SunD Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 (edited) DH would like to go to Disney World. He went once as a child, when he won a couple thousand dollars on a scratch-off lottery ticket. (Yep, they start gambling young in his family!) He remembers enjoying it very much, but not really anything specific. He was about 6 or 7. I went once, too, and was not impressed. I was maybe 11 (?) and very insulted that my dad lied about my age to get the child ticket price. We waited in line all day, the food was not impressive (warmed burgers at a 50s-themed budget place and then some very expensive greasy pizza), we didn't get any souvenirs, and it rained that night. Honestly, I was too old for the Magic Kingdom (read: I thought I was too old for the Magic Kingdom). I would have loved Epcot, I think. But to my parents, the Magic Kingdom IS Disney World. The more I read about it here, the more I think we should at least try Disney. But I did have a negative experience and that is keeping me from just doing it! If I go now, it will NOT just be Magic Kingdom for a day. I'm looking at 6 days, mid-September, Wilderness Lodge, Basic Dining Plan. I've read all about cheap condos with kitchens and such here, but I do not cook or clean on vacation! Is Basic fine or will we wish we had the Deluxe? DH eats a lot. Hot and humid is fine, we're from southeast Louisiana. My oldest might remember it, the middle girl would be really into the whole thing being "real", and the baby would be a new walker and not nursing every 3 hours anymore. I know the Hive can't predict whether we'd like it, but ... would we like it? :tongue_smilie: Also, is touringplans.com something you use/recommend? We would want to see Magic Kingdom for the girls, Epcot for me, maybe Hollywood Studios or whatever it's called for DH, Animal Kingdom for everybody! I guess I also need to know about dining reservations, right? IMPORTANT EDIT! This will probably seem silly, but it might actually make a difference in the decision. I know she's not a huge character like Mickey or the princesses, BUT has anyone ever seen Marie? A white cat with a pink bow? I think middle DD's heart would just about burst if she actually MET Marie. If no one sees this I might have to start a new thread to ask about a person in a cat costume .... Edited March 29, 2012 by SunD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 you DO want to go! :D I definitely wouldn't do deluxe dining for a first trip...it would take away too much time from being in the parks. Basic dining will be PLENTY of food. You can do a buffet for your table service meal every day to fill up your husband if you want. ETA: I love touring plans. And, yeah, you need to be making dining reservations like yesterday. Nah, really, it will be fine. but don't put them off too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pereztribe Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 YES!!!! I went for the first time ever in October of '08. I was 36 and I had the time of my life!!! I enjoyed all the parks. We even stayed through Halloween! It was the most magical time of my life! I loved it! Go, go, go!!!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Of course!! Why are we even having this conversation???? :d:d:d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 booked our second trip for the year. DS and I are going in September, and our whole family, grandbaby and all, is going in December. I think y'all will thoroughly enjoy it, and Wilderness Lodge is NICE!! I have to tell you that they have a free dining offer for September. If you haven't checked into it, you need to! I'm not sure which will be offered with that resort, but it will at least be the basic, if not the Deluxe (although I, personally, wouldn't do Deluxe dining - too much time sitting in restaurants). Of course if you get free dining, you can always eat some quick service meals in place of some table service meals and it's not like you're losing money. Anyway, GO FOR IT!! Btw, where in South La are you? Just a general area. I'm near Baton Rouge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Yes!!! You will love it and so will the kids! I went for the first time in my 20s, and it was soooooooo much fun, oh and the kids liked it too lol. The room is not important, because you will not be ther much anyway when the kids are awake, so do not stress over size. We stayed at the cheap $99 hotel, and the kids only remember playing on the dalmatian decorations outside lol. The regular meal plan is enough IMO, because dh just finished my leftovers to fill him up. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Huge Disney fan here! Huge. (we also just booked our second trip of the year!) We went with my sister a couple years ago when she had younger kids. As long as you go with an open mind and know that with littles you won't get to go it all, you will have a great time! Your middle dd, the one for whom it will all be real, will love it. I get chills when I remember our first trip. We thought were going for the older boys who would remember it all. Well, it was my daughter's reaction we all remember the most. Everything was real to her! She was sooooo excited about everything. I am in tears remembering that trip! I also don't cook or clean on vacation. It's just not a vacation! We love free dining for that! Check out the dates for this fall and see if you can't qualify. We have found the basic plan to be plenty of food. We did bring granola bars, and sandwiches for breakfast though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunD Posted March 29, 2012 Author Share Posted March 29, 2012 booked our second trip for the year. DS and I are going in September, and our whole family, grandbaby and all, is going in December. I think y'all will thoroughly enjoy it, and Wilderness Lodge is NICE!! I have to tell you that they have a free dining offer for September. If you haven't checked into it, you need to! I'm not sure which will be offered with that resort, but it will at least be the basic, if not the Deluxe (although I, personally, wouldn't do Deluxe dining - too much time sitting in restaurants). Of course if you get free dining, you can always eat some quick service meals in place of some table service meals and it's not like you're losing money. Anyway, GO FOR IT!! Btw, where in South La are you? Just a general area. I'm near Baton Rouge. We're near the mouth of the river, south of NO. I did notice the free dining in September. That's why I'm wondering whether we'll wish we had the Deluxe ... the free Basic sounds good to me, but maybe the portions are tiny, I have no idea. So what do I do? I ask the Hive, of course! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Of course you want to go! I went when my sister worked there, she ran the Indiana Jones stage. You can watch the shows and eat lots of really good food and buy lots of Disney junk and go on The Haunted Mansion!!!!! And please ride the Star Wars ride for me. I was seven months pregnant and they wouldn't let me on! 8( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 We're near the mouth of the river, south of NO. I did notice the free dining in September. That's why I'm wondering whether we'll wish we had the Deluxe ... the free Basic sounds good to me, but maybe the portions are tiny, I have no idea. So what do I do? I ask the Hive, of course! :D We went during free dining in February. I have two teens who were afraid there wouldn't be enough food. We had to split a few meals because we were doing a sit down meal that was two meal credits. We had plenty of food!! Loads of food!! We brought food for breakfast in the room. I google searched for where we coudld get the biggest meals and snacks. We went to those places. Plenty of food. With some leftover. We had enough for breakfast! You won't be sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 As an adult, I'm not so hip on Disney World and the Magic Kingdom. However, my DD loved it both times we've taken her (once at age 2 and again at age 4) and is begging for another trip. I would take your children, if you can. Go during the off season, go during the week and take advantage of FastPass. Pack throw-away ponchos in your fanny pack. Schedule at least one character dinner. Enjoy the theme restaurants, they're fun for adults. Disney isn't my favorite vacation, but it's enjoyable enough and DD loves it. That's all that matters. We usually go for just a couple of days and then hit the beach the rest of the time. We love Sanibel Island. PS - Go to Epcot for yourself. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Well, I love Disney so I am very biased. When we lived in CA I had Annual passes for years, even before the kids came along! :D The agreement with DH was that if I had to live in NC, we would go to Disney once per year in FL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Oh you will love it! September is not crazy busy like summer & holidays. All 4 parks are worth doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 You'll get a sit-down meal, a quick-serve meal, and a snack each day. Dessert is included with every meal (not my preference - I'd prefer an appetizer to sweets) so that is a way to fill up more when the portions might be a bit smaller. Most of the time, I find the portions plenty big enough. And the nice thing about your table service meals is you can book buffets and all-you-can-eat family style meals so even if you had a lighter lunch, you can make up for it. Plenty of the snack items are filling also. I certainly doubt hunger will be an issue, and the deluxe dining is just too much sitting and not enough playing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma23peas Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 WITHOUt a doubt YES!!! But, if you can swing it, do the deluxe dining...I'm not sure how this works now (haven't done the dining plan in about 3 years...we've been sucked in by the Disney Cruise) but when we went, you could use 2 dining credits to