Disney Tips

Juliett

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Juliett
I'm planning on taking my boys (6 and 8) to the Disney World area this coming week. We'll be there from Sunday, the 13th until Tuesday, leaving Wednesday. I've already booked the hotel and all... it's by Downtown Disney... but if anyone has any tips, tricks, or whatnot.... especially when it comes to the Magic Kingdom, I'd be appreciative.:D
 
I lived in FL for the first 30 years of my life, and know Disney like the back of my hand.

General rules: You're staying on property, so you get to make dining reservations well ahead of time. Get the kids into the character breakfasts, and also try to get a seat at the restaurant in Cinderella's Castle (it used to be King Stephan's Banquet Hall, now it's Cinderella's Royal Table or somesuch). The kids will be thrilled.
Call 407-WDW-DINE

Magic Kingdom:
--FastPass: Lets you go to an attraction and get a timed ticket (kind of like a reservation). This time of year they should not be necessary.

-- Railroad: If it's not busy, jump on! But usually it's packed when you're coming in because everyone else is coming in too, and it's the first thing you see. Jump on at Frontierland and ride all the way around and back to Frontierland.

--Main Street. Just accept that you will not be able to get the kids past Main Street without stopping. It's empty later in the day and easy to come back, but you won't be able to get past it.

-- Once past Main Street, turn LEFT and go to Adventureland, then work your way around. People tend to turn RIGHT and so Tomorrowland is packed to the gills while Adventureland is relatively empty. This time of year it probably won't be bad, but still, why fight the crowds of you don't have to?

-- At Liberty Square, make sure you go to the Hall of Presidents. Take the boat over to Tom Sawyer's Island, and let the kids have a ball. Most people see the island, but don't realize there's a ferry that takes you there. It's shady, quieter than the rest of the park, and a good midday break.

-- Fantasyland, make sure you go to Mickey's Toon Town. It's closing forever Feb 12th, it's the last chance to see it. It's pretty neat. It's a long walk back to it, or you can catch the train from Frontierland, go to ToonTown, then back to Frontierland.

--Underrated/underappreciated: Peter Pans' Flight, Jungle Cruise, Swiss Family Robinson treehouse, Tomorrowland Speedway (at their age, it's great), Tomorrowland Transit Authority.

General advice: EPCOT, MGM Studios, and Animal Kingdom: If there are any kinds of crowds, go straight to the back and work your way forward. Everyone gets caught up in the stuff when they come in the gate, and it takes 2-4 hours for appreciable numbers of people to get to the back. Even just keep going until you get past the crowd, then start doing stuff. Come back to the front on the way out and pick up what you missed.

Any questions, shoot me a PM with your email address, and we'll talk. (I don't want to post my email address here to avoid the spambots)
 
I'm planning on taking my boys (6 and 8) to the Disney World area this coming week. We'll be there from Sunday, the 13th until Tuesday, leaving Wednesday. I've already booked the hotel and all... it's by Downtown Disney... but if anyone has any tips, tricks, or whatnot.... especially when it comes to the Magic Kingdom, I'd be appreciative.:D

Buy the tag that gets you in "the short line" worth every dime...
 
Go to KSC. I enjoyed that trip waaay more than Disney. John will be happy, too ;-)
 
Most important of all - be prepared for two kids who will think they've died and gone to heaven. Mine are in their early 30s and we still remember the first time we took them to Disneyland. They don't call it "The Magic Kingdom" for nothing.

Fastpass is great advice.

Oh, and wear comfortable walking shoes. You'll do a lot of walking.
 
My grand kids loved the character breakfasts, but are a bit younger than yours. They also liked going to Sea World one day and it was very entertaining. We flew into KISM and rented a car. Worked out very well. There were two great places to eat if you could stand the noice: Rain Forest Cafe
Rainforest Cafe - Disney World Marketplace
1800 E Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 827-8500

And
T-Rex in Downtown area also.
Bring ear plugs!

Best,

Dave
 
Is Disney World fun for just adults or do you really have to have kids to enjoy it? My wife and I are not really into amusement park rides and stuff. I was there for a work conference several years ago, and stayed at the Yacht Club but they kept us so busy I really didn't get to do much except sit in meetings. :rolleyes2:
 
No pilot should go under the permanent paid-for Disney TFR.
 
