Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Walt Disney World in Florida

Welcome to the Mumsnet Disney World forum UK, here you can share your Disney secrets for planning the perfect holiday to Walt Disney World Florida.

Disney Florida

118 replies

Felldownabackdonhole · 26/07/2021 20:39

DPs parents have offered to pay for us to go to Disney in Florida next year (they are coming too). This would otherwise be well out of our price range. We will need to pay for flights and spending money (it will be in a Disney hotel so we get some food vouchers).

I have heard that if you are going to Disney World you need to plan it like a military operation. How much do we need to save? What are the best things to do ( 2 DC age 4)? It seems so massive I don’t know where to start.

OP posts:
Flipflopblowout · 27/07/2021 12:23

Join the Disney Information Bulletin Board. Its free to join and is full of Disney enthusiasts who will help you with any question that you may have. Do take a buggy for the 4 year olds, the heat will tire them out. Do not throw away indirect flights if they will save you hundreds.

Figmentofimagination · 27/07/2021 13:12

Warning. This is going to be a long post. @Felldownabackdonhole if you want to DM me to ask for any more info I'm happy to help. I've been to Disney so many times and I'm currently planning my next trip.

Flights - have a look at aer lingus and compare it to Virgin and BA. you can get direct flights from some airports with Aer lingus or have a stopover in Dublin if you want to clear customs in Dublin instead of Orlando as Orlando customs can be hell. But just make sure you review your luggage allowance for both the domestic flight to Dublin and then the international flight to Orlando because it's different luggage sizes. But I have found aer lingus to be about half the price of virgin

Luggage - pay in advance for at least 1 extra suitcase to come home with you as you will buy lots whilst over there. Pack that extra suitcase inside another suitcase for the flight out.

Transport - Car hire has become a bigger expensive since covid as a lot of car hire companies have had to sell cars to keep them going so have increased there prices. If you intend to stay "onsite" in Disney for most of the time you won't need a car as there is buses and the skyliner since you are staying at Caribbean Beach. If you need to travel somewhere by car use Uber or Lyft. Disney's bus from the airport is stopping in January. Mears are currently looking at replacing the Disney bus for a price but nothing has been announced yet. Alternatively you have Uber or Lyft or normal taxis.

Hotel - what type of room are you booking? Look online at websites like touring plans to get an idea of where your room may be compared to the lobby, the quick service restaurant, the table service restaurant (was closed but will be open very soon), the skyliner terminal for Epcot or Hollywood Studios, the pools and the bus stops for Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs and the water parks. Some types of rooms are only in certain buildings. For example the pirate themed rooms are in the building furthest from the lobby and restaurants but close to the skyliner terminal.

Meals - you will be getting an amount of money as dining credit instead of the previous dining plan. The dining credit will not cover all your meals, only a portion but it does help. There is a massive variety of food at Disney. It's is not just burgers and fries. You will always find something to eat. There is quick service restaurants which is like takeout (queue and take a tray to your seat) or table service (sit down meal with servers), and also snack carts. Meals can be huge so consider sharing meals or ordering kids meals.
There are some character dining meals which are more expensive but currently they are still distanced due to covid, and there is no Winnie the Pooh character meal at the moment (but could change)
As you are going in June there is a chance the Epcot Flower and Garden festival will still be running (this year ran till beginning of July). There will be lots of food booths where you can try different food from around the world and a lot of vegetarian options as Disney will be showcasing the fruit and veg that they grow themselves.
There is also lots of different types of restaurants at each hotel so branch out and try the different ones.

Planning - currently there is no fast passes to book rides for certain days, no news if that will change or if they will implement a paid version of it like they have started in Paris. You do have to make a reservation for each day you want to go to the park, however once it hits 2pm you can always hop to another park if you have park hopper tickets if you would like a change of scenery. There is a way to check if a park is at capacity and if they are accepting hopping or not but I'm not sure how to check that.
Some table service restaurants you will need to book 60 days in advance (used to be 180 days) as they can book up fast. For restaurants in the parks make sure to book the restaurant for the day you intend to be in that park (no point booking a lunch at Epcot on the day you intend to be at Magic Kingdom).
Also consider booking a breakfast inside a park before the park opens as it means you may be able to go around the park and maybe ride some rides after your breakfast before the park fully opens.
As an on-site guest you will be able to visit any park 30 mins before it opens. This is the replacement for extra magic hours. Unless you stay at a deluxe resort you won't be able to stay after the park closes.

