Share Your Tips - Going back after 10 years!

[jozzmenia]

OK, I haven't been to Disney since about 1995 and am suffering serious withdrawal. I am a HUGE Disney World fan. I just graduated from law school last month and am studying for the bar exam :brick:. So I'm going back :sohappy: to celebrate either in August after I take the Bar Exam, or in December because I want to see it around Christmas. I went to Orlando last summer but only went to Universal because the people I was with think Disney is too expensive and just for kids. I've been keeping up with all the new rides and parks and things and I am going crazy because I CAN'T WAIT! I have so many great memories from that place. We will probably stay in my uncle's time share condo again (Westgate Lakes), which is fine...close to Universal. Anyway, I can't wait to go to Disney again.

We will be in Orlando for a week (at least ). Any ideas for things like:
mid-August or Christmas?
where to go each day
what passes to get
where to eat
where to hang out
ways to save money (my boyfriend is terrified because I went to Disneyworld.com to price my dream vacation for a week - airfare from Michigan, meals, tickets, spa treatments, a suite at the Grand Floridian :lol: and it came out to $9000 for 2 people for one week so he thinks it will cost that much).
I'm 25 years old by the way.

Let the feedback begin!

 

[jozzmenia]

No one's excited for me?

No one want to share tips?

 

[SIR90210]

Go in early December. The Christmas season will have begun, but crowds will not yet be huge. The weather will be warmer than Michigan, but not scorching hot. I wish you best of luck in planning your trip and in taking the bar exam, my aunt takes it next year.

BTW, Welcome aboard, you'll have a great time! :wave:

 

[lawyergirl77]

The non-Disney answer? You should go in mid-August... You'll need the mental break between the Bar exam and work (or search for work). Trust me, your brain will thank you for it!!!!

 

[ssidiouss@mac.c]

JOZZZZZ!!!! Heres my disney tips.. of what TO BE SURE TO DO :

<NOTE: This info is geared for me and my wife.. we are 30 years old and try to do stuff that is romantic and fun at the same time. We have no kids.>

MOST IMPORTANT TIP : STAY ON DINSEY PROPERTY!!!!
Pop Century resort is a great way to save money as its newer than most of the mid level resorts and almost as nice.. and even feels more "disney" to me. No matter where you stay though, be sure its ON DISNEY PROPERTY. You will not have to drive, you can get tipsy or stay out late and just get a monorail, bus, boat, etc right to ur resort so ez. And the most important thing is that you feel imersed in the magic.. because u never leave

{FOOD}

Lunch Spots (counter service) to do at least once that are above the norm:
Flame Tree Barbecue when your in Animal Kingdom
Columbia Harbor House when your in Magic Kingdom
Sci-Fi Drive In when your in MGM

Dinner Spots (sit down) to do at least once that I found the most magical:
Liberty Tree Tavern when your in Magic Kingdom
Biergarten when your in Epcot
Fultons Crab House when your in Downtown Disney
Ohana's is great too at the Polynesian
Whispering Canyon Cafe is awesome as well at the Wilderness Lodge


Newer Rides that may have been built since your last trip that I think are not to be missed :

Magic Kingdom:
- Mickeys Phil Harmagic
- Splash Mountain

Epcot:
- Test Track
- Soarin
- Mission Space

MGM
- Tower Of Terror
- Rock N Rollercoaster

Animal Kingdom
- Train To Rafiki's Planet Watch
- Kali River Rapids
- Dinosaur

Blizzard Beach
- Summit Plummet

Theres so many classic rides that were there when you were last in disney so I wont mention those.. you know all those

A few more tips to make your trip more magical :

