1st Visit in 10 years.

Todd L

Well-Known Member
Hello all. Im so glad I found this forum. Its helping me make plans for my upcoming trip to wdw.
We'll be there nov. 29th- Dec 6th.
Staying at POFQ.
My wife and I have 2 kids ages 3 and 14.
My in laws are going with us and Bringing my 18 year old niece.
I had a few questions I hope someone will help me with.
Do any of you think it would be okay to allow my Daugter(14) to go out with my 18 year old niece for some fun without us hanging around?
I thought maybe id cut her loose for a night or two and let them head over to Downtown disney:shrug:
My niece is a great kid and my daughter is a wonderful trustworthy kid.
Does anyone have any advice on keeping a group this large and diverse happy? Any help is much appreciated. See ya. Todd
 

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
I do not think it would be a problem at all. I let my 2 older daughters go there own way around 14 or 15. A couple of pointers....make sure they know how the transportation system works and I would give at least one of them charging privileges on their room key to avoid them having to carry cash.

The biggest secret to keeping a large group happy is to plan for some alone time. You do not have to do everything together.
 
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Monty

Brilliant...and Canadian
In the Parks
No
There's certainly nothing wrong with letting a teenager or two go on their own if you are comfortable they won't get themselves in trouble [which seems the case]. My 13-yo son has been given a few opportunities to wander the parks and resorts on his own for brief periods without incident. During one P&PP he spent about three hours at MK on his own and was a bit disappointed when I finally joined him!

Keeping a group together and all happy is not impossible, but I'd suggest allowing for some splitting up and doing your own thing. Have some way of contacting each other and plans of when and where to meet back up for group activities like dining reservations.

Since it's been a while, make sure you book any table service restaurants well in advance of your trip, the days of walking up and getting seated are unfortunately long gone!
 
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Todd L

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Wow quick response. Thanks a bunch.

I am hoping to make an arrangement with my Neice and Daughter. We cut them loose for a few hours they can in return Babysit my little guy and let my wife and I get out on our own for a night or 2.

I have from what I understand the 2 harder to get reservations booked. Cinderellas table and The Coral reef.
I also booked the Crown and Rose at epcot at 8:15 pm in hopes that they will sit us outside for the Fireworks.
I have Capt. Jacks at Downtown , The sci-fi dine in and a few others too.
Hoping Trex will open because my son Loves anything with dinosaurs. As of yesterday they still are not taking reservations.
We are doing the Meal plan and hope It works well for us.
Thanks again. Anything else I should know?
 
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ClemsonTigger

Naturally Grumpy
First off, congrats on your pending trip.
With the changes that have taken place over the last 10 years, you may not recognize the place!

I see nothing wrong with letting them venture out on their own. Disney is probably the safest environment there is anymore. You always have cell phone contact, so shouldn't have any issues.

I sympathize with trying to keep a diverse group happy, and think that splitting up occasionally is the best way to go. Starting some days together and sharing a sit down meal are probably the only things you would want to plan for all together. Consider Hoop de do Review for a fun group dining event.

There are also great things to experience during the Christmas season. Have everyone go to Studios together for Osborne Lights, it's a little late to get a dining package, but Candlelight processional and other holiday activities at Epcot are great for all. I suggest you study up on these special events prior to your trip.

You will need to have reservations for sit down meals...and it may be a little difficult at this late date. Consider registering your group as a magical gathering. You will then have access to a special number for making the group arrangements.

Looks like I'll be overlapping some of your time, maybe we'll get to say hi.
 
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Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Wow quick response. Thanks a bunch.

I am hoping to make an arrangement with my Neice and Daughter. We cut them loose for a few hours they can in return Babysit my little guy and let my wife and I get out on our own for a night or 2.

I have from what I understand the 2 harder to get reservations booked. Cinderellas table and The Coral reef.
I also booked the Crown and Rose at epcot at 8:15 pm in hopes that they will sit us outside for the Fireworks.
I have Capt. Jacks at Downtown , The sci-fi dine in and a few others too.
Hoping Trex will open because my son Loves anything with dinosaurs. As of yesterday they still are not taking reservations.
We are doing the Meal plan and hope It works well for us.
Thanks again. Anything else I should know?
Do not worry about sitting outside...in fact I would avoid it. Rose and Crow has a special roped off area exclusively for their patrons for viewing illuminations. Let your server know that you are going to watch illuminations and he/she will take care of the rest. With an 8:15 reservation I would recommend getting a few appetizers and drinks and doing entries after illuminations. Chances are they will have your entries sitting on the table for you when you come in for illuminations.
 
