First-Timer seeking advice

[zurj]

I am taking DW, DS3, and DD1 for first trip to Disney World in April. Staying at PORS. Check-In Friday, April 19th Check-Out Friday April 26th. Like a lot of you, I am type-A personality, so I have my itinerary laid out, but would like some advice from you seasoned veterans. Also, I should point out that we will be taking 3 to 3 ½ hour mid-day break everyday, returning to resort so we can rest and recharge. We will be using our own car, so won’t have to rely on Disney Transportation. I am planning to make it to RD each day (all 9:00 openings).

Friday: Check-In @3:00. Unpack. 5:00 Go to HS and catch Beauty & the Beast show, and see the 8:30 Fantasmic!
Saturday: EP- Experience Future World. Biergarten for Dinner at 6:00. Watch Illuminations
Sunday: HS
Monday: MK- Fantasyland in the a.m. Then Fronteirland/Liberty Square after break. Celebrate the Magic, Wishes, Electric Parade in evening
Tuesday: AK
Wednesday: MK- Tomorrowland and favorites from Fantasyland in a.m. Adventureland and Main St. after break
Thursday- EP- Spend the day in World Showcase. Dinner at Coral Reef @5:00.
Friday- Check-Out and go to a park for a.m. before having to leave for home.

So my question is; can you guys give me some tips for first timers? Rides/Shows to skip? Shows NOT to skip? Must Do’s for the kids? Will we be able to get pretty comprehensive tours of the parks with this much time? Am I making a huge mistake by not designating some time for Downtown Disney? Does all this seem feasible, or are my eyes too big for my stomach so to speak? Can we see all of Animal Kingdom in a day (park closes @7:00), even while leaving the park from 1:00-4:30? Can we take the Ferry to MK and still make RD, or should we plan on using the Disney bus from resort? Thanks for your help!

 

[Figgy1]

The schedule seems quite manageable but don't be dissapointed if you don't get every thing done! There's always next trip! Must do show include, FLK, BB, VLM, Illuminations, Wishes, Fantasmic, FN the musical, Muppets, It's Tough to Be A Bug counter service not to be missed Sunshine Seasons, Tangerine Cafe, Cosmic Rays (sit by Sunny Eclipse) Pecos Bill's, CHH has good food and quiet seating upstairs no you won't miss much by skipping DTD it might be a bit much for the little ones on their first trip Must do rides Soarin, ISAW, PP, MAWP, POTC, JC, HM, EE, Dinosaur, so many just do what you can and most important of all HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

I am taking DW, DS3, and DD1 for first trip to Disney World in April. Staying at PORS. Check-In Friday, April 19th Check-Out Friday April 26th. Like a lot of you, I am type-A personality, so I have my itinerary laid out, but would like some advice from you seasoned veterans. Also, I should point out that we will be taking 3 to 3 ½ hour mid-day break everyday, returning to resort so we can rest and recharge. We will be using our own car, so won’t have to rely on Disney Transportation. I am planning to make it to RD each day (all 9:00 openings).

Friday: Check-In @3:00. Unpack. 5:00 Go to HS and catch Beauty & the Beast show, and see the 8:30 Fantasmic!
Saturday: EP- Experience Future World. Biergarten for Dinner at 6:00. Watch Illuminations
Sunday: HS
Monday: MK- Fantasyland in the a.m. Then Fronteirland/Liberty Square after break. Celebrate the Magic, Wishes, Electric Parade in evening
Tuesday: AK
Wednesday: MK- Tomorrowland and favorites from Fantasyland in a.m. Adventureland and Main St. after break
Thursday- EP- Spend the day in World Showcase. Dinner at Coral Reef @5:00.
Friday- Check-Out and go to a park for a.m. before having to leave for home.

