Where to Start?

[LisaT91403]

Hi all,

Disneyland veteran/expert here...been visiting our local park for almost 50 years now. I am thinking of trying to plan an 8th grade graduation trip to FL for my DS, who is a huge Disney fan. Other than a one-day trip to Animal Kingdom in January of 2015, we have not visited the Florida parks. I would be shooting for during or right after Memorial Day, 2022.

I realize that trip planning is *very* different as compared to Disneyland. I honestly don't even know where to start -- it seems so intimidating! So I was hoping that y'all might be able to give me some pointers as to how to plan a trip. Is there a really good online resource that you like? Maybe on the Disboards, or somewhere else? Some random topics I'm interested in are:

- How many days to plan for
- What order to do the parks in and when/if to incorporate Universal
- Advantages of staying on site (maybe renting a DVC unit)
- Transportation in and around the different parks
- Fastpass reservations
- Dining reservations
- Park hopping (is that even a thing in Florida?)
- How brutal the weather will be in the last week of May/early June

I'm sure I'll have even more questions as I start to do the research! So thanks in advance for pointing me in the right direction

 

[GBRforWDW]

Hi all,

Disneyland veteran/expert here...been visiting our local park for almost 50 years now. I am thinking of trying to plan an 8th grade graduation trip to FL for my DS, who is a huge Disney fan. Other than a one-day trip to Animal Kingdom in January of 2015, we have not visited the Florida parks. I would be shooting for during or right after Memorial Day, 2022.

I realize that trip planning is *very* different as compared to Disneyland. I honestly don't even know where to start -- it seems so intimidating! So I was hoping that y'all might be able to give me some pointers as to how to plan a trip. Is there a really good online resource that you like? Maybe on the Disboards, or somewhere else? Some random topics I'm interested in are:

- How many days to plan for
- What order to do the parks in and when/if to incorporate Universal
- Advantages of staying on site (maybe renting a DVC unit)
- Transportation in and around the different parks
- Fastpass reservations
- Dining reservations
- Park hopping (is that even a thing in Florida?)
- How brutal the weather will be in the last week of May/early June

I'm sure I'll have even more questions as I start to do the research! So thanks in advance for pointing me in the right direction

Resources:
I really like https://www.disneytouristblog.com/ though there are numerous blogs and websites available to use.

How many days - depends are you wanting to see each park? Do you want to do anything else in Florida? Do you think you'll want days to rest? I usually look at flights and get the best price regardless of length as a starting point, especially if I'm using points. We also like rest days. You can easily walk 15000 to 20000 steps a day at Disney, so we prefer a recovery day or 2 in the middle even if we take midday breaks. Others like to do parks every day they're on property. No wrong way, just what works best for your family.

Prior to park passes, some days were better than others on certain days. Now they typically sell out every day, so doesn't matter as much the day or order. If you have in park ADRs that are must do, I typically recommend putting those later in the trip so it's easier to get the reservations. Cinderella Royal Table in Magic Kingdom and SciFi in Hollywood Studios are examples of hard to get, so if you want those, putting those parks later in the trip would make it more likely to get those - this is dependent on staying on site though.

Advantages - the one listed above, early park entry and closer to the parks. DVC Rental may also allow for the extra evening hour as well. If fast passes return, you'll be able to reserve those before offsite guests. DVC Rental is nice. We used DVC Rental store to stay at AKL in January. It was really nice. Getting a room with a kitchen can help save on food costs if you like to cook in a hotel room.

Transportation - most places you can take a bus point to point. There's also monorail, boats and skyliner available in some places.

Fast passes - like DL currently suspended. Unlike DL, precovid you book in advance. Onsite guests got a 30 day headstart on picking FPs. No clue what it'll be like when it returns.

Dining reservations - open up 60 days before now. Previously was 180 days. If you stay onsite, you log in 60 days before your resort check in and schedule ADRs for your entire trip. Offsite guests have to login 60 days before each day they're there.

Park hopping - yes it's available! Me personally, I haven't been enough to want to do just a few things and go somewhere else. There's so much to do in each park, I'd rather spend all day there, but some are just interested in rides or other things and don't want to be tied to one park all day. Currently, park hopping is allowed after 2pm each day. That may or may not change by next spring.

