1st timers to florida need help!

[ppow16]

Hi everyone.... we are going over on our first ever trip in October 08 for 2 weeks.

This is a surprise - the kids no nothing!!! They will only discover that we are NOT going to egypt when they get given their Disney Dollars at the airport (thanks to our DIBB villa owner who is getting me these)

So we are mum 40 (and has bouts of vertigo),
DH 45 loves all the thrills and spills and will go on anything (thankfully) DD13 who loves animals and swimming but is cautious with rides
DS who makes up 8 the day we come home who loves life to the max! NOthing phases him and he wants to have a go at everything (quite tall for his age 1.3m so height restrictions wont bother him too much.

We have been to DLR Paris years ago - I know it doesnt compare!

We want to fit in all disney parks, Aquatica, Univeral Studios & IOA, one of the other water parks, Busch Gardens, Seaworld, Shopping, Cirque, MNSSHP!

Any advice would be much appreciated. Have bought the Brits Guide but really dont know where to start

[Susan Veness]

Hi ppow16, and Welcome to the ATD forums! You've come to the right place with your questions. :)

A good order to start making plans would be:
-Flight
-Accommodation
-Tickets
-Car Hire
-Dining

It sounds like you have accommodation (and presumably, flights) sorted out already, and page 11 in the 2008 Brit's Guide will help narrow down your choices for tickets (bearing in mind the Flex Ticket has changed with the addition of Aquatica).

Take a look here for tickets (including tickets to Cirque, which is a fantastic show): http://www.attraction-tickets-direct.co.uk/attraction-ticket-prices/index.htm

What sort of help can we give you? Being a first-timer, you must have a million questions! Please feel free to ask them all here. Everyone is so friendly, and we all love to help! :)

[ppow16]

Flights organised - fly in 15 October to Sanford.
Villa organised. Car Hire organised. (All independently - Oh I am so proud of myself and how much I have saved!)

Obviously kids no nothing about this and this may be our only ever trip to Florida so we need to cram in as much as possible without killing ourselves (OH has to go back to work and kids back to school)

So is it quiet enough in October to cram in all that we would like to do or are we expecting too much!

I know the parks will shut earlier (dont know what times though) so thought this would mean we were not trying to do too much each day.

Also what are wishes, fantasmic? Some sort of fireworks?

What would people suggest we really must do? WHat musnt we miss?

If we only do one character dining experience where would people suggest and why?

Lots of questions and this is only the start!

[Susan Veness]

September/October used to be a slower season but with the popularity of the Food and Wine Festival and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (both run from Sept-Nov), October isn't the 'calm before the storm' that it used to be. It's more like the high wind before the storm. ;) Still, it's no where near as busy as Easter or Christmas/New Year.

My opinion is, you're right on the high end of 'enough', in that I wouldn't add any more to your list of must-do's, but I wouldn't say you're doing far too much. You're only going to have a taste of each of the parks, but as I think most people here will tell you: You'll be back! (I know...we all say it's a once in a lifetime thing, but guess what....it isn't! ;) )

Wishes is Magic Kingdom's night time fireworks show, Fantasmic is Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM Studios) night time stage and fireworks show. But don't forget about Epcot's IllumiNations, a night time laser and fireworks spectacular. Since your children are 13 and 8, they should be able to stay the course if you're careful about avoiding seriously late nights and having lie-ins on a few days.

My opinion about character dining is, choose the one that has the characters you most want to meet. You're not going for the food (trust me), so it's really the character that will make it special for you.

I'm certain others will be along shortly to give you loads of excellent thoughts and ideas. Everyone's experience is different, and if you ask your questions here you'll feel like a pro by the time you leave on holiday! :happy-thumb

I'm going to give this thread a quick bump over to Traveller Tips, so it doesn't get lost on General Chat. :)

[Tiggers Friend]

Hi and welcome to the forum. As Susan says you will want to go back!!

Are you sorted on how to get from the airport to your villa on Day1? IMHO you need to have a clear plan (map/route) on how to get there, nothing worse than getting lost and at the time you are travelling you may find it is going dark (depending on flight times) before you reach your new 'home'.

While I appreciate your view of this time and only this time you do need to avoid doing too much - you'll end up feeling absolutely beat-up and wanting another holiday :happy-smi

For me the best park is Magic Kingdom, the atmosphere is brilliant - true Disney, followed by Sea World. Others will be along with different views - but hey they're wrong :happy-smi :happy-smi

On the day you go to MK use the boat, not the monorail, it's slower but stand at the front and feel the excitement rise as the castle and the kingdom come into sight. Magic.

Most of all have fun!

[LeonieM]

Did you know that if you ask them nicely, they'll let up to 4 people ride in the cockpit with the driver of the monorail? We were told this, and were let ride this way. It would have been better if it hadn't been raining, as we couldn't see through the windscreen very well - nor could the driver!

I'm going to see if they'll let us do it again this year, as my brother hasn't been to Disney since January 1974!

[sex kitten]

Hi, It's so exciting planning your first trip.
Magic Kingdom IS Disney.
IOA is the place to visit for thrill rides.
Hollywood Studios and Universal Studios, you would think would be similar, but imo they give you a totally different experience.
Seaworld is a park I absolutely love, so beautiful and a gentler day, as there are so many show's you can watch.
Busch Gardens combine big thrill rides within a lovely informative safari park. Another beautiful park. Lots of opportunity for interaction with the animals.
Epcot is an experience in itself totally different to any other park and hard to describe, people tend to love it or hate it, but it's firework and laser show is one of the best.
Water parks, if your kids love water slides, you must fit a visit in. We found that an afternoon break in the water park, was restful and broke the day up, returning to a park for the evening.
With careful planning and allowing for some late starts and earlyish nights, it certainly is possible to do all the main parks without exhausting yourselves, and of course dependant on the amount of people there and the length of the queues.
Have fun in whatever you decide is right for you. :happy-thumb

[pinkjoolz]

Hi and welcome to the forum - you will get addicted to this!!

I agree with everything that everyone has answered to your questions, however one must do is if you are going to do "fantasmic" make sure you book a meal package - by doing this you will get reserved seating at the show and will not have to queue 90mins/2 hours before. You can book the meal packages at Hollywood and Vine (buffet), Mama Melroses(Italian) and Hollywood Brown Derby (american a la carte),

Just WDW a ring 001 404 939 3463

You will have a fantastic holiday:purplejum

[1969steveb]

Hi and welcome,
You have definately come to the right place for answers. I have done nearly all your suggestions with the exception of Aquatica the first two times i went and it is possible but the walking involved is really quite strenuous so a couple of days off either shopping or lazing by the pool is a must to recharge those batteries. We have done character breakfasts at both universal and disney and to be honest we prefered universal but that was our choice. If hubby is after the best thrill ride then definately go to busch gardens for 'shekira' and have lunch at the 'crown colony' not straight after :laughing:
We said it was a once in a lifetime holiday but 6 times later!!
Planning and preperation is the key and you have the right book for it thats for sure we call it our brit bible [god bless simon/susan] :happy-smi

Steve