[QUOTE=Zebra]
In MGM there is a cool restaurant where you sit in cars and there is a big Drive-in movie screen playing campy movie previews and commercials. It’s all inside and I thought it was great.
[/QUOTE]
That is cool, but I prefer MGM’s Prime Time 50’s cafe. I don’t want to spoil anything, but you really do need to experience it.
[QUOTE=Hampshire]
Be aware that even when you have a park-hopper pass it still takes quite a while to hop from one park to another. The only two parks linked together by the mono-rail are the Magic Kindom and Epcot. And even then the mono-rail stations are outside the parks.
[/QUOTE]
This cannot be emphasized enough. Disney property is 47 square miles, which is nearly twice the size of Manhattan. The idea for most of these parks is that they’re far enough away from each other so that each one is completely immersive.
The last time I was there, we wanted to do Epcot and MK in the same day. We’d already been to both during that trip, so we were just hitting our favorites again. We parked by the Boardwalk behind Epcot (hint: if you don’t want to pay for parking for Epcot, park there. Just tell the security guard that you want to take a look around the resort) and entered Epcot through the international gateway. We then walked through Epcot to the front, left out the front gates, and then hopped on the monorail from Epcot to MK. We then got off the monorail at the ticketing center and got on the other monorail to MK. After that, we got off there, walked into MK, and made our way to Pirates of the Caribbean. Total travel time: roughly one hour. And we were already damn tired! That place is huge and Epcot/MK are the most easily accessable to each other.
With only three days, my advice would be to pick two parks that you just have to see. With a seven-year-old, one of those should be the Magic Kingdom, as he is right smack in the middle of the target age group for that park and he’ll have a blast. Then chose another that appeals to your family. Every park has its killer, must-do rides and must-see shows and details, so there is no wrong choice here.
Just forget about the other two parks for now. Disney World isn’t going anywhere. If you enjoy your trip, you can come back when you’ve saved up money for a longer visit. Whether that takes two years or twenty, DW will be there. Concentrating on two parks will give you time to smell the roses and really appreciate the experience, rather than dashing from queue to queue.
Oh yeah, in the Magic Kingdom, do not miss the Buzz Lightyear ride in Tomorrowland or Mickey’s Philharmagic in Fantasyland - the second especially important to all true Donald Duck fans, because while that pampered little mouse insisted on top billing again, it’s really Donald’s show.
Have a great time!
[QUOTE=interface2x]
(hint: if you don’t want to pay for parking for Epcot, park there. Just tell the security guard that you want to take a look around the resort) .
[/QUOTE]
Please do not do this. The signs ask you not to do this. We regularly stay at the Boardwalk, and the Boardwalk has enough parking for its guests and for people to enjoy the resturants and shops at the Boardwalk. It does not have enough parking for people who are going to spend the day at Epcot. Its disturbing to not be able to find a parking spot at your own hotel - then watch the lot clear out post Illuminations.
FYI, if you pay to park at one park and you’d like to hop to another park, you don’t have to pay to park again. Just show park #2 the receipt from park #1.
[QUOTE=Dangerosa]
Please do not do this. The signs ask you not to do this. We regularly stay at the Boardwalk, and the Boardwalk has enough parking for its guests and for people to enjoy the resturants and shops at the Boardwalk. It does not have enough parking for people who are going to spend the day at Epcot. Its disturbing to not be able to find a parking spot at your own hotel - then watch the lot clear out post Illuminations.
[/QUOTE]
Ah, I’ve never been there during the busy season so I never thought much about that. Good point.
At last, a thread to which I can contribute!
I did my Masters thesis on computer algorithms for minimizing waits at theme parks, specifically Walt Disney World. That led to a gig co-authoring one of the guidebooks mentioned earlier. (Not nearly as glamorous as you’d think, but definitely fun.)
First, nice choice on the Magic Kingdom for Saturday. While ‘common knowledge’ might be that it’s a busy day because of locals, our analysis of ride wait times indicates it’s something like the third-slowest day of the week. (Why? It’s a travel day for most folks, we think.)
