Teen Likes/Dislikes at WDW

[gila]

hi! first of all, a disclaimer: i'm not a teen. BUT, in my defense, i'm only invading your
space to help make my teen nieces' first trip to wdw a great one, okay?
the story: my wife and i are taking our nieces (ages 12 and 14) to wdw this summer.
first trip for all of us. not having been there and not having kids of our own, i thought
you guys would be the best source for answers to my questions, so here we go:

1. character dining: too childish, or a must-do?

2. four full days and a 4-day hopper: should we do each of the 4 parks or is one of
of them worth 2 days at the expense of not going to another one? or is a half-day
at one of them enough?

3. shows and parades: which are lame? which are must-see?

4. daily plan: do you guys prefer to tought it out all day or have a swim/nap break in
the middle of the day? also, should i bother trying to get you up early to get to the
park before closing?

5. do you mind staying off-site as long as there is a nice pool?

6. finally: what's the most important advice you can give us? Thanks for everything
and may you enjoy many disney trips in the future.

gila

 

[AFgirl325]

Oh don't worry! We love helping out people here on the Teen Board!

Well I hope I can answer your questions...

1) Character Dining- Personally, I'd rather just get to the parks early and grab a bite to eat, rather than have a large breakfast with the characters. I think it depends on the person.

2) You're going to want to see all the parks, and you can easily to Animal Kingdom in half a day. Possibly even MGM too if you really plan, move quickly, and make good use of Fast-Pass.

3) I haven't seen a afternoon parade since I was probably 9. Again, I'd rather just ride the rides and that kind of thing. However, the shows at night, especially Illuminations, Tapestry of Dreams, and Fantasmic! are must sees!

4) A break in mid-afternoon is always nice, but not always needed. It depends on how you feel. And I think since you'll mostly be getting feed-back from Disney fanatics, that we'll most say "I get up early" and that type of thing. I am someone who will wake up early in Disney just to get into the parks early, but that's not for everyone. I know when I tell some of my friends that they think I'm crazy, so do what makes your nieces happy!

5) I've never stayed off-site, but I've never even considered it just because of all the benefits from staying on-site. Location, transportation, and the Disney- feel of the on-site resorts makes your Disney experience just that much easier and fun.

If you have any more questions, PLEASE ask! Have a great trip!

 

[AFgirl325]

Oh I forgot some stuff!

There's much more to Disney World than just the parks. Make sure you check out a water park ( I think Blizzard Beach is the best choice) if the weater permits, and check out Downtown Disney and Disney Quest too. The Boardwalk would be a great place to walk around after a day at Epcot or MGM, b/c it's so close and has a lot of fun things to do.

I think I'm done now... will probably think of some more later! LOL!

Have a great trip!

 

[USA_mad02]

Hiya

I am 14 and went to disney with my parents last year this year we are going to US, IOA etc. I will try and answer the questions for you!

1. I did the character brekie but we mainly did it for my younger sister. I also think it depends on the person. If they are into the characters and want to see them then go to the character breakfast.

2. I would say take a day for each or two if you have the time.

3. I didn't see any of the afternoon parades as it was just too hot to stand outside in the sun for so long. I did see three of the evening shows and they are not to be missed. I saw FANTASMIC ( MGM), REFLECTIONS OF THE EARTH ( epcot) AND SPECTACULAR ( MK).

4. I never stayed the whole day because it was too hot and the parks got very crowded. We had the full two weeks and could go back anytime to the parks so we took our time and spaced the parks out.

5. Well the first time we went we stayed in a disney hotel this time we aree off-site in a house. I think for your first timme you should stay on-site. It will be interesting to compare on and off-site accomedation though.

6. Ummm other advise I think you definatlly have to plan. Getting to the last few days you'll be so excited you'll want something to do! We have always made a plan of which parks we are visting on which days, what resterants (sp?) are a must and places and things to see.

hope this helps!

