Pink Fairy Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 I know, right? I'm obsessed with Disney right now, it's like everywhere I turn all I can see is Disney, Disney, Disney. What could you all tell me that's new? Hotel and restaurant suggestions? Tips and hints? Money saving ideas? :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melabella Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Go to www.disboards.com, www.wdwinfo.com, www.allearsnet.com, www.wdwtoday.com to feed your obsession and answer your questions. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 and mousesavers.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myeightkiddies Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 I second the DIS boards. If you think you are obsessed now, just spend a few days there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarfoot Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 (edited) Oops! Typed in the wrong thread! Edited November 17, 2011 by Sugarfoot Wrong thread, iPad typing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily_Grace Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 We went two years ago and stayed at the Wilderness Lodge, and plan to go back in 2014 and have that as our first choice again. I loved the quiet and non-overwhelming Disney feel while being right there on property. Absolutely wonderful. As far as saving money, I find you have to pick and choose what's worth it. I refuse to go when there's free dining. The restaurants and parks are packed and my stress level goes up. We go out of season, do the moderate dining plan (since we'd end up wanting to try half the sit down restaurants anyway), and wait for a deal like last time where we did the stay 4/get 3 nights free + $200 gift card. Having the package completely paid for was a weight off my mind and made it a truly enjoyable vacation. I think we only spent an extra $200 when we got there, and that was mostly tips. My only tips would be to - split EPCOT into 2 days, and don't try to do the world part in one day. It was miserable for us. As much as we loved the different countries there just was too much walking and standing. Every expo, it seemed, had a video to stand and watch or a museum to walk through..very few rides and very spread out. The Kim Possible missions were cool, though, and we got the passport for our kid so he had a record of his trip through. -split spending money. I made little cards for ds out out manila folders that had a picture of a character on the front to give a hint (like Safari Donald for Animal Kingdom), and inside was our itinerary and his Disney dollars for that day. Each morning I put it next to his bed before he woke up so he had something to look forward to first thing. Our favorite restaurant of the entire trip was not on the dining plan. We went to T-Rex in Downtown Disney and had a great time! We had gone to the Restaurantosaurus a few days earlier in Animal Kingdom and thought it was the worst (overpriced, small, untasty burgers in a crowded eatery) so T-Rex was a nice change. (otoh, Tusker House was a pretty decent buffet) But we also limited our restaurant options to places that had something other than the "standards" for a kids menu. The only place we ran into trouble was in the Magic Kingdom but one of the cashiers let us in on the secret that on the dining plan, it didn't matter what our kid ordered in the quick service places, he only had to order kids meals in the sit down restaurants. From that point on he ordered from the adult menu and we didn't worry about him having to eat chicken nuggets/burgers/hot dogs for the whole trip. Everyone has their highs and lows, but for rides the one thing we all agreed on was that they have destroyed Pirates of the Caribbean and the whole "under new management" thing for the Tiki room was a bust. It should have been a huge clue when there was no line for Pirates. Who wants to see badly made characterizations of Johnny Depp every 10 feet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Love Disney planning!! Here's what works for us. YMMV. We've been 2x and are going back in Feb. We stay offsite (Windsor Hills) because there is so much more space and it is so much cheaper than onsite. It is extremely close to the parks. However, we've never stayed onsite, so don't know what we're missing :) Check out easywdw.com. It's a wonderful site with tons of great information. We prefer the signature restaurants...they're expensive, but we save $$ in every other way (transportation, lodging, tix) so we "splurge" on dining. The signature restaurants at Disney are really quite good. Our favs are Jiko, CA Grill, and Artist Point. For non signature, we like 50s Prime Time (it's a hoot...and food is decent enough) and we always try to do a character meal. Our favorite is the breakfast at 1900 Park Fare. I know a lot of people discount Epcot, but it's our favorite park. We spend a full day at World Showcase and Future World, and on our day off may also wander around. I think 2 days at Epcot and Magic Kingdom are pretty good, and one each at Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Another money saving tip: purchase your park tix through Undercover Tourist. First, sign up for the Mousesavers.com newsletter, then look for their link to Undercover Tourist. Other tips: be at the parks before they open. Make your dining reservations as soon as you can (180 days out if you're offsite; 190 if you're onsite-I think). Take breaks during the day. Tour in the morning, break, and go back late afternoon/evening. Visit at slower times if possible. Try to have a plan, even if it's just a "loose" one. Easywdw has a calendar that will advise which days are best to go to which parks during your visit. Then have a loose plan for each park. The most popular rides should be Fastpassed or done first thing, etc. The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World is a great resource. That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Have a wonderful trip!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 (edited) Are you on a serious budget? If so, PM me your email address and I will send you my extra frugal Disney tips. We do Disney at least once per year, but we do it on the cheap. Some people don't like doing Disney that way, and that is fine too, but if you need to do it for less, I have found ways to do it. I do see you live in CA, so you may not want to stay off-property, although there are some "just off property" hotels that offer transportation as well. Bonnet Creek comes to mind. Also, just so you know, there are homeschool tickets that are about half the price of regular tickets. They are typically in January and September if purchased directly from Disney, but I am with a group right now that is traveling in November with the homeschool rates. Dawn Edited November 17, 2011 by DawnM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnaM Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 <3 Dis Boards and Mousesavers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 EasyWDW.com is a great FREE resource. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 I know, right? I'm obsessed with Disney right now, it's like everywhere I turn all I can see is Disney, Disney, Disney. What could you all tell me that's new? Hotel and restaurant suggestions? Tips and hints? Money saving ideas? :bigear: Disneyland, right? I'm assuming so, since you're in California. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World was my handbook the first time we went. I read it cover to cover and was prepared for everything. We have since been back 7 or 8 times, but that first trip remains our favorite. I highly recommend staying onsite the first time. It is magical! Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3Blessings Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 My husband gets all his info from the Disboards and he has never steered us in the wrong direction. I would agree with others re: unofficial guide. Well worth it. Your library might carry it I'd you want to avoid purchasing it. Enjoy. Half the fun is planning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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