Planning my first adult trip!!!

[pasties]

Hello everyone,

first of all this is my first thread so if it is in the wrong section i do appoligise, i have been on Disney a few times as a child, However, i want to take my girlfriend who has never been before, so i was hoping anyone out there reading this could give me some advise?

well here i go, i hope i dont go on too long but im really excited.........

1)what is the best time to go? i have been thinking of going for 3 weeks going in the last week of November 2006 bringing me for 2 weeks in december as well? is this a good time?are the prices more expemsive as it is christmas time?

2)I have stayed in an off site hotel and in Port Orleans as a child, but would really like to stay in a Disney Hotel and at the Animal Kingdom resort hotel, i presume this is a good hotel?if anyone has any views on it i would be very gratefull as to what you think of it and is it worth paying the extra money to stay their rather than at another cheraper disney hotel?

3)who should i book my package through to save a bit of money, does anyone have any suggestions? should i bookdirect through Disney?what benefits does that bring or will i get just as good a deal with an high street holiday company? can anyone recommend any that are good/cheap?

Basically i want to go last week of november and first 2 weeks in december HOWEVER if any other time is considerably cheaper i would go then, any one a cheaper time of year?

well i think thats it for now, all help and advise would be gratefully appreciated.

many thanks

eirian

 

[helliker]

Let me try to answer your questions.

1) 3 weeks is a long time! The time you said is a very good time because all of the Xmas decorations and events will be going on. It also is not very busy at that time except for around Thanksgiving. September after Labor Day and October are also good times to go because it is not very busy and the weather is still very warm. Park admission prices should be the same and airfare actually might be cheaper then since it is after the busy travel season. I'm not sure about hotel rates because I think they change a lot but since it is less busy I think they are cheaper. Oh and you should also look into getting an Annual Pass. I think it isn't much more expensive than a 10 day ticket and it can get you discounts at certain places. Also the normal tickets expire 14 days after first use and the no expiration option is expensive.

2) I've never stayed at AK Lodge but I have been there and it is very nice. The only problem is that it is not near anything except for AK. The favorite hotel I've stayed at is Wilderness Lodge. But you should definitely stay at Disney because of their excellent guest services (Magical Express, Refillable Mugs, Free Resort Delivery, Free Transportation, etc). Whether it is worth paying the extra money is wether you plan on actually spending time at the hotel. You might want to consider switching between several hotels so you can experience more and/or save money.

3) We always book straight from Disney.

I also recommend that you check out Universal since you will be there for so long, especially if you like thrill rides. Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are the only other parks I've been to which are close to Disney quality.

Check out http://www.allearsnet.com it has tons of info.

 

[jordanyosh]

Hey Welcome to WDWMagic.

I will try and help you out.

1) The time between Thanksgiving and Xmas is a great time to go. Not the busiest time of the year and alot of Christmas festivities going on. Weather is unpredictable. It can be 70s-80s or 60s during the day. It is usually pretty cool in the evenings. January and Early February are also about the same crowd and weather wise, but w/o the Xmas stuff.

2) AKL is great. However, if you are staying 2-3 weeks, you may want to split your stay among a few resorts. The Epcot resorts--the Swan/Dolphin, Boardwalk Inn/Villas or Yacht/Beach Club are all within walking distance of both Epcot and MGM. These might be ones you might consider for convenience.

Can't really give you help on how to book as I have always gotten good deals since my cousin in a DVC member. It always saves me my room costs....

Good luck...feel free to ask more ?????

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

1) WELCOME :wave:

2) Check out Kingdom Konsultant re all your holiday needs, wants etc

 

[pasties]

thanks for all your help so far, all of which as been really really helpfull.

Call me dump but when is labour day etc etc and any other date sus brits should be aware of?i have read that at some times in the year lots of chearleaders and bans arrive at disney, any date sthat should try to be avoided?

thanks again

 

[pasties]

The reason i want to go for 3 weeks is that i am travelling over form the UK so want as much time as possible

 

[AkiraRaptor]

Being one who loves Animal Kingdom Lodge, I'll address that one.

Don't listen to all the "it's to far away" and "you can't walk to a park" rants. :lookaroun AKL has a great bus transportation system, and if you look below in my sig line, you'll see the bus ride times to the parks. And if you were to stay at say the WL, Poly, or GF, you'll end up taking just as long or longer getting to MGM or AK.

