Used to be Disney-mad until teen years. One of main reason for this holiday (after a traumatic time in 2004)
DS,12 Not a lover of rides but reckons he will try everything this year-until his sister drags him on THE HULK that is
DS 9 Loves rides and looking forward to holiday but worrying about everything-flying, storms,hurricanes,earthquakes,the ozone layer etc etc
DS 8 THRILL ride lover and can't wait-Went on Aerosmiths Rock and Roller coaster over and over in Paris 2 years ago.
SIL 47 Up for anything-Oh and is a great childminder too

I went to US(New York) with SIL for first time last year and loved it-First visit outside Europe for the rest of the family. Priced Virgin flights to Orlando for the 6 of us and too expensive so flying Heathrow-New York which was less less than half the price(200 pounds) and got return flights from NY to Orlando for $100 each.

TRIP ITINERY-Subject to change!!

DAY 1- DAY 3-NEW YORK-Sightseeing & Shopping
DAY 4-7-ST PETES BEACH-Relaxing
DAY 8-Drive to Orlando-Staying in Hampton Inn,Universal Boulavard-Good reports,breakfast to go and cheap(23 pounds a night)Arabian Nights Show & ?Downtown Disney(Will not have car for rest of trip)
DAY 9-Animal Kingdom (3 hours) MGM (3 hours) and Epcott(5 hours) Is this possible???I know it sounds a bit mad BUT had not planned on buying Disney tickets-Don't Scream-budget just did not allow A friend has given me 5x 7 day hoppers with unused park days on them(old style tickets)Will need to buy 2 more tho.Trouble is I don't think they do 1 day hoppers??
DAY 10-IOA-Brought 7 day passes for price of 2 days
DAY 11-US
DAY 12-SEAWORLD- XMAS DAY. HELP-Don't know where to eat-Someone recommended Tradewinds at Renaisance Resort by SEAWORLD
DAY 13-Not planned as yet.
DAY 14-IOA
DAY 15-US
DAY 16-DISCOVERY COVE-BOOKED
DAY 17-Florida Mall-GIRLS(Hot Topic a must for DD) DISNEYQUEST-BOYS
DAY 18-20-NEW YORK-New Years Eve in TIMES SQUARE-Now I knom I'm Mad

Well thats IT-See what I mean about anther holiday after

ANY comments & suggestions welcome and thanks again for a great site

It's now 1.55am and I have a 2am Curfew

KAREN

 

[UKDEB]

Congratulations on making the jump from lurker to poster!

You've certainly gone for a baptism of fire for your first trip to Orlando. You will definitely need another holiday afterwards! If it wasn't for the week at St Pete's I'd say you were trying to pack too much in to the Orlando part of the trip. Even so, you might find you just can't keep going at that pace and will need to take some 'down time'.

I love the Universal Parks as much as WDW, and Sea World just keeps getting better and better, but I couldn't comprehend a trip to Orlando with just one day at WDW. It is Orlando. I realise that buying tickets for 6 of you is a major expense, so if you really can't do more than one day, my suggestion would be to do one park really well rather than trying to pack in 3, especially as you'll be there at the busiest time of year. You could do AK and MGM in one day. You could maybe consider MGM and Epcot in one day as they're close geographically, but you won't do them both justice. Epcot is really a 2 day park. And no MK? Go and wash your mouth out with soap and water, girl! (only joking ).

For me, it's a little bit too much time in New York. I think you might come home wishing you'd spent longer in Orlando, but I guess the flights are cast in stone, now. We spent 3 days in New York over New Year's Eve 2003 before flying to Orlando on January 1st (but we flew home from Orlando). We discovered (luckily before we left home) that people start arriving at Times Square at midday. Much later than that and you won't be anywhere near the action. Now, standing in Times Square for over 12 hours is not my idea of fun and our group was just adults. I can't begin to imagine doing that with children.

Sorry to put a dampener on all your plans . Of course, it's only my opinion based on my own preferences and experience, but I hope it will help you to follow your plan with more realistic expectations. Just make sure you stay chilled and take the time to really take it all in.

 

[wicket2005]

I have to follow exactly what Deb said about Disney. It is impossible to see everything in the parks in the times you have allocated. Remember you may be contending with busy queues as well that can eat into your time.

I don't know whether you can transfer Hopper passes. With our Ultimate ticket we had to sign the ticket and our fingers were scanned everytime we used it.