Characters - currently there is no proper meet and greets. Instead characters will appear in places at random times for social distanced meet and greets. They may be on a balcony, or in a section of the garden etc. Also there is no official big parades, instead they do things called cavalcades which are mini parades that occur more frequently throughout the day so people don't all wait around for the 1 parade of the day.

Covid rules - currently masks are to be worn on all transport at Disney (bus, skyliner, boat, monorail) for every guest age 2 and up. For people who are double jabbed they don't not have to wear a mask if you don't want to the rest of the time. For people (including children) who are not double jabbed, they have to wear face masks indoors unless sitting to eat and in ride queues. So you may not have to wear a mask but your child will. Consider if you want to make it easier on your child and wear a mask the same time as them.
Also masks are currently needed in the airports and on the planes. No clue if that will change.

Watch lots of YouTube videos. Search for tours of Caribbean beach resort. WDW 4K on YouTube are good for walking videos around parks and hotels without talking. TimTracker has good vlogs about the parks and is currently doing staycations at hotels so you can see what they are like.

Join Its Orlando Time on Facebook, and google websites like touring plans, kenny the pirate, undercover tourist and WDW prep school.

GenderApostatemk2 · 27/07/2021 14:11

If price really is no issue, you can’t beat the monorail resorts overlooking Magic Kingdom.

The Beach/Yacht clubs near Epcot and Hollywood studios are also fabulous.

Felldownabackdonhole · 27/07/2021 14:21

@GenderApostatemk2

If price really is no issue, you can’t beat the monorail resorts overlooking Magic Kingdom. The Beach/Yacht clubs near Epcot and Hollywood studios are also fabulous.
We are going to be in the Caribbean Beach Resort. Is that one of those. It looks very plush.

I watched a YouTube video and I am bouncing with excitement but I am trying to keep it in because the DC will ask when are we going every day until then.

OP posts:
Nowmum43 · 27/07/2021 14:30

@Felldownabackdonhole

I've just watched a blog from 'here for the ears' with a Caribbean beach tour. We are so desperate to go back and I'm so jealous you've got it to look forward to Smile

GenderApostatemk2 · 27/07/2021 14:31

Caribbean Beach is a stand alone resort, it’s lovely but I haven’t stayed there as we like to be walking distance to at least one park and close-ish to Disney springs.

DottyHarmer · 27/07/2021 15:51

The Caribbean beach resort has recently been totally redone and looks fab. Transport-wise the sky liner is a great addition. For littlies (and I understand OP has small dcs) the Caribbean beach resort is an excellent choice.

VienneseWhirligig · 27/07/2021 15:54

Anyone recommend any good Youtubers other than Tim Tracker, DFB?

DottyHarmer · 27/07/2021 16:04

We watch (and listen to) TheDis and there’s this guy called MrcheesyPop who mainly does Disneyland but often goes to Florida. He was recently at the Caribbean Beach Resort. He does a lot of food and drink stuff Wink

Nowmum43 · 27/07/2021 16:05

@VienneseWhirligig

Anyone recommend any good Youtubers other than Tim Tracker, DFB?
I like these UK ones: Jade Billington Adam Hatten Disney in detail Knappily ever after

And US ones:
The leffersons
Paging mr morrow
Super enthused

Nowmum43 · 27/07/2021 16:07

Caribbean beach is a great location, on bus it's 5 minutes to Epcot and Disney springs. We never waited long for a bus and I'm sure it's even better now there's the sky liner for Epcot and Hollywood studios

Chanel05 · 27/07/2021 16:08

@VienneseWhirligig

Anyone recommend any good Youtubers other than Tim Tracker, DFB?
LR Dreaming
PizzaPiePizzaPie · 27/07/2021 16:09

For those talking about ticket prices. When you stay onsite then the tickets are included in the package. You can’t stay without buy them.

I’d wait till 2023 too. If they reintroduce the dining plan you actually need to spend very little. Tips and gifts.

I’ve changed at Dublin which was a pain BUT if you have small children it means you don’t have to stand in the bloody queues in Florida, you just walk straight through.

ShaunaTheSheep · 27/07/2021 16:35

If you do book via Dublin don’t be tempted to book separate connecting flights from the UK. Book a through ticket. Luggage will be checked straight through to Orlando. More importantly, the airline will have to ensure you get to your destination if one leg is delayed.

