WDW Booking and general questions from Canada?

[Blackadder337]

Hello all,

This is my first official post here We're planning to take our (at that time) 12 year old daughter to WDW and Universal in Oct. 2016 (flying). I have been to WDW before, but the last time I went they had just had the ground breaking ceremony for the Disney / MGM studios park. It was a big pile of dirt.

I have a few questions that I hope some of you may be able to answer.

First, I live in Ontario in case that matters, and I'm pretty much 2 1/2 hours from Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Toronto and Detroit.

I'm hearing arguments from both sides as to whether or not I should book this trip through a travel agent or do it online. I am in I.T. so its not like I'm afraid or lack the knowledge to do it online. But I keep hearing Travel Agents have access to better information. Then I hear the opposite. Then I hear travel agents won't let you book your own fast pass reservations. Instead they want you to email them the details and they do it. In short... travel agent or no?

My second question, is that my wife periodically suffers from vertigo, so roller coaster type rides are out of the question for her. Are there still lots of good attractions that are entertaining for adults but NOT as vigorous as coasters? I'm worried "you wait here while we go on this ride" will become too often used.

Third, we are considering the Halloween Party. Is the party done on multiple nights in the month of October? Are costumes mandatory? If so, any ideas for costumes that don't cost much, and don't take up much space in a suitcase?

Lastly, are there any planning trips that Canadians should know about? I sometimes have this scenario jumping around in my head:

"You mean I could have got an EXTRA ___ % or $ off of our trip? I didn't know!!"

"Well you didn't ask sir".



Sorry if that was too long winded. Any help would be appreciated

 

[starvenger]

Ok, so I'm guessing you live in or close to London?

In any case, using a travel agent may really a matter of what you're comfortable with. I've used a travel agent twice - once for a Contiki tour of Europe about 15 years ago, and once for my honeymoon (Maui/Kauai) in 2005. And I've since discovered that, cruises aside, I prefer to book on my own. For WDW, I also prefer to stay offsite, so not using a TA works for me. It may be different if you're staying onsite.

For your wife, there are still many rides and attractions for her to go on. As for enjoyment, well, ymmv, but I'm a 41yo man and I still enjoyed things like the Peter Pan ride and Its a Small World.

I do not believe that costumes are required for the Halloween party. io9 had some fun last minute ideas here - http://io9.com/these-last-minute-co...0ZSnKcw.1&utm_referrer=https://www.google.ca/

(For the record, I went as Arthur Dent for my office party. )

Some quick Tips - bring your CAA card. Never be afraid to ask if there are any discounts. Bring an extra duffel (or empty roll aboard) for souvenirs. Always remember - it's a vacation, so enjoy it!

 

[SaraMc]

I use a TA, I find it much easier for me to send her a email with what we want and need. We use Dreams Unlimited Travel ( they own this site) and have used them a lot and they are fantastic. You can book your own fast passes, you can even book your own dining. They are there to help with what you need But its your vacation. They are experts, I use them for anything Disney we are doing.
Flights I book myself online, I find that's where its easier to do it yourself. For us, ( we live close to Niagara ) we fly out of BUF. So much less $ that flying out of YYZ.

MNSSHP, you don't need to dress up, you can if you would like but you don't have too. It was 35 at 11:30 at night with no breeze really the night we did it last month. The costume that I wore to that party is not the same one I would wear at home here.

 

[ny0090]

I chose to plan my trip (leaving in two days for WDW) by myself and I admit it took a lot of work because I had to research everything on my own. That being said, I loved that I had the freedom to change my itinerary and I didn't have to rely on a travel agent. Even though I spent weeks planning my schedule, it completely changed when my 180 days came up to book ADRs and it changed again when my 60 days came up to book fastpasses. Then the WDW park hours changed and they added a Christmas parade taping the week I was going and I changed a few more things.

This isn't related but I am going to a destination wedding in Mexico next year and I had to use the travel agent that the bride and groom chose and it has been the worst experience I've ever had planning a trip. If you do choose a travel agent, make sure you find someone reputable.

 

[tmh43]

We have never used a TA for Disney, but if you've never been before a TA with lots of Disney experience could be useful to you.

The theming on Disney rides is amazing, so while there are the odd thrill rides that are the headliners, there are so many rides that are lots of fun without being intense. Disney IMO isn't a typical amusement park where it's coaster after coaster, it's about being immersed in the show, and they do it well.

