Looking for Disney veteran advice!

[HelloWorld]

Ok I have officially booked our 2nd trip!!!!!(our 1st was 2006, stayed at Pop) We'll be staying at Port Orleans Riverside.We are going June 7th-June 15th 2010. Me, my husband (who's birthday is our 1st day) my son age 14 and daughter age 9. I just read the Unofficial Guide to Disney World 2010 and I just can't get enough info. I am obsessed, reading everything I can find about trip planning, the resort and any little 'extras' to make this trip unforgettable. Here are a couple of my newest must do's, tell me what you think; 1) ordering a Grand Welcome from Disney Florist 2) Reserving a spot at Wishes dessert party 3) ADR for Fantasmic dinner package at Brown Derby 4) Pre-ordering Photo Pass CD 5) Ordering snacks, bottled water and breakfast stuff from Garden Grocer 6) We plan to do some volunteer work when we get the details of Give a day Get a day....there's more, I've started making a list. Send me some feedback-I will greatly appreciate it!!

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Plan your heart out because it's fun not because you have to have the best time of your life. When Disney becomes a mission it looses it's magic a little. I love this quote: When you stop TRYING to have fun, you WILL have fun.


Don't underestimate Epcot, especially the World Showcase.

Read people's trip reports, you'd be surprised at how much you've never heard of or forgotten all about.

Try to do things you didn't do on your last trip.

Make dinner reservations at 7:00am 90 days before day 1 of your trip.

 

[Alesia]

Plan your heart out because it's fun not because you have to have the best time of your life. When Disney becomes a mission it looses it's magic a little. I love this quote: When you stop TRYING to have fun, you WILL have fun.


Don't underestimate Epcot, especially the World Showcase.

Read people's trip reports, you'd be surprised at how much you've never heard of or forgotten all about.

Try to do things you didn't do on your last trip.

Make dinner reservations at 7:00am 90 days before day 1 of your trip.

I agree with everything except the last one - ADRs are going back to 180 days at the end of this month.

 

[tjackson8685]

Always special if you rent a boat for the fireworks or illuminations how

Ok I have officially booked our 2nd trip!!!!!(our 1st was 2006, stayed at Pop) We'll be staying at Port Orleans Riverside.We are going June 7th-June 15th 2010. Me, my husband (who's birthday is our 1st day) my son age 14 and daughter age 9. I just read the Unofficial Guide to Disney World 2010 and I just can't get enough info. I am obsessed, reading everything I can find about trip planning, the resort and any little 'extras' to make this trip unforgettable. Here are a couple of my newest must do's, tell me what you think; 1) ordering a Grand Welcome from Disney Florist 2) Reserving a spot at Wishes dessert party 3) ADR for Fantasmic dinner package at Brown Derby 4) Pre-ordering Photo Pass CD 5) Ordering snacks, bottled water and breakfast stuff from Garden Grocer 6) We plan to do some volunteer work when we get the details of Give a day Get a day....there's more, I've started making a list. Send me some feedback-I will greatly appreciate it!!

 

[Sagginit]

-i came back a few weeks ago from my third trip, but i had not been in ten years. my advice is dont rely on too much info from one book. the unofficial guide was wrong on the crowds when i was in disney, so im glad i did things how i wanted to instead of how the book said to.
-decide what you really want to do and dont sweat it if you cant do all the rides and shows. use the FP system wisely and you will save loads of time.
-pick more meals in parks than resorts, i saved a lot of time by not having to leave to run to lunch and then go back etc.
-getting up early was definately worth it, especially since june will be going into peak season. my co-worker went in june and underestimated the crowds and was miserable. the poor girl went on 8 rides in 8 days.
-plan your heart out but remember to be in the moment when you get there. half my touring plans went out the window when i got there and actually decided what i felt like doing.

my favorite family was the one sitting there waiting for the bus talking about what they had just done. what ride was their favorite, wasnt meeting mickey the most fun, and ohhh wasnt our day great? so many people drag their kids thru the park determined to get everything done and have fun, but fun just happens in those little moments like finding a character in a corner.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

I agree with everything except the last one - ADRs are going back to 180 days at the end of this month.

Thanks for the heads up! I have to start planning if I want to call up in JUNE for the next trip in NOV!!! (I really will be soon )

 

[Uno Mas]

I know for a lot of folks ADRs are important, but my advice would be: don't let the food rule your trip. If you have too many meals planned out, then your day revolves around where you need to be at what time for each reservation. Anytime I've had an ADR (don't even do them anymore - ghast!), I've been annoyed because it cuts into our play time. We prefer to play it by ear and eat when the mood strikes us. I know for many that's not the right option, but I think finding a good balance will help you keep that feeling of spontaneity in your trip.

 

[chrismass]

I agree with uno mas about the ADR's it's less stressful to just pick a few "have to" eat at restaurants and see where your appetite takes you for the rest. I find that having the dining plan is WAY too much food, you feel obligated to eat each one since you paid for it already and the way my younger two eat (old enough to pay as an adult on dp but young enough to want to order chicken fingers every meal) it's cheaper to pay out of pocket than to pay $40 per person per day plus 20% tip.

