Worth going or not without LL passes

[Tenstew]

Ok, I've searched the threads and can't find any info on this.

Background:
It's been since May 2019 since I've been to WDW. So BEFORE Covid. We still had FP+ then. From 2009-2019 I went annually to WDW.

Now:
I would like to try bringing my Grands but there are 3 of them, 13,11,10. Trying to budget and staying at POP, Sports or Music with Park Hoppers and Quick service Dining, I'm looking at $6500 for Apr 6-13.
Because it has been so long, I am totally NOT up to speed on the new LL passes at all. But I know at this point, I don't think I could afford to do them anyway for 4 people. And after FP+ being free, it kind of goes against the grain to purchase them anyway.

That being said: Would it even be worth going? I mean, if we have to do standby on everything, then there is the possibility of not being able to do very much in a day. We took my grands in 2015 but they were all very young (4.2,1) so they don't remember much at all.

I just hate the thought of spending $3K+ on tickets and not being able to ride many rides. That's a lot of money to spend to not be able to ride much.

Has anyone gone and just not used LL or any other LL passes and still had a good time? +We used to do rope drop and rode quite a bit and only used FP+ in the afternoons. Can this still be done without LL passes though?

I thank you in advance for any advise you can give. Disney has pretty much priced us out of being able to go but my grands want to go so bad.

 

[Tenstew]

I just realized I may should have posted this in the budget board. Sorry! Moderators, you can move it if you need to. Been a long time since I've posted here and need to get my bearings back.

 

[BrianL]

I think it's still pretty doable - I mean skipping lines is nice, but not required. People around here will act like it's a necessity, but it's really not. Honestly, I find it a better value to just get the one Single Pass for the big rides if I need it, and not worry about getitng Multi Pass every day. If you can go at a slightly slower time and utilize rope drop and the extra 30 minutes for resort guests, that will help a bit. Otherwise, just go with it. You'll never "do it all" anyway, but I am sure you could hit all your favorites and must-do attractions.

 

[fla4fun]

Ok, I've searched the threads and can't find any info on this.

Background:
It's been since May 2019 since I've been to WDW. So BEFORE Covid. We still had FP+ then. From 2009-2019 I went annually to WDW.

Now:
I would like to try bringing my Grands but there are 3 of them, 13,11,10. Trying to budget and staying at POP, Sports or Music with Park Hoppers and Quick service Dining, I'm looking at $6500 for Apr 6-13.
Because it has been so long, I am totally NOT up to speed on the new LL passes at all. But I know at this point, I don't think I could afford to do them anyway for 4 people. And after FP+ being free, it kind of goes against the grain to purchase them anyway.

That being said: Would it even be worth going? I mean, if we have to do standby on everything, then there is the possibility of not being able to do very much in a day. We took my grands in 2015 but they were all very young (4.2,1) so they don't remember much at all.

I just hate the thought of spending $3K+ on tickets and not being able to ride many rides. That's a lot of money to spend to not be able to ride much.

Has anyone gone and just not used LL or any other LL passes and still had a good time? +We used to do rope drop and rode quite a bit and only used FP+ in the afternoons. Can this still be done without LL passes though?

I thank you in advance for any advise you can give. Disney has pretty much priced us out of being able to go but my grands want to go so bad.

I have never purchased Genie or LL products, but I am a frequent visitor so it’s a little different.

Will the grands know about the trip in advance? If so, what I would do is sit down before the trip and ask each of them to pick one attraction in each park that is an absolute must do for them. Anyone else going on the trip can also pick one attraction in each park. Once you have that list, those will be your priorities for the trip. Anything on top of that is gravy. Setting realistic expectations will help prevent disappointment.

For example, if you are a party of four (just you and the three kids) then each day you will have four attractions to focus on. Once those are complete, if you end up waiting in lines it won’t matter so much because you haven’t missed out on the most important attractions for your family.

You can accomplish a lot by getting up extra early so you can be on the first bus to the park each day for early entry. In addition, look into whether any of the must do attractions have virtual queues that you will need to book. Also, if one of your must see attractions is extremely popular and has LL Single Pass, it may be worth the cost of paying for just that one attraction, especially if it isn’t open during early entry.

