First time to Disney World

[kimmiegirl]

My husband and I are going to WDW fo the first time Sept. 14, 2002. I would like any info I can get on what to do, when to do it and the best time getting it. We are staying at the Caribbean Beach and we will be there for 8 days. All info on everything appreciated.
Thanks Kimmiegirl:kiss:

 

[NowInc]

ooOOooo...you are going on my birthday

My best adivice is to just take your time..see everything. If this is your first trip..there is going to be a LOT of stuff to take in....

 

[moonchild]

:sohappy: That's awesome Kimmie. I went for my 1st time last month. It truely is a magical place! Best advise is bring comfy shoes, you will walk more then ya ever did. ( can i fit in your suitcase?)

 

[tinkrbel]

first I think your gonna love the CB .. you should ask for close to Port Royal too if its your first time .. our first time there the sidewalks to and from there got confusing the way they wind around ..we never went and came the same way twice also the lake at nite is beautiful for a romantic moment ( you didnt mention kids ) Also if there are no kids ..then you really can take time like NowInc said and enjoy everything !! if your only the two of you ..P.I is a must !!!!!!!!

 

[vanryan]

Read everyting you can. I recommend the Disney Passporter and Birnbaum's guide. I read them cover to cover. Enjoy!

 

[Claire L]

If you are interested in a guide book which gives really good, honest opinions try The Unofficial Guides by Bob Sehelinger, currently published by Frommers every year. I have used them everytime I've been to either WDW or DL now DCA since 1990. Got my copy for this year's visit in June, even though I still have last years!!
:lol:
Claire L

 

[mickeyfan]

My advice is to visit this site as often as possible and just read some of the post and you will probably get all the information you want (and information you probably don't want:lol: ). Read all the books you can.............all of them are great. I have personally read all of them.

Take your time, wear comfortable shoes, use the fast pass when you can for a ride, and just enjoy yourself. Study the park maps for the layout and that will help you navigate easily when you arrive. Walt Disney World is very large 54 square miles (almost the size of Manhatten), so don't expect to see every bit of it in 8 days. I have been over 30 times and there are still things I haven't seen, of course we always have to do our favorites when we go each time!!! You are going to love it and will probably be like the rest of us on here.............hooked for life!! At least I hope your trip is wonderful enough to be hooked for life. Just enjoy it for what Disney World is.........the most magical place on earth!

We are going the end of May............ again........we are annual passholders and have been for the past 11 years!!

In my book Mickey is the best.........:king:

 

[Dwarful]

Dont forget e-ride nights

I would make sure you take advantage of the e-ride nights...that way you can skip those rides during the day and catch them during the e-ride nights..ask at the front desk when you check in...its well worth the extra money for the extra time you get in the park! Also...we LOVE the parades...nothing like them anywhere on earth! But it is all pretty amazing...we love it. Come back every two years..(takes us that long to save up 'cause we always stay on property). Have fun and enjoy your time there!

 

[raven]

I am a CM so we are supposed to push the Burbahms book but the best book is the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. You can plan your entire trip from this book. Everything from your flight to your hotel, from your touring plans to relaxing. It's the best!

 

[Tenn Disney Dad]

As a veteran of 65 visits to WDW, my simple suggestion is to lightly plan each day...not to the point of rigor but have a primary game plan and a "plan B"...or what to do if your primary doesn't work out. It really helps to have some kind of "skeleton" plan so that you don't just wander aimlessly and miss any of the good stuff. Many times you might plan to ride Splash Mtn first but when you get there, the line convinces you otherwise. Mind you, I'm not suggesting a meticulously crafted schedule as there are too many variables for that to work well in this type of environment...just get a good idea of what you want to do each day and a fall-back plan.

It's also good to make notes to yourself of things you think you want to buy or do later. I carry a credit card-sized digital voice recorder. As my daughter and I make our way around the parks, we see things we think we want to buy and in some cases, bought but later had "buyers regret." Making some verbal notes let's us think about our shopping desires and then buy the stuff we really want and we don't have to carry it until we're ready to leave the park.

 

[Chas&Company]

Originally posted by Tenn Disney Dad

It's also good to make notes to yourself of things you think you want to buy or do later. I carry a credit card-sized digital voice recorder. As my daughter and I make our way around the parks, we see things we think we want to buy and in some cases, bought but later had "buyers regret." Making some verbal notes let's us think about our shopping desires and then buy the stuff we really want and we don't have to carry it until we're ready to leave the park.

Great advice. I have a palm pilot i was plannin on using on my trip but the little recorder seems easy and practical.

 

[figmentmom]

I also recommend the Unofficial Guide - a great book with tons of practical advice. Bring sunscreen, wear comfortable shoes, Scotchguard your sneakers, carry an extra pair of dry socks, get up EARLY and get to the parks before everyone else staggers out of bed, and go with an open mind and have a blast!!!

 

[LoriL]

My husband and I went to WDW before we were married (which means without kids!) and we had a fantastic time. We stayed at the Yacht Club, which was really nice. If you can afford it, dinner at the California Grill is terrific food and an unbelievable view over the entire Magic Kingdom, which is especially magical at night. Very romantic. You can also just have a drink there. We also enjoyed going to Epcot at night for dinner at different restaurants in the World Showcase. San Angel Inn in Mexico is lovely, and we also liked the Japanese restaurant, Teppanyaki Grill. Don't miss the fireworks at each of the parks-- they are all different and unique, the best fireworks displays you will probably ever see.

I agree with everyone else about waking up early (you can always go back to your hotel for a nap later on) so that you can see what is most important to you before the big crowds. Also visit the water parks-- Typhoon Lagoon and Bllizzard Beach are very different from each other and a lot of fun.