Also, your kids are old enough to read the tour books themselves -so have them pick 3 or 4 rides/attractions at each park that they don't want to miss and make that your main concern, any other rides or attractions you get on can be considered a bonus.

Don't forget the drawing lesson in Hollywood Studios - it's fun and a great (and free) keepsake to take home.

 

[Sandy321]

I'll chime in and say plan your adrs for the park you want to be in -

having a sit down adr helps give us a nice a/c break, to slow down and talk about our day, to regroup!

I know the resorts have some great options - but like a PP said it will cut into your touring time - but if you'd rather do a Hoopdedoo or a Luau then you plan for that!

Fantasmic Dinner package is a great idea too - esp in June - so there's a sit down meal, but at a very early time - so plan for a snack or sandwich! Lines can be long inside the Fantasmic theatre!

 

[Tink9721]

Usually what we do for ADR's is make them in advance for character dining restaurants and places that are always booked. Then we usually book the rest of them once we get there at the concierge in the hotel.

 

[stego]

and the plan is 8 nights. We've done WDW to death and it is time to slow down and smell the roses. Not sure if this will be our last trip to the world with our son, but it could be. He will be 15 yo, and we tend to go every 3 years. I personally know many people who have never been and live very fullfilling lives. It's always a matter of perspective.

We are all hopeful they'll anounce SWW during that time but it's still way too early. That's one of the reasons we go. We also enjoy the flower festival at Epcot, hence "smell the roses".

I read about many folks who absolutely have to hit the parks every single day they are on vacation, and quite frankly that works for them. This year we're going to do 1 day each, with a full day of recovery inbetween. Getting to park opening is key...and avoiding EMH at each park.

Another touring plan I am going to focus on is I am no longer going to backtrack for FP's. If we need one, I'll send my son. But as of right now this moment I am done. I want to absorb all that there is...take pictures...window shop...watch the people.

We've done Fantasmic on many trips but again, I am done. Done with the crowds and someone's great idea of 1-2 exits for thousands of people. We've done the Fantasmic dinner package...so been there done that. Last time in '07 we committed and it rained...and rained and I had to cough up 100 clams because I was committed.

We go one day for SWW and get there early. Staying around until 9pm is a long day and I can't see myself doing that. If I go and slow down I will probably last until early evening and go back to the resort and relax.

I know myself too well and I can no longer go to WDW and eat like there is no tomorrow. I have planned well and we're making 2 ADR's...for our entire trip. Counter service works for us but each family is different. I do much better when I eat well...as I am walking around in the parks for a good portion of the day.

At the end of our vacation I always feel like I need a vacation from my vacation. I'm tired and overstimulated. I've spent way more money than I want to. I also get on plane full of people when most likely my immunity system is low and I'll probably get sick.

I want to enjoy the resort and that is my priority this trip.

 

[ginnymack]

I really loved using Ride Max...especially with children. It allowed me to make sure that everyones "must do's" were done. It gave us a nice little organized schedule to follow, so there was no arguing about what to do next. Also, everyone knew when their favorite was coming. I heavily scheduled our mornings (I stopped just short of being a drill seargent! ) and left our evenings more free to wander and explore, or re-ride whatever we really enjoyed. I was met with skeptisim on the first day, but as we were crawling into bed that night everyone was asking exactly what was on tap for the next day!

 

[DisneyClown]

You should be planning to be at the parks at rope drop, to take advantage of the morning when it's a little cooler, and then head back to the resort for an afternoon nap or dip in the pool, then you can head back to the parks in the early evening feeling refreshed and possibly utilize any fastpasses you may have picked up earlier. I also agree with making an ADR at the park you will be at for another break from the heat and some downtime to refresh a little. You sound just like me when I was planning our first trip....actually, you sound like me NOW, planning our second trip-we are going end of June and over July 4th 2010. As long as you are doing your homework(and you are), I'm sure you will have a great time!!!

 

[Disney Crazy Debbie]

Since it's your husband's birthday - think about a Segway tour. We did it in "06 when we were there and my son (16 at the time) loved. You get to enter EPCOT early and they do 45 minutes of practice and skills then you get to take the segway out into "the world" and your guide tells you all about EPCOT and there is no one there but your group!

 

[Karpkg]

Hope on over to the Creative Disigns area and I guarantee you'll find more opportunities to make your trip more magical. Things like ways on decorating your room, making t shirts that will make your family stand out in the crowd, making Disney Planner binders, and of course the Disney Restaurant section and their cake thread (wow, some of those disigns are incredible) I think there is a florist thread somewhere in there as well, hmmmm, another area to check out.....

This board is amazing but it takes a lot of internet time to comb through the info to find what catches your eye. Have fun, keep your notepad or word document open so you can cut and paste anything that catches your interest, and bookmark.

 

[kbheap]

My advice would be to definitely preorder the photocd. We tried it on our last visit. We don't usually walk around looking for photopass photragraphers but we thought it would be fun this time. We ended up with 250 photos when we got home and once we edited them we had over 800. The good thing about preordering the cd is that if you get home and don't think you have your moneys worth, you can always get refunded. We ended up going around the same time as another family so we did a cd share. It only costed each family $50 and together we ended up with over 1000 pics. Good luck!