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

I fully understand that the price is ridiculous when you're paying for multiple people but I do think its worth investing in to not spend as much time int he lines and spend more time on the attractions.

I'd consider cutting a few things in order to better justify the cost.
-stay at Sports.
-only get base tickets.
-do not get a dining plan.
-consider only getting LL for SOME days.

Just my opinion like I said I totally get that the price adds up entirely too fast when paying for multiple people.
Admittedly I only have to pay for myself.

 

[elvispursley]

We’ve totally done the parks without genie+ and now LLMP (although I did buy it for a few days when we went last fall and we totally did not need it). I’d recommend rope dropping as much as you can and maybe consider it for either MK or HS. There are some queues where we feel it’s nice to do standby (FoP for example). We rope dropped RotR and it was a walk-on and I’d never seen the standby queue and kinda wish we’d done it when we could take in the details. I think you’ll be surprised how much you can get done standby. Plus you wouldn’t necessarily be zig zagging all over the park to catch a LL time. There’s also no guarantee you’d get all the rides you want with LLMP. Think of the “together time” you’ll have waiting together. Take the time to play some trivia or other group games while waiting.

 

[Minnie1222]

I also think it's doable. There are too many people buying LLMP right now, resulting in a limited ride selection on the day of. We had LLMP during our last trip, but ended up in many standby lines anyway due to the poor LL selections.

 

[Marthasor]

Ok, I've searched the threads and can't find any info on this.

Background:
It's been since May 2019 since I've been to WDW. So BEFORE Covid. We still had FP+ then. From 2009-2019 I went annually to WDW.

Now:
I would like to try bringing my Grands but there are 3 of them, 13,11,10. Trying to budget and staying at POP, Sports or Music with Park Hoppers and Quick service Dining, I'm looking at $6500 for Apr 6-13.
Because it has been so long, I am totally NOT up to speed on the new LL passes at all. But I know at this point, I don't think I could afford to do them anyway for 4 people. And after FP+ being free, it kind of goes against the grain to purchase them anyway.

That being said: Would it even be worth going? I mean, if we have to do standby on everything, then there is the possibility of not being able to do very much in a day. We took my grands in 2015 but they were all very young (4.2,1) so they don't remember much at all.

I just hate the thought of spending $3K+ on tickets and not being able to ride many rides. That's a lot of money to spend to not be able to ride much.

Has anyone gone and just not used LL or any other LL passes and still had a good time? +We used to do rope drop and rode quite a bit and only used FP+ in the afternoons. Can this still be done without LL passes though?

I thank you in advance for any advise you can give. Disney has pretty much priced us out of being able to go but my grands want to go so bad.

Maybe consider dropping the hoppers and just doing 4, 5 or 6 day base tickets? And don't forget to search room inventory in the current 25% off discount. Just a quick check and I see Sports for those dates, with the discount, 4 day base tickets and QS dining saves you about $1000. That would give you plenty of wiggle room to add LL to those days. You would always have the option of adding days to those tickets once there if you feel you need more park time, but there are so many other things you can do on WDW property outside of the parks - Disney Springs, pool time at your resort, some time at Ft. W, mini-golf, etc.

 

[blbrodger1]

I would drop the park hoppers and the dining plan. Unless everyone consistently orders the most expensive meals at the most expensive quick service restaurants, the dining plan is not really worth it, in my opinion.

If you like the dining plan because it is "prepaid," get a bunch of Disney gift cards before your trip and use those. If you're planning a lot of quick service meals, the grands may be happy with a kid's meal. Sometimes I get those even as an adult, or split a larger adult portion at a quick service. Lots of quick service restaurants give a lot of bang for your buck.

Some rates for Sports are shockingly low right now...I saw some for around $150 during spring break with the 25% off deal!

 

[DisneyMom93]

I agree to not get a dining plan. I don’t see the value in them and never got them unless I got the Free Dining Plan special.