- Watch Illuminations one night at the end of your epcot day
- Watch Wishes one night at the end of your magic kingdom day
- Watch Phantasmic one night at the end of your MGM day
- Go to Downtown Disney at least one night late after the parks and try Disney Quest if you like arcade games, or the comedy club, etc. It is a very cool looking place at night.
- Go to the Boardwalk area at least one night after Epcot closed since you can walk right to it. This place really shines at night and has a very fun place called JellyRolls where therea are these dueling piano's playing requests and joking around.. just an awesome time. If you like sports do not miss the ESPN bar.. they even have flat tvs above each urinal when you go to the bathroom so you dont miss the game
- Try to make a day where you do MGM in the day and the epcot countries at night so you can take the boatride from MGM to EPCOT.
- The summerland/winderland mini-golf course is awesome and is located at Blizzard Beach (you dont have to inside the water park either)
- Make sure you get the park hopper option on all your tickets so you can xfer all over the place!

 

[unkadug]

Be sure to check out Pleasure Island since you weren't of age last trip.
I'd probably invest in a good guide book also, since so much has been added.

 

[wannabeBelle]

bestest tip so far coming right atcha!!! Check out this thread:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?threadid=57146
Ways to save money are ALWAYS a good thing!!! Belle

 

[LoriMistress]

Go in December. If you can stay at your Uncle's condo, then do that. That will save you money. If you don't want to do that, stay at a VALUE RESORT!!! Usually that time of year you can get a great package. What I would suggest doing is looking online for some great deals (airfare, hotel, tickets, etc.) And just start planning. DH and I save money, and found ways to save money. We only had about $700 spending money for a week vacation. We really didn't buy suvineers on our trip (we bought our Disney gifts at the Disney Store at the Houstin Airport that was on clearance with an additional 40% off. We brought snacks and bottled water for our trip, and bought lunch late (so it would be an early breakfest) and that saved us a lot of money!!! Just do your research and you'll be able to find some great deals and tips.

 

[Deaclaw]

Here is the best tip.....

Study hard for the Bar exam so you only have to take it once....LOL...

 

[tinkish]

No one's excited for me?

No one want to share tips?

I'm excited for you! ...but, I beat you...cuz I haven't been to WDW since 1990...so, I can't help you very much.

 

[DisneyMarg]

Hey! We're going down Sat and staying at Westgate Towers. Is that an OK place - do you know?


We've always stayed offsite except for a trip at Easter. We did the whole MYW package with room, tickets, and dining plan and really had a ball. But the only way we can afford this trip is to use the condo offsite and leftover tickets from March. But any Disney trip is better than no Disney trip, right?

 

[swimmom]

We've been in August & December, and I will never go back in August. It was 90-100 & humid everyday and it rained every afternoon. In December we had days in the 70's some nights were cool but no rain the entire trip. However the package with the free dining would tempt me to go in August if I were you.

 

[dvcnut39]

Go in early December. The Christmas season will have begun, but crowds will not yet be huge. The weather will be warmer than Michigan, but not scorching hot. I wish you best of luck in planning your trip and in taking the bar exam, my aunt takes it next year.

BTW, Welcome aboard, you'll have a great time! :wave:

Ditto! We try to go in early December every year. We'll be at SSR 3-11DEC05. The parks are all decorated for Christmas, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is wonderful, and they don't call the lull between Thanksgiving and Christmas "the secret season" for nothing.

Universal and IOA are also great this time of year. The turn Suess Landing into Whoville, featuring Grinchmas. We always go their one day out of our trip.

A few more tips-

1.) get to the parks before they open.

2.) keep reading this board and ask more questions- everyone is great and always willing to help.

3.) buy some WDW and USF/IOA trip planning books

Hopefully this helps. Remember, the more homework you do planning your trip, the more fun you'll have.

 

[KevinPage]

I personally LOVE early December. You get lighter crowds than summer and all the Xmas/Holiday decorations and shows are there for your enjoyment.

It's like getting something FREE at WDW.

If you want to stay at a nice Disney resort, but not break the bank, Animal Kingdom Lodge is PERFECT. It's a Deluxe resort, in same Category as Grand Floridian & Polynesian, but much cheaper and you can request a room with a Savannah view.

