~*~The OFFICIAL 2014 Dates Thread - Come Join Us!~*~

[mamabear0222]

Our plan is no plan really lol
I think a 5 day MYW pass. Trip to 2 beaches. Clearwater and Daytona likely. Some shopping and I want to pick citrus to have fresh in the condo during our stay ...mmmmmm

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[mamabear0222]

Oh and I'm skipping AK.we have so many zoos around here and a safari park. No seaworld either. We have something similar too.I'd rather the kids do and see things we can't at home

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[hsmamainva]

The first year we went, we went to Sea World on our Orlando arrival day. The kids LOVED it..but it was expensive! One day tickets are $75 each. So, while it was a fun experience, it wasn't worth $500 on top of what we're already paying for Disney.

Last year, we spent a night in St. Augustine on our way down -- 10 hours driving in one day is the limit for my kids. We spent the next day touring the oldest town in the US and that was very interesting! (My hubby went to college in St. Augustine, so he enjoyed taking the kids to all of his old haunts). It was then just a 2 hour drive to Orlando.

For our trip this year, we're doing the "overnight in St. Augustine & touring the next day" routine before heading to Disney.

For our 2014 trip, the hubby wants a split stay in St. Augustine for 4-5 days and then 4-5 days in Disney. His college reunion *should* be the 1st weekend in May and, once those dates are released, we'll have a good idea of our 2014 vacation dates. For now, I'm just planning on May 1st through 11th will be spent in Florida...with more concrete plans to be filled in as the time gets closer.

 

[hsmamainva]

Oh and I'm skipping AK.we have so many zoos around here and a safari park. No seaworld either. We have something similar too.I'd rather the kids do and see things we can't at home

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My kids really enjoy Animal Kingdom! It's a nice half-day park visit. We usually go there on our last Disney day. We have to check out of the townhouse by 10am and we then head to AK...spend some time on the rides and go on the Safari and then leave after the 3pm parade. A 4-5 hour's drive and we're in South Carolina. We stop then for the night and it's an 8 hour drive home the next day.

The safari is excellent...so it's not like strolling through a zoo. Great restaurants and, if your kids like the movie "Up", AK can't be missed! Russell & Doug are now in the park and, starting sometime this spring, they're adding a "find the following things" challenge (for lack of a better phrase) to become Senior Wilderness Explorers.

The restaurants are really good too. Especially Flame Tree Barbeque. We're trying Rainforest Cafe for this year's trip.

 

[SAT887]

My kids really enjoy Animal Kingdom! It's a nice half-day park visit. We usually go there on our last Disney day. We have to check out of the townhouse by 10am and we then head to AK...spend some time on the rides and go on the Safari and then leave after the 3pm parade. A 4-5 hour's drive and we're in South Carolina. We stop then for the night and it's an 8 hour drive home the next day.

The safari is excellent...so it's not like strolling through a zoo. Great restaurants and, if your kids like the movie "Up", AK can't be missed! Russell & Doug are now in the park and, starting sometime this spring, they're adding a "find the following things" challenge (for lack of a better phrase) to become Senior Wilderness Explorers.

The restaurants are really good too. Especially Flame Tree Barbeque. We're trying Rainforest Cafe for this year's trip.

We love AK as well- we spend 2 mornings there usually. I enjoy the relaxing feel it has. Plus because its less crowded usually I can let my daughter walk freely. We are staying at AKL in Jan 14 and I'm looking forward to really exploring AK.

 

[mamabear0222]

We have an actual Safari here though which is why I figured we'd skip it. Figured 2 days at MK a day at Epcot one at HS ..lol well we have 5 so maybe we will check ou AK after all. I'm debating about the hopper option. Does anyone know if you have to pay to park at each park? So if I do AK in the day and MK at night? Do I pay parking twice

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[Funfire240]

Our trips we have combined with time spent in the Florida Keys. Our next trip, which will be this 2014 one, will be just Disney since DD is starting school this year, I figure no more 2 week vacations (I wouldn't pull her out that long and it's too impossible in the summer with DH's business mainly taking place in the warm months here) so we'll be flying for this trip and just spending 1 week at Disney!

 

[hsmamainva]

We have an actual Safari here though which is why I figured we'd skip it. Figured 2 days at MK a day at Epcot one at HS ..lol well we have 5 so maybe we will check ou AK after all. I'm debating about the hopper option. Does anyone know if you have to pay to park at each park? So if I do AK in the day and MK at night? Do I pay parking twice

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You'll pay parking only if staying off-site ($14) and that's per day. So if you park hop from AK to MK in the same day, you won't pay again for parking. Just show the parking lot attendant your parking "receipt" thing and you'll be good to go.

 

[NMDisneyMom]

Right now the plan is 99% WDW, with one day at SeaWorld Discovery Cove. But our tickets there also come with free admission to SeaWorld for another day. At this point I'm not planning it, but DD could change my mind. We were there before our first Disney cruise and had fun, not really sure I want to do it again. There is so much to see/do at WDW I think we will have no problems staying busy/relaxing.

 

[angelmichelle]

I was considering Dolphins in Depth (?) that's at Epcot but I think we'll have enough to do... and I don't know if it'd be worst the cost.

 

[Funfire240]

We have an actual Safari here though which is why I figured we'd skip it. Figured 2 days at MK a day at Epcot one at HS ..lol well we have 5 so maybe we will check ou AK after all. I'm debating about the hopper option. Does anyone know if you have to pay to park at each park? So if I do AK in the day and MK at night? Do I pay parking twice

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We spend alot of time at our local zoo and in my opinion, AK can't compare. The shows alone I think are worth seeing (Nemo & Lion King).

 

[angelmichelle]

We have an actual Safari here though which is why I figured we'd skip it. Figured 2 days at MK a day at Epcot one at HS ..lol well we have 5 so maybe we will check ou AK after all. I'm debating about the hopper option. Does anyone know if you have to pay to park at each park? So if I do AK in the day and MK at night? Do I pay parking twice

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AK is phenomenal if you take the initiative to 'wind down' and 'stroll'. It has some of the best theming in all of WDW, and Expedition Everest is fabulous, but if you're not into coasters, the shows and trails are superb. It's one of my favorite parks...

 

[angelmichelle]

In reference to my dining plan, for Epcot Day #2 (World Showcase), I had dinner plans for either Chinese or Japanese CS dinner... but, we could, after lunch at France and strolling through WS until about 7?, go to the Boardwalk and try Kouzzina... hm. So many choices.

Sleep in until 10, leave AoA at 11.
Bus to Epcot.
Chefs de France ADR @ noon.
Afterward, backtrack to the UK/Canada, then stroll to Mexico and explore the WS.
World Showcase must do's:
- Maelstrom
- Explore each country (especially Japan!)
- Mexico ride
- Pick a Pearl
- Characters: Mulan, Belle, Jasmine/Aladdin
Then, around 7 PM or so (we'll in France/where we started), take the International Gateway to Disney's BoardWalk.
Kouzzina ADR @ 7:30-8:30.
Then, leisurely explore Disney's BoardWalk.

I am such a type-a planner. But, I love it.

 

[gracer9977]

We have an actual Safari here though which is why I figured we'd skip it. Figured 2 days at MK a day at Epcot one at HS ..lol well we have 5 so maybe we will check ou AK after all. I'm debating about the hopper option. Does anyone know if you have to pay to park at each park? So if I do AK in the day and MK at night? Do I pay parking twice

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I love AK. It's pretty much my favorite park. I love EE, the Safari, Kali River Rapids and the Jammin Jungle Parade is great!! Just walking around that park is awesome. The trees sometimes come to life and walk down the paths. Plus there is the live music that my kids love to dance too. They are only open till 5pm so you could totally go to another park after they close.

I think it is worth it to get the Park Hopper Option. We jump around all over the place when we visit. It's nice to be able to start the day in one park and end in a different one.

 

[Holly324]

So I have a question tonight for you all ...

What, if anything, besides WDW do you plan on doing during your trip? There's so much in central Florida and the surrounding area, not to mention the beaches.

We're probably looking at 2-3 days at WDW, at least one beach day, and the remainder of the time we'll spend taking in some of the activities in and around central Florida. My husband wants to get back to Daytona Beach to do the track tour (I'm not even sure they're still doing it) and possibly do another ride-along there at the RPDE. I myself would like to do some mini-golf, I definitely want to see the ICE! display at Gaylord Palms, along with some other stuff I haven't yet determined.

