OH MY GOD!!!! FINALLY, IM GOING!!!! Questions...

[brocklesnar69]

First off I would just like to say HOOORAY!!! I have made my dream come true!!! Back in March I dreamt up this crazy idea that I wanted to go to WDW and take my girlfriend with me. At the time, I had no money because I was still in High School w/out a job. So I just decided to research. Then when summmer hit... I got a job, saved up enough money, AND NOW THE TRIP IS BOOKED!!!!!! WOOOOOHOOOO!!!!! Im going the first of January.

Now, that leads me to my questions that I am hoping someone out there with way more experience than me can answer:

People have been telling me that the 'Park Hopper' option is a waste because WDW is SO big. They say that I wouldnt have enough time to go to more than one park a day. IS THIS TRUE???

Also, similar thing as above, only about the water park option. They say Beginning January wouldnt be a good time to visit the water parks because its to cold. IS THIS TRUE?

And also, different people have been telling me that the weather will be rainy and very wet. IS THIS TRUE?

That is about it with my questions. I was just hoping to get some answers on this stuff because I havent bought the park tickets yet and I really need to know if adding Water Parks & More.... And Park Hopper is worth the money!!!?

Thanks for any help!!!

 

[ainmama2001]

Congratulations!

1. The park hopper option IMHO is NEVER a waste. It gives you the freedom to choose nighttime shows and gives you a JILLION food options.

2. It is rather cool in January, but it's personal preference really. I'm old so, I don't do the water parks at all, but it completely up to you. Make sure you check before you leave for refurbishment schedules because they do close down the parks when it's cooler to do maintenance and repairs.

3. You're always going to have chances of rain in Florida. It's just a fact of life. No matter what time of year you go. IMHO, it's worse in the fall during hurricane season.

Have a great time!

 

[Praying Colonel]

Hopper: We always get the hopper option. We definitely don't think the parks are too big to hop, and WDW transportation is very good at getting you from one place to the other. We like knowing that we can go where we want, when we want.

Water parks: We don't do them anymore. We did them once and decided that we have more fun in the 4 parks than in the water parks, so that's where we prefer to spend our time, even when the weather's more conducive to water parks. YMMV.

I think you're more likely to have rainy weather in the summer, but you can never tell. We just got back from our trip and it only rained 2 days. On our previous trip, it rained every day. Just be prepared.

Have fun!

 

[Skroops]

Congratulations!

The park hopper is fun, but not needed for a great vacation. It really depends on the length of your trip. For a shorter trip, one park a day works great. For longer trips, it is nice to have the flexibility to go from one park to another to re-visit your favorite attractions.

A lot of guests from northern locations think that WDW is still warm in January. Many guests still swim. Of course in the spring in northern climates shorts and sandals come out when it gets to be 50 degrees. It's all relative.

We have found that our vacations at WDW often have rain. Usually it rains for short periods of time.

Have a great vacation! You found the right boards for the information!

 

[cvs2kids]

First off I would just like to say HOOORAY!!! I have made my dream come true!!! Back in March I dreamt up this crazy idea that I wanted to go to WDW and take my girlfriend with me. At the time, I had no money because I was still in High School w/out a job. So I just decided to research. Then when summmer hit... I got a job, saved up enough money, AND NOW THE TRIP IS BOOKED!!!!!! WOOOOOHOOOO!!!!! Im going the first of January.

Now, that leads me to my questions that I am hoping someone out there with way more experience than me can answer:

People have been telling me that the 'Park Hopper' option is a waste because WDW is SO big. They say that I wouldnt have enough time to go to more than one park a day. IS THIS TRUE???

Also, similar thing as above, only about the water park option. They say Beginning January would be a good time to visit the water parks. IS THIS TRUE?

And also, different people have been telling me that the weather will be rainy and very wet. IS THIS TRUE?

That is about it with my questions. I was just hoping to get some answers on this stuff because I havent boughten the park tickets yet and I really need to know if adding Water Parks & More.... And Park Hopper is worth the money!!!?

Thanks for any help!!!

terriffic news. It took me several months at a full time job to save up for my first trip. You're the man!!

Park hopper Option- that is based on a few things. First of all, the 4 major parks all take at least one day to enjo, but if you're staying longer than 4 days, You may want to jump between parks on days 5+. If you're there for 6+ days, I would definately go for it.
.

Water park and More Option- the hurricane season is over by November, so it isn't wet. I refer you to http://www.mousesavers.com/faq.html. It talks about the best time to go. Depending where your from, you may find it cold. I'm from East Coast Canada, so anything in Florida will be warm enough for me to swim. If you won't go in the water if the temperature is below 80 degrees, you may end up skipping that.

My thoughts, the only thing you'll probably do is Disney Quest at Down town Disney and 1 water park. that time of year, the other will probably be closed for refurbishment. You could probably ship that option, and pay the walk up price.

My best advice. Plan ahead. Figure out how many days, how many at Disney and then add the numbers up. If it seems like it's a better deal to add the option, then do it.

