First trip ever, lot's of questions!!

[Skylarr29]

Hi again. Really don't take what anyone said as mean. I know it is hard to understand but there are people on these boards that do this sort of thing for fun... we call them "trolls" as they purposly start trouble to get a reaction. Just keep reading here and you will get the hang of it soon. It takes a while to get use to the lingo etc.If you have any questions you can send me a private message (pm) and I will help you out.(If you don't know how to send a pm you just click on my name and then click where it says send Skylarr29 a pm)

 

[heatherlynn444]

yes, everyone means well, and I think us disney freaks forget sometimes that NORMAL people (you) don't know/worship/dream about disney stuff every day (me) but, we will slowly be pulling you over to the dark side after you go only one time, and you too will become one of "us" freaks like evryone was saying, it was very funny/coincidental that you happened to bring up a lot of the hot buttom dis board issues that people throw fits about. I know anyone on these boads would be happy to help you, myself included. sorry we gave you such a bad first impression, don't leave us!

 

[cabanafrau]

That's an awful lot of co-inky-dinks in my book -- but it did give me a chuckle!

 

[hockeybabe]

Well, first of all I want to thank Skylarr29 and btuftee for the thoughtful responses. Then, I have to tell everyone that I almost cried today when I read most of the rest of the answers. I’m not sure what I did wrong, but I guess I got some people mad. Like I said, I’ve never been to Disney World before, so I don’t know as much as the rest of the people here. I really didn’t expect these kinds of responses. My hands were shaking when I read them.

But, anyway, I now know I have a lot of stuff wrong. And, I’m sorry if I gave a bad first impression, but I really wish people had been a little nicer about it. But, this is really important to me, so I hope I can still get some help.

So, I called Disney to find out what was available for July 1-5, the only thing that was affordable was at Port Orleans on the river side, but it has one king bed. It’s just under $800 for the four nights, but with the four of us we really need two beds. Even a rollaway won’t do because the kids are 9 and 6. So, she said I could keep calling back and trying, but that it is a very busy weekend.

But, that doesn’t really matter, because Skylarr29, you are right about the tickets. Stupid me, it’s printed right on the card I got. So, we will have to go August 18 at the earliest. The kids start school on August 14, so now I have a new challenge. They did say that the yearly pass does not start until we get there, so I’m not wasting my money. So, time to start planning again. When really is the best time to go?

So, I printed out Skylarr29’s and btuftee’s answers and showed them to Judy. She said that she never said the monorail went to the Movies hotel, but that we should use it whenever we can where it does go. I guess I misunderstood her. She also said that they don’t really check the drink mugs and you can keep using them. Really, I don’t feel comfortable with that, so I’ll just buy some new ones for us. Is the Beach Club pool checking a new thing? She said she doesn’t remember that. But, anyway, I’ll figure it all out eventually.

Well, after a rough start, I’m going to keep on planning. Maybe sometime in September. Thanks Skylar and buftee.

Keep reading the boards, Xcited, they are a huge wealth of info no book could give you. But it is a good idea to start with a good book, I personally like Passporter. Then check out allearsnet.com, and sign up for mousesavers.com 's newsletter.

There are 3 categories of resorts, value, moderate and deluxe. Watch the threads on the resort board here on the dis to make up your mind about where to start there. Some people are just fine with the values, which the Movies resort is one, but others prefer the moderates or deluxes. Anuual Passholders, and Florida Passholders, get great rates on resorts in the value season, up to $25 off values, $40 off moderates and $100 off deluxes. Make sure you look into the best value for the time of year you go. You may be able to afford an upgrade with the discounts you can get. Both of the sites mentioned here have historic discount offers, as well as park attendance histories, which are vital to planning your trip. You might consider a travel agent this first trip to make sure you get the best deal. They are free to you, and can put together a package and offer you things you may not know existed, like the dining plan, and dining discounts.

