Planning, and what to see, for only ONE day!

[d3boyz]

Note that when the MK is open an hour early, that's ONLY for people staying at a Disney resort! If you are staying offsite at a timeshare, you wouldn't be able to get in until 9am, but people staying at the Disney hotels will have gotten in at 8am, and the parks are typically more crowded on days when the park is open early. Tuesday June 30 would be a MUCH better choice.

Like others said, you can definitely bring in snacks/drinks. But no hard-sided coolers, no alcohol, no glass bottles.

Also, the Electric Water Pageant is a great idea, you can also see it from Wilderness Lodge.

Wow ... had NOT thought about that. Maybe we should go on Tuesday. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[d3boyz]

True but for one low price she can rent a campground for a night for up to 10 people !!!!

If we rented a campground space for one night that would make us WDW guests then, yes? But thinking about that, based on check-in times, it would probably negate the Early Magic Hours thing ... Rats! What an awesome idea, though!

 

[d3boyz]

Soft sided coolers are definitely allowed, so you can bring whatever food you like in.

One note, even getting close to Epcot, there is very little of Illuminations that can be seen outside the park. Almost all of it is on the surface of the lake. To me that wouldn't be worth the effort, although the Boardwalk area is fun to visit anyway.

You have some great suggestions, hope you can make it happen!

Rats ... I just LOVE Illuminations. I saw a video clip that someone took of the fireworks from their hotel balcony. You could only see the shoots of lights come up from behind the trees ... so you're right about not seeing THAT one. Darn the luck!

But as you said, there are SO MANY AWESOME IDEAS here, it's sure to work! (a little pixie dust, right?!)

 

[d3boyz]

I don't think I saw this listed anywhere else, forgive me if it is. There's also the electrical water pageant parade. Which is essentially a parade on water... you can see it from the beaches of grand Floridian or the Poly and it's free!

We will definitely be lounging somewhere on a beach watching this parade!!

 

[Spork24]

Hey, you may already have this covered, but I wouldn't push disney the entire trip since you only have the park tickets the one day. Don't forget the beach is under an hour away. Kids love the beach, and a day trip to the beach with a packed picnic lunch is practically free.

Again, you are an awesome individual for doing this for your sister.

 

[lauradis]

If we rented a campground space for one night that would make us WDW guests then, yes? But thinking about that, based on check-in times, it would probably negate the Early Magic Hours thing ... Rats! What an awesome idea, though!

If your planning on doing one park for one day. I would pick the least crowded day you want that has all the fireworks ect.

Cheapest ticket are normally with https://www.undercovertourist.com/orlando/walt-disney-world-resort/

Most of the crowd calendars sites are

https://www.undercovertourist.com/orlando/crowd-calendar/

http://www.easywdw.com/category/calendar/crowdcalendar/

If they havent been to the beach, I would so do a whole beach day.

If the condo your staying at has a pool, I would hang out for a pool day and sprinkle free disney activities in.

 

[JennyDrake]

I sorta did the same thing 15 years ago, but only 3 kids.

First of all, how old are the kids????

Second DO NOT MAKE IT A SURPRISE!!!! We did and it was a COMPLETE TRAIN WRECK!! The kids had never really been anywhere and they were SO overwhelmed and over stimulated that *all* they wanted to do was go back to the hotel and swim. The kids I took were 14, 16 & 18.

I'm going to steal the advice of others and add some of my own!

Consider half day at DTD followed by mini golf.

Depending upon the ages of the kids, touring monorail resorts and watching ELP. We also took the kids to AKL and ate lunch at their CS.

If you are going to do either of these, do them BEFORE visiting MK or they will be a letdown.

Don't carry a bunch of stuff into the park! Travel LIGHT. Bring a case of water and give every kid a bottle and a small snack for their pocket. Refill bottles at water fountains. Split adult CS meals among the kids. Eat breakfast before you come (your already know this). On such a special trip, _I_ would not want to schlep a cooler. Don't mess with ponchos. No one will melt if it rains.

And ENJOY!

 

[d3boyz]

Hey, you may already have this covered, but I wouldn't push disney the entire trip since you only have the park tickets the one day. Don't forget the beach is under an hour away. Kids love the beach, and a day trip to the beach with a packed picnic lunch is practically free.

