WDW Questions and Hotel Recommendations?

[mickEblu]

Hello my fine WDW magic peoples. As I get deeper into this road trip / WDW trip planning I have a couple questions I was hoping some of you could help me answer. Possibly going as soon as Sunday 4/15 for 4 nights at the resort (1-2 nights possibly outside resort) and 6 day park hoppers (though i might not use all 6 days), with the 1 counter service, 1 table meal per day. (leaves me some flexibility with 1 meal per day). They re doing a "fun in the sun" off season deal that seems pretty reasonable but only offered on what appears to be Sunday through Thursday nights. Most of these hotels they are offering the deals on seem to be in the Animal Kingdom area or Disney Springs area, I'm guessing because they are geographically less desirable?

1. Where should I stay between the Port Orleans - Riverside, Pop Century, All Star Movies, All Star Music, All Star Sports, Disney Coronado Springs, or Disney's Caribbean beach resort? Do any of these make more or less sense with a 2 year old? I'm leaning towards Port Orleans, Coronado Springs or the Caribbean beach resort. These all seem pretty centrally located. Of all the hotels listed above, only the Port Orleans- Riverside has "boat" listed as a transportation option. All of the others only have the bus option. Is this a game changer? Which parks would this boat be able to take me too if any? I don't see a waterway leading from the resort to any of the parks. Also, of all the hotels listed, only Coronado Springs is available for a 5th night. Would doing one anyone of the hotels listed above for 4 nights and then a non Disney hotel outside of the bubble for 1-2 nights be too much of hassle? I'm thinking parks day 1 and day 2. Rest on Day 3. Parks day 3 and day 4. Then maybe a half day parks day 5 and hit the road to Savannah to start my road trip. I'm just getting 6 day park hoppers to have the convenience of park hopping while I'm there. 5 day park hoppers are't available with this deal.

2. How do you recommend getting to the parks each day from the resorts I'm leaning towards above?

3. Is it possibly too late too book some of the good park restaurants and E tickets with Fast pass plus considering 4/15 is only 3 weeks out? Would it be worth postponing this trip to early/ mid May so I could be closer to 60 days out and have my pick of the litter?

4. What restaurants do you recommend to book for my table service meals at the parks? What restaurants do you recommend at Disney Springs or at any of the hotels?

5. What are some must see hotels or must see anything outside of the parks?

6. I looked up closed attractions during my desired stay and it appears only the Liberty Bell Riverboat is down out of all 4 parks. I'm thinking the list is pretty accurate considering its only 3 weeks out, right? If TOT is down, there will be hell to pay.

Thanks in advance!

 

[brb1006]

The best hotels you should check out at Walt Disney World is Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney's Contemporary Resort, and Wilderness Lodge.

 

[Master Yoda]

Hello my fine WDW magic peoples. As I get deeper into this road trip / WDW trip planning I have a couple questions I was hoping some of you could help me answer. Possibly going as soon as Sunday 4/15 for 4 nights at the resort (1-2 nights possibly outside resort) and 6 day park hoppers (though i might not use all 6 days), with the 1 counter service, 1 table meal per day. (leaves me some flexibility with 1 meal per day). They re doing a "fun in the sun" off season deal that seems pretty reasonable but only offered on what appears to be Sunday through Thursday nights. Most of these hotels they are offering the deals on seem to be in the Animal Kingdom area or Disney Springs area, I'm guessing because they are geographically less desirable? There really is not bad spot. Every resort will have parks that are closer or farther away.

1. Where should I stay between the Port Orleans - Riverside, Pop Century, All Star Movies, All Star Music, All Star Sports, Disney Coronado Springs, or Disney's Caribbean beach resort? From that list, I would go with Port Orleans Do any of these make more or less sense with a 2 year old? No. It is largely irrelevant at that age. I'm leaning towards Port Orleans, Coronado Springs or the Caribbean beach resort. Avoid Caribbean beach. The resort layout, dining, transportation and entertainment are less than desirable. There is also a good deal of construction going on. These all seem pretty centrally located. Of all the hotels listed above, only the Port Orleans- Riverside has "boat" listed as a transportation option. All of the others only have the bus option. Is this a game changer? No. The boat only goes to Disney Springs. Everything else is by bus. Which parks would this boat be able to take me too if any? None. I don't see a waterway leading from the resort to any of the parks. Also, of all the hotels listed, only Coronado Springs is available for a 5th night. Would doing one anyone of the hotels listed above for 4 nights and then a non Disney hotel outside of the bubble for 1-2 nights be too much of hassle? Not if you have a car. Changing from one Disney resort to another would be easier. It will also mess with your dining plan. If you want the dining plan for all of your days you need to do a continuous stay. I'm thinking parks day 1 and day 2. Rest on Day 3. Parks day 3 and day 4. Then maybe a half day parks day 5 and hit the road to Savannah to start my road trip. I'm just getting 6 day park hoppers to have the convenience of park hopping while I'm there. 5 day park hoppers are't available with this deal. If this deal is through Disney you should be able to do any ticket you want. You can also add days for the same price. if you only think you are going to use 4 or 5 days, get a ticket to match. As long as you have one day left on your ticket you can upgrade it.

2. How do you recommend getting to the parks each day from the resorts I'm leaning towards above? Bus. This link will give you detailed travel options for everything on property.http://www.ourlaughingplace.com/aspx/twiz.aspx

4. Is it possibly too late too book some of the good park restaurants and E tickets with Fast pass plus considering 4/15 is only 3 weeks out? Would it be worth postponing this trip to early/ mid May so I could be closer to 60 days out and have my pick of the litter? It is possible, but you won't know until you try.

