Seeking Disney World Tips (1 Viewer)

[jdf]

Greetings,

So the family is going to Disneyworld in April, does anyone have any tips on what to book room wise or where to get the best deals on park passes, etc.....

Thanks

Joe

 

[Forest]

Joe,

I just got back from there last week.

check your Pm, I left you some info.

 

[Saint_Kyle]

Yes, if anything happens and April doesn't work out, DO NOT go in early June.


Gay Day. :O :[ BOOO!

 

[MickelMouse87]

When exactly are you going in April? The last week is when they have Grad Nite and the parks are filled with highschool seniors.

I had posted this about a month ago in a similar thread:

Okay, here goes, advice from a Cast Member (Disney Employee):

This is probably one of the better times of the year to go to Walt Disney World (WDW). Crowds should be smaller which means wait times will be very manageable. However, these days, slow times are still moderately busy. Parks are likely to close earlier, and the Magic Kingdom will be hosting the Pirates and Princess Party on select nights. When this happens, the Magic Kingdom closes at 7 to regular day guests.

As far as the Magic Kingdom (MK) only being for children, that's the silliest thing I've ever heard. The Magic Kingdom is what going to WDW is about and has been for 27 years. It's for the young and young at heart. You are never to old to have fun or feel the magic. Just because you go to the MK doesn't mean you have spend all day with whining children in Fantasyland or ride It's a Small World. The MK is home to classics like Pirates of the Carribean, Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion (which was recently redone), and Space Mountain. Also, it has the Hall of Presidents, Big Thuder Mountain Railroad (coaster), Splash Mountain (which I believe is under refurbishment), Mickey's Philharmagic, the Carousel of Progress, Buzz Lightyear's Spaceranger Spin, Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy club, and the perfect place to spend some alone time with your significant other, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority ;-)

At night, the Magic Kingdom has the electrical light parade, Spectromagic and the nightly Wishes fireworks show.

The most adult park is definitely EPCOT which is celebrating 25 years this year. It contains probably the most unique area of any theme park, World Showcase (WS) where you can sample food, alcohol, and culture of 11 different nations. The best attraction in WS IMO is the American Adventure (best comparable to Carousel of Progress and Hall of Presidents but much better). Also, every night at 9pm is Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. It's a fireworks show which can be seen from all around World Showcase Lagoon. My favorite spot is in between Italy and America or at the front of WS.

Between France and England is one Disney's best kept secrets, the International Gateway, an alternate entrance/exit to EPCOT which leads to Disney's Boardwalk which contains the ESPN Club. You can also walk or take a boat from here to Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney-MGM Studios).

EPCOT also has Future World which contains Soarin'. To ride Soarin', you will have to go there first thing in the morning and get a Fast Pass and wait in line (so you can ride it twice before it has an 60-80+ wait time. Also, you shouldn't miss Mission: Space (listen to the warnings...they aren't joking), Test Track (you may want to get a Fast Pass for this after Soarin', and the newly refurbished Spaceship Earth (the icon of EPCOT). Also, if you have any interest in the history of EPCOT, there is an exhibit for the 25th Anniversary located behind Club Cool.

Disney's Hollywood Studios is the new name for the Disney-MGM Studios as of January 7th. Must sees are Rock'n Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, and Fantasmic. The Great Movie Ride, Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, and Muppet Vision 3D are also good. If you are into car stunts, check out Lights, Motors, Action. Also, back in that area is a billboard for MNF featuring the Saints historic MNF game last year. If you're into finding out more about Disney/Walt Disney World, visit One Man's Dream. Next to that is the future home of Toy Story Mania and PIXAR Studios. Toy Story Mania *could* be in previews when you go. Also, don't be too "adult" to enjoy Voyage of the Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast.

Disney's Animal Kingdom is still relatively new, so there is less to do than the other parks. The first thing you should do in the morning is Kilimanjaro Safaris, this is when the line will be shortest and animals will be most active. Next, go to Expedition Everest, get a Fast Pass, and wait in line. Once again, don't be too "adult" to see Finding Nemo the Musical, and don't miss out on Dinosaur and It's Tough to be a Bug.


Not much to do at Downtown Disney besides shop. You can take a boat to and from Port Orleans though which is very cool. Pleasure Island is the nightclub area of Walt Disney World and requires admission for the clubs. My favorite club is the Adventurers Club. You should definitely give it a try. If you do go, keep in mind, it's not a normal club and give it about 30 minutes. Also, Thursdays, the clubs are predominantly filled with Cast Members.


My best advice, take advantage of the Fast Pass system, take your time because you have plenty of it, and don't be overwhelmed by the amount of things there are to do. Also, don't be afraid to let your inner child come out...there's nothing wrong with that, and you'll enjoy yourself more if you do. Have a Magical time!

 

[Saintlady]

When exactly are you going in April? The last week is when they have Grad Nite and the parks are filled with highschool seniors.