We also don’t get Park Hoppers so we can spend the entire day in one park and not lose travel time (but we do the parks for 10 days so it’s probably different in our case). I would put the PH money you save towards the LL passes.

 

[HeiHei2018]

For that age range,I agree with others to cut other expenses and budget for LLMP. Not sure if it would be doable with your travel plan, but you could take advantage of the free water park day on your arrival day instead of a park day.

 

[We’reAllMadHere]

I don’t think LL are required, but if you’re not buying LL I would highly recommend staying on site and going to the park for early entry each day. It’s only 30 minutes but you can get a lot done in the early hours before the parks get busy.

Line times also drop in the last hour or two the park is open and during fireworks/show times.

Keep in mind that Disney sometimes posts inflated times for rides.

I would review the rides and wait times with the kids. There might be a few rides or days when LL is more of a priority. I would guess maybe Hollywood Studios might be a day when you might want to buy LL because those seem like the most exciting rides for teens.

Also remember that Tiana and Guardians have virtual queues. These are free but you have to be quick to get them.

That week is April is predicted for higher than average crowds.

 

[loves to dive]

I never buy any of the LLs - either single or multi and am usually able to ride everything I want to ride. I'll actually be there the same week and will not be buying anything. Will you be able to do everything? Nope, I've been going for over 40 years and there are still things I haven't done. Mind you that is because I choose not to do those things. I agree with others about the dining plan, skip it. With the ages of the grands it's not worth it unless you want to do a few of those overpriced character meals. I don't agree with skipping PHs. We always have and always will have them. I'd stay at whatever value is the less for the time frame you are there. Most likely Sports but who knows with the discounts. I'm assuming you had hoppers and the dining plan because you were thinking of getting the package with the "free" dining plan. Run the numbers on that. Check on the price of a room only with the discount then hop over to the discount ticket site (don't know if I can say the name but google Disney discount tickets and the frog) and price out both single day and hoppers for the week you will be there. After you get your total, compare it to you package factoring in some for food and see where you come out better. Most kids tend to do better with QS but that totally depends on your grands and their eating habits. Like others have said, if the kids know anything about the parks, sit down with them and get each of their must do rides and go from there. If they don't, it's easier because you can't miss something you've never had or don't even know about. Do get some sort of idea as to the type of ride they might want to do and don't be surprised if each one of them has a different view on that. The WDW app. is your friend, sort of. Check the wait times on the rides and try to hit the ones with the lower wait times. Keep in mind those times are not always accurate but they are a jumping off point. Go, have fun and don't think you need to spend all the money to have a good time.

 

[seashoreCM]

Is there a way to try out, and rehearse, the procedure for getting a boarding group without being in the park and being just minutes away from the appointed five second time opportunity to make a booking for that day?

... There are some queues where we feel it’s nice to do standby (FoP for example). We rope dropped RotR and it was a walk-on and I’d never seen the standby queue and kinda wish we’d done it when we could take in the details. ..

(copied from another forum) After using your Lightning Lane or similar privilege you can always go back through and view the decorations in the standby line. When you are done, take the chicken exit.

 

[RuntheMouse]

You’ve already been given a lot of good ideas for cost cutting that I would definitely consider. I just wanted to add that we sometimes get LLMP but more often than not, we don’t. When we do, we only get it at MK or HS. You don’t need it at EPCOT or AK.

 

[DL1WDW2]

You are getting lots of advice and I am starting to feel overwhelmed for you!
Please study the Park Guide Maps before you arrive.
I would want to jump on the train immediately for one entire loop
Walk down Main Street USA looking in the windows.
Then decide to veer to the right or left.
Or go straight into Fantasyland walking through the Castle and ride on the Carousel .
If you look to the left you will have Peter Pan Haunted Mansion Jungle Cruise
Swiss Family Treehouse Tiki Tiki Tiki Room PhilHarmagic
To the right and further into the lands you will discover Dumbo Goofys Skyliner
Little Mermaid Autopia Tomorrowland Transit Authority aka PeopleMover…
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Winnie the Pooh .Alice in Wonderland

I always try to get one sit down reservation because you will need it to recharge
! I love dining at the Plaza on Main Street and you will need to make a reservation .

