Newbie! Overwhelmed and little frustrated

[ravenonyx]

I've gotten some excellent advice on another forum I frequent (its not a Disney board, just one thread on a clothing board) that has helped me start figuring things out, but I am seriously overwhelmed with trying to plan our trip.

The first problem is that after I finally chose our room and dining plan, I got a certain amount in my email for our reservation (we need special accomodations, so went through there instead of the online booking system - as the site says to do.) When I called to put down our deposit, mysteriously that amount was only for the plus dining though I asked and confirmed on Deluxe twice and the confirmation email I was sent says "Deluxe Dining". They (on the phone) told me it was going to be almost $700 more to go to Deluxe and I freaked out (not to the agent, but inside). He did something or other and got it down to around $300 more and I said fine, whatever, it was my last day to pay the deposit on that res so I paid it.

I emailed the person who did the reservation to ask what the heck happened, but have not yet heard back. Do I have any recourse? This leaves me with a really bad taste in my mouth regarding Disney and makes me wary of going and finding hidden charges, things being more expensive than I'm told, etc. We're not on a SUPER tight budget, but with driving from Texas, getting clothes for everyone (since we'll be doing so many pictures, that's a must), souvenirs etc, it's going to be a really expensive trip.

I have some severe health issues, and we want this to be the "Trip of a Lifetime". I don't know that I'll ever get a second chance to go. We have three children, two of whom are special needs, and I am/was looking forward to a "Magical Experience".

Please reassure me that what I experienced is not going to bode ill for planning the rest of the trip

I am looking around for the specific forums to go to and then threads, but this place is huge : If you can point me in the right direction to the following, I would much appreciate it.

1. Restaurants. We are not doing Hoppers and have the Deluxe plan. We should be spending one day at each Park except Animal Kingdom (unless there is some amazing restaurant inside there, we're not interested in it really). What are the MUST DO places to eat (we might do breakfasts a couple mornings in our Cabin to save credits for 2credit meal dinners)? Where are they located? DH and I also considered a sitter and an adult dinner one evening, and I heard of.. Victoria and Albert's? How many credits is it, or platinum/premium only, or cc only or what? My DS can is going to be 13 and so no Winnie the Pooh or anything, please - he might never forgive me lol. Princesses, Lilo, Phineas, anything else is probably great. And of course good food

2. Rides. All the kids are above 48" thankfully, so I just have to watch out for the Pooh size issues for myself (love that area here btw from what I've read so far). What's where? What's good? Most of our days are supposed to be a 5 or 6 on crowds. What's Fastpass?

3. What are all the add-ons? I know there is a Cirque show, the Bibbity Boutique, etc. Are there good, cheaper alternatives (I know for the boutiques someone recommended a different place that now I can't remember!)? Are some To Die For, No Substitute?

4. What all is IN Epcot? lol what a big question, I know.. sorry!

Thankful to be here and thank you to anyone who reaches out with any info. I will be trying to find the answers myself, too!

 

[captinhookedondisney]

FIRST OFF WELCOME TO THE DIS

1. Restaurants. We are not doing Hoppers and have the Deluxe plan. We should be spending one day at each Park except Animal Kingdom (unless there is some amazing restaurant inside there, we're not interested in it really). What are the MUST DO places to eat (we might do breakfasts a couple mornings in our Cabin to save credits for 2credit meal dinners)? Where are they located? DH and I also considered a sitter and an adult dinner one evening, and I heard of.. Victoria and Albert's? How many credits is it, or platinum/premium only, or cc only or what? My DS can is going to be 13 and so no Winnie the Pooh or anything, please - he might never forgive me lol. Princesses, Lilo, Phineas, anything else is probably great. And of course good food

2. Rides. All the kids are above 48" thankfully, so I just have to watch out for the Pooh size issues for myself (love that area here btw from what I've read so far). What's where? What's good? Most of our days are supposed to be a 5 or 6 on crowds. What's Fastpass?

3. What are all the add-ons? I know there is a Cirque show, the Bibbity Boutique, etc. Are there good, cheaper alternatives (I know for the boutiques someone recommended a different place that now I can't remember!)? Are some To Die For, No Substitute?

4. What all is IN Epcot? lol what a big question, I know.. sorry!

Thankful to be here and thank you to anyone who reaches out with any info. I will be trying to find the answers myself, too!