 

[gila]

many thanks to you both, AFgirl325 and USA_mad02!! i hadn't heard anything
about strolling the boardwalk so that's good to know. planning the trip is half
the fun!

any thoughts about Pleasure Island?

 

[AFgirl325]

I've only walked through Pleasure Island, but I think I'd rather spend my time at the West Side or the Marketplace. I don't know... I just don't get the best feeling from Pleasure Island.

Note about the Boardwalk though: Make sure that you don't get there too early or else the entertainment won't be out yet!

Have a good trip!

 

[dancergirl]

I think Pleasure Island depends on the person. And how you would feel about them being there.
The Boardwalk is a fun place to go!! We stay at the Dolphin so we are really close. I enjoy going at night to see the stuff out on the streets but like to go in the day time too. Its nice to get something from the bakery and sit outside and just enjoy it all! Have a great time on your trip!!

 

[WDWfanatic288]

1). i lvoe character dining!
the breakfastr are kinda weird(i dont eat alot)but for lunch or dinner is great!
2).you can really do AK in half a day...MK cant be and either can EPCOT,MGM could but it takes good planning
i say go to EPCOT at night(espically the countrieS)b/c its open until 9 every night
3).ToD, Fantasmic! Spectro and Illumnations....i like the Motor Stars and Cars parade..but if you dont have time to see the afternoon parades then skip them...with 9 days a trip we rarely can see all of them
4). we get up early for opening...come back to the hotel and swim relax and then go back to the parks at night
5).we stayed off-site for like 2 days since we were going to universal(that was our '98 and '99 trips) and i dunno it was ok but that b/c we had this really nice suite...i really wouldnt stay off-site for trip...we always stay on site soo much more convienent
6). remember to take it slow and not try to do too much...i habve never really been to DtD,the Boardwalk is cool though(after 7 trips we finally made it over there!)

 

[nsyncraider17]

1. I love character meals! But they can take a long time, so if you aren't gonna have much time in the parks, you might not want to do any.

2. Definitely see all of the parks. AK can probably be done in half a day, especially if you don't see the parade or eat a sit-down meal. MGM can maybe be done in less than a day, too.

3. Apparantly I'm in the minority, but I always see all of the parades when I go. I haven't seen the new parades for 100 years of magic, but I know Fantasmic, Illuminations, Spectromagic, and Tapestry of Dreams are awesome.

4. We've never stayed onsite, so we've never gone back to the hotel in the middle of the day or anything. If it's really hot, we usually just make sure we save the shows and air-conditioned stuff for the afternoon. I HATE getting up early, but as long as I know ahead of time when I'll have to get up, i'm okay. Ask your nieces if they're willing to.

5. I've never stayed onsite! But I will be in June. In 2000 we stayed at Holiday Inn Family Suites, and it was nice... we usually don't spend that much time at the hotel anyways, so as long as it's close and fairly comfortable, it works for us.

6. Don't try to do everything! Try to relax a little bit and not just run through the parks riding everything... you won't be able to enjoy it at all because you'll be exhasted!

 

[gila]

you guys/gals are great. i really appreciate all of the advice. your enthusiasm
is enough to make me forget that i'm a former english teacher as i'm reading your
posts--just kidding! anything goes on the internet, right? even i type in
all lower caps! (i'm sure you all strictly adhere to grammar, punctuation, etc.
for school work, right?) btw, USA_mad02, i see you're from--or presently living
in--england. we took my mom there for 2 weeks last year and loved it. we rented a
cottage in the cotswolds and daytripped from there. here's hoping the disney
trip can measure up! thanks again, everybody!

gila

 

[SDAngel101]

Last summer i went to WDW with my family and my best friend's family. I was 15 and she was 16.

1. I haven't been to the character breakfast in like 9 years! i remember being on of those little kids who would get the autograph books and would not leave untill i have EVERYONES signature. I probably won't be going to any of them soon because i would rather get a small quick breakfast at the hotel then have to wait around in a busy resturant.