Weather - not sure, lol, we were supposed to go the same exact time last year, but covid. However, we are talking about the possibility of nearly the same week as you. Maybe a week earlier. From what I understand, humidity is starting to return, temps around 90 and at least 1 rain shower during the day.

As a newby to Disney parks, this part of the trip, the planning and research has been the most fun for me. It's a lot to learn and review, but totally worth it if you understand the ins and outs before your trip. Happy planning!

 

[GBRforWDW]

Here are some links to good threads to help with planning and keeping up to date on changes.

Here now & just back:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/h...riences-including-park-hopping.3807247/unread
Rise of the Resistance boarding groups:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/b...read-read-1st-post-before-commenting.3841524/It's similar to DL but still helpful for the differences.

Park pass info:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/everything-park-reservations-please-read-post-1.3834951/
Rope Drop info:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/everything-rope-drop.3828303/
Park Hopping:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/everything-park-hopping-please-read-post-1.3828708/
Park Hours:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/park-hours.3829921/

 

[LisaT91403]

Thank you so much! I will check out all of the links and blogs.

 

[cjlong88]

Exciting! We are WDW vets heading to DLR next weekend. So excited to check out the parks on the west coast.

If I didn't plan on visiting WDW again for awhile, I would choose to stay on property. Depending on which parks I plan on visiting more often determines where I stay. Yacht & Beach Club has been far and away our favorite resort, but everyone is has different priorities and preferences. Just pick what's best for your family.

We park hop every time we go. We like starting at one park in the morning, taking a break midday, then hitting up a different park in the evening. When FastPasses were around, we would let that determine where we go later in the day. Nowadays we just check the wait times and go where the lines are shortest. We also like to visit each park first thing in the morning and late at night at least once on our trip. For that reason, we typically purchase a 4 or 5 day park hopper ticket. Some people will need/want a longer ticket, but that amount works for us. It also allows us to have resort days and we can take it easier (it is vacation after all).

If we can swing one day at Universal Studios, we do it! The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is amazing. If it's peak tourist season, we will splurge and purchase the Express Pass. If it's low crowd season, we typically don't need it. Personally, we don't need two days at Universal because we spend 90% of our time exploring WWoHP.

Transportation options will be based on where you stay. If you want as many transportation options as possible, a monorail resort or an EPCOT area resort will probably be your best bet. We have driven and enjoyed that. We have also used Disney transportation exclusively and enjoyed that as well.

Dining is a strange one...what some people say something is the best restaurant at WDW while others will convince you it's the worst place they have ever dined. I've eaten some incredible meals and some not-so-great meals. There are so many places that you will definitely find something your family will like. With that said, Disney Springs is one of our favorite places to grab a bite to eat, especially for dinner. There are so many terrific and unique options.

Personally, our sweet spot for a perfect length vacation at WDW is an 8-day trip (excluding travel days). 5 park days at WDW, 1 park day at USO. 2 days to rest, lay by the pool, go to the spa, do some shopping, etc. That allows us to visit each park in the morning and at night, with an extra day to do things we missed or re-do our favorites. We can also find moments to take it easy when our feet get tired and we need to sleep in and chill out. We have also done short weekend trips as well, but that is only fun for us because we visit so often. We don't worry about hitting everything because we know we will be back soon.

Weather in late May / early June will most likely be hot and humid with a pop-up thunderstorm in the afternoon.

You will have a great trip no matter how you plan it or what you do. Good luck!

 

[_19disnA]

Fastpass isn't currently offered and no one knows when/if it will return or in what form. I wouldn't waste time planning for something like that.

Basically, you need to start with your budget and what park(s) you plan to visit. No one Disney hotel is closest to every park, so that is one place to start. Staying off-site is generally cheaper and/or you will have larger accommodations for your family. Disney parks involve a LOT of walking, so need to take that into account when planning out your days. If your family is the go-go-go type vs. those who vacation at a more leisurely pace will make a difference in how you plan. There is no one right way to do Disney. Many or your questions are covered by pages of discussions on older threads.