The lodge is absolutly stunning. You'll be wow'd when you walk into the lobby. And even though WL and AKL are similar, AKL just blows you away when you arrive. I never got that feeling from WL, or any of the other places. ANd the only one I consider themed enough to stay in other than AKL is Poly.

The resturanst are two of the best on property (Jiko and Boma). You'd be foolish not to get a reservation at both of them at least once durning your trip.

And all the other little things like art, history, story telling, night vision glasses, the wonderful CMs, and of course, the animals. All of these make AKL almost a mini theme park in itself.

If you did want to "mix it up", and 3 weeks is a long time, then split it up to other resorts. But I'd hold AKL to the end and make it the longest stay. It's a great way to enjoy your stay.

Also, you could upgrade to a consierge room. This will get you the lounge, and all the food they serve all day long. Plus access to 3 special tours, two of which are exclusive to AKL.

If you have more question about AKL, let me know. We've been going every year since the year it opened.

Have fun!

 

[Jekyll Baker]

Hi Pasties, Welcome!

Labor Day (American spelling ) is the first Monday of September and Labor Day weekend is considered the last big blowout of Summer. I personally like the couple weeks right after that for WDW trips. I was actually there 2 weeks ago and crowds are very low, especially since schools have started back anywhere from early August to early September. It's still fairly warm, averaging upper 80's (but this year Hurricane Ophelia kinda changed the weather a little and it usually ended up in the mid-90's). I think the second best time to go is early-mid January. Crowds are low (but not as low as September I think), and some of the Christmas decor is still up in places (if that interests you at all).

Animal Kingdom Lodge is a beautiful resort to stay at, but like someone else said, it seems a bit distant from most everything. My favorite deluxe resort is Wilderness Lodge. It has a similar feel to AKL (but without the animals), and it's just about next to the Magic Kingdom. I also like Port Orleans French Quarter - my favorite moderate resort. But also like someone stated earlier, if you're going to be there for 3 weeks, why not try 3 or 4 different resorts. But if you do, if you mix resorts of different types (value, moderate, deluxe), try to start with the lower-end first and build up to the higher end resorts. I've done two resorts in one trip before and started at a deluxe and moved to a moderate - to me it was a bit of an emotional deflation, even though both resorts are very nice taken by themselves.

 

[bgraham34]

You might want to spend some time offsite and not on Disney Property to save some money. Check out other parts of Florida as well if you can.

 

[AkiraRaptor]

You might want to spend some time offsite and not on Disney Property to save some money. Check out other parts of Florida as well if you can.

I thought Orlando only consisted of an airport, WDW and a road connecting them. There are offsite things to do in Orlando? :wave:

 

[KevinPage]

Christmas/Holiday time is EASILY my favorite time of year. The beginning of December is less crowded & you get to experience all the holidaydecorations and shows.

Not to mention you can visit all the different resorts to see their holiday decor.

If your girlfriend likes Xmas decorations or that time of year, it's a no brainer.

I reccomend staying at a Disney resort to get the "full effect" of the Disney experience. There are hotels for every budget range you are looking at.

BUT if you can, I would reccomend spending a little more to get a room at the 1 - Wilderness Lodge or 2 - Animal Kingdom Lodge.

I like the Wilderness Lodge over AKL due to its location on Seven Seas Lagoon and boat service to Magic Kingdom and the other monorail resorts. Doesn't get any better than that, not to mention the hotel is beautiful & it's one of the cheaper "high end" resorts.

 

[swimmom]

If I were staying for three weeks, I would definately spend my time in three different resorts. My choices would be Animal Kingdom Resort with a Savanna view. Yacht or Beach club for it's location near Epcot and Wilderness Lodge because it's my favorite resort near the MK & they have great Christmas decorations. Switching resorts is not a lot of work other than having to pack up your things. Disney will move everything for you.

 

[mrtoad]

We have not gone at that time but have gone in the fall and it is nice but the weather is unpredictable. We usually go in the late January early February time and even though it can be chilly sometimes (assuming the same when you are thinking of going) it is a nice time to visit.

You might want to check with Kingdom Konsultants on when to go. If you are going for that long an Annual Pass is the way to go but you might want to push your trip back a bit to hopefully get an AP discount. You are too close now I think to get one for that trip. The difference can be huge. We are going this January and staying at the Wilderness Lodge which is the same price structure as the Animal Kingdom Lodge. The price would normally be $205 plus tax per night. With the AP discount we are paying $135.00. Over 3 weeks that would be some savings!

