Williamsburg questions

[MinnieForMe]

Hi:
I just finished reading the thread from last January but I have a few more questions. My husband agreed to a second trip next year as long as we drive! Hurray!

We are interested in the nighttime ghost tour at CW. Is the tour handicap accessible? If not, I'll book it just for my husband and son. How far in advance do you book it?

I read that someone rented costumes for their daughter. Any one have a place and price? I was thinking of having one made from ebay for my daughter and Felicity (American girl doll) but was wondering which was cheaper.

Are VA children back in school the third week of August this year? I believe other Southern states are so I'm hoping this would lower crowds.

That's it for now. Thanks in advance!

 

[bas71873]

Hi:
I just finished reading the thread from last January but I have a few more questions. My husband agreed to a second trip next year as long as we drive! Hurray!

We are interested in the nighttime ghost tour at CW. Is the tour handicap accessible? If not, I'll book it just for my husband and son. How far in advance do you book it?

I read that someone rented costumes for their daughter. Any one have a place and price? I was thinking of having one made from ebay for my daughter and Felicity (American girl doll) but was wondering which was cheaper.

Are VA children back in school the third week of August this year? I believe other Southern states are so I'm hoping this would lower crowds.

That's it for now. Thanks in advance!

I can't answer your first 2 questions, but I would suggest just calling the main number for CW or checking out their website. I'm sure you will get the info in one, if not both, of those 2 places.

As for school, nope, here in VA we don't start school until after Labor Day!

 

[Fierce Fairy]

I lived in Williamsburg for 2 years and now live 30min away. I have never been on the Ghost Tours but have heard they are fun. Williamsburg tries very hard to be accessable. Here is link with some of good info.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...msburg_Ghost_Tours-Williamsburg_Virginia.html. As far as schools go we don't go back to school here until after Labor Day in September. Hope you have fun.

 

[PA DISNEYLOVER]

Not sure about the Ghost tour. The costumes can be rented at the Visitor center right across from from the info desk. I have been many times in August and I have never noticed a difference between the beginning of the month or the end of the month.

 

[BonnieA]

I have been on the ghost tour with my brother and his wife. At the time his wife was having some trouble with her leg. The tour guide kind of rushed us from one area to another. She couldn't keep up and told us to go on without her. It is all outside on flat ground so I guess it would be considered accessible.

 

[MinnieForMe]

Not sure about the Ghost tour. The costumes can be rented at the Visitor center right across from from the info desk. I have been many times in August and I have never noticed a difference between the beginning of the month or the end of the month.

Does that mean August is insanely busy or doable? Unfortunately, my son will be going into 8th grade and we can't pull him to do a less crowded visit in September.

 

[MrsPete]

I don't know anything about renting costumes for children, but we did a couple things that were nice for our kids:

1. We read the American Girls Felicity books ahead of time, which gave my girls a sense of the time period.

2. Once we were there -- you cannot get this ahead of time -- we bought the American Girls' scavenger hunt. It was a large, full color page, and thre girls loved looking for the items as we toured. It cost $2, but that was YEARS ago.

And something we did wrong:

Somehow we started on the wrong end of the tour. We saw the Governer's Palace last. We realized too late that everything is set up to begin there. You get your basic info on that part of the tour. I think the kids would've enjoyed it more if we'd not gone backwards.

 

[gk90]

Do bring Misty Mates or mister fans if you're going 3rd wk of August--it's really hot. It's busy but not crazy busy, though, definitely doable.

A lovely place to relax is the garden behind the Governor's Palace, going down towards the pond--cool and green and quiet.

The evening events are a fun way to enjoy the cool of the day, our family specially enjoyed the African American music and the storytelling. The evening production in the theater is a lot of fun too.

Have fun! We love Williamsburg!

 

[MinnieForMe]

Thank you so much for the crowd level info. We don't mind Disney in 90 degree weather so I hope we'll be fine in Williamsburg with misty fans!

What age do you ladies think the Felicity books are geared towards? Although, my daughter is obsessed with Felicity and the movie, she is only 5 year's old. I suppose I could read them to her as her kindergarten reading level is only Cat in the Hat. LOL.

My boys are 13 and 9 and will really enjoy the evening events as they are very history minded kids!

Thanks for the great tips!

 

[gk90]

My daughter read the Kaya books at the end of 1st grade and the Felicity books when she was in 2nd grade--I'm sure a KG child would enjoy having them read to her though you may need to do some explaining.

If you have boys, this program is excellent, well worth the extra $:
In Defense Of Our Liberty
http://www.history.org/visit/events...=10/8/2010&end_date=10/14/2010#show_undefined

It's about the training soldiers went through in colonial times, really gave us an appreciation of how those historic battles worked. I'm pretty sure we got a good discount with the multi-day ticket.

If they like animals and history this is another good one:
Bits and Bridles Walking Tour
http://www.history.org/visit/events...=10/8/2010&end_date=10/14/2010#show_undefined
We had a great time looking at the stables and animals--by the end of the tour most of the other people had left (complaining about the "bad" animal smells and making grossed-out faces, what did they expect?) and they gave us a free carriage ride.

 

[Arielle22]

We did the host tour this past August. You walk around Williamsburg on the streets so it is accessable.

When we were there is was really hot (over 100 2 days). Other than that it was very enjoyable.

 

[MinnieForMe]

gk90:

Thank you! My boys would love those programs. My middle wants to be career military and absorbs any type of military history!