Beside the hotel, you also need park reservations for the days you will be doing a park. Frankly, most everything else about Disney can involve as little or as much planning as you care to do. Excessively planning won't make the parks any less busy.

 

[Disney Fool]

here's my two cents. as you're coming from a Disneyland background, just be aware of the sheer size of WDW as opposed to DL. you will have to adjust to incorporating travel time into your schedule---nothing is a quick hop! and you will do far more walking in Florida, so invest in some good supportive sneakers. your feet will thank you. Where you are used to many more rides at DL park, Magic Kingdom's rides are less, however some are located in other parks. Also consider the weather. 90 degrees in Anaheim is not the same as 90 degrees in Florida!! The humidity is a beast, and is usually picking up just about the time you're planning on visiting, so be prepared. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

 

[Adventureland]

Days to plan for will be based on your budget first and foremost. We always find that five days is nice, a week is great.

Park order...I would think Magic Kingdom is nice as a first park but we always do Epcot on arrival day because it opens later. I do feel like general park order is arbitrary and I urge you to look at the best park to visit on each day of your trip just in a bubble. We do Universal when we visit in the summertime, for 2 or 3 days. Of course, depends on budget. I am a Disney person more than Universal but if you have HP fans or thrill seekers you will probably enjoy it.

I stayed off-site once and I would avoid it in the future if I can because transportation is a big thing for me. I like the Disney bubble, I don't like having to find the car in the parking lot at night. Your hotel choice will depend, again, on budget and some other factors. Do you want to be close to the Magic Kingdom? Get ready to shell out for that. Will you not spend a lot of time in your hotel? Maybe spring for a value resort so you can put your money elsewhere.

Transportation is primarily buses if you do not rent a car. I don't mind them, they have a charm about them, but some people detest them. They do get crowded in the mornings and after fireworks (if there are any) as people rush back to hotels. Other transportation include boats, skyliner (from select hotels), monorail (from the MK area hotels), and walking in some cases! Value resorts (except for AoA and Pop, right?) only have buses. Deluxe resorts tend to have more travel options but it depends on location. AKL, for example, only has buses because of its location.

I agree, don't worry about FP right now.

Dining reservations! 60 days out-if you stay on property, you can book your trip for all days on the 60th day before your arrival. If not, you will have to make them all seperate. Reservation window opens at 6 AM eastern daylight/standard time. You will definitely need to get up at this time if you want to have all of your things booked beforehand. You can stalk cancelled reservations as they happen but I really found it worthwhile to just knock them out beforehand. I like to look to DisneyFoodBlog for reviews and updates about the dining stuff when I'm not hanging around the forums as much. If you have allergies, you can usually find people with applicable allergies reviewing restaurants as they open up, too.

Park hopping is a thing. Although you make your reservations before you arrive, you do get to hop to any park (capacity allowing, although I've heard that no one has been turned away yet) after 2 PM. Honestly, we tended to not use it very much when things still felt super new. Now that I've been a few times, I'm more likely to go from park to park. Very useful though for dining and such.

I've not been during late May, but I know people tend to say that from April to October it is HOT and HUMID. We always find that August is doable for us, YMMV.

For broad strokes, I do think DFB guide on Youtube breaks things down nice and easy in their videos. Check out some of their stuff if you want-some people think they're repetitive but I think they're simple enough and do help to break down the things you need to keep in mind.

here's my two cents. as you're coming from a Disneyland background, just be aware of the sheer size of WDW as opposed to DL. you will have to adjust to incorporating travel time into your schedule---nothing is a quick hop! and you will do far more walking in Florida, so invest in some good supportive sneakers. your feet will thank you.

This x1000. WDW is HUGE. HUMONGOUS. You will need to break in your shoes, bring moleskin, prepare for blisters...

 

[Fangorn]

here's my two cents. as you're coming from a Disneyland background, just be aware of the sheer size of WDW as opposed to DL. you will have to adjust to incorporating travel time into your schedule---nothing is a quick hop!

This the most important thing you need to understand. I grew up at Disneyland - I was actually there on opening day. But now go to WDW much more often than DLR.

The size of WDW is massive. Some things that may help with perspective.