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CAPTAIN HOOK

Well-Known Member
I also booked the Crown and Rose at epcot at 8:15 pm in hopes that they will sit us outside for the Fireworks.

It is a while since you've been - its called The Rose and Crown :ROFLOL:

The staff at R&C will seat you at the next available table that will will accomodate your party - they won't take requests for a table outside. But as has been said, you still get chance to watch
 
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krankenstein

Well-Known Member
Hoping Trex will open because my son Loves anything with dinosaurs. As of yesterday they still are not taking reservations.

I called about a week ago about T-Rex. The lady said they are opening October 14th. However, she was doubtful they would take reservations for a couple of months. Take the ADR info with a grain of salt.
 
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Tinkerbella16

Well-Known Member
Congrats on your upcoming trip!! :sohappy:

We'll be there 11/9-11/15 staying at POFQ...and we're reallllly excited. I wouldn't worry at all about letting your DD go off with your niece for a night or two to DTD or something... My sister and I started to know WDW inside and out by the time we were 10 y/o, so we were doing our own thing at 11 or 12.

The T-Rex Restaurant is set to open on October 14!!! And it is walk-up only until 2009...so you shouldn't have a problem. My mother and I just agreed that since it'll be open for our stay, we are going to try it out since we don't need adr's. It looks really cool.
 
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RiversideBunny

New Member
There's now a Dinosaur ride in Animal Kingdom.
There's also a bone yard where kids dig for dionsaur relics.

A lot has been added in the last ten years.

We went back after about ten years in the '90's.
There were two new parks, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, and a ton of new Disney hotels.

You will have lots of fun just discovering all the new stuff.
Get to the parks early, when they open. Those early hours are the best hours. Don't sleep in.

Go for it.
:)

BTW- You're at POFQ. There's a nice boat to Downtown Disney and back.
 
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Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Hello all. Im so glad I found this forum. Its helping me make plans for my upcoming trip to wdw.
We'll be there nov. 29th- Dec 6th.
Staying at POFQ.
My wife and I have 2 kids ages 3 and 14.
My in laws are going with us and Bringing my 18 year old niece.
I had a few questions I hope someone will help me with.
Do any of you think it would be okay to allow my Daugter(14) to go out with my 18 year old niece for some fun without us hanging around?
I thought maybe id cut her loose for a night or two and let them head over to Downtown disney:shrug:
My niece is a great kid and my daughter is a wonderful trustworthy kid.
Does anyone have any advice on keeping a group this large and diverse happy? Any help is much appreciated. See ya. Todd
Just out of curiosity what were you looking froward to doing at WDW? I know I would like to make sure what you want to see is still there.
 
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Todd L

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
You guys are Just amazing. Im honestly floored by all of the help you guys are offering. Thank you all.

Ive been to disney 6 or 7 times. 1 time In 76 or 77 ??? (Cant really remember the exact date)with my family when I was 10.
I went 3 or 4 times with friends over the years (once with my High school Band in 85 when I got to play music in disney and march with the marching band too.(we got to go thru the Underground tunnels which was pretty cool) and On my honeymoon in 1993.(which was even cooler than the underground tunnels:goodnevil)

We last went in 97. It was my daughters 3rd bday and We have very found memories of that trip.

We have been back to orlando 3 or 4 times in the last 6 or 7 years and wound up staying at Universal for the weeks. (we fell in love with the front of the line pass for resort guest and Really enjoy the coasters)

I however am more excited about this trip than I have been for all the others combined. I just had lunch with my wife and she is really getting worked up for it too.

I have only ever been to WDW and What used to be Mgm. Never been to Epcot, Dak ,Dtd or anyplace else.

This is the first time any of us are staying on Property and we all have really high expectations.

My 14 year old is trying to act like shes to cool to be excited But ive caught her a few time looking thru our planning books and park maps and she actually told me last night that shes really excited for the trip.

I want to see it all- we just got our tkts for Mickeys xmas party in the mail and we have alot of cool dinings reservations. Im ready.....
 
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Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Probable the best piece of advice I could give you it to get up early and use the morning EMH (extra magic hours). Every day one park will open up 1 hour early and one park will stay open 3 hours later. For the most part people do not want to get up early when on vacation and stroll into the parks between 10 and 12. If you can get there around 7:30 ish in the morning at the early EMH park you can get an incredible amount done in the first coupe of hours the park is open.