5. What restaurants do you recommend to book for my table service meals at the parks? What restaurants do you recommend at Disney Springs or at any of the hotels?

5. What are some must see hotels or must see anything outside of the parks?

6. I looked up closed attractions during my desired stay and it appears only the Liberty Bell Riverboat is down out of all 4 parks. I'm thinking the list is pretty accurate considering its only 3 weeks out, right? If TOT is down, there will be hell to pay.

 

[mickEblu]

The best hotels you should check out at Walt Disney World is Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney's Contemporary Resort, and Wilderness Lodge.

Unfortunately I’m going for budget friendly and not best. I have another 10 day road trip after WDW that will be costly and a few other trips planned for later this year and I was just laid off so it’s questionable if I should be doing any of this. Lol. Thanks for the Recommendations though.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

1. Where should I stay between the Port Orleans - Riverside, Pop Century, All Star Movies, All Star Music, All Star Sports, Disney Coronado Springs, or Disney's Caribbean beach resort? Do any of these make more or less sense with a 2 year old? I'm leaning towards Port Orleans, Coronado Springs or the Caribbean beach resort. These all seem pretty centrally located. Of all the hotels listed above, only the Port Orleans- Riverside has "boat" listed as a transportation option. All of the others only have the bus option. Is this a game changer? Which parks would this boat be able to take me too if any? I don't see a waterway leading from the resort to any of the parks. Also, of all the hotels listed, only Coronado Springs is available for a 5th night. Would doing one anyone of the hotels listed above for 4 nights and then a non Disney hotel outside of the bubble for 1-2 nights be too much of hassle? I'm thinking parks day 1 and day 2. Rest on Day 3. Parks day 3 and day 4. Then maybe a half day parks day 5 and hit the road to Savannah to start my road trip. I'm just getting 6 day park hoppers to have the convenience of park hopping while I'm there. 5 day park hoppers are't available with this deal.

There are pluses and minuses to all of these resorts. POR offers a boat to Disney Springs, everywhere else is via bus. The other resorts you listed offer constant bus transportation to all parks and Disney Springs.

If you choose a value, choose Pop Century. It's contained and doesn't share buses with other resorts. The rooms are sparse but they do their job since you won't spend much time in them, and the food court is decent.

Caribbean Beach is under heavy construction. I don't know when your trip is, so that may or may not be an issue. The moderates - CBR, CSR, POR - they are all huge. I mean huge. You check in and you may have to take a bus to your area of the resort. Each has 4-5 bus stops, and if your room is at the last bus stop on the loop, the buses might be full when they arrive. So just be aware of the hugeness so you're not shocked in advance (this is one of the upsides of Pop - it's big, but not THAT big).

2. How do you recommend getting to the parks each day from the resorts I'm leaning towards above?

Your only option is buses unless you use your own car and park at each park (free with your resort stay). That can be quicker in some cases, but only for Epcot, DHS or DAK. Parking at MK is a nightmare you never want to experience, never ever ever. Don't do it.

4. Is it possibly too late too book some of the good park restaurants and E tickets with Fast pass plus considering 4/15 is only 3 weeks out? Would it be worth postponing this trip to early/ mid May so I could be closer to 60 days out and have my pick of the litter?

It's unlikely you'll be able to score Flight of Passage (DAK), Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (MK) or Frozen Ever After (EP) without a 60 day window. If that's the case, once you're inside the park open up your phone and constantly refresh the FP options until you get what you want. This almost always works.

Book your three advance FPs for the first few hours of the morning. Then you can just add new FPs throughout the day. Refreshing the FP list will bring up new inventory each time, so just keep refreshing until what you want becomes available.

As for dining, hard to say, but you can check at disneyworld.com/dining on your dates to see what's available.

5. What restaurants do you recommend to book for my table service meals at the parks? What restaurants do you recommend at Disney Springs or at any of the hotels?

Be Our Guest at MK is good for lunch (quick service, but still needs a reservation) but not dinner. DHS is a food desert, don't plan to eat anything much there. DAK has Tiffins, which is excellent and expensive. Epcot has Garden Grill (great character dining, tasty food), Biergarten (a personal fave), Chefs de France/Monsieur Paul, and other options in World Showcase. Coral Reef is a cool idea, but the food isn't great.

At Disney Springs, Morimoto and Homecomin' are fantastic (that fried chicken tho). In the resorts, Boma at DAK Lodge is great as is Jiko. The Wave and California Grill at Contemporary. 'Ohana at Polynesian.

5. What are some must see hotels or must see anything outside of the parks?

DAK Lodge is truly incredible. If you visit, try to get there before sunset so you can see some animals roaming around from the lobby.

6. I looked up closed attractions during my desired stay and it appears only the Liberty Bell Riverboat is down out of all 4 parks. I'm thinking the list is pretty accurate considering its only 3 weeks out, right? If TOT is down, there will be hell to pay.

WDW doesn't do refurbs like DLR does; they're few and far between.

 

[dweezil78]

Awesome!!!! Answers below... Let me know if you need more help! Also, I can give you some FP strategy advice too!