I had posted this about a month ago in a similar thread:

Okay, here goes, advice from a Cast Member (Disney Employee):

This is probably one of the better times of the year to go to Walt Disney World (WDW). Crowds should be smaller which means wait times will be very manageable. However, these days, slow times are still moderately busy. Parks are likely to close earlier, and the Magic Kingdom will be hosting the Pirates and Princess Party on select nights. When this happens, the Magic Kingdom closes at 7 to regular day guests.

As far as the Magic Kingdom (MK) only being for children, that's the silliest thing I've ever heard. The Magic Kingdom is what going to WDW is about and has been for 27 years. It's for the young and young at heart. You are never to old to have fun or feel the magic. Just because you go to the MK doesn't mean you have spend all day with whining children in Fantasyland or ride It's a Small World. The MK is home to classics like Pirates of the Carribean, Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion (which was recently redone), and Space Mountain. Also, it has the Hall of Presidents, Big Thuder Mountain Railroad (coaster), Splash Mountain (which I believe is under refurbishment), Mickey's Philharmagic, the Carousel of Progress, Buzz Lightyear's Spaceranger Spin, Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy club, and the perfect place to spend some alone time with your significant other, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority ;-)

At night, the Magic Kingdom has the electrical light parade, Spectromagic and the nightly Wishes fireworks show.

The most adult park is definitely EPCOT which is celebrating 25 years this year. It contains probably the most unique area of any theme park, World Showcase (WS) where you can sample food, alcohol, and culture of 11 different nations. The best attraction in WS IMO is the American Adventure (best comparable to Carousel of Progress and Hall of Presidents but much better). Also, every night at 9pm is Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. It's a fireworks show which can be seen from all around World Showcase Lagoon. My favorite spot is in between Italy and America or at the front of WS.

Between France and England is one Disney's best kept secrets, the International Gateway, an alternate entrance/exit to EPCOT which leads to Disney's Boardwalk which contains the ESPN Club. You can also walk or take a boat from here to Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney-MGM Studios).

EPCOT also has Future World which contains Soarin'. To ride Soarin', you will have to go there first thing in the morning and get a Fast Pass and wait in line (so you can ride it twice before it has an 60-80+ wait time. Also, you shouldn't miss Mission: Space (listen to the warnings...they aren't joking), Test Track (you may want to get a Fast Pass for this after Soarin', and the newly refurbished Spaceship Earth (the icon of EPCOT). Also, if you have any interest in the history of EPCOT, there is an exhibit for the 25th Anniversary located behind Club Cool.

Disney's Hollywood Studios is the new name for the Disney-MGM Studios as of January 7th. Must sees are Rock'n Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, and Fantasmic. The Great Movie Ride, Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, and Muppet Vision 3D are also good. If you are into car stunts, check out Lights, Motors, Action. Also, back in that area is a billboard for MNF featuring the Saints historic MNF game last year. If you're into finding out more about Disney/Walt Disney World, visit One Man's Dream. Next to that is the future home of Toy Story Mania and PIXAR Studios. Toy Story Mania *could* be in previews when you go. Also, don't be too "adult" to enjoy Voyage of the Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast.

Disney's Animal Kingdom is still relatively new, so there is less to do than the other parks. The first thing you should do in the morning is Kilimanjaro Safaris, this is when the line will be shortest and animals will be most active. Next, go to Expedition Everest, get a Fast Pass, and wait in line. Once again, don't be too "adult" to see Finding Nemo the Musical, and don't miss out on Dinosaur and It's Tough to be a Bug.


Not much to do at Downtown Disney besides shop. You can take a boat to and from Port Orleans though which is very cool. Pleasure Island is the nightclub area of Walt Disney World and requires admission for the clubs. My favorite club is the Adventurers Club. You should definitely give it a try. If you do go, keep in mind, it's not a normal club and give it about 30 minutes. Also, Thursdays, the clubs are predominantly filled with Cast Members.


My best advice, take advantage of the Fast Pass system, take your time because you have plenty of it, and don't be overwhelmed by the amount of things there are to do. Also, don't be afraid to let your inner child come out...there's nothing wrong with that, and you'll enjoy yourself more if you do. Have a Magical time!

Good informative post.

How busy is Easter time at WDW?
I've heard Mardi Gras time over there has gotten quite busy over the years. I'm not surprised, as TONS of people from here go there at that time.

 

[MickelMouse87]

If you are a AAA member, it is good to book through them.

Never buy tickets to the park while you're there.

I recommend getting park hoppers, so you aren't tied to one park all day because closing times do fluctuate. Also, if you get 10 days, it's a better deal, you'll just have to pay for no expiration. In the end, that makes more sense because tickets go up yearly.

I recommend staying at Port Orleans French Quarter on property. It's the nicest of the moderate resorts. My favorite deluxe is Wilderness Lodge, and the newest value is Pop Century. Staying on Disney property will make your life easier because of Disney transportation and extra perks like Extra Magic Hours. Book your room as soon as possible.

