Please don't be mad, I just need your help and would like your opinion

[LOVEDISNEYLAND]

Okay.... Please don't be mad at me but I really was thinking about going to Disneyworld. I know that this paticular board is for Disneyland only but when I posted a question on a Disneyworld thread I had only 3 responses. It was like nobody wanted to talk about their experience at Disneyworld. I've always had such great input from everybody on this board and it seems like people are nicer over here. Maybe I'm just being sensitive anyhow like I said before I'm still not sure if Disneyworld is really something I'm ready to do yet and I was wondering if anyone could tell me how many days do you think I need to go (if I decided to go) to see it all? I'm really scared to try new things and go new places so I always end up doing the same things and I want to venture out and try to travel to new places. anyhow, any bit of info on Disneyworld (because I know a lot of you have been to the world before) would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[techno]

Disneyworld is a lot of fun too. Although I grew up going to Disneyland, I've been to Disneyworld a few times too (within the last 8 years). Our last trip was in 2004 when our daughter was only 2months old (company paid for my wife and I to go as a reward).

At any rate, if you want to go to Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and MGM and "see it all", I'd recommend a week. They also have the water parks, which are a lot of fun (Blizzard Beach). Usually we stay at the Dolphin or the Swan, but last time we stayed at the Contemporary (the rooms seem a bit dated, but the hotel is nice overall). I think we still prefer the Swan.

Good luck and have a great time if you go!

 

[MomBoyd]

We usually take 1 day for MGM/Studios, 1 day for Animal Kingdom, 2 days for Magic Kingdom and 2 days for EPCOT. We also usually build in 1 or 2 rest days. We are going to DL for the first time this year. Be brave like we are and try WDW!

 

[DLR29]

Glad to help you! That's what the DISboards are for.

We just went on our first trip this past summer. We spent a week at our Worldmark, but 6 days at the parks. It was a nice amount of time for a first trip, but we didn't even touch the water parks, other activities around the resort and some of the stuff we wanted to do in the parks. We also would like to stay onsite some time in the future.

For a first timer in the off season, I think you can tour the parks pretty thoroughly with 7 days. During higher seasons, 7 is possible, but you might not be able to see everything. Plus at least a day for each water park and maybe a day for Downtown Disney (Cirque du Solei, DisneyQuest). Also, I'd make sure to plan one or two "off days" for every 4 days of touring just to swim, sleep in, and relax.

Another advantage of staying onsite is that you are able to use Extra Magic Hours (EMH) which is offered at each park on different days. 2 kinds of EMH, morning and evening. Usually (during relatively busy season) there is one morning and one evening (at different parks) each day. For the morning, onsite guests can enter that specific park one hour early. On evening EMH, onsite guests obtain wristbands that allow them to ride select rides for up to 3 hours after the park's "official" park closing time.

WDW is way different from DLR in the sense that you use buses, boats and monorails as transportation between parks and hotels. This makes staying onsite a huge advantage because you are much closer and have access to much of the transportation options.

Dining is also much bigger there. If you stay onsite, you can get the Dining Plan which prepays a counter service, table service, and "snack" (popcorn, cookie, bag of chips, small soda, ice cream, etc.) for every night you stay for a very good price (something like $38 a night). Advance Dining Reservations (ADR's) can be made 180 days in advance and for some places it is very necessary to book that far in advance.

Hope that gives a bit of helpful info.

 

[B9erSteve]

I was never quite sure if I would like WDW or not. I never had much reason to go clear across country for what I thought I had in my backyard. I decided to finally do it in 2006. It was an experience wholly unlike DLR. The parks are so much bigger. Most of the rides are slightly different than DL so there's novelty. The Hotels are a vacation unto their own. I would highly recommend doing this. (I'll not compare the two because to me they are completely different experiences)

I planned on 9 days. 2 days for travel (we needn't be rushed) One day each from AK, D/MGM, and Epcot and two days for MK. Then 2 rest days that we could explore with. (we went to DTD and one of the waterparks) It was the perfect amount of time. You'll still not "see it all" with this amount of time but you will have a really nice vacation and a great experience.