Pam at Kingdom Konsultants (you can find her here as a member) is awesome to deal with. She will book your dining as well for you. She will save you money for sure, give her a call.

Lastly, you user name - do you mean the type you eat in the UK or the other kind.... :animwink:

Hello everyone,

first of all this is my first thread so if it is in the wrong section i do appoligise, i have been on Disney a few times as a child, However, i want to take my girlfriend who has never been before, so i was hoping anyone out there reading this could give me some advise?

well here i go, i hope i dont go on too long but im really excited.........

1)what is the best time to go? i have been thinking of going for 3 weeks going in the last week of November 2006 bringing me for 2 weeks in december as well? is this a good time?are the prices more expemsive as it is christmas time?

2)I have stayed in an off site hotel and in Port Orleans as a child, but would really like to stay in a Disney Hotel and at the Animal Kingdom resort hotel, i presume this is a good hotel?if anyone has any views on it i would be very gratefull as to what you think of it and is it worth paying the extra money to stay their rather than at another cheraper disney hotel?

3)who should i book my package through to save a bit of money, does anyone have any suggestions? should i bookdirect through Disney?what benefits does that bring or will i get just as good a deal with an high street holiday company? can anyone recommend any that are good/cheap?

Basically i want to go last week of november and first 2 weeks in december HOWEVER if any other time is considerably cheaper i would go then, any one a cheaper time of year?

well i think thats it for now, all help and advise would be gratefully appreciated.

many thanks

eirian

 

[pasties]

yes it is my nick name as my family used to run a bakery that made pasties, as in cornish pastie, cheese and onion pastie etc etc

 

[darthdarrel]

yes it is my nick name as my family used to run a bakery that made pasties, as in cornish pastie, cheese and onion pastie etc etc

Pasties? isn't that supposed to be pastries? :wave:

 

[SpongeScott]

Pasties? isn't that supposed to be pastries? :wave:

This is a pastie.
http://www.dbeinla.org/pastie.jpg

 

[HunnyPot]

Hello everyone,

first of all this is my first thread so if it is in the wrong section i do appoligise, i have been on Disney a few times as a child, However, i want to take my girlfriend who has never been before, so i was hoping anyone out there reading this could give me some advise?

well here i go, i hope i dont go on too long but im really excited.........

1)what is the best time to go? i have been thinking of going for 3 weeks going in the last week of November 2006 bringing me for 2 weeks in december as well? is this a good time?are the prices more expemsive as it is christmas time?

2)I have stayed in an off site hotel and in Port Orleans as a child, but would really like to stay in a Disney Hotel and at the Animal Kingdom resort hotel, i presume this is a good hotel?if anyone has any views on it i would be very gratefull as to what you think of it and is it worth paying the extra money to stay their rather than at another cheraper disney hotel?

3)who should i book my package through to save a bit of money, does anyone have any suggestions? should i bookdirect through Disney?what benefits does that bring or will i get just as good a deal with an high street holiday company? can anyone recommend any that are good/cheap?

Basically i want to go last week of november and first 2 weeks in december HOWEVER if any other time is considerably cheaper i would go then, any one a cheaper time of year?

well i think thats it for now, all help and advise would be gratefully appreciated.

many thanks

eirian

1.) Wow, three weeks! Your girlfriend is so lucky! I think your going at a good time of year. The crowds might pick up a little on the weekends, but I think you've picked a good time. The Christmas decorations are wonderful, so that will be great.

2.) I think it's worth it to pay for staying at a Disney resort. I've stayed both on and off site, and staying on site has always been better. IMO it's worth the money. I've never stayed at Animal Kingdom, but from what I've heard, if you stay there, get a savannah room. If you do want to save a little money on the room, Port Orleans is a very nice place (you said you've stayed there, so you know) and very romantic.

3.) I would consult with Pam at Kingdom Konsultants. She's a member on this board and very helpful. There is a link on the main page for her website. I would check with her. She'll be a great help.

We're going in January with someone who has never been before. Don't forget to make priority seating reservations if you are wanting to do a character breakfast. You will also need a PS for eating at most table service places, to make sure you get a table. I hope you have a magical trip! Oh, and welcome to the boards! :wave: