TOTALLY GEEKED!

NAOW · Vette's SS

Disney

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

LL is your go to gal on this.

Lindley · Guru

I'll be interested in this thread too! We are going in October and we already got our hotel reservation.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

We used a Disney agent to help set up dinners and things like that.

Make reservations as soon as your window opens.

Don't forget to schedule in down time.

Take an extra pair of socks for everyone into the park.

You can get free ice water just about everywhere.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

lilyofcourse wrote:
We used a Disney agent to help set up dinners and things like that.

Make reservations as soon as your window opens.

Don't forget to schedule in down time.

Take an extra pair of socks for everyone into the park.

You can get free ice water just about everywhere.

That would be a lot of socks!

FNW · Guru

Why extra socks?

I did it all myself but I stayed in a beautiful resort that provided shuttle service to the park, I did not stay in a Disney on-site resort. I really don't care for theme rooms and the boys aren't into Disney anyway so we opted for a place with a fantastic pool, particularly since we went in August. Then I just ordered tickets from Disney and got my fast passes reserved.

I opened an account through touringplans.com where they advised me on crowds, estimated time in lines, and recommendations as to which fast passes I should order.

I had transportation to/from the airport reserved but I have found that it's really not necessary. Cabs are easy and not that expensive. I do have a business card from a driver we used last time who was very prompt and courteous and has a really large van and parks at the executive lot where baggage is so he's convenient, too. We'll probably use him again next time we're in town.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Sweaty feet become sore and blistered feet.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Don't wear the same shoes 2 days in a row. Pack 2 pairs of super comfortable walking shoes.

You can take a refillable waterbottle in the park.

With little kids, they allow snacks, too. I took granola bars in.

Do they still check every bag?

If your kids still want to be carried any, get a stroller. They have them in the park and you can bring one in.

Stay as close to your normal schedule as possible. If an afternoon nap is normal, go back to the room and have nap. Everyone is happier when kids are well rested.

Don't forget the movie nights at the various resorts.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

I use Tina at The Mouse for Less for my bookings. But I do the planning myself. A lot has changed. I haven't been since they changed the fast pass rules, etc. But I follow a couple of blogs.

Lily is right - you'll want a stroller. Get yourself a good portable one. We still used one when Jojo was 4, it was a lifesaver - plus gave us a place to stash snacks, etc.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Plan time to decompress every day.

The parks fill all the senses and it can become overwhelming.

Find a place to just be for a bit.

We loved the monorail. It was air conditioned, relatively quiet and you can sit and rest a minute.

We rode it one day, all the way around 2 times.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

lilyofcourse wrote:
Plan time to decompress every day.

The parks fill all the senses and it can become overwhelming.

Find a place to just be for a bit.

We loved the monorail. It was air conditioned, relatively quiet and you can sit and rest a minute.

We rode it one day, all the way around 2 times.

WE use the Tomorrow Land Transit Authority for this.

Also - the Carousel of Progress sounds boring, but on a hot day - it is air conditioned and the seats are comfortable. A good thing to do for a break.

TrudyML · Guru

www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/the-best-times-to-buy-disney-tickets-to-save-the-most-money/ss-AAuWiPo

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Lawyerlady wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:
Plan time to decompress every day.

The parks fill all the senses and it can become overwhelming.

Find a place to just be for a bit.

We loved the monorail. It was air conditioned, relatively quiet and you can sit and rest a minute.

We rode it one day, all the way around 2 times.
WE use the Tomorrow Land Transit Authority for this.
Also - the Carousel of Progress sounds boring, but on a hot day - it is air conditioned and the seats are comfortable. A good thing to do for a break.

Yep. Those are good, too.

FNW · Guru

The Presidents is a good place to cool off, too.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Yes. I love the Hall of Presidents.

Aaron took a nap while in there.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Where are the playgrounds?