1. Where should I stay between the Port Orleans - Riverside, Pop Century, All Star Movies, All Star Music, All Star Sports, Disney Coronado Springs, or Disney's Caribbean beach resort? Do any of these make more or less sense with a 2 year old? I'm leaning towards Port Orleans, Coronado Springs or the Caribbean beach resort. These all seem pretty centrally located. Of all the hotels listed above, only the Port Orleans- Riverside has "boat" listed as a transportation option. All of the others only have the bus option. Is this a game changer? Which parks would this boat be able to take me too if any? I don't see a waterway leading from the resort to any of the parks. Also, of all the hotels listed, only Coronado Springs is available for a 5th night. Would doing one anyone of the hotels listed above for 4 nights and then a non Disney hotel outside of the bubble for 1-2 nights be too much of hassle? I'm thinking parks day 1 and day 2. Rest on Day 3. Parks day 3 and day 4. Then maybe a half day parks day 5 and hit the road to Savannah to start my road trip. I'm just getting 6 day park hoppers to have the convenience of park hopping while I'm there. 5 day park hoppers are't available with this deal.

Port Orleans is nice -- but honestly, I'd just save the $$ and stay at a value resort (Pop Century or one of the All Stars). They are still fun, especially with a little one, and were recently renovated/updated. None of them have direct transportation to theme parks other than bus. The boat at Port Orleans just goes to Disney Springs. I'd definitely encourage monorail hopping to the MK resorts when you're over there and checking them out, especially the Poly!!!

2. How do you recommend getting to the parks each day from the resorts I'm leaning towards above?

If your budget permits, I would use a rental car to get around -- especially with a 2 yr old as you're lugging around a stroller and all kinds of other junk. If you can't, bus is going to be your best option as taking Ubers/Minnie Vans will quickly be costlier than a rental. (And yeah, as GMTM said, bus it to MK -- parking process is ridiculous there!!)

4. Is it possibly too late too book some of the good park restaurants and E tickets with Fast pass plus considering 4/15 is only 3 weeks out? Would it be worth postponing this trip to early/ mid May so I could be closer to 60 days out and have my pick of the litter?

Not if you keep an eye on things and check frequently. Both FPs and reservations often are modified/canceled regularly, so check back often for stuff you want. Also, click around on available times -- I have no idea why, but a time you're looking will suddenly become available if you look outside of the range you want. The system is totally whack, but you can work it to your advantage.

5. What restaurants do you recommend to book for my table service meals at the parks? What restaurants do you recommend at Disney Springs or at any of the hotels?

I am acknowledging you are with a 2 yr old for these and probably aren't going for fancy romantic dinners... For buffet, check out Boma at Animal Kingom Lodge. If you want a mellow yet still solid character breakfast, go to Cape May at Beach Club. Skipper Canteen (Jungle Cruise themed) at MK is fun and campy, even if the food is not great. Ohana at Poly is good if you like all you can eat meat (like Fogo de Chao). I had an amazing meal (more upscale) at Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge. Likewise, Whispering Canyon at Wilderness Lodge is a ton of fun w/ all you can eat bbq and a real campy vibe. San Angel Inn @ Mexico is like their version of Blue Bayou. Yack and Yeti at Animal Kingdom is solid. I hear great things about Art Smith's @ Downtown Disney.

5. What are some must see hotels or must see anything outside of the parks?

Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Polynesian, Boardwalk (the whole area there is great), and even though it's old, Contemporary is still worth visiting for the Mary Blair mural and monorail thru the hotel. FYI -- Boardwalk and Beach/Yacht Club are both accessible via the World Showcase gateway in the back of Epcot and you can easily go back and forth between the two.

6. I looked up closed attractions during my desired stay and it appears only the Liberty Bell Riverboat is down out of all 4 parks. I'm thinking the list is pretty accurate considering its only 3 weeks out, right? If TOT is down, there will be hell to pay.

Yep, I wouldn't expect much else other than regular breakdowns, of which there are many at WDW. Note -- if you have a FP for a ride that closes during your window, you score a FP to be used on just about any attraction (w/ some exceptions if tiered).

 

[Little Green Men]

Hello my fine WDW magic peoples. As I get deeper into this road trip / WDW trip planning I have a couple questions I was hoping some of you could help me answer. Possibly going as soon as Sunday 4/15 for 4 nights at the resort (1-2 nights possibly outside resort) and 6 day park hoppers (though i might not use all 6 days), with the 1 counter service, 1 table meal per day. (leaves me some flexibility with 1 meal per day). They re doing a "fun in the sun" off season deal that seems pretty reasonable but only offered on what appears to be Sunday through Thursday nights. Most of these hotels they are offering the deals on seem to be in the Animal Kingdom area or Disney Springs area, I'm guessing because they are geographically less desirable?

1. Where should I stay between the Port Orleans - Riverside, Pop Century, All Star Movies, All Star Music, All Star Sports, Disney Coronado Springs, or Disney's Caribbean beach resort? Do any of these make more or less sense with a 2 year old? I'm leaning towards Port Orleans, Coronado Springs or the Caribbean beach resort. These all seem pretty centrally located. Of all the hotels listed above, only the Port Orleans- Riverside has "boat" listed as a transportation option. All of the others only have the bus option. Is this a game changer? Which parks would this boat be able to take me too if any? I don't see a waterway leading from the resort to any of the parks. Also, of all the hotels listed, only Coronado Springs is available for a 5th night. Would doing one anyone of the hotels listed above for 4 nights and then a non Disney hotel outside of the bubble for 1-2 nights be too much of hassle? I'm thinking parks day 1 and day 2. Rest on Day 3. Parks day 3 and day 4. Then maybe a half day parks day 5 and hit the road to Savannah to start my road trip. I'm just getting 6 day park hoppers to have the convenience of park hopping while I'm there. 5 day park hoppers are't available with this deal.

