That’s no excuse! 
I’m kidding. I’m such a nut that I tend to forget that people don’t usually go there three times a year.
–FCOD
Quick commercial: If anyone planning to go to DisneyWorld hasn’t invested in Bob Sehlinger’s “Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World”, I highly recommend buying the book. It’s chock-full of fantastic information, including crowd levels, hotel critiques, food information, and where to find the best deals on tickets and such.
One of the contributors, Len Testa, used to post here, but I dunno if he still does. He helped design a fantastically complex computer program that creates touring plans of WDW to minimize your time standing in line.
Heehee. I love Tomorrowland Transit Authority too. Everything that’s slow and a little lame I love.
My wife thinks I’m weird, but I love the TTA too!
–FCOD
Yes, yes, YES! This book is dynamite, and can cut hours of waiting in line out of your day. One warning though - some members of your party may not be cooperative. My husband and I like to approach a day at the park like a commando mission - lots of planning, strategizing, and trying to outwit and outmaneuver the masses of sheeple. My in-laws however, seemed offended by this idea, and kind of wanted to wander in, wait in line at the first ride that looked good, and so on (thus maximizing their time waiting in line in the Florida heat).
Caricci, be warned - between the heat and the overcrowded buses, my parents nearly got divorced over a trip to WDW in August. Seriously.
I’m still disappointed they changed the Alien Encounter. I understand why - it totally broke the scariness curve at Magic Kingdom. But it was such fun to get shivers as the “monster” breathed down your neck.
One thing that is making it easier to wait till next year is that right now I’m pregnant and can’t ride all the cool stuff. When we go in 2008, not only will I no longer be gravid, but the sprog will be old enough to hang with Granny while I (finally!) get to do Soarin’ and Mission: SPACE.
FlyingCowOfDoom, we own in SSR as well, but we prefer staying in OKW. If you haven’t tried it, do! The “full kitchen” in SSR’s 2BR is smallish, and the dining table pathetic, compared to OKW, which has a decent kitchen compared to the average small house, and a full-sized dining table with nice chairs. They also have a proper restaurant (overpriced, but better than the counter service place at SSR), and a newly renovated pool. Plus you can still take a boat to SSR if you want to do spa stuff.
I’m keen to check out Animal Kingdom, but I think that will be a few years down the line. I doubt we could get reservations there now, since it’s not our home resort.
Well, we usually stay in a Studio, since it’s just the two of us. But we will have to check out OKW someday.
Did you know that there is a table-service restaurant at SSR? The Turf Club Bar and Grill…it’s pretty nice. A lot of people don’t know it’s there, because it’s sort of hidden behind the Artist’s Palette.
You’re correct about the new Villas at AK…I tried to get a reservation for this December and was told the waiting list is about 10 million people long.
–FCOD
As a (former) employee of the mouse, let me offer the following: Call guest relations and confirm that your passes are still valid. Everything except the annual passes (and sometimes those too) comes with a buncha fine print/blackout dates/stuff you wouldn’t believe if I told you.
Either way, much better to discover (and deal with) these issues at home, over the phone, than in front of the guest services window in 100-degree heat.
Also, get yerself some tickets to Cirque du Soleil @ Downtown Disney, if you haven’t been before. Expensive but totally worth it.
Last but not least: always do the Magic Kingdom counterclockwise. Everyone turns left first… if you don’t, your wait times will be much shorter.
And, of course, have a magical day 
My family got into the DVC when it had just started, back when Old Key West was actually called the “Disney Vacation Club.” We’ve never stayed anywhere but there, just because I’ve never seen another place that is so unbelievably laid back.
For recommendations of places to see though, DisneyQuest in Downtown Disney is a big blue cube full of fun. If the kids (big or small) like video games at all, there’s a ton of unique stuff there that you can’t find anywhere else.
I personally love wandering the World Showcase in Epcot, especially grabbing a funnel cake at the USA pavilion or schoolbread at the Norwegian bakery. One of the things on my “to-do” list for the next time I’m there is to go to the restaurant in the Moroccan pavilion, which I’ve heard is extremely good.
Typhoon Lagoon is a kick if you just want to have fun at a waterpark rather than wander around one of the full parks all day, and it’s a bit cheaper than the normal parks if I remember correctly.
I find it’s best to stay at this wonderful place in Celebration. It’s got free rental cars, free meals for the most part, good company, and it’s free to stay there.
Nevermind that it’s my brother’s house, though.
btw- At the end of the ‘Journey to Imagination’ ride, can you still have pictures taken of you/spouse/kids & burned by laser into the middle of crystal/lucite blocks? It was Mundo Cool when I had it done for the boys & I’d like to get another picture/block done the next time we go.
When we were there in May they still had this.
–FCOD
Still here! Until a few hours ago, Bob was visiting me in NC as well. Thanks Sauron, and thanks to everyone who’s read the book.
Len
We’re doing something similar for my daughter.
She doesn’t even know it’s a possibility, but her Aunt, Uncle and favourite cousin and his girlfriend are taking her to Disneyworld in Hong Kong for New Year’s Eve. They’ll be in and around HK for a few days before and after, but have booked in the Disney hotel for that night.
It will be her first time out of the country. The first time she remembers being on a plane (under a year old, we did half a dozen or so flights, she’s a great little flier.)
Isn’t it a great feeling, knowing how they’re just going to be so very excited?
She’s oblivious, but I’m just about bursting with anticipation!
Good suggestions. Though my understanding is you can’t check your passes remotely - I called and asked b/c we had some from ages ago. They said, come to the park and we can swipe 'em. Not too helpful. But then again, they did work just fine. With our new ones, at least I had the brains to make tick marks with a Sharpie for each time we used them.
But yeah, I’ve been meaning to do Cirque du Soleil - thanks for the reminder!
Update: it was hot and humid but not that crowded. Much of the country was back to school that week. The week before we could have stayed in the Magic Kingdom one day till 2 am. That week it was just midnight and stay we did. It was awesome. But, Haunted Mansion was closed so we’re going back for a five day weekend at the Martin Luther King holiday.
Mom and I just made our reservations for our trip the second weekend of December. We’re staying at the Boardwalk Villas. We were lucky to even get in there - the Boardwalk, Beach, and Yacht Clubs were all booked full! We also have our dinner reservations, reservation for Candlelight Processional, and tickets for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party.
Susan
There’s supposed to be some sort of park-wide interactive game, based on Kim Possible.
DO IT!
I spent today at Magic Kingdom and went on Haunted Mansion twice … the rehab is FANTASTIC. The lines today were pretty much non-existant. The longest wait was about 20 minutes. It rained the first two hours we were there, which kinda sucked, but then it cleared up and it was perfect - overcast and low 80’s. In case some people don’t want it spoiled, I’ll spoiler-box the Haunted Mansion changes …
They updated the sound system in both the stretch-room and the doombuggies so it now sounds a lot cleaner and fuller. Everything from the time you get on the doombuggy to the graveyard is either all new or changed - the best change for me was a room that was very similar to MC Escher’s Relativity(link) with staircases that go all over the place with candleabras all over them. There are also glow in the dark footsteps that appear on them at random. The attic scene has a lot of stuff with “the bride” including portraits of her with her various grooms - she then appears and says some vows. The graveyard is now crawling with ghosts that are playing the song or singing. Everything is perfectly in line with the spirit of the ride and just enhances it without taking anything away. I HIGHLY recommend that people check it out.