What should we definitely not miss out of the 4 theme parks? Where are the best places to eat? Either hotels, or parks. We are staying on site at the Yacht Club. Where did you stay? What were some of the best rides/attractions/parades that you loved as a family? Thanks! Am trying to put a lot of planning in this trip beforehand, so we can really enjoy it in 5 months.
2007-11-11 00:12:14 · 8 answers · asked by Cathy 2 in Travel ➔ United States ➔ Orlando
Cathy, your Question is so far reaching that it will be tough to address all the possibilities and you will receive many variations.as anyone who has WDW info LOVES to share it ! like me.... you are very wise to start planning ahead of Time as there is also a GLUT of Material that you should read on line and in print,,, I will give you my opinions, and we can chat via E-mail - Mhoban@Optonline.net or what ever for any other Questions you have moving forward,,, My Family and I have been 12 times or more over the past 10+ years , we had everyone from my 3 kids at ages 15, 13,12, , to last years trip with Friends of the children - we have stayed at PO and SR, and have a week in Dec at L,. OK,, let's go... 1st you are staying at a Beautiful resort ! Access to other places by Boat, and bus,,, OR drive your own car,,, we always prefer the busses, the waits are not that long and I do not have to worry about driving,,, March 08 ? for how many days?? If that is Easter week, or Spring Break, it will be busy (when is it not?) That's OK,, Two strategy's work well when it s crowded,, GO EARLY !! I can't say that enough ! You can see more in the 1st 3 hours than most will see in double that in the afternoon,,, go have a break at the Hotel or Beach , or what ever, and then return later in the afternoon/evening... 2nd - Plan ,,, - and have Prioritry seating plans for Dinner. Mark's "Not to be Missed list " to follow..
Ok,,, I'll Assume that everyone will go on all rides,USE FAST PASS where you can
Magic Kingdom,, We love the Mountains,, Splash, Big Thunder, and Space... Mickey's Philharmagic (sp?) Pirates of the Carribean, Haunted Mansion, Hall of Presidents, Go meet Mickey in Toon Town! Ride thr Train ! See Wishes Fireworks, Sit at Caseys and listen to that guy play the Piano! try Breakfast to Chrystal Palace with Pooh, and Tea Eye Double grrrrr - Tigger,,, My wife loves Buzz Lightyear ! and to relax - ride that Wedway people mover,,, several times,,,
Disney Hollywood Studios- YOU MUST SEE FANTASMIC !! repeat that 6 times !! then Muppets, Aerosmith Roller coaster, T Of T.. Star Tours, backstage car show,, Get a coffee and pastries at "Starring Rolls". Great Movie ride,,, did I mention that YOU MUST SEE FANTASMIC .. take the Boat Ride to EPCOT ..
EPCOT - WOW - Space Ship earth, The Seas Soarin, Figment ! - Test track, Soarin , Mission Space , - heed the warning, leave the RED ride ot he,,,hummmmm watch the Fountains, and listen to the Music,,, see Illuminations,,, American Adventure, Try to find the Genie at Morrocco - listen to Mo-Rockin band,, look for the Guy with the Balancing act at France - Have a Pastry, they are to die for !, Listen to both Off Kilter (Canada) and British invasion (England) Have a BEER !! Relax and wander around the World showcase...Animal kingdom ! - My Fav .. Expedition Everest ! Lion King show,.,, be a WartHOG! Safari tour, Dinosaur !, Tough to be a Bug ! Forest Trail, and jungle trek....River Rapids - you WILL GET WET, and you might get SOAKED!@!!! Go see Mickey, and minnie and Goofy, in Camp Minnie Mickey..