use on a higher end restaurant (oh we LOVED Yachtsman's Steakhouse!!) or a character meal....you MUST do the castle and Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary (if it's still there)....also Le Cellier and we really liked the food at the England pub in Epcot, plus had a great view of the fireworks. But, make sure you get the deals! Many emails have tempted me to squeeze a trip in, I thought dining was free for bookings in September...sign up at Disney.com to receive all their promotions, pin codes (personal identification codes) are randomly sent out that offer outstanding deals. You will love the Wilderness Lodge, but if you can swing it try the Contemporary or Polynesian..being on the monorail is a huge plus or just within 2 minutes to Magic Kingdom is cool! We loved being able to hop on the monorail and hit the pool then go back at night for the parades and night time riding! :) HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linders Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 We are Disneyworld fans here. We love, love, love Wilderness Lodge. Can't advise on the dining plans, we don't do them. But I don't think you'll regret the trip. Learn a lesson from your youth and let the kiddos help decide what you do at least part of each day (even if it means 5 times on the hideous-to-me Star Wars ride in one day). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Nobody in my family loves Disney. It's a rather big effort. But, even having said that, yes, it's something you should do for the kids if you can. And even though we don't love Disney, we had a fine visit. Yes, I think I used that touringplans website (or one similar), and found it very useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamatohaleybug Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Um, yes, you want to go. Just trust me. It truly is a fun, magical experience. We've been twice in the past 13 months. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 It IS one of your table services, but it's an all-you-can-eat breakfast that you can schedule late morning, skip lunch (have a snack mid-afternoon) and do a later counter service dinner. We have a character breakfast on our list for December. There are places that use 2 TS credits, but, IMO, you have plenty of great options that only use 1 TS credit. Making dining reservations can be frustrating, and since it's basically a first trip, I just wouldn't add that to my plate. With the basic plan, you'll only have to schedule one sit-down per day and the rest of your time will be yours to do with as you please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 GO!!! I love Disney. I was so surprised at how much I loved our first trip (I thought I was doing it for the kids). We've been five times in the past decade.... And will probably drive in from the beach for one day this summer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Marie is usually in France in Epcot (she is my youngest dd's favorite too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3Blessings Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Of course! I'm sorry that you had such a rotten experience before, but give it another try . . . :001_smile: We love WDW!! And yes, we love the Magic Kingdom, but I also really enjoy the other parks, too. They are not to be missed. The basic dining is plenty. I have actually done the deluxe and we found it to be too much food and too little time left over for rides and characters. Marie? I'm not sure about that. I've never seen her, but maybe someone else has? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunD Posted March 29, 2012 Author Share Posted March 29, 2012 Marie is usually in France in Epcot (she is my youngest dd's favorite too) Thank you, Pixie! If she could read, she would be dragging me to Florida right now. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Definitely...you want to go. We used http://www.tourguidemike.com and it was deifinitely worth it, especially for the MK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MollyAnn Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 We have seen Marie at Epcot too, in the France area. DD has a very nice picture taken with Marie. We LOVE Disney!!! Septemeber is a great time to go, everyone else back to school so lines aren't long. Take advantage of the Fast Pass and, depending on the ages and heights of your children, the Rider Switch on rides that have height requirements. One parent stands in line and when done the parent who stayed with the kids gets to go to the front of the line. A rider switch is good for up to 3 or 4 people so the two older ones would ride both times. AllEars.net has menus of all the resturants so you can plan where you want to eat. The basic meal plan provides plenty of food. Sit down resturants require reservations and then you are tied to being in a certain place at a certain time so you are looking at your watch to see if you have time for another ride or show instead of being able