Do I need to book months ahead of time like Disney?

 

[locolala]

You shouldn't need to book months ahead, we went down in the spring and booked our ghost tour in the morning and went that night.

Something you didn't ask, but I want to tell you about.. a restaraunt called Food for Thought. OMG... delicious food. It's a little on the pricier side but you get what you pay for. Try the bread pudding. It's out of this world

 

[WBRandy]

My wife and I went in early October last year. This was the most boring place we visited on the East coast. There was nothing going on. We had to really search to find anyone in costume. I realize it was off season, but don't charge full price if you're not going to have staff working. I tell people this and they are all amazed, because they all had a great time. I wouldn't go back if it was free.

 

[howlongtildisney]

I'd just like to add a plug for Yorktown and Jamestown. I worked there when I was in high school. Not everyone takes the time to head over to each of them, but they're also very historically significant. Plus, Yorktown is still a nice small town on the river that's nice to visit.

 

[MinnieForMe]

My wife and I went in early October last year. This was the most boring place we visited on the East coast. There was nothing going on. We had to really search to find anyone in costume. I realize it was off season, but don't charge full price if you're not going to have staff working. I tell people this and they are all amazed, because they all had a great time. I wouldn't go back if it was free.

I'm sorry that happened to you! Thankfully, I'm a photography nut so even if nothing is happening, I can find joy in photographing flowers in a garden or the surrounding architecture. Each of our kids carries a digital camera and that has passed many an hour in a less than exciting place because we are always looking for things unique to capture!

I'm so excited to go to Williamsburg and it's months away. One would think I'd be busy planning Disney as its closer but that's so second nature now!

 

[jcc0621]

We were just in WIlliamsburg this past August (14th - 19th). The crowds were VERy manageable. There is not muc that you wait in line for (Other than the Governor's Palace Tour and the Capitol Tour, but that's more just waiting for the next one to start. I thik they start every 20 minutes or so. I'm not sure that those tours are accessible, becasue if I remember you had to walk up and down steps.

Before we went I purchased this book Colonial Williamsburg Guidebook. It's no Unoffical Guide or Passporter but it had a lot of GREAT information, especially about the tours and accessability.

I also second someone else's recommendation that if you can make time see Yorktown and the Jamestown Settlement. We really enjoyed both of these and neither one is a whole day event.

 

[Dancemom03]

I read that someone rented costumes for their daughter. Any one have a place and price? I was thinking of having one made from ebay for my daughter and Felicity (American girl doll) but was wondering which was cheaper.

I'd suggest haunting ebay for an original Pleasant Company Felicity dress before having one made. With careful bidding you'd be in it for $100 or so - but usually a bit less - especially if you wait until an off period & then snipe. That's not too much more than the seamstress versions and definitely worth the few extra $$ IMO. I'm sure there will be folks who'll get sticker shock & criticize my suggestion so let me give you three reasons this makes wonderful sense:

1) You said your daughter is already a Felicity fan so having her meet dress would be especially meaningful to her in years to come when she sees the photos. Be sure to stop in the rose graden at the inn (or is it the lodge? I always mix those two up so somebody correct me please if I'm wrong) and get a candid picture of her on the bench with her doll or bending to admire the flowers. DD21 still cherishes those, as do I, prompting the happy memories to instantly flood back.

2) The authentic dresses are made of nice quality cotton - except her blue Christmas gown which is a lovely taffeta. AG clothing will not only look more authentic (actual colonial style fashions as opposed to what often looks like a fancy-fied pioneer era) but is a wonderful quality garment made with greater attention to detail. For example, compare the sleeves of the seamstress gowns - not even close to historically accurate for Williamsburg.
More importantly, it'll be much more wearable in the heat & humidity of a Williamsburg summer than the lighter, cheaper fabric of many ebay/etsy seamstress' alternatives.

3) This is where the budget part comes into a very non-budget suggestion... The original AG 'dress like your doll' children's clothing is still very sought after despite the seamstress alternatives available. Anything you buy can be resold after she's outgrown it or as soon as your trip is complete if neccessary. In a fixed price ebay format with a nicely worded description & title, accompanied by a few photos that show the dress & doll in colonial settings - but with your daughter's head turned of course so she isn't identifiable - you should be able to resell the dress on ebay for $150-$200 and make a tidy profit after all is said & done...

 

[MrsPete]

One more thing: My favorite stop in Colonial Williamsburg was the church. It isn't one of the official buildings on the tour, but they welcome visitors and have a greeter who'll show you around. Things that interested us:

- The wooden box seats, which were designed to keep in heat. People carried metal boxes filled with hot coals to church.
- People were buried inside the church, even in the aisles!
- Pocahantas was baptised in this very building. It's the oldest continually-operating church in the United States.

 

[nancycg56]

One more thing: My favorite stop in Colonial Williamsburg was the church. It isn't one of the official buildings on the tour, but they welcome visitors and have a greeter who'll show you around. Things that interested us:

- The wooden box seats, which were designed to keep in heat. People carried metal boxes filled with hot coals to church.
- People were buried inside the church, even in the aisles!
- Pocahantas was baptised in this very building. It's the oldest continually-operating church in the United States.

The church is one of my favorites, too. My DS went to William & Mary and one of his music classes was taught by the organist right in the church. He loved it!

William & Mary is another good place to wander around and don't forget to have lunch at The Cheese Shop in Merchant's Square