Help me Plan my First WDW trip... I think its really happening this time...three's a charm.

[mickEblu]

Yeah, if prices are somewhat comparable and the construction isn't as bad as some folks have suggested, I'd totally choose the Poly too.

Sci-Fi Dine-In is great! Good call, I forgot all about that.

Bit off topic, but is the pre-show going to be different at Disneyland's M&MRR? I thought we were still going to be "going through the screen," as at DHS.

Thanks off the top of my head it’s the first restaurant that comes to mind when I think WDW. I’m sure the food is just ok but it’s always at the top of the list.

The pre show will most likely be the same even if the setting is a little different. But they haven’t really said for sure as far as I know.

 

[mickEblu]

So many people have such valuable information for you! We just did a huge family vacation (3 families) from May 7-23 this year. Four children aged 7, 4, 2 and 1. The weather this year was brutally hot, 33-34 everyday (Canadian…sorry for the Celsius)! I believe that was unusually hot. I would agree that April would be the best weather time for you to go.

I haven’t been to Uni for a while but I would question going there with kids as young as you mentioned. Not that much for them to do there and the whining about being “bored” when they are waiting around a lot is real!

We stayed at AKL and having only buses to go anywhere was inconvenient for sure so I would stay on property but somewhere where you have options for transport.

We had 9 day passes, no park hoppers because the kids were so little that we started very early, had one dining reservation a day, usually lunch to give them a cool break. We then were able to feel refreshed and carry on for a few more hours. One family wrapped up their day at the latest by dinner time and those kids were done. Once those kids were back at the pool there was no way they wanted to hop anywhere else. You might want to consider that the little kids might want to be done their day with a pool swim and being at the hotel. We never regretted not having hoppers at all but that might have been due to the fact that transportation was a bigger issue for us. But the 2 and 4 year olds were really done once they got to the hotel.

You will have a wonderful trip but it’s very hard to anticipate how small children will react to things and in some parks there is very little for them to go on so there a lot of waiting around for them which can really be trying at times!

But you will enjoy and the last suggestion I would have is to do Genie+ in MK and HS for sure. I know it’s pricey but like my son in law said to me if it cuts down a 60 minute wait to 10-20 mins or even less it’s definitely worth it!

If you have any other questions I can help with let me know! Also make sure to do Typhoon Lagoon. Definitely worth it.

Thanks for the response! Yeah March is sounding better and better. If it was that hot in May, than mid/ late April might not be that much better. Uni is sounding like it’s not worth it between all the responses. However an idea just popped im my head. Since we re also going with my sisters family we could stay at a USO hotel for two nights and alternate babysitting. I’ll do a USO park hopper one day with the wide while they stay at the hotel/ pool with the kids then vice versa.

My sister wants to stay AK and she might do that but I agree with you. If I’m going to spend the money on a Deluxe I need transpo to be more convenient.

I appreciate you sharing your experience with the young kids. Definitely something to think about. Definitely don’t want to go balls to the wall every day although there might be a few days where end up doing that. I’m not too worried about the kids as they re seasoned DL vets at this point but I understand WDW is different beast and much different than our 8 hour trips to DL.

Definitely doing Genie +! Definitely Worth it for a once a decade trip like this. Typhoon lagoon sounds great if we go in April. Not sure if we go Feb or March. We’ll probably play that one by ear on one of our “down days” depending on weather and how we’re feeling.

 

[mickEblu]

A standard view 2 BR villa is 364 points for a week and that sleeps 9. Points rent out for a max of $20pp. So 7 nights in a 2 BR would cost you $7,280 or $3,640 per family and the rooms are awesome. David’s DVC rental is the top place to rent from.

Here is a link to the points charts.

Google Search

Hmmm at that price point I think I’d rather just spend a little more money and have a hotel experience. They don’t do housekeeping in DVC rooms right? Regardless, thank you for sharing as I do appreciate knowing my options. I will take a closer look at it.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

If you’re doing all four parks with the kids, I’d do it in this order: Epcot, DAK, DHS ( two and three are swappable based on taste) and save MK for last. Begin with the least kid focused.

 

[Too Many Hats]

Thanks off the top of my head it’s the first restaurant that comes to mind when I think WDW. I’m sure the food is just ok but it’s always at the top of the list.

Yeah now that I think of it, the food at Sci-Fi is mediocre at best haha. But the experience is fun and memorable for kids.

 

[SaucyBoy]

They don’t do housekeeping in DVC rooms right?

Housekeeping services are limited in DVC resorts. The type of service you receive depends on your length of stay. For example (and I may be wrong), if you're staying less than 8 days, you only get daily trash and towel services. A full clean comes past the 8th day, assuming you're not checking out.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Any chance they announce Magical Express is coming back since the train isn’t happening anymore?

Highly unlikely, unfortunately.