1) Magic Kingdom is about twice the size of DL. Not in total acreage, but in the size of the walking areas. While it's not that big of a deal to go from Splash Mtn to Space Mountain at Disneyland, at WDW that is a significant distance.

2) think of the entirety of Disneyland Park inside the berm - so everything inside the train track plus Galaxy's Edge. ALL of that will fit in World Showcase Lagoon at Epcot. The countries are on the periphery of that. And World Showcase is only half of Epcot.

3) you can walk from Epcot to Hollywood Studios, but it's nearly a mile. You cannot walk between any other parks. This is in contrast to walking across the Esplande to get between DLP and DCA.

4) Disney recommends allowing at least 90 minutes to get between any two locations. Parks, resorts, Disney Springs, etc. It often doesn't actually take that long, but it can.

5) the average guest will walk 8-10 miles each day when visiting the parks.

If you can wrap your head around all of that, and plan accordingly, you'll be fine.

Oh, and going the first party of June will be horrendously hot and humid (mostly humid). It can be managed, but be prepared as well as you can. Early June is better than later in June or in July August or September, but not all that much. It does not cool off at night like it does in Anaheim

Happy planning

Steve

 

[LovesTimone]

Hi all,

Disneyland veteran/expert here...been visiting our local park for almost 50 years now. I am thinking of trying to plan an 8th grade graduation trip to FL for my DS, who is a huge Disney fan. Other than a one-day trip to Animal Kingdom in January of 2015, we have not visited the Florida parks. I would be shooting for during or right after Memorial Day, 2022.

I realize that trip planning is *very* different as compared to Disneyland. I honestly don't even know where to start -- it seems so intimidating! So I was hoping that y'all might be able to give me some pointers as to how to plan a trip. Is there a really good online resource that you like? Maybe on the Disboards, or somewhere else? Some random topics I'm interested in are:

- How many days to plan for
- What order to do the parks in and when/if to incorporate Universal
- Advantages of staying on site (maybe renting a DVC unit)
- Transportation in and around the different parks
- Fastpass reservations
- Dining reservations
- Park hopping (is that even a thing in Florida?)
- How brutal the weather will be in the last week of May/early June

I'm sure I'll have even more questions as I start to do the research! So thanks in advance for pointing me in the right direction

Hi Local here... and AP holder

How many days to plan for/ Park hopping (is that even a thing in Florida?) - That's up to you and your wallet... just sayin... I would maybe start with 7 to 10 days visit. This way you can hit each park once or twice, and you can always park hop.. Yes Park hopping is a thing here in Florida.

What order to do the parks in and when/if to incorporate Universal - I would do just WDW for your first real trip, and plan on some down time at the pool and such. As far as what order, you can look at things like extra magic hours, and general park hours or any special events and go from there. The parks here are big, and spread out so this is something to take into consideration for sure. As well you might want to hit one of the water parks... If Universal is a must, I would go for a open to close 1 day- 2 park pass, and hit the ground running, mapping out what you absolutely have to ride and see...

Advantages of staying on site (maybe renting a DVC unit) - Yes, for this trip I would stay on site. Staying inside the bubble is something that you will want to do, dealing with traffic and such is not fun... I know I live here... So Yes on site for sure...

Transportation in and around the different parks- There are buses to take you everywhere inside to the parks, in between the parks, and Disney Springs, Boat, Skyliner, and the Monorail, lots of transportation options.... As well if you like there is always Uber or Lyft to get you around.

Fastpass reservations- Dining reservations - Fastpass is on hold right now, so its a wait and see when that will start up again, and ADR's ( dinning reservations) I would spend some time looking at menus at the resorts, parks, and disney springs... this way when your time frame opened up you will be ready and have a plan...

How brutal the weather will be in the last week of May/early June - this is Florida, the weather can change on a dime, that's one of the reasons, I said, plan on some water park or pool days... There is no set in stone weather forecast... If might be beautiful one day, then hot and humid the next, then the afternoon rain showers are another thing to add in to...

I have been to Disneyland California, the parks are much smaller, so you will need to take that into consideration. Plus there are 4 parks, 2 water parks, and Disney Springs... so alot to do and see here in Florida...

Happy Planning... Pixie dust away...

