Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

[swampymarsh]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

On my most recent trip I was still not able to do everything I wanted. One day sometimes isn't enough for AK.

Well I have gone to San Diego Zoo's Safari Park a lot before and I have quite enjoyed that, so maybe I will enjoy a full day at Animal Kingdom. Of course, San Diego Zoo's Safari Park did encompass 1,800 acres when compared to Animal Kingdom's 500, but that shouldn't deter me from enjoying my stay. Besides, a full stay would be required to enjoy everything, since in the early morning I'd have to race to the thrill rides before lines build up, mid day rest from all the sun and heat, and during dusk and night that's when the animals start to move about and such.

It's not the size that matters, and it is not like any cities zoo, it's really like a top notch zoo. Better than almost every zoo.

Also it's very richly detailed. It has themeing quality like we got on BVS and in CL. If you take your time looking over everything it will take more than a day.

[swampymarsh]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

I want to mention, since you mentioned you're sensitive to ride motions.

Rock in Roller Coaster inverts a couple times, but is over quick so may be something to try. It's pretty smooth. It does have a fast launch like CS.

Expedition Everest, is big, but not terribly rough. Sort of like a bigger, faster version of BTMRR, not bouncy, shaking and jerking like the Matterhorn.

I would really try California Screaming. It's very smooth, don't be fooled by the loop.

[alphabassetgrrl]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

I've only visited MK and EPCOT once, but I found it surprising how full the restaurants were. Was rather difficult to get a table as a single person walk-up. So if you have someplace you'd like to try, you might think about putting in reservations or eating at slower times of the day.

[Bongo]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

A. I guess you looked at a list of the parks, and copied it only the schedule.
B. Do you want low crowds, you aren't getting the lowest.
C. Do you want to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours, you will only get a bit.

How would you, or anyone else, suggest I visit the parks then? I know I want the Magic Kingdom to be first on my list, however. And no, I don't think I will take advantage of Extra Magic Hours.

[swampymarsh]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

How would you, or anyone else, suggest I visit the parks then? I know I want the Magic Kingdom to be first on my list, however. And no, I don't think I will take advantage of Extra Magic Hours.

I would use your half day when you arrive to visit the MK. Start your trip in the MK that way. When you go to the MK you may realize as I suggested that you may not need a full day there. The reason is unlike DL, MK doesn't have as many attractions, Star Tours as an example is in a different park.

If you don't want to use the Extra Magic Hours, simply go to park not hosting them. Parks with morning EMH get bigger crowds all day compared to the other parks. Parks with the evening EMH tend to have bigger crowds especially from the evening into night. So you avoid crowds by going to the parks not hosting EMH, and to make it even better as someone suggested above, go to the park that last had the previous day.

I wouldn't recommend strait up avoiding EMH. EMH at WDW is different than in DL and DCA. In DL they open FL and TL, and in DCA they open all the attractions with little exception, in WDW during EMH only very select attractions are open, generally the E-tickets. What I like about EMH is the low crowds when you are walking around and riding the E-tickets one after another with less crowds than during the day and also that it's night and the parks are lit up(AK is always a morning EMH).

Also if you look at the scheduled the park hours vary every day. It's not like DL where the hours will be 8-12 every day to September. So you might hop around to increase you time in the parks. If it works out visit a slow park and hop to the evening EMH, or go to the morning EMH and hop to a slow park. That's my strategy. I usually hop by going back to my resort for a change of clothes, for a swim or to any resort for dinner.

[Barbaraann]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

I actually like visiting the park that has early entry in the morning. I would always get a lot done in that first hour of the morning. Especially visiting Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom.

[Bongo]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

A little update guys. I now have two options for arriving into Florida. I can go as I said before; on June 15 I will catch a flight in the morning and then arrive in Orlando at around 5:00 PM. I have another option to do an overnight flight from June 14 and arrive on June 15 at 6:00 AM. If the latter happens I could spend an entire day at a park.

However, I always seem to have problems sleeping on aircraft. For example one time my family took a trip to New York from California. Can't remember how long the flight was, but I can assume around 8 to 9 hours long. It was an over night flight, and I didn't catch a bit of shut eye during the entire flight, so when we landed, I suffered from sleepiness and jet lag due to the +3 hours.

