Walt Disney World

[Brianfo]

My wife and I will be taking 2 small children to Walt Disney World in Florida in 2 weeks. I get to go as a bonus thru my work. We are staying at the Hilton. My question is what is the weather like down there in January? Any good ideas on what to see and do with twins that are 2 years old? I am kind of looking forward to it. A chance to get out of Iowa in January. Oh well, enought blabbing. Any responses are greatly appreciated.

[4th and Long]

Learn to speak Cuban and you'll be fine.

[Rain Man]

The batlight just went up for mmaddog.

[Phobia]

Your children will have no recollection of the event except through the pictures you take. So, spend the first day taking a lot of pictures near rides and such.

Spend the rest of the time drinking and eating. Try to find somebody to sit for your brats.

[Saulbadguy]

In the 70's/80's. Just make sure to pack some sweatshirts and stuff for the nighttime, it gets kinda cool.

[Big Chief Homer]

I took my girls(4 and 5) last year.

SeaWorld was great for the kids.There is alot of interaction with the animals up close for the little ones(polar bears,killer whale tank,shows ect.)not to many rides to worry about.

Also on the same thought disneys animal kingdom goes along way for the smaller kids.(again not to many rides)

But for you and your wife.Universal studios and Islands of adventure(my mother and uncle both work there) have a program for couples with small kids.Ask when you buy tickets.Not to many people know about it.You wont have to stand in line.You go in the exit.only problem is you will have to take turns going on the rides alone.One waits in the waiting area with the kids while one goes on the ride.then you switch out.

good luck,have fun and let me know if you need more info.

BCH

[Brock]

We froze our asses off there one day last December. Be prepared for anything.

[FAX]

Highs in the mid-60s to mid-70s. Lows in the mid- to upper-50s

Just pack sweaters and try to avoid that big goofy-ass dog thing. He's a hugger.

FAX

[Stinger]

My wife and I will be taking 2 small children to Walt Disney World in Florida in 2 weeks. I get to go as a bonus thru my work. We are staying at the Hilton. My question is what is the weather like down there in January? Any good ideas on what to see and do with twins that are 2 years old? I am kind of looking forward to it. A chance to get out of Iowa in January. Oh well, enought blabbing. Any responses are greatly appreciated.

Best to time to visit WDW is in Jan and Feb. Temp usally is between 69 - 75 degrees although sometimes you will get an 80 degree day or a 50 degree day.

It is WDW off season so wait times will be minimal we been to the park durring this time and waited 15 max on the most popular rides compared to an hour and half durring spring break or summertime.

There is so much to do in Orlando are you staying at the Hilton at downtown disney? If so between the shops and the kiddie area and WDW you should be set.

Word of advice if you want to do any character dining I would suggest calling now to get a seat (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463). For the kids under 3 usally the Crystal palace is the best since the the characters are all the Pooh characters. Buffet style food and is surprizingly good.

Let me know if you have any other questions i'll be glad to answer them.

Or visit http://www.allearsnet.com/ or http://www.mousesavers.com/

[Brianfo]

Thank you all for your responses. Great information. How much money should we take along. Our hotel, flight, and some meals are paid for.

[Stinger]

Taking two small kids and a wife to disney ... hehe... how much you have in savings? :D

[patteeu]

I don't think your kids will remember anything, but if you go to the Magic Kingdom and let them interact with the costumed characters that roam around the park (e.g. Mickey Mouse) and take some pictures they may someday believe they have a vague recollection of the trip. Otherwise, you might as well do things that you and your wife will enjoy.

[Mosbonian]

Best to time to visit WDW is in Jan and Feb. Temp usally is between 69 - 75 degrees although sometimes you will get an 80 degree day or a 50 degree day.

It is WDW off season so wait times will be minimal we been to the park durring this time and waited 15 max on the most popular rides compared to an hour and half durring spring break or summertime.

There is so much to do in Orlando are you staying at the Hilton at downtown disney? If so between the shops and the kiddie area and WDW you should be set.

Word of advice if you want to do any character dining I would suggest calling now to get a seat (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463). For the kids under 3 usally the Crystal palace is the best since the the characters are all the Pooh characters. Buffet style food and is surprizingly good.

Let me know if you have any other questions i'll be glad to answer them.

Or visit http://www.allearsnet.com/ or http://www.mousesavers.com/

Good advice....although unless he is going for a convention and has to stay at the Hilton, there are less expensive places to stay especially in Downtown Disney or even on Disney property....

Allears and Mousesavers are great websites, but the best for all Disney trip information is:

www.wdwinfo.com

It has a discussion forum that covers ALL aspects of traveling to Disney including tips for traveling with young kids, any special discounts available, do's and don'ts, and even has a forum to let you tell about your experiences. It tells you what is shut down for good or just being remodeled or rehabbed....if you have anyone traveling with you that has any sort of Disability or Special needs it's the place to get the best info.


I'll post more from home.....

mmaddog
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[Stinger]

Thank you all for your responses. Great information. How much money should we take along. Our hotel, flight, and some meals are paid for.Actually the park entry will just be for you and the wife children under 3 get in free.

If you eat at the park figure if you eat at non-services restaurants figure Burgers, sandwichs, salads $6-7 and drinks $2 roughly. Service restaurants lunch is a few bucks cheaper $15-$40 per adult depending on the resturant or character dining.

Then it just depends on how extravegant you want to be with snacks, trinkets, soveniers, ect.

Which Hilton are you staying at, if you don't mind giving that out?

[Phobia]

I don't think your kids will remember anything, but if you go to the Magic Kingdom and let them interact with the costumed characters that roam around the park (e.g. Mickey Mouse) and take some pictures they may someday believe they have a vague recollection of the trip. Otherwise, you might as well do things that you and your wife will enjoy.

Another vote for ditch the kids. Heh.

[StcChief]

Congrats on the free trip. (anyway to get cash or leave kids with Grandma)

Besides taking kids age 2 (that won't remember anything later) and likely pissing off other on vacation there.... Keep them in the small kids area.

[ct]

I just came back from WDW 3 weeks ago. Even when cold during the day, it still ain't bad. But it does get damn chilly at night, especially if you're at a park/hotel/downtown disney by a lake. Basically, you'll need to pack twice, warm during the day, cool at night. Rain is not nearly as frequent during the winter, but we had 1.5/6 days of sunshine, so prepare for wet weather too.

And Phobia is right, your kids won't remember anything. If you really want them to enjoy it now, do lots of character stuff, look for Mickey and the gang. They aren't going to be into the rides or shows or shopping.

Have fun!!

[Brianfo]

I am staying at the Hilton right at Walt Disney World. I have to attend meetings a couple mornings as part of the trip, but the rest of the trip is free time.

[patteeu]

Another vote for ditch the kids. Heh.

If it's possible, he might as well.

[Stinger]

do lots of character stuff, look for Mickey and the gang. They aren't going to be into the rides or shows or shopping.

Have fun!!

Actually my kids when they were 2 enjoyed many of the rides Dumbo, the carousel, Aldins Ride, and Small World :banghead: (over and over).

Ok while I am thinking about one of the best places to meet the major characters for the kids is at Epcot at the International Gateway. A bus at certain time during the day brings up all the most popular Disney characters and they are there for about 15-20 min. Get there about 5-10 min before they arrive and you should be able to see Mickey and all the characters.

Best Charcter Dinning for food and atmosphere - Crystal Palace (Pooh Characters in Magic Kindom) and Chef Micky's (Mickey, Donald, Goofy in the Contempory Hotel).

Actually the best deal to see Mickey is the Ice cream social at Epcot. Reservation only I believe not to many people know about this is that at the Land there is a character resturant that durring the early afternoon offers an Ice cream social. Desserts are huge infact a family could probably share one. But Mickey, and a couple other characters make the rounds and interact with the kids while you sit at a table eating dessert and taking a break from the day.

[Mosbonian]

I am staying at the Hilton right at Walt Disney World. I have to attend meetings a couple mornings as part of the trip, but the rest of the trip is free time.

A few things:

1) When you go to Downtown Disney there is a Lego Store right next to The World of Disney Store....if you or the wife want to shop and not worry about wondering if the kids are going to break something, take the kids to the Lego play area just right outside the Lego store...you can sit and watch them play with Lego's and the spouse can shop.

2) If you are there as part of a large convention you might want to check to see if the Convention has arranged with Disney for discount tickets to the Parks.

3) If you go to the parks, remind yourself that your kids are little and can only take so much excitement at a time. When our kids were small we usually went when the park opened, stayed till 11 AM or Noon, then took them back to the hotel for naps or rest. Then we went back later in the afternoon/early evening till the Park closed...stay fo the fireworks. And remember!!!! Bring a stroller or rent one from Disney...you'd be surprised what you can do in the park for yourself and the wife if the kids are asleep in the stroller.

4) If you only have time for a couple of the parks choose Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, both of which are geared toward younger kids. The Safari ride thru Animal Kingdom is fun no matter how young or old you are. Magic Kingdom has It's A Small World, Winnie The Pooh Ride, and has a part of the park designed especially for the very young crowd.

5) If you have time, take the kids over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge....there is a viewing area where, at the right time of the day you can see a few animals.

6) Be very cognizant that your kids might be frightened by the size of the characters if you do a Character Breakfast. Most kids their age are.

7) Is anyone having a birthday or special event? If you are there on someone's birthday or anniversary they give you a badge to wear. All Cast Member's have to wish that person/couple a Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary.

8) Money? I rarely take cash..since I stay on property I can charge everything to the room. That way I am never luggin a wallet or my wife a purse at the park. Much as it may seem "teh ghey" a fanny pack is the way to go.

I will disagree with one thing that seems to be a theme from some posters here.....your kids WILL remember this trip. They just won't remember it in as great a detail as you will. My kids have been to WDW 18 times in their life ( daughter is 9 and son is 13) and each time they have something special they remember about it.

As Rain Man alluded to early in this thread...I have much more I could tell you. If you have any more questions feel fre to IM me. I will answer from home this evening.

mmaddog
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[Brianfo]

Fantastic. Thanks for the great information. Chiefs Planet kicks #ss.

[Mosbonian]

Actually my kids when they were 2 enjoyed many of the rides Dumbo, the carousel, Aldins Ride, and Small World :banghead: (over and over).

Ok while I am thinking about one of the best places to meet the major characters for the kids is at Epcot at the International Gateway. A bus at certain time during the day brings up all the most popular Disney characters and they are there for about 15-20 min. Get there about 5-10 min before they arrive and you should be able to see Mickey and all the characters.

Best Charcter Dinning for food and atmosphere - Crystal Palace (Pooh Characters in Magic Kindom) and Chef Micky's (Mickey, Donald, Goofy in the Contempory Hotel).

Actually the best deal to see Mickey is the Ice cream social at Epcot. Reservation only I believe not to many people know about this is that at the Land there is a character resturant that durring the early afternoon offers an Ice cream social. Desserts are huge infact a family could probably share one. But Mickey, and a couple other characters make the rounds and interact with the kids while you sit at a table eating dessert and taking a break from the day.

Stinger:

1) The drop-off point at EPCOT is a great place to meet the characters, but keep in mind that they Cast Members "secretly" tell Guest with Special Needs children about that drop off. And they try to accomodate these children first before taking pics with all other.

Another great place to get pics with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald is in the gazebos near The Lion King Spectacular Show at Animal Kingdom. They are always there for pics and autographs.

2) The ice cream social is an accident waiting to happen for young kids. Make sure to have "wetnaps" if you are trying this.