One final piece of advice. car rentals for minors (25 and under) is a killer. Typically, they add $25/day fee. So when your wondering where to stay, on site will probably be the cheapest in the long run.

 

[brocklesnar69]

I am staying for 12 days... but Im getting the 10 day park ticket.

I am staying at a Non disney hotel, but my hotel is only 1.5 miles from each park. So its really close!!!

Thanks for andvice......

 

[arizonacolbys]

We've been in January twice & both times enjoyed being able to park hop. The crowds are pretty low this time of year, so we enjoyed being able to do one park in the morning, take a break in the afternoon & then go to a different park for the evening hours.

One January trip we were able to swim every day with no problems (the water is usually heated pretty well) - but, the other Jan trip, we only swam once in 10 days!

We also have rarely seen rain that time of year - it is historically one of the driest months of the year for FL, but that doesn't mean an afternoon storm couldn't pop up sometime.

Enjoy your trip!! My hubby & I went for the first time together just a couple years after high school & we had an awesome time!!

 

[Scraper]

We always park hop. If one park gets to crowded we go to anouther. All though in Jan the crowds are low after the holidays. We do a different park in the evening then in tha day often because they offer different things. Staying off sight can be fun but did you check and see if you can get on sight at a Value resort for the same price as you are paying off sight. It makes things easier and you would get the EMH. You will have a great time. Well worth saving for.

 

[cvs2kids]

We always park hop. If one park gets to crowded we go to anouther. All though in Jan the crowds are low after the holidays. We do a different park in the evening then in tha day often because they offer different things. Staying off sight can be fun but did you check and see if you can get on sight at a Value resort for the same price as you are paying off sight. It makes things easier and you would get the EMH. You will have a great time. Well worth saving for.

I agree. And thefree magical Express to the resor saves you big bucks too. You know your budget, but considering the value of the free shuttle and transportation system, it may be worth it.

Finally, if your hotel doesn't have a free shuttle, be careful. Disney property is huge!!. You may be 1.5 miles from the property, but seveal miles from an attractio or bus stop.

PS- I stayed on site for the first time last year, and it was a blast. I had more fun then the kids!!

 

[klwdisney]

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Booking the trip is your first step towards admitting your future addiction!

Secondly, along with all the advice you just received, here are some of my favorite sites for planning information. You are going to have to make REALLY sure you plan carefully to make the best use of all that hard earned money...

1. DIS and the DIS boards (which I see you've already found)

2. http://www.allearsnet.com GREAT site! All the Planning info you could ever imagine - weather, crowd info, resort info w/ pics, menus for every place you could get a bite in the "world", explanations of all the tix, etc. etc.

3. mousesavers.com - great for watching for codes/discounts that might apply to you before your trip to save you a few more dollars

4. http://www.ourlaughingplace.com - has some great info but also has a GREAT restaurant directory with reviews.

Enjoy!! Planning is almost the best part!!!

 

[binky]

First of all, congratulations on making your dream trip a reality! I only have a couple of things to say: First, I agree with the posters who say to get the park hopper tickets. Even though each park takes about a day or more to see, park hopping allows you to adjust for crowds. And like someone else mentioned, you could park hop to different restaurants. We had dinner at Epcot several times yhis past May, even if we spent the morning and afternoon at another park. Second, I would seriously consider staying on-site. I don't know if you are flying, but with ME and Disney transportation there would be no need to rent a car. I would much rather hop on a bus than fool with driving and parking. Especially if you do decide to get the park hopper tickets. The buses are SO convenient, regardless of the many complaints you will read about them on these boards. I see that you are staying for 12 days (lucky!), so if the $ difference in staying on-site is substantial, I would stay a couple of days less (10 days is still an awesome vacation) and stay on-site. JMHO! Have a great trip! Your girlfriend is very lucky to have someone put this much effort and work into this trip

P.S. We no longer do the water parks and have never been in the wintertime, so I'm no help there!

 

[stites1]

the park hopper rocks. half the fun of being there is running from park to park like a crazed idiot. At least it is for us.

 

[Quinn222]

Congratulations!

People have been telling me that the 'Park Hopper' option is a waste because WDW is SO big. They say that I wouldnt have enough time to go to more than one park a day. IS THIS TRUE???
Also, similar thing as above, only about the water park option. They say Beginning January wouldnt be a good time to visit the water parks because its to cold. IS THIS TRUE?

I like to hop, I do a different park in the evening that I do during the day. So I'd get the hopper.
January is often too cold for swimming. I'd pass on the water park option. You can always add it when you get there or just pay to go there if it's nice enough. Rain in January is fairly rare, it's the middle of the dry season.

Have a great trip!

 

[Mischa]

IMHO - the Park Hopper is not a waste of money. We had them for our first trip this past May and it was great! We did go to two parks in one day because we tried to take advantage of the "magic hours" (when the one park is open early or stays open later), and would park hop and got to see a number of things in our short five days.

I say go for the park hopper.

