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Trip to disney, recommendations?

CharlieMoy

CharlieMoy

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My girlfriend and I are planning a trip to disney world/land florida or whatever you call it in February, and Im wondering, whats the best way to go about it?

ie cheap tickets, where to stay
 
Ask spank, I think he is really close to there. You're going to the one In Orlando right?
 
Yes Sir.

Dont worry, I expect to be booked into the outing before allocating funds for this thing
 
Thainer21 said:
Yes Sir.

Dont worry, I expect to be booked into the outing before allocating funds for this thing
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Ya he will probably know everything about that place. I think him and his family just went there the other day if I remember right.
 
how long are you looking to go for?

the last time I went I stayed at a Comfort Suites about a mile from the main gate. It worked well, I used my rental car to get there, they charged I think 8-12 bucks to park for the day. You can use the different trams and trains they have to get from park to park once you are inside.
 
I was probably only gonna go for 3 or 4 days, as there were other things that we wanted to do down there
 
Thainer21 said:
I was probably only gonna go for 3 or 4 days, as there were other things that we wanted to do down there
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check out the Comfort Suites in Kissemmee, was a decent place, good restaraunt next door, and a 5 minute drive to disney.
 
Depends on what you're looking for / planning on doing while here. How long is your stay? What is your budget looking like? Etc.
PM me if there are things to discuss that are not for public eyes.
 
If you want to stay on property, I highly recommend the Animal Kingdom. We stayed there last year and it is awesome. Once in a lifetime, as it's on the high end of cost. I was going to a conf and that helped offset our costs.

If you don't have kids, you'll probably get to see/do more.

It's hard to do an inexpensive disney trip. But, there are lots of disneyworld experts on the internet with advise and tips. just google it.

My favorites:
Animal Kingdom themepark
Expedition Everest rollercoaster
Pirates of the Caribbean
Space Mountain
Disney's nightly, after-closing, fireworks is the best display you'll ever see.

Haven't seen this yet, but Universal Studios has the Harry Potter Theme Park, which opened this year.

Have fun.
 
Staying on property is great. We took our kids there in Oct. We stayed at the Hilton near Downtown Disney. Bus, monorail and ferry service is all really convenient. I'd never been before and I really liked it. It was hard driving by all those great golf courses and not playing at all.
I highly recommend Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Epcot.
 
Thanks a bundle guys. I heard staying on property was overrated and unnecessarily expensive? But I dont know because I havent been since i was 3 or 4.

What kind of tickets should I buy? Can 2 parks be done in one day? Should we make some time for universal studios?
 
staticline said:
If you want to stay on property, I highly recommend the Animal Kingdom. We stayed there last year and it is awesome. Once in a lifetime, as it's on the high end of cost. I was going to a conf and that helped offset our costs.

If you don't have kids, you'll probably get to see/do more.

It's hard to do an inexpensive disney trip. But, there are lots of disneyworld experts on the internet with advise and tips. just google it.

My favorites:
Animal Kingdom themepark
Expedition Everest rollercoaster
Pirates of the Caribbean
Space Mountain
Disney's nightly, after-closing, fireworks is the best display you'll ever see.

Haven't seen this yet, but Universal Studios has the Harry Potter Theme Park, which opened this year.

Have fun.
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maybe the best ride in all of Disney. Like the Tower of Terror and Aerosmith coaster as well.
 
Just back from a week at WDW and our tenth trip in the last five years. I have 7,000+ posts on the disboards.com forums. If anyone here knows more about WDW then I will be surprised (but happy to meet a fellow Disney nerd). :)

Anything you want to know feel free to PM me.

Some basics:

Ticket prices are what they are. Any big discount you see will be a scam. Like golf clubs and balls, only WDW tickets never go on sale. So just like all Callaway products will cost you almost exactly the same price at any store Disney ticket prices are set. Your only legitimate discount can sometimes be through the site called Undercover Tourist. You can also check MouseSavers.com for discounts that might apply during your stay.

February - except for Presidents Day weekend - is a low crowd period so crowds should not be a big deal unless you are there during the holiday weekend.

Advantages to staying onsite:
- free parking ($14 per day if you stay offsite) so add $14 per day if you stay offsite to the cost of your hotel if you are driving.
- Extra Magic Hours - WDW resort guests can stay longer in the parks, which can allow you to get a lot more done or go back to the hotel during the day to relax, not feel as rushed
- fun themeing, Disney experience all the time, especially if you have kids
- Disney transportation will take you everywhere you want to go, including from and to the airport if you fly, so you don't need to drive

Disadvantages to staying onsite:
- will cost you more than offsite for similar sized rooms, etc. (but don't forget that $14 for parking
- Disney's hotels are a little older and some modern ammenities are extra or not available (no free Wi-Fi in Disney world or their hotels, for example - no wifi period, for that matter, though you can get wired internet in their hotels for $10 per night and bring your own wifi adapter if you want)

Will you have kids with you? Are you the types to go 100% all out all day or do you want to relax a little? Foodies? Trying to be as cheap as possible? At WDW you can go from one extreme to the other and anything in between. We've done it all, pretty much - our first trip after getting married we drank water, split double cheeseburgers, bought breakfast stuff from Publix to keep in our room, etc. up to staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and doing the Deluxe Dining Plan. Speaking of the Dining Plan, that would be another option only if staying onsite and sometimes they offer it for free, though you will pay full rate for the room.

One option to consider is a travel agent - you don't pay anything for the service, but they'll handle all of the detals for you. I can vouch for Dreams Unlimited Travel and Mouse Fan Travel.
 
