First trip to WDW! Suggestions please!

[rxpleasure]

I am booking out first trip to WDW at the Floridian villas for jan 3 ish- jan 10ish. The kids are 7,9,11,20. Any suggestions or tips?
Thanks!

 

[parlay]

Don't try to do everything!! Make your ADR's at the 180 day mark (sometime in early July for your check-in date) - so start thinking about any Table Service restaurants that you would like to eat at. I love fireworks - so try to catch Wishes at MK, and Reflections of Earth in Epcot. Considering the time of year you are going, see Fantasmic at DHS but I don't think you'll need the Fantasmic Dinner package. Consider buying a good guide book - I really like the Passporter's Disney World. ENJOY yourself, it is the Happiest Place on Earth.

 

[FiggyFan]

Take it SLOW and easy; enjoy every minute to it's fullest. This will be the first of many more trips to come. Let each of the kids pick one day to decide what you're doing.

Remember: "Rome wasn't built in a day, Disney can't be seen in one trip"

Have FUN and ENJOY.

 

[Kristibo42]

Take your time and enjoy everything. Use fastpass. If staying onsite. Take advantage of extra night hours. We don't do the extra morning hour except for AK we ride the animal kingdom kilimanjaro safari it's nice in the morning more animals are out. We also go back to the resort in the afternoon to chill.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Where are the "Floridian Villas"? I know there is a rental agency which uses that name, and the Villas of the Grand Floridian are under construction and not available for reservations.

You will obviously be off-property, but how far away?

 

[MrRomance]

I am booking out first trip to WDW at the Floridian villas for jan 3 ish- jan 10ish. The kids are 7,9,11,20. Any suggestions or tips?
Thanks!

The first thing I would say is that you will not cover everything in a week, so spend some time planning your "must do" list. If you spend your whole week trying to cram everything in, you'll miss the magic.

Get your dining worked out and make sure you book any "must do" table service meals at 180 days. Not all restaurants need to be booked that far out, in fact, because you're going in low season, there will probably be only a few that will need to be booked so far out, but it's better to book early and avoid disappointment.

Comfortable shoes are a MUST. Do not buy new shoes for the trip, put them on at day 1 and think you'll be fine. Unless you want a one way ticket to blister city, break shoes in to comfort point before you go.

Take regular breaks.

Drink plenty of water.

Pack plasters in your park bag.

Try a Dole Whip!

Visit Goofy's Candy Company at DTD and make yourself a yummy treat!

Have fun!

 

[Hootch]

have a tremendous amount of information and people willing to impart their hard earned knowledge. They are not always the easiest for finding answers to specific questions. I usually suggest a guide book. The Unofficial Guide is very thorough.

Or you can hit the various boards on this site to find specific information. You will have many of the same questions as others. There is a forum search option that works most of the time. In addition to this site, I find easywdw.com and allears.net useful for general information and wdwent.com good for schedules.

Things I think you will find important:

How fastpass works
The Disney transportation system if you decide not to drive from park to park. Disney transportation is open to all guests.
Look at refurbs. January is a slower time and refurbs increase. That early in January may not be as big of an issue.
Restaurants - as PP mentioned some restaurants fill up early.
Understand the power of rope drop.

Good luck. It is a lot of fun. There is too much to do. Set priorities of what you want to do/see. Get those (and you may want to do some more than once) and everything else is lagniappe.

 

[Mufasa000]

One of my favorite rides in WDW was Dinosaur! It is in Animal Kingdom I believe.

Also, Fantasmic was one of my favorite shows! It was actually pretty incredible. You can catch that in Hollywood Studios.

 

[parlay]

Where are the "Floridian Villas"? I know there is a rental agency which uses that name, and the Villas of the Grand Floridian are under construction and not available for reservations.

You will obviously be off-property, but how far away?

I assumed OP was talking about the Villas at the Grand Floridian, but I could certainly be wrong. I believe opening day for VGF is October 23rd, and I know there are some DVC dis'ers that already have reservations as soon as October.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

You are going in Jan and that is Florida's coldest month so pack some warmer clothes. We have been there and had temps in the 30's and they did not turn the sprinklers off so everything was encased in ice in the morning. So pack accordingly.

The last two days of your trip there is a Disney marathon which is a very popular event so you will see and increase in crowd levels from Jan 7-10. If you decide to stay onsite book very early as the room will sell out fast.

