I have been assimilated. It has been decided that 2009 is the year that the G. family goes to
Needless to say, the 12X14' cabin in Montana's starting to look pretty good right now...
My job, at the moment, is pretty much to shut my fool mouth, nod my head vigorously in agreement, and try to decide whether to sell a kidney or start robbing liquor stores to pay for this trip. I'm not exaggerating when I say I could buy an entry-level submachine gun for what this is going to cost us (you might be a gun nut if you relate *all* large purchases to firearms of some sort!).
I know at least a couple of commenters have been to the land of the oversized rodent in recent times. Any and all hints/tips/things to avoid/etc. are more than welcome - the last time I was at Disney was the opening of Epcot (look it up), so I'm guessing that I won't recognize it. I'm hoping they've finished the construction of "Bourbon Land" by the time I get there...
That is all.
24 comments:
Be prepared to live, eat, sleep, and breathe Disney every day. I did the trek with the family back in '98. We stayed on the property in one of the lower cost hotels (All Sports) and got a 5 day park hopper. The plus side of staying at one of the Disney hotels, is you can catch a bus directly to any park and don't have to hitch up the wagon. Plus, if someone gets tired (burned out) they can go back to the hotel for a nap or a dip in the pool. May be more $$ than some of the off world places, but has its conveniences. Try the park hopper pass as well. It lets you into any theme park or water park as many times as you want. I bought the "Unofficial Underground Guide to Disneyworld" and it was actually pretty good. Lots of good suggestions on places to go and how to save money (what was worth it and what was a waste). Good strategy book on how to attack the park and survive. Be prepared for an expensive trip. Good quality digs/venue, just mucho $$$.
God speed. Good luck. Takes lots of scotch & prosac and remember: "It's A Small World, After All".
OK, I am a Disney nut and have been since I was a kid. . . I love the place.
First suggestions: Fast Pass the big rides you want to go on. This is a system where you go to the ride, look for the fast pass ticket machine and let it scan your tickets. The tick tells you when to be back so you can use the short line to go on the ride. You can only fast pass one ride at a time.
second: Go early, take a break in the after noon by the pool then go back. If you don't try to do everything it will be much more fun, you can't do it all in a week.
Third- Go see Fantasmic in Disney Hollywood Studios. Great show and Fireworks. Ask guest services where you can do a dinner combo that gets you dinner at a restaurant in Disney Studios and a pass to Fantasmic. Best way to guarantee a seat otherwise you have to get there like two hours before the show.
Do a character breakfast, great way to get photos of the kids and characters.
Plan out the rids you want to do ahead of time. As a motor head you will like the car stunt show at Disney Hollywood Studio called Lights, Motors, Action I think. . .
For Epcot, go to Canada and see Off Kilter. They are a great band that plays Celtic music with a twist most days at Epcot. Multiple shows a day.
Fireworks, check out Wishes at the Magic Kingdom and Illuminations in Epcot. Also the Spectral Magic light parade in Magic Kingdom is a great way to end the night. . .
Eat a big Breakfast, snack for lunch then do a big early dinner. That seems to work for us and you don't spend as much time in the restaurants.
staying on property is worth it, the buses make getting around easy. . .
Check out http://www.themouseforless.com/ they have lots of info on how to do Disney.
I will think of more I am sure. . . Let me know if you have any question
I believe that Disney is currently offering a free admission on birthdays this year. You might schedule your run for one of the kids birthdays.
emdfl
Well, just remember, the House of the Mouse is about an hour from my place, so I fully expect a meet up at some point ;)
I agree with agg79 - with smaller kids especially, having more control over your schedule is a big, big win.
Other than that, you'll be surprised by what the kids like, and what they hate. I remember having to take #2 Son out of the Enchanted Tiki Room because it creeped him out so much.
