I'm speaking at the Influence Conference in Orlando this summer. We're going to turn it into our family vacation. I went to the Disney World website and was quickly overwhelmed. Can I get some help from Disney aficionados?
Where should we stay? Which parks should we visit? What's a must-see or must-do?
Love a tip or two!
Where should we stay? Which parks should we visit? What's a must-see or must-do?
Love a tip or two!
37 Comments:
I'm a Central Florida Native (spent 20 years there). Can't speak as to where to stay. The Disney Resorts keep you close to the park...but they can be expensive. As far as which park to visit:
Magic Kingdom is a must. Epcot is fun if you like to think and explore. Magic Kingdom is all about adventure and all things Disney. I would skip Animal Kingdom and Disney Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM Studios). That my Floridian 2 cents.
I'm in Florida too...when I was a younger child (under 10) I absolutely hated Epcot. Magic Kingdom is definitely a must!
Just there last year - we went for a wedding and stayed at a nearby hotel, with discounted rooms, so I don't have a bunch of advice on where to stay.
But Magic Kingdom and Epcot are both musts. I didn't visit Hollywood Studios, but my sister did with her kids, and they loved it. Animal Kingdom doesn't have as much to offer as the other two (we used a shorter day for it), but if you go, the safari is a must. Get there early to take advantage of that (and to see the animals awake and moving).
And - I think Park Hopper passes aren't necessary.
I grew up in Central Florida (almost 20 years) and frequented Disney every couple of years on the Florida resident rates, much cheaper.
The Magic Kingdom is a must see! EPCOT is good if you want to experience different cultures without actually going out of the country. You can make reservations to eat at one of the country's restaurants. Very good!
I was moving away from FL when Animal Kingdom opened so I've never done it but heard it's good for very small children, it's very hot in the summer though with all those animals.
I enjoyed Universal Studios better than MGM.
If you're interested, try the Holy Land Experience. It's not a Disney park but interesting representations of Jerusalem, the Wilderness Tabernacle, and other Bible scenes.
personal favorite place to stay is one of the cabins at Fort Wilderness. Lots of green space, natural "playground" for the kids. Lots of room to spread out, kitchen etc. outdoor grill...totally good times. For a little extra $, rent a golf cart. Best way to cruise around the grounds. RV parks seem to be a great place for community. And they have nightly featured disney movie outdoors with schmores and all the good stuff. Can't beat it.
We stay at Disney every other year (I also grew up in Cocoa, FL). We have been in many of the resorts. By far the best resort we have stayed in (priced at the moderate level) is Port Orleans. It was so beautiful. It had a very laid back feel. My two boys first choice is definitely Coronado Springs (Again, priced at the moderate level) because of their fantastic pool! It is awesome.
In terms of parks, our family really likes Disney Hollywood Studios, honestly. There are a lot of very fun rides there. Animal Kingdom is a so-so. Miagic Kingdom is a blast. And Epcot is a little more laid back and grown-up. All in all it is the "happy place" that we love to escape to every other year and just get away from it all! Hope you have fun!
Having gone many times, staying on and off Disney property, I would have to vote for staying in one of their resorts. There are many advantages; the ability to go back to your room in the afternoon and take a break, swim or nap, use their transportation, and if you can get a package deal - meals & other bonuses. Personal favorite is Animal Kingdom lodge - waking up to a giraffe outside your room is pretty cool.
My wife and I just went to Disney in November while in Florida for our honeymoon. The Magic Kingdom is for sure a must. We also went to Disney's Holleywood Studios and were a little disappointed. Most of the attractions are more like shows--a newer Narnia attraction where you just stand in a room and watch a TV screen. I would recommend Epcot. I really enjoyed Epcot in the past and you leave there feeling like you learned a lot.
As far as where to stay--we stayed at the Animal Kingdom lodge. It's a great taste of the Animal Kingdom without spending a whole day there. They have a great pool with a waterslide and they even have an African Safari which you can see from some of the rooms. Most of the employees are from Africa and I felt a little like I was on a missions trip there!
Just remember to bring your own food and snacks--a box of cereal costs $7 and their buffet dinner is about $40/person.
the best advice I could give is to have a plan for each park
it might seem like overkill, but the parks are so big and there are so many attractions
there are lots of good books and websites with great recommendations on the order in which you should visit attractions and the best times of the day to visit certain attractions
have a good plan for each park and you will spend less time waiting in line and more time enjoying the great attractions
Can I just first say that I love Disney World? Went there a bunch as a kid, honeymooned there, and I am taking my girls there in March for vacation! If you have the chance to stay at a resort with a water park, the kids will love it! Animal Kingdom and MGM/Disney Hollywood Studios can be skipped - a few cool things there if you have hopper passes and plenty of time to jump between parks - but otherwise not worth it. Magic Kingdom is the Disney epicenter and its the one your kids will love the most! As a kid, I was disappointed with Epcot. But now, it is by far my wife and I's favorite.