How about you?

We will probably go to sea world for day while we are there, but other than that, we love the immersion in all things Disney! I love to escape from the real world, too!

Oh and I'm skipping AK.we have so many zoos around here and a safari park. No seaworld either. We have something similar too.I'd rather the kids do and see things we can't at home

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No AK??? That is my DH's favorite park! I just love, love, love the Nemo show! I am not one for zoo wandering, so I tend to do the trails pretty quickly - no real meandering for me - but I still love AK. So much to do, what with the shows, characters, and rides. But, you will have fun no matter what you do in Disney!

We have an actual Safari here though which is why I figured we'd skip it. Figured 2 days at MK a day at Epcot one at HS ..lol well we have 5 so maybe we will check ou AK after all. I'm debating about the hopper option. Does anyone know if you have to pay to park at each park? So if I do AK in the day and MK at night? Do I pay parking twice

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Yep, pay once for the day! I love park hopper. I love options, just in case one park seems busier than you expect it to be, you can always hop over to another one.

Right now the plan is 99% WDW, with one day at SeaWorld Discovery Cove. But our tickets there also come with free admission to SeaWorld for another day. At this point I'm not planning it, but DD could change my mind. We were there before our first Disney cruise and had fun, not really sure I want to do it again. There is so much to see/do at WDW I think we will have no problems staying busy/relaxing.

LOVE LOVE LOVE Discovery Cove!!!! Wish we could go again, maybe some day. What a blast!!

Someone mentioned the Lion King show...did I hear that it is closing??? Or was that just a bad rumor??

 

[angelmichelle]

Someone mentioned the Lion King show...did I hear that it is closing??? Or was that just a bad rumor??

The show is moving to Africa, but won't stop performing until the new building is built in Africa. Then, it may be closed for a few weeks until the actors are ready to perform in their new location. Right now, it's still very much open!

 

[Holly324]

The show is moving to Africa, but won't stop performing until the new building is built in Africa. Then, it may be closed for a few weeks until the actors are ready to perform in their new location. Right now, it's still very much open!

Sooooo glad to hear that, it is one of my favorites! Thanks!

 

[middlesista]

I love AK. It's pretty much my favorite park. I love EE, the Safari, Kali River Rapids and the Jammin Jungle Parade is great!! Just walking around that park is awesome. The trees sometimes come to life and walk down the paths. Plus there is the live music that my kids love to dance too. They are only open till 5pm so you could totally go to another park after they close.

I think it is worth it to get the Park Hopper Option. We jump around all over the place when we visit. It's nice to be able to start the day in one park and end in a different one.

The trees come to life? Have been to AK during past 2 trips and NEVER saw this. Does this occur randomly or in a certain area?

 

[middlesista]

If you have a day planned at DTD, you won't need to park your car (from Boston, I hate that phrase) at the Port Orleans. DTD has a free water cab back and forth, on the river, to the 2 Port Orleans resorts. It is a nice little ride. You get to see the golf courses on the way. And, just to warn you, when you get to the Port Orleans properties, you're gonna love them.

Agree with the Port Orleans Resorts - esp French Quarter. We had stayed at the Polynesian when our children were young - many, many years ago when it was alot less expensive and there was not as many choices for resorts (or parks for that matter) PLUS being on the monorail was wonderful since our children were very young and it was great to head back to the resort for naps. We stayed off site a few times - not the SAME thing for sure. Tried the CBR and that was OK. When we went back last year with our daughter and her family she did a bit of research and we were torn between POR and POFQ. We decided on POFQ since it was smaller and we felt a bit less overwhelming for the 3 year old. It does not have as many of the amenities as POR but we were able to use the POR pool plus POR is just a short, relaxing water cab trip away as is DTD. Have not stayed at any of the other resorts but would love to hear folks opinions.

 

[SAT887]

The trees come to life? Have been to AK during past 2 trips and NEVER saw this. Does this occur randomly or in a certain area?

I think they are talking about DeVine. If you google DeVine and animal kingdom there is quite a few videos and images