3) Chef Mickey's is the best place to eat and see characters. Buffet style food, not in the park, and the view of Seven Seas Lagoon and Magic Kingdom is great.

mmaddog
*******

[Saulbadguy]

Make sure to pinch Minnies ass.

[Reaper16]

Not any help, but this thread brought sense memory to my tastebuds...
I was at WDW a week before Christmas in 2004. I can actually taste this certain meal I had at the Concourse Steakhouse @ the Contemporary Resort. (Its actually exactly right next door to Chef Mickeys.)
Concourse gest overshadowed by Chef Mickey's and California Grille, but thier garlic smashed potatoes are awesome. I had a KC Strip with red wine butter and garlic smashed potatoes. The steak was fine, though I can cook or grill one just as good. But the smashed potatoes were divine... I want to go back...

[Kylo Ren]

God help you!! You're taking two 2 yeaer olds. Oh boy. :shake: My wife and I decided a long time ago that we would never take our kids until they were 10 or 12 years old. Any younger and it's just a waste of time and money. Sorry to bear bad news.

[Stinger]

I don't get this waste of time and money comments on here? You get to spend time with the family in sunny FL enjoying each other, and kids under 3 get in free.

[Reaper16]

I don't get this waste of time and money comments on here?
I'm Ron Burgandy?

Another random Disney thought; I'm the only person I know who enjoys Epcot. :) "Too boring, not enough rides, etc." Bah, I spent an hour and a half in the store in the Japan section.

[Brock]

Epcot is very cool, and has the absolute best fireworks show.

[Alton deFlat]

I'm Ron Burgandy?

Another random Disney thought; I'm the only person I know who enjoys Epcot. :) "Too boring, not enough rides, etc." Bah, I spent an hour and a half in the store in the Japan section.

EPCOT is the best park in my opinion. The World Showcase is great. You can drink yourself around the world if you want to... or can afford it. I always try the wines in France and Italy, or buy a yard of beer in the UK. The new rides in Future World are pretty cool too. Mission: Space is great (not for small kids though). Soarin' is awesome.

Check out this Disney message board. (http://www.disboards.com/) . You don't have to join, to read the messages, and might answer more of your questions.

[Saulbadguy]

I puked on Mission: Space.

[Alton deFlat]

I puked on Mission: Space.

I'm glad I wasn't sitting next to you. I was kinda apprehensive about riding it, but as it turned out, no upchuck.

[Saulbadguy]

I'm glad I wasn't sitting next to you. I was kinda apprehensive about riding it, but as it turned out, no upchuck.
Thats why the ride was equipped with barf bags.

[Frosty]

My wife and I decided a long time ago that we would never take our kids until they were 10 or 12 years old. Any younger and it's just a waste of time and money. Sorry to bear bad news.

We took our two boys, then 6 and 8, a couple of years ago and they had a blast. They were big enough to go on the rides and do everything there. I agree that 2 is pretty young, but you don't have to wait 'til the preteens.

I agree about Epcot, too. It was great. My youngest went on Mission: Space three times (with my wife - it gave me a serious headache the only time I went). The shows in the countries are pretty cool, especially the 360 degree ones.

[Reaper16]

I'm glad to see that some people appreciate Epcot! I'm @ WDW for the first time last year, and we've alloted like half a day for Epcot because its "the most boring." I get there and I'm like "this country thing is very interesting to me, I petition that we stay longer" so we stayed until the fireworks. Yay.

[Saulbadguy]

Yeah, Epcot was my favorite because of the countries. Its awesome that they have people from those countries actually working there. We are going back to WDW in May, and I plan on going to epcot every day w/ the Park hopper option.

[Phobia]

I will disagree with one thing that seems to be a theme from some posters here.....your kids WILL remember this trip. They just won't remember it in as great a detail as you will. My kids have been to WDW 18 times in their life ( daughter is 9 and son is 13) and each time they have something special they remember about it.


I would say that your children's experience is atypical of the average Disney patron. They may be shuffling memories and assigning them to various trips. My kids went when they were 2 and 3 and again when they were 8 & 9. They have zero recollection of the 2 and 3 trip even when shown pictures. We found 8 and 9 to be very good ages because they were tall enough to get on all the rides. We had a blast.

[chagrin]

It's very comfortable here during this time of year, day and night, but the kiddies will need some warm clothing for the nights.

Have fun in hell, I know the kids will enjoy it, but it's a cluster f*ck, and traffic's a bitch

[Alton deFlat]

and traffic's a bitch

All four times we've gone, we've stayed on property, so we miss most of the traffic. We do go out and get supplies, and usually make a trip to Universal once during our stay, but instead of taking I-4, we just cut over to International Drive, and take it there. Still lots of traffic, but most of the tourists don't know about it, so you just contend with locals... at least until you get close to Universal. I my opinion it's crazier around there, than by WDW. A lot more conjested of an area though.

[Chiefnj]

Age 2 is a little young, IMO. They can't do much and go on many of the rides. They will probably either love or hate (cry and scream) at the various characters.

Age 4 and 5 is when children can start to appreciate the whole thing. If you have a tall 5 year old they can go on most rides.

Epcot gets a bad rap. Mission Space is probably one of the most intense ride at the entire Disney complex. The test car ride is nice as well. Make reservations now, if you haven't already, for dining in any of the countries at EPCOT. They book up fast and early.

You may want to "invest" in some of the cheapest strollers you can find. I'm talking about the smallest, lightest ones you can get. Bring them with you. Tie on some colorful ribbons so you can easily distinguish them from the 984 other strollers at the park. Also, on the way from the airport to the hotel, stop at a grocery store or gas station and stock up on as much food as possible. You'll save a fortune.

[Brianfo]

Thank you all again for the information. I know that my kids are too young, but it's a free trip, so I'm going to take advantage of it. Sounds like Animal Kingdom and Magin Kingdom are the places to go. I will have my wife call tomorrow about lining up a character breakfast.

[Reaper16]

Make reservations now, if you haven't already, for dining in any of the countries at EPCOT. They book up fast and early.

Hmmm. I was there last year during Christmas time, one of the busiest times of the year, and I had very little wait at Matsu No Ma Lounge and Teppanyaki Dining in Japan, and I noticed (while discovering the neat boat ride) that the nice sit down place in Mexico had a good amount of empty tables (and that was around 1:00 pm.) Maybe that day was an anomoly.

[Saulbadguy]

I went in May and had no waits for any restaurants. Except Rainforest cafe. :Lin: I'm looking forward to this next trip because it will be just the wife & I...and we'll get to do more of the stuff we wanted to do in the first trip.

Reapear- boat ride?

[patteeu]

I went in May and had no waits for any restaurants. Except Rainforest cafe. :Lin: I'm looking forward to this next trip because it will be just the wife & I...and we'll get to do more of the stuff we wanted to do in the first trip.

Reapear- boat ride?

I've eaten at the Rainforest Cafe twice. The first time, I swore to myself I wouldn't waste my money there again. Then, on a trip to WDW with my two sisters and their families, they wanted to eat at the RC as we were leaving the Animal Kingdom. I tried to tell them it wasn't worth it, but their kids wanted to go so i was overruled. It was worse than the first time. Yuck.

[Saulbadguy]

I've eaten at the Rainforest Cafe twice. The first time, I swore to myself I wouldn't waste my money there again. Then, on a trip to WDW with my two sisters and their families, they wanted to eat at the RC as we were leaving the Animal Kingdom. I tried to tell them it wasn't worth it, but their kids wanted to go so i was overruled. It was worse than the first time. Yuck.
That, and its probably the most annoying atmosphere i've ever had to encounter. I found a twistie tie in my rice. Waiters response: "Oh...sorry."

It is a good place for kids though.

[Alton deFlat]

Reapear- boat ride?

He's probably talking about the ride in the Mexican pavillion. It's pretty lame, but you float right by the restaurant.

[chagrin]

You can always skip magic kingdom and take a tour of Orlando's downtown area...save ya a ton vs what you'd pay at Disney; don't forget to hit Parramore st.

[Mosbonian]

Check out this Disney message board. (http://www.disboards.com/) . You don't have to join, to read the messages, and might answer more of your questions.

That's the offshoot of the earlier link I sent...

www.wdwinfo.com

mmaddog
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[Mosbonian]

I would say that your children's experience is atypical of the average Disney patron. They may be shuffling memories and assigning them to various trips. My kids went when they were 2 and 3 and again when they were 8 & 9. They have zero recollection of the 2 and 3 trip even when shown pictures. We found 8 and 9 to be very good ages because they were tall enough to get on all the rides. We had a blast.

How about we agree to disagree.....

Look around you when you go to WDW.....there are just as many kids under 5 there as there are any other age group. Disney knows that many families are diverse in age so there are many things now that cater to the very young....things that they remember.

The best place to take kids that are young, and I forgot this earlier, is to Disney-MGM where they have stage shows for all the Toon Disney and Saturday morning cartoon characters... (Roly Poly Olie, Bear in the Big Blue House, etc.)

mmaddog
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[Alton deFlat]

That's the offshoot of the earlier link I sent...

www.wdwinfo.com

mmaddog
*******

You're right. I overlooked the links on your post.

[DrNick]

Thank you all again for the information. I know that my kids are too young, but it's a free trip, so I'm going to take advantage of it. Sounds like Animal Kingdom and Magin Kingdom are the places to go. I will have my wife call tomorrow about lining up a character breakfast.

I haven't been around lately, but any thread concerning WDW usually catches my attention...I am a Cast Member at Magic Kingdom, and specifically I work in a restaurant.

Some advice, if you intend to eat at any of the full service restaurants, call 407-WDW-DINE and plan ALL of your meals, characters or not. There are lots of dining packages out there that Disney is selling, and the full service restaurants are busier than they have ever been before...you will have a much better dining experience if you plan ahead a little.

Also, if you're eating in the theme parks, your experience will be MUCH better if you plan a little around the peak food times...don't hit a fast food restaurant between 12-3 for lunch, and for dinner don't come between 7-8:30 or 9:00. These are the busiest times, and you will have a much better food and beverage experience if you don't come in those times. Grab an early lunch and dinner, or even a late lunch and dinner and pack snacks to hold you over...you'll appreciate it much more. :)

Good luck, and enjoy your vacation!! :D

[patteeu]

How about we agree to disagree.....

Look around you when you go to WDW.....there are just as many kids under 5 there as there are any other age group. Disney knows that many families are diverse in age so there are many things now that cater to the very young....things that they remember.

The best place to take kids that are young, and I forgot this earlier, is to Disney-MGM where they have stage shows for all the Toon Disney and Saturday morning cartoon characters... (Roly Poly Olie, Bear in the Big Blue House, etc.)

mmaddog
*******

It's not that 2 year olds won't be able to enjoy the moment, it's that they typically won't have any recollection of it when they get older. There might be a minority of kids that age who will retain a vague memory or two, but thats about it. That's not an argument that you shouldn't take young kids to Disney, it's a warning that you shouldn't expect them to have memories of the trip and it gives the new parent information to help them make up their mind about how to divide their time between doing things for the kids' enjoyment versus doing things for their own enjoyment (to the extent that those "things" are different).

[Mosbonian]

I haven't been around lately, but any thread concerning WDW usually catches my attention...I am a Cast Member at Magic Kingdom, and specifically I work in a restaurant.

Some advice, if you intend to eat at any of the full service restaurants, call 407-WDW-DINE and plan ALL of your meals, characters or not. There are lots of dining packages out there that Disney is selling, and the full service restaurants are busier than they have ever been before...you will have a much better dining experience if you plan ahead a little.

