Help - planning Disney holiday of lifetime

[KinkyDorito]

Hi all

I have booked for us to go to Disney in Florida next August. There will be DH and I, and DD (14) and DS (4) - ages for next year.

I want to make this holiday as special as possible. I have been to Florida once, but I didn't organise it. I want to create something very magical. It was DDs request to go there; she has leukaemia and she is due to finish chemotherapy in April 2013. This holiday is to celebrate the end of it, and to give us all something to look forward to.

What I'm after are insider's tips - best places to go, things to see, ways to get best service. We will be staying in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Currently, I don't plan to drive, so we will be using local transport (I am a big wuss, and I want to enjoy myself and relax after what has been the most difficult time of all of our lives). We have park tickets for all the big ones - Universal, Seaworld and Disney. I think we will also book Discovery Cove.

Any tips would be very gratefully received. I'm working a year in advance so plenty of time.

Good, you've got ultimates so you can go to any Disney park and waterpark and the arcade at downtown Disney which is called disneyquest. It means you can fit much more in. I wouldn't miss the Disney waterparks, they are very good. Typhoon lagoon thought to be the best.

Tbh with your schedule I might not do seaworld at all seeing as you've only got a week. And I think it's better for younger children.

Oh have you not bought your universal tix yet? You can get 2 day, 2 park tickets online and then print them out. On your first day you go to the window and swap them over. It takes some time so get there even earlier.

Mine loved Typhoon Lagoon.

They didn't love Disney - not bothered by it at all.

They loved Animal Kingdom and IOA and Universal. Oh and Discovery Cove and Aquatica.

Blizzard Beach was awful.

Bella that's just going to confuse poor Shirley more.

Shirley basically in Disney there are 4 parks: magic kingdom, animal kingdom, Hollywood studios and Epcot. For your ages the best will be Epcot and Hollywood studios with Hollywood studios the best of all. Only magic kingdom and Epcot have firework shows though.

Downtown Disney is the shopping and eating bit, the equivalent of city walk at universal. If you're in the market for a build your own lightsaber for example you can do that at the massive toy store here instead of queuing at tatooine traders at DHS. There is also the free indoor arcade there.

Sorry Smoulder

I might go out for a fag, I think I've confused myself.

Oh and you can smoke most places at universal but only in a few places in each Disney park. Just thought I'd mention it.

Shirley, keep breathing, there you are, good girl. You'll be ok. I didn't plan much either, it's against my nature.

Mine weren't that fussed on Disney (14 and 19) - their favourite Disney rides were the very cheesy boatrides in Mexico and Norway in Epcot. They spent most of their time there trying on silly hats from around the world.

They loved Universal Islands of Adventure (where HP and Spiderman are). Just asked DS what his favourite thing was and he said the Horror Make up show in Universal Studios - he went in twice.

Shirls is obviously busy researching to answer....

Did I tell you Shirleynthat OPi nail varnish is really really cheap in the supermarkets over there? Costs the same is say Rimmel or No17 over here.

I think actually that if you can't stand planning then you can not do it. We managed to go on every ride in all Disney and universal that we wanted in 5 days though with no queuing and did all the characters etc, something that yours are too old for mercifully.

In my defence I hate queuing, and I can't imagine doing a lot of it in the summer heat tbh. We were there in the winter.

Also, food in both Hard Rock Cafe and Buuba Gumps at Universal was very good and reasonable.

We loved the Hard Rock, didn't go to Bubba Gumps in Florida but went to one in Hawaii last year and the boys loved it.

Three words: Honey Jack Daniels. Mmm

OP, so pleased you have sopmething so special to look forward to - best wishes for the next year and two weeks .... andMEGA fun to you on the weeks after that.

We're going to Butlins tomorrow - mega excited :)

Is there a universal version of the busiest days? Last time we went on a Sunday and it was dead. We arrived at opening to IOA and did all the kiddie rides as ours were a bit small then headed to the old park as we call it. Planning on spending more time in IOA this time x

Sorry, sorry! I have universal tickets as well BTW.

I've been on the phone for the past hour with as friend who has been to Florida a few times - I'm even MORE confused now!!

See, I know I want to definitely do Seaworld but I'm thinking now that Because I'm picking up the car on Thursday at 10 it's half the morning gone - SO what about if I do Disney Magic Kingdom on the Thursday? The boys are a bit old for it I think but I want to see it all. We could spend the afternoon there and then I'll have a whole day for SW - what do you think?

Bella - I'm only taking one nail polish with me - I am planning on a bloody mammoth polish purchase!

You could do but you'd have to get fast passes for whichever ride was most important, space mountain. You could then do another big ride when the parade is on if you are the right side of the parade route. If you have to do a park as a half day people would traditionally say animal kingdom but that's missing out the shows and the walking trails ie most of the animals.

Magic kingdom isn't as it's best in the arvo as its so horribly busy.

Magic Kimgdom sounds like a plan for Thurs. if you decide it is rubbish after a cople of hours, you could always do mid/late afternoon at Aquatica (gates usually re open in the afternoon and then you are not far from your hotel, I reckon you are going to be wacked out by then...get an early night and be up bright and early Fri morning to hit another park.

I am going to sit down at work tomorrow and do a SPREADSHEET.

Will you laminate it too?

Of course! I'm not an animal.

Try this for teens

Just checkin' like...

OMG that Mission Space thing at Epcot DH and I thought we were going to be majorly sick on that and we were worried for the boys but they loved it! I did not enjoy it one bit. Very very claustrophobic.

Good luck Shirley. I will be looking to you for inspiration when you return .

Thanks mumble. We went to Haven recently and DCs had a fantastic time. I hope the weather is nice for you.

My favourite is Aerosmith Rock and Roll Rollercoaster. I will be MAKING DD go on that with me. It's the trade off for the whole holiday.

Kinky, on our first visit with the boys a few years ago, DS2 was not tall enough for that ride so I waited with him whilst DH took DS1 on. They queued for about 90 mins and got all the way to the front and DS1 changed his mind. DH was not a happy bunny