Last time we flew back the flight was delayed leaving Orlando, Aer Lingus staff had already booked us onto a later connecting flight to Heathrow when we landed in Dublin. I was also able to claim flight delay compensation (not sure if that has disappeared with Brexit).

Yondergoat · 27/07/2021 16:38

I've just checked the DIBB for what we did in 2018, as we are also vegetarian.

Your DC are a lot younger than ours. Our DD was hugely into princesses so we did a lot of meet and greets. We went to Cinderella's Table but I wasn't impressed with the food; Akershus was much better for Princesses and the food.

Don't bother with the Brown Derby. Lovely restaurant but zero vegetarian on the menu. The very best of the Character dining restaurants for us was the Crystal Palace.

We really didn't like Tusker in Animal Kingdom and wished we'd booked elsewhere. It was really noisy and more like a canteen.

GenderApostatemk2 · 27/07/2021 16:52

We did Be our guest for breakfast in MK when the Mine train was fairly new, the theming is amazing.

Our best ‘event’ meal was at Hollywood studios for Fantasmic at Mama Melrose.

Easy WDW is another good planning website, as is The DIS boards.
We’ve been going to Orlando since 1995! Last time was 2018, we did a few nights in the contemporary resort on the monorail loop.

orangepeelsz · 27/07/2021 17:38

Just a warning about air Lingus and via Dublin. We did that to America and our initial flight was delayed getting to Dublin, they told us the connection would wait for us at Dublin but it didn't; we were stranded and lost 30 hours of our holiday and had to stay in a hotel in Dublin to wait for the next flight. It was awful and we got compensation but I'd never do it again it's not worth the stress

GenderApostatemk2 · 27/07/2021 18:04

You can negate that risk by staying overnight at Dublin beforehand.

scaffoldingtheworld · 27/07/2021 18:07

@VienneseWhirligig

Anyone recommend any good Youtubers other than Tim Tracker, DFB?
All those mentioned above plus Brogan Tate.
JM10 · 27/07/2021 22:02

Honestly I would keep doing research yourself as some of this information is out of date due to covid restrictions, but may change before then.

Carribbean beach is a great resort, skyliner is my favourite form of Disney transportation.

We are all vegetarian and struggled for kids meals at first, bit then realised you could ask for kid version of adult meals and asked for vegetarian or vegan versions of meals too.

If you download the my Disney experience app you can search all the restaurant menus. I also follow vegan Disney on Instagram so I can see things I might like to try. My top choice is the plant based burger from regal Eagle in Epcot.

I wouldn't bother with a car when staying on Disney property, if you want to go places other than Disney you can get an uber or lyft quite cheaply.

ShaunaTheSheep · 27/07/2021 22:44

@orangepeelsz

Just a warning about air Lingus and via Dublin. We did that to America and our initial flight was delayed getting to Dublin, they told us the connection would wait for us at Dublin but it didn't; we were stranded and lost 30 hours of our holiday and had to stay in a hotel in Dublin to wait for the next flight. It was awful and we got compensation but I'd never do it again it's not worth the stress
That is a risk, but there are (depending on where you start) plenty of connecting flights. I typically take an earlier outbound flight then spend time at Dublin before heading through immigration. On the way back, I book a tighter connection.
Felldownabackdonhole · 28/07/2021 09:02

I am now following the vegan Disney person. There are basically people who make a living advising other people how to go to DisneyGrin.

In June it is going to be super hot isn’t it? I know they have air conditioning but we are going to melt.

OP posts:
GenderApostatemk2 · 28/07/2021 09:13

June is hot, humid and pretty much daily afternoon thunderstorms and torrential rain. Late April, avoiding Easter week and October / November are far nicer, weather wise.
You couldn’t pay me to go in June again, we went a few years back and I remember sloshing down Main st up to my ankles. Outdoor rides and the pools close in stormy weather, it’s very dispruptive. Add in the rigidity of having to pre book your park days, meaning last minute plan changes are difficult and I would find it hugely frustrating.

GenderApostatemk2 · 28/07/2021 09:17

I’ve been in Feb, March, April, June and late October, October is hands down my favourite.

PizzaPiePizzaPie · 28/07/2021 09:30

I’d love to go in October. Has anyone been in august, DH refuses as he thinks it will be hell.

Swipe left for the next trending thread