I know there is one not far from the boat dock at the campgrounds.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

I think there is one on Tom Sawyer's island.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I think so, too.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

The Art of Animation Resort has a zero entry pool in the Nemo theme. It's awesome - also has splash pads and stuff.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

That's where I want to stay.

But I really like a kitchen.

FNW · Guru

My boys would hate anything "little kiddish." They're not thrilled that there will be Sesame Street characters at the resort we're staying at in Jamaica.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

lilyofcourse wrote:
That's where I want to stay.

But I really like a kitchen.

They have kitchens. Most of the rooms are suites.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I've been looking at them. They don't have a stove. They have a mini fridge and a microwave.

images (4).jpeg

That's what is in the suite.

It ain't a kitchen.

FNW · Guru

No, but it has a fridge (for leftovers) and microwave for re-heating leftovers. And if you drive, you can pack food and drinks. Breakfast stuff. We've done that when we go to Nemacolin and stay in the townhouses. We don't use the stove because that would require packing food that would require cooking, and I'm not on vacation to cook. LOL But it is nice to be able to eat leftovers and save money on breakfast.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Most hotel rooms are kitchenettes, not full kitchens. Insurance companies don't like stoves.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I like to have the option to cook.

We've done vacations and just had a kitchenette, but I like a full kitchen.

It saves money, I don't have to deal with getting up and out before every where stops selling breakfast, and it's just more convenient.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

I try NOT to cook on vacation, so a kitchenette works fine for us. We're not big breakfast eaters, so cereal and fruit or yogurt is fine. As long as I have a fridge and microwave, I'm happy.

FNW · Guru

We're not big breakfast people either, but I do enjoy staying at Embassy Suites where breakfasts are included, and they have a pretty nice spread. Also, gotta love those free drinks at night, too.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

We like breakfast, just not at the butt crack of dawn.

NAOW · Vette's SS

We lucked into free dining last time and are hoping to get it again this time, but DH want to get the dining plan regardless. We brought snacks like granola bars to keep in the back pack, but ate breakfast at the hotel every day before heading to the parks

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Does your room key/park pass still work at Downtown Disney?

We spent nearly 6 hours in the arcade there.

Didn't mean to. We were going to spend a little time after lunch in there, we realized how long we'd been in there when we all started getting hungry again.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

At night, when the whole park is watching fireworks, there's almost no wait for rides.

We walked right up and immediately boarded Pirates of the Caribbean and several others.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

NAOW wrote:
We lucked into free dining last time and are hoping to get it again this time, but DH want to get the dining plan regardless. We brought snacks like granola bars to keep in the back pack, but ate breakfast at the hotel every day before heading to the parks

We LOVE the dining plan. We have paid full price for it. It makes it so easy to budget. Our first trip, we prepaid everything, including the dining plan. After staying EIGHT days, our bill at checkout was $276 - mostly stuff we bought and charged to the room.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Also, planning character meals gives me a basis to plan the days around.

NAOW · Vette's SS

We are planning to go the last week of September if DH gets home soon enough, if not, October. We will take the kids out of school for a week, and will do either 5 or 6 days in the parks. (There's a military deal for 5 days that seems pretty nice, but 6 days would be more fun, lol). Biggest expense will be airfare. We are looking at driving to Sioux Falls to fly allegiant, or driving to Denver and getting a direct flight. Of course that means more travel days.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

NAOW wrote:
We are planning to go the last week of September if DH gets home soon enough, if not, October. We will take the kids out of school for a week, and will do either 5 or 6 days in the parks. (There's a military deal for 5 days that seems pretty nice, but 6 days would be more fun, lol). Biggest expense will be airfare. We are looking at driving to Sioux Falls to fly allegiant, or driving to Denver and getting a direct flight. Of course that means more travel days.

I so hope you can go the last week of September! You are more likely to get free dining, and the park is so less crowded. They have a hotel just for military families.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Just remember, that's the beginning of Hurricane season, too.

Might have rainy weather.

But we've found the best times to be in a park is when it's raining.