Please Help! Need some Info!

[aurora2u]

Our 1st Disney Trip is going to be in July this year. I purchased a birnbaum book to help us with some ideas. Instead it has created tons more questions. I have made a list of things we would like to do in the park. Any feedback or advice would be greatly welcomed.

Hoop Dee Doo Musical Reveiw
Mickey's Backyard BBQ
Restaurantosaurus
Horse back riding ( I read where a lot of people did not like this & that is was boring. I however, have never been on a horse but have always wanted to ride. Same for my other family members. This is something I would never take the time to do here so I thought while we were there we could do this. Now I am uncertain.)
Wagon Rides
Pirate Cruise (for the little ones)


We are staying in the cabins at Ft Wilderness.

Then I starting hearing about Sea World & Universal. Looks like this 10 vacation is turning into a 2 week vacation.

We have made a list of our days there and where we will go each day as well as what we will do. I'm wondering if it is worth all the work to make a plan when there obviously seems there will be too much to do.

I even purchased 2 way radios because we do not have cell phones I'm not sure If I want to go purchase them just for our trip.

Again any hep is great!

 

[Gluman11]

"Hoop Dee Doo Musical Reveiw
Mickey's Backyard BBQ
Restaurantosaurus
Horse back riding ( I read where a lot of people did not like this & that is was boring. I however, have never been on a horse but have always wanted to ride. Same for my other family members. This is something I would never take the time to do here so I thought while we were there we could do this. Now I am uncertain.)
Wagon Rides
Pirate Cruise (for the little ones)"

This is hardly a smattering of the things that are available to you at WDW....My advice would be to check this board everyday for tips, ideas, opinions, because there is a whole "world" down there on top of what you have listed...........

The hoop and Donalds Breakfastosaurus are two of our favorite things to do down there, but keep your eyes and ears open on this board, along with the restaurant board and you'll get a great idea of some more stuff to do by your July trip..........

 

[TXTink]

It sounds like you are going to have a fantastic vacation! Don't worry about doing it all, we have been around 15 times (or so) and still haven't done it all!

Hoop Dee Doo is great! I highly recommend it! Everything you have listed sounds like a good idea, just keep reading of all the things you can do and decide what your family would like to do the most.

A side note....you will be there in July, it will be VERY hot and will probably rain so be prepared for that. Be sure to plan some hotel time in the heat of the day to get a rest and relief from the sun. Maybe a dip in the pool, that always rejuvenates us!

As far as the 2-way radios, we tried them years ago and did not like them....too many people talking at the same time (and sometimes the things they were saying were not very nice! ) I don't know if you want the added expense of cell phones or not though...

Happy planning!!

 

[eeyore45]

Welcome to your planning!! I'm wondering if you've considered doing the wagon and horse riding as a day trip near where you live? DD also loves horses, as do I, and there just isnt enough time for us in Disney!! Around October there are Pumpkin Patches that have hay rides at night... look in the phone book...

How many are in your party?

we did HoopDeDoo years ago when our boys were young, so many rave about it, but we shrugged our shoulders, obviously we didnt "get it" for that money, I thought of many other things I'd enjoy more, but I'm glad we did it once. So its definately a matter of what YOU want, and how YOU want to spend YOUR time, YOUR vacation!!

This last time we did Ohana's indoor food rest. and LOVED it!! It was air conditioned (it was so hot that week!) they had coconut races, and hula hoop contest (all winners!) that entertained dd 8 while we stayed at our table and enjoyed watching her have fun!! THE FOOD was my FAVorite!! MEAT!! lol, shrimp and beef (they brought other kind, but I wasnt wasting stomach space on that!! LOL) They also brought a wonderful appetizer - and all was ALL you can eat!!

I highly reccommend spending time on allears website for menus to help further plan! check out dining http://allearsnet.com/

another great read (over 150 posts by now I'm sure!!) is another family planning their first vacation to Disney, lots have chimed in for ideas in there, but you should continue to add your thoughts and questions here in your thread!!

(this is from "I was just shown the bill from the Budget thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=751701)

 

[aurora2u]

I realize there is so much to do & these things are maybe an 1/8th of a drip in the bucket but they are things we can do as a family and that I can fit into my budget.

I looked into Dolphins in the Depths for my daughter. Unfortunately it cost $150 plus a parent needs to occompany her so that is $150. Even with the coupon for 15% off... it is still too much for me to squeeze out of my money tree in the back yard. (the one the kids seem to think I have)

There is already so much to do that doesn't cost an additional amount.

BTW if anyone is interested in the coupons from my Birnbaum book let me know. Because we are staying at the cabins and have PAP most don't apply to us.

20% off Accomodations Vero Beach resort
15% off Dive Quest
20% off Accomodations Hilton Head Island
15% off Dolphins in the Depths
10% off admission to Fantasia Gardens or Diseny's Winter Summerland mini golf course
10% off admission to pleasure island

if you are interest in any of these coupons or mor detailts please let me know.

 

[MiJo]

I believe these are held evenings at Fort Wilderness and Port Orleans. The cost is $30 for 1/2 hour. We haven't done this, but it looks like a nice way to relax. The POR wagon ride goes from the FQ to Riverside along the Sassagoula River.

 

[eeyore45]

Oh I understand about the Dolphins!! My dd is obsessed with Dolphins, her 1st grade teacher told her she couldnt research dolphins - - she knew TOO much!! (ok she does know different varieties and colorings etc) Her room is a Dolphin room, the bathroom is a dolphin room... and now one of her friends is doing a vacation with a swim with the dolphins, the 2 girls are saying they are going together. (well, I'll admit IF I can get her to go and only pay $300 for dd total, it would sound like a good idea, but... that's another story)

When it comes to WDW, we know what we can do, we know what we want to do, and we budget - together... would you like to go fewer days? If you did the BarBQ, or HoopDeeDoo, do the harseback riding etc and make it a 'non' park day!! (saving the cost of entry into the park, HDD is expensive too!)

Its kind of you to offer the discounts.

I'm going to seriously have to plan another trip!!

 

[KIRSTIN'S MOMMY]

I would do either one or the other of Hoop De Doo or Mickey's Backyard BBQ. They're both at Ft. Wilderness, both dinner shows, both expensive, so I would just pick one, do the horseback riding earlier in the day, and just make that a Ft. Wilderness non-park day. We did the HDDR and horseback riding on a previous trip and had a great time! I have heard that the food is better at Mickey's BBQ, but I've never done it so I don't know personally. Also, if this is your first trip to WDW I would skip Universal and Sea World this time and just do WDW. There's so much to do and there never seems to be enough time to do it! Anyway, happy planning, and have a great trip!