Also, if you're eating in the theme parks, your experience will be MUCH better if you plan a little around the peak food times...don't hit a fast food restaurant between 12-3 for lunch, and for dinner don't come between 7-8:30 or 9:00. These are the busiest times, and you will have a much better food and beverage experience if you don't come in those times. Grab an early lunch and dinner, or even a late lunch and dinner and pack snacks to hold you over...you'll appreciate it much more. :)

Good luck, and enjoy your vacation!! :D

Sent you a smoke....

mmaddog
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[melbar]

We went on our Honeymoon 2 years ago. It did get cool on some nights, but it was useually warm during the day. I'd just say layer. Animal kingdom has some great kid features and interactive shows. the fireworks at the end of the night at every park is fantastic!

[Halfcan]

Hey Brian, get them one of those autograph books when you get inside and let them meet all the characters and get their autographs. My kids loved it. They will be starstruck when they meet Micky-I know I was.

[Archie F. Swin]

My mother-in-law is offering to cover the cost of a WDW package this summer for my family...All we have to do is get there.
Unfortunately she wants my wife and I to shop around for package deals...I don't know if I have the attention span to do that. Plus, based on air fare quotes, this would likely be a road trip. Turns out we're about 35 miles closer to Orlando than we are Anaheim. Go figure.

[Kylo Ren]

I would never take any children that young to WDW. They are miserable and they make the parents / adults miserable. I wouldn't take any kids to WDW until they are about 10 years old. But, you've got a freebie from work. So, you can't pass that up. Enjoy it the best that you can.

[Infidel Goat]

I don't get this waste of time and money comments on here? You get to spend time with the family in sunny FL enjoying each other, and kids under 3 get in free.

I agree that it's not a bad deal since it's free.

When it was our money, though, we didn't take the kids there until after they turned five years old. We wanted to make use of all the parks. At two, the parks would have frustrated our family. At five, our kids could walk the entire park and ride almost all the rides. And remember it all.

The best time to go is when they offer the free meal program to families staying in a WDW resort. We saved a bundle on (really good) food while going at a time that wasn't that busy (just after Labor Day this fall).

With two year olds, I think we'd be spending even more time at the hotel swimming pool than the parks.

Just my $.02

[The Rick]

Be prepared to 'throw down' if you run into Buzz Lightyear. :mad:

My daughter is a big fan of Toy Story so the three of us (my daughter, my wife, and I) posed for a picture with him. Buzz was in the middle and put one arm around me and the other around my wife. The arm that went around my wife included his hand being placed on her side/waist.

As we were waiting for the picture to be snapped, he "tickled" my wife on her side and slightly grazed her breast.

I was ready to go intergalactic on him, but thought my daughter and the rest of the children standing in line would be horrified so I held myself in check.

[luv]

Be prepared to 'throw down' if you run into Buzz Lightyear. :mad:

My daughter is a big fan of Toy Story so the three of us (my daughter, my wife, and I) posed for a picture with him. Buzz was in the middle and put one arm around me and the other around my wife. The arm that went around my wife included his hand being placed on her side/waist.

As we were waiting for the picture to be snapped, he "tickled" my wife on her side and slightly grazed her breast.

I was ready to go intergalactic on him, but thought my daughter and the rest of the children standing in line would be horrified so I held myself in check.
I'm surprised she didn't say anything. I would have. He would not have had his arm around my waist either.

[cmh6476]

I am disappointed. With the beer mug icon I thought disney world was now serving alcohol throughout the park :(

[DJJasonp]

Not sure if mentioned.....but if you can swing it....stay on the disney property....it really makes a difference...especially if you have kids....you can use the bus system instead of having to drive into the park each day (a hassle and at least a 15-20 min drive from offsite hotels).

Plus, each resort inside DisneyWorld has different themes and areas for kids...and the rooms are disney-inspired, etc. It's a neat experience.

Plus, it's really nice to take advantage of the early entry or late hours that only resort guests get...

DOwntonwn Disney and Pleasure Island are a lot of fun if you dont have the kids for a night or two...cool restaurants/clubs, etc.

[crazycoffey]

I've never been, want to someday

[Mosbonian]

I would never take any children that young to WDW. They are miserable and they make the parents / adults miserable. I wouldn't take any kids to WDW until they are about 10 years old.

A terribly uninformed opinion.....

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

My mother-in-law is offering to cover the cost of a WDW package this summer for my family...All we have to do is get there.
Unfortunately she wants my wife and I to shop around for package deals...I don't know if I have the attention span to do that. Plus, based on air fare quotes, this would likely be a road trip. Turns out we're about 35 miles closer to Orlando than we are Anaheim. Go figure.

If I was you I'd keep checking both Southwest and American....you can find some pretty good fares at times. I saw a couple of $100 RT tickets from Dallas a few weeks back. If you can catch some good fares, then I would stay on property, that way you can do the Disney Magical Express which is the only way to go now. It lets you check your bags at your airport and never have to touch them again until you get to your Disney resort. Once you arrive at the Orlando airport you head directly to a bus that takes you to your selected Disney resort.

Once you are on Disney property you don't need a rental vehicle because the buses take you everywhere.

BTW...if you don't want to spend too much time looking for package deals you can go to this website and see what package deals Disney has on their website:

http://disney.go.com/home/today/index.html

click on the Disney Destinations area....



mmaddog
*******

[Archie F. Swin]

If I was you I'd keep checking both Southwest and American....you can find some pretty good fares at times. I saw a couple of $100 RT tickets from Dallas a few weeks back. If you can catch some good fares, then I would stay on property, that way you can do the Disney Magical Express which is the only way to go now. It lets you check your bags at your airport and never have to touch them again until you get to your Disney resort. Once you arrive at the Orlando airport you head directly to a bus that takes you to your selected Disney resort.

Once you are on Disney property you don't need a rental vehicle because the buses take you everywhere.

BTW...if you don't want to spend too much time looking for package deals you can go to this website and see what package deals Disney has on their website:

http://disney.go.com/home/today/index.html

click on the Disney Destinations area....



mmaddog
*******


many, many thanks!!!!

[007]

Allegiant Air offers quite a deal if you don't mind going to Wichita for the flight. $79 each way if you leave and return on a Tuesday.

[Spott]

The weather down here in January could be in the 70's or 80's during the day or coulc be as low as the 50's and down to the 30's at night. It's really kind of a crapshoot. More than likely the weather would be about 70 then, but it does cool down quite a bit at night during that time of year.

[007]

Which is the best of the affordable properties. Will probably be just me and my 2 boys.

[a1na2]

My wife and I will be taking 2 small children to Walt Disney World in Florida in 2 weeks. I get to go as a bonus thru my work. We are staying at the Hilton. My question is what is the weather like down there in January? Any good ideas on what to see and do with twins that are 2 years old? I am kind of looking forward to it. A chance to get out of Iowa in January. Oh well, enought blabbing. Any responses are greatly appreciated.


Anything to report about your trip?

It's 9 months later, by now you should have been able to give us a full story. How is the weather in January and how did your kids like it?

[Mr. Plow]

Anything to report about your trip?

It's 9 months later, by now you should have been able to give us a full story. How is the weather in January and how did your kids like it?


It's 1 year, 9 months.

[Saulbadguy]

It's 1 year, 9 months.
What a dumbass.

[007]

Coming up on our trip this June. Has anyone used the Unofficial Guide to WDW for Kids or www.tourguidemike.com for trip prep?

Are you familiar with these Maddawg?

[Deberg_1990]

Coming up on our trip this June. Has anyone used the Unofficial Guide to WDW for Kids or www.tourguidemike.com for trip prep?

Are you familiar with these Maddawg?

Nope, but thanks for the link! Ill have to read more later. We are headed down there the week of May 4th - 11th. We figured that was a good date to beat the summer crowds.

We have both been down there a couple of times before, so we know what to expect and plan for. Good times.

[Rain Man]

Watch out for hurricanes.

[007]

Nope, but thanks for the link! Ill have to read more later. We are headed down there the week of May 4th - 11th. We figured that was a good date to beat the summer crowds.

We have both been down there a couple of times before, so we know what to expect and plan for. Good times.
Yeah, we are hoping for decent crowd the first week of June too. I have heard that school is still in session at a lot of southern schools then. I know it will still be crowded though. I figure it has to be better than the crowds in July and August though.

Let me know if you sign up for either of those guides. I would like to know if they are really as helpful as I am reading.

[Deberg_1990]

Watch out for hurricanes.

Hurricane season isnt until Aug-Sept timeframe.

[007]

Hurricane season isnt until Aug-Sept timeframe.

Actually, hurricane season starts in June I believe. Not certain though.

[LocoChiefsFan]

Good advice....although unless he is going for a convention and has to stay at the Hilton, there are less expensive places to stay especially in Downtown Disney or even on Disney property....

Allears and Mousesavers are great websites, but the best for all Disney trip information is:

www.wdwinfo.com

It has a discussion forum that covers ALL aspects of traveling to Disney including tips for traveling with young kids, any special discounts available, do's and don'ts, and even has a forum to let you tell about your experiences. It tells you what is shut down for good or just being remodeled or rehabbed....if you have anyone traveling with you that has any sort of Disability or Special needs it's the place to get the best info.


I'll post more from home.....

mmaddog
*******Couldn't agree more. We used wdwinfo.com to prepare for our WDW vacation last year. Tons of helpful advice. Nothing caught us by suprise and we were totally prepared when we got there. Of course we went in June(hot as hell).

[007]

Couldn't agree more. We used wdwinfo.com to prepare for our WDW vacation last year. Tons of helpful advice. Nothing caught us by suprise and we were totally prepared when we got there. Of course we went in June(hot as hell).

June is nothing. Try going in August sometime.

[Mosbonian]

Coming up on our trip this June. Has anyone used the Unofficial Guide to WDW for Kids or www.tourguidemike.com for trip prep?

Are you familiar with these Maddawg?

Never used tourguidemike.com, will have to check it out abd let you know if it is worth anything.

The "UGWDWK" is pretty good although it is a little out of touch and out of date.

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

Nope, but thanks for the link! Ill have to read more later. We are headed down there the week of May 4th - 11th. We figured that was a good date to beat the summer crowds.

We have both been down there a couple of times before, so we know what to expect and plan for. Good times.

You'll beat the summer crowds, but you will still hit the locals on Thurs-Sun which some people forget. If you want to maximize your "smaller crowds" get the best stuff done on Mon-Wed.

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

Yeah, we are hoping for decent crowd the first week of June too. I have heard that school is still in session at a lot of southern schools then. I know it will still be crowded though. I figure it has to be better than the crowds in July and August though.

Let me know if you sign up for either of those guides. I would like to know if they are really as helpful as I am reading.

The problem that you will run into is not the southern schools may still be in session but colleges are already out and some parents will have kids "test out" early and then head down. June is also the biggest weekends for the "Star Wars Weekends" that Disney holds. Fri-Sat-Sun will be packed at the parks.

BTW, the worst crowds are Spring Break,Thanksgiving Week, and the period from Christmas-New Years.

mmaddog
*******

[Coach]

Be sure to bring some ponchos or umbrellas. The rain is unpredictable in FL. There were times where it was dry, then all of a sudden, a rainstorm pops up out of nowhere.

[Coach]

Actually, hurricane season starts in June I believe. Not certain though.

June 1st to Nov. 30th.

[007]

Never used tourguidemike.com, will have to check it out abd let you know if it is worth anything.

The "UGWDWK" is pretty good although it is a little out of touch and out of date.

mmaddog
*******

From what I hear, it is worth the price just for the "best days to do stuff" charts.