Again, you are an awesome individual for doing this for your sister.

Thank you; she and they deserve a little respite from life ... don't we all??

I agree with the beach day ... just have to convince my sister of this. SHE knows we're going on this trip and also knows we will be near beaches and the pool at the timeshare. However, she says her kids won't like the beach or swimming. I'm not too sure why she would say this since they have NEVER been to the beach. They have gone to a pool at our aunt's house and, according to my sister, they did not enjoy it. I will have to see THAT for myself, though. I don't know of any kids (without a prior water-related trauma) that do not like a pool!

I think a relaxing day building sand castles would be awesome for the whole family!

 

[d3boyz]

If your planning on doing one park for one day. I would pick the least crowded day you want that has all the fireworks ect.

Cheapest ticket are normally with https://www.undercovertourist.com/orlando/walt-disney-world-resort/

Most of the crowd calendars sites are

https://www.undercovertourist.com/orlando/crowd-calendar/

http://www.easywdw.com/category/calendar/crowdcalendar/

If they havent been to the beach, I would so do a whole beach day.

If the condo your staying at has a pool, I would hang out for a pool day and sprinkle free disney activities in.

I will definitely have to check out the undercovertourist sites, thank you! I want to avoid as many crowds as possible although in late June, that's sort of impossible, right??

My husband and I took our sons to Disney for the first time about a week after the 9-11 attack. My husband wanted to scrub the whole trip and I told him, with heightened security, this is the BEST time to go! Fortunately, I was not wrong! We went through the parks and the boys had EVERYONE'S attention. They wanted for NOTHING. There were no lines for rides, hardly a body in there that was not a Cast Member, and it was the most amazing trip I've ever had in Disney. It was surreal. We spent three days there, took a 4-day Disney cruise, and finished off with two more days in the park. (We'd become DVC members, and I had learned well how to apply the points!) By THAT time, the fear had calmed and the place was jammed. My boys could not understand why there were people in their parks! Funny, thinking back to all of that, now that my baby just graduated from high school and is off to college next month. So it should be simply AMAZING to have the honor of watching my sister's children experience things they've never before seen or done. What a privilege!

 

[d3boyz]

I sorta did the same thing 15 years ago, but only 3 kids.

First of all, how old are the kids????

Second DO NOT MAKE IT A SURPRISE!!!! We did and it was a COMPLETE TRAIN WRECK!! The kids had never really been anywhere and they were SO overwhelmed and over stimulated that *all* they wanted to do was go back to the hotel and swim. The kids I took were 14, 16 & 18.

I'm going to steal the advice of others and add some of my own!

Consider half day at DTD followed by mini golf.

Depending upon the ages of the kids, touring monorail resorts and watching ELP. We also took the kids to AKL and ate lunch at their CS.

If you are going to do either of these, do them BEFORE visiting MK or they will be a letdown.

Don't carry a bunch of stuff into the park! Travel LIGHT. Bring a case of water and give every kid a bottle and a small snack for their pocket. Refill bottles at water fountains. Split adult CS meals among the kids. Eat breakfast before you come (your already know this). On such a special trip, _I_ would not want to schlep a cooler. Don't mess with ponchos. No one will melt if it rains.

And ENJOY!

The kids are: 21-year old boy (on his birthday, which is 03 June)
19-year old girl (just graduated from high school)
17-year old girl (just completed junior year)
16-year old girl (just completed sophomore year)
15-year old girl (on her birthday, which is 04 June, and she just completed freshman year)
11-year old girl (just completed grade 5)
8-year old girl (just completed grade 2)

The kids were home-schooled for years and then when the wheels fell off the marriage, my sister finally had the opportunity to put them in public school. They are a little behind ... and are finally getting socialized to being around lots of people. I understand not making it a surprise, but I can't tell them. If I do, their father will find out and will then devise a plan to screw up the trip. I know it sounds paranoid, but I've watched for years and know what he can do (and I only know a LITTLE of what he can do ...). Therefore, it must be a surprise. As the kids have been allowed to be around people and learn that the world is larger than their home and church alone, they have adapted remarkably well.