2. How do you recommend getting to the parks each day from the resorts I'm leaning towards above?

4. Is it possibly too late too book some of the good park restaurants and E tickets with Fast pass plus considering 4/15 is only 3 weeks out? Would it be worth postponing this trip to early/ mid May so I could be closer to 60 days out and have my pick of the litter?

5. What restaurants do you recommend to book for my table service meals at the parks? What restaurants do you recommend at Disney Springs or at any of the hotels?

5. What are some must see hotels or must see anything outside of the parks?

6. I looked up closed attractions during my desired stay and it appears only the Liberty Bell Riverboat is down out of all 4 parks. I'm thinking the list is pretty accurate considering its only 3 weeks out, right? If TOT is down, there will be hell to pay.

Thanks in advance!

1. I've only stayed at Port Orleans, it was nice. If you want a resort close to the parks I highly recommend The Contemporary Resort, the only resort within walking distance of Magic Kingdom, or The Beach Club, which is right next to Epcot.

2. The bus is the only option, but driving will allow you to get there without relying on their schedule.

3. Oh, there is no 3

4. Yes just keep checking. I've gotten fp at SDMT the day of.

5. At Magic Kingdom the Plaza restaurant is great, similar to Carnation Cafe at DL. Skipper's Canteen is nice for more unique foods. Liberty Tree Tavern is pretty good too, served family style. For counter you can't beat The Columbia Harbor House! Epcot has many good choices, Rose and Crown Pub in the UK has great firework viewing and good food for a reasonable price. Via Napoli in Italy has great pizza. Marakesh in Morocco is great as well. Germany has the best buffet in the parks. Sunshine Seasons is the best counter service on property with many options and uses all fresh ingredients from The Land. At DHS The Brown Derby is my favorite, you can also go to the lounge outside without reservations. The Cobb Salad is amazing. 50's Primetime Cafe is great as well. At DAK Tifins and Yak & Yeti table service are great. The Flametree BBQ and Satuli Canteen are great counter service. So many great options at Disney Springs also; The Boathouse, Morimoto Asia, and Homecomin' are great.

6. You should explore the 3 monorail resorts for sure, just take the monorail around and explore. Trader Sam's at The Polynesian is nice and slightly different from the DL version. California Grill has a lounge and a nice observation deck to view MK. Animal Kingdom Lodge is a great resort to look at too, as said above.

 

[FerretAfros]

Hello my fine WDW magic peoples. As I get deeper into this road trip / WDW trip planning I have a couple questions I was hoping some of you could help me answer. Possibly going as soon as Sunday 4/15 for 4 nights at the resort (1-2 nights possibly outside resort) and 6 day park hoppers (though i might not use all 6 days), with the 1 counter service, 1 table meal per day. (leaves me some flexibility with 1 meal per day). They re doing a "fun in the sun" off season deal that seems pretty reasonable but only offered on what appears to be Sunday through Thursday nights. Most of these hotels they are offering the deals on seem to be in the Animal Kingdom area or Disney Springs area, I'm guessing because they are geographically less desirable?

1. Where should I stay between the Port Orleans - Riverside, Pop Century, All Star Movies, All Star Music, All Star Sports, Disney Coronado Springs, or Disney's Caribbean beach resort? Do any of these make more or less sense with a 2 year old? I'm leaning towards Port Orleans, Coronado Springs or the Caribbean beach resort. These all seem pretty centrally located. Of all the hotels listed above, only the Port Orleans- Riverside has "boat" listed as a transportation option. All of the others only have the bus option. Is this a game changer? Which parks would this boat be able to take me too if any? I don't see a waterway leading from the resort to any of the parks. Also, of all the hotels listed, only Coronado Springs is available for a 5th night. Would doing one anyone of the hotels listed above for 4 nights and then a non Disney hotel outside of the bubble for 1-2 nights be too much of hassle? I'm thinking parks day 1 and day 2. Rest on Day 3. Parks day 3 and day 4. Then maybe a half day parks day 5 and hit the road to Savannah to start my road trip. I'm just getting 6 day park hoppers to have the convenience of park hopping while I'm there. 5 day park hoppers are't available with this deal.

Value vs Moderate depends how much time you plan to spend in the hotel. If you're only planning on being there to sleep, the Values are fine, but if you plan to hang around for a day or two I would recommend switching up to Moderate.

Of the Values, Pop Century is probably the "best", but they're all pretty interchangeable in my book. The rooms a smaller (double beds, not queens), food courts are busier, and the visual design can best be described as "noisy" (though I've never had any noise issues in the rooms themselves). These hotels are large and only have one bus stop, so you'll likely have a 5-10 minute walk to the lobby building. Depending on the time of year, they can be full of minimally-chaperoned groups of kids, which can be another pain

There are massive construction projects going on right now at Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach, so it's best to avoid those. Riverside is lovely, and it's become my 'home' hotel when visiting WDW. It's sprawling relaxed design is a nice contrast to a busy day in the parks (the bus "swamp sounds" audio loop is particularly calming after a long day), and there are tons of amenities. There are multiple bus stops, so you may make multiple stops going to/from the parks, but most rooms are close to a bus stop, and the walks to the lobby building aren't typically too bad. Port Orleans French Quarter is a short walk down the river, and you're free to use amenities at both hotels. The boat to Disney Springs is slow, but it can be a fun experience if you have time to spare (buses also run to DS)

Note that WDW recently announced plans to charge for parking at their hotels ($13/night at Values, $19 at Moderates, $24 at Deluxe), and today is the last day to book without incurring those fees

2. How do you recommend getting to the parks each day from the resorts I'm leaning towards above?

If you have a car, there's no harm in driving. Parking at the theme parks is 'free' with your room, and having your own car allows more flexibility in your options for the day, especially when toting a small child around. Realistically, your overall travel time will be about the same, whether you wait for a bus or drive and deal with parking/trams

The big exception to this is the Magic Kingdom. Due to the arrival sequence with the massive parking lot, tram to the Transportation and Ticket Center, and monorail or ferry to the park, it's always faster to take the bus, which drops you off right by the park entrance.