Also, if you haven't gotten and it is being offered - get the Disney Dining Plan. It worked out great for us (we didn't have to bring extra money for food - it was already prepaid for!) We loved it!

We're not Disney veterans (yet) but we're working on it!

 

[krissyh]

You will have a great time.

Do not worry about the weather. It could get a little cool at night but it is nice to not be standing in line in 98 degrees with 95% humidity. Plus, if you are coming from the north, it will feel warm.

If this is your first trip and you are doing ten days of park tickets, I would skip the hoppers and use the money for something else.

Are you a big water park fan? You will get many "options" with a ten day ticket. If you are just out of high school - you might not want the pleasure island entrance but you should enjoy Disney Quest and the water parks. I think this is a better option for you than the hopper - you gain access to more places and if you do a water park during the day, you could still hit a park at night.

Are you driving or flying? I would recommend staying on-site either way. If you fly - you can take the Magical Express to WDW and use the transportation system. It is better than a rental car. The values are a good deal - sure they are more expensive than a place off site - but it is WDW - you know you are getting a clean, safe place to stay and if anything is wrong, it will be made right. Plus, if you stay off-site, you will be adding $6/day for parking. You have cheaper food options off site but if you check out the menus at www.allearsnet.com you will probably see CS options that you will like - you are young. Also - if you stay off site - you will find that it is difficult to go back to rest during the day or change after going to a water park.

You can watch for a code to come in the future if you plan to stay on-site. Or honestly, I'd be inclined to stay a day or two less and be on-site. You can not imagine how much that adds to the magic.

Also - ifyou are onsite - the meal plan is an option. It is pricey but you will be able to eat at much nicer restaurants - It will be $80/day for the two of you but with TS meals for dinner, you'll top that in one meal.

 

[Ana~n~Joseph]

Congratulations on your trip!

Now my opinion:

For a 12 day trip, definately park hop; it will really be worth it.

Water parks - they usually close at least one water park in January if I'm not mistaken. We went to a water park once a few years back and that was enough for me; I rather spend another day in Magic Kingdom.

Weather - January can be nice weather wise; for our honeymoon this past January we had great weather until the last day when it got really cold. Besides that, mornings were nice and cool and the days were perfect. We might have gotten lucky because we didn't get any rain.

Hotel - please consider staying on-site. Like someone else said, the off-site hotel may be 1.5 miles from the property but there's still a ways to go to get to the parks. Also, if you are under 25 car rental will be extremely expensive and staying onsite gives you the flexibility of using Disney transportation so you could save that money.

 

[Karnak]

Congratulations on your trip!

Now my opinion:

For a 12 day trip, definately park hop; it will really be worth it.

Water parks - they usually close at least one water park in January if I'm not mistaken. We went to a water park once a few years back and that was enough for me; I rather spend another day in Magic Kingdom.

Weather - January can be nice weather wise; for our honeymoon this past January we had great weather until the last day when it got really cold. Besides that, mornings were nice and cool and the days were perfect. We might have gotten lucky because we didn't get any rain.

Hotel - please consider staying on-site. Like someone else said, the off-site hotel may be 1.5 miles from the property but there's still a ways to go to get to the parks. Also, if you are under 25 car rental will be extremely expensive and staying onsite gives you the flexibility of using Disney transportation so you could save that money.

I couldn't agree more about staying on-site. You might want to check for special rates at some of the value resorts. Rooms there are often very reasonable, and having all the advantages that come with staying at the WDW resort are big.

Enjoy.

 

[44disney]

With a 10 day ticket, I believe that adding the hopping option works out to $5/day. DEFINITELY worth it! It will allow you to enjoy Epcot at night (always the most magical time) several times if you wish, while going to another park during the day. Remember that a lot of the Future World rides (such as Soarin') stay open much later than 7pm (the time that FW is supposed to close). Ask a cast member for details.

 

[Pats Dragon]

You'll love DW. There are pros and cons about hopping. We used to hop but one day decided we miss the extras at parks and would have fun just exploring It can be freezing or hot at DW so wait on the water park ticket. I agree with everyone else. Stay onsite. The prices are actually cheaper at pop and it is neat. We are paying 65$ aaa rate. The transportation is super and ee will let you ride a lot of popular rides with no lines. Whatever you decide, I hope you love the place as much as we do. TIP: friends who sleep late hate dw because they go in the middle of the day and get discouraged by crowds. Go and be there before the park opens. Take a break in the middle of the day if it is too crowded and return later.

 

[hockeybabe]

I would also get the hopper. One reason not yet mentioned is the weather factor. If it is really cold one day, or gets to be rainy, there are parks that are better for bad weather. You may be at AK, and a bad wether system settles in (not just the daily rinse), you may want to hop to a park like Epcot.

Like others have said, I would really explore the on-site option if you are thinking of spending your whole trip in the WDW parks. 1.5 miles can mean 30 minutes to each park each way, and longer walks to catch your buses. Free transportaion from the airport to the resort will save you about $100. And I think the dining plan would be so worth it for you.

Have a great trip!