Because you're equal distance from three airports, I would check out flights from each (and maybe Hamilton too) and find the best deal. For us it was Buffalo (between that, Hamilton and Toronto). We got our tickets through the Mousesavers newsletter. Our room we booked through Expedia. It was a lot of shopping around and comparing prices, but at least if a sale was to pop up we know we did our research

 

[Marbel]

No TA for me. Half the fun of a Disney trip for me is the research and planning. But if you don't have the time or desire to do that, a TA might be a good choice for you.

Lots to do at WDW for someone who can't ride coasters. I'm a coaster chicken who gets motion sick sometimes (I was able to ride 7DMT and Big Thunder though - but not Space, EE, or RnR) and still loads to do and see. Plus I didn't mind the "wait here while we ride this coaster" thing ... I love to people watch and to just take a break. I remember one time at rope drop at MK, I stayed back to watch and film the welcome show while the rest of my family was positioned near the entrance tunnel and hurried to Space Mountain. I then leisurely walked up Main Street soaking in the atmosphere and eventually caught up with the family in Tomorrowland. It was great!!

Your wife can also go with you in the lines and then just not ride.

I live a few hours' drive from several NY and VT airports. After much airfare stalking, I snagged an excellent direct nonstop flight for a great price out of YUL to MCO. The fare was higher for a long time, and then one morning it dropped. Flying out of any of the NY or VT airports would not be significantly cheaper and would be a lot more hassle. Keep checking the flight(s) you want daily. I found Google Flights very helpful.

Do you collect Air Miles? You can get park tickets through Air Miles. IIRC they have base 3-, 5-, and 7-day for WDW. Not sure about Uni.

I booked the hotel for my next trip through Orbitz for 15% off an already discounted Disney rate. Through Ebates too. Wooo!

This site and EasyWDW are my favourites for info.

 

[elaine amj]

I am Cdn and booked through a US travel agent. I tend to do pretty much everything myself though - I mostly use a travel agent to support a small business. Plus, it seriously annoys me to have to pay long distance to call Disney (no toll free numbers) so I usually let my TA handle it. if you choose a TA, make sure it is a good one you can trust and who knows Disney well. I typically have picked mine through fan forums. Still, I often do most things myself, including ADRs and FPs. I use my TA to help double check my plans (second set of eyes). I'm not even sure my TA handles FPs...never had to ask before. Recently, my close friend used her but it didn't come up since I booked his FPs for him.

I have never seriously looked for a Canadian TA. I guess if you absolutely want to pay in Canadian dollars (so no foreign transaction fees) you would need to work with a Canadian company - not sure which ones would bill packages like this in Cdn dollars though. I imagine they are out there. The only time I needed Cdn dollar billing, I ended up using Expedia.ca.

Airmiles is a good tip. They also offer Universal and Sea World tickets. I used my airmiles for my Disneyland trip and it was great.

And yes, lots and lots of non-roller coaster rides in Disney. With vertigo, I guess motion simulators are out? This would make it hard for her at Universal, where most things are motion simulators.

 

[I Run Long]

I've used a TA and I've done it myself. It all depends on your willingness to turn over every rock to gain some Disney knowledge. I've used Fairytale Dreams & Destinations twice (a Cdn company - like to support our own). Once for a Disney Cruise and the 2nd time for our last trip to the world. They were great! They got me discounts on my reservation as soon as Disney released them, they also booked all my dinner reservations. I did give them the list of restaurants I wanted and they set up the timings based on how I like to tour. I like Evening Extra magic hours, so they tried to book my dinner reservations in the park with the Extra hours. I could have booked the reservations myself but I figured, what the heck - let them do it. I booked all my own Fastpasses - they don't do that for you. Do lots of reading and explore the message boards. There is so much information out there. Also, depending on how you like to stay, i.e. you prefer Deluxe resorts, then you may find it much cheaper to rent points at one of the Disney Vacation Club Villas. Check out the rental boards on this site. Most of all - happy planning!

 

[elaine amj]

I've used a TA and I've done it myself. It all depends on your willingness to turn over every rock to gain some Disney knowledge. I've used Fairytale Dreams & Destinations twice (a Cdn company - like to support our own). Once for a Disney Cruise and the 2nd time for our last trip to the world. They were great! They got me discounts on my reservation as soon as Disney released them, they also booked all my dinner reservations. I did give them the list of restaurants I wanted and they set up the timings based on how I like to tour. I like Evening Extra magic hours, so they tried to book my dinner reservations in the park with the Extra hours. I could have booked the reservations myself but I figured, what the heck - let them do it. I booked all my own Fastpasses - they don't do that for you. Do lots of reading and explore the message boards. There is so much information out there. Also, depending on how you like to stay, i.e. you prefer Deluxe resorts, then you may find it much cheaper to rent points at one of the Disney Vacation Club Villas. Check out the rental boards on this site. Most of all - happy planning!