I don't want to bring a lot of junk, but will need to bring a wheelchair for my sister (getting her to use it will be QUITE another matter!), a stroller to cart the soft-sided cooler and any other little things needed, and if it rains, THANK GOD!

 

[bababear_50]

Hi
are you staying at a DVC resort using your points?
I am just asking as you mentioned it a few posts ago and there is the "Top Of The World Lounge " at the Contemporary Resort which is open for DVC members.
Great Fireworks watching location.
Hugs mel





Official rules for Top of the World:

Disney Vacation Club Members staying at any Disney-owned-and-operated hotel at Walt Disney World Resort (whether they booked with vacation points or cash) may enjoy access to one of the vacation kingdom's most exclusive spaces: Top of the World Lounge atop Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort through December 29, 2015 (blockout dates apply, including but not limited to December 30, 2014, December 31, 2014, July 3, 2015 and July 4, 2015). Current operating hours are 6 p.m. to midnight.

This perk is available exclusively to Members and those in their traveling party who are staying on that Member's reservation. At least one Member in the traveling party must accompany the group and present his or her current MagicBand or Key to the World card with a Disney Vacation Club Membership notation in order to gain admission to the lounge and observation deck. If the Member's MagicBand or Key to the World card doesn't display a Membership notation, a Disney Vacation Club Member ID is also required to verify Membership.

Note that Members traveling from other Resorts must use Walt Disney World Transportation, as parking is unavailable to anyone not staying at Bay Lake Tower or Disney's Contemporary Resort. Upon arrival, Members must walk to the Bay Lake Tower main lobby entrance on the ground floor and check in at the Top of the World Lounge desk in the lobby.

This special Top of the World Lounge access is available on a first-come, first-served basis until the lounge reaches capacity. As the lounge is particularly popular during the Magic Kingdom fireworks, arriving as early as possible will give Members the best chance of gaining admission.

 

[d3boyz]

Hi
are you staying at a DVC resort using your points?
I am just asking as you mentioned it a few posts ago and there is the "Top Of The World Lounge " at the Contemporary Resort which is open for DVC members.
Great Fireworks watching location.
Hugs mel





Official rules for Top of the World:

Disney Vacation Club Members staying at any Disney-owned-and-operated hotel at Walt Disney World Resort (whether they booked with vacation points or cash) may enjoy access to one of the vacation kingdom's most exclusive spaces: Top of the World Lounge atop Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort through December 29, 2015 (blockout dates apply, including but not limited to December 30, 2014, December 31, 2014, July 3, 2015 and July 4, 2015). Current operating hours are 6 p.m. to midnight.

This perk is available exclusively to Members and those in their traveling party who are staying on that Member's reservation. At least one Member in the traveling party must accompany the group and present his or her current MagicBand or Key to the World card with a Disney Vacation Club Membership notation in order to gain admission to the lounge and observation deck. If the Member's MagicBand or Key to the World card doesn't display a Membership notation, a Disney Vacation Club Member ID is also required to verify Membership.

Note that Members traveling from other Resorts must use Walt Disney World Transportation, as parking is unavailable to anyone not staying at Bay Lake Tower or Disney's Contemporary Resort. Upon arrival, Members must walk to the Bay Lake Tower main lobby entrance on the ground floor and check in at the Top of the World Lounge desk in the lobby.

This special Top of the World Lounge access is available on a first-come, first-served basis until the lounge reaches capacity. As the lounge is particularly popular during the Magic Kingdom fireworks, arriving as early as possible will give Members the best chance of gaining admission.

Wow ... that would be amazing but sadly, we will not be using DVC on this trip. We actually use the points almost exclusively for cruises! Thanks for the amazing information, though. I will put that away in my memory bank to use in the future!!

 

[subtchr]

They are a little behind ... and are finally getting socialized to being around lots of people. I understand not making it a surprise, but I can't tell them. If I do, their father will find out and will then devise a plan to screw up the trip. I know it sounds paranoid, but I've watched for years and know what he can do (and I only know a LITTLE of what he can do ...). Therefore, it must be a surprise. As the kids have been allowed to be around people and learn that the world is larger than their home and church alone, they have adapted remarkably well.