Mrs. G. is in charge of ops; I'm just in charge of funding... :)
That said, we're most likely staying at one of the value resorts and getting an all-inclusive meal plan, so that's one less thing to worry about. She's gung-ho on the character breakfasts - she claims to be doing it for BabyGirl G, but I dunno... ;)
Thanks for the tips agg79, JD, and emdfl - we're actually going down the week after BabyGirl G's birthday, so maybe we can catch a break for that...
Robb,
I already told Mrs. G. that I might have folks to meet in the area (there's you, Greg, Jay C. and probably several others) so I think I might be able to get a night out. Or at least meet for dinner... We can work something out - I'm always looking to add names to the "Bloggers I've Met" list!
Ted,
Funny that you mention control - seems the threat of canceling Disney exerts a not-inconsequential amoun thereof with the wee ones.
MUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Covered it here, buddy. Since that time, Disney now has a 'meal plan' where you basically pre-pay for your day's meals & snacks. Two words: DO IT.
I saved several hundred bucks that way on my last trip.
Second: go with the cheap resorts; all you're going to do is rest, sleep & watch the kids swim there, so no need dropping an extra $50-$75/day for an upgrade. The All-Star resorts are just fine.
You may also want to look into doing Star Tours at Disney Hollywood Studio and Mission Space in Epcot. The Stich ride in the Magic Kingdom in Tomorrow land is cool too. IF they like Monster Inc there is an interactive comedy show in Tomorrow land too with the Monster Characters.
The Talk with Crush in the Living Seas in EPCOT is cool too. for the Nemo fans.
And don't forget the shooting gallery in Frontier Land . . . Disney still has it, they arn't that PC yet. . .
Can't wait for the post when you get back. I have never regretted one damn dime that I spent down there and I have been a number of times.
The Aerosmith roller coaster, Soarin' and Illuminations are the top three must experiences.
Everything Disney does they do right. That place can move lots of people faster than anyplace I have ever been.
Getting a copy of "The unofficial Underground Guide to Disneyworld" is a great idea.
Just be sure and pace yourself. The fun really begins after dark!
The Aerosmith roller coaster, Soarin' and Illuminations are the top three must experiences.
Agreed.
Throw in "Mission Space" in Epcot (hosted by Gary Sinise) and you have the top attractions at Disney.
I suggest your bring a flask. Whiskey helps.
J-
proper planning if the key,
little things make a huge difference.
I'll email you with tips from our trips
b
Having been there with some trepidation as an adult - something to watch for:
How they do things. Look at how trash is picked up. How they seat people on rides. Where to do people get routed.
Honestly, the most amazing thing about Disney is how well it WORKS. Traffic is easy. You'll rarely see trash - it gets picked up very quickly. The entire place is on the second floor of a very large building - (so think underground tunnels).
Look at it with those eyes - think what commercial airline travel would be if Disney ran it (okay - more of the big mouse) but you'd be seated in 1/10th the time and everyone would be nice.
My recommendation is really to watch the infrastructure and be amazed at what some seriously high power people did back in the day. It's amazingly well thought out.
Let me know when you're going, and I'll call a friend who may be able to get you a private meet-and-greet with the characters after the parade.
Also, don't forget to get the baby girl a Cinderella makeover. She'll never forget it.
Jay,
I can whole-heartedly agree with many of the recommendations made below, and maybe add one or two more.
Probably the single most important factor for enjoying your Disney experience is a simple one. In fact, I'm a little surprised no one mentioned it. Wear confortable shoes which give good foot support. Do NOT try to break in a new pair of shoes during a Disney trip. You'll want to amputate your feet at the ankles after the first few hours. Don't wear shoes that are on their last legs. Same degree of pain, just from the other end of the bell curve.
My recommendations:
1) Stay on property. Last time I did the Disney experience, my family stayed at the New Orleans styled resort. Not the cheapest, but still value-priced.
2) Get the meal plan. I had the meal plan which was 2 meals and 1 or 2 (don't recall) snacks per day. Price was $38 per person per day. Worth.Every.Penny.
3) Eat a big breakfast with lots of protein. Avoid an all-carb breakfast. The protein is slower to digest and helps you keep up your energy better than fast-burning carbs.