So my question is; can you guys give me some tips for first timers? Rides/Shows to skip? Shows NOT to skip? Must Do’s for the kids? Will we be able to get pretty comprehensive tours of the parks with this much time? Am I making a huge mistake by not designating some time for Downtown Disney? Does all this seem feasible, or are my eyes too big for my stomach so to speak? Can we see all of Animal Kingdom in a day (park closes @7:00), even while leaving the park from 1:00-4:30? Can we take the Ferry to MK and still make RD, or should we plan on using the Disney bus from resort? Thanks for your help!

That should be a good week as far as crowds. Please make sure there is a Beauty and the Beast show that late.
I would recommend The Muppets show while you're waiting for Fantasmic to start. There's lots of sightseeing stuff at the Muppet end of the park for the little ones. They have several little meet and greets and photo ops down at that end.
The little one will like Journey into Imagination at Epcot and Nemo and don't miss the Crush show in the Seas pavilion.
In Mk, do Peter Pan and Pooh first and fastpass Little Mermaid and Dumbo. Don't miss Philarmagic. It is very special. We love the Laugh Factory and the Transit Authority People Mover.
In AK, your son will like the Triceratops Spin and the Live Nemo stage show. He will probably also like the Safari. I would do the safari first.
These are recommendations for someone with small children. If you were going with older children or alone, they would be very different.

 

[foreverbelle]

First off welcome! Second breath....because you are in for a magical time...and yes that may sound corny. And lets see if I can help you with anything. I have a DS4, and he has been going for years as we have been taken him throughout his life. So from my point of view and my experience this is what I have found.

First, some of my favorite moments are unplanned. When we first went we tried to hit everything and do everything with him, but we soon discovered that he decided when it was time to take a mid day break, and often we never made it back to the resort but rather a rest consisted of a quiet shaded area or a walk through a few shops. If you want some quiet time, I recommend the baby areas, we used them quite frequently. So let them dictate how your day is going to play out. I know it can be so overwhelming to take in..but hang on. Enjoy it all.

AK I do believe for your kids age is doable in a day, as they are to young for some of the bigger attractions like Everest and Dinasour. But I think they would enjoy shows like Finding Nemo, and I know my son loved both the walking tour as well as the Safari. He loved seeing the animals.

HS- If your kids love Disney Junior, HS has a great little show-and its air conditioned-with all their favorites. My little one absolutely loves it. Its on our not to miss at the moment.

Epcot: Nemo, as well as turtle talk with Crush=always fun and enjoyable even for adults...

Our one big issue we found with our DS was that he hated the loud noises that came with the evening entertainment, if you are able you can buy 'ear muffs' at a local home depot. He still uses them to this day and makes the evening more enjoyable and he is actually willing to sit through the shows.

I have never made rope drop, so I have no advice for that. But you may be better using your own car, since it would allow you get and go in the morning on your own.

If you and your wife want to ride: do the child swap or single rider lines for things. Its fabulous and allows you to enjoy your days and vacation as well.

Actually, having your own car would be good to use to drive to some of the farther away parks, plus its easy access to get out of the area if little ones are having meltdowns.

My best advice is to go and have a great time no matter what. Know that you may not see everything you want to see, not ride everything you may want to. And that some of the most amazing times you will have will be the ones that you are least expecting.

Have a fabulous time and if I can help with anything else please let me know. I have TR's with my experiences through the years I can go back and see if I need to.

 

[RedDad]

Sounds like a great plan! Very smart planning for some time at the resort for naps. We took our DD when she was 14 months and did this every day. It makes things much easier. Being there for rope drop makes a huge difference, particularly when the crowds are larger, particularly at MK.

Since you are a planner, I highly recommend using touring plans - check their data and see if your park days line up with their recommendations for "best park" per day, and set up a touring plan for each day that will let you hit all the rides you want to do.

We have never stayed past 3pm or so in AK, and usually only plan for a half day in that park. The kids will love the Nemo musical and Festival of the Lion King. We usually go ride the Safari ride first, or grab a FP first thing and do it later. At DHS - Disney Junior Live and Toy Story MM is also a must do - but you will need to go get fast passes for that first thing as they run out very quickly.

