[QUOTE=Ruby]
I highly recommend Steve Birnbaum’s guidebook on Disney. It’s well written and has a lot of tips for first time travelers.
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Seconded. This book is a must have. Even when I kept APs to Disneyland, I updated my Birnbaum every year.
[QUOTE=Bambi Hassenpfeffer]
It’s only 20 minutes to Clearwater Beach from my home, but I don’t see what people see in it.
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Actually, neither do I. Lots of people go there for some reason, though. That part of Florida actually kind of freaks me out. Unless there’s a public beach, it’s mostly impossible to even see the ocean, even as one drives along it. Hotels and condos and whatever just kind of block it all. :mad:
[QUOTE=Balthisar]
Actually, neither do I. Lots of people go there for some reason, though. That part of Florida actually kind of freaks me out. Unless there’s a public beach, it’s mostly impossible to even see the ocean, even as one drives along it. Hotels and condos and whatever just kind of block it all. :mad:
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It’s the center of operations for the Church of Scientology. I think that explains at least partially why people go there.
As a number of other posters have said, the Park Hopper passes are a great idea. If one park is too crowed, or is just not what you are in the mood for, you can leave and head to another park. You can use the monorail to travel between the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, and I like doing so. The monorail is an attraction at Disneyland in California, and with good reason.
Also, as a number of other posters have said, be prepared for a lot of walking. Wear very comfortable shoes. The parks are huge, Epcot especially. If your feet are tired, you can use the trains in the Magic Kingdom to go around the perimeter of the park, so you don’t have to walk the whole way. In Epcot, you can use the “Friend ships” across the lagoon to the far side of the World Show case.
You can also use these boats to get to the Disney Hollywood Studios, formerly Disney-MGM Studios park. You do have to do this from the “International Gateway” entrance/exit to Epcot. It’s a nice way to travel, and is very restful.
If you get tired, find one of the many shows and rest for a while. Being exhausted is no fun. Also be sure to drink lots of water. There are water fountains all over, but the water has a lot of sulfur in it and doesn’t taste very good.
Bottled water or other drinks are probably the way to go, even though they are expensive.
Each park has a station with a board that gives you information about approximate wait times. Check these frequently, because they are updated frequently, and are really helpful. When I don’t feel like waiting on lines I will often just go to where the the shortest line is. There aren’t any BAD attractions in any of the Disney Parks, and some of them are pleasant surprises. When you go through the turnstiles in to the park you’ll get a guide to what shows start when.
Pay attention to the music, both in the attractions and everywhere else. Most of it is great, fun music.
Sit down, table service dining at Disney World is surprisingly good. Reservations are a good idea. If you look a trip planning book and think there is a particular place you want to dine, call ahead, now, and make the reservation. Avoiding common dining times is a great idea, i.e. eating early or late. The number for dining reservations is 407-WDW-DINE (939-3463).
Boma, at the Animal Kingdom lodge, is great if you are in the mood for slightly exotic food. It is the only place that I personally have tried African food, and I likes it. It’s a buffet, and does have “safe” choices for those who may not like the more exotic stuff.
You can get alcoholic beverages in all the parks except the Magic Kingdom.
The water parks are great fun and are cheaper than the other parks. If you want thrill rides there are a lot of water slides that are just as exciting as a roller coaster. If you want more mellow entertainment, the lazy rivers and wave pools are great.
Oh, if you don’t NEED a bag, don’t bring one. All of the parks have a security check point where they go through bags. These lines can be long and although they frequently move fast, if you can avoid them do so.
I live in Kissimmee which is a mere 15 min from the mouse. Some general florida tips.
Wear loose comfortable clothes. Seriously. I mean it. If it isn’t the dead of winter, then it WILL be hot. While I’m on weather, remember your sunscreen if you need it. (checks OP) London? you’ll need it. I’ve seen movies about London and it rains there. It rains here too. Bring a hat, ditch the jacket or poncho, you’ll steam dry in 15 min once it’s over. Bring your water, Leave bags, carry-alls and anything that you cannot bear to muck around with all day in the room. The last time I went, Nashiitashii and I took turns with a camelback and it worked great. If you must bring a handycam, remember to bring a gallon ziplock for it in case of rain or water rides.
Stay on the grounds, but food and evening fun is NOT far away or hard to get to. If you need munchies, there are several supermarkets within 15 min of the grounds. If you and your friend are pub crawlers, there are a few authentic pubs run by brits in the Kissimmee area, again about a 15 min drive. International Drive is crazy busy, but has some incredibly good food, and neat clubs, as well as outlet stores and a few great tattoo parlors. It likewise is about 15-20 min from the hotel area.
Learn the major roads in the disney area prior to your trip, they all intersect with major highways at some point. If you get lost you’ll have an idea of where you are. If you need directions ASK THE CONCIERGE. Mapquest sucks in the orlando area due to rapid development, and they will give you easy directions that will be a lot faster.
Take at least 5 days for parks and attractions and go easy, skip the hot hours and have a swim, a drink, and a nap.
if you stay at disney the stores will deliver to your room. no reason to carry stuff around.
i would take a swing by universal islands of adventure. that is a fun place as well.