Ok, food - I think that the "Counter Service foods have imporved in the last 5 years, you can get good, healthy -if that's what you want - in many loccations,,,,We like the Columbia Harbor house , El Pirata y el Perico in MK, Studios = ABC commisary, and FlatBread grill, AK = Pizzafarri & Tusker House...EPCOT = Japan and China and Mexico, and England - fish and chips, Kringla Bakeri og Cafe, Now Sit down is antoher Thing,,, a Few Dining experiances you can't get any where else,,, 1st - Hoop de do review, Family Show, and Outstanding food !! go to a Character Breakfast, no your kids are not too old for that ! Chrystal Palace in MK,,, Dinner = Germany has a nice Buffet, we went to Cape May at Beach Club, that was very good buffett,Try Beaches and Cream if you go the beach Club.. 50's Prime Time in Studios - you get served by MOM ! and she dis that Airplane thing to get me to eat my Veggies,,, You should use the AllEars.com dining section, and read the Reviews, DO not be thrown by one BAD review - most of these Sit down meals are Excellent experiences,, with a larger group - you will need to plan and Reserve places for dinner..DOWNTOWN disney we like Capt'n Jack's and House of Blues,,,
2007-11-11 02:22:03 · answer #1 · answered by Mark H 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you want to get into popular places to eat, like at Cinderella Castle, call ASAP to do so. Disney allows you to call 180 days away from the time you will be there. This is extremely important as they do not set aside tables for walk-up patrons and the popular restaurants fill up quickly. If you find planning that far in advance too frustrating, I understand, as I have BTDT, but there was nothing more frustrating a couple trips back when we could not get a sit-down meal with a server. I won't go now without those reservations.
This calculator will help you determine exactly when you can call, but I believe you are within the 180 day window http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/pscalc/dispscalc.html
OK, that PSA all aside, you're going to love it. http://www.disboards.com/ is a great website with lots of experienced Disney visitors helping newcomers with info. It is a goldmine I tell ya.
Oh, another great restauant that I think your kids would enjoy is the 50's Prime Time Cafe. The ambiance at Sci-fi, that another user mentioned is great, but the food is so-so. They also may enjoy Planet Hollywood, but I found it too crowded and noisy.
The Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness lodge is also great and a lot of fun, I can't imagine not enjoying that one.
The Garden Grill at epcot has a wonderful dinner and the restaurant rotates through different scenes. By the time you finish your meal you should have made a complete revolution at the restaurant. Le Cellier in Canada is great, but the most popular in all of WDW.
Crystal Palace Buffet is good. I've heard mixed reviews about Chef Mickeys.
Don't miss Fantasmic at MGM, Illuminations at Epcot and Wishes at the MK. All of these are evening shows.
There are daytime parades in all of the parks. The Animal Kingdom doesn't offer nighttime fireworks because of the animals.
The Unofficial Guide by Testa/Sehlinger is also a great book. It's THICK but good. THere's another one that's new called the Complete Guide by Julie and Mike Neal- tons and tons of photograps. She is a former cast member if I remember correctly.
You're wise to plan early. It can be an overwhelming place if you don't.
2007-11-11 03:42:32 · answer #2 · answered by fittobedyed 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
A really cool experience is the SciFi Diner at the Disney/MGM studios. Everyone sits in a "car" at a drive-in movie that shows clips from sci-fi movies AND real 50's-style trailers that advertise movie concessions (which are funny!).
One of the best restaurants on property, the Yachtsman Steakhouse, is located there at the Yacht Club hotel. And Les Chefs de France is a must-dine location at Epcot.
Try to do Cinderella's Castle for breakfast at the Magic Kingdom, and the Restaurantosaurus at the Animal Kingdom has a great character breakfast buffet that's a great way to begin your day at the Animal Kingdom.
The Illuminations show at Epcot is well-worth the price of admission by itself, but since you're there, you should also DEFINITELY see The American Adventure, which should make you proud to be an American through looking at both our accomplishments and our failures as a nation. (It's just been updated to include the events of 9/11/2001).
At the Magic Kingdom, Space Mountain is a must. Yes, it's a roller coaster, but it's fun. And if you don't like roller coasters, rest easy in the knowledge that its one of the slowest roller coasters in existence...it's just the fact that the lights are off and they're using moving projected images to give you the impression that you're moving much faster.
At the Disney/MGM studios, the must-see for me is the Muppet-Vision 3-D movie. If you like Statler and Waldorf (the guys in the balcony), then you'll die laughing.
The Boardwalk is a fun area to visit too (and lucky you...you can walk there from the Yacht Club). The ESPN club is (presently) located there.
Have a magical trip!
