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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:
HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey · 09/08/2013 18:43

Thanks Groovee

Yes I was talking about the universal fast passes. They cost about $384.00 for the four if us, they were well worth it.

None of the Disney queues were more than 20 minutes apart from Toy Story, Thunder Mountain & Soarin' but it pays to make use of the fass pass system there.

HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey · 09/08/2013 18:43

Am currently pricing up next year with a week in Clearwater!

Trazzletoes · 09/08/2013 18:51

I'm just popping in to say hi - I adore Disney (used to work at The Disney Store and everything) but Florida is a mad dream ATM. Let me live vicariously please!

PickledMoomin · 09/08/2013 20:09

Did you see further down the thread that I booked a universal hotel for one night ($170 I think) and we will have unlimited queue jumps for the day of checking and the day after as well as the extra magic hour.

HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey · 09/08/2013 22:59

That's what i am going to do next time Pickled

TSSDNCOP · 09/08/2013 23:04

Really though, how democratic and organised are free FASTpasses?

TSSDNCOP · 09/08/2013 23:06

Very sneaky Pickled, but well played!

Trazzle fuck me you are devoted if you can work in the Disney store. I made 5 minutes in there on Weds.

I plan to build up every week so I'm at fighting weight in October Grin

HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey · 09/08/2013 23:48

I think the free ones are great really. Some rides do run out though, rock & roller coaster, toy story so best to get to those rides early,

Trazzletoes · 10/08/2013 07:29

TSS I'm hardcore, me Grin they do have great benefits though. And really, it was that that started me off! You get free park tickets for length of service and stuff so its not bad if you can put up with the American corporateness of it all - I've never worked anywhere with such a strict restriction on what you can look like!

I'm getting excited reading this thread and I'm not even going!

Groovee · 10/08/2013 14:10

My photopass photo's arrived today. They're fab sob sob

HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey · 10/08/2013 15:07

I am just looking at mine online!

PickledMoomin · 11/08/2013 07:41

I still haven't organised photo passes. Is it worth it?

Booked parking and hotel at Gatwick for Monday night. I haven't even started packing.

Is there anything you wish you'd taken that you didn't? Are the plug sockets the same?

HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey · 11/08/2013 07:56

Yes pickled they are. Get one from the first photographer you see and get lots of photos taken by them in all the parks. Then you have a month when you get home to review and purchase if you want.

The plug sockets are two pin so take adapters!

AnneEyhtMeyer · 11/08/2013 07:59

I think photo passes are definitely worth it. The photographers are everywhere and get some great pictures. They also got loads of DD when she was just running around, not just with the characters.

As for plugs, we take one US adaptor and then a 4-socket extension lead and that means we can charge everything at once from one socket. Their electricity is terribly slow, though.

AnneEyhtMeyer · 11/08/2013 08:00

Pre-order the photopass before you go - much cheaper. If you don't like the photos on your return you can get a refund.

PickledMoomin · 11/08/2013 08:10

Thanks! There's nothing like last minute preparations.

Will go photo pass hunting...

HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey · 11/08/2013 08:42

Anne what photo passes do you mean?

I am talking about the Disney ones that are free then you review and purchase from home.

AnneEyhtMeyer · 11/08/2013 09:09

Hokey - the same ones. If you pre-purchase the photo CD before you go it is significantly cheaper. Then when you are there you go up to the first photographer you find, get a photopass card (top tip - take a picture of the code on the back in case you lose it) and have as many pictures as you like taken while you are away.

Once you get home, review the pictures on the website. If you want them, use the pre-purchased code to "buy" them. If you don't want them you can get a refund on your pre-purchase.

See here

PickledMoomin · 11/08/2013 09:26

I think it's $119 if you order in advance or $169 there. I can't decide if it's worth it for us. We're only doing a few days at Disney.

HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey · 11/08/2013 09:29

I did not know that!! Thanks Anne I take a million photos myself so only ever buy one or two but a good saving if you'll be buying more.

AnneEyhtMeyer · 11/08/2013 09:45

The first time we went we hardly had any taken but they were so good, so next time we got as many taken as we possibly could, and have done the same since.

Some of the best photos I have of DD were taken by Photopass photographers - not with characters, but when she was just running around enjoying herself. The photographers are great, they take loads of photos and then come up to you to get your card to add them to your account. I often didn't notice they were taking them until they approached me so have had some lovely surprise photos on my account.

WitchOfEndor · 11/08/2013 10:36

TSSDNCOP where do you get the footfall information from? I want to take DS when he is 5 or 6 (3.3 ATM) so I have started planning a bit early!

I want to do the full Disney experience and stay on site. The new Art Of Animation hotel looks like it would be wonderful but has anyone stayed there? It does look quite far from the Magic Kingdom which is off putting. Port Orleans gets rave reviews on the DIBB but doesn't look like it has the same wow factor for young kids but it is closer and you can get offers for free Disney Dining which makes it just as cheap as the Art of Animation.

I'm far too excited for something that is years off!

AnneEyhtMeyer · 11/08/2013 10:53

I haven't been to Art of Animation, but have stayed in a value resort before and wouldn't again.

It ends up being just as cheap to stay at a moderate if you book when they do free dining. Port Orleans is fab, although we have booked a different one next time. I'm beginning to regret that already.

Also, when we were at the value resort we found the large groups staying there ruined it a bit. There were lots of large families (15 people sometimes) with one person on a mobility scooter. The whole family would get on the bus with them (priority boarding) and as there were often more than one of these families we ended up waiting a long time to get to the parks.

WitchOfEndor · 11/08/2013 11:03

Thanks Anne I suppose Port Orleans doesn't get rave reviews for nothing! Are there characters in the hotels like there is in Paris?

Groovee · 11/08/2013 11:03

I loved the look of AOA. It looked fab when we drive past.

I paid $149 for photo pass plus so all ride photo's included. Also got a few magic shots. Would have been $199 if I'd waited to buy at the parks. Ended up with 347 photos. Need to get them uploaded to Costco soon.