Thanks!
ianzin, drop me a line and I’ll be happy to help out with any questions or planning.
Len
Most important! Have some US money for when you leave the airport, and for getting back, assuming you’re hiring a car. I tried and tried and tried, but there’s just no way to avoid those irritating toll roads to get out of the airport and back. In case you’re not familiar with them, they’re highways that you’re charged on for driving, despite paying taxes separately. They’re not really too bad, except near the airport where they were unavoidable (captive audience and all that).
[QUOTE=Balthisar]
Most important! Have some US money for when you leave the airport, and for getting back, assuming you’re hiring a car. I tried and tried and tried, but there’s just no way to avoid those irritating toll roads to get out of the airport and back. In case you’re not familiar with them, they’re highways that you’re charged on for driving, despite paying taxes separately. They’re not really too bad, except near the airport where they were unavoidable (captive audience and all that).
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You can get from OIA to Disney without using toll roads, but it’s a) slow, and b) just as expensive, since you’re going the long way round.
FYI, “Hollywood Studios” is better (formerly known) as MGM Studios, and I doubt more than a tenth of the non-Disney staff you ask will even know the name has been changed.
Cirque du Soleil at Downtown Disney West Side (basically a big shopping area, but with lots of restaurants and various entertainment venues thrown in) is BRILLIANT and I highly advise you to give it a try.
Also, add my name to the list of people you may feel free to PM with specific questions. Or for a pint 
~RNATB, former Disney staffer and 12th-year British transplant.
[QUOTE=smiling bandit]
Epcot is a lot more adult and relaxing, but again it’s a slower pace, with more informaive experiences (with some exceptions). With all respect to Jragan, he told you he Epcot was boring. He’s wrong. It’s absolutely fascinating just to walk around and experience things, much less get on the rides I could spend all day just in the arcade section.
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Epcot is my favorite WDW park. By far. And I love the World Showcase. But then I grew up going to Disneyland, so the Magic Kingdom is a bit too familiar and slightly disappointing.
[QUOTE=Dangerosa]
Dining Plan got much worse this year
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How so? Did they remove a lot of restaurants from the plan? I loved the Dining Plan. Ate good meals for a pretty good price and didn’t have to pay out of pocket for any food (except for the alcohol).
I’ll second the Boma recommendation.
[QUOTE=Jragon]
Don’t overlook some of the kiddier rides though. Roger Rabbit, and a Mr. Toad ride are short, little wait, and hilarious/fun.
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Sorry to say, the Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Walt Disney World (three words, by the way) closed ten years ago.
I’m going in July. Is the Tiki room still there?
The dollar is low, so us Euro types can actually afford to splurge a little. Here is my advice, from another Eoropean’s perspective.
You’re staying in the park. That’s smart. I’ve been five times to Disney parks (Orlando and Paris) and staying at the park is a much better choice. It makes the whole experience so much more convenient.
It’s hot. And humid. Did I mention that it’s hot? Paired with the American fondness for a/c it also means that you’re going to change from Turkish steam bath to ice box many times during the day. I’m told that it rains almost daily. I don’t know if that’s a joke, but every time I’ve been there, a brief shower came around 3 ever afternoon.
Stay away from the fast food and casual dining places. You’ll eat higher priced food at the nice restaurants, but at a much better ratio of value for money. A soda and a boring pizza will easily be $10-15 in one of those food courts, whereas a nice meal will be $30-50. It’s also a good way to get away from the crowds, screaming kids and relax during afternoon. After that, go back to the hotel, take a nap/shower and hit the park again around five, as families with small kids give up and leave. Some of the rides are more fun at night anyway.
I don’t think anyone has mentioned this upthread, but I was thoroughly confused at my first visit almost 20 years ago. For all the other parks, there are parking lots and bus stops at the entrance. Magic Kingdom can only be got to in two ways: monorail and ferry. The ferry is a much better choice, since the capacity is so much bigger. Waiting in line will be shorter. Since you live on site, you can get to the park early (do they still have breakfast in the park, 'cause that’s a great option?) and this is also the time you might want to try the monorail. For everyday back and forth to MK, use the ferry.
You’ll have a pass to all parks for five days. Don’t be afraid to change parks during the day. Do part of Epcot in the morning, have lunch at Coral reef (great seafood), rest at the hotal and hit the movie park in the late afternoon.
[QUOTE=Yookeroo]
Epcot is my favorite WDW park. By far. And I love the World Showcase. But then I grew up going to Disneyland, so the Magic Kingdom is a bit too familiar and slightly disappointing.
How so? Did they remove a lot of restaurants from the plan? I loved the Dining Plan. Ate good meals for a pretty good price and didn’t have to pay out of pocket for any food (except for the alcohol).
I’ll second the Boma recommendation.
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No longer includes tip. Dropped the appetizer as well. Its still a good value, it just isn’t a GREAT value, and since you now need to pay out of pocket for tip, removed the convenience factor.
To continue with food - the lower priced (on the dining plan they are the one credit restaurants) used to all be darn good. Last trip we were almost always disappointed in food quality - its really gone down hill. Signature dining (the expensive spots) were still really good, but not great - which is where they’d been on prior years. We felt like some of our best meals came from counter service.
