First Visit to Florida

[Wiltshireman]

My 15yr old daughter and myself will be taking a 2 wk holiday to Florida departing the UK on 29.08.04. We are staying off park in I Drive and concentrating on Disneyworld and the surrounding area. I have several questions and apologize for raising issues that may have been covered previously. I will be taking essential items in a backpack to the parks each visit and am concerned that when taking rides together, it will be necessary to store our personal possessions in a locker. Do any of you have an opinion regarding the use of lockers, their cost effectiveness and availability within the parks. I wil also be taking a camera and camcorder and have concerns about protecting the equipment from regular soakings on the rides. Apart from plastic bags or leaving behind in the hotel, does anyone have any advice in this regard. Lastly, I will have the use of a hire car, but would be interested in any opinions as to the merit of taking shuttles to parks where available. I look forward to your helpful advice accordingly.

 

[KayleeUK]

Hi Whiltshireman Welcome to the DIS

I bet your daughter is getting excited We usually take a smallish backpack to the parks with us. On a lot of rides I tend to put the backpack on the floor and put my leg in the strap to stop it moving, the same with camera bag. I can't think of a Disney ride which wouldn't allow me to do this.......Mmm maybe Mission Space in Epcot...but if that was the case I think they had free lockers whist you were on the ride. Really the same goes for Universal and Seaworld - if you couldn't take your bags on they let you use a locker whilst on the ride.

I tend to keep my camcorder in my bag for water rides and put it in a zip lock bag. On Kali River Rapids you put your bag in the middle under a plastic top. I always take a plastic bag to put my bag in for those few minutes.

Hope some of this helps

 

[Mpet]

Hi

Welcome to the boards.

This is just my opininon and from my own experience. Travel light. that backpack that feels quite light at the beginning of the day, will feel like it's full of bricks by the end of that day. It will be very warm when you visit - although you will get the odd shower which can be quite heavy. You may want to carry ponchos. I wouldn't bother with sweaters etc. I have used lockers before, but they are usually in a central location. With the size of the parks, it can be quite a trek backwards and forwards to deposit stuff.

I cannot think of 1 ride in the Disney parks that you would need to stow a backpack in a locker - although Mission Space maybe - I haven't ridden that yet. You can usually hold bags on you lap or between your feet.

Wet rides - Again Disney has Splash Mountain - but if you stow your camera in you backpack or a carrier bag, it shoud be OK. DH usually films on Splash until the last drop when he quickly stows the camera.

If you are visiting Universal or IOA - this is a different matter. There are a number of rides where you cannot take back packs, but they have lockers by the ride entrances which are free for I think an hour. There are more wet rides (very wet rides), but you will see these and can stow you belongings in lockers. Another tip - if you want to ride the really wet rides, you may want to take a change of clothes with you!!!!

Hope this helps


Maxine

 

[themurrayfamily]

This is our first trip to, and can't wait! I've just had some valuable information from this thread....

 

[REH]

HI
On the Space ride you can store your bags in storage bins on the ride. When you seated in the ride there are storage bins at the bottom of the control panel. You should have no problem. I agree pack light !
Yes I think it will be worth you using the car, no waiting for buses and it gives you flexiblity. As you are staying on Idrive you'll not be far from Beltz mall but Florida Mall and Mall at Millenia and Premium Outlet are worth a visit if you can fit them in and a car will make it a lot easier to get there.
Enjoy it!
:thewave:

 

[Wiltshireman]

Many thanks to those of you who took the trouble to respond to my posting. The information that you have given is very useful and much appreciated!!

 

[Dimplenose]

We travel with whatever will fit into a bum bag, plus a water bottle on a strap. We only use the camcorder on some of the days as DH finds he only experiences the rides through the viewfinder on those days.

Libby

 

[Miffy2003]

Totally agree with what Libby says...we fit everything in a bum bag (OK it's not cool, but who cares?!) and what doesn't fit has to be left behind.

We took a rucksack on our first day in MK in August 2 years ago and regretted it within half an hour of being in the park!

We take the camcorder for just a couple of days doing a "greatest hits" film because otherwise whoever is filming misses out. Though our camcorder does fit in the bum bag it means that hardly anything else does!

Some families swear by their rucksacks though so to each his own! We do manage to fit an astronomical amount of stuff in the bumbag though.

Karen

 

[juliebro]

an astronomical amount of stuff in the bumbag

Does my bumbag look big in this?!


Julie

 

[Miffy2003]

LOL Julie!