3. Is it possibly too late too book some of the good park restaurants and E tickets with Fast pass plus considering 4/15 is only 3 weeks out? Would it be worth postponing this trip to early/ mid May so I could be closer to 60 days out and have my pick of the litter?

Flight of Passage, Frozen Ever After, and 7 Dwarfs Mine Train are the only ones that you'll likely encounter trouble with. Supposedly Disney reserves some FPs for same-day reservations, so you may be able to get those first thing in the morning if you play your cards right. Additionally, crowds in mid-April shouldn't be too bad, so you may be able to maximize your time with shorter waits overall (though those 3 will still command long waits)

4. What restaurants do you recommend to book for my table service meals at the parks? What restaurants do you recommend at Disney Springs or at any of the hotels?

In MK, Liberty Tree Tavern is a solid choice, and the Skipper's Canteen is also really good (though I think they only do same-day reservations). Pretty much anything in World Showcase is great, but I'd avoid the table service restaurants in Mexico, Norway, and China as they're the weakest of the bunch. It's been years since I ate there, but the 50's Prime Time Café in the Studios is a lot of fun; the Brown Derby also gets good reviews, but I've never eaten there myself. Any of the 3 table service restaurants in DAK are good, but Tiffins really is something special (with prices to match)

Noteworthy counter service restaurants include Sunshine Seasons in The Land, pretty much everything in World Showcase, and Flame Tree BBQ, Yak & Yeti, and Satu'li Canteen in DAK. MK has some decent-but-not-great options (Pecos Bill's, Columbia Harbor House), and the Studios is lousy-at-best (though the food court on Sunset Blvd offers the most variety)

5. What are some must see hotels or must see anything outside of the parks?

In addition to what others have mentioned, the mini golf courses are a lot of fun. Winter Summerland is located next to Blizzard Beach, and Fantasia Gardens is near the Swan and Dolphin hotels (within walking distance of Epcot or the Studios, if you're relying on Disney transportation); both locations have 2 18-hole courses. There can be long waits at peak times, so call ahead to set up a tee time. If you're real golfer, WDW has some world-class courses too

6. I looked up closed attractions during my desired stay and it appears only the Liberty Bell Riverboat is down out of all 4 parks. I'm thinking the list is pretty accurate considering its only 3 weeks out, right? If TOT is down, there will be hell to pay.

Because of FP booking windows, WDW's refurbs are announced well in advance. To avoid full closures, they may operate attractions at reduced capacity (I think TSMM is currently only running the "old" track, while they reconfigure the queue for Toy Story Land), but most things should be open

 

[dweezil78]

The rooms a smaller (double beds, not queens), food courts are busier, and the visual design can best be described as "noisy" (though I've never had any noise issues in the rooms themselves).

Pop Century (not sure if the other All Stars yet) got refurbed and look way cleaner/minimalist now. Check it... But yeah, the resorts themselves are very Toy Story Land'ish in design. Still fun though for the $$$ and great for family vacations.

 

[mickEblu]

Thanks for the the great input! I was originally planning on not renting the car on AFTER Disney World but if its a pain in the @$$ to get to the parks from where I'm staying I may as well just get the rental at the airport when I land in Orlando. It's really weird, Avis practically gives the rental away when you pick up in Orlando and drop off in Nashville. I cant figure out why.

Not sure why, but when I try to book on the Disney WDW official site under this deal it does not allow me to select the park hopper option for any duration less than 6 days. It grays out the button. It's okay though because the 6th day is free.

So I literally have to book the trip to see what Fast passes are still available? Hmmmm, Maybe May makes more sense to make sure I get the popular ones.

 

[dweezil78]

Thanks for the the great input! I was originally planning on not renting the ca on AFTER Disney World but if its a pain in the @$$ to get to the parks from where I'm staying I may as well just get the rental at the airport when I land in Orlando. It's really weird, Avis practically gives the rental away when you pick up in Orlando and drop off in Nashville. I cant figure out why.

Not sure why, but when I try to book on the Disney WDW official site under this deal it does not allow me to select the park hopper option for any duration less than 6 days. It grays out the button. It's okay though because the 6th day is free.

So I literally have to book the trip to see what Fast passes are still available? Hmmmm, Maybe May makes more sense to make sure I get the popular ones.

If I were you, I'd try to make April work -- crowds will be less and heat won't be quite as intense yet. If you book soon, you still will be able to snag up good FPs. Avatar is almost impossible to get even with 60 days out, so don't push your vacation back just for that!

FWIW, if I were to book FPs for TOMORROW, I could still get a pair of FPs for Tower of Terror, Rock N Rollercoaster, Star Tours, etc. at just about anytime of the day at DHS. Same for just about every other big attraction at all the other parks, especially if you do some refreshing. You will be totally fine booking a month out.

 

[mickEblu]

There are pluses and minuses to all of these resorts. POR offers a boat to Disney Springs, everywhere else is via bus. The other resorts you listed offer constant bus transportation to all parks and Disney Springs.

If you choose a value, choose Pop Century. It's contained and doesn't share buses with other resorts. The rooms are sparse but they do their job since you won't spend much time in them, and the food court is decent.

