Planning and Documents

[sam_justice]

First trip with a friend to Disney World in December!
What documents and pre planning do you fellow Britain-ites do?

 

[2Tiggies]

Hi Sam



I'll start with some documents. Others will be on here soon to add to the list, but I'll get you started

Valid passports (I don't need to tell you that )

Assuming you are on UK passports, you will need an ESTA which you complete online. This is the requirement for the Visa Waiver Program. There is a sticky at the top of the UK Trip Planning page which will give you details on how to do it. Please use the link in there - it seems google and other searches are bringing other links to the top of the page. It is free at present. If the site advises there is a charge, you are not on the official website, in which case close the page and try again.

Driving licence. Whether or not you hire a car you will need photo ID for all kinds of things so the photo part of the licence is more convenient to carry around than a passport.

PLANNING:

Many of us on here are a bit over the top where planning is concerned (I don't believe it but the rumour goes like that ), so you will get varying degrees of intensity in the advice of required planning. You need to choose what feels comfortable for you.

First thing I would do if I were you is check the December park hours, try and decide roughly which parks you want to visit on which days and then decide where you want to eat, if you want to book restaurants onsite or in the parks. Reservations for some of the places go quickly and can be made 180 in advance so it would be a good idea to get that sorted asap.

Where are you staying and how long are you going for?

 

[sam_justice]

We're staying at best western lakeside, which has free transport to the parks apparently.
We're going December 1st - 14th, which I hope is a good time (decent weather, hardly any ques! and yet still the Christmas decor for photography!)
I am also hearing that this time of the year the parks stay open til midnite? Is this true? and is it also true for the universal resort?

 

[wayneg]

Your dates the parks close early, they only open later over the Xmas/New Year period. opening times for December here http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours/dec10.cfm?requesttimeout=1000
For Universal I would expect closing 5-6pm. They have only listed upto October so far. http://www.universalorlando.com/Resort_Information/theme_park_hours.aspx#

 

[sam_justice]

Ah not good, how busy is it during this period?

 

[wayneg]

I have never been early December, being in retail I can't go until I close Xmas eve, then the parks are packed solid thru til New Year but early December I believe they are a lot quieter.

 

[2Tiggies]

Ah not good, how busy is it during this period?

Typically, this was always a slow time of the year. However "slow" is a relative term and recently with them extending free dining an offering other promotions the last quarter of the year has become increasingly busier. It is one of the less crowded times to go, put it that way - hence the early closings.

 

[sam_justice]

My mind is still a little cloudy from the last time I visited. So if a park closes early, do they still have the shows etc at like 8pm? Reason I ask is I'm not that bothered about attractions being open late, I want to take some good night time photos of the park!

 

[wayneg]

When the parks close thats it everyone out. You will be directed towards the gate at this time.

 

[2Tiggies]

With the exception of Epcot, which is open to 9 pm so you can get some photos there at night.

 

[Eliza32]

Planning is my thing. We go in 5 weeks. I have so far printed out my timetable (we plan days according to meal reservations, fireworks and this year MNSSHP. ) Some of the days are interchangeable if we need to. I also do a document on the computer with park opening houirs, reservation numbers etc to keep in my bag. Next I do my diary pages (I print out decorated pages for each day with meal 'boxes' on them so I can record what we eat.) I have done this every trip since 1995 and it's kind of fun to look back (I don't have the patience for scrapbooking!!)
For the diary, I use one of those presentation folders, I do a page for the flight details so that I can record the meals, the films etc, then another page for the spending money record and the weather report. We allow ourselves so much money per day.
All of these pages I print out in colour, then put into a presentation folder (the ones with plastic wallets already attached) I leave a wallet empty between each diary page so that I can put in receipts, park leaflets, unused FPs etc as souvenirs.
Sounds kinda complicated but it's great to read years later.
If anyone wants copies of my templates, please feel free to PM me.

 

[2Tiggies]

Eliza, you sound like me! Although I just record my days events in a thin notebook while I am there and then spend some weeks (or months) when I get back putting all the details in. Makes the trip last longer.

I have done my ADR and snack credit cards. They are not much bigger than a credit card, laminated with craft rings through the end and attached to a spiral stretchy key chain. I clip into my backpack on the inside and I don't have to fiddle with loose cards and papers. Works great.

 

[sam_justice]

You see it's only two of us, and we're very laid back. To be honest I don't mind queuing for some of the rides since Disney and Universal put so much effort into the ques as well as the rides nowadays!

 

[2Tiggies]

You see it's only two of us, and we're very laid back. To be honest I don't mind queuing for some of the rides since Disney and Universal put so much effort into the ques as well as the rides nowadays!

To be honest, at the time you are going, even with the shorter hours, you are likely to achieve just as much, if not more, in terms of attractions than those who travel at busier times (with longer park hours).

 

[Eliza32]

Only two of us also, but we still love to record what we've done, where we've been etc. Then, on cold winters nights (we get a lot of those!!) we curl up in bed and read through the diaries from previous years.
We're quite laid back really, but I like to make sure I have enough time for everything. No trip to WDW is complete without a few hours at the Premium Outlets though!!!

2 Tiggies - I carry a thin notebook in the bag and write things up in the diary either whilst DH is in the shower (he takes ages) or when I wake up stupidly early each morning whilst he's still snoring away!!!

 

[2Tiggies]

Only two of us also, but we still love to record what we've done, where we've been etc. Then, on cold winters nights (we get a lot of those!!) we curl up in bed and read through the diaries from previous years.
We're quite laid back really, but I like to make sure I have enough time for everything. No trip to WDW is complete without a few hours at the Premium Outlets though!!!

2 Tiggies - I carry a thin notebook in the bag and write things up in the diary either whilst DH is in the shower (he takes ages) or when I wake up stupidly early each morning whilst he's still snoring away!!!

I am with you on this! And PO is a must for us too!

 

[sam_justice]

Apologies I'm new to this forum, what does PO, DH and DD stand for?

 

[wayneg]

Apologies I'm new to this forum, what does PO, DH and DD stand for?

Not read the last few posts but I believe PO stands for Premium Outlets on this occasion, usually PO means Port Orleans. DH is Disney Husband or Darling/Dearest Husband, DD means Disney Daughter or Dearest/Darling Daughter.
Full list here http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1660743

 

[2Tiggies]

Apologies I'm new to this forum, what does PO, DH and DD stand for?

Sorry. This is your thread - I forgot you were new.

PO = Premium Outlets. Shopping mall in Lake Buena Vista - lots of great shops if that's your cup of tea.

DH = husband
DD = Daughter
DS = Son
DW = Wife

Just the common ones to get you started. On the first board called Welcome to the DIS at the top of the main page there is a sticky with all the abbreviations. You'll get the hang of it very quickly.

Edit: Wayne beat me!

 

[wayneg]

You need to type quicker Lee