2007-11-11 00:20:48 · answer #3 · answered by Scotty Doesnt Know 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
You will love the Yacht Club! Be sure to dine at Cape May at the neighboring Beach Club for dinner. They have a fabulous all you can eat seafood buffet, if your family likes seafood. Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge, 50s Prime Time Cafe at the Studios, Ohana at the Polynesian Resort, Coral Reed/Akershush Banquet Hall/Garden Grill for EPCOT and the Magic Kingdom's Liberty Tree Tavern Rest. are all highly recommended. Be sure to catch some of Disney's shows! Finding Nemo at Animal Kingdom, as well as the Festival of the Lion King are top class shows! Your boys will be sure to love the Lights Motos Action stunt car show at the Disney-MGM Studios. And your girls will love the Beauty and the Beast Live Stage show, also at the studios.
Check out http://www.easybreezyplanning.com
There you can sign up for a free Disney E-newsletter, read up on fun tips and advice, watch fun Disney movie previews, purchase discounted Disney park merchandise and receive assistance with planning your Disney vacation! Have a wonderful trip!
2007-11-12 07:56:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ok, short list for that age (although you would be surprised at how much they even like the "kiddie" rides too!
Magic Kingdom: Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion, PhilharMagic (good for a sit down rest that is entertaining or if rain comes), Splash Mountain, Indy Speedway.
EPCOT: Mission:SPACE (the single must ride at this park they will love it guaranteed FastPass it early) Soarin;, Test Track,
MGM: Fantasmic (if you see anything this is it the best way to end the night at a Disney park) Indiana Jones (a nice rest to sit for a bit also) Muppet Vision, Rock n Roller coaster, Tower of Terror, Star Tours (the Star Wars ride)
Animal Kingdom: Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids, Expedition Everest
Their is so much more obviously, but I think these are great for your age group.
The best tip, let your kids be your guides.
Have fun!
2007-11-11 07:03:04 · answer #5 · answered by Matthew D 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are going then also, and since we use the dinning plan we prearrange meals, all our table service meals have been planned for months. I strongly suggested you go to www.waltdisneyworld.com and choose your places to eat, they have a description of each restaurant and the meals they serve. Once you have decided call 1-407DUDING and make reservations. The biggest complaint I have heard from previous guest is they have a hard time finding a place to eat that does not have a long wait, so plan ahead and schedule ahead. All the parades are great, plan to see them. Other cannot miss activities are:
Magic Kingdom, everything
MGM: Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Afro Smith Rock in Roller Coaster, Beauty and the Beast, Fantastic, The Great Movie Ride, Movie Stunt Action.
Animal Kingdom: Expedition Everest, It's Tough to be A Bug, Kali River Rapids
Epcot: Mission Space, Test Track, Soaring California
We have stayed in the Contemporary, the Polynesian, The All Star Movies, Pop Century and Wilderness Lodge
2007-11-11 02:45:13 · answer #6 · answered by itchianna 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
ive just come back from florida my top things were
magic kingdom - cant beat the disney magic here, and make sure u stay for the night time parade and fireworks!
mgm - tower of terror
busch gardens - great if u love big rides, there is also a free shuttle from sea world, only take 1hr 10 mins
islands of adventure - great for all ages
disney water parks - typhoon lagoon is better than blizzard beach
we used to eat on i - drive alot as u can get a all you can eat breakfast buffet for $3 and dinner for all u can eat $9.99
make sure u get up early each day to make the most of the parks, and go to bed early aswell! the disney shuttle buses are great and run every 20 mins so make park hopping really easy
2007-11-11 01:20:11 · answer #7 · answered by bex1405 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
hi,
i recommend a vacation planning video and some personalized maps on www.waltdisneyworld.com.everything on planning your trip here is interactive.the maps and dvd are free.you can choose and discover all your favorite things at every park and print out an iteneary of your trip there.great idea on starting the planning early.this place is huge and it requires it.quick info at animal kingdom dont miss the safari and rafikis planet watch!at epcot dont miss soarin and test track.at magic kingdom dont miss pirates of the carribean and other cool rides(too many too mention) and at mgm dont miss the tower of terror.
2007-11-12 10:01:12 · answer #8 · answered by anonymus 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