If you have an extra day and want to try something other than Disney, Universal Studio's Islands of Adventure is a riot! Lots of superheroes and it has by far the best spread of roller coasters I have ever seen in one park!
And if you're looking for something completely different, Downtown Disney has a couple things that are really cool. There is a Cirque du Soleil show that is out of this world but a little spendy. Also, if you and your kids are in to video games at all, there is a place at DD called Disney Quest that is a lot of fun. You pay a day fee to get in and then you get 4 floors of arcade games, computer games, simulators, and such that are at your disposal all day long! My brothers and I did this a couple years and it remains one of our favorite shared experiences!
Hey Mark,
I just moved to Central Florida about 8 months ago from Chicago and can vouch for Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, SeaWorld and Universal Studios. If you have little kids, Epcot might get a little boring for them.
As for staying - Portofino Bay Hotel @ Universal has some really solid reviews. Don't know about the price tag though...
Also, I'm working at a church plant in the area (www.hbcorlando.org) and our church offices are at Sola Scriptura, a separate segment of the Holy Land Experience. It's one of the largest privately owned collections of ancient Biblical manuscripts - (http://www.scriptorium.org/vkc.html). Would love to get your family in to HLE and then show you around the manuscripts if you're interested.
Mark-
We did Disney last year for the first time. Stayed at Fort Wilderness or Fort Disney - a log cabin in the woods. Took a ferry to Magic Kingdom and then could easily hop to the others on the tram. Magic Kingdom was by far our kid's favorite stop - we did all the parks. My oldest loved the rides - and his favorites outside of MK were Aerosmith's Rockin Rollarcoaster (I think we did this 10 times) and the big one at Animal Kingdom.
Have fun-
We went last April. Animal Kingdom was awesome and Magic Kingdom. Universal Studies isn't part of Disney, but I thought it was better than Hollywood Studios. We're going again in November and will probably skip Epcot this time.
Hey Mark,
My family and I used to live in Central Florida, but not reside in VA. We continue to vacation there as recently as 08'.
I like you have several kids (4 for me) and they really enjoy.
My best recommendation to date is to stay at the Animal Kingdom Resort, with a Safari view. Eventhough it is on the higher side, it is fantanstic.
I would do the 5 day pass, visit all 4 and use the extra day to double up.
Good Luck1
We have done Disney before kids, with twin babies,with 3 kids and now 3 teens. We have stayed at most of the resorts except the higher end.
Resorts:
POP resorts are fun themed with oversized decor and are least expensive
Carribbean Beach has a beach for each island. Water craft to rent, food court eating (moderate price)
Beach and Yacht Club - Great water slide, water craft to rent, can take boat to Epcot or walk, 4or 5 hotels are on this lake area and include ESPNclub, (higher price)
Wilderness Lodge has great pool area and larger lake, can take boat to Magic Kingdom, good food selection
Parks:
Park Hopper Passes to do part of day in 1 and then to another.
Animal Kingdom:Safari in the morning
Magic Kingdom: Day and night(kid rank 1)
Epcot: Day or just for Fireworks
Hollywood Studios: Day (kid rank 2)
Nights:
Downtown disney and Marketplace
So much more to tell
Stay at any of the Disney Resorts so you can take advantage of the Magic Hours. We were able to see and do more in the few extra hours and it wasn't nearly as hot.
If you get the disney dining - make reservations for your table top dinners.
And even though they offer transportation have your own vehicle! They have trams that take you to your parking lot and after spending all day in a hot park getting into your own vehicle and sitting down is definatly a luxury
Islands of Adventure was a big hit for us (4 years ago)...we had never been before, but they had the best rides of all the parks that we went to. Spiderman was pretty awesome, the Hulk was great, dueling dragons. If I remember correctly Spiderman and Revenge of the Mummy (Universal studios) were my two favorite rides (out of Disney, Epcot, MGM.) We stayed at Disneys Yacht club (I think we got a good deal) It was really convenient with a ferry to Disney and restaurants, etc on a boardwalk that was part of the property
Our family has been making a pilgrimage to Disney since 1982 and currently own in the Disney Vacation Club. For your first time, I would suggest the following:
1. Plan out your daily schedule before getting there
2. Stay on property
3. Use http://www.touringplans.com or http://www.tourguidemike.com
4. Prepare to hemorrhage $$$ (but you can plan for it!)
The GC registration site has the cheapest tickets you can purchase anywhere (& an even greater discount when purchasing 10+ tickets), so start by purchasing tickets for the number of days you will at the parks. The premium tickets include an equal number of tickets for any of the water parks and the above mentioned Disney Quest.