Whatever you do, stick around, people are truly helpful overall here. You may want to break up your questions into separate posts, and make sure you utilize all of the different boards, Resorts, Restaurants and Theme Park boards to start. Don't be afraid to ask, and don't forget about the topic search feature the DIS has if you want to see if the question has already been asked. Pretty soon you will be an "expert" too!

 

[Dustmouse]

Co-worker Judy's advice = bad
Dis advice = good

Just keep reading...you'll be fine!

 

[DOOM1001]

Fl. resident seasonal passholder here and let me say going for the first time in July to Disney would be a bad idea, too hot, too humid, too rainy, too CROWDED.So don't feel bad that the seasonal pass is blacked out from June 10th thru Aug 17th.Also the last 2 years Disney sent out a brochure saying you can start coming like 2-3 weeks before the blackout date says so my advice would be to buy the regular annual pass if you'd like to go from like December 23-Jan 5th for christmas, at least for me that's the only time I feel bad for only having the seasonal pass, I just don't enjoy Disney as much in the summer.Also remember Seasonal passes don't get free parking, Annuals do.My advice would be to save the trip for October when you have the Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT with the EAT to the Beat concerts, Mickey's not so Scary Halloween party at the MK and I always go to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal.As far as the cups,I always hear people saying you can reuse them but I think they're only good for the length of your stay.

 

[Xcited4Dizney]

Thanks to everyone for all their help. I have a lot to learn about what I should say in these messages. But, thanks for being patient. Well, on the advice of a few of you, I spent so many hours looking around at allears.net and there is so much stuff there it is like overwhelming. But, I think the one decision I am most sure about is going in October. There’s the Food Festival that sounds really great. Judy (I know, don’t listen to her, but I think she is right about it since I saw so much stuff about it on allears) says there are food booths set up all around Epcot where you can try free samples of all sorts of crazy food from around the world. I’m not really into frog legs, snails and raw fish and stuff, but my husband will eat just about anything, and a lot of it. So, that might just make up for the cost of the trip!

So, I called Disney again and they told me that there are no discounts after August 5, so I’ll have to wait to get my room if discounts come out. She said that I should go ahead and reserve the room right now and ask for a discount later. Is that a good idea, or is that really against the rules or something?

Anyhow, on allears I saw a bunch of pictures of the All Star Movies. It’s cute and all and our 6 year old daughter will love it. But, I think if our 9 year old son had to sleep under a dalmation puppy bedspread or something, he might flip. And, all those giant statues of stuff are a little creepy. If I saw one of those big Freddy Friday the 13th hockey masks or something out of my window at night, I might totally freak out. LOL.

So, there are a few hotels that I really like. First is Port Orleans, it looks really nice and wooded with lots of flowers. Does anyone really like it a lot? And which side is better, the River side or the French Quarter side? Both looked nice, but the French Quarter side had some creepy stuff like giant jesters and giant Mardi Gras masks and statues and stuff. I know this sounds stupid, but stuff like that really freaks me out. Is it really all over the place like it looks in the pictures?

Also, I like the Wilderness Lodge. It’s beautiful. But, I’m a little bit confused. It’s like a big hotel and then some log cabins and then some tents. You can specify which part you want, right? Can they guarantee it? Last thing I would want is to screw that up and wind up in a tent!!

I know that none of these are at monorail stops, so I also want to ask about the Polynesian Hotel. The room rates are really, really expensive. How much of a discount do you think I can expect if they become available? It looks a little old, but I saw the pictures of the new room style and they look great. Is that something that you can ask for and get it?

So, of those three, which do you like the best? And is being at a monorail stop worth all the extra money. Thanks again for all your help and patience.

 

[heatherfeather24]

Judy (I know, don’t listen to her, but I think she is right about it since I saw so much stuff about it on allears) says there are food booths set up all around Epcot where you can try free samples of all sorts of crazy food from around the world. I’m not really into frog legs, snails and raw fish and stuff, but my husband will eat just about anything, and a lot of it. So, that might just make up for the cost of the trip!

So, I called Disney again and they told me that there are no discounts after August 5, so I’ll have to wait to get my room if discounts come out. She said that I should go ahead and reserve the room right now and ask for a discount later. Is that a good idea, or is that really against the rules or something?


