Topic: Disney Theme Parks

[TheKid.]

None of the values have a table service restaurant too whereas some mods do.
Disney resorts are horribly overpriced though, except when you can get a cheap deluxe with free dining.

Ohanas is decent enough and the poly is a nice resort

[ocecynwa]

Family and I are going next november, taking what will be a 4 year old and 3 year old. Going to be absolute carnage. I've been before the kids were born and I have to say, the place is amazing. Epcot is great for food and booze. Hollwood studios (previously MGM) was great, so much to do, and of course magic and animal kingdom is great for the kids. We stayed at the dolphin, was expensive but you're so close to everything it's well worth it in my opinion.

[Motty]

I used to work for Disney. The only difference between the value resorts and the moderate ones is that you get a fridge in your room. If you tell them in advance that you have medicine which you need to keep refridgerated, the value resort will put one in your room free of charge.

Always useful.

As far as restaurants go anyone eaten at Oharas i think its called in the Polynesian Resort. Amazing

did that last time i went, but on arrival they said they knew nothing about it so i complained and got one but not before they asked what the medicine was, luckily i planned for them asking 

[owens_2k]

did that last time i went, but on arrival they said they knew nothing about it so i complained and got one but not before they asked what the medicine was, luckily i planned for them asking 

Haha, well played! I worked in one of their resorts on the check-in desk so I know all the tricks. The best advice I can give is to complain complain complain. Some fella complained there was a crayon on his bed when he checked in - I told him to do one, he asked to see the manager and ended up with 3 days of his stay knocked down to 50%.

Tell them you lost $10 on the laundry machine (yes you were stupid enough to keep putting in quarters even though it wasnt working) and they will give you $10 cash compensation.

They keep a record of EVERYTHING though. so if you complain it will be recorded against your booking and any future ones.

[Paulie's Wallnuts]

We went in November 2010 and it was the best holiday i've ever been on. We stayed in the Carribean Beach resort and it was fantastic. The meal card things (if they still do them) are well worth it. We managed to his 14 different parks in 14 days. It was a bit manic but I won't be able to afford to go back for a long time. Really recommend it to anyone who is thinking of going.

[TheKid.]

Getting jealous of all those who are going soon, no plans to return anytime soon for us

[bruffell06]

We went in November 2010 and it was the best holiday i've ever been on. We stayed in the Carribean Beach resort and it was fantastic. The meal card things (if they still do them) are well worth it. We managed to his 14 different parks in 14 days. It was a bit manic but I won't be able to afford to go back for a long time. Really recommend it to anyone who is thinking of going.

That's where we're off to in February

I really need to start planning our days, cant really wing many days as I dont want to come home and realise we missed something we wanted to do/see

[TheKid.]

I'm of two thoughts on the whole planning thing.
On one hand I agree you don't want to miss something, but on the other hand it becomes too regimented if you're concentrating on rushing from place to place on a schedule.

We used to plan things pretty rigidly but last two times we played it more by ear with some dining reservations dotted round which we kept to.  And it was a much more relaxing way to do it

[bruffell06]

I'm of two thoughts on the whole planning thing.
On one hand I agree you don't want to miss something, but on the other hand it becomes too regimented if you're concentrating on rushing from place to place on a schedule.

We used to plan things pretty rigidly but last two times we played it more by ear with some dining reservations dotted round which we kept to.  And it was a much more relaxing way to do it

Yeah I think we're going to try and plan most of our days but try and have some freedom for a few days otherwise as you say it would be a bit rigid and maybe takes away some of the enjoyment of a holiday having every minute accounted for

[Paulie's Wallnuts]

It depends what you want to see though. We did all of the Disney resorts, downtown Disney, Kennedy Space Center, Gaterland (which I wouldnt recommend) and the ESPN place.

[Brian Blessed]

I say do light planning. Plan on what parks each day and a few essential must dos, but don't plan each minute. We will be doing Animal Kingdom one day, and apart from a character breakfast, have fast passes for the safari, Everest and Festival of the Lion King. Other than that, it's free reign. Everest will be my eldest daughters first roller coaster, so part of the reason for minimal plans is in case she loves it and wants to go on multiple times. Also, with three kids, you never know what will come up!

