My friend just spend a week in March and then another week 2 weeks ago (chaperone for senoir class trip the 2nd time) and answered some of my questions for me. I am copying and pasting, so it might sound a little jumbled and is probably quite long, but some good solid info for anyone that needs it! Enjoy...
*What's your opinion on going to vs. avoiding parks with extra magic hour? Guide books say avoid them... but seems like a nice perc since we're staying on site. We would not go for the extra hours at night, just morning.
My best advice for your whole trip: do the morning magic hours. Get there 10 minutes before and you have free reign of rides and fast passes for later. At MGM they were literally handing fast passes to us (not out of a machine, a person was standing at many attractions), for Playhouse Disney, Ariel, Millionaire. You could just collect as many as you wanted and ask for anytime you wanted. It was amazing. The parks really stayed relatively empty for the first hour and the next hour when the parks open. Sometimes we got in 10 rides and headed back to the hotel by 10:30 doing this. The night times are good, too, if you have napped, but not as good as the mornings. There are also bedtime stories on the hotel televisions until 10 pm and we were never back to see them a single time.
*How did Mackenzie like Epcot.... what's to see and avoid there for little kids?
Epcot was fine - actually, I love it. She liked the Living Seas and Imagination and the ride in the ball (my mind is blank) and playing in the water. In the countries, she loved stopping at the Kidcot stops to do a craft and collect a symbol for her necklace. Stephan liked the technology at Innoventions. Test track is fun and Soarin' is amazing (I don't know the heights b/c I just did them this weekend) and the seniors loved Mission Space.
*Did you guys see Fantasmic... and was it too scary/intense? Was it worth the wait?
Fantasmic was rained out when my family planned to go. We saw it this past Friday night and it was awesome. Kenzie would have absolutely loved it. They have toned it down in the scare element. Make sure the kids watch Fantasia before they go and it will mean even more. It is BY FAR the best night show of all of them, although Wishes is also very nice. I rate illuminations 3rd of the night shows.
*What are the best spots for each of the parades/firework shows?
Fireworks at Magic Kingdom: anywhere in front of the castle without a tree in the way (even as far back as Crystal Palace if the view is clear) and get there 15-20 mins to get a good spot. Illuminations is just about anywhere around the lake. Again, 15 minutes was always fine. Fantasmic on the other hand - we got there 30 minutes early and had to sit way off on the side. It was fine, but for a center view go an hour early. They begin seating 2 hours ahead of time, and the theatre is huge. You could get food on the way in and eat it while you wait. There are some vendors way up the path right by the theatre. The Electric Parade at MK we plopped ourselves on the curb Main Street a half hour ahead of time, took turns taking the kids into shops to keep them entertained while we waited. We did not see the daytime parades at all b/c they were in the afternoon and we were sleeping every time. We're not huge parade people I guess, but don't miss the Electric Parade. It rates a decent 2nd to Fantasmic.
*How was Magical Express and how long should I estimate for getting to and from hotel from airport?
Our Magical Express last week was flawless, but then again with a groupd of 50 they had an entire bus for us that did not have to make any other stops at other hotels. We got on the instant we checked in. The trip to Disney is 20-30 minutes one way and there is a cute movie both ways for entertainment.
*Did you guys use 2 way radios at all? Any success? If not, how about cell phones.... We don't have one yet, but plan on buying one before I start school in the fall and we can always borrow my Mom's so we have 2. We already have the radios, but not sure how they work down there.
We had two cell phones and it was a life-saver. Can you buy one and borrow one? verizon is free minutes from cell phone to cell phone. Never tried radios, but you can't split up (as we did) and survive without communication.
Some other odds and ends:
Go to the Dollar Store and get $1.00 ponchos and carry them in your backpack at all times, even if no rain is forecast. Have 2 pairs of sneakers for everyone in case they get wet (can you tell we got drenched the one time it rained b/c I left he ponchos in the hotel room?)