2. When i went, we did all the parks (except for AK but we did go to Blizzard Beach) in 4 days, and didn't really rush.

3. The night shows are really good, but the parades during the day are the perfect times to go on all the good rides! i love seeing Fantasmic at Disneyland in LA though, thats my fav.

4. i like to go all-day with like a lunch break where you can get out of the heat and get some food! we never really planned where we would go, it was just whatever we felf like doing.

5. When we went, we stayed in the Dolphin, and to tell you the truch, we really didn't use the pool that much, only one night we were in the jacuzzi talking to some cute boys! and also we were out at the parks all day and only came back to sleep and wash up.

6. I would say definetly go along the boardwalk, they have a really good ice cream shop there! lol and it is just fun to walk along and see all the stores and people. Also PI, my friend has an older brother who went with us inside one of the clubs cuz he was like 28, and they were fun!! it was a 18+ but if you had an adult with you, you could go in. So when I get older i'm deffinetly gonna try those out.

 

[USA_mad02]

I liked Broad walk, although only went in the evening, it was a pretty place! As for Pleasue Island I don't think it is worth going un-less you are old enough to get into the clubs without adults and have someone to dance with. I went and didn't really enjoy the entertainment as it was a bit too old for me. With my parents there in the clubs I couldn't dance and enjoy myself like I would do in a club if there were not there. If you get what I have just been sayin!!?! I just think there are better places to visit in the evenings like late park nights, park shows, I.D shopping, Downtown disney etc.

hope this helps, when are you going?

 

[PigSoldier]

Well......

1. I love character dining. Character breakfasts do eat into your day, but they really set you up for a day of Disney magic. They're also good to meet characters who you'd otherwise spend hours queuing up to meet at the parks. I've heard complaints about the food, but I've aways thought it was delicious (maybe its because I'm British ).

2. Unless your party really likes animals, I'd say you should give the Animal Kingdom a miss, and do the Magic Kingdom for two days. Or perhaps you could do the Animal Kingdom for half a day, and go to a waterpark in the afternoon. The waterparks are too good to miss, you should try and fit in a few hours in Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach while you're there.

3. I think all the parades are must-see, except for the day time one at the Magic Kingdom. I think its called Share a Dream Come True . Its a nice parade, but its very short, and there are so many better things to do at the Magic Kingdom.

4. I've managed to tough out days at Epcot, going solidly from 8am to 10pm. It was extremely difficult though. I always seem to reach saturation point around 2pm, where I just stop having fun, because I'm tired, and hot, and my feet hurt. When you only have one day at a park though, it seems ridiculous to spend half of it resting (you can do that at home!). Maybe a sit down meal in the middle of the afternoon would be resting enough (you could fit in a character meal then too).

5. I've always been happy staying offsite. I don't see the point of paying so much extra to stay in a prettier hotel.

6. I think the best advice I can give you is to relax and really enjoy the Disney magic. Don't get caught up in itinerarys, spending all your time rushing from one ride to the next. It makes sense to get to the parks early and ride all the popular rides before the rush, but after that, just relax and go with the flow.

Hope this helped,

Suzi

 

[RIP@HM4afterlife]

1)Character breakfasts are ok...BUT if u do one u HAVE to go to the Cinderella's Princess one!

2)You can BASICLY do a day in each except we always do Epcot and Animal Kindom in 1 day

3)I HATE PARADES. The only one I found good was the Main Street Electrical Parade.

4)I like to tough it because then you can do EVERYTHING you want! We usually go from the moment it opens 'til closing.

5)Off-site isn't a problem but if you want the full experience you want to stay on-site. Even if it is something simple like All-Star (it's all gravy baby!)

6)In Magic Kingdom do the little kid ride 1st. If you don't it will be a living h-e-double hockey sticks. FAST PASSES ARE LIFE SAVERS!!!!!(or shall we say line savers) (corny)

 

[gila]

thanks again, everyone. i've decided to squeeze in a 5th day so we can have more
time for the water parks and everything else. we'll be there in mid-june. ugh, i know,
but that is the only time we can do it. (we're even driving 15 hours to get there.
if i don't win the uncle of the year award for this, i'm gonna be plenty upset!)

uncle gila

 

[Rhian]

1. Personally, I really enjoyed the character breakfasts we've been to, the best one being at the Garden Grill in Epcot (I'm 17), but I'm not sure if I would have chosen to have gone if it wasn't for my little sister. They are a good way of meeting loads of characters who you might not otherwise see though.