The next thing would be what to do first at each park.

MK-Do Fantasy land first.
AK-Run by Expedition Everest and get a fast pass and then head directly to Kilimanjaro Safaris. One thing to remember in AK is that the animals will be more active early in the morning so hit KS and the jungle trails early. The rides will be there all day.
DHS- Hit Toy Story first. Right now this ride is insanely popular. Wait times are an hour plus all day long and fast passes are commonly gone by noon. After TSMM hit Tower or Terror and Rock n Roller coaster.
Epcot- Get a fast pass for Soarin then get in the stand by line and ride it. After that head to the other side of the park and ride Test Track. By the time you are done with TT your fast pass for Soairn will more than likely be good.

Some Hidden Jems of WDW....

Yehaa Bob at you sister resort Port Orleans Riverside.

Dominic Gaudious at Down Town Disney

The kiss goodnight at MK. This happens about 1/2 hour after park close.

Kona Cafe at the Polynesian especially for breakfast. The macadamia pineapple pancakes are smack your grand-ma down good and if you are into coffee the 100% kona press pot is some of the best coffee on the planet.

Dole Whip. This is a pineapple soft serve found only at Aloha Isle in MK (Across from the Swiss Family tree house) and at Captain Cooks at the Poly.

School Bread. Found only in the bakery in Norway at Epcot. Pastry filled with custard and topped with icing and coconut.

I'll also attach a rather long list of hidden secrets that will absolutely make you fall head over heals in love with WDW.

Magic Kingdom
1. Cinderella’s Royal Table: Gus and Jaq are looking down over the foyer.
2. Tony’s Town Square: Paw prints of Lady and the Tramp outside of the porch on the sidewalk.
3. Hall of Presidents: Bill Clinton is the only president to wear a Mickey Mouse tie.
4. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin: Some of the biggest point values are in the first room. Turn around and hit the back of the orange robot’s arm or the back of the buzz saw…. 100,000 points.
5. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin: When you are in line the "story" of the attraction is unfolding. Once inside, all guests are being 'shrunk' to toy size so they are able to fit in the xp 37-space cruisers. This is why, once you get up to the Viewfinder and Magna Doodle and Buzz, they are all the same size as you. Then when the ride is over and you see Buzz telling you your scores and zurg behind bars, you return to normal 'human' size.
6. Haunted Mansion: The top of the building looks like chess pieces. The only one missing is the knight. (It’s inside) This particular element is rather controversial. Some the chess pieces were intention while others say it was coincidental.
7. Haunted Mansion: In the wire fencing around the mansion there are 999 stick people made out of the wire in the fence.
8. Haunted Mansion: Ballroom Scene: the ladies are leading the men.
9. Haunted Mansion: As soon as you enter the graveyard, you go under a tall gate, if you look really hard, at the top left-center portion of the gate, there is a paper tag. This is the original purchase tag from California, they forgot to remove it, and it is still there today!
10. Haunted Mansion: In the scene with the lone piano player, pay close attention to what's going on outside! Notice the direction the wind is blowing the tree compared to the direction the clouds are moving...
11. Haunted Mansion: In the endless hallway there is a chair with a Hidden Donald Duck embedded in it. This is another thing that appears to be more coincidence than intentional.
12. Haunted Mansion: As you exit look in the pet cemetery for a statue of Mr Toad.
13. Market House on Main Street: Go to the back of the store and look for an old fashioned phone. It’s called the Gossip Phone. Pick it up and listen to it. Sadly this phone is no longer there since the refurb in 2006/2007.
14. Center Street off of Main Street: go to the end of the street and listen carefully, you can hear tap dancing and singing lessons going on upstairs.
15. Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: In the first room there is a picture of Mr. Toad handing over the deed to Owl.
16. Under the Train Station: Keep your back to the castle and look up. In the rafters you can see some Disney character “items” left behind.
17. Main Street: After the afternoon parade goes by, watch the upstairs windows, they will close automatically. That is where some of the music is piped.
18. Behind the castle and to the left is a fountain with Cinderella. When children look at her (from a shorter perspective) it appears as if she has a crown. Adults need to bend (or bow) to her in order to see it too.
19. Liberty Square: there is a gate around a door. It guards a marble slab that used to be a step at Monticello. Jefferson actually walked on it. This is another piece of urban legend that does not appear to be true.
20. Magic Carpets of Aladdin: there are embedded jewels in the concrete around the ride.
21. Casey's Corner: I was sitting in the bleachers facing the TV showing Disney sports cartoons. On the same wall as the bleachers, there is a bunch of old baseball pictures. One in particular caught my attention. It seemed a lot newer than the other pictures-it wasn't really grainy at all, yet it was dated "1915." Also, the players were sitting on very modern-looking metal bleachers. The last thing I noticed was...THEY WERE ALMOST ALL WEARING PRECISELY THE SAME MOUSTACHE! Could these be the Imagineers who did the Casey's corner rehab a few years back? If you want to find it yourself, go in the TV room connected to Casey's Corner. The pictures are just inside the doorway, on the wall to the left. The picture I'm talking about is about at eye level.
22. Tinkerbell’s Treasures: Try to find Tinkerbell flitting around the store. Also you can peer through the key hole in the dresser and find her locked inside.
23. Tom Sawyer’s Island: Try to find one of the paintbrushes, and bring it back to a CM for head of the line passes.
24. Sir Mickey's Shop in Fantasyland: look at where the roof meets the walls. You will see Willie the Giant from Mickey and the Beanstalk peeking into the shop.
25. Liberty Square: The sidewalks are brown but the streets are not. People in that time dumped garbage out the windows, so Disney made it appear dirty.
26. Liberty Square: all the shutters on the windows are hanging crooked. This is because in those times leather was used to fasten shutters on and would stretch over time to hang crooked. The Imagineers used crooked metal fasteners.
27. Walt’s name only appears on one window on Main Street. It is the one above the ice cream parlor and is the only one that faces the Castle.
28. There is a silver plate that runs between Liberty Square and Frontierland. This plate represents the Mississippi River, separating the east from the west, and there is water flowing out from the plate into the Rivers of America. Additionally the buildings also reflect changes east to west from the colonial style to the frontier boomtown to the southwestern adobe buildings.