 

[tinkermell]

We went to WDW for the first time over Christmas 2005, and had a great time. I would plan on at least a week there. I would do 2 days at the MK, 2 days at EPCOT, 1 day at AK, and 1 day at MGM. Now it probably depends on the ages of your family, but my family loved the MGM studios the most. So we spent more time there. It has ToT and RnR, their 2 favorite rides. My family also likes nostalgia, so this was right up their alley too. I happened to like EPCOT. We actually had hoppers, and would take advantage of their early mornings and late nights on the different parks each night. It is quite confusing and takes alot more planning because of that. Especially when you want to make ADR's or PS. I would also do the dining plan.

Buy the Unofficial Guide to start with. It, and this site helped me the most.

Go for it!

 

[DangerMouse]

subscribing since I'm planning a 2009 trip to WDW and the "other forum" scares me.

 

[CoolPool]

Love WDW. I wish it were closer.

I have a friend who has a daughter in my daughter's class. They live here in L.A. and went to WDW once before I met them - about 2 years ago. They stayed offsite. Anyway, they went to the Magic Kingdom and thought that was it. They "heard" about Epcot and decided it wasn't for them ("a bunch of countries"). When she told me that with an earnest face it took everything I could not to laugh out loud. She skipped Epcot, MGM, and AK. She couldn't figure why people go to WDW with there being so few rides. I kid you not. My point is WDW takes A GREAT DEAL OF RESEARCH to even begin to understand what is going on where and when and why and whatever. There are so many things to do every day and there are options on top of options.

So what kind of ideas are you looking for? LoL. How many people, what ages, general budget, necessities, etc. make up your family's vacation desires?

 

[LOVEDISNEYLAND]

OH GOSH GUYS, I KNEW I COULD COUNT ON ALL OF YOU TO HELP ME OUT. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I'm still not sure what I want to do? The hotels are soooo $$$$$ there. I was telling my husband that after I graduate from college which is going to be next March 2009. I would like to go for 10 days. That way if that's what we decide to do, we can start saving for it now and anything else anyone would like to add if you think it would help, please feel free to. Again, Thank you for not getting mad

 

[rangermom]

I would recommend staying on site. There is great transportation everywhere, including bus, boat and monorail. There are several resorts to chose from. The values are very reasonable. We stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort and loved it. We own at Animal Kingdom, but have not stayed there yet. If you look on resort forum you will find reviews for the resorts.

We did an eight day/ 7 nights trip. Just long enough that we were ready to go home, but still a little sad. You will not be able to do everything in one trip. We planned pretty much what everyone else stated (2 days MK, 2 days EPCOT, 1 day AK, and 1 day DHS). Then we used the remainder of the time going on rides again and doing DTD (which is much larger than DTD at DL).

We were lucky to be able to go to both DL and WDW in the same year and there is really no comparison. MK at WDW is like DL, but DL has more rides. (I actually like DL rides better ) DH likes WDW better, he feels that he was more engulfed in the Disney magic at WDW, but DS really liked DL.

It is really worth taking a trip or two .

P.S Another Tip: Look around at other certified WDW travel agents besides WDTC. Some of the offer the same package, plus some other freebies. A lot of them also keep up on all the discount codes and will get you the best deal possible, while with WDTC you have contact them with the codes. Have fun planning.

 

[rangermom]

Love WDW. I wish it were closer.

My point is WDW takes A GREAT DEAL OF RESEARCH to even begin to understand what is going on where and when and why and whatever. There are so many things to do every day and there are options on top of options.

So true! DH thought I was insane about all the planning SIL and I did. He kept telling everyone that I was obsessed. UNTIL... we got there then he was thanking me for all the research I had done. Now he tells everyone that I am in charge of planning and he gets to enjoy it!

And while planning for our DL, if he had a question or idea he would ask me what all my "web buddies" thought.

 

[rangermom]

Sorry double post

 

[disney-super-mom]

There's people who've been going to WDW for years, and even many of them haven't done it all. There's just so much to see and do there, you'll never get bored.

But lets say you just stick with the 4 theme parks and not do the water parks on your first trip. Like Tinkermell said, I would schedule 2 days for MK, 2 days for Epcot, 1 day for AK, and 1 day for DHS (used to be MGM).

The shows can take up a large bulk of your time, so if you just pick one or two shows you really want to see at each park, you'll be less rushed and able to relax and enjoy the parks a bit more. Just go in knowing you won't be able to see and do it all during your first trip. Pick the things you really want to do on your first trip and stick to that plan.