They now have what is basically the exact same service running, but it's called something else and it's no longer free. Might still be convenient, though clearly less so than before.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

Thanks for the response! I don’t think we’ll be able to do Victoria and Alberts with all the young ones.

Any chance they announce Magical Express is coming back since the train isn’t happening anymore?

We used a car service and it was pretty cheap, they even let us stop at the local grocery store to buy some supplies for cheaper Cost than Disney sells.

 

[IanDLBZF]

Housekeeping services are limited in DVC resorts. The type of service you receive depends on your length of stay. For example (and I may be wrong), if you're staying less than 8 days, you only get daily trash and towel services. A full clean comes past the 8th day, assuming you're not checking out.

I believe the only exception to this is for non-DVC members staying at Old Key West, Rivera, and Saratoga springs. Those guests will receive full housekeeping services every other day, or upon request.

 

[mickEblu]

If you’re doing all four parks with the kids, I’d do it in this order: Epcot, DAK, DHS ( two and three are swappable based on taste) and save MK for last. Begin with the least kid focused.

That’s a pro parent move! With the 6-7 park days though I would have to do some of the same parks back to back. I think my priority would be avoiding MK on weekends and avoiding back to back park days at the same park although it’s not really a deal breaker. Something to consider though and appreciate you mentioning it. I’ll find a way to factor it in where I can.

 

[mickEblu]

Housekeeping services are limited in DVC resorts. The type of service you receive depends on your length of stay. For example (and I may be wrong), if you're staying less than 8 days, you only get daily trash and towel services. A full clean comes past the 8th day, assuming you're not checking out.

Yeah this would not work for us. Especially if we’re paying 80% of what we would be paying at a Deluxe Resort

 

[mickEblu]

Highly unlikely, unfortunately.

They now have what is basically the exact same service running, but it's called something else and it's no longer free. Might still be convenient, though clearly less so than before.

Oh that’s good news! I didn’t know their was a similar service running. I’m assuming just a bus that takes you from the airport to your hotel. No bag service right?

 

[mickEblu]

We used a car service and it was pretty cheap, they even let us stop at the local grocery store to buy some supplies for cheaper Cost than Disney sells.

I think with the kids some Magical Express knock off would just be easier because of the whole car seat situation.

 

[mickEblu]

Would it be crazy just to do a 1 day park hopper at USO for the greatest hits tour (with the kids) while staying at my hotel at WDW? Isn’t just about 30 min away? Sounds easier than checking the whole fam into a new hotel.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

Would it be crazy just to do a 1 day park hopper at USO for the greatest hits tour (with the kids) while staying at my hotel at WDW? Isn’t just about 30 min away? Sounds easier than checking the whole fam into a new hotel.

Yes that’s doable

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

That’s a pro parent move! With the 6-7 park days though I would have to do some of the same parks back to back. I think my priority would be avoiding MK on weekends and avoiding back to back park days at the same park although it’s not really a deal breaker. Something to consider though and appreciate you mentioning it. I’ll find a way to factor it in where I can.

I've used this many times. When you begin with the parks that are more adult oriented, the kids discover they can be delighted by what they don't expect to be enjoyable. They appreciate each park on its own. Our last trip like this, the kids favorite experiences ended up mostly being at Epcot: Eating in Japan, talking to the cultural representatives, riding Mission:Space etc. Every kid is different, but overall it seems to work well.

 

[Phroobar]

Would it be crazy just to do a 1 day park hopper at USO for the greatest hits tour (with the kids) while staying at my hotel at WDW? Isn’t just about 30 min away? Sounds easier than checking the whole fam into a new hotel.

Make sure to take time to rest or you will have cranky children and therefore a extremely cranky wife.

 

[mickEblu]

Make sure to take time to rest or you will have cranky children and therefore a extremely cranky wife.

Hahah. That's the goal and why we are looking at a 10 day trip. With that said, I know myself and can easily fall into this relay race mentality of hitting all the rides and experiences I can almost as if I was one of the old TV game shows where you run through the super market filing up your shopping cart with the timer running in the background.

 

[Phroobar]

Hahah. That's the goal and why we are looking at a 10 day trip. With that said, I know myself and can easily fall into this relay race mentality of hitting all the rides and experiences I can almost as if I was one of the old TV game shows where you run through the super market filing up your shopping cart with the timer running in the background.

I think they offer baby sitting while you go out to the parks. You might want to go by yourself for a couple of hours while everyone rests or goes to the pool. It's hard because you want to hit everything but everyone else will have a tough time keeping up. It is still impossible to see everything.

 

[mickEblu]

I was just thinking isn’t there a chance that Splash Mountain at WDW doesn’t close until after the 50th ends? Did they close it this past winter for refurb during the 50th? If they don’t close it until mid March that would give me a chance to ride it. It would still give them a year and half for the Retheme.