Ok to start about the pricing, that 300 or so could be travel insurance or really a fluke if you have an email that says total $XXXX.XX and you paid for XXXX.XX+700.00 or so, call and get your money back. And If it is insurance that is up to you if you need it or not. ( I never get it)

1. Restaurants- There a so many wonderful Disney Restaurants, and really so many and for so many different dining experiences. What I suggest is looking at the menus at allears.net menus this will give you all the necessary info you are looking for. Trust me Victoria and Alberts (DRESS CODE & not on Disney Dining Plan) is NOT the only place to get a Adult Dinner. California Grill, Citricos, Flying Fish, Artist Point, etc. Just to name a few.
2. Rides or Attractions (includes shows) There are to many to count. If your looking for thrill rides you may not want to over look Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest is an amazing attraction, Animal Kingdom also has an amazing safari not to be missed as well as great stage shows such as the Festival of the Lion King, and Finding Nemo the Musical ( I know you said no Pooh, but this is amazing, and in my opinion broadway quality).
FASTPASS- a great invention starting in 1999. This is a line reservation system that allows you to have little or no wait time for major attractions such as Splash MT, space Mt. Tower of Terror, Expedition Everest. You go to the fast pass distribution machine, and pop each of your parties ticket into the machine and out pops a fast pass with the time you can return to the attraction. (tip while it gives you a one hour window to use e.g. 1:15-2:15, you can use it anytime after the first time so 1:15 to park close) On that ticket it will also tell you when you can get another fastpass which is 2 hours after you got your fast pass or your fastpass return time, whichever comes first.
For more information Fastpass info

3. Add-ons- I say enjoy your disney experience, no add ons. Though the Wishes Dessert Party is great. More info More Info Dessert Party

4. Epcot. Opened Oct. 1982 and will be celebrating it's 30th anniversary this year. Epcot is a celebration of tomorrow. It embraces the technology of the future in future world, and the unity and diversity of the world in World Showcase. Future world is home to most of Epcot's attraction embracing the imagination with the literal. With the iconic Spaceship Earth (golf ball), to thrill rides of Mission: Space. Possibly test track (Closes for update in april) and the not to be missed Soarin' (get a fast pass). World Showcase is home to 11 countries starting with Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, America, Japan, Morocco, France, England, to Canada and is a great place for exploration, food, and drinks 21+. Each country is run by natives of the respective country, and expect to hear the language too! Most Countries also have amazing shows such as candy-art in Japan. And some countries even have prince and princess meet and greets, and I know when I was 13 I wouldn't mind making sweet with Belle or Jasmine. ALSO Don't miss the nightly showing of the laser & firework show Illuminations Reflections of Earth usually at 9pm.

I also want to let you know about the amazing accommodations Disney offers.
You can receive accommodations through a guest assistance card which can be obtained from Guest Relations any park, these accommodation range from access to wheelchair accessible entrances, to wheelchair reserved firework and show viewing (not preferred but reserved). They also have passes available for alternative lines which will allow you to wait in an area away from the congested line. Accommodations are also made for the visually and hearing impaired. Just be sure to ask the Cast Member (employee) at Guest Relations exactly what you need and they will give it to you without requiring a doctors note. Disney is very good with accommodating everything, from food allergies, to anything.

I hope this helps, and please ask more question specific to vague and you will get an answer, I promise.

 

[Metro West]

 

[ldadar]

Welcome! I'm sorry about your negative experience. You might try posting question on another forum. Don't let it ruin your trip!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I can't advise you on the first part much, because you haven't given us enough info. I like teh suggestion from a previous poster that trip is isurance is alikley culprit. Many travel companies - not just WDW - add it as a matter of deafult computer settings. You shoudl call the party directly to find out.

If you think this is going to be a negative experience, then you should weigh that sentiment carefully before you spend lots of money going there. I'm not trying to be negative towards you personally, just posting my own experience. I am very selective about spending my vacation money. There is no point in spending your hard earned money on a vacation if you are going to be focused on the negative. Flat out, Disney is not for everyone. Some people love it, others do not. Nobody can convince you it's going to be great if you are convinced it's is not worth doing. Generally Disney is reliable, but they also make mistakes sometimes. It is also very commercial. There's not getting around that. Every attraction ends in a gift shop. There are lots of kids, and lots of crowds. I simply think it's important to consider those aspects before you go. It's a very specific kind of destination. There are plenty of popular vacation spots that don't appeal to me, so there's no harm if you think some place else would be more fun. It's a vacation!