4) Big breakfast / snack / early dinner eating plan works very well.
5) Character breakfast at the Crystal Palace in The Magic Kingdom was pretty good.
6) Eat at least one dinner downstairs in the Animal Kingdom Resort. I found this to be among the best food on property. Seafood dinner in The Living Seas in Epcot was also quite good.
7) Park-hopper passes are a must
8) Fast-pass admission is convenient and saves lots of line wait time. Handy if the kids are getting restless and impatient.
9) For the motor-head in you, do the Test Track exhibit in Epcot. Watch out for the wall when the brakes fail.
10) Get Birnbaums Disney Travel Guide. It is THE DEFINITIVE travel guide for the Disney experience.
11) The Soaring exhibit in Epcot is also fabulous. Worth the wait.
12) If you're staying for a full week, consider making one of your days a "down" day. Keep back at the resort, make it a day of swimming, resting, relaxing, etc.
13) Epcot fireworks show was spectacular.
I'm sure there's more, but that's all my brain can dislodge right now. What are your travel dates?
Oops, forgot one . . .
14) Get a couple of the smoked turkey legs. They are GREAT. They're even better if you save the napkin until the very end. Eating 'em can be a thoroughly primal yet satisfying experience.
Ya, you will be amazed at how much you walk. On my honeymoon there we could barely finish a meal at the start (they cost but you get FOOD) by the end we both could down a whole meal yet didn't gain a pound. . . .
A water bottle is a good idea to have too for the kids and the sit down restaurant in Japan is fab! we go every time. they cook the food on the grill in front of you!
The restaurant in Morocco was a nice surprise too, it is way in back and usually not a long wait.
Y'know, I'm absolutely amazed that Robb didn't mention this part... Think about the time you're going, and go during the cooler weather. If you do it as a summer trip, our summer weather will just about kill you. It's not unusual for Disney to hit 90 - 100 in the summer months, and that starts early and lasts late. Throw in the fact that the majority of the parks are concrete and asphalt, and you've got major heat issues happening.
I've found my "northern" visitors (from Virginia) like the early spring and late fall months best for visits, especially if they're going to see a theme park. Make sure you keep everyone hydrated, and plan on inside activities in the middle of the day, like the Honeybear Jamoboree, stuff like that.
Weather here, an hour north of Orlando, is running low 60's this week, with a return to the low 70's next week. We've had days in the 80's during the past two weeks.
And if you do a get-together, let me know.
Geek Speak, answer:
"Rhesus Tans Feudal" is how my Closed Captioning displayed Data's "Resistance is futile!" line from a commercial for Star Trek: First Contact.
Regarding Disney, build an airtight schedule before you go, packed with fun. You won't meet 2% of it, of course, but who cares? The kids will steer you onto rides you never thought they'd like, or
And to minimize lines and maximize fun, remember the following:
1) B can help plan the best possible trip, exploiting every loophole, dodging every obstacle, penetrating the bureaucracy -- (apologies to Gilbert Huph). Early birds have the most fun per hour, and Disney rewards those who stay at their hotels with time-saving passes. Lines are inevitable, even in the off-season.
2) You're old, the kids are young: you'll have the best time letting them have fun. Sure, you have to play sheriff, breaking up fights and gently nudging things along (aka "herding cats"). But they'll steer the ship.
I'm not gonna read all the comments to make sure I'm not repeating, so I'll hit the most memorable parts as far as I sees it:
First and foremost, USE THE BUSES/TRAINS!!! They go everywhere you need to go, they're included in nearly every package, and you will be glad you saved the extra walking/driving at the end of the day. Srsly.
Hit the pyro show at Epcot (holy SHIT it's cool). See the castle and the parade twice (day AND night version. Kids'll love it). Studio park is where the scary rides are, and an awesome show called Fanstasmic! (think of it as a live-action kick-ass version of Fantasia). Animal Kingdom is okay, but don't allot too much time there. Kinda repetitive.