An alternative itinerary that might be worth considering is:
Thursday: Just Epcot
Friday: Animal Kingdom highlights in the morning, Studios in the afternoon and evening.
Saturday: Magic Kingdom until lunch, either Epcot or TBD based on how everyone feels.
The reason why I like Animal Kingdom in the morning is that there aren’t a lot of rides, and thus not a lot of capacity for handling crowds. Better to see the highlights there early, then use FASTPASS as much as possible later at the Studios.
Incidentally, the Sunshine Seasons Food Fair at Epcot’s Land pavilion is probably your best choice for inexpensive dining in the park. And “inexpensive” is a relative term.
Hope this helps!
Len
[QUOTE=Zebra]
The nice Italian restaurant in Epoct (Alfredo’s?) was really good as well.
[/QUOTE]
Most of the Epcot World Showcase restaurants are real good. And I’ll suggest Boma (at Animal Kingdom Lodge) again (after dinner, you can look at the animals on the savannah using night goggles).
[QUOTE=Red Barchetta]
That is cool, but I prefer MGM’s Prime Time 50’s cafe. I don’t want to spoil anything, but you really do need to experience it.
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, do Prime Time ahead of Drive-In. Much better food for one thing. And it’s more entertaining.
[QUOTE=interface2x]
This cannot be emphasized enough. Disney property is 47 square miles, which is nearly twice the size of Manhattan. The idea for most of these parks is that they’re far enough away from each other so that each one is completely immersive.
The last time I was there, we wanted to do Epcot and MK in the same day. We’d already been to both during that trip, so we were just hitting our favorites again. We parked by the Boardwalk behind Epcot (hint: if you don’t want to pay for parking for Epcot, park there.
[/QUOTE]
I believe Shades of Green guests park for free.
[QUOTE=interface2x]
Just tell the security guard that you want to take a look around the resort) and entered Epcot through the international gateway. We then walked through Epcot to the front, left out the front gates, and then hopped on the monorail from Epcot to MK. We then got off the monorail at the ticketing center and got on the other monorail to MK. After that, we got off there, walked into MK, and made our way to Pirates of the Caribbean. Total travel time: roughly one hour. And we were already damn tired! That place is huge and Epcot/MK are the most easily accessable to each other.
[/QUOTE]
It’s much faster if you have your own car. Travel time should be well under a half hour if you drive yourself.
[QUOTE=len]
At last, a thread to which I can contribute!
I did my Masters thesis on computer algorithms for minimizing waits at theme parks, specifically Walt Disney World. That led to a gig co-authoring one of the guidebooks mentioned earlier. (Not nearly as glamorous as you’d think, but definitely fun.)
Len
[/QUOTE]
Len Testa?
To establish where I’m coming from: I used to work at EPCOT, and did a fair bit of wandering about the parks. However, that was in 96, so things might have changed (I visited three years ago and everything seemed similar, but they might have changed stuff, so please correct me if I say something outdated).
I’d go with len’s itinerary, I’d have suggested something along these lines. EPCOT used to be one of the more relaxed parks, we used to go there in the afternoon and just wander around (and stay for IllumiNations, which is the best fireworks display of the parks IMHO). Just don’t enter the park in the morning and get into line for Spaceship Earth (the big golfball structure), because it sits there looking large and attractive - everybody does so and you’ll be in line forEVER and the ride is rather boring. You can do it in the afternoon with a lot less waiting involved.
To keep a lid on your budget, if you are looking for a quick snack (and you will be, because you will have been walking a lot), the little food carts that serve fruit used to be among the cheapest options. Also, the seafood restaurant behind the Haunted Mansion (forgot the name) used to offer some kind of chowder-in-a-bread-bowl that was reasonable and quite tasty.
In terms of the EPCOT restaurants I’d recommend the Norwegian buffet over the Italian restaurant, which was rather high priced for glorified Olive Garden fare. However, the German buffet also used to suck in 96, and when I saw it three years ago it was really spruced up, so they might have changed other restaurants for the better as well. Usually, restaurants were a lot less crowded (and cheaper) during lunch (still, reservations are a must).