They don't care what you have in your backpack to enter the park, so take or buy some water, freeze a couple of bottles of water every night, throw them in a ziploc bag in your backpack, and take them into the park. Otherwise you're talking $2.00 per bottle that will get warm in 20 minutes. Both of your kids will love strollers, even if they hate them now. If you like your own, take it, it's worth it. Renting them is fine too, but just one more thing to do when you get there and the confusion of finding your own after each ride (in which case you need to tie a bright color scarf around the handle or something to mark it b/c they constatnly rearrange them after you get on the ride) Double strollers are hard to maneuver, I'd take 2 umbrollers if you are taking your own (I have one if you want to borrow)
Fear of the dark rides: Kenzie is scared of the dark, so we took a little light up toy (like a flashlight but not really a flashlight) that she would hold and shine in our "car" on rides she was afraid of. There are many rides that aren't scary in the element of the ride, but just because it's dark.
Be sure to have a PhotoPass photo taken of your family in every park that you can order later online when you get home. Carry around the same card that you get the first time and just have them re-use it so you don't have a bunch to keep organized.
I had an absolutely horrible time at the front desk of ASM every time we needed to do something. It was a big group, so it took forever to check in, we had to go to set up room-checks, wake-up calls for each room, get money out of the front desk safe, etc. , but every time we went (except at 6 am) there was at least a 30 minute wait for anyone to get to the front of the line, and even then the cast members were not very knowledgeable about many things and were certainly in no hurry. So avoid the front desk at all costs, and if you need them, be sure to put aside extra time and have one of you somewhere else with the kids. As far as requesting a room: we were all the way back in the Herbie Love Bug building and the walk really wasn't that bad. Closer is nice, but not necessary. If you are using Disney transportation, chose the building not only close to the food court and pool, but also the bus stop (which you can get to from either side of the main building). It's not worth it for you to buy the refillable mugs if they don't have that option at OKW. I can't wait to hear how that resort is!
Mackenzie's very favorite rides:
(1) Goofy's Barnstormer
(2) Mickey's PhilHarmagic
Dumbo, Triceratop Spin, Aladdin's Carpet (all basically the same thing)
Peter Pan
Small World
Indy Speedway
Buzz Lightyear
Playhouse Disney (fun for the little ones to get up and dance)
The LIttle Mermaid (not that great)
The Lion King (the best show of all)
Beauty and the Beast Show (live on stage, like broadway!)
Tiki Birds (I don't know why?!)
Pocahontas you could pass on unless they love her
Playgrounds: Honey I Shrunk the Kids and Boneyard something
Rides to NOT take either little kids on for scare factor:
Dinosaur (though it is great fun!)
Pirates of the Carribbean scared Kenzie before we even got down the dungeon paths, though the rest isn't scary
The Great Movie Ride (shooting scene, Wicked Witch, Alien, and it's not that good for adults either)
Haunted Mansion (environment scared her)
Stitch's Great Escape is almost all in the complete dark and it is the most stupid ride they have
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience (rats, snake in 3D!)
It's Tough to Be a Bug (Gross bugs in 3D...Ryan may like it)
and of course any ride that they are too small for!
Rides that you adults/Kaitlyn should not miss ( you know about the wonderful kid trade-off program, right? use it!) :
Splash Mountain
Space Mountain
Soarin'
Mission Space
Light!Camera!Action! stunt show (the whole family will enjoy and don't go too early, the stadium is huge!)
Lion King (you will all love)
Rock'n'Roller Coaster (the best ride in the whole place, if you ask me)
Tower of Terror
Dinosaur
Kenzie was terrified of all characters in face-costume (not princesses) until the last day, so be prepared for that b/c I did not predict that one at all. Stephan on the other hand, at the age of 4 was terrified of the princesses, but was fine with all other characters! Don't waste time shopping at the parks b/c everything is at Downtown Disney and you can use all of your park time for park time. We ate at Rainforest last week - the environment was great, but you can get that just going in to shop without having to eat there if you want.