Do you want me to continue with HS and AK and EPCOT ?
I’m actually having fun planning your trip Haha
Hope your family finds Magic everywhere

P.s. Stay at POP for the Skyliner and also bonus Art of Imagination Resort at same location to explore .
If you remeber or celebrating something special, you can decorate the door or windows at POP to personalize your room !
And I think you should consider the craft they have perfected
No mess Tie Dye Tshirts ! Great personalized souvenir that your grandkids can make and take home ! They are reasonably priced and perfectly fun to make!
Everybody needs a hippie dippy T-shirt

 

[cruising spud]

IN MY OPINION-taking your grandkids to Disney is different from taking your kids (at least for me). You have a different relationship with them than you did when your kids were their age. And, at ages 13, 11, and 10 they are going to be able to watch YouTube videos and see all of the rides that are available. I don't think saying, pick a ride or two that you really want to see, is going to fly. They are going to want to do everything. I would buy the some LLMP and some LLSP.

You are going to be at Disney for eight days. If you buy a six-day non-park hopper ticket, I would (assuming the kids want to do most of the rides):
Buy LLMP for one day at Magic Kingdom and for one day at Hollywood Studios. And, do early entry.
Buy a LLSP for Flights of Passage at Animal Kingdom and do early entry.
Buy a LLSP for Guardians at Epcot and do early entry. Keep in mind that Remy usually has a single rider lane open. I would use it.

Since you are staying at Disney- to save some money I would:
Get breakfast food and snacks delivered to your hotel. This will save you money, PLUS you should do early entry anyway and trying to get three kids ready and out the door AND fed at the food court would be tough. If there is a snack or two that the kids really want to try, fine, buy the snack, but explain to them that most snacks are going to be the ones you had delivered from the store.
Look for room discounts.

You want to utilize your park time wisely. Park hopping wastes a lot of time on buses. I wouldn't do it.

I also wouldn't do more than one or two (or none) sit down meals during the entire trip. Again, this really messes up the LL ride times, and you will spend too much down time eating.

I would discuss with the grandkids how you see each park day playing out and see if they have any major issues with what you want.

Notice- a lot of my suggestions for saving money are also "saving time" issues-eat breakfast in the room, no sit-down meals, etc. You don't need to let them know you are concerned about money. Explain this is a time issue.

Another thought, you could always get a five-day ticket and give them a down day to sleep in and, depending on the time of year you go, swim.

Good luck with your planning.

 

[DL1WDW2]

The hardest thing to remember is Remembering to get the Virtual Q… and the waking up to remember.
Have you downloaded the MDE APP on your phone ?
The virtual Q is available for Guardians of the Galaxy at EPCOT and Tianas Bayou Adventure in the Magic Kingdom .
You will need to “link” the ticketing online .
You must be inside the Park to make the reservation at 1:00 but I think advance, day of begins at 7:00 a.m.

 

[gottalovepluto]

No hoppers, no dining plan. That will be a very busy time of year so LL instead of hopping, expect it to be priced at max prices when doing the budget. No dining plan will give you more flexibility meal wise to make calls on the go like splitting.

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

I wouldn't do dining plan for those ages, since they will all have to pay the expensive adult dining price and we have found the dining plan to only be worth it if we are doing a lot of character dining or Epcot dining and concert packages.

We never used LL; after the end of FP, we would use daytime trips to do low line stuff and pick 1 long wait a day. Then we'd get a holiday party or after hours ticket for all the rides that usually have long lines. At Jollywood Nights, we only waited 20 minutes or so for Slinky Dog, Rock n Roller Coaster, Rise of Resistance, Minnie and Mickey's Runaway Railroad, and Millennium Falcon. We walked onto Alien Swirling Saucers and even got to ride twice in a row.

Also we find lots of fun to do at the resorts. Would they be interested in fishing, horseback riding, or archery at Ft. Wilderness? Some pool time and arcade time is fun, too.