[Motty]

Also, with three kids, you never know what will come up!

I think 'what comes up' is the reason you've got 3 kids in the first place

[owens_2k]

That's where we're off to in February

I really need to start planning our days, cant really wing many days as I dont want to come home and realise we missed something we wanted to do/see

Thats where I worked. I think Martinique is the best building when it comes to location for the shuttle bus, pools and being close to the Old Port Royale.

[lfcmaster]

love florida

[bruffell06]

Just managed to book a table for Be Our Guest while we're there, every single day was showing sold out for the last week or so too. just chanced it and found one for our 3rd night there.

[TomMorganLittle]

Anybody know what the general ride hight is for the big rides?

[TheKid.]

Good work bruffel, not easy to get a table there

[Motty]

Anybody know what the general ride hight is for the big rides?

48 inch mostly but a few of the really big ones like the Hulk are 54 inch.

[Brian Blessed]

Got back early Sunday morning, it was a great holiday. We told the kids Christmas morning we were going the next day, only the six year old really understood. It was an 1,100 mile drive, and we didn’t book a hotel along the way, instead deciding to play it by ear and see how far we could get. We ended up going all the way, getting to WDW at about 3AM. It was 20 hours total, about 17 actual driving and three for stops. This trip was a bit of a trial run as it’s the first time we’ve gone to Disney with three kids

The magic bands are hugely convenient, didn’t have a problem with them at all. It was nice not having to pull a card out to get in the room or to pay for merch. We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside and we’ll stay there again when we go back, it’s a very nice resort and not too large.

Back on the magic bands, there is one draw back. You can book fast passes in advance, but only three per park per day. But, you can’t add to the three evewn when at the park. That’s opposed to the Key to the Kingdom cards, which you can get a fast pass every two hours. Perhaps because the magic bands are still new, but they are giving the cards out still, and we used those to get additional fast passes. A few employees were quite perturbed we did this for some reason.

The parks were packed, Magic Kingdom was closed to entry by 10AM on the 30th and 31st. But despite that we didn’t wait in line for a long time on any ride, partly due to fast passes, partly due to the quite new app which shows wait times. We also took advantage of switch passes. We took turns going up to the Fast Pass line holding a small child/pushing a pushchair, told them we couldn’t ride while the spouses did due to the child and got given a switch pass, which allows for three riders to go into the fast pass line. It’s a system open to abuse, and we did so a great deal. I’ve never ridden as many rides as I did this time, despite the crowds.

The fireworks on New Years were spectacular as you’d expect. Instead of having them above the castle only, for the finale they were above the castle and about 8 identical displays around the perimieter of Magic Kingdom so it was effectively daylight when they were all going off, there were that many fireworks.

We got four sets of the flashing ears, and they worked great for Fantasmic. But, there was practically no one else wearing them, so it was a little ineffective. We were on the front row, though, so didn’t give a shit, really.

We are going again for New Years 2016, I’m already looking forward to it! By then all the kids should all be over 40 inches so will be able to ride most of the rides. They all loved things like the teacups, which I spin relentlessly. The Barnstormer was popular with my two year old, and my six year old loved every rollercoaster. Whe was about an inch short for Rockin’ Roller-coaster, but I promised her she would ride it. And thanks to the thick in-room soap in the heels of her socks, she did a few days later

We got her Bibbity-Bobbity Boutique, which was expensive, but she enjoyed it. She also got picked to be The Beast in Belle’s story time in Fantasy Land (which wasn’t open last time we went). I also got her onto Jedi training, but due to weather she got her pic with Vader, but didn’t get to fight him.

Back at work today, and it’s shit

[rhylred]

Brilliant laughed out loud at the soap in the socks 

[AndyInVA]

does anyone know when the least busy time is ?

i understand that new year and summer are nightmares but wonder when the best time is ??

