Lost!

[jessiwools]

We just booked our trip for January 2014! It's our second trip, the first was May 2010..my kids were 6 months, 2y, and 4y. Now they will be 3,5,and 7. I feel completely LOST in planning this trip. There seems like so many new things and I'm having an impossible time with the mydisneyexperience website. I have already booked our dining and planned our rough itinerary (which parks on which days) but I need to know more and am having trouble weeding through all the info

We're driving down and we will have to stay over one night on the way. We want to end up 4-6 hours from Disney so that we only have to drive 4-6 hours before arriving at the resort. Anyone know where we should stop for the night?

We are staying in Port Orleans - Riverside. Should I be making any special requests? I have tried going through the thread on that resort but it is soooo long. I can't get through it.

We are going to Hollywood studios for one day, for the first time. What should we be sure to see? Remember my kids are 3, 5, and 7.

We didn't have a good time at Epcot last time we went. It rained and my kids were a hot mess, cranky, awful. We want to be sure to have a better time there this trip! Suggestions?

We made reservations for the pirates league. Should we get costumes? Is it like the Bippity bobbity boutique where most kids are dressed up??

Can someone please link me to a good explanation of Fast Pass? I just don't "get it" and Will we even need it in January?

Anyone know what the weather is typically like in January - I'm thinking long pants, short sleeves, with a hoodie or sweater?? Or Do I need to prepare to pull the shorts out?

Thanks for any help!

 

[FanOfStitch]

We just booked our trip for January 2014! It's our second trip, the first was May 2010..my kids were 6 months, 2y, and 4y. Now they will be 3,5,and 7. I feel completely LOST in planning this trip. There seems like so many new things and I'm having an impossible time with the mydisneyexperience website. I have already booked our dining and planned our rough itinerary (which parks on which days) but I need to know more and am having trouble weeding through all the info

We're driving down and we will have to stay over one night on the way. We want to end up 4-6 hours from Disney so that we only have to drive 4-6 hours before arriving at the resort. Anyone know where we should stop for the night?

We are staying in Port Orleans - Riverside. Should I be making any special requests? I have tried going through the thread on that resort but it is soooo long. I can't get through it.

We are going to Hollywood studios for one day, for the first time. What should we be sure to see? Remember my kids are 3, 5, and 7.

We didn't have a good time at Epcot last time we went. It rained and my kids were a hot mess, cranky, awful. We want to be sure to have a better time there this trip! Suggestions?

We made reservations for the pirates league. Should we get costumes? Is it like the Bippity bobbity boutique where most kids are dressed up??

Can someone please link me to a good explanation of Fast Pass? I just don't "get it" and Will we even need it in January?

Anyone know what the weather is typically like in January - I'm thinking long pants, short sleeves, with a hoodie or sweater?? Or Do I need to prepare to pull the shorts out?

Thanks for any help!

I can't answer all of your questions, but as far as driving down, Valdosta is a good place to stop. It's only about a 4 - 5 hour drive to WDW from there. Plus, if it's around 8 when you get going in the morning, you can always stop at the Florida Welcome Center and get a free glass of orange juice.

I don't know what state you're coming from, but we were fine in shorts and t-shirts the year we went in January. Some nights we needed jeans. It all depends on what Mother Nature wants to do. We went in April once and needed our winter jackets the whole trip. I would pack some of each that way you'll be covered.

Fastpass is fairly simple once you get the hang of it (I'm assuming your not talking FP+). There will be kiosks near the attraction that will tell you what time the fastpass is for (make sure the time works for you as you will need to be back between those times). You enter each park ticket into the slot and your fastpass will come out. Then you just go back to the ride at the appointed time and enter the fastpass queue. Most waits are around 10 to 15 minutes in fastpass. January may be a slower time and you may not need a lot of fastpasses, but we always get them just in case.

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[jessiwools]

Thanks for the reply!

We are driving from PA. Mapquest puts it at 16 hours but with stops for food and bathroom breaks for little bladders I estimate it will take us a good bit longer. I will search for Valdosta to see where it is and get an idea about staying there..

what is FP+? And as I understand it...we won't have actual tickets? There are the new magicbands that we will have taking the place of the tickets? Does FastPass work with those?

 

[FanOfStitch]

Thanks for the reply!

We are driving from PA. Mapquest puts it at 16 hours but with stops for food and bathroom breaks for little bladders I estimate it will take us a good bit longer. I will search for Valdosta to see where it is and get an idea about staying there..

what is FP+? And as I understand it...we won't have actual tickets? There are the new magicbands that we will have taking the place of the tickets? Does FastPass work with those?

I haven't had to use the Magicbands yet (and hopefully won't, I can't stand anything on my wrists ) Anyway, I think right now Fastpass+ is only by invitation so if you haven't gotten an invite, then I believe you will still use the regular fastpass. I don't know if the MB work with the fastpass kiosks, but I believe your room key will work in place of a hard ticket. When I was there in September this year, there were Guest Relations Cast Members stationed at every fastpass kiosk location to answer any questions.

Hope that helped!