Questions about Disney Quest and other stuff...

[torianne31]

Hi, my husband and I are taking our DS's (14 and 11) for our first trip to Disney in June. The thing they are most excited about is Disney Quest, go figure. Exactly how big is this place and how much is there for them to do? I have planned to go there all day on the last full day of our trip. I figured that way they wouldn't moan and groan too much about wanting to go back.
My question is this, is there enough to do in DQ to necessitate scheduling extra time there (like an evening after one of the earlier closing theme parks)? Also, how secure is DQ? Would it be safe to leave our sons there playing video games while dh and I enjoy a quiet meal? Finally, is there a restaurant in DQ? TIA...

 

[cleo]

Hi torianne31. DisneyQuest is almost certain to be a huge hit with your boys and can easily occupy the better part of an afternoon, if Mom and Dad can stand it that long.

It is a very safe environment, but I'm a mom who would rather be nearby so I would recommend the Cheesecake Factory inside DisneyQuest. If you know they are responsible and can be trusted on their own, Downtown Disney West Side has many good dining options.

 

[torianne31]

Hmm.... do you think a whole day is too long to spend there? Maybe we could go there in the morning and then go to the EMH at one of the parks in the evening or something?

The cheesecake factory idea sounds great. (There is one here - in NC - and we haven't had the chance to try it yet but everyone says it's WONDERFUL!) That way we would be close to the boys yet still enjoying "mom and dad" time. Our 16th anniversary will be during our WDW trip...

 

[Minnie1156]

I think spending the whole day there is a waste. It is a big arcade and a lot of the stuff you can do at home. I would concentrate more on the parks and just do a couple of hours there. Especially since it is your first trip.

 

[torianne31]

OK, we had planned on going two days to MK, one day to AK, one day to MGM, one day to Epcot, and one day to DQ. What would be a better option? I'm not really interested in doing any of the water parks. We had also planned to do and off WDW dinner show on the AK day, and one on the MGM day because I figured it wouldn't take as long to do all the stuff at those parks. We were not going to buy PH tickets, but ...well..maybe we should?

 

[MrsToad]

I think it would be easy for the kids to want to stay 4 or 5 hours! In addition to all the new and retro arcade games, there are many terrific virtual reality games. I don't remember all the proper names but there's Pirates of the Carribbean (lots of fun), the Buzz Lightyear bumber-car like ride, the alien/save the colonists adventure, the river rapid ride, Ride the Comix, and the create your own roller coaster. You can also learn to draw characters, be a human pinball, and learn dance steps on a computerized floor pad and so much more. DH and I love DQ, even on adult-only trips!

 

[tjkraz]

Hmm.... do you think a whole day is too long to spend there?

Having a vauge recollection of being 14 once...back in the 80s, mind you...I think the boys probably won't want to leave. The attractions range from classic arcade games to current arcade games, along with a number of VR / interactive attractions.

How big is it? I believe the building is 6 stories tall. Unfortunately it's a very confusing venue. Thankfully they have maps posted EVERYWHERE.

The tough part is predicting what crowds might be like. If you arrive in the morning with the intention of spending the entire day, they may be quickly frustrated if they spend more time waiting than playing. I don't think there is anything wrong with planning an entire day, but have a backup plan in mind if things go south. If you can, avoid a day that will have poor weather. Being an indoor venue, you can count on much larger crowds if you get a day with a lot of rain in the forecast.

 

[torianne31]

Wow, I never considered that it would be crowded. Does anyone know how crowded it gets in the first week of June? Is it better to go in the morning?

 

[tjkraz]

Wow, I never considered that it would be crowded. Does anyone know how crowded it gets in the first week of June? Is it better to go in the morning?

Your first question is gonna be hard to predict for a while. With the introduction of the new Magic Your Way passes, DQ is now a "Plus" feature. Up until now, the only ways to get into DQ were via a Premium Annual Pass, Length of Stay pass or buying single-day admission for about $30 per person. Prior to 1/2/05, DQ was NOT a Plus.

Needless to say, attendance will almost certainly rise.

Our last trip there was in January '03...a notably slow time of year. We typically visited mid-day, and had very nice weather for the entire trip. During our visits, the interactive games seemed to have lines in the 10 minute range. The arcade games basically had little to no wait.

I'd expect it to certainly be busier than that when you visit in June.