I just want to find out the best order to do things to avoid long lines for the most part.

[Mosbonian]

From what I hear, it is worth the price just for the "best days to do stuff" charts.

I just want to find out the best order to do things to avoid long lines for the most part.

The problem with the concept of that is that Disney changes the length of hours for each park depending on the season. And remember that Animal Kingdom Park closes much earlier than any of the other 3 parks so that the animals can be handled before dark.

I have found that the best measure of what is the best days to do stuff is doing your homework a week before you go. Know what rides and attractions are closed or being refurbished, know what special activities are going on (Star Wars Weekends, International Flower Festival, Disney Marathon Days, etc) and plan around them.

mmaddog
*******

[007]

The problem with the concept of that is that Disney changes the length of hours for each park depending on the season. And remember that Animal Kingdom Park closes much earlier than any of the other 3 parks so that the animals can be handled before dark.

I have found that the best measure of what is the best days to do stuff is doing your homework a week before you go. Know what rides and attractions are closed or being refurbished, know what special activities are going on (Star Wars Weekends, International Flower Festival, Disney Marathon Days, etc) and plan around them.

mmaddog
*******
Just knowing what parks are generally at their busiest on what days would have to be extremely helpful though. Most of the posts I am reading about it in www.wdwinfo.com speak very highly of it and all seem to say they never had to wait in line more than 15 min using the site.

[007]

Best shoe options for spending 6 days walking around. Figuring on packing two pairs in case of rain.

Any recommendations that are not outrageous in price?

Hell, a lightweight backpack too.

[Mr. Plow]

We are going down in July for a conference. Taking all the kids, so we decided to rent a place from http://www.aplusvacationhomes.com/index.cfm

Looks pretty nice, plus we'll have our own private pool & hot tub. I'm really looking forward to this trip. Plus, we'll save money over renting 2 rooms on Disney property.

Can anyone recommend a good golf course down there?

[Lzen]

Wife and I are going down with our 3 kids (ages 6, 11, and 15) and with her parents and sister's kids (ages 8, 9, and 16). We are driving down in June and camping at Disney. We have been to Florida 3 times since 2002 but never been to the Disney parks as of yet. We went to Universal Studios twice and Universal Studios: Islands of Adventure twice. I really liked the Universal parks but am looking forward to checking out the Disney ones finally. I will have to check out the forums that were posted in this thread. Seems to be lots of great info.

[Lzen]

Oh, and I think we got the 4 day package. So, we should be able to see a lot of it. Gonna be worn out by the end of that, tough.

[Mr. Plow]

Oh, and I think we got the 4 day package. So, we should be able to see a lot of it. Gonna be worn out by the end of that, tough.


It's been posted before, but go to http://www.wdwinfo.com/ for any and all info on Disney World.

[LocoChiefsFan]

Oh, and I think we got the 4 day package. So, we should be able to see a lot of it. Gonna be worn out by the end of that, tough.Oh contraire, we went for 8 days and didn't get to see or do everything we would've liked. Animal Kingdom was easy to do in one day, but the rest you really need to plan out to get alot done in one day. Good luck though.

[Mosbonian]

Oh, and I think we got the 4 day package. So, we should be able to see a lot of it. Gonna be worn out by the end of that, tough.
+

You will barely scratch the surface.....but I will give you this one tip. When you go to EPCOT the one ride besides Test Track and Mission:Space that you need to ride is Soaring!.....and whatever you do try to get seated in either the top rows or middle rows. In order to do that you have to be in the 1st or second group.

If you are camping at Fort Wilderness, make sure to leave one evening for Chip N Dales Campfire Sing Along. You can roats hot dogs and marshmallows, then sit around and watch a couple of Disney movies on an outdoor screen. Lame as it may sound, it is actually pretty relaxing...especially after a day at the parks.

I have a million tips but www.wdwinfo.com is the place to check out. I really need to send them an e-mail to ask for a referral fee for all the people I have sent to that website.

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

We are going down in July for a conference. Taking all the kids, so we decided to rent a place from http://www.aplusvacationhomes.com/index.cfm

Looks pretty nice, plus we'll have our own private pool & hot tub. I'm really looking forward to this trip. Plus, we'll save money over renting 2 rooms on Disney property.

Can anyone recommend a good golf course down there?

Any of the Disney courses are fun to play, but you most any of the courses are great. They all have to be to compete with the resort courses.

The only thing i don't like about staying off property is the inconvenience of shuttling back and forth to the parks. You are never really "close" as you might think...and staying on property has conveniences that I enjoy. But I realize that not all people are Disney fanatics like me.

mmaddog
*******

[007]

That TourGuideMike site has me in information overload.

Anyone else tried it yet?

[Coach]

I can't remember that one ride in Disney, but it has something to do with car testing, and they seat you in a ride, and give you an example of what it does and all that.

Pretty fun and thrilling. Another one was the Space Mountain. Expedition Everest is awesome.

[LocoChiefsFan]

I can't remember that one ride in Disney, but it has something to do with car testing, and they seat you in a ride, and give you an example of what it does and all that.

Pretty fun and thrilling. Another one was the Space Mountain. Expedition Everest is awesome.
Test Track. Also, make sure to stick around Epcot for the fireworks extravaganza, Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. Man I hope I can some day afford to go again.

[007]

Great. Just found out that Gay Days is at Disney on the 5th through 8th. Just my frriggin luck.

Here is a list blog about last years...



http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-gay-days.htm

[LocoChiefsFan]

LOL, we planned our trip last year without the knowledge of when Gay Days was. Luckily, our first day was the day after gay days ended.

[007]

LOL, we planned our trip last year without the knowledge of when Gay Days was. Luckily, our first day was the day after gay days ended.

sure would have been nice to know. It sucks. That article doesn't make me feel any better either.

Why Disney World anyway?

[Mr. Plow]

Any of the Disney courses are fun to play, but you most any of the courses are great. They all have to be to compete with the resort courses.

The only thing i don't like about staying off property is the inconvenience of shuttling back and forth to the parks. You are never really "close" as you might think...and staying on property has conveniences that I enjoy. But I realize that not all people are Disney fanatics like me.

mmaddog
*******


If I had extra money, I'd prefer to stay on property. But, renting 2 rooms - can't seem to find one room large enough to handle 6 (3 under 3) - saves me $130/night.

[Mr. Plow]

Great. Just found out that Gay Days is at Disney on the 5th through 8th. Just my frriggin luck.

Here is a list blog about last years...



http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-gay-days.htm



ROFL

[007]

ROFL
Mr. CruelSTFU

[Deberg_1990]

sure would have been nice to know. It sucks. That article doesn't make me feel any better either.

Why Disney World anyway?

Does WDW actively promote "Gay Days"??

Os is it an underground gay community thing??

[sedated]

Just tell the kids it burned down and go to the bar instead.

[Mr. Plow]

sure would have been nice to know. It sucks. That article doesn't make me feel any better either.

Why Disney World anyway?


http://www.queensinthekingdom.com/Photos/Castle07.jpg

[Mr. Plow]

Holy shit. Check out some of these googled "Gay Days at Disney World" pics......

http://www.outandaboutravel.com/howardscott_group.jpg


http://www.outandaboutravel.com/ccc_gaydays05.jpg

[007]

Does WDW actively promote "Gay Days"??

Os is it an underground gay community thing??

Disney does not promote it. They just can't disallow it either.

Plow, I am about to neg rep the crap out of you. :evil:

[Deberg_1990]

Disney does not promote it. They just can't disallow it either.



Yep, i understand that.

Funny story. My wife went to WDW sometime in the early 90's with her Family and it just happened to be "Gay Days" that particular day unbeknownst to them. Her Dad just happened to be wearing a RED shirt that day. I guess he was pretty embarrassed, so they left and drove all the way back to the hotel for him to change his shirt. LOL

[Friendo]

we're going the week of the 7th. last time we went our kids got the coolest surprise...a "Magic-moment", at the Canadian restaurant in Epcot. we had heard about this, but I must say it was a really nice touch by the Mouse. my kids still talk about it.

[Mr. Plow]

Plow, I am about to neg rep the crap out of you. :evil:


I know. I deserved it. Please accept my apologies.






Edit....I'm removing that freakin' pic because I just looked at it and it has no place on this board let alone the internet.

[Mr. Plow]

I'm sorry. That was really uncalled for.

[007]

A few things:

1) When you go to Downtown Disney there is a Lego Store right next to The World of Disney Store....if you or the wife want to shop and not worry about wondering if the kids are going to break something, take the kids to the Lego play area just right outside the Lego store...you can sit and watch them play with Lego's and the spouse can shop.

2) If you are there as part of a large convention you might want to check to see if the Convention has arranged with Disney for discount tickets to the Parks.

3) If you go to the parks, remind yourself that your kids are little and can only take so much excitement at a time. When our kids were small we usually went when the park opened, stayed till 11 AM or Noon, then took them back to the hotel for naps or rest. Then we went back later in the afternoon/early evening till the Park closed...stay fo the fireworks. And remember!!!! Bring a stroller or rent one from Disney...you'd be surprised what you can do in the park for yourself and the wife if the kids are asleep in the stroller.

4) If you only have time for a couple of the parks choose Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, both of which are geared toward younger kids. The Safari ride thru Animal Kingdom is fun no matter how young or old you are. Magic Kingdom has It's A Small World, Winnie The Pooh Ride, and has a part of the park designed especially for the very young crowd.

5) If you have time, take the kids over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge....there is a viewing area where, at the right time of the day you can see a few animals.

6) Be very cognizant that your kids might be frightened by the size of the characters if you do a Character Breakfast. Most kids their age are.

7) Is anyone having a birthday or special event? If you are there on someone's birthday or anniversary they give you a badge to wear. All Cast Member's have to wish that person/couple a Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary.

8) Money? I rarely take cash..since I stay on property I can charge everything to the room. That way I am never luggin a wallet or my wife a purse at the park. Much as it may seem "teh ghey" a fanny pack is the way to go.

I will disagree with one thing that seems to be a theme from some posters here.....your kids WILL remember this trip. They just won't remember it in as great a detail as you will. My kids have been to WDW 18 times in their life ( daughter is 9 and son is 13) and each time they have something special they remember about it.

As Rain Man alluded to early in this thread...I have much more I could tell you. If you have any more questions feel fre to IM me. I will answer from home this evening.

mmaddog
*******

OK, based on number 8, how many guys actually do this option. Minus Mmaddog of course. Not making fun just curious. Just can't seem to embrace this option. heh

[Valiant]

OK, based on number 8, how many guys actually do this option. Minus Mmaddog of course. Not making fun just curious. Just can't seem to embrace this option. heh

Get a camel pak, Use it as a backpack and maybe put some ice cold whiskey in there..



Sidenote.. One of our floattrips years ago happened to coincide with a gay pride float trip.. 100's of flamers on the water.. The funny thing is we were walking around the camp ground Friday night interacting and came upon one group.. Hung out with them a bit and drank.. Seemed like good guys, getting hammered and acting a fool(like dancing on tables and cars).. Asked them where in the hell all their girls were at.. They said they would be out tomorrow for the float..

Yeah.. Got the message of what they meant Saturday morning... Me and my buddy just looked at each other like we could have been raped the previous night..

They were a good bunch though.. Besides trying to get us to get naked on the water for alcohol..

[007]

Get a camel pak, Use it as a backpack and maybe put some ice cold whiskey in there..