 

[LisaT91403]

Wow, thank you all for the thoughtful and *helpful* replies! I have to say, now I'm even more intimidated! On a typical day at DLR, we will walk around 8 miles. If we park hop and go to DCA as well, it's more like 10 miles. Having said that, we don't have the heat/humidity issue. Now I'm second guessing the graduation idea, and am thinking maybe Winter Break would be a better time to visit from a weather standpoint. I'm guessing heavier crowds in December though. Everything is a trade off?

Are the waterparks special enough to spend a day at one of them? Might be just as tiring as a park day!

Again, thanks to all for the help.

 

[Disney Fool]

we don't mean to intimidate you! far from it. we just want you to be prepared so you have the best experience.. Hundreds of people go when you're planning trip, and they have a blast. But they are prepared. At Disneyland you just show up and enjoy the day! At Disneyworld, you have to do at least some planning-if only to decide where to stay and for how many days. So although al this info may feel overwhelming at first, don't be scared off. take it in baby steps, and you'll have a great trip.

 

[nkereina]

- How many days to plan for

IMO, you need at least 4 days to dedicate one day to each park. We like to stay for 6-7 days if we can swing it, and will visit MK, Epcot and DHS twice, at least.

- What order to do the parks in and when/if to incorporate Universal

I don't think the Disney park order matters much, but I think day of the week matters. If you're arriving on a Saturday, you may want to do a park like Animal Kingdom or Epcot first as it will be inclined to be less busy on a weekend day than Magic Kingdom would.

We like to do a split stay with 3 days at Universal. We will move from a Disney resort to a Universal resort, because the premier Universal resorts are walking distance to Universal parks and include their express passes. IMO, its well worth it to do a split stay. There are separate Universal boards here to cover your Universal questions. Its about a 20-25 minute drive from WDW.

- Advantages of staying on site (maybe renting a DVC unit)

The advantages aren't what they used to be, but we still choose to do it. The biggest pros are full immersion with the theming and convenience/proximity. Lots of people rent DVC units but do keep in mind you will need to secure one 7-11 months in advance, you may need to be flexible with resort/room type/view/dates, and its generally non-refundable once booked. People had a lot of issues with obtaining credits and refunds when the parks were closed for covid, so that's a new consideration to think about. Travel insurance usually doesn't cover a pandemic.

We traveled to DL for the first time in 2019 and found it advantageous to stay off-site, across the street. It was significantly cheaper and just as close. I would not say the same about WDW and find it beneficial to be on-site.

- Transportation in and around the different parks

Keep in mind that WDW property is roughly the size of the city of San Francisco. Twice the size of Manhattan. It takes time to get places so that should be factored into plans. I allow an hour to get from my starting point to my ending point when using the buses. Usually that's an over-estimation, but it gives a buffer in case I miss a bus, its taking long, or we don't fit on a bus (capacity is limited in the current environment).

There are several resorts to choose from that offer alternate transportation to at least one park via monorail, boat, Skyliner, walking. You just have to decide which park you want to be closest to and which resort appeals to you most.

- Dining reservations

These are needed for TS meals and can be made 60 days in advance. Its my understanding that DL is known for QS. WDW is the opposite - QS is lacking, but TS meals can be really unique and worthwhile. I would suggest planning one TS meal in each park. Since logistics can be time consuming, maybe book a TS lunch and use that as a break while you're at the park rather than traveling back to your resort.

- Park hopping (is that even a thing in Florida?)

Yep, but as I mentioned above, you have to be strategic about it because of the time it takes to get places. I think hoppers are worth the cost for the added flexibility in case it rains or in case one park doesn't take as long as you plan for, but its definitely not as convenient as hopping from DL to DCA.

- How brutal the weather will be in the last week of May/early June

Hot. Humid. Rainy at times. Plan for heat and rain - we prefer vented rain jackets rather than ponchos. IMO, ponchos don't keep you fully dry and stick to you in the humidity. We all bring two pairs of sneakers each so that if one pair gets wet in the rain, we have a dry pair to put on while the others dry out. Bring newspaper to stuff in wet sneakers to expedite the drying. We had beautiful weather in DL when we went over Memorial Day in 2019 - 60s/70s, no humidity. Unfortunately its not the same at WDW.

