Haven't been in 20 years. What are some must do's?

[alma6388]

I haven't been to Disney since I was 10, now I am going with my kids and husband,all first timers in June 2011. What are some must do and see stuff we definitly can't miss?
P.S my kids are 10yr. boy and 3yr. girl. and Grammy and Grampa are coming too! It's gonna be a blast no doubt!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[WaltD4Me]

Oh my. Long list!

If you haven't been in 20 years, I would recommend getting a good guide book. My favorite is the Passporter. Borders and Barnes & Noble carries it. The DIS of course is the best source of information, but a guide book is also very helpful and the Passporter has great maps so you can get your bearings before you go.

I'm going to give you a few newer must do's that will be good for the whole family.

1. Toy Story Mania at DHS. Everyone can ride and compare scores.

2. Soarin at Epcot. Awesome family ride.

3. Animation Drawing Academy class at DHS, the whole family can learn to draw a Disney character.

4. Festival of the Lion King at Animal Kingdom (my favorite Disney show)

5. Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Show in Tomorrowland at MK, very funny.

6. Turtle Talk with Crush in the Living Seas at Epcot....very cool!

7. Mickey's Philharmagic in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom, I usually see this at least twice on a trip, LOVE it.

There are way more, but these are a good start for things everyone can enjoy together.

 

[zulemara]

also don't miss the big shows, fantastmic(DHS), illuminations(EPCOT, and wishes(MK).

 

[Cherinva]

Wow...this would be a long, long list. I'll give you my favorites...

Pirates of the Carribean (MK)
Haunted Mansion (MK)
Splash Mountain (MK)
Big Thunder Mountain (MK)
Stitches Great Escape (MK)
Jungle Cruise (MK)
Soarin (EPCOT)
Spaceship Earth (EPCOT)
Nemo (EPCOT)
Walking around the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom

There's so many more...but this is a good start. Enjoy your trip.

 

[vegetablegirl]

Oh, wow, it'll almost be experiencing an entirely new place!

Definitely catch IllumiNations at Epcot and Wishes at the Magic Kingdom.

Since you haven't ever been to Animal Kingdom, I'd give everything a chance there. Your son will probably enjoy Expedition Everest if he's the adventurous type. Also, I highly recommend Finding Nemo: The Musical and Kilimanjaro Safaris.

WaltD4Me mentioned Mickey's Philharmagic at the Magic Kingdom, that's a definite must do!

If you guys are Finding Nemo fans, make sure to check out the Seas with Nemo and Friends at Epcot. It's a lot different than it used to be, and features a great dark ride through the plot of Finding Nemo as well as Turtle Talk with Crush.

Let's see... Rock'n'Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios are exciting, but it depends on your group whether you would enjoy thrill rides or not.

There are plenty of other things I'm sure. You might consider getting a guide book that lists the attractions, and then looking up youtube videos to see what might be a good fit for your family. That way, you can decide what looks interesting to you.

 

[hookedonears]

Easy. Buy a good Disney book and read these boards.

 

[Slapster]

All the mountains at MK
soarin and test track at epcot
everest and the safari at AK
toy story mania and tower of terror at DHS

biggest tip? Don't try to do it all. You'll miss lots of little details that sets Disney apart.

Oh, and start planning your next trip now.

 

[cyberbox2]

How about some "Food" must do's

Tonga toast is a must at the Poly.
School bread in Norway at EPCOT
Carrot cake cookie at Hollywood Studios
Dole whip at M.K.
T-Rex at Downtown Disney
Chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich at the main street bakery in M.K.


Just some food for thought

 

[sunshine girl]

Wow! Get yourself the Unofficial Guide and read the DIS... the UG can tell you a lot about the must-sees and help you create touring plans, and the DIS is great for everything. You're already thinking ahead so you'll be prepared, I'm sure!

Just make sure you have a plan, make sure you are mentally prepared to go with the flow if the plan doesn't quite work out sometimes, and build in plenty of time for rest!

And have fun with everything!!

 

[eeyorelvr09]

Where do I start? Some personal favorites

First of all, I'm surprised that no one mentioned Fantasmic! which is DHS nighttime show. SInce your going in June there will most likely be 2 showings and if the kids can hold out I recommend the later show because the early show is so jam packed with all the families. I'm not all about Illuminations, but to each his own. But I recommend all the night shows and SpectroMagic if you can.

Other things sorted by parks:
Magic Kingdom
Pirates of the Carribean
It's a Small World
I agree all the mountains
Carousel of Progress
Haunted Mansion
Philharmagic
Peter Pans flight
Tom Sawyer Island
Stitches great escape
Monsters Inc Laugh Floor

Animal Kingdom
Dinosaur
Expedition Everest
Kilimanjaro Safaris
The Finding Nemo Show- so cool when they act in the aisles
Tree of Life

Hollywood StudiosFormerly MGM
Great Movie Ride
Hollywood Tower of Terror
Lights, Motor, Action
Toy Story Mania
Star Tours if your son likes Star Wars

Epcot
Gotta travel the world showcase especially:Germany,Ireland, Morocco and France (Character meets in France and England)
Test track
Mission: Space
Soarin
Seas with Nemo
Turtle Talk with Crush
Spaceship Earth

Finally, If the grandparents are willing to watch the kiddos take time for yourselves to go to a nice dinner at someplace like Narcoossees or California Grill. Also check out Downtown Disney.

I know that this was lengthy, but I hope it helps.

 

[happy2go2wdwmom]

Agree w/ PPs. Plus, be sure to stay at a Disney Resort and go to Downtown Disney (Lego store, esp.)---and if you can, Typhoon Lagoon!

You have a lot of catching up to do! Have a magical time!

 

[jimmiej]

Enjoy World Showcase dining at Epcot! I base my whole trip off of what ADRs I can get. Some of my favorites:

Le Cellier
San Angel (more for the atmosphere-food's OK)
Chefs de France (request a table by the window)
Tutto Italia

Menus:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/disneydining.cfm