Lots i need to know!

[winterwonderland2011]

I guess I am just needing any and all information on best parks, resort, resturants (character breakfasts) ect. Weather? Money to bring? Any tips on these are appreciated! We are going in December 2011 probably the second week in December.

 

[nicki.momof3]

Wow those are a lot of quesitons. Not knowing all the factors - family size, budget, ages it is hard to say.

I would just spend a ton of time reading these board and your questions will be answered and what isn't than post.

 

[winterwonderland2011]

I guess it is pretty vague! Thanks though I'm really new to site, Disney , and forums so I appreciate the advice!!!

 

[lblume91]

Without knowing specifics about your family, I'll tell you our faves.

Resort - Port Orleans Riverside

Park - We love all four parks but Magic Kingdom is our favorite because it IS Disney World. You can see & do everything at Animal Kingdom in one day, Hollywood Studios in one day but both MK & Epcot require 2+ days to cover everything.

Restaurant - This is a tough one! DH loves O'hana because he's a total carnivore! We all love 50s Prime Time Cafe & Hoop Dee Doo Revue. For character meals, I suggest Crystal Palace & Chef Mickey's. 1900 Park Fare has great character interaction but we were disappointed in the food.

Weather - We always go in late May/early June so I'm no help with December-specific questions.

Spending money - This varies greatly from family to family. My DH can go all week & never spend a dime. I love to buy new tees, hoodies, photo albums, year magnets & whatever else tickles my fancy. DDs all earn their "Disney Dollars" in the months leading up to our trip. I've seen many people on here say that they give each of their kids $25-50 for the entire trip. Our DDs usually have around $200 each. They all collect pins & like to pick up a new tee or three while we're there. It doesn't take long to add up! We always do the regular dining plan so we don't have to figure in money for food, just tips at the table service meals.

My #1 tip is, like many others will tell you, be at the park before it opens. You can see & ride so much in that first hour. It's totally worth setting your alarm!

Hope this helps!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Since you have over a year to plan, I highly suggest buying The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and/or joining thier companion website, www.touringplans.com. We use their Best Days/Crowd Calendar to plan all of our park days.

As for the other specifics you asked: all the parks are good for all ages; best Value Resort is All-Star Movies, best Moderate Resort is Port Orleans and the best Deluxe Resort is Polynesian; the weather can be cold, hot or moderate while you are at WDW in December. You will just have to keep checking the weather forecast as your dates draw closer.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

whoa.......as the other folks have said.....thats alot of ground to cover.........glad you have lots of time!

Indeed spent time here reading and lreaning!.....I suggest Steve Burnbums, Walt Disney World book, the newest edition comes out this Oct. Also on the WDW site they have a free DVD.........fun to watch and lots of good stuff!

Next....I would not go Christmas week for a 1st visit....................very crowded and that makes a first visit more confusing, but the 2nd week should be good with all the decrations up

As for personel choices:

Resorts...............if a family......Old Key West, qiuet and biggest units.....kitchens etc ..........couple or if on a budget...........Carribbean beach resort


AKK

 

[winterwonderland2011]

Thank you all! I will check in on that website and thanks for all the advice. We will be going 2nd week in Dec. and it will be 3 of us! I have lots of time to read and plan and LOVE hearing everyones faves! So thanks again!

 

[CandyHead09]

I guess I am just needing any and all information on best parks, resort, resturants (character breakfasts) ect. Weather? Money to bring? Any tips on these are appreciated! We are going in December 2011 probably the second week in December.

best advice ever:

Enter the each park as soon as it's opened and go to the VERY BACK OF THE PARK FOR THAT DAY. If you go to the back of the park where none of the crowd is you have no lines! Work your way forward as the crowds work their way back you'll have seen it all by the afternoon and if you have a park hopper (which is SO worth every penny) you can go back to your hotel relax eat lunch and then go to another park or go back to the park you were in that morning and go your favorite rides again.


As for hotels the all star resorts are cheaper if your on the dining plan (which is free in 2011!) you'll only need to bring money for shopping and that all depends on how much you can spare out of you budget.

Best charachter meals akersush in norway epcot (at anytime has ariel, jasmine, sleeping beauty, mary poppins, and snow white) crystal palace in magic kingdom at anytime has all the Pooh charachters (tiger, piglet, eyore, rabbit, and pooh) chef mickey's at the contemporary hotel (has charachters all the time but the dinner there has the best food) mickey minnie donald daisy pluto chip and dale goofy, if you absolutely have to meet cinderella you have to eat in the castle but honestly it's kind of a rip off over priced mediocre food beautiful place but SO expensive to get a picture with cinderella and as I said the food is pretty blah.

Walking around epcot you'll find different charachters all over the place snow white and the seven dwarves, jasmine alladin and genie, mulan and mushoo (sp?), marie from the aristocats, same in hollywood studios you can see lighting mcqueen the incredibles and the monsters from monsters inc. as well as prince caspian from narnia. When you enter an of the parks go to the information desk and ask for a charachter schedule alice is sometimes by the teacups in magic kindgom and you can a lot of animal charachters in animal kingdom like junglebook mickey and friends and lilo and stitch.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Free Dining has been announced for select dates in 2011, but it has not been announced for December 2011 yet.

 

[stinkerbelle's mom]

I agree with everyone else with doing some research. Best is to start with the DIS and look at each aspect of your trip. There are different sections on resorts, restaurants, parks, transportation, budget, family....etc. Every question you have can probably be answered here.

I would highly recommend ASMU (All Star Music) resort to anyone with children. They have so many great family activies by the pool and a movie every night.

Fun restaurants are WCC (Whispering Canyon Cafe) and CP (Crystal Palace).

Tips for souveneers would be to buy as much at home as possible. You can go to the Disney website and buy shirts and toys on sale. You can get some for your family to take with you or leave at home for family members not going to give out when you get back. Go to dollar stores and buy glowsticks, over the door shoe holders, ponchos, first aid stuff and more.

Have a great trip!!!

 

[winterwonderland2011]

I WOULD LOVE FREE DINING!!!!!!!!!! ) And thanks for all these GREAT tips!!! I have a Disney Notebook and Im compiling all of these great things so my trip will be awesome!