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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:
TheHumancatapult · 12/04/2013 12:33

Plus have gift card of $200,so if I said take $800 be enough ?

HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey · 12/04/2013 13:38

We normally have about $1000 a week for food and general every day spending.

We then have extra for shopping - that's just enough for 4 of us, me dh and dds 7 and 10.

TheHumancatapult · 14/04/2013 08:04

Who else has a plan to cover each month

I don't think ill really believe it to we're through immigration

TheHumancatapult · 14/04/2013 08:04

149 days to go here gulp

HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey · 14/04/2013 08:26

101 days!!

dancemom · 14/04/2013 08:34

Only 78 days to go for us!

Groovee · 14/04/2013 09:40

75 days for us yipeeee.... 11 weeks today we'll be asleep but getting up for IOA.

TheHumancatapult · 14/04/2013 10:32

Who else is punching themselves as does not feel real . I have no clue what to really expect as never been before

What are everyone's must do in

Magic kingdom
Epicot,
Animal kingdom
Hollywood studios

And seaworld ( will one day be enough ?)

They are the only parks we are doing so tips please from those that befn before

Groovee · 14/04/2013 11:36

Magic Kingdom our must do's Crystal Palace for a meal as I adore Pooh Bear. We love Big Thunder Mountain. The parade about 3pm is fab to watch from upstairs at the train station. We love to hit fantasyland and it's been expanded so looking forward to seeing it. Just wandering around listening to the music changing. If you have kids, then I'd recommend the family magic tour but it must be booked in advance.

Epcot I love Spaceship Earth and Soaring. The Land water ride and figment are nice for getting out of the heat and chilling for a while. We have to eat at the Garden Grill here. World Show case do a kidcot where kids make masks in all the different countries. Take time to speak with the Cast Members at these stops as they come from the country they are representing.

Animal Kingdom Festival of the Lion King is a must do. Fabulous show. I'd head right up to Kilamanjaro Safari's and do that first.

Hollywood Studios Fantasmic is a wonderful show at night. It's my least Favourite Park here, but Star Tours and The Great Movie ride are good rides. Haven't tried Toystory Mania but it took my friend 2 hours in the queue last week.

Seaworld cover up well as shade is poor. It's not my favourite park and to be honest before we only ever went for the shamu show.

nametakenagain · 14/04/2013 12:05

It's been mentioned before, but you can download an app from touringplans.com. You pick the attractions and rides you want to see and do, and whether you want to minimise walking or waiting, and press 'optimise'. It then tells you the most efficient order to do things in, including when to get and use fastpases.

In disney, you have free wifi so can reoptimise during the day if you decide to modify your plans.

Broadly, speaking though, if you get there before opening, stay til lunch, go back to hotel/villa/condo for a sleep and chill out, and go back at six, you'll be able to do most things with much reduced waits compared to the beginning of the day.

NotSoNervous · 14/04/2013 12:06

I'm not going but went last year and it was amazing! I'm very jealous you'll all have a great time

roughtyping · 14/04/2013 12:32

$150 a day should be plenty. We went last summer, stayed on international drive (me, OH and 8yo DS). We didn't hire a car. Got 'group' taxis to Disney, free shuttle or a taxi to Universal, and taxis back. Had big buffet breakfasts each morning, tended to have a late lunch, would share 2 meals between the three of us as portions were huge. Some days went out for dinner, went to a couple of 'proper' restaurants at Disney for sinner etc. A couple of days just stayed at hotel and slobbed about at pool, reading etc.

We came back with about $600!

Still over a year for us, sob! About 14.5 months...

ChestyNut · 14/04/2013 16:56

catapult my absolute favourite at animal kingdom was "it's tough to be a bug" kind of 4d show. It's really clever Grin

We loved sea world! One ocean, the shamu show is fab
As was blue horizons- dolphins, performers and birds.

We also saw Clyde and seamore- walrus and seals, was very funny for kids.
Pets ahoy was inside and not my favourite but very cleverly done.

Agree about the heat, unbelievable if your not in the shade.
Watch out for the splash zones if your sat at the front Grin

Fantasmic at Hollywood studios was amazing!
The great movie ride was great too Smile

ChestyNut · 14/04/2013 16:58

Ps they advise you arrive 45 mins before any show times. They get soooooo full!

