OT: Disney Vacation

[MSUDAWGFAN]

MSUDAWGFAN - sent you a pm

Responded. Let me know how it goes.

 

[dorndawg]

This thread is the best birth control EVER*

 

[MeridianDog]

All good advice here. I'll add

- Try to open the park, as in get there 20 minutes before they open the gates. Won't be hard if you are in park lodging. When you enter, know what big rides you want to ride and walk with purpose directly to those rides. Don't stop at anything. We rode Space mountain (in back of park) four times before a line formed, just got off, went right back into the line and quickly rode again.

- There is an elevated monorail? ride in Tomorrow land that has small pod cars circle around on the rail above that park and then back to where you start. At the end of the day when everyone is wiped out, take that ride thirty minutes to an hour before the fireworks show (at the castle) and ride it until just before the fireworks start, then get off and you will find benches along the sidewalks to relax and have a perfect view of the castle and fireworks. At that time of the day, there will be lots fewer people there and you get a 30 minute sit down to relax before the show. There will be so few people on the ride, they will let you just stay in your car and do it over several times.

- Quick passes are nice. Use them whenever you can. If there are lines, the left line is ALWAYS quicker than the right side line.

- save shows for when you are tired.

- When you go to a show. Never go into a row of seating first (to get a center row seat) Everyone does that and they will make the row get up and move to the d to fill the row. Your end of row seat will then most likely become a middle of the row seat. If you pay attention, you can almost always make that work, by simply watching and taking your row at the point where moving the people down to fill the rows to capacity places you into the center.

- Doesn't matter how old your kids are, ride flying Dumbo and the teacup tilt-a-whirls.

Strategically position yourself in epoch to get a bench for the evening show. You will be tired and it will be worth it. There is a certain place where the parade enters the sidewalk (Over by mexico maybe a little down from it) Ask where the parade enters and they will tell you at one of the sidewalk stands in that area. Get down a half block clockwise from there a half hour from parade time take a bench and you will have prime real estate for the parade and a good view of the lake show and fireworks that night. The fireworks are just after the parade.

Some of the rides have single rider lines that use to fill empty seats in multi seat rides. u may not be able to sit beside mom, but the whole family will make it on the next ride or two and if Mom or dad gets on first and the other parent gets on last, no one will get lost and you can move quickly through a ride.

 

[Shamoan]

Ok, no ********, how much would a 5 day trip cost a family of four? I need a truth bomb.

 

[benatmsu]

Lot of variables... if you stay at a value resort, catch one of the promotions for free meal plans, don't do a park hopper option... you might be able to get by with dropping $2000-$2500 + tax. Of course, if you stay at a nicer resort, the price goes up, but the transportation situation is typically better, so it's worth it. But you're probably paying somewhere around $50-$150 per night more. If you can't go in the low crowd season (when they typically offer free dining plan) you're really looking at meals driving the cost up... especially if your kids want to do a character dining experience... and they will (if they're under 8yo ) 8) because it's awesome.

Also, you could probably save a few extra bucks by staying off property somewhere... but you don't get the free transportation to and from the parks, resorts, and Disney Springs and you also don't get the extended hours in the park...

Long story short - it all depends on what extras are important to you, and what you're willing to deal with to save a few bucks.
But on a budget - I'd say plan on at least $2000.

Ok, no ********, how much would a 5 day trip cost a family of four? I need a truth bomb.

 

[johnson86-1]

Looking at going to Disney World and Universal Studios (Florida) in mid-January. It'll be 3 adults and 2 children (3 and 10). We want to stay on property even though it's more expensive because this will be our first (and probably) only time to ever go so we're treating it as a once-in-a-lifetime trip. We're looking at 5 days at Disney and 4 days at Universal...possibly 1 day at SeaWorld and a Blue Man Group show, also. There is so much information that it gets very overwhelming, very fast. We're trying to decide things like if Park Hopper passes are worth the extra cost (in case we finish a park early or don't like one or want to go back to one) and if the dining package is worth it. Any advice, tips, tricks, etc would be very appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Is there a reason you are wanting to do 9 days in one trip? If there's not something making breaking it into two trips infeasible, I'd much rather do that. Even if I had to drive instead of fly to save money if I were within a 15-20 hr drive.

 

[MagicCityDawg]

I'm a little surprised at all the "get a stroller for the 10 year old" comments

I think the rental agreement states no child over 50 lbs, and your average 10 year old is over 50 lbs. My 7 year old walked the entire time of a 7 day trip, and had no issues. Also, double strollers are a pain in the butt with transportation other than the monorail.

 

[BulldogBlitz]

Nah. Disneyworld is. This thread is just the tiniest tip of the iceberg.