to just go where the day takes you. Everytime I make reservations for a nice sit down meal we never seem to make it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sctigermom Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 GO! GO! GO! We have gone to Disney every year since 2004 except 2008. My oldest is 5 and he has been 5 times, our 4 yr old has been 3x (4 if you count going while pregnant with her), and our 1yr old has gone 1x (2x if you count being pregnant again lol)! (Can you tell we LOVE Disney???) My MIL is actually the Disney nut and normally my inlaws take us to Disney for a week every year as our Christmas gift. Dh gets tired of going every year and needs a break from it. So this year we will spend a week at the beach instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 DH would like to go to Disney World. He went once as a child, when he won a couple thousand dollars on a scratch-off lottery ticket. (Yep, they start gambling young in his family!) He remembers enjoying it very much, but not really anything specific. He was about 6 or 7. I went once, too, and was not impressed. I was maybe 11 (?) and very insulted that my dad lied about my age to get the child ticket price. We waited in line all day, the food was not impressive (warmed burgers at a 50s-themed budget place and then some very expensive greasy pizza), we didn't get any souvenirs, and it rained that night. Honestly, I was too old for the Magic Kingdom (read: I thought I was too old for the Magic Kingdom). I would have loved Epcot, I think. But to my parents, the Magic Kingdom IS Disney World. The more I read about it here, the more I think we should at least try Disney. But I did have a negative experience and that is keeping me from just doing it! If I go now, it will NOT just be Magic Kingdom for a day. I'm looking at 6 days, mid-September, Wilderness Lodge, Basic Dining Plan. I've read all about cheap condos with kitchens and such here, but I do not cook or clean on vacation! Is Basic fine or will we wish we had the Deluxe? DH eats a lot. Hot and humid is fine, we're from southeast Louisiana. My oldest might remember it, the middle girl would be really into the whole thing being "real", and the baby would be a new walker and not nursing every 3 hours anymore. I know the Hive can't predict whether we'd like it, but ... would we like it? :tongue_smilie: Also, is touringplans.com something you use/recommend? We would want to see Magic Kingdom for the girls, Epcot for me, maybe Hollywood Studios or whatever it's called for DH, Animal Kingdom for everybody! I guess I also need to know about dining reservations, right? IMPORTANT EDIT! This will probably seem silly, but it might actually make a difference in the decision. I know she's not a huge character like Mickey or the princesses, BUT has anyone ever seen Marie? A white cat with a pink bow? I think middle DD's heart would just about burst if she actually MET Marie. If no one sees this I might have to start a new thread to ask about a person in a cat costume .... Yes, yes, yes, you want to go!!! There are some wonderful restaurants at Disney now so don't worry about greasy hamburgers. As far as staying in a condo, we do it ONLY for the space. It's so nice for everyone to have their own room. But I don't cook or clean on vacation either. The money we save on the condo/house goes towards really nice meals. That said, if you don't mind being in one room with your family, Wilderness Lodge is a great choice. Artist Point, a restaurant on the premises, is one of our favorites!! You could also check into club level, which offers free beverages and heavy snacks--which will help keep your dh's hunger at bay :) And as soon as you book, make your dining ressies!! I'm not crazy about touringplans, but definitely check out easywdw.com. If you know how to tour the parks (there are really just a few important guidelines to follow) it will make a huge difference in how much fun you have and how much you can get done. Try to do all the parks--Epcot for two days at least, if you can; there's so much to experience there. Marie is almost always around France at Epcot. My kids love her too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I'm probably biased since I have been to DisneyWorld over 100 times. I lost count years ago. DD11 has been about 30 or 40 times. 1. Get the entire family involved in the planning. Planning a trip to Disney is almost as fun as being there. At the local Barnes & Noble, try The Passporter to help navigate the vacation. 