So, there are a few hotels that I really like. First is Port Orleans, it looks really nice and wooded with lots of flowers. Does anyone really like it a lot? And which side is better, the River side or the French Quarter side? Both looked nice, but the French Quarter side had some creepy stuff like giant jesters and giant Mardi Gras masks and statues and stuff. I know this sounds stupid, but stuff like that really freaks me out. Is it really all over the place like it looks in the pictures?

So, of those three, which do you like the best? And is being at a monorail stop worth all the extra money. Thanks again for all your help and patience.

Couple of comments:

1) Really, really, stop listening to Judy. She is correct that the Food & Wine fest at EPCOT is a a lot of fun. BUT, nothing about it is free. There is a charge for each food item that you want to try.

2) There is nothing wrong with making a reservation now and continuing to try back for a discount. I think it's safe to say that most folks on this board subscribe to that philosophy.

3) I love POR. Can't speak to the WL or the Poly as I haven't stayed at either, but they sure are pretty to look at -- having visted each one at least once. Also, I'm not sure that I see a real advantage to monorail resorts unless you plan on spending most of your time at the Magic Kingdom. I tend to enjoy the moderates (like POR and POFQ) the most because I would rather spend more $$ on dining and souveniers than on my room -- we don't spend a whole lot of time in the room, anyway. It's really a matter of preference, not a matter of which one is objectively "better."

 

[cabanafrau]

There seem to be lots of opinions on this board that the Polynesian resort is dark and is locked in some kind of Brady Bunch time warp that turns them off.

There is a thread of photos on the resorts board that should give you lots of bait, er, food for thought to help you with your planning.

 

[millerjudi]

With regard to the Wilderness Lodge. you may be confusing the Wilderness Lodge (a deluxe hotel) and the Ft. WildernessCampgrounds (a place for camping that also has really nice cabins you can rent that, I believe, are on a par with the deluxe resorts, though I've never stayed there). The Wilderness Lodge (where we are staying in November) is the most economical of the deluxe resorts, and boy is the lobby beutiful. We were there last November for dinner, and it has the most beautiful Christmas tree I have ever seen in my life (better than the tree in Rockefeller Center in New York City, which I have seen in person). Disney is wonderful and, if you keep reading, you will get the hang of it!!!! It is truely the most wonderful place on earth! Enjoy!

 

[ChristmasElf]

Thanks to everyone for all their help. I have a lot to learn about what I should say in these messages. But, thanks for being patient. Well, on the advice of a few of you, I spent so many hours looking around at allears.net and there is so much stuff there it is like overwhelming. But, I think the one decision I am most sure about is going in October. There’s the Food Festival that sounds really great. Judy (I know, don’t listen to her, but I think she is right about it since I saw so much stuff about it on allears) says there are food booths set up all around Epcot where you can try free samples of all sorts of crazy food from around the world. I’m not really into frog legs, snails and raw fish and stuff, but my husband will eat just about anything, and a lot of it. So, that might just make up for the cost of the trip!

So, I called Disney again and they told me that there are no discounts after August 5, so I’ll have to wait to get my room if discounts come out. She said that I should go ahead and reserve the room right now and ask for a discount later. Is that a good idea, or is that really against the rules or something?

Anyhow, on allears I saw a bunch of pictures of the All Star Movies. It’s cute and all and our 6 year old daughter will love it. But, I think if our 9 year old son had to sleep under a dalmation puppy bedspread or something, he might flip. And, all those giant statues of stuff are a little creepy. If I saw one of those big Freddy Friday the 13th hockey masks or something out of my window at night, I might totally freak out. LOL.

So, there are a few hotels that I really like. First is Port Orleans, it looks really nice and wooded with lots of flowers. Does anyone really like it a lot? And which side is better, the River side or the French Quarter side? Both looked nice, but the French Quarter side had some creepy stuff like giant jesters and giant Mardi Gras masks and statues and stuff. I know this sounds stupid, but stuff like that really freaks me out. Is it really all over the place like it looks in the pictures?

