My husband and I want to take a trip to Disney World.?

Question

What s the best travel site for setting a trip like this up? Can someone please explain the park hopper thing? Is it like paying admission for the parks all at once OR does it only allow you to switch parks in one day.
What are some tips for planning a trip to Disney World?
And last, what are some things that I have to do? Like attractions that I shouldn't miss?

Answer 1

I like planning with a travel agent, for two reasons 1). There is no extra charge to use them, so you get all the benefits but don't have to pay extra. 2). All the questions you have, and trust me there will be many especially if this is your first visit or first in a long, they will be able to answer them all for you. A good agent, especially one that specializes in Disney has a ton of knowledge, the best thing is that you know the knowledge is accurate and up to do date. The information you get from other sites and sources may sound correct to you, but may actually not be correct. Plus, you will get dozens of different responses from the same question, you don't have to sort out what is the truth and what isn't with an agent.

I've included a link to my agents site. I've used them for several years and are by far the most knowledgeable I have used in all the years of my travel. I've not used another agent or agency since I found them.

As for the park hoppers, that is your ticket. Disney changed things a little recently.You can now customize your ticket. The base ticket gives you admission to one park, per day for the length of the pass. It expires 14 days after the first use. From there, you can add on the hopping option. This allows you to visit multiple parks in one day without needing separate admission. For example, if Animal Kingdom closes early and you want to go to another park, you can do that with the hopper, but with a base ticket you can only get into that one park that day. You can return to the same park, you just can't go to another park until the next day. You also have the water park option. This gives you admission to Disney Quest, the Water Parks, Wide World of Sports, etc. How many days admission depends on the length of park admission. If you plan to go to any of these places more than once it is worth adding since it is equal to the cost of one and a half visits. Finally, you have the no expiration option which allows you to buy the tickets and they will never expire. The reason for this is because Disney makes the per day cost go way down the longer your pass. So a lot of people buy a 10 day pass with hopping and water parks, put no expiration on and then use a few visits each time. I never get no expiration because I prefer booking a package so I can add on one of the dining plans.

There are a ton of tips for planning Disney. Another great reason to use an agent. A few of my suggestions. Definitely stay onsite, the value resorts usually run about the same cost as off site, but you have great transportation, great service and the rooms are clean. Plus, Disney has great promotions and the rooms come down in price so that it makes it the same or less than offsite resorts. Also, the dining plan is a great add on, huge savings, about 40% off your dining. The plan is really affordable and one of the best basic plans I have ever seen Disney offer. Finally, be sure to plan a long enough stay. There is a ton to see and it is pretty much impossible to do it all in one trip. But, having a good week will give you a more relaxing pace and you don't get as upset with crowds and things like that. There are many more, if you have any more questions you can always e-mail me, I am happy to help out, I go to Disney all the time.

What not to miss, wow, there is so many things. It really depends on what you like. The shows, parades, fireworks, etc. are all great, and not to be missed. Rides like Mission Space, Expedition Everest, etc. are really great as well. Downtown Disney is great for a nice meal, some shopping walking around, being by the water, and if your budget allows go to Cirque. It is an amazing show and I have seen it multiple times, I've never regretted it.

This is just a tip of the iceberg, but I hope it gives you a little guidance. Again, if you want anymore tips or anything, please e-mail me!

Answer 2

I only book Disney Vacations straight from Disney, so I would advise you to go to http://www.waltdisneyworld.com to book your vacation. The park hopper thing is an option that you can get on your park tickets. It costs a little bit extra. It lets you go to all the different parks all day, except for the water parks. So, say you wanted to spend the day at the Magic Kingdom, but you wanted to finish your day off by watching Fantasmic! at MGM Studios. Once your finished at the Magic Kingdom go on over to MGM and you can get in without paying for a ticket because you have the park hopper option on your ticket. If I were you, I would get the park hopper option. Some tips for planning your vacation are, go to http://www.waltdisneyworld.com and order the free vacation planning DVD. Some attractions that you can't miss are Cinderella Castle, Splash Mountain, Ariel's Grotto, Mickey's Toontown Fair, Fantasmic!, Wishes Nighttime Spectacular, Spectromagic Night Parade, Space Mountain, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Kali River Rapids, and The Voyage Of the Little Mermaid. Some of these are rides and some are shows.