Caribbean Beach is under heavy construction. I don't know when your trip is, so that may or may not be an issue. The moderates - CBR, CSR, POR - they are all huge. I mean huge. You check in and you may have to take a bus to your area of the resort. Each has 4-5 bus stops, and if your room is at the last bus stop on the loop, the buses might be full when they arrive. So just be aware of the hugeness so you're not shocked in advance (this is one of the upsides of Pop - it's big, but not THAT big).



Your only option is buses unless you use your own car and park at each park (free with your resort stay). That can be quicker in some cases, but only for Epcot, DHS or DAK. Parking at MK is a nightmare you never want to experience, never ever ever. Don't do it.



It's unlikely you'll be able to score Flight of Passage (DAK), Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (MK) or Frozen Ever After (EP) without a 60 day window. If that's the case, once you're inside the park open up your phone and constantly refresh the FP options until you get what you want. This almost always works.

Book your three advance FPs for the first few hours of the morning. Then you can just add new FPs throughout the day. Refreshing the FP list will bring up new inventory each time, so just keep refreshing until what you want becomes available.

As for dining, hard to say, but you can check at disneyworld.com/dining on your dates to see what's available.



Be Our Guest at MK is good for lunch (quick service, but still needs a reservation) but not dinner. DHS is a food desert, don't plan to eat anything much there. DAK has Tiffins, which is excellent and expensive. Epcot has Garden Grill (great character dining, tasty food), Biergarten (a personal fave), Chefs de France/Monsieur Paul, and other options in World Showcase. Coral Reef is a cool idea, but the food isn't great.

At Disney Springs, Morimoto and Homecomin' are fantastic (that fried chicken tho). In the resorts, Boma at DAK Lodge is great as is Jiko. The Wave and California Grill at Contemporary. 'Ohana at Polynesian.



DAK Lodge is truly incredible. If you visit, try to get there before sunset so you can see some animals roaming around from the lobby.



WDW doesn't do refurbs like DLR does; they're few and far between.

Thanks for the great advice! I was hoping to hear back from you! But don't worry if you didn't respond I was going to tag you. Lol.

Pop Century is sounding better and better. Especially since I won't be in the room very much and i save money to boot. Do you think the dining plan is worth it? It comes out to about $600 for 4 days. Should i just wing it on the food and just reserve some table service restaurants a la carte, sans dining plan? Great Food at WDW isn't that important to me as the road trip that follows it is literally based around food. With that said I'd like to try a couple of the must do restaurants in the parks.

Do you think it would be worth postponing the trip a few weeks to ensure getting those popular FP's? My schedule is very flexible right now. Lol.

 

[dweezil78]

Do you think the dining plan is worth it? It comes out to about $600 for 4 days. Should i just wing it on the food and just reserve some table service restaurants a la carte, sans dining plan?

Is it just you, SO, and 2 yr old? If so, no way is that worth it IMO for just 2 meals a day. Also keep in mind you're probably not going to want to do table service every day if you want to maximize your park time. They take a good chunk of time out of your day and your 2 y/o will not appreciate them, I can assure you!

 

[mickEblu]

Awesome!!!! Answers below... Let me know if you need more help! Also, I can give you some FP strategy advice too!




Port Orleans is nice -- but honestly, I'd just save the $$ and stay at a value resort (Pop Century or one of the All Stars). They are still fun, especially with a little one, and were recently renovated/updated. None of them have direct transportation to theme parks other than bus. The boat at Port Orleans just goes to Disney Springs. I'd definitely encourage monorail hopping to the MK resorts when you're over there and checking them out, especially the Poly!!!


If your budget permits, I would use a rental car to get around -- especially with a 2 yr old as you're lugging around a stroller and all kinds of other junk. If you can't, bus is going to be your best option as taking Ubers/Minnie Vans will quickly be costlier than a rental. (And yeah, as GMTM said, bus it to MK -- parking process is ridiculous there!!)


Not if you keep an eye on things and check frequently. Both FPs and reservations often are modified/canceled regularly, so check back often for stuff you want. Also, click around on available times -- I have no idea why, but a time you're looking will suddenly become available if you look outside of the range you want. The system is totally whack, but you can work it to your advantage.


I am acknowledging you are with a 2 yr old for these and probably aren't going for fancy romantic dinners... For buffet, check out Boma at Animal Kingom Lodge. If you want a mellow yet still solid character breakfast, go to Cape May at Beach Club. Skipper Canteen (Jungle Cruise themed) at MK is fun and campy, even if the food is not great. Ohana at Poly is good if you like all you can eat meat (like Fogo de Chao). I had an amazing meal (more upscale) at Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge. Likewise, Whispering Canyon at Wilderness Lodge is a ton of fun w/ all you can eat bbq and a real campy vibe. San Angel Inn @ Mexico is like their version of Blue Bayou. Yack and Yeti at Animal Kingdom is solid. I hear great things about Art Smith's @ Downtown Disney.


Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Polynesian, Boardwalk (the whole area there is great), and even though it's old, Contemporary is still worth visiting for the Mary Blair mural and monorail thru the hotel. FYI -- Boardwalk and Beach/Yacht Club are both accessible via the World Showcase gateway in the back of Epcot and you can easily go back and forth between the two.


Yep, I wouldn't expect much else other than regular breakdowns, of which there are many at WDW. Note -- if you have a FP for a ride that closes during your window, you score a FP to be used on just about any attraction (w/ some exceptions if tiered).

Thanks for the awesome advice!! But is Ohaha at Poly like our Poly?