As a first time visitor, I also think it's important for you to stay on property. It's just so much easier to stay on property and take advantage of Magical Express, as well as the bus/monorail/boat transportation. There's no getting lost.....no asking for directions.....no car rentals.....no worries. You can just relax and enjoy!

We also used the dining plan when we were there and found it very convenient and a good deal. It's not as great a deal this year, but for some, it's still a better deal than paying menu prices.

Also, we're never up early enough to do the morning EMH (yep, we're on vacation, so we sleep in!), but we LOVED the evening EMHs and got a lot done in just a couple of hours. However, we went during low season, so the evening EMHs weren't very crowded at all.

The travel time of flying across the country is a bummer though. Basically a whole day waisted flying to Orlando, and then another day spent flying back home. UUHHHHHG! This one thing can make me have second thoughts about going to WDW because DL is only a 2.5 hour flight away. As a matter of fact, I think we're going to WDW this year for our family vacation, and I'm in the beginning planning stages, but I keep having those second thoughts I was talking about. Especially these days because DLR is just getting better and better!

If only they'd build an Epcot at DLR (or something just as great).....I'd probably never go to Orlando.

But, with the four great parks at WDW, and the huge variety of experiences offered between them (as well as the resorts and restaurants), it really does make those long travel days worth it. And I'll admit, we ended up loving WDW!

 

[Kelly B Disney]

I live in NJ and am a passholder at WDW. I get to go at least 3-5 times per year. I have stayed everywhere onsight and you can afford it and it is worth it! I have stayed everywhere from the Dolphin, and Yacht Club to all of the all-stars and Coranado and Caribbean Beach . Depending on who is paying and how much I have had in m budget is where I stay. My new favorite for the least expensive for the most is the Pop Century. I am travelling out to you guys to Disneyland Jan 29-Feb3 and have been reading up on all of the DL posts and info. I wanted to reach out to you so... What do you want to know??? I can tell you everything!! I have eaten everywhere done it all there! Let me know !!!

 

[tinkermell]

subscribing since I'm planning a 2009 trip to WDW and the "other forum" scares me.

Callie and LOVEDISNEY..
Go out and buy the Unofficial Guide. I constantly went to it for references. It will give you great info on everything including the crowd level for everyday of the year at each park! That part really helped me on what park to do on what day. The EM and EE schedules also make it more challenging. They also have a website that gets updated too. I eventually signed up for Tourguide Mike, but it takes alot of manuvering.(sp?) and time. And if you do use him, do it before you book anything months in advance. My problem was, that I had already arranged everything on my own, and then signed up. I did fine on my own. Anyways, Ridemax was not available then, or I would have done that.

I found the DIS, when I was looking for info on WDW. They were super helpful on the dining thread. If you need good suggestions on food just ask me for my 2 cents.

Oh and we stayed at the French Quarters. It is one of the smallest moderates, so you don't have alot of walking to get around. The pool is great there too. We absolutely loved it, and would stay there again.

 

[bumbershoot]

Hey, I live in Tacoma, too! Just today I saw a Southwest fare from Seattle to Orlando for 99 bucks. That is the price I got from Seattle to John Wayne airport for an upcoming trip. Wow.

I have family living in Orlando and near Daytona, and one of those family members worked at the Disney Store when it was Disney, and she and her now-husband pretty much courted at WDW. So I have a tourguide built in when I visit.

But I've thought that when we do visit, I'll do at least a week, and try to visit each park at least twice. I know we'll stay onsite, and we would probably start with a value motel, just b/c they look like fun.

If you do go visit those other forums, here's a list to NOT talk about:

photopass sharing
refillable mugs, just don't talk about them at all


OH darn I had a whole list in my head when I started, but I forgot!

Just lurk around there for a good long while and you'll find the answers to most questions you might have.

 

[c&m]

We've always gone for 9 days/10 nights.

Anyways, when we went the first time, we bought WDW passes for all the days we were there. But we never used up all our days. There had to be a few days in between where we could take a break and just hang out by the pool. Thank goodness they were non-expiry tix.

The next time we went, we bought only a 5 day pass (and used up a leftover day from our old passes), which had extras like 1 or 2 waterpark days. We used the 6 days at the park, 7th day at the waterpark, and spent one day hanging around the resort pool, and spent the last day as a shopping day wandering around DTD and going to the factory outlets.

I totally understand how nerve-wracking WDW can be--there's so much to see and do--almost sensory overload.