Sidenote.. One of our floattrips years ago happened to coincide with a gay pride float trip.. 100's of flamers on the water.. The funny thing is we were walking around the camp ground Friday night interacting and came upon one group.. Hung out with them a bit and drank.. Seemed like good guys, getting hammered and acting a fool(like dancing on tables and cars).. Asked them where in the hell all their girls were at.. They said they would be out tomorrow for the float..

Yeah.. Got the message of what they meant Saturday morning... Me and my buddy just looked at each other like we could have been raped the previous night..

They were a good bunch though.. Besides trying to get us to get naked on the water for alcohol..

Funny!!! Our first weekend in Disney is also Gay Days. ugh.

[Silock]

OK, based on number 8, how many guys actually do this option. Minus Mmaddog of course. Not making fun just curious. Just can't seem to embrace this option. heh

I never do. I just wear shorts or pants with zipping pockets and put the essentials in there -- credit card, ID, cash and ticket. Everything else stays in the room.

[007]

I never do. I just wear shorts or pants with zipping pockets and put the essentials in there -- credit card, ID, cash and ticket. Everything else stays in the room.

Yeah, I couldn't find any affordable shorts with zipper pockets. I don't want to spend a small fortune on clothes I didn't really need just to have zippers. They all have pockets, just not secure. Have a camera and cell phone I need to carry around as well as our tickets and room key/charge card.

[Deberg_1990]

Just got back from DisneyWorld a few weeks ago. We had a great time!

It was unusually crowded for early May? There was a ton of Europeans, British and Aussies there. IM guessing they were already out on their summer breaks?

[Lzen]

Funny!!! Our first weekend in Disney is also Gay Days. ugh.

Aw, crap. When are you going?

We are going June 8-14.

[Lzen]

Great. Just found out that Gay Days is at Disney on the 5th through 8th. Just my frriggin luck.

Here is a list blog about last years...



http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-gay-days.htm

Oh great. Well, at least it will only be the first day.

[007]

Aw, crap. When are you going?

We are going June 8-14.

No shit? Maybe we could meet up on your arrival day/night. We will most likely be in MK all day on the 8th since we are leaving on the 9th.

[Mr. Plow]

No shit? Maybe we could meet up on your arrival day/night. We will most likely be in MK all day on the 8th since we are leaving on the 9th.

Maybe both of you guys could get away from your families and go to Disney World together over the weekend - you know, just the two of you. I'm sure you'd have a gay ole' time.

LMAO

[007]

Maybe both of you guys could get away from your families and go to Disney World together over the weekend - you know, just the two of you. I'm sure you'd have a gay ole' time.

LMAO
Just let me whip this out......................

4321

Fortunately, Gay Days at MK is only on Saturday. they will be at Epcot on Sunday.

[StcChief]

"gay days" another reason to stay away from Mousechwitz

[Lzen]

Maybe both of you guys could get away from your families and go to Disney World together over the weekend - you know, just the two of you. I'm sure you'd have a gay ole' time.

LMAO

I hate you. :cuss:

[Lzen]

Just let me whip this out......................

4321

Fortunately, Gay Days at MK is only on Saturday. they will be at Epcot on Sunday.

Note to self, don't go to Epcot the first day.

[Mr. Plow]

Note to self, don't go to Epcot the first day.

Oh come on, take one for the team.

[007]

Oh come on, take one for the team.

Hell, you are the one that seems to have "shots" to spare. You can take care of it yourself.:D

[bogey]

Relax, it's not contagious.

[LocoChiefsFan]

I carried a backpack instead of a fanny pack. Of course I had a 2 yr old and a 5 yr old so we carried extra clothes also. I noticed alot of backpacks.

[Mr. Plow]

Backpack would probably be a bit more "stylish"......but I say go with an oversized fanny pack.

[Mr. Plow]

So Lzen & Guru.......how was Disney World? I'm heading there this week.

[007]

It was nice. Didn't have time to do every thing we wanted to but no complaints.

I highly recommend www.tourguidemike.com for planning your days somewhat. The site will also let you know the best days to visit which parks.

If you don't care about seeing the fireworks and light shows at night, that is a great time to knock out some rides. As well as EARLY in the morning. Oh, and don't use the extra morning hours at the parks. EVERYONE goes to those parks on those days. Don't do what everyone else does.

[Mr. Plow]

What parks did you go to? Or all of them?

[Silock]

Anyone have any recommendations on things to do at WDW that are inexpensive, yet something people don't do often? Like a backstage tour kind of thing or something?

[007]

What parks did you go to? Or all of them?

We went to everything. We did miss out on Typhoon Lagoon but that is the only thing we missed.

[007]

Oh, also, USE YOUR FASTPASSES early and as often as possible. They have a return time on them but they can be used for the rest of the day. So even though it says return time from 10am to 11am, you can still use it at 2pm. You can only use each fastpass once though. If the lines are short on a big ride like Thunder Mountain, get a fastpass and then ride it. Come back in an hour and ride it again with your fastpass.

[Lzen]

We went to 4 of the parks in 5 days. On Monday, we went to Magic Kingdom. It seemed to be geared more for the younger kids. My 6 year old girl loved it, though. Space Mountain (roller coaster) was pretty cool. The other good ride that I remember there was the Toy Story. It was like the Men In Black ride at Universal (you ride through and shoot at stuff with guns attached to the car.

On Tuesday, we went to Epcot. Lots of cool stuff there but we didn't get to do everything because it stormed really bad for about an hour or two. My favorite ride (of all the parks) was here, Mission Space. However, if you get dizzy really easy, this may not be for you. I don't do the spinning rides as well now that I'm in my 30s as when I was a kid. Still, I followed their instructions to keep my head back and eyes on the screen. Great ride. Also, Test Track was pretty cool. Waited in line for Soarin' for almost an hour. It was a little disappointing. It's just a (simulated) hang gliding ride. There was also an Ellen Degeneres hosted/narrated ride (Energy something) that was worth checking out.

On Wednesday, we did Hollywood Studios (formerly known as MGM Studios). Make sure to catch the stunt car show. I think they only have 3 shows each day(10:30am/2:30pm/5:30pm), but is definitely worth it. Hollywood Tower of Terror was really cool and fun. Also, they have a pretty cool Aerosmith themed roller coaster. Note: this was the only ride, if memory serves, in all the parks that my 6 year old girl was not big enough to ride. Also, they have this night show called Fantasmic that is worth seeing.

On Thursday, we had a day off and utilized that time to go visit our friends 45 minutes away in Lakeland. Tried to get chagrin to come out and hang with us that evening but he had to work. Oh man, he(my buddy, not chagrin) has this beautiful 2008 Harley Davidson. I am so jealous. Then again, I wouldn't want to spend 25k on a motorcycle, either. :eek:

On Friday, we went to Animal Kingdom. First thing we did was the Safari ride. It was really neat if you like animals. They had lots of wild/exotic animals - it was as if you were on a real African safari. There is a bug attraction/show that is themed like A Bug's Life. Great for kids and adults - although it may scare young ones a bit. This park is also where they have the Tree Of Life. It's really cool to see. It's a fake tree with carvings of animals in it. And the thing is huge. Expedition Everest is really fun roller coaster - we rode it 3 times. They also have raft ride that is like Fury Of The Nile at Worlds of Fun, only twice as good. It holds 10 or 12 people and I think half our party got completely soaked. They also have this cool dinosaur themed ride - kind of a Back To The Future/Jurassic Park thing.

A couple of things:
- I was amazed at all the rides that my 6 year old girl was able to ride. That was really nice. She even rode Expedition Everest and liked it. On that same note, she rode Mission Space with the wife and in-laws on the easier side (green team, I think). I was with the boys (orange) on the more intense side. Anyway, after the ride she was crying and said "mommy, I am dizzy". Then she paused from crying and said "but that was really fun". ROFL

- Fast Pass is a part of your ticket. My wife had told me that Fast Pass was something for which you had to pay extra. So, on the first day we didn't bother with it. I was planning to ask someone at some point how much and having them add it to our ticket. I never got around to it the first day. As we were entering Epcot the 2nd day, I asked and they explained that it was already part of my admission. For those that don't know, your admission is a card like a credit card. You can use this to get a fast pass to a ride that has a long line. Simply swipe the card and it prints out your Fast Pass. That way you come back during the times it says and you get into the ride within like 10 minutes, rather than waiting 45-60 (or more in some cases - i.e. Soarin'). You can also have more than one Fast Pass at a time. When you get a Fast Pass, it will say next FP available at **:** time (usually it's an hour or two from when you got that FP). While not perfect, it does substantially reduce wait times for the really popular attactions if you allow it to dictate your schedule.

- We stayed in the campground, Fort Wilderness. They had a ton of stuff there to do. There were 2 or 3 swimming pools, basketball courts, pony rides, wagon rides, campfire marshmallow roasting, etc.) but we really didn't have time to do most of that stuff. By the time we got everyone up and around, showered, and ate breakfast, it was time to go to the parks. Then we would get back at night around midnight or 1 am usually. Too late to do much of anything other than go to bed. It was a whirlwind tour, I tell ya. Perhaps I'll post some pics later. Be sure to wear some comfortable walking shoes and keep applying the sunscreen.

[007]

If you leave the park for a while and plan to return that night, be sure to get a fastpass on your way out too. One less thing to wait on when you return.

Remember, you can't use a fastpass earlier than the time dictated on the card but you CAN use it anytime after that time. You are not limited to just the 1 hour time period. They will honor your fastpass at any time for the rest of the day. Until you use it then it is voided of course.

[Mosbonian]

We went to 4 of the parks in 5 days. On Monday, we went to Magic Kingdom. It seemed to be geared more for the younger kids. My 6 year old girl loved it, though. Space Mountain (roller coaster) was pretty cool. The other good ride that I remember there was the Toy Story. It was like the Men In Black ride at Universal (you ride through and shoot at stuff with guns attached to the car..

Your post is so long I will touch each one individually...

Magic Kingdom really is for kids, but there are things that are meant for people of all ages....you didn't mention Mickey's PhilharMagic which is actually pretty cool, and a great place to cool down. Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad are actually pretty cool when it comes to rides, but remember, when you ride Splash Mountain you WILL GET WET! Buzz Lightyear's Star Command just went thru a makeover so that is why it is still fun. Most of the rest of the rides are more mild stuff meant to entertain the younger set.


mmaddog
*******

[Deberg_1990]

When we were at the Magic Kingdom back in May, we bought the Pirate and Princess Party tickets just to get the extended hours.

We ended up being at that park from like 11 in the morning until midnight. We were all tired, but had a ton of fun. Its like being a kid again. Yes most of the rides are geared towards the younger set, but a classic is still a classic.

[Mosbonian]

On Tuesday, we went to Epcot. Lots of cool stuff there but we didn't get to do everything because it stormed really bad for about an hour or two. My favorite ride (of all the parks) was here, Mission Space. However, if you get dizzy really easy, this may not be for you. I don't do the spinning rides as well now that I'm in my 30s as when I was a kid. Still, I followed their instructions to keep my head back and eyes on the screen. Great ride. Also, Test Track was pretty cool. Waited in line for Soarin' for almost an hour. It was a little disappointing. It's just a (simulated) hang gliding ride. There was also an Ellen Degeneres hosted/narrated ride (Energy something) that was worth checking out..

Mission:Space is definitely not for everyone....in fact I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who gets dizzy easy or car sick easy. Plus if you have any physical ailments it only amplifies the problems. Test Track is great...I rode it several times. Unlike you I ejoyed Soarin' especially since I got to sit on the top row where the effect is felt the most. And Ellen's Energy Adventure was more enjoyable that I thought it would be. Since your stay there was abbreviated you probably missed Maelstrom which is in the Norway Pavilion and American Pavilion replete with the Fife and Drum Corp. The renovation that was done on Spaceship Earth actually made it disappointing...if you haven't done it once before, I would recommend seeing it, but a 2nd visit isn't worth it.