Hope this helps!
One other thing... there's a buy 4 nights and get 3 additional free deal going on at Disney (includes tickets)... http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=b4g3f&market=b4g3f&CMP=KNC-WDWGAPQ2CONTGOO&HBX_PK=disney+world&HBX_OU=50&s_kwcid=ContentNetwork|3205182858
My family vacationed at Disney every other year growing up, and those are the best family memories I have! My thoughts:
-Stay on property.
-Get up and go as early as possible and stay as late as possible. You can sleep when you get home!
-Magic Kingdom is obviously a must. Our second fav growing up was MGM/Hollywood Studios. We LOVED the shows, and their rides were awesome. We hated Epcot as kids. Animal Kingdom is so-so.
-If you're going in the summer, hit the water parks too. They're SO COOL if you like water slides and such.
-Visit the Ghirdelli Chocolate Parlor in Downtown Disney. Best hot fudge sundaes EVER.
I'm insanely jealous! :)
You guys will have a BLAST!
Hollywood studios has a great rollercoaster based on aerosmith!! as well as the tower of terror if you are looking for a few thrills!
staying on property is the best.
Port Orleans was great. I saw someone else mention that.
I'm a disney nut and I realized that I can't even post a condensed version of anything in one post :-) There's just too much.... I would be more than thrilled to plan your whole trip for you though :-)
Oh how we love Disney. We have been three times with our three boys ages 7, 5 and 3. We prefer staying at a Disney resort. It is great to go back to your room plus it allows you to take advantage of special early and late hours at the different parks. Plus you can go to the different pools for the different resorts which is fun. The dining plan is truly the best option. So much food. Definitely take advantage of character meals. They really are a blast,especially if you do the dining plan. The Fantasmic laser show at Hollywood Studios is a must see. All the fireworks shows are amazing as well as the Spectromagic nighttime parade at the Magic Kingdom. Definitely do your research and go to each park with a plan. Use the fastpass option (read up on it on the wbsites) in each park for the ride that you most want to ride. At Hollywood Studios fastpass ToyStory Mania right away. And you and your older kids must go on the Rockin' Rollercoast. So fun! You get to see lots of characters at Hollywood Studios. When we went instead of having character sign autograph books we took a pillowcase for each child with their name embroidered on it. We took a sharpie and had the characters sign the pillowcases. i thought it was a pain at the time but I am so glad my husband pushed us to do it b/c the kids love sleeping with their pillowcase full of family memories. The Buzz Lightyear ride at Magic Kingdom is great. Spend a lot of time at magic Kingdom since most of your kiddos are young. Great dinosaur stuff at Animal Kingdom. Super italian restaurant at Hollywood Studios. The Nemo Ride and the Soarin' ride at Epcot are some of our favorites. Really pick people's brains before you go and formulate your plan so you can make the most out of your time:)
I love Disney! Our favorite resort - although it's expensive - is the Beach and Yacht Club. My best advice if you're overwhelmed and looking for a deal is to book through AAA. They are the only discounted packages you can find within Disney. I think that to get the full experience - Magic hours, Disney themed everything, convenience - you have to stay at a Disney resort at least once. The Deluxe Resorts are great, but everything (room, food) is expensive. The Moderate Resorts have food courts, fun themed pools. The Value Resorts are a great deal, but farther from the parks and a bit more of a motel feel.
Have a wonderful time!!
I am a Disney addict, and although I would like to say that you should go to all 4 of the parks, I understand that you may be limited.
My #1 recommendation is the Magic Kingdom. My #2 stands between the Disney Hollywood Studios and Epcot. There are more family-oriented rides and activities at the Hollywood Studios, but Epcot is really cool for cultures. I'm not sure how old your children are, but my guess is that if they're under 15, they won't appreciate Epcot.
Another important note: It's absolutely impossible to get the fullest experience park-hopping in 1 day. To have the most fun, you should set aside one day for each park.
