First Trip!!!

[OnKoDiDu]

Well, heres the story... My mom is going to a conference at the WDW Dolphin and she decided to take the family with her! We're gonna be down there for a week!:slurp: We are going to be staying in the club level!!! I'm so excited!!! So... onto the questions... What is the best way to get from park to park? What are some things to do while we are there(besides the parks)(btw. I'm 13 and I have a little sister that is 6)? How good is the Dolphin hotel? What attractions should I take my little sister on(she likes almost every ride and she is 47in. tall)? And most importantly where should we eat? Thanx for all your help!

 

[ToTBellHop]

The best way to get from park to park is via disney transport (motor coaches, ferries, monorails).

Be sure to go to go to both of Disney's Water Parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, as well as the Downtown Disney area, where your sister will absolutely love the new Once Upon a Toy store and your entire family will love the World of Disney Store...plus there are other shops and eateries there. Be sure to visit DisneyQuest (indoor "theme park" with tons of interactive games) and you might like Cirque du Soleil: La Nouba.

You may also wish to experience one of disney's two miniature golf courses, Fantasia Gardens, which is within walking distance of the Dolphin, or Disney's Winter Summerland next to Blizzard Beach.

Furthermore, try touring some of the other Disney Resort Hotels if you have time (especially Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge if you like animals).

The Dolphin is a beautiful resort so I'm sure you will love it.

As for attractions, your sister can go on everything except Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith and Primeval Whirl...have her wear big shoes if you want her to go on Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Be sure to take her on all the classic attractions at the Magic Kingdom, including the Magic Kingdom Mountain Range. Also take her on the Tower of Terror, Test Track, Kali River Rapids!, all of Disney's 3D shows, Kilimanjaro Safaris, and Dinosaur. In all other cases, if it has Fastpass, go on it (pick up a park map and it will tell you fastpass attractions! Good rule to follow, although Pirates of the Caribbean doesn't have Fastpass, but certainly ride it. Also be sure to catch a few shows, The Great Movie Ride, the Studios Backlot Tour, and the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, Festival of the Lion King. Oh...and see all of the parades! The best ones are SpectroMagic, Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade, and the Share of Dream Come True Parade. Also be sure to catch IllumiNations Reflections of Earth, Fantasmic!, and Fantasy in the Sky.

Actually, I'll be nice! Here are all of Disney's Fastpass Attractions:
Disney's Animal Kingdom Park:
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Primeval Whirl!
Dinosaur
Kali River Rapids!
It's Tough to be a Bug!

Disney-MGM Studios:
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Star Tours
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
Who Wants to be a Millionaire--PLAY IT!
Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3-D
Voyage of the Little Mermaid

Epcot:
Living with the Land
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
Test Track
Maelstrom

Magic Kingdom Park:
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Splash Mountain
Space Mountain
The Haunted Mansion
Jungle Cruise
Peter Pan's Flight
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh


That just about wraps this up! Consider taking your sister to Mickey's Toontown Fair--take the Walt Disney World Railroad back there Have a great trip!

 

[Terp02]

First, congratulations on your first trip, you're going to LOVE IT!
Second, do yourself a favor and buy "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World" it is the best book of traveling, especially first-timers. It gives great summaries and suggestions on everything in WDW.

Third, my suggestions:

Best way to get to parks from where you are:
MK: Bus
Epcot: Walk or boat
Studios: Walk, boat, or bus
AK: Bus
Everywhere else (except for Boardwalk): Car
Boardwalk: You're right there

As for rides here's my thoughts:

MK: Pirates of the Carribean, All three "Mountains", Haunted Mansion, Timekeeper (if open), Carousel of Progress (if open), Country Bear Jamboree, Buzz Lightyear. Your sister will probably love Fantasyland so do as much as possible there.

Epcot: Spaceship Earth, Mission:Space (if it's open when you go), Cranium Command, Journey Into Your Imagination, Honey I Shrunk the Audience, All of World Showcase (though your sister may get bored). Only do Test Track if you have a Fast Pass, but they sell out pretty quick.

Studios: If your sister is a daredevil take her on Tower of Terror and Rock 'n' Rollercoaster. Also Star Tours, Great Movie Ride, Muppetvision 3-D, Backlot Tour, and Indiana Jones Stunt Show.

AK: Kilimanjaro Safari, Festival of the Lion King, Pagani Rainforest, It's Tough to Be a Bug, Dinosaur, and Kali River Rapids.

Basically do whatever you want, these are all the main attractions, but don't get worried if you don't do EVERYTHING. You'll come back again eventually. IMPORTANT: Take breaks once or twice a day especially for your sister. You will be exhausted.

Eating: Whispering Canyon Cafe, 50's Primetime Cafe, House of Blues, and do a Character Breakfast for your sister. The guide is really good for restaurants.

I hope this is helpful, definitely get the book and use it!

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

If you get time - don't forget SeaWorld, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. (IOA may be a bit intense for your sister).
Congrats on your first trip and ENJOY.:sohappy:

 

[cruiseman]

You should go to WDW.com and order yourself a vacation video.

 

[VillianFan]

Your sister will love getting character autographs also! Either buy an autograph book or consider using a white Disney hat to get them to sign. We used a Sharpie permanent marker on the hats and it worked great. The hat was one less thing to carry and worked better for us then the autograph book.

We really enjoyed the character meal at The Garden Grille in Epcot. It was a great way to see Mickey.

Most of all enjoy and go at a pace that does not exhaust your sister into misery!