2. I would certainly reccommend a whole day in each park, but agree with PigSoldier-if I had to miss out on one it would be AK. You should DEFINITELY go to MK. It's my personal favourite!

3. The parade that is running at MGM at the moment (Stars and Cars?!) is really good. Also, don't miss Spectromagic-it's amazing. The best show to see is Fantasmic at MGM-it's the best show I've ever seen. Make sure you get there early though-the seats fill up fast. You might like to do one of the Fantasmic Dining packages. We've done these a few times and think they're really good.

4. We usually stay on site so go back to the hotel for a swim or a rest around lunchtime, but this tends to be because my Dad gets worn out ! We have stayed for a whole day at the parks before and it's not too bad. You can rent lockers so you don't have to carry everything round with you.

5. We stayed off site the first time we visited WDW but on site since. The main advantages of staying on site are the fantastic theming etc. of the resorts and the early entry to the parks (although this isn't running at the moment) but staying off site is fine too. It depends on what you want from your resort.

6. I would reccommend planning ahead-it's almost impossible to do everything you want to do in one trip so plan what you want to do before you get there.


Have a great time!

 

[SpongeBobSquarePants]

1. I've always enjoyed character breakfasts, at any age. It's a great way to get some autographs and memories. From my experiences the food is ok, but its worth it to get to meet some of your favorite Disney friends.

2. Well im 14, and I know that most teenagers love MGM. If i were to do it i'd take one day each for magic kingdom, and epcot. half a day for animal kingdom, and a day and a half for mgm. My whole family enjoys mgm and there are things for everyone to explore.

3. My family has never really been in to parades, they are very over crowded and not that interseting. My advice is to use this time as your advantage to go ride some rides and get into shorter lines while everyone is at the parade.

4. Definetly do a full day, because you are only there a short time and take it from someone who would pay to sleep in, I wouldnt mind getting up at the butt-crack of dawn so that i can hit the parks.

5. off-site is ok if thats what you are looking for. BUt if you choose that option you'll need to rent a car to get to the parks and the sites. It is my experience that it is quite easier to stay on Disney and take the shuttles, we've neverhad to rent a car, and its much easier to get to the parks because you dont have to find a parking spot.

6. I agree with the others in that I would plan and do as much research on my trip as possible, as you can see I know a lot about Disney World and all of my knowledge is becase I always get really excited even years before a trip and I have practically read my Birbaum's from cover to cover.

 

[ContempoSMT]

Dislikes- Country Bear Jamorbee and COuntrees
Likes- Thrill Rides

 

[PlutoPal]

Likes- RnR, ToT, Anything that is exciting
Dislikes-Fantasyland

 

[natty41]

1) I'm 16 and my favorite park is Epcot. I love absolutely everything there! Test Track is great! I just went in October and we went to Ice Station Cool which is really fun cuz you can sample Coke from around the world! I don't remember where it's from, but one of them tastes like watermelon! Teppanyaki is my favorite restaurant cuz your food's grilled right in front of you! It's awesome!
2) Best thing about Magic Kingodm would be the Dole Whips!!! They are the best!! I don't really care for the parades myself, so I usually go on the rides during them which is a great time saver cuz most of the time you can walk right on!
3) Rockin Rollercoaster is so cool! And also at MGM, Brown Derby is a great restaurant! The grapefruit cake is delicious!!
4) Definately another vote for the Boardwalk!!! We stay there everytrip and it's a great place to go and walk around especially at night! There's a lot of entertainment and fun games at night plus the famous crepes on a stick!!!

well hope this helped! Enjoy your trip!