Also, make sure to check out www.mousesavers.com , it has tons of discount codes and tips.

Have fun

 

[S_Grise]

MOST IMPORTANT TIP : STAY ON DINSEY PROPERTY!!!!

I could not agree more!

Dinner Spots (sit down) to do at least once that I found the most magical:
Liberty Tree Tavern when your in Magic Kingdom
Biergarten when your in Epcot
Fultons Crab House when your in Downtown Disney
Ohana's is great too at the Polynesian
Whispering Canyon Cafe is awesome as well at the Wilderness Lodge

I agree that a sit down dinner at a nice place at least once is a worthwhile expenditure. For romantic dining, I recommend O'Hana's or The Brown Derby at MGM.

A few more tips to make your trip more magical :- Watch Illuminations one night at the end of your epcot day
- Watch Wishes one night at the end of your magic kingdom day
- Watch Phantasmic one night at the end of your MGM day
- Try to make a day where you do MGM in the day and the epcot countries at night so you can take the boatride from MGM to EPCOT.
- Make sure you get the park hopper option on all your tickets so you can xfer all over the place!

All excellent advice. For $ saving tips, I recommend bringing your own granola bars or other snacky things that can easily be slipped into a pocket or pouch. Also getting the refillable mugs from the resort. Have fun and write a trip report afterwards!

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

Ok, here are my few tips (in no particular order)...and I'm sure I'll probably add more as I think of them.

Extra Magic Hours - I'm sure you've heard about this, if you've been keeping up with things. This is only for people staying in Disney Resorts (value resorts are great, btw...All Star Music is my personal fave. They shouldn't cost TOO much if you go during an off-season)...so if you decide to go that route, definately take advantage of this. When I was there last week, AK stayed open until 10pm, Epcot stayed open until 12am, and MK stayed open until 2am on selected nights...very cool!

Animal Kingdom - Not a WHOLE lot to do there, but definately worth a visit! Gotta do Kilimanjaro Safari and It's Tough to be a Bug! And you might even want to check out Animal Kingdom Lodge because, imo, you see more animals there than on the safari, and the resort is just too beautiful to miss!

Illuminations: Reflections of Earth - imo, the BEST fireworks show EVER!! You can NOT miss this! I get teary-eyed every time I see it, and I usually see it 2-3 times every trip.

Wishes - another incredible new fireworks show! This one's probably my second favorite of all time! I'm still amazed at how close those fireworks are to the castle now!

Soarin - the most amazing similator ever! I did it twice last week! But get a Fastpass for it; the first time I did it, I stood in line for 50 min, which was actually good because it had been a 90 min wait.

Test Track - definately one of my favorite attractions! The outside loop is such a rush!

Lights, Motors, Action! - to be honest, I wasn't planning on seeing this when I went last week. For one thing, I'm not really an action movie/car chase/big explosion type of gal, and I was still a bit bitter about them removing Residental Street for it. But the rest of my family wanted to do it, so I thought I might as well. Lemme tell you, it's AWESOME! The things people can do with cars....wow...just wow! You can't miss this!

Rockin' Rollercoaster - if you're into rollercoasters, this is definately a must-do while at WDW! I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to big drops and the like, and I didn't think I'd like going upside-down...but my sister made me do it once, and I've been a fan ever since!

Downtown Disney (Marketplace, Pleasure Island, and West Side)- There's been LOTS of changes since your last visit! It's better than it ever has been, and just keeps getting better. There's so much to do and see there, now! And if you have the time and money, I highly recommend seeing the Cirque du Soleil show La Nouba!

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin - such a fun attraction! I have to do it every time I go to WDW.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - really cute, and worth a look! That is, if you're not one of the many still bitter about Mr. Toad's Wild Ride being gone

Mickey's PhilharMagic - again, really cute and another must-see!