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

When we were at the Magic Kingdom back in May, we bought the Pirate and Princess Party tickets just to get the extended hours.

We ended up being at that park from like 11 in the morning until midnight. We were all tired, but had a ton of fun. Its like being a kid again. Yes most of the rides are geared towards the younger set, but a classic is still a classic.

The problem with most people that go is that they refuse to enjoy the parks like they are kids. The Magic Kingdom is meant to be enjoyed like you aren't an adult....but most people have a pole stuck up their butt and can't do that.

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

On Wednesday, we did Hollywood Studios (formerly known as MGM Studios). Make sure to catch the stunt car show. I think they only have 3 shows each day(10:30am/2:30pm/5:30pm), but is definitely worth it. Hollywood Tower of Terror was really cool and fun. Also, they have a pretty cool Aerosmith themed roller coaster. Note: this was the only ride, if memory serves, in all the parks that my 6 year old girl was not big enough to ride. Also, they have this night show called Fantasmic that is worth seeing..

Disney Hollywood Studios is the real enigma of all the Parks....it can't get an identity and that is what hurts it. The Star Wars ride, Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, The Stunt Car Show, Hollywood Tower of Terror, and Aerosmith Roller Coaster and Muppets in 3-D are about all that is there for entertainment. Everything else is pretty mild...this is the park I enjoy the least.

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

On Friday, we went to Animal Kingdom. First thing we did was the Safari ride. It was really neat if you like animals. They had lots of wild/exotic animals - it was as if you were on a real African safari. There is a bug attraction/show that is themed like A Bug's Life. Great for kids and adults - although it may scare young ones a bit. This park is also where they have the Tree Of Life. It's really cool to see. It's a fake tree with carvings of animals in it. And the thing is huge. Expedition Everest is really fun roller coaster - we rode it 3 times. They also have raft ride that is like Fury Of The Nile at Worlds of Fun, only twice as good. It holds 10 or 12 people and I think half our party got completely soaked. They also have this cool dinosaur themed ride - kind of a Back To The Future/Jurassic Park thing. .

I assume you rode the Safari first thing in the AM....that is when the animals are most active, mostly because they are being fed. The Tree of Life is so cool...and even more fun to pick out all the animals that are interwoven together in the carvings. The Bugs Life is fun, but it really does scare many little ones, especially at the end (you know what I mean). Expedition Everest is not for anyone scared of roller coasters, but must be ridden at least once. The Kali River Rapids are a ride best enjoyed when you want to cool down, and is another ride that guarantees you WILL leave it wet. My son and I ride the Dinosaur ride at least 3 times when we go. But if you have back or neck problems I wouldn't suggest trying it. You didn't mention the Primeval Whirl in DinoLand...did you ride it? That was actually pretty fun even though it was in an area that is populated with mostly kid oriented rides.

mmaddog
*******

[Deberg_1990]

The Bugs Life is fun, but it really does scare many little ones, especially at the end (you know what I mean).

Yea, we learned that the hard way. It started out so innocent, then they got terrified at the end..hahaha

[Mosbonian]

Fast Pass is a part of your ticket. My wife had told me that Fast Pass was something for which you had to pay extra. So, on the first day we didn't bother with it. I was planning to ask someone at some point how much and having them add it to our ticket. I never got around to it the first day. As we were entering Epcot the 2nd day, I asked and they explained that it was already part of my admission. For those that don't know, your admission is a card like a credit card. You can use this to get a fast pass to a ride that has a long line. Simply swipe the card and it prints out your Fast Pass. That way you come back during the times it says and you get into the ride within like 10 minutes, rather than waiting 45-60 (or more in some cases - i.e. Soarin'). You can also have more than one Fast Pass at a time. When you get a Fast Pass, it will say next FP available at **:** time (usually it's an hour or two from when you got that FP). While not perfect, it does substantially reduce wait times for the really popular attactions if you allow it to dictate your schedule..

FastPass is great....and can be used to to even more advantage when properly utilized. There are rides that my wife and daughter don't like riding so we get the FastPasses for everyone and my son and I use them back to back. In the mean time the wife and daughter go on rides they enjoy back to back using the passes my son and I would normally use. There is a limit to the number of FastPasses you can have at one time, but even then you can still manipulate the system. We got to know another couple that was there (an older couple) and the followed us around a couple of days...whenever we wanted to get a second set of FastPasses they would use their cards to get us even more. Plus, with the Year of a Million Dreams the Disney Cast members are randomly handing out One Day fast passes....

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

- We stayed in the campground, Fort Wilderness. They had a ton of stuff there to do. There were 2 or 3 swimming pools, basketball courts, pony rides, wagon rides, campfire marshmallow roasting, etc.) but we really didn't have time to do most of that stuff. By the time we got everyone up and around, showered, and ate breakfast, it was time to go to the parks. Then we would get back at night around midnight or 1 am usually. Too late to do much of anything other than go to bed. It was a whirlwind tour, I tell ya. Perhaps I'll post some pics later. Be sure to wear some comfortable walking shoes and keep applying the sunscreen.

We loved the Fort Wilderness Campground....and we set aside a night where we didn't stay at the Parks until closing so that we could do the Chip N Dale Campfire Sing Along replete with the Disney movies. We also did the Horseback riding.....

mmaddog
*******

[Deberg_1990]

FastPass is great....and can be used to to even more advantage when properly utilized.

Fastpass rocks. Disney does an amazing job of ride loading as well. Especially in comparison to the average SIx Flags type of theme park. The employees are very well trained.

[Mosbonian]

Fastpass rocks. Disney does an amazing job of ride loading as well. Especially in comparison to the average SIx Flags type of theme park. The employees are very well trained.

What I really like about Disney is how clean they keep the Parks and how quickly they keep the lines moving. It's almost like they have someone watching every ride from a monitor board and add cars to the rides to accomodate the increase in ridership.

mmaddog
*******

[007]

What I really like about Disney is how clean they keep the Parks and how quickly they keep the lines moving. It's almost like they have someone watching every ride from a monitor board and add cars to the rides to accomodate the increase in ridership.

mmaddog
*******

Agreed on that. They keep the lines moving well. I love that most all of the rides have interactive lines too.

Sure wish Walmart would do that with their checkout lines. heh

[007]

The problem with most people that go is that they refuse to enjoy the parks like they are kids. The Magic Kingdom is meant to be enjoyed like you aren't an adult....but most people have a pole stuck up their butt and can't do that.

mmaddog
*******

I spent the entire trip just enjoying watching my kids have fun. We had our challenging days but in the end, they had fun and that was all that mattered to me.

[wutamess]

The problem with most people that go is that they refuse to enjoy the parks like they are kids. The Magic Kingdom is meant to be enjoyed like you aren't an adult....but most people have a pole stuck up their butt and can't do that.

mmaddog
*******

Guilty!
Hated the freaking hot ass concrete/asphalt jungle of Epcot Center.
Wouldn't go back unless kids wanted to go.
I'll keep them ignorant.

[Silock]

Anyone have any recommendations on things to do at WDW that are inexpensive, yet something people don't do often? Like a backstage tour kind of thing or something?

^

[007]

^

Outside of the character meals (which technically are popular), I have no idea. Mmaddog would be the authority to turn to here I think.

[Mosbonian]

Anyone have any recommendations on things to do at WDW that are inexpensive, yet something people don't do often? Like a backstage tour kind of thing or something?

Backstage tours are expensive....if you are looking for something inexpensive and fun try the Chip-N-Dale Campfire Sing Along at Fort Wilderness one evening. About the only cost is food/drinks if you don't take it yourself. You get the chance to roast marshmallows, have a sing-along, and see 1 or 2 Disney movies all outdoors. Bring a blanket and sit on the ground or sit in the bleachers.

Depending on the time of year, go to Downtown Disney in the evening. There is usually some type of free entertainment at the stage area near the World of Disney Store. Go early enough, buy some ice cream at Ghiradelli's Ice Cream Parlor and crowd watch waiting for the evening festivities.

If you just want to kill an evening and not spend any money and are staying on property, take a tour of all the Disney hotels. The most interesting is the Animal Kingdom Lodge, where you can sit out back of the hotel around a small campfire. Occasionally you will catch a glimpse of one of the animals in the savannah.

One of the fund things to do at each resort is search for the "hidden Mickey's" that are in each resort. A couple of the resorts make a game out of it for the kids, replete with clues to their whereabouts and a prize for locating all of them at the resort.

If you have some time and don't mind forking over $40 you can rent a boat and go out on the Seven Seas Lagoon that is in front of The Magic Kingdom.

These are just a few of the inexpensive things that you can do...if these are your cup of tea, send me a PM telling me what you are specifically looking for and I can help you.

mmaddog
*******

[DaKCMan AP]

Guilty!
Hated the freaking hot ass concrete/asphalt jungle of Epcot Center.
Wouldn't go back unless kids wanted to go.
I'll keep them ignorant.

Really? Epcot is, by far, my favorite of the 4 parks.

[Lzen]

Your post is so long I will touch each one individually...

Magic Kingdom really is for kids, but there are things that are meant for people of all ages....you didn't mention Mickey's PhilharMagic which is actually pretty cool, and a great place to cool down. Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad are actually pretty cool when it comes to rides, but remember, when you ride Splash Mountain you WILL GET WET! Buzz Lightyear's Star Command just went thru a makeover so that is why it is still fun. Most of the rest of the rides are more mild stuff meant to entertain the younger set.


mmaddog
*******

Which one is Splash Mountain? What does it do exactly?

[Lzen]

Mission:Space is definitely not for everyone....in fact I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who gets dizzy easy or car sick easy. Plus if you have any physical ailments it only amplifies the problems. Test Track is great...I rode it several times. Unlike you I ejoyed Soarin' especially since I got to sit on the top row where the effect is felt the most. And Ellen's Energy Adventure was more enjoyable that I thought it would be. Since your stay there was abbreviated you probably missed Maelstrom which is in the Norway Pavilion and American Pavilion replete with the Fife and Drum Corp. The renovation that was done on Spaceship Earth actually made it disappointing...if you haven't done it once before, I would recommend seeing it, but a 2nd visit isn't worth it.

mmaddog
*******

I forgot to mention Spaceship Earth. Yeah, we thought that one was okay. Rode it a couple of times. It was kind of funny to see our futures. ;)

[Lzen]

Disney Hollywood Studios is the real enigma of all the Parks....it can't get an identity and that is what hurts it. The Star Wars ride, Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, The Stunt Car Show, Hollywood Tower of Terror, and Aerosmith Roller Coaster and Muppets in 3-D are about all that is there for entertainment. Everything else is pretty mild...this is the park I enjoy the least.

mmaddog
*******

Oh man, I forgot to do the Muppet show. I really wanted to catch that one. Every other one of those we did and enjoyed.

