Please help me plan a trip to DisneyWorld
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: ELP
Programs: AA EXP/LT PLAT, Marriott Titanium/LT PLAT
Posts: 4,120
Please help me plan a trip to DisneyWorld
This is the FIRST time I have ever palnned a trip to a theme park and have absolutley no idea what I am doing.
It will be me, my wife and our 5 yr old.
5yr old has seen Sea World so that is not that important, but I would love to see the Animal Kingdom.
We will fly to Orlando and rent a a car. Need help with:
1) Where do I stay?
2) What do I plan for?
3) How many theme parks can I do per day?
4) Best coupons/passes avalable -- line jumping would be nice.
5) Nice hotel to stay at
Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.
It will be me, my wife and our 5 yr old.
5yr old has seen Sea World so that is not that important, but I would love to see the Animal Kingdom.
We will fly to Orlando and rent a a car. Need help with:
1) Where do I stay?
2) What do I plan for?
3) How many theme parks can I do per day?
4) Best coupons/passes avalable -- line jumping would be nice.
5) Nice hotel to stay at
Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
So many questions
A little more information would help...
How much do you want to spend for a hotel?
Do you want to go to Universal or Disney or both?
What time of year?
How long do you plan on staying?
Keep in mind that Disney hotels are 4-5 star prices with 3 star services But you get access.
A little more information would help...
How much do you want to spend for a hotel?
Do you want to go to Universal or Disney or both?
What time of year?
How long do you plan on staying?
Keep in mind that Disney hotels are 4-5 star prices with 3 star services But you get access.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: ELP
Programs: AA EXP/LT PLAT, Marriott Titanium/LT PLAT
Posts: 4,120
So many questions
A little more information would help...
How much do you want to spend for a hotel?
Do you want to go to Universal or Disney or both?
What time of year?
How long do you plan on staying?
Keep in mind that Disney hotels are 4-5 star prices with 3 star services But you get access.
A little more information would help...
How much do you want to spend for a hotel?
Do you want to go to Universal or Disney or both?
What time of year?
How long do you plan on staying?
Keep in mind that Disney hotels are 4-5 star prices with 3 star services But you get access.
Would Universal appeal to a 5 yr old? I really don't know if it would. Princesses do appeal, though !!
Plan on going end June/early July 2011 -- can stay 5-10 days depending on the activites that I need to do.
#4
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 183
I wouldn't do more than one park per day due to the amount of walking involved.
Animal kingdom actually has a nice hotel but can be pricey. Good deals can be had at the Marriott vacation club properties, which can be booked right from the Marriott web site. We've stayed at several of these and have always had a good experience.
Comfortable, spacious accommodations with a full kitchen to at least stock up on snacks and drinks. Locations convenient to theme parks. You can't go wrong with these.
Universal is fun, the Harry potter ride and roller coasters at the islands if adventure are a must see.
All the Disney parks are good too.
BEWARE ticket prices for three add up in a hurry. Price it out in advance.
We did all the Disney parks one year and then universal the next. We also did some side attractions on the universal trip such as the indoor sky diving and gator land. Both were fantastic family vacations that we all enjoyed.
Animal kingdom actually has a nice hotel but can be pricey. Good deals can be had at the Marriott vacation club properties, which can be booked right from the Marriott web site. We've stayed at several of these and have always had a good experience.
Comfortable, spacious accommodations with a full kitchen to at least stock up on snacks and drinks. Locations convenient to theme parks. You can't go wrong with these.
Universal is fun, the Harry potter ride and roller coasters at the islands if adventure are a must see.
All the Disney parks are good too.
BEWARE ticket prices for three add up in a hurry. Price it out in advance.
We did all the Disney parks one year and then universal the next. We also did some side attractions on the universal trip such as the indoor sky diving and gator land. Both were fantastic family vacations that we all enjoyed.
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
If you look at my previous post to someone else with a 5 year old - I strongly recommended the Contemporary resort for ease of access to the Magic Kingdom. It's one of their deluxe hotels, and will run you in the $300-$400 per night range. You will want to check out www.mousesavers.com for the most recent news on discounts.
As for princessess - get on the phone or internet NOW and start trying to get reservations to any of the princess meals. They are really hard tickets to get, but you may get lucky with a cancellation.
I would start looking to book a hotel and soon. You're actually running late, as it starts getting really busy as soon as schools let out in the south. Once they're out in the NE, then you're sunk Go earlier in June rather than into July. The crowds will be massive for the 4th.
I'm not sure about Universal - you might want to plan a day there.
