I have questions...

[DisneyPeanut]

Hey y'all! I have only been to DW once, when I was 4. I have been to DL several times as my husbands family is in California. I want to know the best way to plan a DW trip. We would really like to go in Oct. when some of y'all will be there for the grand gathering. Do I just make reservations at the campground and buy our park tickets when we get there? I would hate to buy all the tickets and then not be able to go since it is such a long time between now and oct. What about the halloween party thing? Do you need a separate ticket for that or is it even worth going to? What is it anyway? Is the park pretty crowded in Oct? And if we plan for 8 nights how many park days do I plan for? Would a 4 day park hopper be good or should I get 5 days??? How do those work? Is it 4 consecutive days or can they be used over the 8 days any 4 days? I can't think of anymore questions right now but will probably have more later. Thanks in advance.

 

[team bradfield]

Hey y'all! I have only been to DW once, when I was 4. I have been to DL several times as my husbands family is in California. I want to know the best way to plan a DW trip. We would really like to go in Oct. when some of y'all will be there for the grand gathering. Do I just make reservations at the campground and buy our park tickets when we get there? I would hate to buy all the tickets and then not be able to go since it is such a long time between now and oct. What about the halloween party thing? Do you need a separate ticket for that or is it even worth going to? What is it anyway? Is the park pretty crowded in Oct? And if we plan for 8 nights how many park days do I plan for? Would a 4 day park hopper be good or should I get 5 days??? How do those work? Is it 4 consecutive days or can they be used over the 8 days any 4 days? I can't think of anymore questions right now but will probably have more later. Thanks in advance.

I'll do my best, others will help:

we make our ressies, then purchase tix one at time over the year to spread out the costs

Park tickets don't expire until 14 days after 1st use, unless you buy the no experation option, (expensive)

We stay 10 days and purchase 7 day tix, the more days the cheaper each extra day costs

Holloween party is a separate admission ticket, but well worth it, very much fun.

October is a absolute wonderful time to go, It would be our only choice if the kids weren't in school.

Don't miss the legend of spooky hollow carridge ride at the fort, extra cost of course, but pure disney magic.

 

[DisneyPeanut]

Thanks!

 

[BigDaddyRog]

You definately want to plan a day of hanging out at the campground to do some of the things that it offers....maybe more than one day!!! There are alot of fish to be caught...and there are plenty of horses in desperate need of your personal attention, and ..remember...you can usually swim in Oct in Orlando..and with the new pool renos..ya need some time set aside for that.

Theres no real reason NOT tp wait till you get there to purchase your tickets..theres a small savings for buying them ahead of time...but you can still buy them before October online once things seem more definate about your travel plans. Dont for get to make any dining reservations 90 days before your arrival...its pretty tough to get seated at any of the nice restaurants without reservations.
Planning is good...but try not to overplan.....theres alot to be said for winging it whenever possible.

 

[DisneyPeanut]

Thanks Rog. I was hoping you would post on this thread you seem to know your Disney!

Any ideas for dining?? fav. restaurants?? it's just me and my husband.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

My personal favorite is Cinderella's Royal Table...but Ive heard others say their experience with them was less than magical. San Angel in Epcot's Mexico area is another of our must do's. Ive always wanted to try Jiko and Victoria & Albert's. Downtown Disney's EARL OF SANDWICH is a counter service establishment, so reservations arent needed, but DAAAAANG...they have the best sandwiches around, we'll never do another Disney trip without a visit to those guys. You'll notice most of the disney restaurants have the same crap food served on different plates with different names...but their are a few that definately deserve a thumbs up. Im sure others will chime in with their favorites as well. Hope you guys have a great time.

 

[BradyBz12]

Love California Grill for just about everything, but especially the sushi!

And actually along those lines, if you are a sushi fan, the Kona Sushi bar at the Poly is terrific, and you can order off the regular Kona menu as well. The sushi selection is somewhat limited, but everything they had to offer was delish. Plus it's pretty much "walk up" service, no ADR required! (Shhhhh - don't tell anyone!!)

We ate there 3 times in December, always got a seat immediately and the food was terrific.

 

[Kagoguen]

Hey y'all! I have only been to DW once, when I was 4. I have been to DL several times as my husbands family is in California. I want to know the best way to plan a DW trip. We would really like to go in Oct. when some of y'all will be there for the grand gathering. Do I just make reservations at the campground and buy our park tickets when we get there? I would hate to buy all the tickets and then not be able to go since it is such a long time between now and oct. What about the halloween party thing? Do you need a separate ticket for that or is it even worth going to? What is it anyway? Is the park pretty crowded in Oct? And if we plan for 8 nights how many park days do I plan for? Would a 4 day park hopper be good or should I get 5 days??? How do those work? Is it 4 consecutive days or can they be used over the 8 days any 4 days? I can't think of anymore questions right now but will probably have more later. Thanks in advance.

I would 1st pick the time period and make the room only reservation, as you can always get your money back, as long as you cancel, I believe, within 5 days of the arrival date. As the date gets closer you can add park tickets onto your reservation, atleast that's what the cast member told me when I made my reservation. I would definately recommend going in October, the weather, every time we've gone down, has been beautiful, temps in the 80's, very low humidity. I would also recommend going to MNSSHP, it does require a seperate ticket, but trick or treating in Magic Kingdom is so cool, and dressing up is so much fun at any age, and the wait time for rides isn't bad at all.

 

[DisneyPeanut]

I have another question. There is a thread about the bus service and I definatly don't want to ride the bus. Someone said that the boat takes you to the MK. Is that within walking distance to Epcot? or will we have to drive there?

 

[Shan-man]

No, no walking options from MK to Epcot (or any other park). You can boat to MK, jump the monorail to TTC, switch to the EPCOT monorail and enjoy one of the best rides at WDW. It isn't the fastest route, but it is one of the best. The only parks you can walk between are EPCOT and DHS.

 

[des1954]

The only parks you can walk between are EPCOT and DHS.

And that's a long, but beautiful walk. There is also a boat between Epcot (pick it up at the International Gateway) and DHS. Very nice ride.

 

[des1954]

Thanks Rog. I was hoping you would post on this thread you seem to know your Disney!

Any ideas for dining?? fav. restaurants?? it's just me and my husband.

The Biergarten in Germany & Le Cellier in Canada.

 

[DisneyPeanut]

This might be a dumb question, but what is DHS? I have been having a hard time figuring out the abbreviations around here. LOL!

No, no walking options from MK to Epcot (or any other park). You can boat to MK, jump the monorail to TTC, switch to the EPCOT monorail and enjoy one of the best rides at WDW. It isn't the fastest route, but it is one of the best. The only parks you can walk between are EPCOT and DHS.

 

[BRDof3]

This might be a dumb question, but what is DHS? I have been having a hard time figuring out the abbreviations around here. LOL!

Disney's Hollywood Studios. Used to be Disney MGM, until MGM pulled out.

As far as transportation, we were there last April and the busses worked just fine. Unless they have changed them drastically, I don't see a reason to avoid them. Certainly easier than driving and dealing with parking issues. And as Big Daddy Rog pointed out, the monorail from Epcot to the TTC is a scenic ride.