Anyone got a Disney World/Florida holiday planned? Part 3

[McKayz]

I thought I'd start a new thread as number 2 is nearly full.

Links to old threads:

thread 1

thread 2

We haven't got ours booked yet. But we are planning on going August 2016. DH and I both turn 30 in the next 11 months so it's like a big birthday holiday.

I think you need to look at exactly what attractions there are in each park as what one person likes, another won't. Only 2 days at Disney is very short - it takes 2 days just to do the Magic Kingdom! Is SeaWorld a must?
A lot of rides in Hollywood Studios are gone now so check those out. I also agree with OneEpisode to skeip World Showcase.

If I had to choose it would be Hollywood studios as overall the rides are better, but it's a shame as Epcot has Soarin' which was my favourite Disney ride!

Thank you! No SeaWorld is not a must but we already don't know if we will make it to SeaWorld as discovery cove is a must. So SeaWorld is on the list of maybe to do last day before we switch accommodation to go to the coast. Universal Studios is also a must as the kids being older (9 and 15) would probably prefer it.

I'll have a look at the rides.

See what is open too as in February there was a lot closed in Hollywood Studios still.

2 days in Disney seems very little. I would struggle to choose as like different parks for different reasons. Mind, I would scrap Seaworld. When we have longer we prefer to do a day at the Space Centre rather than SeaWorld.

Epcot - more gentle day, but a full day imo. TestTrack is our favourite here, and DD really likes Spaceship Earth for some reason. Soarin' was closed when we last went but will be open for summer iirr. We enjoy wandering round the different countries, trying out their drinks and going for a nice meal at one of them.

Animal Kingdom - I like the animals so always worth it for me, and we really enjoy Everest, and the two shows - Lion King and Nemo.

Hollywood Studio - one of DD's favourite places to eat is the 50s diner here. And we like Rock n Roller, Toy Story Mania, and Great Movie Ride. Not into Star Wars so that bit doesn't interest me. We enjoy the Indiana Jones show too.

If you did two long days you could fit Universal into two days - even more so if you paid for the Express passes. They can work out quite dear but they really really shortened your queue ride - so the only thing to queue for is the two Harry Potter rides, and the train. We got them free with our hotel on our last visit and it was fab!

Would you really spend a full day in a water park too?
It is far too hot ime to do much more than 2-3 hours at the water parks in the height of the summer, especially as there isn't that much shade. We only ever do a half day - in the morning - and then go for lunch, and to a park in the afternoon.

Could you combine Aquatic and seaWorld - or do a Disney waterpark instead, and team it with a half day at HS or Epcot?

My dc would spend all day in a water park. I'd rather not.
They are themed, the lazy rivers etc are shaded, there are sprinklers over the paths, Disney organised dance parties, aquatica had animal meet & greets.
Remember July will be so so hot, humid & crowded in both water parks and other parks. Wherever you go I'd get there early whilst it's empty, and in a water park immediately choose loungers in the shade, and then be prepared to leave when you are no longer enjoying it. Plan your exit strategy, so shuttle bus times etc.

A lunch reservation worked to get my Dc out of the water parks.

Shopping usually includes air con.

If you've booked discovery cove you probably have 14 days of sea world included so you could pop in for a few hours "for free"

If you had a Disney ticket free that would work too for a half day, but £s otherwise.

Thank you for all your feedback. I will have a good think about it, I am really excited, no matter how we end up deciding what parks to do it will be an amazing holiday

I'm so pleased to have found this thread! I'm currently planning a trip with my 4 year old DS for May 2017. I'm currently looking at 14 days in the Animal Kingdom Lodge

Wow! That sounds lovely. Plenty to do there and in the Disney parks if you get the 14 day ticket offered to Brits... There are guide books .. I really like the sense of humour & the fact checking in the Unofficial Guide. The only drawback is that book is sometimes aimed at US visitors who have very short holidays so have to pack it all in ... UK guests have longer holidays so we can take our time...