[TheKid.]

January is traditionally quiet, as is September.
Anytime that avoids school holidays, either English or American is pretty quiet.
I've been a few times in July and August though and never found it horrible for crowds

[Upinsmoke]

I wanna take three kids and the gf but honestly don't know where to start.

Seems cheaper getting flights and a hotel and then the park tickets separately?

I went on the proper Disney site and they wanted like four and half grand but it seemed cheaper doing it all separately, maybe I fucked up my calculations though I dunno...

[TheKid.]

You'll (usually) be better doing it separately.  The packages from Disney and Virgin Holidays usually have pretty big mark ups.
When you going and how long for?

[Upinsmoke]

You'll (usually) be better doing it separately.  The packages from Disney and Virgin Holidays usually have pretty big mark ups.
When you going and how long for?

Wanted to go next year rather than this (kids will be 3 and 4 1/2 then) plus I need to save, for a couple of weeks in July/august

[TheKid.]

Couple of weeks in July or August for £4.5k package for 2 adults and 3 kids seems great value!

[Brian Blessed]

Couple of weeks in July or August for £4.5k package for 2 adults and 3 kids seems great value!

Ours, which included resort, park tickets and meal package for 7 nights in a moderate resort was about $2,100 or so. This was over New Years, but included two kids who were free park entry and no meals.

[Upinsmoke]

Couple of weeks in July or August for £4.5k package for 2 adults and 3 kids seems great value!

Hang on, that's just flights and hotel haha. So like another grand and half for ultimate 14 day disney tickets, knew I fucked up somewhere...

[TheKid.]

Ha thought it seemed cheap, not bad price for including flights though, our flights alone for last Easter were £3k for two of us!

[kesey]

Am I the only one here that thinks the whole Walt Disney thing is weird?

[TheKid.]

Probably not. Then again to each their own

[Chakan]

Which part is weird?

[TheKid.]

I assume he means the whole falseness of it all maybe?

[Chakan]

I assume he means the whole falseness of it all maybe?

They make movies, which part is supposed to be real?

[TheKid.]

I thought he meant Disney World? As that's what the thread is about

[Chakan]

I thought he meant Disney World? As that's what the thread is about

Stemming from a company that makes movies though, cartoon movies which most of the characters are based on?

Its supposed to be fake, I think.

[TheKid.]

No arguments from me, I was just trying to second guess what Kesey meant.
As a tourist destination the whole place is very removed from reality. Which is a boon to some yet some hate it

[adopted_scouser]

We went in November 2010 and it was the best holiday i've ever been on. We stayed in the Carribean Beach resort and it was fantastic. The meal card things (if they still do them) are well worth it. We managed to his 14 different parks in 14 days. It was a bit manic but I won't be able to afford to go back for a long time. Really recommend it to anyone who is thinking of going.

This is why I went for 3 weeks.  While it is possible to do all the theme parks in 2 weeks, its a bit manic, and I loved waking up and asking myself "Sit by the pool all day, go shopping, or go to a theme park?"

[Chakan]

Bu that's the thing its supposed to be as far removed from reality as possible. Where young people (lets not kid ourselves Disney world isn't a place for very small children, mickey mouse is a 6 foot bloody rat) to immerse themselves in a fantasy world where everyone is a princess and they can see a castle, "meet" the characters they see on tv, and just have a fun time.

Honestly I enjoyed some of the other aspects to it, but not the ones catering to young people. And I was only there for a couple of days.

[TheKid.]

Bu that's the thing its supposed to be as far removed from reality as possible. Where young people (lets not kid ourselves Disney world isn't a place for very small children, mickey mouse is a 6 foot bloody rat) to immerse themselves in a fantasy world where everyone is a princess and they can see a castle, "meet" the characters they see on tv, and just have a fun time.

Honestly I enjoyed some of the other aspects to it, but not the ones catering to young people. And I was only there for a couple of days.

Stop arguing with me when we think the same thing!!!

Hopefully Kesey will turn up and explain so I can stop second guessing him