Also, I like the Wilderness Lodge. It’s beautiful. But, I’m a little bit confused. It’s like a big hotel and then some log cabins and then some tents. You can specify which part you want, right? Can they guarantee it? Last thing I would want is to screw that up and wind up in a tent!!

I know that none of these are at monorail stops, so I also want to ask about the Polynesian Hotel. The room rates are really, really expensive. How much of a discount do you think I can expect if they become available? It looks a little old, but I saw the pictures of the new room style and they look great. Is that something that you can ask for and get it?

So, of those three, which do you like the best? And is being at a monorail stop worth all the extra money. Thanks again for all your help and patience.

If you are now a FL resident, I'm assuming you will de driving here to Orlando right? Don't worry about the busses. If you are going to hit the parks, the absolute fastest way would be to drive there to the park on your own. Staying at a Disney resort, your parking would be free. (since you mentioned your kids go back to school on August 14th, I figure you are either in Palm Beach County or maybe Broward so you would be driving the 2-2 and a 1/2
drive here.

If you decide to stay on property, the French Quarter is lovely and has a big and great pool your kids will like.
Ft Wilderness cabins are really fun to stay in as well and come equipped with a full kitchen so that is always handy, especially in the mornings.

Coronado Springs is a nice moderate. Ask for Building 7 or 9 if you want to be by the big pool.

Caribbean Beach is another nice moderate that you will like.

POP century is the nicest of the Value reorts in my opinion. The bowling pin pool is nice and quieter than the flower pool. This resort along with the AllStar pools have no slides however.

If you decide to stay off site, there are many really great choices that are only 5 minutes away. The Sheraton Vistana has 7 pools and is fantastic. But you might not need all that room for just 4 people.

The Hilton Grande Vacation Club is wonderful. Close by too,.

 

[scrapbookingpro]

I know you must be overwhelmed by all the info out there and trying to make decisions about where to stay and go. I just wanted to put in my two cents on resorts here. I have stayed in almost all of them at one time or another and the Wilderness Lodge is one of my favorites. It is so beautiful and it has a nice little beach and you can take a boat over to the Magic Kingdom if you want. The cabins at Fort Wilderness are also very nice and there is so much to do there! When I was a kid, I lOVED staying in those cabins because they had bunk beds in them
Port Orleans and Caribbean Beach are more affordable, and also great. I really don't think the monorail thing is such a big plus. You can travel anywhere by bus or boat, so you really don't need the monorail. Choose the resort you like the best instead of one that has monorail access.
Good luck choosing!

 

[Disneyholic]

Xcited4Dizney

Hi and welcome to the Dis. I have been called a Troll many times because I used Grumpy in my signature and some people didn't like my opinion because it didn't agree with theirs. I just took it in stride and added it to my signature and kept on posting. Have fun and ignore the people who try to make you feel bad and keep on posting. You learn a lot this way and years from now you may be able to help some other newbie.

 

[CNYdisneynewbie]

I also am completely new to this WDW phenomenon! I was reading through the posts and feeling completely lost due to not knowing all of the acronyms. Thanks so much for suggesting the allearsnet site! It has given me all the info I need to know.

We are going to be at MK June 24...We just booked for one day because we are actually heading to the beach afterwards. After all I've seen though, I have a feeling we will be back again and again!

Also, keeping our fingers crossed for a "soft-opening" of POC. Check me out, I'm getting it now!

 

[cabanafrau]

I also am completely new to this WDW phenomenon! I was reading through the posts and feeling completely lost due to not knowing all of the acronyms. Thanks so much for suggesting the allearsnet site! It has given me all the info I need to know.

We are going to be at MK June 24...We just booked for one day because we are actually heading to the beach afterwards. After all I've seen though, I have a feeling we will be back again and again!

Also, keeping our fingers crossed for a "soft-opening" of POC. Check me out, I'm getting it now!

Hope your day has perfect weather, low crowds, short lines and lots of pixie dust!