As for the rides, whichever you choose I second the use of Fast Pass for as often as you can get it, it’s a life-saver. Also, while Pirates of the Caribbean might be a classic, it probably has one of the worst lines in the park and you’ll spend a long time trapped in a damp dungeon tunnel in a line that does not seem to move for an eternity. I would think this probably has not improved with the success of the movies…
I personally love to spend time at the Studios, but I just love the Tower of Terror. And the Aerosmith Coaster - if you’re late enough and everybody has left to watch fireworks and the WhatsitsnameSpectacular, you can just exit the one ride and enter the other! But if your son is ambivalent about rides, those might be a bit too scary for him - I’d go with the Mountains in the Magic Kingdom, that should be enough.
Another fun thing with kids is to spot the Hidden Mickeys in the parks.
Also, if the kids get cranky and overtired, try to rid yourself of the thought “We spent a fortune and we still have to go here and there and do this and that and and and…” - it’s easy to get swept up in the feeling you’re missing out on something. Take a deep breath and realize you’re not going to see everything anyway, and then just buy the kids some ice cream and go sit by the fountain at EPCOT, or watch the band / crazy robot trash can in Tomorrowland, or watch people milling by on Hollywood Boulevard. You can always go back some other time and do the stuff you missed.
Alas, the bread bowl is gone (Columbia Harbor House) and the restaurant in Norway is now a Princess Character meal (you don’t want to go there unless you have to - though it was my six year old daughters highlight - in the words of a credit card commerical - priceless - but only because I had a six year old girl in a princess dress with stars in her eyes). The lines for Spaceship Earth first thing in the morning have cleared a lot - everyone is running to get Mission:Space, TestTrack and/or Soarin’ in and then they come back around (its like the old “Mountain rush” drop at Magic Kingdom).
Disney says - or used to (Len can probably correct me) that they set park hours so that a guest should be able to accomplish at least eight attractions in a day. If you think about the number of things to do there, and the size of the resort, and eight things - you can see you aren’t going to get it all done.
Course, in less busy times, and with a good touring plan, you can get a lot more done than eight. But we only put eight things on our “must do” list every day - even though we’ve been many times and don’t go when its busy.
(Now we’ve been so often that I was just coming up with my own “must do” list for our next trip - it only has two things on it - my favorite ride and the ride that reminds me most of my own childhood and was my kids favorite when they were very little. While we still have a great time, we’ve been often enough that if we miss something this trip, no big deal.)
[QUOTE=Dangerosa]
(Now we’ve been so often that I was just coming up with my own “must do” list for our next trip - it only has two things on it - my favorite ride and the ride that reminds me most of my own childhood and was my kids favorite when they were very little. While we still have a great time, we’ve been often enough that if we miss something this trip, no big deal.)
[/QUOTE]
You can’t say that and not tell us what the rides are!
[QUOTE=interface2x]
You can’t say that and not tell us what the rides are!
[/QUOTE]
Peter Pan’s Flight, which I rode six times when my kids were small on a single trip - their absolute favorite as toddlers. I was a Peter Pan nut as a child.
The safari ride at Animal Kingdom. We’ve had amazing luck at being really close to some beautiful animals without fences - sometimes, not so good (and there are some animals that are always hard to see), but we’ve been up close and personal with a rhino and a giraffe.
The safari’s fun, but they need to watch that airspace better. I swear that there are poacher problems every time I ride it.
Hey, I work there, come say hi! I agree with everyone who said planning is a must. Something that hasn’t been mentioned yet is the Pirate and Princess Party. Tomorrow is actually the first day for it, but I’ve seen the cast preview of the parade and it was spectacular. That party runs from 7 pm until midnight, and it is a separate ticket. If funds and time permit, I highly recommend it. There are special events and dance parties and other fun stuff. I can give you more information about it if it interests you. If your son is a PotC fan, he might really enjoy getting to see Jack Sparrow in person!
Something else that hasn’t been mentioned and is brand new is the castle show, Dream Along with Mickey. They’ve just added (last Thursday!) a very special surprise to the show, that I really don’t want to spoil, but if you want to know so you can plan I’ll tell you.
Also, if you think your son might like seeing characters, I can tell you some good places to spot his favorites, and the general times to be there.