2. Allears.net, the Disboards, and the Disney site itself is a wealth of information for saving money. I believe all three sites still have menus, so before deciding on the right dining plan, search the menus and see what you might like. For example, our family loves Citricos, Jikos, The Yachtsman Steakhouse, The California Grill, and The Brown Derby. Since these are upscale Disney restaurants a basic dining plan would not be good for us. We have, instead, a Tables in Wonderland card so that we get 20% off all meals. I've heard that Disney may be limiting this to Florida restaurants, but it might be an option for you if you and hubby like finer food. 3. Save money by planning carefully so you will not need a parkhopper ticket. One park a day is plenty for someone who will be there as long as you guys will be. 4. Think about getting one person an annual pass. The room savings at Wilderness Lodge can be 30% or more at the Passholder rate. Timing is crucial, however, when booking. You might find another resort with a better passholder discount. Do your homework. Booking with an annual pass is a tad tricky. Saving $100 or so a night, however, is so worth it. Plus, if you get the premium annual pass, you will get 20% off of merchandise and 10% off at many of the non-Disney restaurants like Rain Forest Cafe. 5. Keep the daily plans short, otherwise, you will need a vacation after you return from your vacation. On park days, for example, we only plan on 3 rides and 1 show. We do those 4 things first. Then we see how we feel and go from there. The rest of the day will be just wandering and enjoying. 6. Hit at least one extra special surprise if you have a kiddo under age 11. There is an Alice in Wonderland Tea Party, pirate cruises, and Princess Tea Party, cooking class and others. These events cost a little extra, but give your kiddo an extra magical moment like no other. 7. Consider a kids club one night so the adults can have a romantic Disney experience. My DD11 loves The Neverland Club at the Polynesian best. Then the adults take a walk from the Poly to the Grand Floridian for dinner at Citricos. On the walk back to pick up the kiddos, we stop and have dessert at Kona Cafe. 8. There are two fun restaurants at Wilderness Lodge. The first, Artist Point, is upscale dining at its finest. I highly recommend this if you don't mind spending some extra pocket change. The second restaurant, Whispering Canyon, is more home cooked, "country" food. The pot roast is a dream. But for goodness sakes, do not say, "Pass the ketchup". 9. Marie is found at the French Pavillion in Epcot. Check times. She used to be there at these times: 11:30am, 12:40, 1:40, 3:10, 4:10, 5:10 & 6:10pm, but you will need to check before your trip. Sometimes I feel I need a Phd in Disney to navigate that place. Even as many times as I've been, I still have not seen it all. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunD Posted March 29, 2012 Author Share Posted March 29, 2012 2. Allears.net, the Disboards, and the Disney site itself is a wealth of information for saving money. I believe all three sites still have menus, so before deciding on the right dining plan, search the menus and see what you might like. For example, our family loves Citricos, Jikos, The Yachtsman Steakhouse, The California Grill, and The Brown Derby. Since these are upscale Disney restaurants a basic dining plan would not be good for us. We have, instead, a Tables in Wonderland card so that we get 20% off all meals. I've heard that Disney may be limiting this to Florida restaurants, but it might be an option for you if you and hubby like finer food. ... 7. Consider a kids club one night so the adults can have a romantic Disney experience. My DD11 loves The Neverland Club at the Polynesian best. Then the adults take a walk from the Poly to the Grand Floridian for dinner at Citricos. On the walk back to pick up the kiddos, we stop and have dessert at Kona Cafe. 8. There are two fun restaurants at Wilderness Lodge. The first, Artist Point, is upscale dining at its finest. I highly recommend this if you don't mind spending some extra pocket change. The second restaurant, Whispering Canyon, is more home cooked, "country" food. The pot roast is a dream. But for goodness sakes, do not say, "Pass the ketchup". Thanks, Minniewannabe! :lol: This brings up more questions! First, DH would not care if the burgers were warmed and the pizza was greasy, as long as there was enough of it. He has a super fast metabolism. I, on the other hand, don't care for really-super-high-class-fine-dining, but the food needs to be fresh. I would much rather have a freshly-made large ham and cheese sandwich than a re-warmed burger. KWIM? I don't think we'll be doing many upscale places considering the small children will be there. Does that sound do-able? Second, how old does a child need to be for this care thing? And most important, what happens if you say "Pass the ketchup"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Th And most important, what happens if you say "Pass the ketchup"? :lol::lol::lol::lol: Just try it. Anyone who knows - SHHHHHHH!!!! We didn't know when we went and it's hilarious! We have a really fun video of our dinner there in January. It was my dd's birthday and the waitress sang happy birthday to her, horribly! My dd was laughing SOOOO hard! It is such a fun place. When it came time to pay, my dh put his library card in the folder. She came back and threw it at him! It was such a good