Have a few more general questions...

[Lilmama21]

I've been making a mental note of things I've been wondering about so that I didn't clutter up other people's posts with dumb questions. Here's whats popped up..if you can answer one or all, I'd appreciate it!

Does it cost to ride the boat from PORiverside to Downtown Disney?

What are E-rides?

What is Disney Quest? Tried disney.com and either I search wrong or the site is just messed up.

What night activities are there? I can't figure out when the firework/parades are. I'm hoping to catch at least one (?). Keep in mind I'm traveling with my 9 year old daughter.

And finally...I'm still slightly confused about opening/closing hours. I'm going May 2-6 (Sunday-Thursday). MK hours are 9am to 8:30pm but staying in the resort can I get in earlier (how much earlier)? And does 8:30 mean that they shut down and kick you out at 8:30 (this seems early to me??).

Thanks yall. I go in a month so just one more month of naive questions! I can't remember WDW at all so it is so hard to imagine it in my head! (does that make sense LOL)

 

[s25843]

The boatride is free
DQ is basically a Giant arcade more info can be found here

All rides will shut down at the park closing time, and they give you around an hour or so to wander out. Fireworks depend on the night..

 

[Bill]

Originally posted by Lilmama21
I've been making a mental note of things I've been wondering about so that I didn't clutter up other people's posts with dumb questions. Here's whats popped up..if you can answer one or all, I'd appreciate it!

Here we go!

Originally posted by Lilmama21
Does it cost to ride the boat from PORiverside to Downtown Disney?

Nope! Free to anyone!

Originally posted by Lilmama21
What are E-rides?

The very best rides are considered E-Rides. This differs from E-Ride Nights, which are selected nights when Resort guests can spend an extra 3 hours in the Magic Kingdom after closing riding 9 pre-selected rides with little or no wait, and have many character greeting opportunities. This is open to Resort Guests with multi-day tickets only, and is an extra $15.

Originally posted by Lilmama21
What is Disney Quest? Tried disney.com and either I search wrong or the site is just messed up.

An indoor interactive theme park.

Originally posted by Lilmama21
What night activities are there? I can't figure out when the firework/parades are. I'm hoping to catch at least one (?). Keep in mind I'm traveling with my 9 year old daughter.

You name it. Fireworks at every park except the Animal Kingdom, and A night time parade at the Magic Kingdom called SpectroMagic is presented on special nights.
Wishes is the firework show at the Magic Kingdom. (Nightly)
Reflections of Earth is at Epcot. (Nightly at park closing)
Fantasmic! is at the Disney-MGM Studios (Nightly)

Originally posted by Lilmama21
And finally...I'm still slightly confused about opening/closing hours. I'm going May 2-6 (Sunday-Thursday). MK hours are 9am to 8:30pm but staying in the resort can I get in earlier (how much earlier)? And does 8:30 mean that they shut down and kick you out at 8:30 (this seems early to me??).

At 8:30, the line cues for the rides close. If you are in line, you get to ride. You then have 2 hours to exit the park after closing. On certain days of the week, you can enter a selected park one hour before anyone else if you are staying at a Disney Resort.

Originally posted by Lilmama21
Thanks yall. I go in a month so just one more month of naive questions! I can't remember WDW at all so it is so hard to imagine it in my head! (does that make sense LOL)

Have fun! Let us know if you have more questions!

 

[Ashleigh]

Hello! We are going to be in Disney the same time you are (May 2-7) and we are staying at POR (I assumed that you were too because of the first question you asked, but I may be wrong)

Anyway . . .
1. The boatride is free. It usually runs every 20 mins. or so. We usually stay at POR and my family and I really enjoy the boat ride and do it at least once during the trip.

2. I have no idea what e rides are either! I am ashamed that I don't know that. someone please help us out!

3. Disney Quest is sort of a Disney virtual reality park (only it is just in one building). I haven't been to the one in Downtown Disney, but a few years ago they had one in Chicago and I have been there twice. I really enjoyed it - your 9 year old will probably love it.

4. The night time activities (fireworks/parades) you can find by going to Disney's website and going to each parks calendar. Click on the actual day (more specifically the number) and it will list the parades, firework shows, and any closed attractions. Because we are going the same time you are, I can tell you that MK has Wishes (which is the fireworks show) every night EXCEPT May 2 and their Spectromagic light parade is ONLY on Tues. May 4th. EPCOT has Illuminations every night at closing (9:00pm). MGM has Fantasmic every night at closing (8:30pm). There is no fireworks show at AK. There are also other parades during the day at all the parks, but I didn't really look to closely at those just yet so you may want to go to their site to check out the dates and times.