Our plan is usually to hit rope drop, knock out all the rides we want before 11am, then head back for rest time. As for strollers - we have found a good umbrella stroller that folds up quickly for hopping onto the trams or monorails works best unless you rent one in the parks.

In my opinion, from PORS you will be better off taking the bus straight to the park, rather than driving to the TTC and then taking the ferry or monorail. This is how we plan on doing things for our trip in June!

 

[RedDad]

Oh and DTD is not that big a deal for kids that age. I wouldn't trade time in the parks for it. We typically don't go to the parks on our travel day and use that evening for DTD.

 

[bethymouse]

See Wishes! Fantasmic! Illuminations! Festival of the Lion King! Finding Nemo The Musical!
Stop and enjoy the atmosphere of Disney! See the parades, especially the "Light" parade. Enjoy! and Welcome!

 

[mamabunker]

The schedule seems quite manageable but don't be dissapointed if you don't get every thing done! There's always next trip! Must do show include, FLK, BB, VLM, Illuminations, Wishes, Fantasmic, FN the musical, Muppets, It's Tough to Be A Bug counter service not to be missed Sunshine Seasons, Tangerine Cafe, Cosmic Rays (sit by Sunny Eclipse) Pecos Bill's, CHH has good food and quiet seating upstairs no you won't miss much by skipping DTD it might be a bit much for the little ones on their first trip Must do rides Soarin, ISAW, PP, MAWP, POTC, JC, HM, EE, Dinosaur, so many just do what you can and most important of all HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some of these rides might be too scary for the little ones, and/or they won't be tall enough. I would skip Fantasmic at this age. I would also skip It's Tough to be a Bug, Soarin', Dinosaur, and Expedition Everest. (For you, yes, for the kids, no.)

My kids were exactly this age when we went last year. Their favorites were Imagination and Small World.

 

[ladydi]

Don't forget that World Showcase opens later than the rest of Epcot.

 

[luv]

I'd schedule longer breaks, especially if you plan to hit rope drop AND stay out late for fireworks. At WDW, you cannot burn the candle at both ends. But you, like most, will probably want to learn that on your own.

Don't take them to ITTBAB.

DTD is nothing major and entirely skippable.

 

[Figgy1]

Festival of the Lion King! Finding Nemo The Musical!

Welcome they are on my do not miss list I give everybody!!!

 

[Weather_Lady]

So my question is; can you guys give me some tips for first timers? Rides/Shows to skip? Shows NOT to skip? Must Do’s for the kids? Will we be able to get pretty comprehensive tours of the parks with this much time? Am I making a huge mistake by not designating some time for Downtown Disney? Does all this seem feasible, or are my eyes too big for my stomach so to speak? Can we see all of Animal Kingdom in a day (park closes @7:00), even while leaving the park from 1:00-4:30? Can we take the Ferry to MK and still make RD, or should we plan on using the Disney bus from resort? Thanks for your help!

No, you are not making a mistake by skipping Downtown Disney, unless you really plan on doing hours of hardcore shopping. It's a fun place to go if you have an extra half-day somewhere, but personally, I'd trade park time for it any day.

I think the time you've allocated for the parks is perfect considering the length of your visit and the folks in your party. The afternoon break is a great way to keep everyone rested and happy (although I do want to echo what the earlier poster said about burning the candle at both ends -- I'd recommend skipping a couple of the late-night shows so you can get the kids to bed early and get to parks at rope drop the next morning.)

Yes, Animal Kingdom is a one-day park (if that), and with any planning (e.g., getting to the headliners first thing in the morning and/or using fastpasses wisely) you'll have no trouble seeing everything you want to see there in a day. (We spent less than five hours there, and were able to do everything except the Conservation Station area, the character meet-and-greet, and Kali River Rapids. We also picked just one show (out of Nemo, Lion King, and Flights of Wonder) to watch.

My only suggestion on your itinerary would be to make your Epcot World Showcase tour earlier in the trip (e.g., Saturday evening, when you'll be there for dinner anyway), so you can spend more of your last full day on revisiting favorite attractions in Future World (which will also put you closer to your Coral Reef dinner reservation).

