Anyone got a Disney/Florida Holiday Planned Part 2

[Groovee]

Old Thread

sandy

Before you bought your villa did you always stay in a villa or did you stay in a Disney hotel before then? I am further up the thread under a different name.

Almost at 180 days so getting ready to book ADRs!

I assume as you go so much it hasn't lost its magic. How old are your DCs and what do they like best?

Just customised our magic bands yesterday, and worked out when we can book our fastpasses. It's nearly pay the balance time! Also trying to plan our days in the parks a bit better so less walking, DS is 6 now so no buggy for him this year. Wish someone would invent tiny foldy wheeled seat for older kids though!

My DS is 6 and he will definitely be using a buggy at times! He's very fit and active but no way could he cope with walking round the parks all day. He was out of a buggy at 3yo here but I reckon you need to double the Out of a buggy in the UK age to find your Out of a buggy at Disney age :)

We went on October, my ds had turned 6 in September, he was fine without a buggy tbh. They spend a lot of time queuing and he also had to sit and wait a bit for elder brother on rides he wasn't tall enough for and he didn't complain once about walking in 2 weeks (not normally reticent about moaning!). He did crash out most evenings and slept like a log but was fine during the day. If you time it well with rest days and water park days I think it will be ok. Plan lunch and snack breaks in the parks as well.

I am joining this thread and am already confused about FP and FP + magic bands and apps :) We are going July just me and my three kids and are staying at the carribean with the quick dining plan. Booked it and like the other poster I am not telling the kids til we get to the airport. Only me the travel agent my sister and a best friend know and now you lot too:) Need to vent and get excited and plan too its all confusing and want to be prepared.

planneditbookedit Get yourself onto the DIS boards to follow the FP+ chat. They are very negative right now but don't let that put you off!! Everything is still in test so it's a bit difficult to predict what the rules will be in July- every week they seem to be changing the conditions ( for example, tiered FP+s have just been introduced for DHS and Epcot).

At the moment you can book 3 FP+s per day, one park only. They were allowing on site guests to pull FP as well, but one hotel has just had this privilege removed and speculation is that it will be gradually be taken away from the other Disney hotels as well. However, as everything is changing pretty much by the week it's too soon to say what it will look like in July- keep an eye on the DIS!

For buggies, we dropped the buggy for each of our children when they were 5. They were fine without it, but we don't tend to spend all day in the parks. We take lots of breaks/ time at the pool.

planneditbookit we debated the whole when to tell the children bit and decided to tell them from the second we were booking it.

The reason being I have watched a lot of YouTube videos where it doesn't go to plan ie the reaction you want and what you actually get. And when I say a lot of videos I mean a hell of a lot (far too much time on my hands) Plus people I know have done it too and again not the falling over themselves grateful or even excited reaction you would think you would get.

Also imagine if someone announced today that it was Christmas, today. Surely part of the fun of Christmas or a birthday for that matter is the build up, I mean that is why we have advent calendars isn't it? And we talk to our children about how long it is till their birthday etc.

Re planning, DIS boards, Moms Panel (don't let the name put you off) The Dibb (British board) should be enough to start you off.

Hi, May I join? JUst thinking about planning a trip to FLorida/Disney but I'm clueless about where to go, where to stay, what to do.
My DCs are 2 and 4, are they too young?
February?
Is there a travel company you would recommend?
Any hints or tips would be great.

We booked today,going on 22nd May,Me DH,DD1,DD2 and my sister.Haven't been to Disney since 1990 so it will all have changed!

Hello Augusta- We are going Feb, its our 2nd time at that time of year because its quite quiet, and weather is more bearable! Also its cheap!

Went last year with Kenwood, going this year with Disney direct. Virgin always seem to work out more expensive.

Are you planning on staying onsite? I would recommend it if you can afford it, makes it very easy with kids.

A common deal is 2 weeks 'unlimited' tickets (so you can visit any Disney park/waterpark at any time) for price of one week, including the dining plan (i.e. free food), if you stay in a Disney moderate or deluxe resort. This will include transfer on the magic express, and free shuttle buses between parks/resorts during the holiday.

For comparison we paid just over 4k for 2 weeks in late Feb flying Virgin, staying at Old Key West villas, with unlimited 2 week tickets & dining. Which I think is not bad!