5. Because you are staying at one of Disney's resorts, you can get into the park an hour before opening time (so if the park opens at 9 - you can get in at 8). However, only one park per day opens early (does that make sense?). I think on Sundays the MK is the early park, on Mondays it is a different park . . . and so on. Unfortunately, the parks do close at the listed time - however there is a fireworks show that starts at those times and the shops stay open later.

Well, I hope that helped. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask or private message me and I will hopefully be able to help.

 

[Ashleigh]

E Ride Answer!

Bill - Thanks for the answer about the e rides - I must have been typing when you were because I didn't see your reply before I started - now I feel even dumber:hammer:

 

[SafariGuy]

Looks like your questions have already been answered, but I do recommend you make time for as many of those nighttime fireworks shows as you can. I really think they're one of the best features of the parks & worth sticking around a bit later for. I'm partial to Illuminations at Epcot myself, but I'm sure you'll get different opinions on these boards as to which one is best.


Have a great trip!

 

[marni1971]

E Rides are so called since back in the early years of WDW (and DLC) you had to buy tickets for each attraction. You got a book of 5 differant classes of tickets - A,B,C,D and E. A rides were the cheapest.... E ticket rides were WOW! (Space Mountain, PoTC) and the name has stuck.

 

[Ashleigh]

Thanks for the info on the history of e rides - I love to learn about that kind of stuff and now it makes much more sense to me as to why they are called e rides!

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Originally posted by tigsmom
I'm with the others here, try to make time to see the fireworks and parades in the various parks at least once during your trip. They are spectacular. My favorite has to be Fantasmic. Enjoy your trip. :wave:

As already suggested - visit the WDW Official website and check out the time tables for the parks - plan one night at MK, EPCOT and MGM to take in the night shows.

 

[Lilmama21]

Thank you Bill, this helps a lot! Is there a way to find out what nights will be E-Ride Nights? I couldn't find it on the disney site or calendar.
All the other info you gave was very helpful, thank you for taking the time to help out a newbie

 

[Lilmama21]

Hi Ashleigh *it's a small world....* Hey if you see a white "girl" with a 9 year old brown child at POR and you come up and say "Hey Lilmama" not only will I give you a dollar, but you will completely freak me out LOL. Your insight definitely helps, especially about the night time activities. It was one thing I hadn't thought of til recently so it's all new to me. Thanks again!!

Originally posted by Ashleigh
Hello! We are going to be in Disney the same time you are (May 2-7) and we are staying at POR (I assumed that you were too because of the first question you asked, but I may be wrong)

Anyway . . .
1. The boatride is free. It usually runs every 20 mins. or so. We usually stay at POR and my family and I really enjoy the boat ride and do it at least once during the trip.

2. I have no idea what e rides are either! I am ashamed that I don't know that. someone please help us out!

3. Disney Quest is sort of a Disney virtual reality park (only it is just in one building). I haven't been to the one in Downtown Disney, but a few years ago they had one in Chicago and I have been there twice. I really enjoyed it - your 9 year old will probably love it.

4. The night time activities (fireworks/parades) you can find by going to Disney's website and going to each parks calendar. Click on the actual day (more specifically the number) and it will list the parades, firework shows, and any closed attractions. Because we are going the same time you are, I can tell you that MK has Wishes (which is the fireworks show) every night EXCEPT May 2 and their Spectromagic light parade is ONLY on Tues. May 4th. EPCOT has Illuminations every night at closing (9:00pm). MGM has Fantasmic every night at closing (8:30pm). There is no fireworks show at AK. There are also other parades during the day at all the parks, but I didn't really look to closely at those just yet so you may want to go to their site to check out the dates and times.

5. Because you are staying at one of Disney's resorts, you can get into the park an hour before opening time (so if the park opens at 9 - you can get in at 8). However, only one park per day opens early (does that make sense?). I think on Sundays the MK is the early park, on Mondays it is a different park . . . and so on. Unfortunately, the parks do close at the listed time - however there is a fireworks show that starts at those times and the shops stay open later.

Well, I hope that helped. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask or private message me and I will hopefully be able to help.

 

[Lilmama21]

Originally posted by SafariGuy
Looks like your questions have already been answered, but I do recommend you make time for as many of those nighttime fireworks shows as you can. I really think they're one of the best features of the parks & worth sticking around a bit later for. I'm partial to Illuminations at Epcot myself, but I'm sure you'll get different opinions on these boards as to which one is best.


Have a great trip!

Thank you Safariguy, I think we'll definitely check out Illuminations!

 

[raven]

As far as openning times go, Disney likes to fool people a little but it's for a good reason.

