New Here and planning 1st WDW trip!

[waltdisneydreamin]

Hi! I am new here. I am planning a trip to WDW 6/30-7/7/07. It's just around the corner!! I have been reading some of the posts and I have found a lot of GREAT info! Thank you all so much!! This is a last minute trip so I have been frantically planning everything, hoping to grant at least one dream to each one of my family members. I really want to be able to relax while we are there and not be caught up in the large crowds, lines, and plans of the trip. I welcome any suggestions, advice, etc! Thanks again for such a great forum!

 

[swtnikki]

Welcome to the DIS! Have fun planning your trip!

 

[Peaceableone]

HI there, and welcome to DIS Boards. I'm rather new around here too .

Congrats on your trip. Our plan is to go in October for the 3 day land, 4 day at sea. It seems so far away .

Anyway, if you haven't gotten it, I highly recommend the Passporter book. It has a lot of good information about lines, restaurants, etc. If you are thinking you will want to eat at the hot spots, be sure to call ahead and book your reservation..(407)939-3463. Don't forget your AAA card could possibly get you discounts (hotel, car). And, if you are booking flight, call you CC's and see if they have any travel ins (ex: My Amer Express has automatic travel ins if I pay using that card).

Most important, make a list of what will make each person in your group's trip complete/happy, and see how you can work that into your day/s.

Have a nice trip!

 

[diznee25]

Hi! I am new here. I am planning a trip to WDW 6/30-7/7/07. It's just around the corner!! I have been reading some of the posts and I have found a lot of GREAT info! Thank you all so much!! This is a last minute trip so I have been frantically planning everything, hoping to grant at least one dream to each one of my family members. I really want to be able to relax while we are there and not be caught up in the large crowds, lines, and plans of the trip. I welcome any suggestions, advice, etc! Thanks again for such a great forum!

Hi, and welcome! I just wanted to say that a co-worker of mine made her first Disney World trip last week. And the one thing she didn't realize was how busy all the restaurants would be. She didn't make any dinning reservations, so she just did walk-ups. But the restaurants were so busy that either she was turned away, or it would have been a long wait. So she and her son ate counter service for the whole trip.

So I recommend making ADRs. (Advance Dinning Reservations.) People usually make ADRs 180 days prior to their vacation. But you could try, it doesn't hurt! Visit the Dinning section of the Disboards for more information!

Because this is your first trip, I recommend making one dinning reservation per day, and doing counter service for the 2 other meals. That way you don't get overwhelmed!
By the way, call 407-WDW-DINE to make advance dinning reservations.

diznee25

 

[waltdisneydreamin]

Thank you! I have already let everyone in the family pick what they want to eat for dinner at least one night. It let my DD13, DS7, and DD4 feel like they are helping plan the trip. This is VERY exciting. I have ordered the passporter book, hopefully I will receive it tomorrow. Looking forward to using that tool also.

 

[diznee25]

That's great! You're ahead of the game....Report back so you can tell us how your trip went.

 

[waltdisneydreamin]

Thanks for all of the great tips! As soon as we decided we were taking this dream vacation I immediately tried to get the ADR's. Funny thing is that I had planned on planning our ADR's around what parks we wanted to visit on a certain day, ended up planning our parks around our ADR's. Is there a limit on character dining with the DDP? I booked as many as I could. Surprisingly we were able to get an ADR at CRT, for dinner. Pretty good seeing how we decided to take this trip the last part of May.

 

[Disney MAINEiac]

Hi, and welcome! I just wanted to say that a co-worker of mine made her first Disney World trip last week. And the one thing she didn't realize was how busy all the restaurants would be. She didn't make any dinning reservations, so she just did walk-ups. But the restaurants were so busy that either she was turned away, or it would have been a long wait. So she and her son ate counter service for the whole trip.

So I recommend making ADRs. (Advance Dinning Reservations.) People usually make ADRs 180 days prior to their vacation. But you could try, it doesn't hurt! Visit the Dinning section of the Disboards for more information!

Because this is your first trip, I recommend making one dinning reservation per day, and doing counter service for the 2 other meals. That way you don't get overwhelmed!
By the way, call 407-WDW-DINE to make advance dinning reservations.

diznee25

Absolutely agree, ADRs will remove stress around meal time, which is when I just want to set and relax and not stress about where we will be eating. Hit the restaurant reviews and choose some places you want to eat at. try to plan around what your park schedule will be.

I highly recommend, Boma at AKL, Garden Grill at EPCOT land pavillion, Rose & Crown at Epcot, ESPN club at the boardwalk just outside of epcot (through the international gateway), artist point or whispering canyon cafe at the wilderness lodge.

Most of all have fun, try not to stress about the crowds and don't try to do everything on the first trip, it can't be done.

 

[vanillasoftserve]

Hi Welcome to the DIS Have lots of fun on your trip!

 

[Cyrano]

Welcome to the DIS

 

[njdisneyfreak]

Hi! I'm glad you've joined us Disney fans on the boards. You came to the best place to learn about all things Disney. I'm excited for you and your family. You're going to have an amazing time.

My DH and I were in WDW during the exact time you're going both in 2002 and last summer. It's a great time to go. Just in keep in mind to maximize your time prior to the 4th of July. The crowds aren't too bad through July 3rd and then get crazy from the 4th on, but it's still great fun. The 4th of July fireworks at the MK occur both on the 3rd and the 4th. Make time to relax and go back to the resort (swim in the pool, take naps, etc.) in the middle of the day. It will help make everyone more relaxed and get the most out of your time, if you don't go full clip the entire trip. My DH and I liked to do this most often during the hottest parts of the day. Around 4 p.m. each day, it rains. As long as you get ponchos, it's not so bad, since most rides and attractions are indoors. I also recommend signing up for tour guide mike through www.tourguidemike.com. He will help you set up the best plans to make the most of this trip, specific to what you and your family are looking to do. It's less than $20, if I recall. Even though we've gone a couple of times before, we signed up with this site for our upcoming trip and are learning so much. Check it out.

You did a good thing by ordering the Passporter. Great resource. I love it.

Keep us posted on your planning. That's part of the fun!

 

[ziggybaby]

Hi and Welcome

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[MomWith2Cinderellas]

Welcome!

Have fun planning and have a blast on your trip!!

 

[LISAMWDW]

Welcome to the Dis!

 

[waltdisneydreamin]

Thanks everyone for the wonderful welcome and suggestions! I received my passporter today and I am pretty excited! My neighbor brought over a present today for my DD4 to take with her to Disney-- it was a tiara! What an awesome present!

 

[byoung]

Welcome to the DIS!!!

 

[mzliza3]

Our last trip (2006) was on almost the exact same dates as yours! Crowds are going to be unavoidable this time of year, but the ambience of Disney tends to offset the enormous crowds. Advance dining reservations are a MUST if you plan on doing any sit-down meals. When it's crowded, we always veer towards the larger, counter svc. places that usually have a lot of seating, such as the Electric Umbrella at Epcot, Cosmic Ray's in Tomorrowland @ MK, Catalina Eddie's at MGM, & Flame Tree BBQ @ AK. Taking a break during the day is an ABSOLUTE necessity. Until a few years ago (when I was younger), we just did eveything full stop. But our last 2 trips, we made a point to take a mid-afternoon break back @ the hotel & it works miracles. You feel so refreshed & relaxed & are able to enjoy things so much more. I honestly don't know how I did it before! Hope you have a WONDERFUL trip! <<>>

 

[waltdisneydreamin]

Thank you everyone!