Not sure about the Ferry to MK question -- the ferry from where?

My suggestions for "Must-Dos": everything in MK except for Stitch's Great Escape, which is a MUST-DON'T for any person of any age, the Astro Orbiter (long waits for not much payoff) and the Tomorrowland Speedway (unless the line is very short: you'll be waiting in the heat, doused with fumes, for a very short and very slow ride). Also, Hall of the Presidents might be a tough sell with the kids being so young. For the attractions with height requirements (e.g., Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain), only the grown-ups can ride. Use single rider lines, where available, or child swap, if the kids can't go.

Epcot "Must-Dos" with small children include the Nemo ride, Turtle Talk with Crush, Spaceship Earth, and Journey Into Imagination. You may want to skip Ellen's Energy Adventure and the American Adventure (both very long; depends on how long the kids can sit), Captain EO (too scary for small kids), and the Circle of Life show (I haven't seen it but have heard mixed reviews). For the adults only (due to height requirements): Soarin', Test Track, Mission:Space.

Animal Kingdom "Must-Dos" are the Kilimanjaro Safaris expedition, Triceratop Spin, and any one of the live shows. For the adults only (due to height requirements): Dinosaur, Expedition Everest. It's Tough To Be a Bug might be too scary for the kids as well -- you'll have to see how they do with other creepy and/or jumpy 3-D things (e.g., Mickey's Philharmagic, Haunted Mansion) and make a judgment call. If you're up to the walk, check out the Pangani Forest Trail (gorillas!) and Maharajah Jungle Trail (tigers!).

Hollywood Studios: "Must-Dos": Toy Story Midway Mania, Great Movie Ride, Little Mermaid or Disney Jr! show, Muppets 3D. For the adults only (height requirements): Star Tours, Rock 'n' Rollercoaster, Tower of Terror.

 

[zurj]

Not sure about the Ferry to MK question -- the ferry from where?

I am pretty sure can take a ferry or monorail from the TTC to MK... or you can take a bus from the resort to MK. I thought the ferry would be a fun way for my family to come up on the MK for the first time, but if it is going to make us late for RD, then I would rather take a bus from PORS. I wasn't sure if the ferry option would give us sufficient time to get to RD, but from what I am hearing, it sounds like it won't.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

You can usually check into your hotel before 3:00 and if some reason the room isn't ready they will give you your tickets and you can get into a park.

The one very important thing I've found when traveling with my nephews & nieces when they were young is to keep them feed and hydrated. Makes a world of difference in their mood and energy level.

 

[JillC LI]

Don't forget that World Showcase opens later than the rest of Epcot.

This is an important point for your Thursday schedule. If you plan to arrive at rope drop, take advantage of repeating your favorite rides in Future World before WS opens.

Yourschedule sounds good. I would be flexible at MK about which areas you plan to visit which days, but I think you have plenty of time to hit the highlights. Make smart use of FPs. And get a Dole Whip Float! Enjoy your first visit to the World!

 

[moonwishes2013]

We took the first bus in the morning to make sure we were at rope drops, Stayed at AOA & first bus left at 6:55am.
Make sure you take snacks & Drinks for little ones, this helps with the wait in lines, going from place to place, ect. I also bought a bubble gun for DD at one of the parks, she loved it, & it kept her occupied.
If you take the resort bus to MK, it will let you off right at the gates, you will not have to take the monorail or ferry & it will save time for Rope Drop. We had planned to use the bus only for MK but we ended up taking them to all of the parks, they worked great for us. We did not however, go to the parks in the evenings, we were back at the resort by 2pm everyday & was not there at closing, so I can not say how the buses was at that time.

 

[RedDad]

I am pretty sure can take a ferry or monorail from the TTC to MK... or you can take a bus from the resort to MK. I thought the ferry would be a fun way for my family to come up on the MK for the first time, but if it is going to make us late for RD, then I would rather take a bus from PORS. I wasn't sure if the ferry option would give us sufficient time to get to RD, but from what I am hearing, it sounds like it won't.