 

[DangerMouse]

Callie and LOVEDISNEY..
Go out and buy the Unofficial Guide. I constantly went to it for references. It will give you great info on everything including the crowd level for everyday of the year at each park! That part really helped me on what park to do on what day. The EM and EE schedules also make it more challenging. They also have a website that gets updated too. I eventually signed up for Tourguide Mike, but it takes alot of manuvering.(sp?) and time. And if you do use him, do it before you book anything months in advance. My problem was, that I had already arranged everything on my own, and then signed up. I did fine on my own. Anyways, Ridemax was not available then, or I would have done that.

I found the DIS, when I was looking for info on WDW. They were super helpful on the dining thread. If you need good suggestions on food just ask me for my 2 cents.

Oh and we stayed at the French Quarters. It is one of the smallest moderates, so you don't have alot of walking to get around. The pool is great there too. We absolutely loved it, and would stay there again.

Yeah, I have the 2008 Unofficial Guide (from the library). This thing is HUGE and very, very scary. I just keep thumbing through it and shaking my head. Being a loyal DLR vet, I kind of resent the idea that WDW forces you to stay on-site and use their dining plan. We like to do things unconventionally and have learned to do DLR so frugally by eating our own food and finding amazing discounts off-site. Not to mention the fact that our family of 5 just doesn't match well with WDW's idea of "value".

Add to that, we are doing a 7-day DCL either before or after WDW, so I gotta make this thing DIRT CHEAP. So, we're looking into a townhouse at Windsor Hills and driving so that we can still do our own food.

Here's a question that maybe y'all can help with. Most people on the DCL forum are advising me to cruise after WDW, and while I can totally understand their thinking, it creates a regular vs. peak season issue for me. If we do WDW prior to the cruise, we are at the tail end of spring break (actually, the weekend after Easter). If we do WDW after the cruise, we are in May (which is considered regular season). Now, if we do a townhouse w/no dining plan, it really won't make a huge difference cost-wise, however I'm worried about crowds too.

I'm sure I'll use ridemax since it really helped me learn the ropes at DLR. Will it tell me which park to visit on which day since I won't have access to EMH?

Sorry about all the questions . . . kinda opened a can o' worms, eh?

 

[bumbershoot]

Wow danger. Lots to think about!

It's pretty much that money scenario that will probably keep me from doing a DCL cruise for a long, long time. If we do a cruise/WDW combo it's going to be cheaper RCCL so we CAN do WDW after!

Last year when I was thinking of changing our 4 nights at PP package to a week at WDW during what was a value season, I found that WDW was cheaper. 3 more days, too. Nice.

 

[tinkermell]

Yeah, I have the 2008 Unofficial Guide (from the library). This thing is HUGE and very, very scary. I just keep thumbing through it and shaking my head. Being a loyal DLR vet, I kind of resent the idea that WDW forces you to stay on-site and use their dining plan. We like to do things unconventionally and have learned to do DLR so frugally by eating our own food and finding amazing discounts off-site. Not to mention the fact that our family of 5 just doesn't match well with WDW's idea of "value".

Add to that, we are doing a 7-day DCL either before or after WDW, so I gotta make this thing DIRT CHEAP. So, we're looking into a townhouse at Windsor Hills and driving so that we can still do our own food.

Here's a question that maybe y'all can help with. Most people on the DCL forum are advising me to cruise after WDW, and while I can totally understand their thinking, it creates a regular vs. peak season issue for me. If we do WDW prior to the cruise, we are at the tail end of spring break (actually, the weekend after Easter). If we do WDW after the cruise, we are in May (which is considered regular season). Now, if we do a townhouse w/no dining plan, it really won't make a huge difference cost-wise, however I'm worried about crowds too.

I'm sure I'll use ridemax since it really helped me learn the ropes at DLR. Will it tell me which park to visit on which day since I won't have access to EMH?

Sorry about all the questions . . . kinda opened a can o' worms, eh?

Stay at a value resort. Aren't they only like $69.00 or 70.00 dollars a night? That way you get the Magic Express from the Airport, and all of the busses. No parking fees then at the parks. You don't have to have the dining plan either. Some people order groceries for their rooms. They have friges. There are huge discussions on this subject over on the WDW forum. I'm sure they would give you lots of help.
I really think you should try to stay onsite. There are just so many advantages to it. My 2 cents again!