Long time Disney freak here. Grew up in SoCal visiting Disneyland at least once a year until I moved away in 1991, and have made several trips back since. I have visited Walt Disney World twice; in 1996 and 1998, so my first hand experience is dated. However, I still purchase guides every year, and keep up on a couple of websites. One of the best is miceage.com, and another one is mouseplanet.com. The reporter for the WDW resort at miceage is Kevin Yee, and he used to be a Cast Member at Disneyland. He usually has a column every week or so with updates on the parks.
I also recommend both the Birnbaum Official guide, and the Unofficial Guide. UG has touring plans that are really wonderful, and does the best job of explaining how Fast Passes and the Dining Plan work. You will definitely want to make reservations as early as possible for any sit down restaurants. Otherwise, plan to wait a long time for seating or go with counter service restaurants. Don’t overlook restaurants in the hotels, either. We really liked Ohana at the Polynesian.
Staying on property is the only way I would go to WDW. YMMV. I like the fact that I don’t have to drive anywhere and hassle with traffic for my whole vacation. Others say they like having a rental car and not dealing with the transportation system (mostly busses).
Be prepared for lines. I have read somewhere (probably the Unofficial Guide, if memory serves) that everything at Disney starts with a line and ends with a cash register. Prices for everything are inflated. If you concentrate too much on it, you will not have a good time! Just relax!
Do go back to your room for a nap and/or swim in the afternoon. The parks clear out after the parades and fireworks in the evening. If you have had a nap, you will find that lines for the more popular rides are much shorter after the folks who didn’t have a nap that day leave the park.
Charlie Tan, the Tiki Room in Florida is not the charming show that it is in Anaheim. It has been taken over by “New Management”, namely Iago the Parrot (Gilbert Gottfried at his strident worst), and Zasu the Toucan. I would only recommend it if you just needed to sit down in air conditioning for about 15 minutes. You will find a nap impossible with the grating voice of the parrot.
The only Matterhorn is at Disneyland in Anaheim. However, the new Himalaya ride at Animal Kingdom looks pretty awesome.
I hope to make a return trip to WDW sometime in the next couple of years. This year I’m going out to Disneyland when Queen Bruin graduates from UCLA.
I can’t wait!
[QUOTE=Cheez_Whia]
It has been taken over by “New Management”, namely Iago the Parrot (Gilbert Gottfried at his strident worst), and Zasu the Toucan.
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:eek:
[QUOTE=Charlie Tan]
4. I don’t think anyone has mentioned this upthread, but I was thoroughly confused at my first visit almost 20 years ago. For all the other parks, there are parking lots and bus stops at the entrance. Magic Kingdom can only be got to in two ways: monorail and ferry. The ferry is a much better choice, since the capacity is so much bigger. Waiting in line will be shorter. Since you live on site, you can get to the park early (do they still have breakfast in the park, 'cause that’s a great option?) and this is also the time you might want to try the monorail. For everyday back and forth to MK, use the ferry.
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The bus will drop you at the MK entrance, avoiding the monorail & ferry. (Not driving means more drinking ;)). The Polynesian, Grand Floridian and Contemporary are just a monorail ride away from the MK. The Wilderness Lodge is a boat ride away.
[QUOTE=rocking chair]
i would take a swing by universal islands of adventure. that is a fun place as well.
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I’d go a bit further and say that for a grown couple with no children, they should plan their trip for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure… and just “swing by” Disney. IoA is much more fun for adults than Disney!
[QUOTE=Bear_Nenno]
I’d go a bit further and say that for a grown couple with no children, they should plan their trip for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure… and just “swing by” Disney. IoA is much more fun for adults than Disney!
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Agreed. Lines are (mostly) shorter, the park layouts (particularly IOA) are better, and the rides/shows are more entertaining for the post-pubescent.
Swing by Pointe Orlando if you get a chance - losts of fun stuff to do like Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, miniature golf, etc.
[QUOTE=Bear_Nenno]
I’d go a bit further and say that for a grown couple with no children, they should plan their trip for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure… and just “swing by” Disney. IoA is much more fun for adults than Disney!
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Completely disagreed. At best, IoA is worth a “swing by” during a Disney trip – nothing more. You can easily cover both of Universal’s parks in a day and a half at most – there simply isn’t much content. And what is there, while decent, it often unspectacular.
I will concede the Hulk and Dueling Dragons are some fine coasters, but it’s clear that they lack the budget of their Disney counterparts. Outside of the queue, they’re completely unthemed, and nothing but steel and bolts – fun, and somewhat lame, at the same time.
Conversley, you’d e hard pressed to cover even just the best aspects of Disney World within a week – there is so much to do, most of which is stellar. Tower of Terror alone handily bests everything’s Universal has ever put out.
[QUOTE=Red Barchetta]
Conversley, you’d e hard pressed to cover even just the best aspects of Disney World within a week – there is so much to do, most of which is stellar. Tower of Terror alone handily bests everything’s Universal has ever put out.
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!
Spiderman is the best ride in the universe, ever.