Why don't you browse www.allears.net to get an idea of what's available to you for your 5-10 days. You can then decide what you want to do and we can go from there. There is so much to do on property that you may want to plan a day or two doing other things.
As for princessess - get on the phone or internet NOW and start trying to get reservations to any of the princess meals. They are really hard tickets to get, but you may get lucky with a cancellation.
I would start looking to book a hotel and soon. You're actually running late, as it starts getting really busy as soon as schools let out in the south. Once they're out in the NE, then you're sunk Go earlier in June rather than into July. The crowds will be massive for the 4th.
I'm not sure about Universal - you might want to plan a day there.
Why don't you browse www.allears.net to get an idea of what's available to you for your 5-10 days. You can then decide what you want to do and we can go from there. There is so much to do on property that you may want to plan a day or two doing other things.
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
With a 5-year old and princesses, you are looking at the Magic Kingdom. If you can afford the cost, the three hotels on their own monorail loop stopping at Magic Kingdom mean that you are a maximum of 5 minutes from the park and can go early / stay late on various days. They are: Grand Floridian, Contemporary and Polynesian and I would stay at them in descending order. As a step up with a 5-year old, the Concierge floor may be worth the extra cost because it includes breakfast and snacks through the day. Character dining with princesses is available at the Grand Floridian and at a variety of Magic Kingdom venues such as Cinderella's Castle. There is also a buffet with Mickey Mouse characters at the Contemporary. All require reservations and are often booked 180+ days in advance. Check out possible deals which include room, meal plan and park admission as those can be brutally expensive.
There are many cheaper alternatives, but those require either a drive, parking and then Disney transport to the park or a bus ride. That time can be fun for a 5-year old but cuts into your day.
There are many cheaper alternatives, but those require either a drive, parking and then Disney transport to the park or a bus ride. That time can be fun for a 5-year old but cuts into your day.
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: ELP
Programs: AA EXP/LT PLAT, Marriott Titanium/LT PLAT
Posts: 4,120
In the Animal Kingdom, are the hotels actually around animals? That would be the best !!
Character dining sounds like a cool option for ONE meal.
I would rather stay near the park so I can do the park for the first few days
and then maybe do so other stuff around the Orlando area.
Character dining sounds like a cool option for ONE meal.
I would rather stay near the park so I can do the park for the first few days
and then maybe do so other stuff around the Orlando area.
#8
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Back to Florida...... bye London
Programs: Hilton, AA,, Delta
Posts: 5,149
You can easily spend 6 or more days just doing Disney parks. There are also two water parkes in addition to the 4 Disney theme parks. Don't forget pool time at the hotel.
If you look on the Disney website they have 30-40% off hotels April through June 14 and some other specials going on. Look at their packages. Sometimes they have a free dining plan when you book a package (room and tickets).
If you look on the Disney website they have 30-40% off hotels April through June 14 and some other specials going on. Look at their packages. Sometimes they have a free dining plan when you book a package (room and tickets).
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
In the Animal Kingdom, are the hotels actually around animals? That would be the best !!
Character dining sounds like a cool option for ONE meal.
I would rather stay near the park so I can do the park for the first few days
and then maybe do so other stuff around the Orlando area.
Character dining sounds like a cool option for ONE meal.
I would rather stay near the park so I can do the park for the first few days
and then maybe do so other stuff around the Orlando area.
BUT - and this is a very big but... The Animal Kingdom is the farthest hotel from just about everywhere you're going to want to be. With a 5 year old, I really wouldn't recommend you stay there for your whole trip. You might want to try it for a night or two.
I still say the Contemporary is your best bet for on-site. You can walk into the Magic Kingdom. At that time of year, you will be very happy you don't have to deal with the crowds on the monorail, or even the special boat launches to the hotels around the Magic Kingdom.
Once you have your dates set start trying to get the character dining - it's going to be tough, but not undoable if you check every single day
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Formerly HPN, but then DCA and IAD for a while, and now back to HPN!
Programs: Honestly, I've been out of the travel game so long that I'm not even sure. Maybe Marriott Gold?
Posts: 10,677
I am confident that you'll get excellent advice here, but I would also invest a few minutes in a visit to Amazon or your local bookstore and pick up any one of the many books on planning a trip to Disney World. It's been decades since I went, but I remember that whatever book we had was a terrific bible for our visit. I think you'll find one of these books to be a great help in planning the logistics, figuring out which hotel best suits your needs, and recommending the proper itinerary for the number of days in your stay and the for the mix of your family (i.e., how much walking is involved, where your best food options will be, where to see the characters, etc.)