It's definitely possible to make rope drop using the ferry from TTC, and it is a fun way to arrive, but you need to get there plenty early. I believe the first ferry runs 1 hour before park opening, and I would try to be there then.

 

[mamabunker]

No, you are not making a mistake by skipping Downtown Disney, unless you really plan on doing hours of hardcore shopping. It's a fun place to go if you have an extra half-day somewhere, but personally, I'd trade park time for it any day.

I think the time you've allocated for the parks is perfect considering the length of your visit and the folks in your party. The afternoon break is a great way to keep everyone rested and happy (although I do want to echo what the earlier poster said about burning the candle at both ends -- I'd recommend skipping a couple of the late-night shows so you can get the kids to bed early and get to parks at rope drop the next morning.)

Yes, Animal Kingdom is a one-day park (if that), and with any planning (e.g., getting to the headliners first thing in the morning and/or using fastpasses wisely) you'll have no trouble seeing everything you want to see there in a day. (We spent less than five hours there, and were able to do everything except the Conservation Station area, the character meet-and-greet, and Kali River Rapids. We also picked just one show (out of Nemo, Lion King, and Flights of Wonder) to watch.

My only suggestion on your itinerary would be to make your Epcot World Showcase tour earlier in the trip (e.g., Saturday evening, when you'll be there for dinner anyway), so you can spend more of your last full day on revisiting favorite attractions in Future World (which will also put you closer to your Coral Reef dinner reservation).

Not sure about the Ferry to MK question -- the ferry from where?

My suggestions for "Must-Dos": everything in MK except for Stitch's Great Escape, which is a MUST-DON'T for any person of any age, the Astro Orbiter (long waits for not much payoff) and the Tomorrowland Speedway (unless the line is very short: you'll be waiting in the heat, doused with fumes, for a very short and very slow ride). Also, Hall of the Presidents might be a tough sell with the kids being so young. For the attractions with height requirements (e.g., Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain), only the grown-ups can ride. Use single rider lines, where available, or child swap, if the kids can't go.

Epcot "Must-Dos" with small children include the Nemo ride, Turtle Talk with Crush, Spaceship Earth, and Journey Into Imagination. You may want to skip Ellen's Energy Adventure and the American Adventure (both very long; depends on how long the kids can sit), Captain EO (too scary for small kids), and the Circle of Life show (I haven't seen it but have heard mixed reviews). For the adults only (due to height requirements): Soarin', Test Track, Mission:Space.

Animal Kingdom "Must-Dos" are the Kilimanjaro Safaris expedition, Triceratop Spin, and any one of the live shows. For the adults only (due to height requirements): Dinosaur, Expedition Everest. It's Tough To Be a Bug might be too scary for the kids as well -- you'll have to see how they do with other creepy and/or jumpy 3-D things (e.g., Mickey's Philharmagic, Haunted Mansion) and make a judgment call. If you're up to the walk, check out the Pangani Forest Trail (gorillas!) and Maharajah Jungle Trail (tigers!).

Hollywood Studios: "Must-Dos": Toy Story Midway Mania, Great Movie Ride, Little Mermaid or Disney Jr! show, Muppets 3D. For the adults only (height requirements): Star Tours, Rock 'n' Rollercoaster, Tower of Terror.

What is scary about Captain EO? I was planning on taking my daughter on... she's 4 but doesn't get scared easily... Now I'm having second thoughts. I've never been on it yet myself.

 

[Figgy1]

What is scary about Captain EO? I was planning on taking my daughter on... she's 4 but doesn't get scared easily... Now I'm having second thoughts. I've never been on it yet myself.

She'll be fine!!

 

[Poofiesdream]

Your plan sounds great. Just remember to stop and enjoy your surroundings! Your at Disneyworld don't be so rushed that you don't even remember all you did.