[Lzen]

I assume you rode the Safari first thing in the AM....that is when the animals are most active, mostly because they are being fed. The Tree of Life is so cool...and even more fun to pick out all the animals that are interwoven together in the carvings. The Bugs Life is fun, but it really does scare many little ones, especially at the end (you know what I mean). Expedition Everest is not for anyone scared of roller coasters, but must be ridden at least once. The Kali River Rapids are a ride best enjoyed when you want to cool down, and is another ride that guarantees you WILL leave it wet. My son and I ride the Dinosaur ride at least 3 times when we go. But if you have back or neck problems I wouldn't suggest trying it. You didn't mention the Primeval Whirl in DinoLand...did you ride it? That was actually pretty fun even though it was in an area that is populated with mostly kid oriented rides.

mmaddog
*******

Yes, Safari was the first thing we did so that we would be able to see active animals. Thanks for that advice, btw.
We rode the Dinosaur ride about 2 or 3 times. I really enjoyed it.
I did not like the Primeval Whirl at all. It was to jerky and really didn't spin around at all until you were already half way through the ride.

[Lzen]

Agreed on that. They keep the lines moving well. I love that most all of the rides have interactive lines too.

Sure wish Walmart would do that with their checkout lines. heh

The problem with Walmart is that they do have interactive lines. It's just all geared toward women. When was the last time you saw a men's magazine while waiting int he checkout line?
4321 Walmart!

[Lzen]

Really? Epcot is, by far, my favorite of the 4 parks.

I thought Epcot was one of the best, as well. To each his own, I guess.

[DaKCMan AP]

Which one is Splash Mountain? What does it do exactly?

Splash mountain is a water ride where you go through a long, somewhat boring stretch similar to 'It's a small world' on a smaller scale and southern based. Then at the end you have a big, outdoor drop which more than makes up for the first part of the ride.

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/05/theme_parks/image/splashmountain.jpg

[DaKCMan AP]

Oh man, I forgot to do the Muppet show. I really wanted to catch that one. Every other one of those we did and enjoyed.

Muppet's 3D is great. I've seen it countless times and still enjoy it!

[Lzen]

Splash mountain is a water ride where you go through a long, somewhat boring stretch similar to 'It's a small world' on a smaller scale and southern based. Then at the end you have a big, outdoor drop which more than makes up for the first part of the ride.

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/05/theme_parks/image/splashmountain.jpg

Oh, that one. Yes, we rode that. It was alright. We also liked that train roller coaster ride. Oh, and another thing we liked about the Magic Kingdom is the parades. We caught the afternoon parade and the night parade (with all the lights).

[DaKCMan AP]

Oh, that one. Yes, we rode that. It was alright. We also liked that train roller coaster ride. Oh, and another thing we liked about the Magic Kingdom is the parades. We caught the afternoon parade and the night parade (with all the lights).

Yes, Thunder Mountain is an oldie-but-goodie. Hopefully you were able to catch the laser show at Epcot and Fantasmic at TPFKA-MGM.

[Lzen]

First walking into Magic Kingdom. My daughter and niece at the bottom of the pic.

[Lzen]

Yes, Thunder Mountain is an oldie-but-goodie. Hopefully you were able to catch the laser show at Epcot and Fantasmic at TPFKA-MGM.

Yes and yes. They were both pretty cool.

[Lzen]

My nephew (blonde) and my middle son standing in front of Buzz.

[Lzen]

Caught Mickey looking right at us.

[Lzen]

Me holding my daughter on my shoulders watching the night parade.

[Lzen]

All the lighting was really cool for the young ones.

[DaKCMan AP]

My nephew (blonde) and my middle son standing in front of Buzz.

Did you make them wear Jayhawk gear everyday? :p

[Lzen]

Did you make them wear Jayhawk gear everyday? :p

Those boys have been brought up properly. I don't have to make them wear it. They choose to wear it. :D The funny thing is that my nephew has been raised by my in laws. My FIL is a KSU graduate. ROFL

[Lzen]

Here is the dreaded Tower of Terror. Duh duh duuuuuhhhhh!!!! BTW, this ride is really fun. That is, if you don't mind being dropped several stories in an elevator and back up again and dropped several times, at random, in the dark. I think we must have ridden this one about 3 or 4 times. :)

[Lzen]

BTW, I am gonna post a lot of these pics for people who may not have seen Disney. This year was my first time and I was impressed.

Here is a bit of what Disney is all about with their rides. It's not just waiting in line. There is a lot of stuff to keep you interested. Their rides are themed.
Note: Universal Studios is the same way.
This is a pic inside the Tower of Terror before you get on the ride.

[Lzen]

Another pic inside the Tower.

[Silock]

Backstage tours are expensive....if you are looking for something inexpensive and fun try the Chip-N-Dale Campfire Sing Along at Fort Wilderness one evening. About the only cost is food/drinks if you don't take it yourself. You get the chance to roast marshmallows, have a sing-along, and see 1 or 2 Disney movies all outdoors. Bring a blanket and sit on the ground or sit in the bleachers.

Depending on the time of year, go to Downtown Disney in the evening. There is usually some type of free entertainment at the stage area near the World of Disney Store. Go early enough, buy some ice cream at Ghiradelli's Ice Cream Parlor and crowd watch waiting for the evening festivities.

If you just want to kill an evening and not spend any money and are staying on property, take a tour of all the Disney hotels. The most interesting is the Animal Kingdom Lodge, where you can sit out back of the hotel around a small campfire. Occasionally you will catch a glimpse of one of the animals in the savannah.

One of the fund things to do at each resort is search for the "hidden Mickey's" that are in each resort. A couple of the resorts make a game out of it for the kids, replete with clues to their whereabouts and a prize for locating all of them at the resort.

If you have some time and don't mind forking over $40 you can rent a boat and go out on the Seven Seas Lagoon that is in front of The Magic Kingdom.

These are just a few of the inexpensive things that you can do...if these are your cup of tea, send me a PM telling me what you are specifically looking for and I can help you.

mmaddog
*******

The boat thing sounds neat. The main thing is that we all want to do something unusual.

[Lzen]

The car stunt show was really cool. Definitely try to catch this if you go to Hollywood Studios.

[Lzen]

More car stunts.

[Lzen]

.

[Lzen]

,

[Lzen]

A couple of pics for Goat Boy. The Star Tours ride wasn't half bad.

[Lzen]

Most of the pics of the Fantasmic show didn't come out too well. Here are a couple of the better ones. This show is also worth seeing. As an added benefit, it gives you a chance to sit down for awhile and rest. That was much needed after an entire day of walking around and standing in lines in mid 90s heat and humidity.

[Lzen]

The wife took the girl to see the High School Musical show. Thank goodness I was on another ride with the boys and didn't have to endure this. My little girl loves it, though. She got up there and danced with them.

[Lzen]

And if that wasn't enough proof, check out the shirt.

[Lzen]

I'll post some more pics later. I still have a ton from Animal Kingdom. Not really much from Epcot for some reason.

[CoMoChief]

I'll post some more pics later. I still have a ton from Animal Kingdom. Not really much from Epcot for some reason.

Epcot sucks. By far the worst park there.

[Mr. Plow]

The boat thing sounds neat. The main thing is that we all want to do something unusual.


Gay Days?

[DaKCMan AP]

Epcot sucks. By far the worst park there.

I've been to all of the parks many many many times, and I highly disagree.

[Silock]

Gay Days?

I said "unusual."

[Silock]

I've been to all of the parks many many many times, and I highly disagree.

Agreed.

My faves:
1a. Animal Kingdom
1b. Epcot
3. Magic Kingdom
4. MGM

[DaKCMan AP]

Agreed.

My faves:
1a. Animal Kingdom
1b. Epcot
3. Magic Kingdom
4. MGM

I probably have it:

1. Epcot
2. Magic Kingdom
3a. Animal Kingdom
3b. MGM

Animal Kingdom has some really cool stuff but it gets a lower rating from me mainly because there are some great zoos around here. Hopefully they continue to add rides.

[Silock]

Yeah, not too many great zoos in the KC area. Best is Omaha, but that's kinda far away.

[ct]

The problem with most people that go is that they refuse to enjoy the parks like they are kids. The Magic Kingdom is meant to be enjoyed like you aren't an adult....but most people have a pole stuck up their butt and can't do that.

QFT

Just got back from a 10 day trip a couple weeks ago. Had an awesome time!! Only my teenage son did not enjoy the trip, but he's just too cool for WDW, so it wasn't a surprise. He brought his best friend with him, and even he had a good time.

We got to be Grand Marshalls of the Main St. parade, that was damn cool! Cheesy as hell, but great fun! Not sure who enjoyed it more, my 2 kids (the younger ones, 10 and 7, not the teen) or my wife, who's a bona fide Disney nutcase (in a good way :).

[007]

Which one is Splash Mountain? What does it do exactly?

How did you NOT see that one? It is right next to Big Thunder Mountain.

It is basically like the Viking Voyage at Worlds of fun but on steroids. Guess you could also compare it to Small World with the big drop at the end if it annoys you. heh

[007]

Oh man, I forgot to do the Muppet show. I really wanted to catch that one. Every other one of those we did and enjoyed.
That one was great but can't touch Philharmagic at all.

[Lzen]

How did you NOT see that one? It is right next to Big Thunder Mountain.

It is basically like the Viking Voyage at Worlds of fun but on steroids. Guess you could also compare it to Small World with the big drop at the end if it annoys you. heh

Ummm.....I guess you missed this post.

Oh, that one. Yes, we rode that. It was alright. We also liked that train roller coaster ride. Oh, and another thing we liked about the Magic Kingdom is the parades. We caught the afternoon parade and the night parade (with all the lights).

[007]

The problem with Walmart is that they do have interactive lines. It's just all geared toward women. When was the last time you saw a men's magazine while waiting int he checkout line?
4321 Walmart!

Yeah, but then they would be called sexist.

[Friendo]

fwiw--the two restaurants I highly recommend are Boma, at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (buffet-style--domestic and native foods) the breakfast was the best I've ever had bar-none, and the Retro-cafe?? at Disney Studios (formerly MGM)---like stepping back into mom's kitchen in the fifties--the kids loved both.

[Lzen]

That one was great but can't touch Philharmagic at all.

Philharmagic? Which park was that? Don't believe we saw that.

[DaKCMan AP]

Philharmagic? Which park was that? Don't believe we saw that.

Magic Kingdom. It's excellent.

[007]

Gay Days?

Surprisingly it was not too bad. Unfortunately they had the primary color of red so you know exactly who and where they were all the time. It was a damn sea of red. Thank God I didn't wear my red shirt that day.:doh!:

[Lzen]

Speaking of restaurants....
I didn't try this place but my in-laws did on the day that we drove to Lakeland to visit our friends. Apparently, Fort Wilderness has a buffet place up by the boat dock. According to them, it is horrible. The layout is terrible and the pricing is really high.

[Lzen]

Surprisingly it was not too bad. Unfortunately they had the primary color of red so you know exactly who and where they were all the time. It was a damn sea of red. Thank God I didn't wear my red shirt that day.:doh!:

I'm surprised it wasn't pink and green.

[DaKCMan AP]

fwiw--the two restaurants I highly recommend are Boma, at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (buffet-style--domestic and native foods) the breakfast was the best I've ever had bar-none, and the Retro-cafe?? at Disney Studios (formerly MGM)---like stepping back into mom's kitchen in the fifties--the kids loved both.

It's called the 50's Prime Time Cafe and it's a dining experience. :)

[007]

Philharmagic? Which park was that? Don't believe we saw that.
Sorry to say, you really missed out on by far the BEST 3D show in all the parks. I went back to watch it again I enjoyed it so much. It is back by Peter Pan.

[007]

I'm surprised it wasn't pink and green.

If you didn't know going in it was Gay Days, I would imagine most people would have been oblivious to it.

[Friendo]

It's called the 50's Prime Time Cafe and it's a dining experience. :)

thanks :thumb: it's easy to cynical about some things Disney, but I always check mine at the door.