Is Disney World fun for just adults or do you really have to have kids to enjoy it? My wife and I are not really into amusement park rides and stuff. I was there for a work conference several years ago, and stayed at the Yacht Club but they kept us so busy I really didn't get to do much except sit in meetings. :rolleyes2:

My wife and I went on our own, before kids. We spent most of our time in the Epcot area which is a little more adult oriented, and had a good time. There are a couple of other Disney related things for adults to see and do.

We took the kids when they were about 10 and 12 - old enough that they could walk, a lot, without getting too tired and needing to be carried. That was a good trip, too.
 
No pilot should go under the permanent paid-for Disney TFR.

Actually, each time I arrive from the north, IFR, they direct me right though that. If one reads the TFR, one can proceed if under the control of approach. Not the normal TFR.

THE RESTRICTIONS DO NOT APPLY TO; THOSE AIRCRAFT AUTHORIZED BY AND IN CONTACT WITH ATC FOR OPERATIONAL OR SAFETY OF FLIGHT PURPOSES, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND AIR AMBULANCE FLIGHT OPERATIONS.

Best,

Dave
 
My grand kids loved the character breakfasts, but are a bit younger than yours. They also liked going to Sea World one day and it was very entertaining. We flew into KISM and rented a car. Worked out very well. There were two great places to eat if you could stand the noice: Rain Forest Cafe
Rainforest Cafe - Disney World Marketplace
1800 E Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 827-8500

There's also a Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom, I think it has better atmosphere.
 
Is Disney World fun for just adults or do you really have to have kids to enjoy it?

Absolutely! My wife and I go at least once a year.
EPCOT's World Showcase is Magic Kingdom for adults. There are so many shows, demonstrations, ethnic restaurants, and shopping that it's unbelievable.

Disney MGM Studios is very much for adults. The Indiana Jones Stunt Show, cars stunt show, backlot tour, Great Movie Ride, all appeal to adults, as does the special effects show and others. Plus the rides are great (Rocking Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, etc).
Animal Kingdom is also great for adults.

At Disney, kids are immersed. Adults tend to be amazed, understanding the scope, depth, and complexity of what they are experiencing.
 
Take a back pack and put some snacks and water in it. Disney is GREAT, I could go every year, but it will cost you to "snack" in the park. Unless they have changed the rules in the last couple of years, they allowed back packs in with snacks etc..

Get their early and do stuff, then leave about 11, go home and get lunch, go swimming and then go back about 4 or 5 and do the rest and see the fireworks. I still like seeing Tinker Bell light them off at the castle and the night time parade of lights.

If you plan to go to more than one park, get the "hopper pass", it costs more, but you can go in and out as much as you want to any of the parks.

As others have said, comfortable walking shoes!!!!

Have a good time!!
 
So Disney has their PTFRs but they allow backpacks. I'm sure they rummage through your pack but do they allow > 3 oz liquid?
 
So Disney has their PTFRs but they allow backpacks. I'm sure they rummage through your pack but do they allow > 3 oz liquid?

Last summer I walked in with a large bottle of water ever day.

The water at the Magic Kingdom sucks. Other parks are OK.
 
We carried back packs/strollers, cameras, etc. Yes, they pawed through it on the way in. It was either there or Sea World where we had to give thumb print to get in. They said it was to stop people from using another person's ticket; I almost didn't go in.

Best,

Dave
 
My point was it's easier to bomb maim Al Queda people in a large gathering at Disney--a place where they try very hard to maintain a private environment--whereas the TSA goons think they have a handle on things by banning liquids like my We're Doomed unopened 4 oz Listerine they confiscated. Obviously McNeil-PPC is a terrorist org carefully waiting and watching for a crack in the DHS shield.
 
Go early. Get to MK when the gates open. It never ceases to amaze me how many people wait until noon to go to the park. You can do more rides between 9 and 10:30 than the rest of the day combined on many days. We usually check opening time and get there as it opens, plan for a late lunch and are out of there when all the fat lazy blimps get there around 2. By then it's crowded and hot and you can head back to the pool.

I've been there off peak, on peak, hot, cold, summer, winter - this is a very reliable strategy. Otherwise you'll take 50 trips on It's A Small World because it's the only attraction without a long line. BTDT.:cornut:
 
It was either there or Sea World where we had to give thumb print to get in. They said it was to stop people from using another person's ticket; I almost didn't go in.

Best,

Dave

Some people have very indistinct fingerprints and cannot be validated by electronic reader/matchers.

These folks are Natural Jewel Thieves. :thumbsup:
 
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