time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Yes, yes, yes and YES!!! Did I mention yes??? We're HUGE Disney fans. I went twice when I was a child. James Bond had never been, so we went for our honeymoon (95). He'd became a convert. We went backto WDW for our 6th anniversary (01). We've been to Disneyland Paris 3 times (99, 04, 08) and to WDW in 05, 06, 07, 09 and are going again next month when we visit the States. Only 21 days to go!!! We're so excited. We've also done a Disney cruise (11 night Mediterranean and it was out of this world. We would live on a Disney cruise ship if we could. :D Indy loves MK, so do JB and I. There are a load of little kid rides, but there is plenty for bigger "kids" to do: Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean (especially now that they've added my beloved Johnny Depp!!! Squeeeee!) and more. JB and I like some of the kiddie rides too. Peter Pan, We actually like the Carousel of Progress which a lot people think is lame, but we find interesting (not to mention it's a cool place to sit down). I used to really like the Hall of Presidents (also a cool place to sit when it's hot), but they've changed it and it's not as interesting as it used to be, IMO. EPCOT is probably our favorite park. There is soooo much to see and do. Of course there is the world showcase, but we like the rides. Turtle Talk with Crush is hilarious and great for little kids. The Living with the Land ride is really, really interesting. We always make reservations at The Garden Grill restaurant above it and take the boat ride before our meal. Most of the food used in the Garden Grill is grown in the gardens there. You also get to see how the pumpkins and cucumbers get their "ears." There is a Behind the Seeds tour that is done in small groups where you actually get to walk through the gardens and learn about the experimental gardening they work on to help drought ridden areas, space saving gardening, hydroponics and so much more. There is a cost, but it's not much. It's very educational and still fun. We've done it a couple of times and always find out something different as the research is always changing. Hollywood Studios is fun, but there's not much to do. There is Star Tours, which is fun and was just reopened with multiple ride options rather than taking the same ride each time. We ride this one over and over. The Lights, Camera, Action show is great as is the Muppets 3D. The Great Movie ride and the Backstage Studio tour are fun, but can be a bit boring and sometimes frightening for really little kids. Of course we have to go see the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular. You're shocked by that aren't you? :001_smile: The last time we went Indy was finally tall enough to do the Rockin' Rollercoaster. Yay! I like the Tower of Terror, but James Bond will never ever do it again. Chicken. :glare: The Little Mermaid show is wonderful and if you go through the Art of Animation, you get to find out what the next Disney animated movie will be and have lots of photo opportunities with current (and a few past) animated characters. There is also a Beauty and Beast live stage show is one of my favorites, but it's outside and can be crazy hot. They need to put it indoors! Animal Kingdom is probably our least favorite park. Sure, there are loads of animals and lots of educational stuff, but we think it's a bit dull, to be honest. If you go though, you absolutely, without a doubt must see the Lion King show. It is amazing. As far as the dining plan, the regular dining plan is enough for us. There are only 2 meals a day, but we usually take breakfast bars with us for b'fast and use our resort mugs to get tea/coffee/juice from the hotel. I would NOT get the quick service program. There are no sit down meals. It's just counter service. There are a lot of things to choose from, but it's not something I want to eat twice a day. The deluxe dining would be way too much, IMO. We never, ever stay off property. Ever. It's so much easier to go to and from the parks if you're on property, plus you can take advantage of the extra magic hours. It's nice to be able to go back to the hotel in the middle of the day if you're tired and rest before going back to the park. We personally like the Caribbean Beach Resort. We've stayed at several and that's just our favorite. The All-Star Movies is pretty good, but it's one of their economy resorts and is the one used by almost every tour/high school group and can be very, very loud. We've stayed at some of the deluxe resorts, which are really nice, but other than their proximity to the parks, they're not worth the expense IMO, since we don't spend a lot of time in the room. The moderates fit our needs perfectly. They are nicer and much quieter than the economy, but without the expense of the deluxe. If you want a special princess experience for your dd, the Port Orleans Riverside now has "Royal Rooms" which are princess themed. We'll be staying at the Caribbean Beach Resort in the pirate rooms when we go next month. Good grief. I practically wrote an essay. Sorry. Short answer: Yes, go. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 (edited) If you do your research, stay on property, have at least a bare-bones "plan", and go mid-September for 6 days - I can't imagine you not having a wonderful time :) Touring Plans is the way to go for people who don't know the parks. The companion book - The Unofficial Guide- is a must read, IMHO. Do make dining plans. Usually we have one sit down meal a day. We try to do lunch because it's cheaper. The other two are counter service, or in our room. If you haven't considered it, check into renting DVC points. You can stay on property much more cheaply and have a kitchen in your room :) We love eating breakfast in our room, having coffee on the balcony. Lastly - please don't kill yourselves. I know you've only been once, and the kids never - but if you enjoy it, you can go back. Do not "commando" it. You will get exhausted, and it will become a "check the box" day - where you are just walking around checking off boxes and not even enjoying doing it. Disney World will be there, and you'll have a lot more fun if you go down not expecting to actually do everything. Make sure to plan days off. Really off. Like - hang out a the pool all day and do nothing else - midway through your trip. Have the kids each pick one or two "must-sees" at each park. Make sure you do those, but then the rest can be gravy. Edited March 29, 2012 by SailorMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 IMPORTANT EDIT! This will probably seem silly, but it might actually make a difference in the decision. I know she's not a huge character like Mickey or the princesses, BUT has anyone ever seen Marie? A white cat with a pink bow? I think middle DD's heart would just about burst if she actually MET Marie. If no one sees this I might have to start a new thread to ask about a person in a cat costume .... I was there in February and saw Marie in Epcot in the France section. So, yes, you can definitely see Marie! (and yes, you should go :001_smile: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Thanks, Minniewannabe! :lol: This brings up more questions! First, DH would not care if the burgers were warmed and the pizza was greasy, as long as there was enough of it. He has a super fast metabolism. I, on the other hand, don't care for really-super-high-class-fine-dining, but the food needs to be fresh. I would much rather have a freshly-made large ham and cheese sandwich than a re-warmed burger. KWIM? I don't think we'll be doing many upscale places considering the small children will be there. Does that sound do-able? Second, how old does a child need to be for this care thing? And most important, what happens if you say "Pass the ketchup"? 1. Counter service meals have adequate portions, in my opinion. All food is fresh, with much of it home grown as part of the Living with the Land research. They can be hit or miss, however, just like anywhere. Check the Disboards for restaurant reviews. 2. The kids camps can be found at all the deluxe resorts. They are available to anyone staying on property, not just those staying at that particular resort. I believe the age is 3 if potty trained. Advance reservations are required. You will feel very comfortable leaving your child as they are run by a grandmother type with a college student. 3. I'll never tell about the ketchup. Just don't do it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javamoma Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 September is a wonderful time to go! You may even find yourself there during EPCOT's food and wine festival. Without the crowds of summer you will be able to enjoy yourselves much more. We love it there that time of year. Magic Kingdom and EPCOT are our favorite parks. A tour plan does help so that you do not feel overwhelmed. There is so much to see that it helps to lay out ahead of time the things your family REALLY wants to experience. I love disboards.com and I listen to their podcast (pull up all their old shows and you can learn a lot!) found on itunes or there site wdwinfo.com. This show is called The dis unplugged. There is a couple on there originally from NO so you will feel right at home :) Keep us updated on your planning! We are headed there again in 72 days, not that I'm counting or anything! My next task is to work into what we are learning in SOTW with the EPCOT world showcase! Don't forget to sign up for mousesavers.com's newsletter which is always full of great deals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 We've been to Disney 5 times in the last 6 years, so I'm gonna go with "yes!" You can ask at the hotel or guest services in the park to find out where/when certain characters will be. You can find menus to most of the restaurants online. It's usually pretty easy to find a salad if you get tired of heavier fare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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