AMA: Share your questions about planning a holiday to Walt Disney World Resort Florida with Mumsnet Disney experts - £200 voucher to be won

[CeriMumsnet]

Created for Disney

THIS Q&A IS NOW CLOSED. SEE THE DISNEY EXPERTS' ANSWERS HERE

Have you booked your family’s first trip to Walt Disney World and are now looking for tips on how to squeeze every ounce of magic out of the experience? Perhaps you’re unsure how the park will cater for all members of your family or you’d like some advice on booking your trip?

Seasoned Disney Mums Charlotte and Jemma are on hand to answer your questions about planning a family holiday to Walt Disney World in Florida.

• Everyone who shares a question on the thread below by 22 September will be entered into a prize draw
• One lucky Mumsnet user will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice
• Charlotte and Jemma will be back online in a couple of weeks to answer some of your questions

About the experts:

Charlotte
‘Hi, I’m Charlotte (33) married to DH and we have a DD (7) and DS (4). We’ve been to Disney World Florida four times and it really does hold a special place in our hearts. In June 2019 Ben surprised me with a trip to Florida for my 30th birthday. At the time DD was 4 and DS was 1. This trip was an eye opener doing Disney with kids!
It’s our 10th Wedding Anniversary next year & we’re hoping to make our 5th trip - must save harder! My favourite things about Disney are the cast members and how they constantly go above and beyond to make your trip memorable, the atmosphere of knowing everyone there shares a love of Disney, and the nostalgia it brings. I don’t think I’ve made it through a trip to Disney without some happy tears!’

Jemma
“Hi, I’m Jemma! A mum of two gorgeous little girls, aged 5 and
3, and happily married to my DH. We are a Disney obsessed family and enjoy regular trips to Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris. My Disney obsession started in 1990 at the age of six, when my parents took me on my first trip to Walt Disney World and I’ve been back 14 times. I will never forget seeing Cinderella’s castle and how magical that first trip was. Every time I go back, it feels like home and my favourite thing about the parks is that there is so much to see and do! Every trip is exciting, there are always new things to experience…it really is the most magical place on earth.”

Here’s what Disney has to say:

“The magic is... a fairy tale castle, a galaxy far, far away, pixie dust. It’s that look of amazement on your loved ones’ faces. It’s that family time you’ll cherish forever and ever. And now, book your dream Disney holiday now and you’ll not only lock in today’s price, but also get plenty of time to pay for it.

Simply put down a deposit from £50 per person, then pay the rest in flexible instalments - you decide how much and when. All with no fees or interest.'

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

Mumsnet Insight T&Cs apply

Do you provide wheelchairs? I have ms and just use a stick, but feel the park would be too much for me. Would I need to hire one from somewhere and bring it with me?

What variation is there 're food? DS has food allergies and I eat vegan food 50/75% of the time.

How do you make it affordable?
I would love to take my kids but at over 10K for a family of 4 it isn't doable financially

Is it straightforward to get a ride access pass for visitors with special needs who find queuing hard?

We had a holiday booked for April 2020, that was cancelled for obvious reasons. It was a splurge staying in a Disney hotel with all the perks including: free dining, early fast pass bookings, magic hours, free parking, magic express, all of which have now been removed. At the same time, prices have rocketed and I am reluctant to spend thousands more for less than originally planned.

My question is, what is the benefit in booking a Disney hotel now? Would you stay off-site and spend more time enjoying the other attractions on offer in Orlando now Disney is so expensive?

I’m confused about the logistics and whether it’s better to stay on the park or nearby - bearing in mind the cost element.

Hello. We are planning to visit Disney World along with my extended family as a final mega holiday with my grandma, who is sadly poorly. We were hoping to book a series of villas, potentially next door to one another, but have no idea where to even start looking. All advice would be very much appreciated.

If your family likes rides but not necessarily Disney films, is it still worth a trip?

We would love to go at Christmas but are wondering if the parks are unbearably busy? When is the quietest time of year to visit?

I’d like to know about Genie+ and lightning lanes and how this compares to the old fast pass system. We used fast passes a lot in 2019 but haven’t been since.

Which area of the park would you say is best to start with for 4 and 6 year olds? What would be your key bits not to miss for this age?

What is the beat way to eat well without spemding a fortune? Is it true that food and drink prices are now extortionate?

What is the point of spending hours on a plane to go to a made up place?

We’re booked for August, how can I avoid the Disney leg rash? Always seem to get some skin issue!

Is gluten free food available at Walt Disney World?

Similarly to a poster above I had a WDW trip booking for summer 2020 which obviously got canned. We are thinking of rebooking in the next few years but wondered if heading to the Californian WDL combining with a Route 66 type of holiday could be good for slightly older kids rather than a very theme park focused trip in Florida.

AIBU for being annoyed with my brother. He announced his date for his wedding abroad yesterday and it’s the day before my due date! I know babies don’t usually come on time and this is my first so she probably won’t be and it is a years difference but the wedding will be around or on her first birthday which to me is a really important milestone and I can’t get over the feeling of him him possibly ‘hijacking’ her first birthday - AIBU and overly sensitive with my extra hormones?

Is it safe to let older kids (14 and 12) go off by themselves for a bit to do rides on their own?Obviously we would be there in the parks.

Will you bring the dining plan deals back?

When is the best time to go to beat the crowds but still get good weather?

My daughter has asd and really struggles with crowds and loud noises. She would love to go to Disney but at the same time would find it very overwhelming and difficult. Does Disneyland have quiet areas she could go to recharge her batteries from the busyness and are Disney good about supporting hidden special needs? I worry if we went it would be such a long way to travel and then if she couldn’t manage the situation it wouldn’t be much of a holiday.

How do the virtually queues work? Are they a bit like the really old fast pass system (from the early 2000's). Thanks for this- useful to have somewhere to ask questions!!

Will you bring Disney Dining plans back?

How you do Disney feel about offering guests less value for money now (increased prices, paying fir more things) whilst making more money than ever?

There are so many parks, is one day for each enough or can you recommend how to divide it up?