Another good approach is to take advantage of morning hours and evening hours, and break at your hotel in the afternoon during the hottest part of the day and when the park is the most crowded. That's also the time of day with the highest likelihood of pop-up thunderstorms. IMO, this is another reason why staying on-site is beneficial - you can be back at your room relatively quickly, making it easier to take mid-day breaks.

 

[Fangorn]

Wow, thank you all for the thoughtful and *helpful* replies! I have to say, now I'm even more intimidated! On a typical day at DLR, we will walk around 8 miles. If we park hop and go to DCA as well, it's more like 10 miles. Having said that, we don't have the heat/humidity issue. Now I'm second guessing the graduation idea, and am thinking maybe Winter Break would be a better time to visit from a weather standpoint. I'm guessing heavier crowds in December though. Everything is a trade off?

Are the waterparks special enough to spend a day at one of them? Might be just as tiring as a park day!

Again, thanks to all for the help.

Didn't mean to add to the feeling of intimidation. Just wanting to set expectations appropriately and give you the best opportunity to have a great trip.

Changing to a December trip has its own set of things to consider. It will probably be cooler, but not necessarily. I've been there in Dec when it's been 94 and very humid. Also been there when the highs were in the low 60s and rainy. You just never know. December crowds are larger than June, and it increases as you get closer to Christmas. The week between Christmas and New Years is the busiest time of the entire year. It's also significantly more expensive than June - the two weeks around Christmas in particular. The up side is that like Disneyland, WDW is even more magical during the holidays. The decorations, special holiday entertainment and treats make December a fantastic time to visit.

Renting DVC points for that time will be difficult (but doable) and you will need to start that process by late fall of this year. DVC owners can start making reservations 11 months ahead. For December, availability can be gone within days, (sometimes minutes for certain categories). If you don't have a resort picked out, and an owner lined up and ready to go, you'll be out of luck.

The water parks are great. We like Typhoon Lagoon much better than Blizzard Beach. We tend to use them as part of a day off from the parks (we typically stay 10-12 days). Hit TL at opening (10) and stay until 3ish. We don't hit all the slides, mostly just relax (love the lazy river). We then go back to the resort, change and head to Disney Springs for drinks and dinner. It's a nice way to take a break.

Steve

 

[Disneyfan754321]

All these questions are on here, use the magnifying glass one by one ... it's easier.
Like hopping it's a popular one.

 

[Blondie58]

Hi all,

Disneyland veteran/expert here...been visiting our local park for almost 50 years now. I am thinking of trying to plan an 8th grade graduation trip to FL for my DS, who is a huge Disney fan. Other than a one-day trip to Animal Kingdom in January of 2015, we have not visited the Florida parks. I would be shooting for during or right after Memorial Day, 2022.

I realize that trip planning is *very* different as compared to Disneyland. I honestly don't even know where to start -- it seems so intimidating! So I was hoping that y'all might be able to give me some pointers as to how to plan a trip. Is there a really good online resource that you like? Maybe on the Disboards, or somewhere else? Some random topics I'm interested in are:

- How many days to plan for
- What order to do the parks in and when/if to incorporate Universal
- Advantages of staying on site (maybe renting a DVC unit)
- Transportation in and around the different parks
- Fastpass reservations
- Dining reservations
- Park hopping (is that even a thing in Florida?)
- How brutal the weather will be in the last week of May/early June

I'm sure I'll have even more questions as I start to do the research! So thanks in advance for pointing me in the right direction

How many days is a personal opinion. We have gone from three days to 28 days.
What order to do the parks. We always park hop depending on the fast passes we have. But no FPs now and no PH unitl 2:00. UGH!
Staying on site. We love the bubble and just get to WDW and r and r.
FPs - there are none at this time. (Used to do 60 days in advance.)
Dining - 60 days in advance now but used to be 180. Print out menus unless you want to read them on your phone. No menus now.
Park Hopping - at this time ONLY after 2:00 pm.
Weather - just got back from nine day trip. Weather was better than my May trip 2019. In May 90+ every day. This trip 80s.