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Original poster

Anyone else got a Disney Florida trip planned? Want to get excited together and share plans?

998 replies

PaintingTheFlowersRed · 30/09/2012 19:03

We are off to DisneyWorld next year and I am already really excited about it. Anyone else? I'd love to compare notes on what you are doing to prepare. I'm starting to think about how to do a big surprise for the DC when we tell them we are going.

OP posts:
roughtyping · 24/02/2013 17:31

Love the idea of the Sci Fi one! We went to Prime Time last one (I'm sure it was - dessert menu on viewfinders???) and loved it. Hollywood Studios is def our favourite park :)

My sister went to Rainforest Cafe and really liked it - will go there one day next time.

Can you reserve Universal restaurants? Harry Potter stuff was amazing! Couldn't believe how good it all was. Three Broomsticks was too busy but we did go to the sweet shop and I got a chocolate frog :)

Hulababy · 24/02/2013 17:39

They've changed the queuing system for Three Broomsticks this year and it is very organised and no saving of tables etc allowed. Instead once you have ordered and got your food, someone shows you to a table of the right size. Was no wait at all and no overcrowding as a result. Was very impressed.

roughtyping · 24/02/2013 17:48

Ah Hula cheers! All excited now! only 16 months to go...

Hulababy · 24/02/2013 18:02

Think of all the planning you can do beforehand though!

roughtyping · 24/02/2013 18:10

I know! 5 months til our wedding too - I'll be exhausted from all the planning!

PickledMoomin · 24/02/2013 18:12

Thank you! I've ordered the Brits Guide and am aiming to book dining by the end of the week. 6 months to go!

Groovee · 25/02/2013 07:44

Park tickets paid for and will arrive by this time next week.

Thanks for the apps. Will put them in to my spreadsheet. Have marked down all the extra magic hours to ensure we don't have to be at the parks on the busy mornings.

Telling the kids in 22 days!!!

sideburnsalawiggins · 25/02/2013 08:26

pickled I prefer the Unofficial Guide by Len Testa/Bob somone. It seems to give more unbiased reviews.

Groovee · 25/02/2013 11:45

We got the unofficial guide too as a wedding present. It was very helpful.

Hulababy · 25/02/2013 17:19

Just sorted all my holiday pics out and uploaded onto Flickr to show PILs; making me miss it already!

PickledMoomin · 25/02/2013 20:06

Damn. Have I bought the wrong book? Should I order the other one too? I've seen some people talking about an app that tells you how many people are in each park on different days. What is that app?

Groovee · 25/02/2013 20:35

The more books the better IMO

Groovee · 25/02/2013 20:36

The official one is MyDisneyExperience.
I also have Disney Parks Mobile Magi, the two Undercover Tourist ones (for Universal and Disney - though no wifi in Universal parks) and the WDW forum one too.

I also have disboards

PickledMoomin · 25/02/2013 21:28

I've just found the crowd control on the tourist app but mine doesn't seem to indicate numbers... I've downloaded the other apps too.

Hulababy · 25/02/2013 22:03

I didn't find numbers - just red/amber/green

Hulababy · 25/02/2013 22:10

I didn't find numbers - just red/amber/green

PickledMoomin · 26/02/2013 07:07

I've just noticed the dots, thanks. Would you guys say the red dot parks are an absolute no go? Or will they just be very busy?

sideburnsalawiggins · 26/02/2013 08:25

WDW Lines app tells you which is the best/worst park on any given day. It's linked to the Unofficial Guide and has their touring plans on it too, as well as menus for all the restaurants and wait times for the rides.

I've got Disney Parks mobile too, which has park maps and entertainment schedules.

Hulababy · 26/02/2013 18:26

We did some red days; tbh they still weren't that bad in our experience. But I suppose most school holiday days are busy regardless - but they didn't really seem much busier than the amber days to us.

Another thing to do is to check if there are key events occurring at the time.

On our first weekend this time it was president's Day and it meant everywhere was busier than normal.

Also the day we went to Magic Kingdom the morning was busier than normal due to a live TV link with some breakfast show there.

The weekend we left (so didn't affect us) was a Disney princess half marathon - this would have meant Epcot and MK were busier than normal.

mamageekchic · 26/02/2013 20:05

Where is best to book park tickets? We're going for 2weeks with 2yo DD and unsure what to book in advance. thanks!

Groovee · 26/02/2013 21:26

I got the 14 day ultimate disney ticket and the 2 park universal one valid for 14 days too. Got them through attraction tickets direct for £355 for each of us (my kids are both over 10 so full price tickets). Paid for them on Sunday and got an email to say the courier has them and will deliver tomorrow or Thursday.

PickledMoomin · 26/02/2013 21:44

I booked mine through Virgin. Probably not the cheapest way to book but I am a complete novice and wanted Discovery Cove dolphin swim tickets.

Has anybody done it? Was it worth the money?
So glad I found this thread.

woodchuck · 26/02/2013 22:07

We are also going in August, our family of 4 plus my PILs. We went last June and stayed on-site and had a fabulous time. We swore it was a one-off 'once in a lifetime' but then ILs asked if we wanted to go away with them. We started looking at Greece and ended up booking Orlando!

Although our flights are a lot mor expensive (virgin) than last time, we are doing two weeks in a villa this time, so saving massively on accomodation costs. This is PILs first trip, and is a special year for them as they both turn 60. We have planned a few Disney meals but plan to eat off site a lot, or in the villa as we are without the luxury of the dining plan.

I am really excited all over again, as we know what we enjoyed at Disney last time, but also have planned lots more time at Universal (DS HP mad) and also Kennedy space centre and a beach day.

I am also having a little think about doing a night onsite at Universal to get fast pass and early entry. Wondering whether I might get a deal if I leave it to the last minute.

We have done much of the planning early...its the only thing that gets nme through a British winter!

Hulababy · 26/02/2013 22:16

Booked ours this year through Undercover Tourist.
Came through quickly, and were actual tickets - rather than a piece of paper thtat you have to swap for tickets once in Florida.

NoraSpect · 27/02/2013 06:44

I think I need help! I'm going mad Blush One minute I'm as excited as I was when I was a child on Christmas Eve, the next I think I'm going to be sick with nerves. I had another nightmare about it last night, where there were loads of tornadoes. I keep waking up dead early and can't get back to sleep. Y

ou'd think I was going somewhere really bad not Disneyworld! Right now I feel like I might actually vom! I wish I could forget about it for a couple of days and then be all excited on the day Hmm