[The Franchise]

Here is the dreaded Tower of Terror. Duh duh duuuuuhhhhh!!!! BTW, this ride is really fun. That is, if you don't mind being dropped several stories in an elevator and back up again and dropped several times, at random, in the dark. I think we must have ridden this one about 3 or 4 times. :)

Hotel Tower of Terror is a great ride!

[DaKCMan AP]

Hotel Tower of Terror is a great ride!

Unfortunately, it used to be MUCH MUCH better. :harumph:

[007]

Hotel Tower of Terror is a great ride!
Tower of Terror bores me. heh After you ride it once, it just loses its appeal.

Aerosmith Rockin roller coaster was excellent though.

[Friendo]

Unfortunately, it used to be MUCH MUCH better. :harumph:

I've always heard Halloween is a great time at the park--have you ever been then?

[007]

Unfortunately, it used to be MUCH MUCH better. :harumph::spock:
It's been the same thing since inception.

[DaKCMan AP]

:spock:
It's been the same thing since inception.

You're obviously mistaken.

[DaKCMan AP]

I've always heard Halloween is a great time at the park--have you ever been then?

I've never been to Disney during Halloween nor have I attended Universal's Halloween Horror Nights.

Last year I went to Busch Garden's Howl-O-Scream and it was interesting.

[007]

You're obviously mistaken.

I rode it in 95 and then again this year. I didn't notice anything different. What are you referring to?

[DaKCMan AP]

I rode it in 95 and then again this year. I didn't notice anything different. What are you referring to?

They've tinkered many times over the years with the number of drops, the frequency of dropping, how far you drop and whether the "elevator" shakes or not.

When it first opened you would get raised up, the doors would open and you'd be staring at a darkened wall that looked to be covered by ficus. Then you'd drop. A good drop. Next you'd be raised all the way to the top, the doors would open and you'd look out on the entire park. And you'd look. And you'd look. THEN YOU'D DROP. All the way down. A great drop.

Now you drop more often, but they're much smaller drops and the frequency is nearly constant such that you don't really get that "stomach rising" sensation. You also don't get to "look out" anymore. You go up, the doors open (or are already open) and before they're all the way open you're dropping again.

[Friendo]

I've never been to Disney during Halloween nor have I attended Universal's Halloween Horror Nights.

Last year I went to Busch Garden's Howl-O-Scream and it was interesting.

I took my kids to W'burg Busch Gardens for Halloween one year--they spook it up pretty good starting about dusk. The teens at the park really get into it--I recall walking towards a wall to take a sit-break, and my 8 year old son was beside me. The (apparent) inanimate clown sitting on the wall winked at me as my son and I sat down, he next to this "clown". After a few moments, this clown suddenly turned and hissed flashing a wicked toothy grin at him. I thought my son had pissed his pants, and he nearly knocked me over trying to backpedal. We still get a charge out of that. I recommend one of these fright nights to any who love Halloween!

[DaKCMan AP]

I took my kids to W'burg Busch Gardens for Halloween one year--they spook it up pretty good starting about dusk. The teens at the park really get into it--I recall walking towards a wall to take a sit-break, and my 8 year old son was beside me. The (apparent) inanimate clown sitting on the wall winked at me as my son and I sat down, he next to this "clown". After a few moments, this clown suddenly turned and hissed flashing a wicked toothy grin at him. I thought my son had pissed his pants, and he nearly knocked me over trying to backpedal. We still get a charge out of that. I recommend one of these fright nights to any who love Halloween!

Yeah, they do a good job. They had a bunch of "haunted houses" setup throughout the park and each was different and well done. They also had "haunt zones" setup such that you couldn't walk from one part of the park to any other without passing through at least one of these zones. The makeup and costumes were great.

[007]

They've tinkered many times over the years with the number of drops, the frequency of dropping, how far you drop and whether the "elevator" shakes or not.

When it first opened you would get raised up, the doors would open and you'd be staring at a darkened wall that looked to be covered by ficus. Then you'd drop. A good drop. Next you'd be raised all the way to the top, the doors would open and you'd look out on the entire park. And you'd look. And you'd look. THEN YOU'D DROP. All the way down. A great drop.

Now you drop more often, but they're much smaller drops and the frequency is nearly constant such that you don't really get that "stomach rising" sensation. You also don't get to "look out" anymore. You go up, the doors open (or are already open) and before they're all the way open you're dropping again.

I did notice that we didn't get up high enough to really see out the doors. I guess I do kind of remember the drop being longer. Probably why I really didn't enjoy it this year. With it being 13 years, I couldn't really remember anything but dropping a few times.

What made this memorable for me this year was my 6 year old exclaiming "That was SO not fun" after it ended. ROFL

[Lzen]

My other nephew and my other son. We were waiting in line for the safari that morning.

The got bored at Magic Kingdom (eh - teenagers), but I think they liked all the other parks.

[Lzen]

The tree.

[Lzen]

Hippos and crocs, and rhinos, oh my!

I thought it was really cool that we were up close to these wild animals.

[Lzen]

Is this tree lady a real person or animatronic? I could not tell.

[Lzen]

Mmmmmmm, delicious turkey legs.

[Lzen]

Expedition Everest was another one of the really cool rides, IMO. You go up into the mountain on the train (roller coaster) in search of the Yeti, a.k.a. abominable snowman. The fun starts when you find him. :)

[Lzen]

They even had a petting zoo. Don't ask me what my nephew was about to do to this goat.

[007]

They even had a petting zoo. Don't ask me what my nephew was about to do to this goat.

BAAAAAaaaaaaaaROFL

[Lzen]

This is another example of how they conceal what their rides are from the outside. The only thing this ride says is Dinosaur Institute. It is the travel back in time to the Jurassic Era and get chased by dinos that want to eat you ride.

[TinyEvel]

Is this tree lady a real person or animatronic? I could not tell.

That's a lady in a costume on stilts with hand stilts also.

Did you see her bush? ;)

[Lzen]

Did you see her bush? ;)

ROFL

[Chiefnj2]

I thought the tower of terror had random drops.

[DaKCMan AP]

I thought the tower of terror had random drops.


Now it does. The ride was better when it first opened and the drops, while not random, were longer and setup better.

[Amnorix]

We're pretty locked into going the week BEFORE Thanksgiving. Anyone been there around that time? Crowded or not? I'd think not (which is a big part of the point of going then...).

Got 2 little ones -- 7-1/2 and 4-1/2 years old at that point.

[DaKCMan AP]

We're pretty locked into going the week BEFORE Thanksgiving. Anyone been there around that time? Crowded or not? I'd think not (which is a big part of the point of going then...).

Got 2 little ones -- 7-1/2 and 4-1/2 years old at that point.

I've gone the week of Thanksgiving a few times and it's always been fun. Not too crowded, so I doubt the week prior will draw larger crowds. It CAN get cold (especially at night) during that time of the year, so stay on top of the forecasts and at least pack windbreakers. That's a great age to take the kids. We went a few times with my 2 little cousins when they were ages 2-7 and they LOVE Disney World. At that age their favorite park will undoubtedly be Magic Kingdom and then probably Animal Kingdom.

The one bummer is the "Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights" at TPFKA-MGM doesn't open until Nov. 28th this year. That's usually a great night-time activity late November - early January.

[LocoChiefsFan]

Lzen, it sure looks like you stole all my pics from my trip. We had a great time, but we will never go back in June or any other summer month. It was humid as hell. Here's my pic of the ToT.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u128/EKnMO/100_1685.jpg

[Mosbonian]

Epcot sucks. By far the worst park there.


Only if you are a little kid....:p

You really need to get to know EPCOT and what is enjoyable. I have just as much fun in the World Showcase at each particular exhibit. If you do nothing in the World Showcase you ned to do the American Pavilion. There are several things to enjoy there. And you should strike up a conversation with the people who work at the Country's Pavilions. I got to know a couple of the people in the UK Pavilion while I was looking at their selection of Imported Teas. After spending sometime talking about the different Teas one of the ladies handed me a free box of my favorite kind, Apple Cinnamon. The next morning I tried it out....liked it so much I went back and bought 3 more boxes. I had them deliver it to my room so I wouldn't have to carry it around the park with me. When I got back to the room that night, they had stuck an extra sampler box in the bag for me. That's the Disney Touch!

mmaddog
*******

[DaKCMan AP]

Only if you are a little kid....:p

You really need to get to know EPCOT and what is enjoyable. I have just as much fun in the World Showcase at each particular exhibit. If you do nothing in the World Showcase you ned to do the American Pavilion. There are several things to enjoy there. And you should strike up a conversation with the people who work at the Country's Pavilions. I got to know a couple of the people in the UK Pavilion while I was looking at their selection of Imported Teas. After spending sometime talking about the different Teas one of the ladies handed me a free box of my favorite kind, Apple Cinnamon. The next morning I tried it out....liked it so much I went back and bought 3 more boxes. I had them deliver it to my room so I wouldn't have to carry it around the park with me. When I got back to the room that night, they had stuck an extra sampler box in the bag for me. That's the Disney Touch!

mmaddog
*******

Yep.. the different countries are great and Canada's Off Kilter rocks!

[Mosbonian]

QFT

Just got back from a 10 day trip a couple weeks ago. Had an awesome time!! Only my teenage son did not enjoy the trip, but he's just too cool for WDW, so it wasn't a surprise. He brought his best friend with him, and even he had a good time.

We got to be Grand Marshalls of the Main St. parade, that was damn cool! Cheesy as hell, but great fun! Not sure who enjoyed it more, my 2 kids (the younger ones, 10 and 7, not the teen) or my wife, who's a bona fide Disney nutcase (in a good way :).

My Teenage son has started being "too big" for Disney too.


I've been to WDW countless times and never gotten the opportunity to be Grand Marshal. Lucky you...

And BTW.....like your wife, I am a Disney nutcase, in a good way.

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

That one was great but can't touch Philharmagic at all.

QFT...and rep for you!

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

fwiw--the two restaurants I highly recommend are Boma, at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (buffet-style--domestic and native foods) the breakfast was the best I've ever had bar-none, and the Retro-cafe?? at Disney Studios (formerly MGM)---like stepping back into mom's kitchen in the fifties--the kids loved both.

Another QFT!!! And rep for you too.

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

Philharmagic? Which park was that? Don't believe we saw that.

If your daughter rode either the Wooden Horse Carousel or Dumbo's Ride you were close enough to spit on it.

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

It's called the 50's Prime Time Cafe and it's a dining experience. :)

Whatever you do...always eat your veggies and keep your elbows off the table or "Mom" will embarass the absolute hell out of you.

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

Is this tree lady a real person or animatronic? I could not tell.

She's real...trust me...

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

We're pretty locked into going the week BEFORE Thanksgiving. Anyone been there around that time? Crowded or not? I'd think not (which is a big part of the point of going then...).

Got 2 little ones -- 7-1/2 and 4-1/2 years old at that point.

We have been there several times during Thanksgiving Week....and On Sunday afternoon-Wednesday afternoon it will feel like they opened the park to you and several thousand of your close friends. When I have gone there were virtually no waits at any ride, and sometimes, if you are staying "on property" you can get a "bump" in the room that you are staying in. One time we stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge and got bumped to a Savannah View Room at no extra charge. Plus we got a meal comped....

mmaddog
*******

[Mosbonian]

Yep.. the different countries are great and Canada's Off Kilter rocks!

One of the guys working at the Canadian Pavilion got me to sing "Oh Canada" with him....we drew a crowd....and everyone got a kick out of it.

mmaddog
*******