Epcot
1. Electric Umbrella: Look for the talking trashcan and the talking water fountain.
2. In Epcot, if you stand in the correct spot, you can see the Tower of Terror appear to be part of Morocco. The best spot to see it is near the souvenir stands between Future World and World Showcase, specifically the souvenir stand closer to Mexico. And since both have similar colors, they blend together decently.
3. Journey Into Imagination with Figment: as you are about to go into the sound room, look at one of the doors, it says Dean Finder(Dreamfinder). Also, in the finale, look to the Figment with the music book glider, there is a Dreammobile.
4. Mouse Gear: look for the blimp from the original JII, sans the balloon.
5. Spaceship Earth: the scene with the monks writing. One has fallen asleep and has a Mickey shaped ink blob next to him.
6. UK pavilion: there is a path running down the side of the Rose & Crown pub, which leads to a 'secret' garden.
7. Maelstrom: When boarding the boats look at the Vikings, one is wearing Mickey Mouse Ears.
8. Watch out for the rock formations on the shores of the Canada pavilion during Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. For the fireworks show, one of these boulders "breaks open," rising up into the air, a contoured piece of rock topping a pole equipped with lights and speakers for the show. Once Illuminations ends, the pole silently retracts back into the boulder, its rocky top preserving the appearance of the Canada shoreline. It's all part of Disney's attempt to preserve show elements--outside of show time, you'd never know it wasn't a real rock. A similar pole rises out of the rocks at the Japan pavilion, and two light poles are cleverly concealed in the Italy pavilion
9. Germany: The stone "castle" building, located in the Germany pavilion alongside the Biergarten Restaurant, was to have been the home of a Rhine River cruise attraction taking guests on a boat ride through the German countryside. But the attraction was never built. The main entrance to the ride would have been located at the back of the Sommerfest Outdoor Café.

Disney Studios
1. Tower of Terror: Look for marquee with missing letters, on the bottom, the fallen letters will read “Evil Tower U R Doom”. Sadly this has been removed.
2. Muppet Vision 3-D: Outside of the building there is graffiti written all over, stop and read the sometimes humorous messages.
3. Muppet Vision 3-D: Look for the key under the mat when entering the theater.
4. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular: Outside of the theater there is a well. Pull on the rope that's dropped inside of the well and listen.
5. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular: There are crates stacked in the bushes that say “don’t open”… Go ahead and open them.
6. Singing in the Rain Umbrella: Near Lights Motor Action at the end of NY Street. (Or whatever it’s called now)
7. Honey I Shrunk the Kids: Look for the dogs nose and stick your hand in its nostrils, it will sniff you (and sometimes sneeze!).
8. AFI shop at the Back Lot Tour ride: look for the area nearby which is stacked with wooden crates, open them and you will be rewarded with various silly effects.
9. Look for the snowman in MGM. Great photo op!