NotMoreFootball · 14/04/2013 17:16

We went to Orlando over Easter and found one day at Seaworld to be enough, we arrived at opening and stayed till quite late to watch Shamu Rocks! What we found was that the shows were quieter in the morning as most people tried to do all the rides before they did the shows and we were able to turn up 10 mins before the start and still get decent seats.
The queue for the rides seemed to stay pretty constant all day but some of the afternoon shows were closing 30 mins before the start as they had already filled and the queue for the dolphin feeding was insane later on but the 9am feed was empty!

Groovee · 15/04/2013 11:03

74 days down another wee bit.

TheHumancatapult · 17/04/2013 08:06

thank you

dd be 10 when we go and ds3 be 8 but more 4/5 in himself and in his height to

yes looking at seaworld it is the shows and animals more tha n rides so Notmorefootball will keep your advice in mind and do in the morning

groove
you must be more excited than ever now

I am hoping going September be a bit quieter as uk and us schools just gone back

Groovee · 17/04/2013 15:55

I'm really excited after being at work with someone who gets so excited about everything.

Ds made me count how many school days are left so it's 47!

Groovee · 19/04/2013 07:38

70 days to go... that's 10 weeks just now we should be at check in, with me bouncing about like Tigger!! The sun is shining and I want to go NOW.

MOSagain · 19/04/2013 13:52

yay! can finally join in. After months of dithering we've just booked our flights. 11 nights in Orlando and then 5 nights in Tampa/Clearwater, just looking for hotels/villas for the beach part now.

Unbelievably excited, so pleased we are going to spend time on the beach as well. Want to try something a bit different this time so are thinking of Legoland and their waterpark. Has anyone been before? Also might squeeze in a visit to Busch gardens, had never bothered before as it seemed too far from orlando but will be easy to visit whilst down at beach.

Groovee · 20/04/2013 09:49

Yay MOS. my friend went to Legoland and said it was fine for their youngest who was 5. But that Windsor is better.

MOSagain · 20/04/2013 11:19

Thanks Groovee. Think we might give it a go, Windsor a bit far to travel from Orlando/Tampa Wink And hopefully the weather will be nicer.

Although kids love Disney, I'm a bit bored with the parks so thought we'd try something different. We will have to do one Disney day to get the character thing over with so will probably do either MK or Hollywood studios, possibly Hollywood as not been there for a very long time and the little ones have never been there.

DD is very excited about going. We told her last night and the first thing she said was she wants to go to 'red fish blue fish'. That is one of the rides at IOA but we weren't really planning on going there this trip. Am hoping they'll be happy with Legoland and maybe Busch gardens if we are down that way.

TheHumancatapult · 20/04/2013 19:39

MOs

i get the excitement thing and something new im already planning a return trip but not so much the Disney parks as have my older boys next time .This time bar seaworld we are doing solid 2 weeks wdw parks only just me and dd and ds3

next trip planning idrive apartment and doing more but we will go for a month and see lot more ( celebrating my older dc 21 amd 18) but that one be a few years of

but gulp another tick in book just called and paid hire rental of for my powerchair .thought self propelling for two weeks my arms be wrecked

.am flying with my manual as less likely be damaged and i can fix anything quickly
where if took my powerchair and got damaged hard to fix and that means holiday stuffed from beginning.

Next is get last bit of holiday paid and then will believe r its really happening after 2 uears of planning and saving

sort seaworld tickets , spending money and garden grocer to after but i consider that as a bonus if can do once essential paid

esta already done

Groovee · 20/04/2013 20:44

Sounds fab THC. We're going to see how I go. If we feel I need a scooter dh will have some companies to call. I have fibromyalgia and not sure how I'll do with bursitis in my hip and now my knee struggling due to the strain.

TheHumancatapult · 20/04/2013 21:03

be aware if staying on wdw resort only a few can now leave with ell services rest you have to meet them .i did wonder if i could mange self propelling as seemed reasonably flat till someone pointing out sheer scale so thought ok powerchair (what i use at home anyway )