 

[disneyholic family]

i have to agree with UKDeb on that washing out your mouth with soap thing...
no MK????......MK is WDW....or WDW is MK...
don't get me wrong....i adore epcot and like MGM and AK, but if i only had one day it would be MK....(the order of WDW preference for me is MK, Epcot, MGM, AK)....

and of course, since i hate Universal and Sea World, I won't even start with my opinions on all your time there vs WDW..

as for NYC, i love NYC (and lived there for 3 years with my husband, pre-children).....i have lots of suggestions if you're interested (with kids you really have to do the American Museum of Natural History on Central Park West.......since you're visiting in the winter, bring very very very very very very warm clothes.....it can be cold and you'll find yourself walking a lot....
as for new years eve, when we lived there we didn't get anywhere near times square for new years eve......seems like a psychotic thing to do, but that's me...

finally, since you're flying domestically inside the US, a word of warning......if you purchased your tickets online and there's no way for them to know that the tickets were purchased overseas, then there's a good chance you won't be "selected"....however, if your internal tickets were purchased in the UK, prepare yourselves for the most annoying and completely ridiculous airport security experience of your lifetime....and leave lots and lots of time to get through....we saw a family in orlando miss their flight home because they got caught in the security line...

 

[Shooby doo]

I'd have to agree with the other posters,the WDW portion is too much: AK is huge(our least favourite park),MGM-you would have to catch the park on an off day to catch ToT & RNRRC without waiting,Ep just isn't possible to do in 5 hours.... you would have to be running everywhere & eating on the hoof! NOT my idea of fun!! My advice drop one of your US/IOA 2nd days ,it is possible to do the big rides in IOA & pop over to US in a day-without wearing yourself out.Then use this other day at WDW-it would be shame to miss out on MK-ok for the older kids it doesn't have any white knuckle rides but it's what WDW is all about. On the down side you can't buy a one day hopper so either way you are going to have to buy a ticket that includes hopping.Have a look on www.dreamsunlimited.com as they have a good list of the available options & what you can expect to pay!
On your shopping day I'd also look at the Premium Outlets at LBV (you'll pass them driving up to US/IOA on I4 .Used to be Junc 27 now 67 or68 I think) plenty of bargains,especially if anyone likes sportsgear.
HTH SD aw:

 

[michellejed]

I can't imagine packing for both hot and very cold!!! How many cases do you plan on bringing?

Standing out in below freezing weather for 12 hours is not my idea of fun but to each their own!

You would need at least 4 days to even scratch the surface of all 4 WDW parks, such as shame to come all that way and miss the magic!

Maybe your next trip can be a bit more magical

 

[disneyholic family]

i just looked at your dates in NY again..
do you really want to spend that much time there?..
remember that it is COLD there in the winter....cold cold cold...
and you'll be doing a lot of walking there, because that's the nature of the city....even if you use public transport, you have to walk in between and wait etc....
it's cold there.....below zero celsius.......it seems you're planning 6 days there...that's a lot....

 

[kristieuk]

I just wanted to say that I think it's a great idea staying in NY at the times you are. It breaks up the trip nicely both ways, and it's obviously so different to Florida, the whole family will love it! There is so much to do and see, you'll want to stay for longer. The first time I went, it was for three days - the next time, eight days wasn't enough!

It is freezing in the winter, the coldest I have ever been - but you know that and will no doubt travel prepared for it.

So far as your Disney day goes, you will only have time to scratch the surface, but there is nothing wrong with that - you'll see all the important things, and no doubt make a mental note of what you want to do next time. The ages your children are, I can see why you are concentrating on the more 'ride intensive' parks.

We don't ever do the traditional Orlando thing - we stay on a quiet little island on the gulf coast, and travel up when we feel like it - it may be two parks, it may be five, but I don't think I could hack the pace for two weeks and still come home relaxed.

I just happen to think your holiday sounds wonderful.
PS I'm sure there can be delays, but I have travelled domestically plenty of times, and haven't had a problem. Just make sure you leave time, you'll be fine.

 

[xmasinorlando]

And no MK? Go and wash your mouth out with soap and water, girl! (only joking ).


Now you know why it took so long to write... I knew I'd get lynched with no MK in Itinery

Did ask kids but not bothered. The youngest 2 (7&9) are teens at heart. They love the thrill rides, movies and superheros, which is why I chose US & IOA. We have been to Paris 4 times and on the last visit, all the kids preferred the studios park and wanted to do both days in there.
May split and do MGM and Animal Kingdom(Selected rides/attractions) in one day and use the unplanned day for Epcot.
Anyway, what we don't do will give me a great excuse to come back

As for New York..I have lots of activities planned and New Years Hotel is IN Times Square-Courtesy of SIL who was desprerate to see Ball drop, but there was NO WAY I was standing for hours in that crowd (never mind the Kids)

Have added Premium Outlets to shopping day.

Thanks for advice and comments