So it think you've sold me on the Pop, thanks! You also sold me on getting the rental before WDW instead of after. Dont like the sound of loading the strollers onto the buses. Except for MK i guess.

Please drop all your FP strategy knowledge on me!

 

[mickEblu]

1. I've only stayed at Port Orleans, it was nice. If you want a resort close to the parks I highly recommend The Contemporary Resort, the only resort within walking distance of Magic Kingdom, or The Beach Club, which is right next to Epcot.

2. The bus is the only option, but driving will allow you to get there without relying on their schedule.

3. Oh, there is no 3

4. Yes just keep checking. I've gotten fp at SDMT the day of.

5. At Magic Kingdom the Plaza restaurant is great, similar to Carnation Cafe at DL. Skipper's Canteen is nice for more unique foods. Liberty Tree Tavern is pretty good too, served family style. For counter you can't beat The Columbia Harbor House! Epcot has many good choices, Rose and Crown Pub in the UK has great firework viewing and good food for a reasonable price. Via Napoli in Italy has great pizza. Marakesh in Morocco is great as well. Germany has the best buffet in the parks. Sunshine Seasons is the best counter service on property with many options and uses all fresh ingredients from The Land. At DHS The Brown Derby is my favorite, you can also go to the lounge outside without reservations. The Cobb Salad is amazing. 50's Primetime Cafe is great as well. At DAK Tifins and Yak & Yeti table service are great. The Flametree BBQ and Satuli Canteen are great counter service. So many great options at Disney Springs also; The Boathouse, Morimoto Asia, and Homecomin' are great.

6. You should explore the 3 monorail resorts for sure, just take the monorail around and explore. Trader Sam's at The Polynesian is nice and slightly different from the DL version. California Grill has a lounge and a nice observation deck to view MK. Animal Kingdom Lodge is a great resort to look at too, as said above.

Lol, looks like I messed up the numbering. It has since been fixed. Thanks for taking the time to respond and for the advice! Would you do the 3 monorail resorts on the MK day or just on a rest day?

 

[mickEblu]

Value vs Moderate depends how much time you plan to spend in the hotel. If you're only planning on being there to sleep, the Values are fine, but if you plan to hang around for a day or two I would recommend switching up to Moderate.

Of the Values, Pop Century is probably the "best", but they're all pretty interchangeable in my book. The rooms a smaller (double beds, not queens), food courts are busier, and the visual design can best be described as "noisy" (though I've never had any noise issues in the rooms themselves). These hotels are large and only have one bus stop, so you'll likely have a 5-10 minute walk to the lobby building. Depending on the time of year, they can be full of minimally-chaperoned groups of kids, which can be another pain

There are massive construction projects going on right now at Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach, so it's best to avoid those. Riverside is lovely, and it's become my 'home' hotel when visiting WDW. It's sprawling relaxed design is a nice contrast to a busy day in the parks (the bus "swamp sounds" audio loop is particularly calming after a long day), and there are tons of amenities. There are multiple bus stops, so you may make multiple stops going to/from the parks, but most rooms are close to a bus stop, and the walks to the lobby building aren't typically too bad. Port Orleans French Quarter is a short walk down the river, and you're free to use amenities at both hotels. The boat to Disney Springs is slow, but it can be a fun experience if you have time to spare (buses also run to DS)

Note that WDW recently announced plans to charge for parking at their hotels ($13/night at Values, $19 at Moderates, $24 at Deluxe), and today is the last day to book without incurring those fees

If you have a car, there's no harm in driving. Parking at the theme parks is 'free' with your room, and having your own car allows more flexibility in your options for the day, especially when toting a small child around. Realistically, your overall travel time will be about the same, whether you wait for a bus or drive and deal with parking/trams

The big exception to this is the Magic Kingdom. Due to the arrival sequence with the massive parking lot, tram to the Transportation and Ticket Center, and monorail or ferry to the park, it's always faster to take the bus, which drops you off right by the park entrance.

Flight of Passage, Frozen Ever After, and 7 Dwarfs Mine Train are the only ones that you'll likely encounter trouble with. Supposedly Disney reserves some FPs for same-day reservations, so you may be able to get those first thing in the morning if you play your cards right. Additionally, crowds in mid-April shouldn't be too bad, so you may be able to maximize your time with shorter waits overall (though those 3 will still command long waits)

In MK, Liberty Tree Tavern is a solid choice, and the Skipper's Canteen is also really good (though I think they only do same-day reservations). Pretty much anything in World Showcase is great, but I'd avoid the table service restaurants in Mexico, Norway, and China as they're the weakest of the bunch. It's been years since I ate there, but the 50's Prime Time Café in the Studios is a lot of fun; the Brown Derby also gets good reviews, but I've never eaten there myself. Any of the 3 table service restaurants in DAK are good, but Tiffins really is something special (with prices to match)

Noteworthy counter service restaurants include Sunshine Seasons in The Land, pretty much everything in World Showcase, and Flame Tree BBQ, Yak & Yeti, and Satu'li Canteen in DAK. MK has some decent-but-not-great options (Pecos Bill's, Columbia Harbor House), and the Studios is lousy-at-best (though the food court on Sunset Blvd offers the most variety)

In addition to what others have mentioned, the mini golf courses are a lot of fun. Winter Summerland is located next to Blizzard Beach, and Fantasia Gardens is near the Swan and Dolphin hotels (within walking distance of Epcot or the Studios, if you're relying on Disney transportation); both locations have 2 18-hole courses. There can be long waits at peak times, so call ahead to set up a tee time. If you're real golfer, WDW has some world-class y prk too

Because of FP booking windows, WDW's refurbs are announced well in advance. To avoid full closures, they may operate attractions at reduced capacity (I think TSMM is currently only running the "old" track, while they reconfigure the queue for Toy Story Land), but most things should be open

Thank you for the fantastic, detailed breakdown! Sounds like the car is the way to go for every park except MK. You definitely make a case for Port Orleans and it sounds very nice but being that we wont be at WDW very long and we ll be trying to maximize our time at the parks, I think Pop makes more sense for us... this time.