Otherwise, you'll enjoy seeing it with your kids. And there's a bar in every resort hotel;)
tweaker
make sure to hit up cheers on I-drive... im kinda partial because i worked there... but the drinks are cheap and they flow freely
any thing you need, let me know, i spent about 5 years of my life delivering food in the universal studios area.
Another thing to remember: Disney theme parks do not allow concealed permit holders to carry in the parks. According to handgunlaw.us, FL doesn't honor MA permits, but I don't know if you've got an out of state license from FL or Utah that would allow you to carry here. However, you can't carry inside the parks, for some reason.
OK, I have a TON of advice for you, Jay, as my wife and & I have been Disney Vacation Club members for years, but I'll only pass on a few now. (and BTW, JD's advice is spot-on - pay attention!)
Go do Tower of Terror - it is frickin' AWESOME. A tamer ride that any movie fan will love is The Great Movie Ride. These are in Hollywood Studios (used to be Disney MGM).
Bring water bottles for all of you, with shoulder straps or fanny packs (note that anyone who has a pack/bag gets to go in a seperate line to get them searched). Make them the widemouthed sort, as most all restaurants and snack bars in the parks wil fill them with ice water for you for free.
BRING LOTS OF SUNSCREEN AND USE IT!!! I can't emphasize this enough - the FL sun will turn your Yankee hides red in a heartbeat. Try the spray bottles - the kids don't seem to mind them nearly as much.
Bring an extra (empty) suitcase for the plunder you'll accumulate.
Bring snacks with you for the kids during the day.
Some more good websites are www.mousesavers.com, www.allears.net and www.disboards.com.
Off-Kilter is awesome - bring a video camera; you'll not regret it.
In fact, bring a camera, period - there will be a LOT of opportunities to take pictures of the kids with various characters. And you, too - I have pictures of my wife and I with Mike Wisowski and Sully, us with Buzz Lightyear, and me with Timone.
Bring a ball cap or buy one - that bald head of yours will thank you for it. Sunglasses are good, too - that sun is BRIGHT.
Some other favorite rides by park:
AK - Expedition Everest & Kali River Rapids
MK - Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Railroad
Disney MGM - Tower of Terror, Rock & Roller Coaster, Star Tours, Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, Great Movie Ride, Muppets 3-D (I'm such a little kid!), Back Lot Tour. As a gearhead, you'll probably love Lights, Motors, Action! Well, if you like the smell of burning rubber, anyway.
Epcot - Test Track, Mission Space, Soarin', and Maelstrom, the ride in the Norway pavilion.
Toy Story Mania, the new TS ride in Hollywood Studios, is fun but NOT worth waiting in line for an hour - fast pass it immediately since as of last October the Fast Passes were GONE by 10:30 or 11:00 AM.
Aw, heck. Jay, PM incoming on NES with my phone # - there's just so much info I can dump on you and I don't have time to type it all.
Ross
Well, Jay, you got plenty of feedback. :)
If you'll notice, many of us Disney-fanatics are all humming the same tune & you can note the obvious redundancy of many of the comments; yep, we know what to do & how best to handle the situation. Practice makes perfect, after all, especially when you're dropping that kinda cash. We do it because we all LOVE Disney World (glad to see someone else spent their honeymoon there!).
Phillip is right; if you can avoid the summer months, do. Darn near everyone goes there either in the summer or during the holidays. If you can sneak down there in the spring, you'll save yourself a lot of misery. Florida is hot AND humid & you're too far from the coast to catch a breeze. You'll melt.
Lastly: take plenty of pics or take an HDD camera (rent one if you don't have it) and get as much as you can on video. 'cept for your honeymoon ('nuff said) I'm willing to bet that you'll have the time of your life, if for no other reason that to be there when your kids' faces start to glow. Like Christmas mornings for us parents, it's hard to put that kinda joy into words & being able to give it to them is worth all that money and then some.
You.
Will.
Love.
It.
The only thing better is a Disney Cruise.
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