Answer 3

there is a great book ,by fodors i think called doing disney with kids.definitely grab it.it tells you what attractions to hit at what time,where to fast pass etc.also you definitely need a hopper cause it allows you to go from one park to another.dont miss blizzard beach or the epcot fireworks.the greatest thing to do if you can afford to is to stay at a hotel on the monorail system.the contemporary,polynesian are good choices.it saves you the hassle of catching buses and long bus rides.20 minutes to a half hour at some resorts,and these are the nice ones.make sure to bring strollers for all kids,even older.may becomes sooo hot so make sure all clothes are very light from that point on.disney.com has a spot called destinations which allows you to view every resort.the bus rides are the only pain,especially after the parades at night because the line is outrageous.we used to sprint after 9 to get in the bus line.bring sneakers only too...so much walking.but enjoy because it is so magical.i cried when i saw my daughters face for the first time in disney.also...make sure you call 417 wdw dine early as possible to get into the character breakfasts.they fill up so quick.the one not to miss is chef mickeys,,fun for all.bring lots of film and an autograph book because you meet all the characters individually,and autographs are the hot thing for kids.memories will last a lifetime...enjoy.

Answer 4

My main advice is to use an itinerary and touring plans service. This one thing has made all the difference for our family when traveling to Disney World. We were like you, it had been years since we had been to Disney World and all of our vacations had been simple, like trips to the beach and such. When I started looking at Disney, I was really overwhelmed. I figured out what resort we wanted, but I was having a hard time deciding on tickets and dining. Custom Mouse Plans created our itinerary and told me exactly what tickets to get. They also made our dining reservations and told me which dining plan was the best for our family. The touring plans were amazing. We rode everything without waiting more than 10 minutes for any ride! They made the whole process so much easier.

Answer 5

My husband and I offer a Disney trip planning service. We charge a one-time fee and do all of the planning and research for you. We create a personalized trip booklet which includes your itinerary, high quality park maps, dining recommendations, attraction recommendations, driving directions, and so much more! If you are interested in our services, please check out the links below.
Disney Park Hopper tickets allow you to visit all 4 parks in a single day. You could start off your day at the Magic Kingdom, and then enjoy your evening at EPCOT. Or you could visit all 4 parks in one day! It allows for more flexability for your Disney vacation.
A great tip is to make your dining reservations early - especially for specialty meals like buffets at the resorts or character dining. Reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance by calling 407-WDW-DINE. However, I always recommend that folks figure out their park days before they make dining reservations.
You should start off by figuring out when you'd like to visit. Off peak seasons (which have lower crowds and less expensive rates for hotels) are:
late January - mid March
late September - mid December
Always avoid weekends and holidays to avoid high crowds.
Then decide if you would like to stay at a Disney hotel, or off property, based on your budget. Visit http://www.disneyworld.com and click on resorts. Then be sure to take the virtual tours to see if any of the Disney Resorts stand out to you and your husband. All are great. We can also recommend fabulous hotels which are located just minutes away, but cost a lot less if you are on a budget.
Here are my must see attractions and entertainment in each park:

Magic Kingdom:
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Haunted Mansion
Pirates
Mickey's Philharmagic 3D Show
Wishes Fireworks Show
Hall of Presidents

EPCOT:
Soarin'
Mission Space
Maelstrom - Norway Pavilion
Spaceship Earth
Visit all of the contries at the World Showcase
Illuminations: Reflections of Earth Night Show on the lake
Living with the Land
Living Seas with Nemo & Friends

Disney Studios:
Rock N' Roller Coaster
Tower of Terror
Animation Tour - animation courtyard
Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular
Beauty & the Beast Live Stage Show
Fantasmic!

Animal Kingdom:
Kilimanjaro Safari
Dinosaur
Expedition Everest
Kali River Rapids
It's Tough to be a bug 3D show
Mickey's Jammin Jungle Parade
Festival of the Lion King show (fantastic show!)

Disney water parks are great and the Cirque De Solei show at Downtown Disney is truly a show that should not be missed!

If you would like any help researching or planning your next trip, or if you would like to read up on some fun tips and ideas which are updated monthly, check out our Disney Vacation Service Myspace Page at:

http://im-all-ears-disney-vacation-services.blogspot.com/

Or check out our Disney Vacation Services Blog page at:
http://www.myspace.com/disneymickeyvacation

Have a great time!

Answer 6

Get a hotel with a FREQUENT shuttle and know the hours of the shuttle operation.