Generally I prefer to deal with Disney directlly. The few times I'[ve tried booking components using travela gents or the like, I've found mistakes. I also can't stand waiting three days to get a response. I call WDW, I know right away, done. But I know that nonDisney travel aents are not Disney. Again, without specifics it's hard to address your concerns, bu that may be one possibility.

If you are spedning one day in each park, then hoppers are a complete waste. You would only use those if you are hopping. For a first trip, they are not necessary. If you are only hopping for dinner, consider the resort eateries. Many are better than the in-park options. If you are only doing three parks, then hopping is perhaps even less needed.

I also suggest you invest in the Passporter guide. It has lots of great info for touring WDW with special needs. The information is well organized, and I know it has the specific info you seek. You can also use the search function at the top of the DIS screen if you have specific questions.

Keep in mind that many TS palces at Wdw serve large portions. In the real world I eat three meals a day, in WDW, two is often plenty- with maybe a light snack. With DxDDP you get all components of the meal: appetizer, entree, dessert, beverage. tha is seriosuly WAY more food than I could eat. If I eata buffet dinner, I'm just not hungry three hours later. You may have differnt eating habits, but the only way I could ever think of doing DxDDP, is to do double credit dinners.

All dining is in the eyes of the beholder. There have been lots of threads about what is the best/worst dinign - eventually all names show up on the list. My take is that If a place is unpopular, it doesn't stick around. Disney has closed lots of restaurants over the years, and tweaks menus all the time. I suppose another way to guide your choices is to see what options book up quickly. Go to Disney's website, click on dining, add Pesident's Day weekend dates, and see what options show no availability. Those are the most popular ones. That said, some of my favorites are not among the most popular ones. It depends on your likes entirly. WDW is designed to cater to Amerincan tastes. They are out to please as many people as possible. Therefore, nearly every restaurant has somekind of regualr American option, like steak on the menu. Every buffet has a least a small section of 'kid taste' options like plain pasta, pasta sauce, meatballs, pizza, plain chicken- so there is always going to be some familiar dishes. Many places also ffert eh chance to have somethig slightly adventurous as well. Sanaa has some Indian dishes, and dishes with an African flair. The 'exotic' dishes however, will not be spiced ofr an Indian pallette -they are spiced for an American pallette: very mild.

I would say if you want 'high end' dining; look up Disney's signature places. Honestly, I have no desire to eat at Vand A. the menu is just too limited for my tastes, and I don't want to dine any place that excludes kids as a matter of policy, especially at WDW. Parents opting or a night out alone, I totally understand. Part of dining at WDW, as a whole though, is that you will oherwise see kids at dinner; it's part of the charm of WDW dining. I've enjoyed nearly all the other signature places. Then again, we also greatly enjoy many of the quick serve places. It's partly a differnece of serving style. The quick serve palces are quick, have large portions. most menus are far more than burgers/fries. The World showcase Quick serve places are among our favirotes. Evne if you don't do a full meal - consider them as great places to find a snack item.

For a first trip, I'd skip the add-ons. Indeed, I've been to WDW MANY times an NEVER gone ot the water parks or Cirque. A full week is not enough to see all that theparks have to see. to my way of thinking, the rides/shows are what make WDw unique. I'm sure the water parks are great, but I have water parks near my home that are fun. In my mind, what makes WDW unique are attractions like Haunted Mansion. Those are my 'musts.' (And the themed dining is also kind of unique)

Asfor what to see, that's highly subjective. I happen to love AK, but maybe it is not to your taste. It's nearly impossible to predict what you'll like best in advance. Before I went to AK, I was not sure I was going to like it - so I'm not questioning your thinking. There are great rides in all parks, and a few we nearly always skip. It's just like asking what is the best dining. My favorite may be your least favorite. Again, something like Passporter is likely to be super helpful in helping you decide what you think you'd most enjoy. Then, just wing it! Maybe let each family member pick a few things they REALLY want to try.

Epcot has two sections; Future world and the World Showcase. the World showcase was modeled on the idea of a World's Fair. Each country has it's own pavillion and each has dining and unique gift shops. My favorite gift shop is Japan. There are also a few atrractions, including several 360 degree movies. I think the best of the movies is Canada's, but China's is a close second. Norway's Maelstrom is a short boat ride, and it's not a top ride in most folks' books. In our family though, we enjoy quoting a scenes, so it's always a must on our list. Epcot does not have an many rides as Magic Kingdom, but it does have lots to do and see.

Future world was originally focused on inovationand the future. The attractions ahve been tweaked over the eyars, so many are more jsut fun rides now (the originals were sometimes like moving documentaries. Educational, but not really exciting. They were deemed sort of 'boring.' the new attractions are less educational, but more fun.

It's hard to hlp you on character meals. Lots of adutls like the Winnie the Pooh mal - crystal Palace - not for Pooh, but ofr the food. the Crystal Palace is also a prettty space. One of the most popular meals for characters - the Mickey meal at Chaf Mickeys - has some of the most boring food, IMO. Generally speaking, I'd say non character meals offer slightly better qualityfood, but the character meals are fun. Witha boy - who isn't toally into the princess thing...you might like 1900Park Fare. That one has the evil Stepsisiters as characters. i've never done the Phineas and Ferb meal, but I like the show -s o you may well enjoy that one best, if those are the characters that appeal to you most of all. I'm not into the cancellation policy atheh castle or the Noway princess meal. I can't suggest those as optins.

You mention staying ina cabin. I often like dining at my 'home' resort for convenience - so you may well want to check out Hoop de Doo, and Trails End. you are also quite close to Wilderness Lodge, so that may be another good option. Again, in terms of answering your question - I wouldn't say any one dinign option is to die for - but travel between various diign locations can take a while. Convenience of location is abig factor in my book at WDW. when we stay near MK - we dine there. When we stay at a moderate- we dine there. And so forth.

best wishes!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I've gotten some excellent advice on another forum I frequent (its not a Disney board, just one thread on a clothing board) that has helped me start figuring things out, but I am seriously overwhelmed with trying to plan our trip.

Please reassure me that what I experienced is not going to bode ill for planning the rest of the trip

I am looking around for the specific forums to go to and then threads, but this place is huge : If you can point me in the right direction to the following, I would much appreciate it.

1. Restaurants. We are not doing Hoppers and have the Deluxe plan. We should be spending one day at each Park except Animal Kingdom (unless there is some amazing restaurant inside there, we're not interested in it really). What are the MUST DO places to eat (we might do breakfasts a couple mornings in our Cabin to save credits for 2credit meal dinners)? Where are they located? DH and I also considered a sitter and an adult dinner one evening, and I heard of.. Victoria and Albert's? How many credits is it, or platinum/premium only, or cc only or what? My DS can is going to be 13 and so no Winnie the Pooh or anything, please - he might never forgive me lol. Princesses, Lilo, Phineas, anything else is probably great. And of course good food

2. Rides. All the kids are above 48" thankfully, so I just have to watch out for the Pooh size issues for myself (love that area here btw from what I've read so far). What's where? What's good? Most of our days are supposed to be a 5 or 6 on crowds. What's Fastpass?

3. What are all the add-ons? I know there is a Cirque show, the Bibbity Boutique, etc. Are there good, cheaper alternatives (I know for the boutiques someone recommended a different place that now I can't remember!)? Are some To Die For, No Substitute?

4. What all is IN Epcot? lol what a big question, I know.. sorry!

Thankful to be here and thank you to anyone who reaches out with any info. I will be trying to find the answers myself, too!

Did you book through Disney directly? If the the amount is wrong call them and ask to speak to a Customer Service Rep and have them go over the reservation and the numbers with you. There are a lot of variables - different room categories, differennt ticket options (did they add the water park option plus the hopper option, that can be very expensive?), different dinign plans, etc.

You can still have a magical trip without breaking the bank. You definitely don't need park hoppers and I also never recommend the Deluxe Dining Plan to new WDW visitors. The Basic/Plus dining is great for a first visit - 1 Table Service/Character Meal, 1 Counter Service/Fast Food meal per day and 1 snack per day. Unless you are doing a majority of Signature dining, that costs 2 TS credits, the Deluxe plan can be a huge waste of time and money. We have been doing the Dining Plan for years, since 2005, and a couple of years ago we did the Deluxe plan and my husband and kids hated it. They wanted to be in the parks having fun, not eating multiple, large sit-down meals. When are you going? Have you looked into traveling during a Free Dining promo - that can save you a small fortune. You also mention eating in your cabin? Are you staying at the Wilderness cabins? If you are planning on eating at your resort at all, then Deluxe Dining is certainly not the way to go. I also wouldn't suggest doing Cirque or any of those other "add-ons" for a first trip. There is just too much to see and do at the parks and that will also save you A LOT of money.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2771101

Also, I would not skip Animal Kingdom - it's fantastic. We love Expedition Everest, Kilamanjaro Safari, Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl, It's Tough To Be A Bug, and, of course, The Festival of the Lion King - it is, hands down, the best show on WDW property. At a minimum, I usually recommend 2 days Magic Kingdom, 1 day Epcot, 1 day Disney Hollywood Studios and 1 day Animal Kingdom. If you have 6th day, I'd recommend a second day at Epcot. This is a link to Epcot (look on the left side of the page and every ride/attraction/restaurant in Epcot has a link there):

http://allears.net/tp/ep/ep.htm

There are plenty of nice place to eat on WDW property without shelling out a fortune at Victoria & Alberts. They do not take any of the Disney Dining plans and it is $125.00 per person for dinner and another $60.00 per person if you want the wine add on. Our favorite restaurants at WDW are:

Ohana (our favorite meal at WDW)
Crystal Palace
Liberty Tree Tavern
Kona
Whispering Canyon
1900 Park Fare
Chef Mickey's
Coral Reef
Garden Grill
Tutto Italia
50's Primetime Cafe
Sci-Fi Drive In
Mama Melrose's

Pick up a copy of The Unoffical Guide to Walt Disney World and check out their companion website, www.touringplans.com. I use their crowd/best days calendar to plan all our park days and then once I know which park we will be in on which days I can make my Advance Dining Reservations around those parks or in resorts close to those parks.

There are tips I give to anyone new to touring WDW:

1. Make sure you have Advance Dining Reservations as a lot of table service restaurants do not take walk-ups or busy crowd seasons. You can make ADRs at 180 days out from your check-in date at the character meals and popular restaurants will fill up quickly.

2. Get to the parks at opening. You really can get a lot done in the morning because so many other people sleep in.

3. Eat lunch around 11:00 or 11:30 a.m. before the fast food places get busy. Then when while everyone else is eating lunch, you will have lower crowds.

4. I buy a ton of the two for a dollar ponchos at the dollar store and keep them in the backpack. That way you can throw them a way after use and not worry about keeping up with a wet bulky poncho the rest of the day. Bring throw away ponchos to wear on Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom, if not you WILL get soaked.

5. Other things I put in the backpack each morning are Tylenol/Motrin, small first aid kit, camera with extra batteries, small hand towel, hand sanitizer, wipes and a bottle of water.

6. Most single service items under $4.00 are considered a snack credit on the dining plan. A Turkey Leg is NOT a snack credit.

7. At Magic Kingdom always head to Fantasyland first, if you are not doing Fantasyland on a particular day then head to Splash Mountain first, then Big Thunder Mountain; at Epcot always ride Soarin' first and get a Fastpass for later after you get off of the ride; at Disney Hollywood Studios always ride Toy Story Mania first, then head over to Rockin' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror; and at Animal Kingdom ride Expedition Everest First then head to the Safari.

8. Favorite fast food restaurants at MK are Pecos Bills and Cosmic Rays; favorite fast food at Animal Kingdom is Flame Tree Grill and Pizzafari. If you are there while it very hot, go to Pizzafari.

9. If there are two lines going into an attraction, always take the line that goes to the left.

10. My best tip would have to be USE THE FASTPASS SYSTEM. Our rule of thumb is if the wait is 25 minutes or less, we wait in line. If the wait is 30 minutes or more, use a Fastpass. It is not highly publicized, but your Fastpass does not expire until the end of the day. You can never use it before the return time stamp on the pass, but you can always use it after. We try to collect Fastpasses during the early part of the day and then use them later in the afternoon when the parks become more crowded.

Click on this link and it will give you an excellent overview of Fastpass. It is from Doconeil here on the Disboards and super helpful:

http://www.oinc.net/disney/fastpass.php

If you still don't understand, just let me know your specific questions.

11. I like the Photopass. You can pre-buy it before your trip for $99.00. When you enter the parks you will see the staff photographers, they will take your pictures and give you a Photopass and you can use that for the rest of your trip. Each time you see a photographer have them take your picture and they will scan your picture. Then when you get home you can pull up the pictures, with the code they email you after purchase, and pick the photos you want on a CD. They will then mail you the CD and the copyrights to the CD and you can take them to Walmart or Walgreens or wherever and get them developed. They also have a lot of cool software that you can use to edit your photos before you have them put on the CD.

My favorite Disney planning sites are:

www.disboards.com
www.allearsnet.com
www.wdwinfo.com
www.intercot.com