I don't want to bring a lot of junk, but will need to bring a wheelchair for my sister (getting her to use it will be QUITE another matter!), a stroller to cart the soft-sided cooler and any other little things needed, and if it rains, THANK GOD!

I SOOO admire what you are trying to do, and I think you have received some fantastic suggestions. If you decide to make the trip, I hope everything goes wonderfully. But with the information you give in the selection above, I would like to give you some food for thought. Take it or leave it, but please know that it is given with the best of intentions.

The way you describe the situation makes me fear that a trip to WDW would be extremely overwhelming for everyone involved. The drive there with a huge group, the huge crowds in the parks, coordinating meals and snacks, the oppressive heat, and the stress of trying to make a group of teens and preteens happy when they have not had a say in where they are going and what they are doing could add up to a hot mess, in spite of your overwhelmingly generosity.

For this trip, until the dust settles with the divorce and all the other family issues, I'd look for something much more low key than Orlando in the summer. It looks as if you live on the east coast. You could rent a huge house in the mountains of WV for what you are paying for a timeshare. Then enjoy cooking meals together, hiking, hot tub, playing games, rafting, whatever you like. That is just one suggestion.

Believe me, I adore WDW. But I would never recommend a summer trip for first timers, especially a large group, with stressors such as your family is dealing with.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

 

[d3boyz]

I SOOO admire what you are trying to do, and I think you have received some fantastic suggestions. If you decide to make the trip, I hope everything goes wonderfully. But with the information you give in the selection above, I would like to give you some food for thought. Take it or leave it, but please know that it is given with the best of intentions.

The way you describe the situation makes me fear that a trip to WDW would be extremely overwhelming for everyone involved. The drive there with a huge group, the huge crowds in the parks, coordinating meals and snacks, the oppressive heat, and the stress of trying to make a group of teens and preteens happy when they have not had a say in where they are going and what they are doing could add up to a hot mess, in spite of your overwhelmingly generosity.

For this trip, until the dust settles with the divorce and all the other family issues, I'd look for something much more low key than Orlando in the summer. It looks as if you live on the east coast. You could rent a huge house in the mountains of WV for what you are paying for a timeshare. Then enjoy cooking meals together, hiking, hot tub, playing games, rafting, whatever you like. That is just one suggestion.

Believe me, I adore WDW. But I would never recommend a summer trip for first timers, especially a large group, with stressors such as your family is dealing with.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

Thank you for your insight. I know it's a crap-shoot doing so many new things all at once. They may be overwhelmed, and we'll have to temper our activities based on how well I can read them. My sister has been divorced for about 3 years now, but it's slow going with the kids because he still has contact with them and is probably one of the most manipulative people I've ever met. The kids are confused after visiting with him, and have been in counseling for years as a result. He disagrees with the counselors (who have gained the trust of the kids), and demands that they go to 'other counselors' that he will choose for them. So my sister has a great deal of struggle in keeping the kids in the secure counseling environment that is actually helping them; albeit in baby steps. It just seems that they slide back weekly after a visit with Dad.

That said, I'm going to trust God to guide us on this trip and pray for His wisdom in the moves we make!

 

[d3boyz]

The Results:

It was a challenge, but every little thing just amazed my sister's children ... a stop at a gas station in NC (had to get a pix), miles and miles and miles of highway, palm trees, a beach where cars can drive (Daytona), huge buildings (the city of Orlando), and on and on. We went to Downtown Disney one day early in the trip, rode the buses, boats, and monorails, and saw so much that was there. We took pictures at the resorts on the monorail line as well as at Epcot (after having a ride on the monorail around to see what was inside!), and just soaked up the atmosphere.

We did manage to raise enough money to visit the Magic Kingdom for ONE day, and it was magical. Sadly there was no special moment by any cast member as a result of their "My First Visit" buttons, but they had no idea that could even happen. Even with the many teenaged girls we had, they were happy, excited, amazed, and more throughout the day. I believe we managed to ride every ride that they wanted (some more than once!), mitigated the worst heat of the day with cool, inside things, and had awesome seats on the bridge to Tomorrowland for the Wishes fireworks show!

Action-packed, it was an awesome vacation for my sister and her children. Thanks to all of you for your amazing ideas! This vacation would not have been such a success without all of your input!!