Best meals: 1900 Park Fare dinner, Princess Storybook breakfast. Otherwise, be ready for bacon double cheeseburgers and chicken strips non-stop!
*What's your opinion on going to vs. avoiding parks with extra magic hour? Guide books say avoid them... but seems like a nice perc since we're staying on site. We would not go for the extra hours at night, just morning.
My best advice for your whole trip: do the morning magic hours. Get there 10 minutes before and you have free reign of rides and fast passes for later. At MGM they were literally handing fast passes to us (not out of a machine, a person was standing at many attractions), for Playhouse Disney, Ariel, Millionaire. You could just collect as many as you wanted and ask for anytime you wanted. It was amazing. The parks really stayed relatively empty for the first hour and the next hour when the parks open. Sometimes we got in 10 rides and headed back to the hotel by 10:30 doing this. The night times are good, too, if you have napped, but not as good as the mornings. There are also bedtime stories on the hotel televisions until 10 pm and we were never back to see them a single time.
*How did Mackenzie like Epcot.... what's to see and avoid there for little kids?
Epcot was fine - actually, I love it. She liked the Living Seas and Imagination and the ride in the ball (my mind is blank) and playing in the water. In the countries, she loved stopping at the Kidcot stops to do a craft and collect a symbol for her necklace. Stephan liked the technology at Innoventions. Test track is fun and Soarin' is amazing (I don't know the heights b/c I just did them this weekend) and the seniors loved Mission Space.
*Did you guys see Fantasmic... and was it too scary/intense? Was it worth the wait?
Fantasmic was rained out when my family planned to go. We saw it this past Friday night and it was awesome. Kenzie would have absolutely loved it. They have toned it down in the scare element. Make sure the kids watch Fantasia before they go and it will mean even more. It is BY FAR the best night show of all of them, although Wishes is also very nice. I rate illuminations 3rd of the night shows.
*What are the best spots for each of the parades/firework shows?
Fireworks at Magic Kingdom: anywhere in front of the castle without a tree in the way (even as far back as Crystal Palace if the view is clear) and get there 15-20 mins to get a good spot. Illuminations is just about anywhere around the lake. Again, 15 minutes was always fine. Fantasmic on the other hand - we got there 30 minutes early and had to sit way off on the side. It was fine, but for a center view go an hour early. They begin seating 2 hours ahead of time, and the theatre is huge. You could get food on the way in and eat it while you wait. There are some vendors way up the path right by the theatre. The Electric Parade at MK we plopped ourselves on the curb Main Street a half hour ahead of time, took turns taking the kids into shops to keep them entertained while we waited. We did not see the daytime parades at all b/c they were in the afternoon and we were sleeping every time. We're not huge parade people I guess, but don't miss the Electric Parade. It rates a decent 2nd to Fantasmic.
*How was Magical Express and how long should I estimate for getting to and from hotel from airport?
Our Magical Express last week was flawless, but then again with a groupd of 50 they had an entire bus for us that did not have to make any other stops at other hotels. We got on the instant we checked in. The trip to Disney is 20-30 minutes one way and there is a cute movie both ways for entertainment.
*Did you guys use 2 way radios at all? Any success? If not, how about cell phones.... We don't have one yet, but plan on buying one before I start school in the fall and we can always borrow my Mom's so we have 2. We already have the radios, but not sure how they work down there.
We had two cell phones and it was a life-saver. Can you buy one and borrow one? verizon is free minutes from cell phone to cell phone. Never tried radios, but you can't split up (as we did) and survive without communication.
Some other odds and ends:
Go to the Dollar Store and get $1.00 ponchos and carry them in your backpack at all times, even if no rain is forecast. Have 2 pairs of sneakers for everyone in case they get wet (can you tell we got drenched the one time it rained b/c I left he ponchos in the hotel room?)