Animal Kingdom
1. Look for “DeVine” a real human vine, usually “hanging around” near or behind the Tree of Life.
2. Tusker House: sit outside on the back patio area when you eat and listen carefully. You can hear people upstairs who seem to be having trouble cleaning.
3. Tamu Refreshment Stand: Behind it is a half wall where a meet and greet takes place. The paint is chipping and one area of chipped off paint is a hidden Baloo.
4. Kali River Rapids: go on the bridge and find the buttons that allow the two elephants below squirt the riders.
5. Dinoland Playground: Try to open the door.

Downtown Disney
1. Downtown Disney Marketplace: go with your children and ask at one of the (Disney) store cash registers for the Sticker Hunt booklet. There are 15 different stickers to collect at each of 15 stores.
2. Art of Disney store: They run a quiz every day and give out prizes if you get them all right!

Resorts
1. Contemporary Resort: near the Monorail loading dock, there is a huge mosaic. Look for the 5 legged goat within that mosaic.
2. Port Orleans: the musical notes attached to the check in counter translate to “When the Saints Go Marching In.”
3. Fort Wilderness: Look for the lawn mower tree.
4. Wilderness Lodge: Has a smokehouse tour.
5. Wilderness Lodge: Get a hidden Mickey list and go on a hunt!
6. Wilderness Lodge: Go look for Old Faithful.

Everything Else
1. Monorail: Sit up front with the captain and get a co-pilot’s license.
2. Watercraft: take the boats or ferries and get a Disney Watercraft sticker.
3. Ask for a list of Hidden Mickey’s from Guest Relations.
4. Ask for a list of Pressed Pennies from Guest Relations.
5. The two colors Disney paints the backstage areas/show buildings are go Away Green and Blend In Brown. These two colors were made by Disney to paint things they did not want to be noticed.
6. Most people think of WDW as being "in Orlando". We Disney fans know that's not true. But even a lot of Disney fans don't realize that WDW is actually in two cities. The area that includes Magic Kingdom and Fort Wilderness is actually in the City of Bay Lake. The rest of the property is in Lake Buena Vista.
7. The original design for the resorts around The 7 Seas Lagoon were to mirror the lands in the Magic Kingdom
Poly - Adventureland
Wilderness lodge and Fort Wilderness - Frontierland
Contemp - Tomorrowland
Grand FL - Main Street
The resorts for Fantasyland and Liberty Square were never built.
 
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Todd L

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Okay so now im even more excited to get there than I was before reading all the cool stuff going on.

I find it amazing that a trip to Disney brings out the Kid in all of us.
It really is a magical place.
Walt really , really bottled lightning and captured something profoundly wonderful.
It will be a great moment in my life to see my children enjoy Disney.
Thank you all for the help and kindness. Keep the ideas coming Im loving it.
 
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RiversideBunny

New Member
If you don't already have them, go out this weekend and get you a copy of some WDW guide books. Great reading.
These two are very popular:

"Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2009"
More wordy and thick.

"PassPorter's Walt Disney World"
More outline form like a Cliff's Notes.

Both are very good.

There's also Birnbaum's but it is more general.

:)
 
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Tinkerbella16

Well-Known Member
WoW! Master Yoda, did you type up that list? I just read the whole thing...very interesting. Only a few things I already knew about, but wow..the was disney goes into detail with everything is just amazing!!
 
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PhilharMagician

Well-Known Member
Master Yoda you are going to blow the OP's mind. :ROFLOL:He's just going to explode.

ToddLee, enjoy your trip. You are doing the right thing in asking all these knowledgable people questions. Keep asking, because going to WDW blind is no fun. :wave:
 
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Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
WoW! Master Yoda, did you type up that list? I just read the whole thing...very interesting. Only a few things I already knew about, but wow..the was disney goes into detail with everything is just amazing!!
I did not. Another forum member compiled that list a few years ago. I merely did a cut and paste along with a few updates.

Master Yoda you are going to blow the OP's mind. :ROFLOL:He's just going to explode.

ToddLee, enjoy your trip. You are doing the right thing in asking all these knowledgable people questions. Keep asking, because going to WDW blind is no fun. :wave:
I love making newbie brains go pop!:drevil:
 
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