Thainer21 said:
Thanks a bundle guys. I heard staying on property was overrated and unnecessarily expensive? But I dont know because I havent been since i was 3 or 4.

What kind of tickets should I buy? Can 2 parks be done in one day? Should we make some time for universal studios?
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Forgot to address these in my big response:

Two parks in one day: yes, but only if you add the Park Hopper option to your tickets. You cannot buy a two day park ticket without the hopper and visit two parks in one day expecting to use that second day, for example.

If you like thrill rides then a trip to Universal could be in order. They are much more thrill oriented overall than Disney. If you are driving no big deal, but if you fly and don't rent a car you'll need to do a taxi unless you are staying offsite (not in a Disney hotel) and they have a shuttle - Disney, no surprise, will not take you from one of their hotels to Universal. :)
 
You can get tickets online and save your time waiting in line if nothing else. Mapleleaftickets is a good online source and they are legit.
We stayed at the Hilton Homewood Suites on International Dr. and it was a very nice place with large multi room suites at very reasonable prices. They also offer free breakfast in the morning (not continental).
I recommend going to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. One of the best parks in the area IMO.
I hope you enjoy your trip.
 
Thanks for all the guidance guys. We are driving down from toronto, and we definitely dont have any kids as were only 20. Because were driving, we'll probably stay off site. We were going to do the parks in 3 or 4 days, so I sandwich those with golf days, and the rest driving days pretty much.
 
Holy crap dude, that's a heckuva drive. I must ask is there a reason you want to drive, ie sight seeing?

Thainer21 said:
Thanks for all the guidance guys. We are driving down from toronto, and we definitely dont have any kids as were only 20. Because were driving, we'll probably stay off site. We were going to do the parks in 3 or 4 days, so I sandwich those with golf days, and the rest driving days pretty much.
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Driving is my most favourite thing to do in the entire world. Plus it gives me the chance to stop in places where ive always wanted to stop
SW FLA said:
Holy crap dude, that's a heckuva drive. I must ask is there a reason you want to drive, ie sight seeing?
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Makes sense, lot's of very awesome places along the way. Myself and friend are going in Feb as well, I look for canadians and wave ;p

Thainer21 said:
Driving is my most favourite thing to do in the entire world. Plus it gives me the chance to stop in places where ive always wanted to stop
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Its funny, as a big O-Line football coach I take a ton of flack from coaches and kids for my love of Disney, but I do love it.

Wife and I are leaving the 17th of this month for 9 nights actually, I grew up in Florida before the parents divorced and went as a child alot, took the wife for our honeymoon as she'd never been, hooked, and more fun now than as a kid for me.

We're onsiters, you can get some pretty good room discounts, but, we also go for the dining plan lol. We stay at POP-Century as its a "value" resort but its fun in a bright and action packed sort of way. Honestly, we prefer it to out honeymoon at Animal Kingdom for no more than we are in the room. Offsite is a blast though, the freedom of having a car is cool to not depend on the buses or monorails.

I'll say this, don't rush things....enjoy the scenery, ignore the pain in the butt whiner's (there are always some lol) and soak it all in. Don't try to do it all in one day is the key though.

I'm a fountain of knowledge on WDW if you've got any more specifics I might be able to help, kinda weird coming from a football coach huh? LOL
 
Man thats a serious drive. We live in central NC and can drive it in like 10 hours. Still makes for a long day.
 
I'm going down in April for the first time and I'm pretty excited. I'm hoping to get a few rounds in but I'll be with the inlaws so it could be a little tough. I have a few friends who have made the drive from my neck of the woods and it takes 24 hours, they say it's a beautiful drive. I wouldn't mind making it myself eventually. Let us know how the drive treats ya Thainer!
 
Thanks guys. Were pretty excited. I'll check out stayin on site and the meal plans. Yeah, a 21 hour drive is pretty exciting to me. We are planning to stop in NC and GA on the way down, and TN and Probably Detroit on the way back. We'll see though. Thanks for everyones help!
 
Jman215 said:
Its funny, as a big O-Line football coach I take a ton of flack from coaches and kids for my love of Disney, but I do love it.

Wife and I are leaving the 17th of this month for 9 nights actually, I grew up in Florida before the parents divorced and went as a child alot, took the wife for our honeymoon as she'd never been, hooked, and more fun now than as a kid for me.

We're onsiters, you can get some pretty good room discounts, but, we also go for the dining plan lol. We stay at POP-Century as its a "value" resort but its fun in a bright and action packed sort of way. Honestly, we prefer it to out honeymoon at Animal Kingdom for no more than we are in the room. Offsite is a blast though, the freedom of having a car is cool to not depend on the buses or monorails.

I'll say this, don't rush things....enjoy the scenery, ignore the pain in the butt whiner's (there are always some lol) and soak it all in. Don't try to do it all in one day is the key though.

I'm a fountain of knowledge on WDW if you've got any more specifics I might be able to help, kinda weird coming from a football coach huh? LOL
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+1 soak it all in. And since you'll have your car, if you're more akin to the thrill ride a trip to universal Islands of Adventure should be in order.
 
Thainer21 said:
Thanks guys. Were pretty excited. I'll check out stayin on site and the meal plans. Yeah, a 21 hour drive is pretty exciting to me. We are planning to stop in NC and GA on the way down, and TN and Probably Detroit on the way back. We'll see though. Thanks for everyones help!
Click to expand...

Like I said before, you can always go with one of the Disney travel agent companies - no cost to you, but they'll run all of the different rates and discounts for you. Disney does run some good offers for Canadians pretty often, so you might be able to snag a deal like free dining, which could leave more golf money. :)
 
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