You’ll have a great time. Even though I go everyday, I never get tired of Disney. If you have any specific questions about information I’ve given or about anything upthread, I’m happy to help.
[QUOTE=Dangerosa]
The safari ride at Animal Kingdom. We’ve had amazing luck at being really close to some beautiful animals without fences - sometimes, not so good (and there are some animals that are always hard to see), but we’ve been up close and personal with a rhino and a giraffe.
[/QUOTE]
The rhino was less than a foot from the side of the bus. Were I given to doing truly unwise things, I could have leaned over and touched his horn. The driver was aware that the rhino was close, but not that he was that close, and as soon as he realized we were about to make contact he hit the gas.
The giraffe charged the bus. If you have not seen a giraffe charge you, it’s an interesting combination of comedy and majesty. They are truly large animals, and the sight of one charging at you is impressive. However, they’re also very tall, long-legged animals, and so the sight of one charging leaves you with a strong impression of a lot of legs in motion that’s almost slapstick. In that case, I could hear the driver calling in the charge to the keepers – it’s apparently a rare thing, and worth noting to see if they could determine what had made the giraffe angry.
Best. Line. Ever. Thanks, **interface2x **.
For folks who haven’t been on this attraction, it’s supposed to be a safari through an African wildlife preserve. Along for the tour are your vehicle driver and a two-person staff from the preserve, supposedly flying a small aircraft above you.
Roughly the first half of the safari is a straightforward tour of the flora and fauna. In the second half, the airborne duo discover poachers have infiltrated the preserve and are after a baby elephant. Your tour group joins the hunt for the miscreants, eventually helping bring them to justice while saving the baby. Everyone joins in a rousing chorus of “The Circle of Life” on the way back to the unloading platform. (Not really, but I’ve tried.)
The problem with the poacher subplot is that it gets old fast. It might be tolerable the second or third time you hear it. After that, it’s about as appealing as hearing Grandpa recount that gout episode of Thanksgiving '73 yet again.
Unless I owe you money, yes. Otherwise, my name’s Bob. 
[QUOTE=len]
The problem with the poacher subplot is that it gets old fast. It might be tolerable the second or third time you hear it. After that, it’s about as appealing as hearing Grandpa recount that gout episode of Thanksgiving '73 yet again.
[/QUOTE]
Funny you guys mention this - according to, I think it was MousePlanet.com, they’re getting rid of that sub-plot shortly. I’m not sure why though.
[QUOTE=Red Barchetta]
Funny you guys mention this - according to, I think it was MousePlanet.com, they’re getting rid of that sub-plot shortly. I’m not sure why though.
[/QUOTE]
The original subplot the baby elephant was saved, but her mother died. It left the preschool set upset (sometimes Disney doesn’t learn) so the plot was changed - momma and baby are fine. Its a stupid subplot - where the animals hold up the ride just fine - though they may need to add a few pens to the last third of the ride.
[QUOTE=Dangerosa]
Alas, the bread bowl is gone (Columbia Harbor House)
[/QUOTE]
You’re kidding me! That was the only place to have a decent meal at a leisurely pace in the whole Magic Kingdom, even if you don’t take into account the decor. I might not go there anymore if I can’t find a place to have a meal without jillions of people next to me :mad:
[QUOTE=Dangerosa]
Alas, the bread bowl is gone (Columbia Harbor House) and the restaurant in Norway is now a Princess Character meal (you don’t want to go there unless you have to - though it was my six year old daughters highlight - in the words of a credit card commerical - priceless - but only because I had a six year old girl in a princess dress with stars in her eyes). The lines for Spaceship Earth first thing in the morning have cleared a lot - everyone is running to get Mission:Space, TestTrack and/or Soarin’ in and then they come back around (its like the old “Mountain rush” drop at Magic Kingdom).
[/QUOTE]
Ah, I stand corrected, thanks, Dangerosa. Last time I went, I just got on the rides I did not know and checked out the German restaurant for nostalgic reasons. They still had the bread bowl in the Magic Kingdom, though, sad they got rid of it. A Princess Character meal? Yeah, I’d give that a miss, too…