Thanks for your recommendation I have debated finding a Cdn TA. I really like how they presented themselves on their website. I love that each TA lists their favorite characters, etc. It's not always easy staying up to date on Canadian discounts, even when spending a ton of time on the Dis. They are just slightly different enough to matter (sometimes earlier or extended booking dates). One trip, I was able to book an August free dining stay in November. It didn't open up for our American friends until the spring. For 2015, Canadians got free dining dates extended (a week or two longer than Americans). I would love to have someone keep me updated on current Canadian offers.

My current (US-based) TA is very competent, but not always up to date on Cdn discounts.

 

[Kiren]

I've used a TA for both my first trip to Disneyland and now my first trip to the World which is also my honeymoon. It's so nice to be able to plan all on my own and then I go to the TA who allows us to book in Canadian funds so we don't get double hit with the currency exchange. He also welcomes input from us and if I come in with a plan he helps us make it happen!

 

[Blackadder337]

Wow! Thank you all for the replies so far. Based on your input, I think I might start booking it myself, and and see where it goes from there Worst case, I can always take my folder to a TA and politely ask if they can help me fix it

 

[thr33boys]

My previous trips, I booked myself, our upcoming trip I used a TA because they had exclusive offers that worked with my dates and resort. It's been a great experience. She was very attentive and offered to book ADR's and fp's, if I wanted. Since all I was using her for was the better price, I took care of things myself. I think my savings was about $700USD.

I'm an occasional vertigo sufferer too. The only ride at Disney that somewhat affects me is Soarin', mind you I completely avoid spinning rides. Universal is a bit different, they have a lot more simulation rides and it gives me more trouble. I did have to sit. I was getting queasy and there were parts of the rides where I just simply closed my eyes. I hope your wife can manage well enough to enjoy the parks. It didn't negatively affect my experience and I'm doing it all again starting next week.

Costumes are not mandatory at MNSSHP.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

I'm a bit of a control freak so I like to do it myself. LOL. But, I enjoy reading the dis and keeping on top of past discounts to know when a good time to book might be (PS - Oct has had free dining for some dates the past few years, so watch for that).

There are some travel agencies like pp mentioned that have agency exclusive rates as well. If you aren't dealing with someone specialized in Disney and ready to get that discount for you right when it comes out, I would do it myself, considering how fast some things seem to book up now. The TA I deal with for work travel didn't know about the new promos out unitl I told her...lol

 

[caisland]

Haven't used TA. We find the planning a huge part of the fun.

Keep in mind discounts that Disney offers.

Often in October they have been offering Free Dining which can save you substantial.

Staying onsite vs off is a big topic but we really enjoy staying onsite

 

[ccudmore]

Four third question, costumes are not at all mandatory for the party but they can be a lot of fun. We didn't tell the kids we had party tickets and snuck their costumes all the way from home and into lockers at MK. Then when they announced the park closing for the party I appologized to,the family that we had to leave early and went back to the locker. Everyone squealed when they saw their costumes ad the tickets.

For number 4: remember you can get into the park as early as 4pm with your party ticket

 

[Blackadder337]

Again thanks to all that have replied. Very helpful so far indeed. I hope you all don't mind a few more questions

For the Micky Halloween Party, how often are they? We are tentatively looking at Oct 14 - 23 2016. Are they more than once a week or at least once a week?

Second, I see that you can get character magic bands etc.. Can you order those instead of the plain colored ones when doing the reservations etc.., or do you have to get the plain ones first, then buy it on your own afterwards and link it?

Thanks again for all the great comments, opinions and experiences so far. I appreciate it!!

 

[ccudmore]

Theres several per week. You can see the 2015 dates at http://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/events/mickeys-not-so-scary-halloween-party

You get the blank magicbands first and then link in any character bands you buy.

 

[I Run Long]

You can only get the plain coloured magic bands - they'll be waiting for you at your resort as they don't ship them to Canada. You can link your tickets, ADRs, FP+ to your Magic Band through My Disney Experience. If you want the character magic band, you have to wait until you are there - there are several places you can buy them once there - a CM at the store will even help you link them. Takes a few minutes but then you're done.

 

[Kiren]

So do you physically need the Band to link it? Or can you do it through the app while you're still at home?

 

[I Run Long]

No - you can link it all online since you won't actually have the band until you are at the resort. You can even choose the colour of your magic band (there aren't many to choose from) - if you don't do a colour choice it automatically defaults to grey.