They don't care what you have in your backpack to enter the park, so take or buy some water, freeze a couple of bottles of water every night, throw them in a ziploc bag in your backpack, and take them into the park. Otherwise you're talking $2.00 per bottle that will get warm in 20 minutes. Both of your kids will love strollers, even if they hate them now. If you like your own, take it, it's worth it. Renting them is fine too, but just one more thing to do when you get there and the confusion of finding your own after each ride (in which case you need to tie a bright color scarf around the handle or something to mark it b/c they constatnly rearrange them after you get on the ride) Double strollers are hard to maneuver, I'd take 2 umbrollers if you are taking your own (I have one if you want to borrow)
Fear of the dark rides: Kenzie is scared of the dark, so we took a little light up toy (like a flashlight but not really a flashlight) that she would hold and shine in our "car" on rides she was afraid of. There are many rides that aren't scary in the element of the ride, but just because it's dark.
Be sure to have a PhotoPass photo taken of your family in every park that you can order later online when you get home. Carry around the same card that you get the first time and just have them re-use it so you don't have a bunch to keep organized.
I had an absolutely horrible time at the front desk of ASM every time we needed to do something. It was a big group, so it took forever to check in, we had to go to set up room-checks, wake-up calls for each room, get money out of the front desk safe, etc. , but every time we went (except at 6 am) there was at least a 30 minute wait for anyone to get to the front of the line, and even then the cast members were not very knowledgeable about many things and were certainly in no hurry. So avoid the front desk at all costs, and if you need them, be sure to put aside extra time and have one of you somewhere else with the kids. As far as requesting a room: we were all the way back in the Herbie Love Bug building and the walk really wasn't that bad. Closer is nice, but not necessary. If you are using Disney transportation, chose the building not only close to the food court and pool, but also the bus stop (which you can get to from either side of the main building). It's not worth it for you to buy the refillable mugs if they don't have that option at OKW. I can't wait to hear how that resort is!
Mackenzie's very favorite rides:
(1) Goofy's Barnstormer
(2) Mickey's PhilHarmagic
Dumbo, Triceratop Spin, Aladdin's Carpet (all basically the same thing)
Peter Pan
Small World
Indy Speedway
Buzz Lightyear
Playhouse Disney (fun for the little ones to get up and dance)
The LIttle Mermaid (not that great)
The Lion King (the best show of all)
Beauty and the Beast Show (live on stage, like broadway!)
Tiki Birds (I don't know why?!)
Pocahontas you could pass on unless they love her
Playgrounds: Honey I Shrunk the Kids and Boneyard something
Rides to NOT take either little kids on for scare factor:
Dinosaur (though it is great fun!)
Pirates of the Carribbean scared Kenzie before we even got down the dungeon paths, though the rest isn't scary
The Great Movie Ride (shooting scene, Wicked Witch, Alien, and it's not that good for adults either)
Haunted Mansion (environment scared her)
Stitch's Great Escape is almost all in the complete dark and it is the most stupid ride they have
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience (rats, snake in 3D!)
It's Tough to Be a Bug (Gross bugs in 3D...Ryan may like it)
and of course any ride that they are too small for!
Rides that you adults/Kaitlyn should not miss ( you know about the wonderful kid trade-off program, right? use it!) :
Splash Mountain
Space Mountain
Soarin'
Mission Space
Light!Camera!Action! stunt show (the whole family will enjoy and don't go too early, the stadium is huge!)
Lion King (you will all love)
Rock'n'Roller Coaster (the best ride in the whole place, if you ask me)
Tower of Terror
Dinosaur
Kenzie was terrified of all characters in face-costume (not princesses) until the last day, so be prepared for that b/c I did not predict that one at all. Stephan on the other hand, at the age of 4 was terrified of the princesses, but was fine with all other characters! Don't waste time shopping at the parks b/c everything is at Downtown Disney and you can use all of your park time for park time. We ate at Rainforest last week - the environment was great, but you can get that just going in to shop without having to eat there if you want.
Best meals: 1900 Park Fare dinner, Princess Storybook breakfast. Otherwise, be ready for bacon double cheeseburgers and chicken strips non-stop!