How early do you think I would have to wake up to get a shot at those same day FPs?

 

[mickEblu]

If I were you, I'd try to make April work -- crowds will be less and heat won't be quite as intense yet. If you book soon, you still will be able to snag up good FPs. Avatar is almost impossible to get even with 60 days out, so don't push your vacation back just for that!

FWIW, if I were to book FPs for TOMORROW, I could still get a pair of FPs for Tower of Terror, Rock N Rollercoaster, Star Tours, etc. at just about anytime of the day at DHS. Same for just about every other big attraction at all the other parks, especially if you do some refreshing. You will be totally fine booking a month out.

Ok thanks! Good to know so without FP what kind of wait am i looking at for FOP? I would hate to waste 3 hours of my day at AK in line. Hopefully I can snag one day of.

Sounds like FOP, 7 Dwarves and Frozen are the tough ones to get? As tough as FOP?

 

[mickEblu]

Is it just you, SO, and 2 yr old? If so, no way is that worth it IMO for just 2 meals a day. Also keep in mind you're probably not going to want to do table service every day if you want to maximize your park time. They take a good chunk of time out of your day and your 2 y/o will not appreciate them, I can assure you!

Great point. I think im axing the meal plan. Thanks for dropping all of this WDW knowledge on me.

 

[dweezil78]

How early do you think I would have to wake up to get a shot at those same day FPs?

You need to completely rethink FPs at WDW. It's not a first come, first served thing like ours. It's reservation style with the ability to change times/attractions on a whim. You start off with 3 FPs per day and can book more (one at a time) once those three FPs are done. You can book your FP for any time that's available throughout the day, morning thru night. So it possible to score a FP for an attraction you want at any time of the day should someone decide to change their plans. I have grabbed a 7 Dwarfs FP literally right as the time window for it opened, allowing me to do a walk-on right that second while everyone else was waiting 90+ minutes!!!

Thanks for the awesome advice!! But is Ohaha at Poly like our Poly?

Haha, I think you mean like our Ohana. Not quite! It's churrascaria style where they walk around with different meats and you grab what you want. It's great, but not on the same level as a Fogo de Chao if you've ever been there. Still as far as WDW restaurants go it's a good pick.

Ok thanks! Good to know so without FP what kind of wait am i looking at for FOP? I would hate to waste 3 hours of my day at AK in line. Hopefully I can snag one day of.

Sounds like FOP, 7 Dwarves and Frozen are the tough ones to get? As tough as FOP?

The wait is pretty awful. Like 3 hours bad. Best bet is to get there early on an early magic morning hour day and line up in the AM. I've heard it's not too bad if you do that. You'll have a much better chance of getting FPs for Nav'i River Journey which is really cool, but also has multi hour waits which, unlike FOP, is not worth that kind of wait.

7 Dwarfs and Frozen are now a few years old and you CAN get FPs for those if you keep checking. Definitely not impossible like FOP which I did not see free up once the entire week+ that I was there in Feb.

 

[mickEblu]

You need to completely rethink FPs at WDW. It's not a first come, first served thing like ours. It's reservation style with the ability to change times/attractions on a whim. You start off with 3 FPs per day and can book more (one at a time) once those three FPs are done. You can book your FP for any time that's available throughout the day, morning thru night. So it possible to score a FP for an attraction you want at any time of the day should someone decide to change their plans. I have grabbed a 7 Dwarfs FP literally right as the time window for it opened, allowing me to do a walk-on right that second while everyone else was waiting 90+ minutes!!!


Haha, I think you mean like our Ohana. Not quite! It's churrascaria style where they walk around with different meats and you grab what you want. It's great, but not on the same level as a Fogo de Chao if you've ever been there. Still as far as WDW restaurants go it's a good pick.



The wait is pretty awful. Like 3 hours bad. Best bet is to get there early on an early magic morning hour day and line up in the AM. I've heard it's not too bad if you don't do that. You'll have a much better chance of getting FPs for Nav'i River Journey which is really cool, but also has multi hour waits which, unlike FOP, is not worth that kind of wait.

7 Dwarfs and Frozen are now a few years old and you CAN get FPs for those if you keep checking. Definitely not impossible like FOP which I did not see free up once the entire week+ that I was there in Feb.

Lol, yes i meant Ohana. Oh ya! love me some Fogo. Bottom Sirloin all day! Thanks for the advice on FOP. Its probably top 5 attractions im excited for along with TOT, 7 Dwarves, MK's version of HM n Splash and just Epcot and AK in general. And of course just finally seeing what WDW is all about.

I meant how early in the morning do i have to wake up to try to get one of the supposed daily batch of FPs for FOP. So ideally, Ill have 3 FP's booked for all 4 parks in advance and then day of I can keep adding other FPs as they become available? And it sounds liek even some of the more wanted FP's become available if you check often enough.

So which FPs would you book for each park? Also is there a certain order you think the parks should be experienced in for a first timer? How many days would you do for each park? I'll have 6 day park hoppers. So I'm thinking 2 days at the parks, then a rest day or half rest day/ half park day. Then 2 more park days. May or may not use the last day.