If your children are into Pirates/Princesses, look into getting Mickey's Pirate and Princess Party tickets for the Magic Kingdom. If you do this, I recommend taking the day off and resting, swimming, etc. and then your kids will be energetic for the party. The earliest they let you into the MK for the party is 4. Many parents don't let their kids rest that day and wind up leaving early (before the special fireworks and parades).

Look into the Disney Dining Plan. This is the best and most affordable way to eat on Disney property.

Pick up the 2008 Birnbaum's Guide to WDW. It couldn't hurt to take a look at it.

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

 

[MickelMouse87]

Good informative post.

How busy is Easter time at WDW?
I've heard Mardi Gras time over there has gotten quite busy over the years. I'm not surprised, as TONS of people from here go there at that time.

Thanks:shy:

I haven't been for Easter, but I can imagine it can get quite crowded. Easter is also hard to predict because there are lots of different weeks that people get off for Spring Break. I worked Thanksgiving and it was busy. For Christmas/New Years we were busy for like 3-4 weeks straight. It's all about hitting just the right time. When I'd go to the parks around Christmas, all you could do was walk around unless you wanted to wait in line. The best thing to do when it's busy is to get to the parks early, take advantage of Extra Magic Hours, and definitely utilize the fast pass system.

April should be fine though because Easter is in March. The only time it should get really busy is like the last week and that's because of Grad Nite. EPCOT may be busy also because of the Flower and Garden festival.

 

[ra]

Don't drink the water.



Especially on the Pirates ride.

 

[Furryankee]

Plan ahead and think about what you want to see before you go. Check out various websites to see the attractions so you don't just wander around and get into family arguments about what to see next. There are dozens of websites that describe the parks. Just plan ahead.

 

[JBconway]

if you are going to be in the parks from sunrise to late at night, you will save tons by booking at a value resort. pop century is the newest one & has the best food court & arcade.
if you don't do the dining plan, buy your park tickets from here. last i looked, they had a buy 3 day park hopper, get 2 extra days free!
www.orlandofuntickets.com

 

[seagull]

Easter is bad, been twice during Easter and all the parks are crowded. The second Easter trip, Magic Kingdom was at capacity levels. If it is the only time you can go, hit the parks hard when they open and when the crowds start getting thick, just drop back and chill. If staying on Disney property, that would be a good time to head to your resort and come back later. Plenty info hear:

http://www.disboards.com/

 

[Dragon]

Go visit the mousesaver.com website or sign up for their newsletter. This is the place to find all kinds of disney promotion codes that will give you some serious discounts if you plan to stay on-site. We have often gotten rooms at the moderate disney resorts for as low as $89/night when the rack rate were more than $140. Another option is to check AAA if you're a member.

WDWINFO.COM is another very informative site, with some amazing forums and very helpfull people. They even have a budget board with lots of good tips on how to do Disney without breaking the bank.

We too like the Port Orleans resort, but our favorite of the moderate resorts are Coronado Springs. When we brought some younger members of our family, their favorite resort was All Star Movie.

Second the advice about Fastpass, it really saves you from spending a lot of time in a Q.

One of the main reasons we always stays on-site is the Disney Magic Hours program where at least one park opens a few hours early or stay open a few hours late only for guest staying on-site. This is a life saver, especially during the warm summer months. We then start out early, when it is still cool, and the amount of people are fewer. By noon we head back to the room, to cool off and to let the kids get some rest. Even older kids can benefit from a break from the total sensory overload that is Disney. Late afternoon we head back out, and the lines will be shorter and everyone will be rested and the EMH is a chance to catch some of the rides that have hour long waits during the day

 

[primadox]

Hint: if it rains, especially hard, do not leave the park. Many will, and then the lines will be short. We were at MGM on a Sunday in June during Star Wars weekends, and it was packed of course. It stormed for awhile (even hail), so the park really cleared out. Once the rain was over and we dried out, we rode the Tower of Terror over and over again, with ZERO lines and half empty elevator cars. Granted, this was a pretty severe storm, but we also had a more typical afternoon thunderstorm later that week while we were at Epcot, and that park also cleared out pretty well. Wait out the rain, then go for your favorite rides.

And ditto on Fantasmic at MGM (now Hollywood Studios) -- truly an awesome show. If they have an early and a late show, go to the late one...you won't have to wait nearly as long to get in (it's limited seating, and people line up hours ahead of time for the early show).

 

[tenordas]

We stay off site because of a family time-share, but friends of ours had a great time at the "Sports hotel" site at Disney World. It's one of the more reasonable rates as well.

As for planning the day's events, get yourself a copy of the "Unofficial Guide to Disneyworld". The day trip plans work great.

 

[TDH]

We went for 9 days a few months ago and I am now sick of Disney World.