We go on 14th May (62 days!) for 3 weeks. We are staying in The Carribean Beach. We've been every 3-4 years for about the last 16 years but never to this hotel. I'm a bit anxious about the mixed reviews of the hotel and about us having 5 of us in one room - my eldest being an adult, but over all really looking forward to it and trying to get a grip about the room being messy. We tend to spend most of our time at the parks anyway, but have never been for 3 weeks. We were just finding that the cost difference between 14-21 days not that much and could just about manage the 3 weeks with the children being the ages they are, but probably couldn't again. We have got the 2 counter services included with our hotel.

I'm sure that this has been covered somewhere else up the thread, but has anyone been mid-end of May before? What is the weather like? Does it cool enough at any point for cardigans/jackets?

I think you'll only want a cardigan indoors. Even night time will be hot. Three weeks! Wow. Will anyone in your party wants to go to Universal? If you do the Dibb website tip is to book one night at Royal Polynesian, onsite. Maybe £200? Everyone booked into the room gets front of line passes or arrival and departure day ( and any in between). They don't do bed checks so some of you could stay in the other hotel. But you'd need universal entrance tickets for anyone going there too.

Yes we will do Universal - have planned 3 days there with Islands of Adventure as well. Thanks for that tip. I'll look in to it. We've also planned 3 in Magic Kingdom, 2 at Epot, 2 at Animal Kingdom, 2 at Water Parks, 1 at Sea World, 1 on an alligator swamp boat ride and then things like shopping, mini golf, round the pool etc. I'm waiting for tomorrow night to book our fast passes - 60 days before. Have you booked the fast passes in advance before? Last time I went was 4 years ago and you just did in when you were there. I'm hoping that our bookings are all linked up properly and it will be something that the app allows me to do when it opens on Monday night.

No I've not booked fast passes since it changed. We just did Universal/sea world/ Busch gardens etc on last trip. We did a week at RPR which was great. Have you booked any meals? Might be worth trying an advance dining reservation to make sure it all links up.. I think you can cancel upto 24 hours before...

Yes, I've booked about 5 different tables and they were fine, so fingers crossed!

We go in 6 days for our third visit! I am so excited - like a big kid! Just Disney this time though. We did the whole lot (Disney, Universal, Seaworld) on our last trip. Gutted that Soarin is closed though.

Soarin closed? Just temporary I hope?

Yes it's temporary. They're changing the show to an updated version and adding a third auditorium. Was closed when we went in February

Yes, it'll be closed when I'm there in May too, which is a shame. todger, have you booked your fast passes yet? Where are you staying?

Mia AKL is a wonderful place to stay . I took my DS when he was 4 and he loved it there.

Less than 20 weeks. Need to find out when I can book plane seats and fast passes. I doubt it will be yet.

I've already had fun doing ESTAs when found out I needed an E Passport to travel to the US. One hasty Passport application later and we're all set.

Kinky you can book our fast passes 60 days before for Disney property and 30 days otherwise. We are 61 days today, so I can book them after midnight!

Do you need to do them at midnight? I'm guessing they go quickly.

We were the magic band trial in 2013 so only a few had them. It was ace . I was booking my fast passes the night before in the hotel.

Not this time though...

wdwprepschool.com/how-to-get-difficult-fastpass-reservations/

This has made me think that I will wait up till they open at midnight! I'm not sure if I really do need to though! You can book FP for the whole of the period of travel 60 days before (apparently). This means that anyone going a week before me would have been able to book their FP for the first week of my holiday already. I'm still trying to get my head round it. It also means that most people can't yet book FP for my 3rd week.

thisagain when I booked our Fastpasses for last August I did so at 5am British time, taking into account the time difference.

Tiring but well worth it!

Re the midnight booking, remember that is US time (obvious perhaps but I didn't read it properly and made the mistake of waiting up until midnight when actually booking opened at 5am UK time!). That was in Feb (we go in 2 weeks!) and think their clocks may have changed since then...