 

[SingingMom]

You are going in Jan and that is Florida's coldest month so pack some warmer clothes. We have been there and had temps in the 30's and they did not turn the sprinklers off so everything was encased in ice in the morning. So pack accordingly.

The last two days of your trip there is a Disney marathon which is a very popular event so you will see and increase in crowd levels from Jan 7-10. If you decide to stay onsite book very early as the room will sell out fast.

We were there last year during this time and I have to say, we did not find marathon time having any significant increase in crowd levels. It was a great time to visit!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[lenitakimball]

Will be at disney in 5 days!!! first visit these boards have helped a lot!! hope it is has magical as I have imagined. made ADR'S know what rides we what to ride and hope all the rest is just magical!!

 

[darthbrazen]

I am booking out first trip to WDW at the Floridian villas for jan 3 ish- jan 10ish. The kids are 7,9,11,20. Any suggestions or tips?
Thanks!

1. Book your Room
2. Plan which parks you will tour on which days of your visit
3. 180 days from your trip book Dinner rezzies that work with your park visits & other days that you spend outside of the park such as at Downtown Disney, The Boardwalk, etc.
4. Find some extra Magical things to do such as (My Daughter's #1 Favorite - Wishes Fireworks Dessert Party, Campfire at Ft Wilderness ( I think that is the right resort), Dive Quest at Epcot, and a host of other opportunities.
5. Plan what you will ride and when each day in coorelation to 2-4.
6. Rent a Car. Use Hotwire to get your rezz.

You can also do special things, like surprise as many of them as possible. This may not be possible with the older ones due to work schedules. Make matching Shirts for the trip. Buy Camelbak hydration packs. My wife thought I was crazy for getting them for the girls (age 9 & 10), then by lunch on day one she took it all back and wished she had her own. I filled them with ice at the resort in the morning. Lasted all day, and we never had to buy them a drink. They were also able to keep their camera, ponchos, and disney gift cards in the pack.

Planning is the key when it comes to the Mouse's House.

 

[Anri]

Get a guide book! They can be a wonderful resource and provide insider tips and recommendations. I recommend booking most if not all of your dinner reservations at the 180 day mark and maybe some breakfasts as well, if you plan on doing an character breakfasts. Basically, anything that you know you don't want to leave the parks without missing, plan it in advance! But don't feel bad for leaving time open as well. I like to go in to the parks, and if I see a restaurant that looks interesting, I'll try to make a lunch reservation. The My Disney Experience App is a wonderful tool to allow you to book reservations (assuming you have a smartphone or tablet of course). I used it a lot during my last trip to look at wait times, find character meet and greets, and schedule dining plans. Good luck and enjoy!

 

[mmorano88]

Something I never knew until I checked this website out. Rope Drop at Magic Kingdom! Not only is the opening show super cute (actually made me tear up lol) you get on those big rides quick. Best thing I ever learned from this site lol

 

[cobright]

Come up with a once in a lifetime event and make it happen.

Let everyone put a suggestion into a hat and then pick one at random. No matter what it is, vow to get that task complete.

We do this every visit and it's great. In 2004, we sampled a cupcake from every monorail resort.

In 2006, we hacksawed the little head off the pinochio statue and got it out in my son's diaper bag; that was a nail-biter that one.

You might remember the 2011 incident where Tinkerbell's cable snapped ... she was fine, and got a once in a lifetime story of her own to share.

The tricky part is ... I don't know who keeps loading the hat with suggestions like this. I'm pretty sure the cupcake thing was my wife's idea but then again, she hated that Pinocchio statue.

In any case, it will be family moments to treasure forever.

 

[BibbidiBonnie]

Ah! This is so exciting! The best tips I give to new WDW travelers are as follows: DO YOUR RESEARCH! WDW is huge and overwhelming for people who do not know their way around! Have everyone research the parks and pick their top 10 list of things they HAVE to do while there and plan accordingly! And secondly, as people have stated above, ADRs 180 days in advance are a MUST! While there are many wonderful QS locations to enjoy, TS meals are always a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the parks and a great way to have quality family time! And lastly, remember to have fun! It's great to plan your days, but allow flexibility and spontaneity as well! Focus on the magic, fun, and the memories and everything will fall into place! Have a great trip!