ALL of the parks are wonderful, though. :-) Hope this helps!
Pastor,
I recommend, as do most of the comments on this pages staying on a Disney resort and not somewhere out in town. There is more "Disney Magic" if you stay on Disney property. It really depends on how much you are wanting to spend. Someone else recommended Port Orleans, which is a great, moderately priced resort. A more expensive resort that my wife and I enjoyed was Boardwalk resort but that is because we like Epcot a lot. Epcot is really fun for adults but not quite as fun for kids. Magic Kingdom is the best for kids under 10, I would say. Here is an excellent website for planning that will give you much more info than can be obtained from these comments: www.wdwig.com
Hi Mark,
Just discovered your blog. Looking forward to following you.
We live in Daytona Beach and frequent Orlando often with our 2 boys (7 and 9). Would love to help you guys out - would also be interested in hearing you at the conference!
We really like Sea World. Great shows and a manageable park.
We are members at the Hilton Grand Vacations Club across the street from Sea World and a short drive to the Disney Parks and would be glad to check you in at our member rates.
Magic Kingdom is a must. If you enjoy thrill rides (coasters, etc.) you HAVE to do Islands of Adventures. Teens favor this.
Grace and Peace...
Disney props are great, but expensive.
1. stay in the park (even the cheapest places are AWESOME)!
2. PURCHASE the meal plan (it rocks, it's cheaper, you get tons of food, and you can trade in 2 meals for one REALLY nice meal if you want to do something nice).
3. big [MUST] rides - rockin roller coaster (MGM), tower of terror (MGM), everest (animal kingdom), and SOARIN' (Epcot)
4. try to walk around Magic Kingdom without smiling for 5 minutes... it's a blast!
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I'll reiterate some of the comments that I think are especially valuable (i.e., that I wish someone had told me!):
1. Stay at a Disney property. It's worth it.
2. Magic Kingdom. Epcot is going to be on the boring side for Summer & Josiah. That's not to say you shouldn't do it, but depending on how long you have, it should be further down your list.
3. Disney offers various promotions and if you are going when they are offering one, it can save you a lot of money. I think someone posted a link to one and it looked pretty good!
4. Planning out your park visits is really the best way to have the most fun, but it really depends when you are going. If you are going during a prime busy season, then you probably should take up Brenda on her offer to plan your whole visit. :-) If you are going during a down time (and there aren't that many of them!), then it's not as important.
My favorite park in all of Orlando is Discovery Cove - run by Sea World, where you can swim with the dolphins, snorkel with the rays, and more. It's expensive but all inclusive -- food and drinks are part of the daily charge. And, they only let in so many people a day, so it doesn't get nearly as overcrowded as some parks.
Have a great time no matter where you end up!
Mark...
I am a HUGE Disney fan, and worked as a travel nurse in Orlando for 9 months last year in order to be close to Disney World and even got a part time job working at WDW to be closer to the magic. I became (and still am) my family and friend's unofficial tour guide and vacation planner when we go, so let me give you a few tips! Only because I love it and love to share it with those I love!!!!
The Disney "mecca" is Magic Kingdom (MK). Absolutely a must. My first moments going to Magic Kingdom when I was a kid were on the ferry (you can chose the ferry or the monorail when you go). So I make all my fam and friends do the ferry the first time. And then ride the monorail when leaving the park. But it's not the biggest deal, but I think kind of fun. If you go when the MK opens at 9am, the characters open the park with a fun musical number. Definitely worth the early morning start. The parade is daily at 3pm. A great opportunity to see all the princesses and favorite characters. If you need a mid afternoon sit down break, pick your front row spot on the curb along the parade route around 2 or so. Your kids will love not having to see around people in front of them. If you can, try to make a reservation at "Cinderella's Royal Table" now for lunch. You get to eat lunch in the castle as Cindy's guest, and she invites several princess and character friends to join her. I went with my friend and our moms as adults and had fun, but thought bringing kids would be really fun too!
EPCOT has some great restaurants and some fun things to do, but can be really overwhelming for kids. It's probably a favorite adult park because of all the countries and shops and whatnot. There is also the world showcase that has the best rides and some really neat showcases of new innoventions. If you get a park-hopper, you could even spend part day here and part at another park.