There is a specific Birnbaum book on WDW without kids, and it's a great book. I like the Unofficial Guide too, but this Birnbaum lists a lot of romantic types of things to do that aren't in the other books.

Don't avoid things like character breakfasts-- they are fun wven without kids. We like Chef Mickey's for dinner (in the Contemporary). The attractions and rides intended for little ones are also worth seeing, once the "must see" things are out of the way. Don't miss the Muppet 4D movie, for example, or Honey I shrunk the Audience. Or the Teacups!

If you give a little more information about what types of things you and your husband enjoy, people can probably offer more specific suggestions for you.

Another thing: take a car service from the airport to your hotel and back. For two people, it costs about the same as the Mears shuttle bus and you can zip right to WDW without waiting for the bus to fill up and make a dozen stops before you get to your hotel. If you call Tiffany Towncar, they'll meet you at the baggage claim and they'll even stop at a grocery store on your way to WDW so that you can stock up on snacks. (It's $90 roundtrip, I think).

 

[tybroid59]

It will be my first time in Oct ....

I have been reading and reading and it seems 'some' plannning before hand is essential.

My sister in law has just got back and they didnt plan anything ..they had a fantastic time BUT ......they found out so much they were almost overwhelmed at the start:veryconfu

I only have another 147 days to get started

 

[Nansafan]

Hooray for you taking your first trip. My husband and I were there for our honeymoon and had a ball. We keep going back, now with our 15 year old son. I am a Virgo so we are list people. I have a list for my lists. A basic plan is a necessity. Read everything you can find and visit this some of the other unofficial websites for advice. A friend of mine went in 1998, her 3rd trip and her daughters first. They completely missed Fantasyland, and the Jungle Cruise. When they went with us in 2000, it was almost like taking first timers on the trip. We plan our days as far as which park we are visiting but don't plan the attractions to see. We always save a day and the end for "one more time day". Each person on the trip gets to pick something they want to do "one more time" and then we visit the appropriate park and do that thing.

 

[MKingdom25]

I agree with all the above things. Few extra things:
Don't forget to visit the official site @ www.disneyworld.com also. Its not as in-depth as unofficial sites but still very useful and fun.
Can download maps and other stuff.
Also ask cast members anything. They are extremely friendly and are a great help.
As others have said, there is alot to see on a first trip (or any trip.) I have only been 6 times and I have still have lots to see!
And most of all, prepare yourself to have fun!
I am going to CB in July 2002 so if I have pics I will be glad to to share!

 

[Disneynutcase]

There are only really three basic rules to successful WDW planning:

1) Determine which parks you'll be doing well in advance (like say 120 days in advance of your trip) so that you can make Priority Seating reservations. This, of course, means you have to do some research on where you'd like to eat. But definately do the sit-down full-service restaurants. So many of them are totally themed out, some are just nice and quiet and romantic. But it totally adds to the experience. Especially do PS for meals at Epcot. More people I know don't enjoy Epcot because they just do the rides and major attractions and never stop to eat or just take in some of the nuances of World Showcase. My family really loves San Angel Inn and Marrakesh. Great food and atmosphere. And street shows in World Showcase pavilions tend to be really cool.

2) Always have a Fast Pass in your possession, particularly at Magic Kingdom. This means that you pre-plan a bit and come up with a set agenda for the order of your Fast Pass attainment. By doing so, this gives you the liberty to know you'll eventually by-pass a huge line while also giving you ample time to tour other non-Fast Pass attractions nearby. We go so far as to always get another one as soon as we possibly can, even before using the current one we have in hand. Rule is, once your Fast Pass return time begins, you can get another Fast Pass. And if the return time is more than 2 hours away, then at the 2 hour mark from when your last pass was issued, you can actually get another Fast Pass. Hope that didn't sound complicated. We ended up doing Fast Pass about 5-6 times per Magic Kingdom visit (in the midst of peak season) and wound up with a good 2-3 hours of extra time because of the way it by-passes long lines.

3) Get to parks when they open--much shorter lines at this time (but still get your first Fast Pass even when lines are short). Take a break at mid-day and go back to your hotel if you see fit. And return for dinner-til-close touring because again you'll find lines will increasingly diminish.

You're off to a good start research-wise if you're already participating on this site. Keep asking questions and asking for opinions and you'll end up with a killer trip. All the books mentioned already will be helpful as well. Just know in advance that you probably should have some kind of touring plan in place if you indeed want to take in as much of WDW as possible.

 

[daveylh]

:lol:

I reckon many of us must be thinking we were going for the first time again.

It is just so magical , I remember the day we arrived still.

As people have said look at the sites and get all the info you can.

Do remember to take time to look around, day plans are ok, but
the rush to complete it can make for stress, as things can make plans change.

The big rides are a must, and the Epcot shows.

Take a load of photo's but make them personal as we can all get
pics of Star Tours etc

Enjoy it

 

[stingrock23]

My first advice would be to definitely get a guide so you wiill become familiar with the layout of the wdw resort. It's so large and very easy to get lost. I would also make a list of certain attractions that you dont' want to miss, that way you can make sure that you have seen them all. Another thing is just to relax and enjoy the magical atmosphere that exists. It's almost surreal.
Don't let yourself get overwhelmed despite the enormity that is wdw. You won't see everything, but use the guide to determine what you may like the most, and try to hit those. I would also spend a day or to at Universal.

 

[mburk]

Originally posted by stingrock23
I would also spend a day or to at Universal.

What's Universal? I don't remember seeing that! *kidding*