Caribbean beach is a good moderate resort with young kids because they have nice beaches and a good pool. I know lots of people love Port Orleans -but we haven't stayed there yet!

Most resorts show an outdoor movie around 7pm - you can sit and eat/ have a few drinks while the kids watch, if you have had a long day at the parks. All resorts are VERY family friendly.

You will definitely need a double, or two buggies! This will be essential- they are free to bring on Virgin flights.

2 and 4 is maybe a little young but I bet they will love it- just buy the Unofficial Guide to Disney it explains everything!

Thank you!
If you stay on site how easy/far are Universal and Legoland?

Ooooh, can I join in?! We've just been handed some money from DHs granny with strict instructions to go on holiday with it and for once we're planning on listening to her!

We want to go at Easter next year (the summer holidays are out for various reasons and term time is definitely out with DD in Y10 and me on a term time only contract) We've not left it far too late to get booked and organised have we?!

We want a villa not a hotel and we can only go for a week, just can't stretch it any further.

Accommodation is not necessarily a problem but the flights now may well be.

Its worth looking all the same but it may well be that all the direct flights to Orlando itself for the Easter period are now fully booked and have been for some time. Many people tend to book for the following Easter around a year or eleven months in advance. Orlando as well is extremely popy

I would have a look at someone like Thomas Cook or Virgin to see what availability there is left. TC currently fly into Sanford but if I recall correctly they will start flights to Orlando some time next year.

Another alternative is to fly indirect to say somewhere like Newark or Charlotte (to name but two examples) but you will need to allow around 3 hours minimum to give yourselves an opportunity to catch the flight down to Orlando. This is also because you would all have to clear US Immigration and customs. It can be a right chore all told to do this and can add hours to the overall journey time.

We're already resigned to indirect flights on price alone but thanks for the info about immigration. I've been looking at layovers in the US and didn't know how long would be long enough! Now I know that I'm looking at going through Frankfurt to Orlando.

I would think long and hard about doing that routing (if you are flying from the UK) simply because it will add hours to your overall travel time both ways.

Skelacia are you wanting Disney or Universal or a bit of both?

The reason I ask is because staying on site offers more benefits ie Disney with magic hours so on site guests get in 1 hour before everyone else, they alternate early openings per park ie Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom. Or they do later opening, meaning that on-site guests can go on the rides but off site guests can't (but they'll still take your money in their shops)

Also Universal offers early entry to on-site guests making Wizarding World of Harry Potter easier at Islands of Adventure etc

Just a thought. We are booked into Disney but will get a taxi to Universal. My children are much younger, 10 and 7 so Disney has more for us than Universal although we will be doing Harry Potter. We are staying at Port Orleans Riverside because it isn't as themed as the other resort hotels, looks like an oasis of calm because of the river and nice grounds.

Augusta have a look at Moms Panel - don't let the name put you off and the Dibb and Dis boards for Disneyworld.

Getting to Universal or anywhere else is not made easy because they are a rival company to Disney. Easiest way to do Universal is a taxi, either one you just arrange or Mears where you can ring in advance and book but you have to ring them again to arrange collection, hence why we are paying for a normal cab, pricey but convenient. The bus takes 1 1/2 hours to get you there, not great with young kids.

I haven't been to Disney, we are booked to go in May but my mate goes every year as does her sister so I have got a lot of info from them.

Hi all

I'm back!

Have booked for late sept/October 2015
15 days staying at Rosen Inn on I Drive.

Planning to stay 1 night at RPR at universal for FOTL passes.
Hoping to do 2 days at discovery cove minus the dolphin swim this time.

I am sooooo excited already!!

Anyone else?

Howdy all!

Just in the process of booking 2 weeks Orlando and 1 week relaxing on a beach for August 2015.

Very very very very very excited

Will have lots of questions for all you Disney experts out there.

Just saw this pop up on active convos - 2 weeks til we go! Yippee!

Looking to book 2 weeks at the end of August 2015. Cant wait. We have been once before but this will be DS2 and DD's first time!

Tory

Have you been before?

Are you planning on or off site gossamer?

I was on your thread

chesty yes, we are lucky enough to go most years. We got married out there as well. Love it!

2nd visit for us.

Don't think it will be the last

Hello chesty

Were booked for a month but not to October next year