....that's about all the new stuff I can think of at the moment.
Places I'd recommend for eating (both old and new) - Wolfgang Puck Express, The Earl of Sandwich (haven't eaten there, but they have a great banana and chocolate smoothie...and jalepano potato chips, which I fell in love with!), Ghiradelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop (the best chocolate milkshakes ever!), Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, Mama Melrose (ate there for the first time last week, and I love their flat-bread pizza!), Pizza Planet (if you don't want to spend so much on pizza), Aloha Isle (who can resist a Dole Whip?), Boulangerie Patisserie (it's not truly a visit to Disney if you don't go to the French bakery), Lotus Blossom Cafe (if you like Chinese...I love their lo mein), Flame Tree Barbecue (I'm not a big fan, but my family loves it)....just to name a few...of course, there's tons more great places, but that's just a few of my (and my family's) favorites.

If you want an un-bias view of the World, invest in the lastest version of Birnbaum's (if you haven't already)...it'll be your best friend when it comes to planning your vacation.
Keep us updated on everything! :wave:

 

[jozzmenia]

Man you guys are getting me so excited! I can't wait. But you've got me thinking of waiting til arounf Christmas - my birthday is December 11th! But I think I'll stick to August, hoping it's not TOO hot. My family always went between June and August and it wasn't horrible. If so there's always pools and waterparks. I always worry about the lines. Are they bad that time of year? (Aug. 21-28). Thanks for the restaurant suggestions, I always like those. Plus it's my boyfriend's first time even going to Orlando so we will be trying to do and see everything (maybe I will go in Aug AND December). What are the good couple things? Pleasure Island? restaurants? helicopter ride? etc.

I probably won't stay at Disney this time around because the time share works out great and ends up cheap (it's nice to have a full kitchen, washer and dryer and blender to make delicious fresh smoothies every morning.) Plus we have shuttle to the parks. We're only payin 200 for the week, but if i do go in December it will probably just be a long weekend so I think I'll check out the Disney resorts. Depending on how much money i have saved, i was thinking Caribbean beach or coronado springs for the beach and waterslides, or polynesian, or beach villas (i REALLY like to have a kitchen on vacation, unless it's just for a weekend). anyway, keep the suggestions comin. U guys are great!

 

[MissM]

Take it from a 20 year Floriday resident - don't do disney in the months of June, July or August. It's simply miserable. The heat is so intense, it's impossible to put it into words. The sun is scortching (and our UV index is much higher here then the rest of the country, meaning you get burnt WAY faster). The families are out in droves because all the kids are off from school, so it's packed. It also rains every afternoon in the summer. Sometimes for ten minutes, sometimes on-and-off for hours. There's also a lot of lightning which means there's often temp closures for things (like Big Thunder or Splash Mountain) for safety reasons. It's also smack-dab in the middle of hurrican season.

Hot, crowded, miserable humidity, crappy rainy afternoons, and a merciless sun. Really, it's not worth going during the summer because it's just not a good experience. And I'd hate after ten years for you to have a sour trip to the 'World. It's too great of a place.

No matter how much I love Disney (and I do), I don't go in the summer. To me, it's not worth being that uncomfortable and that unhappy. I only have to drive an hour an a half to get there. I'd feel really bad for someone who flew down special and was daunted by the heat and crowds.
-m

 

[GymLeaderPhil]

You would have a much nicer time if you went around the first week of December, after Thanksgiving though.

August is hot and when it's not hot, it's raining. It's crowded because some kids are still off from school and there might not be many crowds due to hurricane fears from last year. I would much rather pick December over August.

 

[jozzmenia]

Is it always warm in December? I was talking to some of the people who are going with us and they were worried it might be cold (cold meaning in the 50s or 60s, which is hot for Michigan but cold for Florida ). When is it in the low to upper 70s? I want to be able to swim in the pools and get a tan while it's hot, but not die of heat stroke while waiting in line. When is that? Also, when do the Christmas decorations first go up? Thanks!