Newbie - please help

[Jonnoweb]

Hi all,

I'm sure this has all been covered before, but we are taking our 2 children (aged 6 and 3) for their first trip to DLP in 2 weeks. We are giong for 3days and nights and staying in the explorers hotel - the reviews on the site have been very helpful. I am trying to find out about the character meals.

With the character meals, would you guys recommend a breakfast or evening meal from experience? And are there several restuarants that run them or just a couple?

Also we are not sure about tickets - should we buy in advance or just wait until we arrive. I assume we will need 3 day hopper tickets?

Finally a friend of ours went a couple of weeks ago, and said she stayed in the hotel next door to the Explorers (??), and that her 2 children didn't pay park entrance. I thought the free entry was only for people staying in official Disney hotels, can anyone confirm?

Thanks all.

 

[A Small World]

Welcome to the Dis boards.

Im sure you will all love your holiday and come back like the rest of us -addicted.

To try and answer your questions.

You could get three day hopper tickets or could look at getting annual passes- only slightly more expensive than 3 day passes. Worth it if you think you may want to return within 12 mths. Look at the frequently asked questions thread for more info

At the moment Disney are offering children under 7 free entry to the parks so your friend is right. it doesnt matter whether you stay on or off site or if you enter as a day visitor only then under 7s go free. They can also get free annual passes but you need to ask about this as its not widely advertised

As for character meals. We have only done breakfast (apart from Princess character meal) so cant comment too much about the other meals but enjoyed the breakfast.
The meals are a good way of meeting the characters without having to queue or fight the crowds.
Breakfast tends to be the cheapest and is only held at Cafe Mickey in the Villege. However there have been some good reports recently about the character tea at Plaza Gardens (£9 per person I think)

Enjoy planning

 

[Cyrano]

Hi Jonnoweb and welcome to DLP DIS board
We are a friendly bunch here so please join in on any other thread or if you have a number of questions then just start a new thread for each

If you have not had a look yet, DLP posting rules are here, DIS posting guidelines can be found here and details regarding help on signatures here

For kids under under 7 being free I think you would have had to have booked a package AFAIK

 

[A Small World]

For kids under under 7 being free I think you would have had to have booked a package AFAIK

I thought all under 7s were free even if you have not got a package.

 

[Cyrano]

I thought all under 7s were free even if you have not got a package.

You could be right