I think arriving in the morning is a good plan. You'll definitely see higher crowds in the evening toward closing time at the theme parks.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I agree with the post about how DQ is probably going to end up busier now than it used to be- for the reason they stated... now it's a plus -so more people will try it that might not have paid for it before. We've gone before- but I'll be honest... we wouldn't be going again on this next trip (for other reasons- not just the extra cost but trying to figure out how I'm ONE person and going to keep up with all THREE kids by myself when they are different ages and want to do different things. I'll probably let my oldest go off and do her own thing though- but even the younger two is going to be difficult) however, since it's a plus and won't cost extra- we'll probably do DQ this time too.

The ages of your children, especially the 14yr old, if you think they are dependable enough to not get in trouble or do anything wrong while there and to NOT leave the building- I think they'd be safe to leave them to eat somewhere in DTD close by. I wouldn't leave mine- but my children are much younger than that. I might when one of them is 14 and the other is 11 and if both are very trustworthy and mature.

I also think like the other person said- you might have trouble getting them to leave! Our kids were 3, barely 6, and 8 when we went last time- and they didn't want to leave, and honestly the majority of the things there are more tailored towards older children, children who like games/virtual reality/stuff like that. Most teen/preteen boys are interested in those things- no? LOL

I'm planning a day at DQ for this next trip- we'll probably be there most of the day but we can leave earlier if they get tired of it (doubtful LOL) Then we'll head over to a park for EMH and a meal PS.

 

[Cookie Princess]

This place is fun, but a few hours at a time is enough or you start to get sensory overload and a headache. This place is noisy. We go once each trip as a family and then DH and DS go whenever I feel the need to shop at DTD. We meet up a few hours later. It is a lot of fun (even for grown-ups), but a full day there would be too much. The food selection is good and tasty. It starts to get quite crowded in the early evening (4:00is) and will be crowded on any day with heavy rain. Try designing and riding your own rollercoaster...WOW!

 

[Bluenoser]

I remember reading somewhere that there were some costs in addition to the admission ticket. Something about prize games?? Is this correct and if so, can anyone tell me how much more expensive is it? Thanks

 

[Matt'sMom]

Here's a link to a page that will give you a fairly good overview of the types of attractions at DQ, costs, etc.. -- http://www.allearsnet.com/btp/dqfaq.htm

 

[Bluenoser]

Thanks! I just took a look - great info. Too bad WDW doesn't post this kind of detail on thier site.

 

[BuzzLightYear3]

My DS, 11, loves DQ, and I also held it toward the end of the trip for the same reasons you mentioned.....I was afraid he'd never want to do anything else the rest of the trip. He's the kind of kid that could spend all day playing PlayStation, Nintendo DS, etc., and he did love DQ, but about a 1/2 day (e.g. 11 a.m. til 4 or 5 p.m.) was enough even for him. (It is very loud, etc., and you need to stand for most of the games...no lounging around on the floor like you'd do with PlayStation at home...so it can be rather tiring.)

We almost always go in June and have found that it's best to go at opening as it just gets more and more crowded from then. You also need to work against logic....e.g., go to DQ on a nice sunny day and go to parks on rainy days because most people do the opposite.

Last year we went as a family for the first couple hours, and then when the rest of us have had enough, we head out to DTD and leave DS for a couple more hours by himself.....we left him with both a 2-way radio and a cell phone, but neither of those worked very well inside there--either coverage was poor, or there was interference, or it was so noisy he didn't hear those when we called. Quite honestly, it did make me a nervous wreck. We told him to go towards the exit with the phone where it seemed to get better coverage if he needed to call us. He is very mature and responsible for his age....never gets in any kind of trouble...and he's also tall for his age, so he looks older than he really is. Additionally, there are lots of CMs around. On the other hand, arcades always bug me a little.....I always see grown men seemingly by themselves hanging around in there, and while most of them are probably genuinely there to play video games, with everything you hear in the news, it always makes me worried about what other motives could be. Anyway, I reluctantly left him; he was 100% fine; and other than me worrying a lot, it did seem to work out best for the family. Assuming your 14 year old is mature, trustworthy, etc., I think I'd be fine with leaving someone that age especially if I was still within walking distance and he had a way to reach me. I'll feel a little better if we do the same thing next year with our DS when he's 12 too. Logically, I do think it's probably safe....pretty big crowd so even restrooms are unlikely to be crowded and lots of CMs. It's just really hard to know when to let go!