Animal Kingdom (AK)- a lot of people don't like this park because it is a little bit "smaller" than other parks, but also has less rides. However, this is my favorite park and when I was in Orlando for those 9 months I spent a lot of time at AK, and spent some fun 1/2 days with one family from my church. It is like going to a really great zoo, especially if you can do the safari. I recommend going to AK when it opens and going straight to the safari, the Animals are out since it is cooler and I have seen the most animals when I do this. Also a must see at AK is Finding Nemo the Musical... Disney does stage productions like no other, and this show is Broadway worthy. One of my patients (I was in L&D) actually was in the show and I am pretty sure I've seen it at least 5 times. I get the songs stuck in my head all the time. Wish I was back in FL just to hang out at AK. WIth kids, I think this is a must... it's a little more chill and more like a zoo, so expect to spend time exploring and learning, which is really why I think people don't like this park, but is a reason I love it.
Disney's Hollywood Studios (DHS)- This park holds a lot of my favorite rides. Used to be called MGM, but Disney changed the name, mostly because the contract ended with MGM, but because they wanted "hollywood" to be their middle name. DHS is all about movies. My favorite ride is Hollywood Tower of Terror, a 13 story drop while immersed in the world of " The Twilight Zone". THe newest ride at DHS is Toy Story Mania, a fun "4-D" ride that is like being at a carnival Midway and really, really fun. Great, low intensity ride for everyone! Newest attraction at DHS is American Idol, where they do a scaled down version of the show. I was just in FL 2 weekends ago and was able to see a preview and it was really fun! Guests audition, and 3 make it to sing in the show. At the show, other guests listen to them perform, real judges give input and then the audience votes for their favorite. I enjoyed it. There are some great stunt shows (Indy Jones, and a Car chase recreation among them). They also do a High School Musical daily show, and have a fun "block party bash" with Pixar characters.
Because you might want to actually do part day at one park, and part at another, I suggest the Park Hoppers. I know they cost a few bucks more, but you can make plans to go to different parks based on their opening hours. Depends on whether you guys are planning on running around all day, or trying to only go out for a few hours each day. I have almost always had park hoppers, and end up going to more than one park each time.
Staying on property is nice, because then you get access to Extra Magic Hours, when certain parks either open early or stay open late. You have to stay on property to get that benefit. In this case, it's nice to have the park hopper. When we would go, we would get up early and go to one park, then go back to our hotel for a nap or rest, then go to the park that had extra magic hours at night. I would definitely try to catch the fireworks at MK, "wishes". It is one of my favorite shows, with the choreography and the music. I have seen it multiple times and can't get enough.
So, that's my very lengthy advice as a very avid Disney lover. Totally jealous :) Would love to give you more if you need it!
Am loving NCC so far and can't wait to get more involved. You are challenging me in so many ways and I know God led me to this church for a reason and a purpose. Can't wait to see what it is!
Pastor Mark,
Having been to Disneyworld probably about 18 times in my 25 years, and stayed at a number of resorts, absolutely loved Boardwalk, and Carribean beach resort is very nice as well. As far as the parks, the kids will love Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom for sure. If you have time Hollywood Studios is a lot of fun to with the movie themed rides and shows. Epcot has more of an adult feel though there is a section of the park that has rides and stuff the kids would enjoy.
Okay so I didn't read all 33 comments that were left so just disregard this if you've already been told :)
Magic Kingdom is wonderful, the typical kids place.
Epcot is great for adults, with good food. AND an amazing fireworks show.
MGM great for movie connoisseurs. Indiana Jones is always great!
Animal Kingdom is SO much fun, especially for kids, they have a 4 story bird cage that will blow you away. And there is something called a Kilimanjaro Safari that is breath taking! Thats a strong recommendation.
There you go!
Why don't you come down at the end of April and stay as a guest.Living Water Fellowship in Kissimmee would welcome you, and you could get a preview of the area and places to stay. I do have side motives, I have to admit. We are having our missions convention at that time and we are in need of a speaker. The man scheduled (An AG guy) is no longer available. Well, at leaste check us out...we come from very small beginnings, too.http://www.livingwaterfellowship.net/
You should see the area in advance with on hotel fee! Come on down at the end of April! Alright, I have side motives. Living Water Fellowship church of Kissimmee will be having their missions convention and we just lost our key note speaker. If anything, check us out...we had small beginnings,too.
http://www.livingwaterfellowship.net/
Actual advice, stay at a hotel in between Disney and the convention Center. Orlando Intercontinental Hotel is nice and in a great location.
Daniel and Lisa
Like Tent Camping? Fort Wilderness tent camping was a blast and we paid $39 a night - with all the benefits of staying on the Walt Disney World property!
Highly recommend it for the cheap, fun, way to experience disney world
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