I doubt there are any "insider secrets" anymore, but I remember that the book gave a lot of sound strategy for tackling everything Disney. And you really do have to look at it as a logistical mission. Make the wrong choices and you're apt to find yourself spending a lot of extra time in lines or over-paying (if it's possible to avoid this) for things.
I doubt there are any "insider secrets" anymore, but I remember that the book gave a lot of sound strategy for tackling everything Disney. And you really do have to look at it as a logistical mission. Make the wrong choices and you're apt to find yourself spending a lot of extra time in lines or over-paying (if it's possible to avoid this) for things.
#11
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: HHonors Diamond; My Mom's Favorite Kid
Posts: 3,929
RE: Universal
We went to see Harry Potter at Christmas time and it was AMAZING. However, there are limited things of interest at the Universal parks for a 5 year old. They have a Dr. Zeuss world which is pretty cute but just about everything else falls under the coaster heading. It might be worth skipping this trip. Although, if you are huge HP fans then it would be doable.
You can do both parks in one day pretty easily. But the park hopper ticket is over $100 per adult per day. We were really unimpressed with the small size of the parks and the high price we paid to get in. In the end we were really paying to see HP and thought it was worth it. But I'd have been really upset to pay that price if I wasn't an HP fan.
If I had a little kid I'd just focus on the Disney parks as there are many, many more child friendly rides.
You might try looking at the Unofficial Guide to Disney World which is available at most bookstores. I've not read it but I've heard it's got really good park strategies to help you maximize your time and experience in park.
You can do both parks in one day pretty easily. But the park hopper ticket is over $100 per adult per day. We were really unimpressed with the small size of the parks and the high price we paid to get in. In the end we were really paying to see HP and thought it was worth it. But I'd have been really upset to pay that price if I wasn't an HP fan.
If I had a little kid I'd just focus on the Disney parks as there are many, many more child friendly rides.
You might try looking at the Unofficial Guide to Disney World which is available at most bookstores. I've not read it but I've heard it's got really good park strategies to help you maximize your time and experience in park.
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: ELP
Programs: AA EXP/LT PLAT, Marriott Titanium/LT PLAT
Posts: 4,120
I am leaning towards the Cosmpolitan or Polynesian. The monorail in the hotel might just secure the deal.
I will purcahse the book today and it looks like our plans will be moved up to early May which might be too close to get a dining reservation with a princess but I head that the Cosmopolitan does that also. So, we might just settle for that.
I will purcahse the book today and it looks like our plans will be moved up to early May which might be too close to get a dining reservation with a princess but I head that the Cosmopolitan does that also. So, we might just settle for that.
#13
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Central Florida, US
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 634
I am leaning towards the Cosmpolitan or Polynesian. The monorail in the hotel might just secure the deal.
I will purcahse the book today and it looks like our plans will be moved up to early May which might be too close to get a dining reservation with a princess but I head that the Cosmopolitan does that also. So, we might just settle for that.
I will purcahse the book today and it looks like our plans will be moved up to early May which might be too close to get a dining reservation with a princess but I head that the Cosmopolitan does that also. So, we might just settle for that.
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
I am leaning towards the Cosmpolitan or Polynesian. The monorail in the hotel might just secure the deal.
I will purcahse the book today and it looks like our plans will be moved up to early May which might be too close to get a dining reservation with a princess but I head that the Cosmopolitan does that also. So, we might just settle for that.
I will purcahse the book today and it looks like our plans will be moved up to early May which might be too close to get a dining reservation with a princess but I head that the Cosmopolitan does that also. So, we might just settle for that.
The Polynesian is fabulous, and I only recommended the contemporary because you can walk into the park versus taking a boat launch or the monorail.
However, early May will be less crowded.
As for the princess meals, they are in the Castle and in the Norway Castle in Epcot. That's it.
The contemporary has Chef Mickey's, which has Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald, and Goofy. Not a princess to be seen anywhere. You can get Mary Poppins at the Grand Floridian. allears.net has a list of all the meals and which characters are there.
You will have trouble getting reservations at almost any character meal and I would start working on it as soon as you settle in on dates. Your best luck for a meal with a Princess will be in the Norway restaurant, but that one still will be tough.
Chef Mickey's is the second toughest character meal to get.
Oh - and none of these meals are cheap. You pay dearly for that individual character interaction
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Formerly HPN, but then DCA and IAD for a while, and now back to HPN!
Programs: Honestly, I've been out of the travel game so long that I'm not even sure. Maybe Marriott Gold?
Posts: 10,677