 

[aec]

The cheesecake factory idea sounds great. (There is one here - in NC - and we haven't had the chance to try it yet but everyone says it's WONDERFUL!) That way we would be close to the boys yet still enjoying "mom and dad" time. Our 16th anniversary will be during our WDW trip...

Just so you aren't dissapointed. There is not a real cheesecake factory restaurant in there. It is cheescake express (counter service). The food is better than typical snackbar fare but it is nothing like going to the real cheesecake factory. Here is a link to the menu http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menu_dq.htm
There are plenty of tables in there if you wanted to hang out while your kids played downstairs.

 

[torianne31]

Both boys LOVE video games... like your son they could spend all day playing PS2, gamecube and xbox (they have all 3 including the gb's). THAT's how into it they are. Thanks to all the great replies on here we have a DEFINITE game plan. This is what we have decided to do: We are ALL (including Dh and myself) going to DQ in the morning when it opens. We'll get the most popular virtual reality games out of the way before it gets TOO crowded. Then, when the noise gets wayyy to overbearing for Dh and I, and if the boys are still not ready to leave, we will let them stay by themselves. They are mature enough to be trusted to stay by themselves. They go to a local skating rink here (a popular kids hangout in our small town) by themselves every Friday night - so we have a good guage of how they would act. It's funny that my 11 year old ds is more mature than my 14 year old ds! They both have cell phones (it seems in this day and age EVERYONE has a cell phone!) so they will be able to call if they are ready to leave. Even if they can't hear to talk on them, we will know a call means: come now.

OK, now for the next question, what are some recommendations for DH and I to do in DTD? What are the best places to shop, eat, sight see with a few hours to kill? I'm assuming we'll get to DQ when it opens and will tire of it at around 12. We will probably set a time of 5 - 6 pm to meet back up with the kids, to see how things are going, etc. So we'll probably have about 5 hours to kill. Knowing my kids, they will NOT call, and will want to spend from opening to closing there. Dh and I will problably have another SHIFT (from 6 - closing at DQ to kill also). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

DQ sounds like my sons' dreams. They will think they have died and gone to video game heaven!!

 

[coasterville]

I went to DisneyQuest last Sunday night. I got really lucky as the place ws near empty that night, The only thing I waited for was Cyberspace Mountain (10 minutes) It's indoors and the layout is VERY confusing. I think a whole day would be a bit excessive, but since Iw as ablt ot just walk right onto everything, I was able to see everything I wanted to see in 90 minutes. I would not pay the $30+ admission fee for it, however.

A note the arcade games are free, you just press a button where the coin slots would be,.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Only the top floor games cost- and that's because they are the type that give you tickets and then you use the tickets to purchase little trinkets and such. Everything else is free though.

I didn't notice it being loud when we went- granted the first time I went it was Jan and slow but the next time we went as a family was Thanksgiving! It was definitely busy- but not so much that it was annoying and it wasn't loud. Ofcourse maybe it didn't seem loud to me because I have 3 young children who are loud and I'm used to tuning it out? LOL

I can totally see your kids not wanting to leave. We'll see... I bet I'm right about that. LOL There are a lot of things there- for all ages. Let's see... my 8yr old DD I couldn't drag away (practically LOL) from some of the virtual rides especially that one that they pick how they want the simulated roller coaster to do. My then just turned 6yr old son -had to FORCE him to leave the area where they learn how to draw pictures of characters (and some virtual rides too). And near that my then barely 3yr old spent hours and hours at the drawing/noise things near there- which was really hard since there wasn't enough block things to stand on (she's short! LOL) and we had to hold her up on our knee the entire time (we took turns doing that). I think older kids would enjoy this place even more than the youngsters too!

Hmm, what to do in DTD. There is Cirque Du Soleil but I don't think you want anything tying you down for hours in case the kids call you. So I guess that leaves shopping and eating. You can also catch a movie at the theatre there- but that would tie you down a couple of hours too.

 

[Deb & Bill]

DQ doesn't open until about 11 AM, so you can't really do a morning there. But if you are there when it opens, you can do most of the good things (POTC, roller coaster, etc) a few times before the lines get too long. Plus if it is a nice day, it shouldn't get crowded too quickly. If the weather is bad or a weekend, it will be crowded sooner.