If the "official" openning time of the park is listed as 9AM, the actual time the gates will open is 8:30AM. This is because Disney doesn't want the guests to be packed in like sardines when the gates open. So they open the gates early to keep the flow moving.

 

[Ashleigh]

Originally posted by Lilmama21
Hi Ashleigh *it's a small world....* Hey if you see a white "girl" with a 9 year old brown child at POR and you come up and say "Hey Lilmama" not only will I give you a dollar, but you will completely freak me out LOL. Your insight definitely helps, especially about the night time activities. It was one thing I hadn't thought of til recently so it's all new to me. Thanks again!!

I hope we do run into you when we are there! Wouldn't that be funny. I will definately keep my eyes peeled for you and your daughter. Keep a look out for us too! It will be my husband, my daughter and myself. My daughter is 14 months old (but she is very petite and still pretty bald so she looks younger) and her name is Ashleigh (go figure :lol: ). So when you see two adults running behind a small bald child yelling "ASHLEIGH, WAIT UP!" you can figure that it will be us.

Have a wonderful trip, I am sure that you and your daughter are as excited as we are seeing that WDW is only a month away!

 

[Lilmama21]

I'll keep an eye out for ya And I'll keep my fingers crossed that it's a good vacation for both our families. Oh and if you run across any info specifically related to that time, let me know..this website has been a godsend because the disney.com site is slightly confusing to me LOL.

Originally posted by Ashleigh
I hope we do run into you when we are there! Wouldn't that be funny. I will definately keep my eyes peeled for you and your daughter. Keep a look out for us too! It will be my husband, my daughter and myself. My daughter is 14 months old (but she is very petite and still pretty bald so she looks younger) and her name is Ashleigh (go figure :lol: ). So when you see two adults running behind a small bald child yelling "ASHLEIGH, WAIT UP!" you can figure that it will be us.

Have a wonderful trip, I am sure that you and your daughter are as excited as we are seeing that WDW is only a month away!

 

[bjlc57]

buy the BOOK.. Before you GO!!

ANY one who has never been to WDW needs to buy the BOOK. Bob Shleshingers( spel) Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. This one book, alone will turn any Disney trip into a complete trip and not one of confusion or one at the end saying, gees, I wish that I had done that. Its that important!!

 

[epcot2004]

Definately see IllumiNations and Wishes, they are both better than Fantasmic (in my opinion). DisneyQuest is a great thing to do, we usually go for 4-6 hours every other trip. It has some virtual reality experiances, arcade games, and The Cheesecake Factory Express (yum). I don't know if they still do it but admission was half off late in the evening (I think admission is included in the Ultimat Park Hopper).

 

[Lilmama21]

Re: buy the BOOK.. Before you GO!!

Originally posted by bjlc57
ANY one who has never been to WDW needs to buy the BOOK. Bob Shleshingers( spel) Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. This one book, alone will turn any Disney trip into a complete trip and not one of confusion or one at the end saying, gees, I wish that I had done that. Its that important!!

I checked out the Unofficial Guide to WDW with kids by Bob from the Library. It seems geared towards parents with smaller children but has been helpful. If they have the UG to WDW when I return this one, I'll definitely check it out!

 

[Lilmama21]

Originally posted by epcot2004
Definately see IllumiNations and Wishes, they are both better than Fantasmic (in my opinion). DisneyQuest is a great thing to do, we usually go for 4-6 hours every other trip. It has some virtual reality experiances, arcade games, and The Cheesecake Factory Express (yum). I don't know if they still do it but admission was half off late in the evening (I think admission is included in the Ultimat Park Hopper).

Okay, check, those are on the list! And I didn't know they had a CF there, my mom and I love the one in Chicago

 

[bjlc57]

Re: Re: buy the BOOK.. Before you GO!!

Originally posted by Lilmama21
I checked out the Unofficial Guide to WDW with kids by Bob from the Library. It seems geared towards parents with smaller children but has been helpful. If they have the UG to WDW when I return this one, I'll definitely check it out!

Oh I have to disagree, The park viewing plans are superior to anything else. Also buy the CURRENT Book because the patterns are much different then the first year that we bought and used the book.
This book alone, let us see all four parks in THREE DAYS, In Magic kingdom we no e ticket rides. In Animal kingdom we went on the top three rides mulitple times,
in Epcot, we only missed the test track because I got sick on Mission Space. and we only missed the Rock n' Roller coaster because we were exhausted from doing multiple rides on AK in the morning. for the rest of the parks we SAW IT ALL !!!!! And this was the week of March 17th when the parks were very packed. All the resorts were supposed to be sold out.

Truley this book makes all the difference in the world in the four times that we have done Disney in the past 15 years.