Of course, truth be told, I do tend to accidentally sleep very late on the nights before I go to Disneyland. Like a trip to the Disneyland Resort I did recently on the 5th, I slept in at 2:00 AM and woke up 7:00 AM. So I had 5 hours of rest before I hit the parks from 8 AM to 12 Midnight. I took a slight slumber on the railroad during the night, however. Then again, this flight will last 8 hours...

So what do you guys think? Should I arrive in Florida on June 15th at 5:00 PM ready and raring to go or 5:00 AM with a possibility I may or may not be very sleepy during my visit?

[swampymarsh]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

It depends on what you want to do that first day. Like you I don't sleep well on planes, so I can't rely on getting sleep on red eyes.

I think if you do take the red eye, you first day may be crappy. Going on into the 30+ hours without sleep may take the fun out of it.

However it's tricky to get used to the park house in WDW with the three hour time difference. I find it's easy to close out the parks there, because when they close at 12, it's only 9pm in California. But getting up for a 8am opening is tough because it's 5am in California. If you stay up all night on a plane, and fight through the first day, you may be able to get on the WDW time zone schedule. Fall asleep easily that first night.

[Bongo]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

Another question from me to you guys. If you had the choice between doing 9 days at Walt Disney World Resort or 7 days on a Disney Cruise Line in Florida, which would you pick?

I ask because of the very recent events at WDW. For one thing, WDW is not in its best shape. I feel that may detract from my experience. Not a lot, but by a little. Secondly the WDW/DLR switch with Kalogridis and Colglazier is a big thing. Kalogridis kept Disneyland looking clean, doing his best to get things show ready. So what if he fixes WDW even by a little bit? And the Fantasyland Construction, it won't be done by June I know that for sure. All these things I would miss if I went June of 2013.

Should I wait out the changes and hope for the best and take a Disney Cruise (Which I absolutely adore ever since my first cruise to the Mexican Riviera) or still trudge on through with WDW?

[swampymarsh]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

Bongo, I feel that you should do WDW, and if you want to cruise, do both.

The thing is WDW, is not aweful, it's different, and viewed differently. DLR has a far bigger local/AP following. DLR fans tend to be defenders of DLR. WDW has few defenders and far more critics. You are really observing a negative WDW spin and positive WDW spin.

As far as the contruction at WDW, it's ongoing. Because it's bigger then little DLR, there is always something to work on there. The New Fantasyland is almost complete. In fact when your trip comes around the Snow White Coaster will still be under constrution, but that is probably it. Also because of its latest progress by your visit, it will look great. A lot like the Caddilac Range did a year ago. Details filling in, but internal work going on. Makes you wonder why it isn't open, because it looks done.


For a cruise there will be some highs and lows, which I will compare to your MR experience.

The main thing is length of cruise. For some 7-9 days is too long, for other under 7 days is too short. You probably did a 5 day in the MR, so would you want more or less days? Also would you like At Sea days, which those long cruises have? It may be hard to tell, but it's something to consider.

Also because you will be on the newere big ships they have some pros and cons. The main thing is the rooms are smaller. The other is if you went to a port and were the only ship, it's a lot different when nearly twice as many people get off your ship into the same port. Other than that I really enjoy the new ships.


What I would suggest is this. Since you had a plan for park days with your mom, and then park days alone. Maybe you should do a "land and sea" trip. Go to park for 5-6 with your mom days and do a 3-4 day cruise. The 3-4 day cruise is short and simple, but Castaway Cay is included. I really enjoy these combination visits to Florida.

[alphabassetgrrl]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

I guess it depends on what you want, but you can't beat cruising with Disney.

Going to the parks is a different experience, though, different but yet the same as Disneyland.

[Bongo]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

The only problem is that my family only has enough money for one or the other once a year. I can either go a week at WDW or a week out at sea. Sorry to say but 3-4 days won't be enough. Let me explain a bit on that.

The trip to the MR was 7 days long with two or three days out at sea. My family (Especially me) loved it so much. I forgot the name of the ship and the name of the port we disembarked from, but in all technicality all 7 days were spent on the ship, getting off at each port to see the sights and returning to continue the fun on the ship. During that time we wish we took an extended 14 day cruise, but we knew we couldn't afford it in a long time.

We tried 3-4 day cruises to both the Mexican Riviera and Alaska, and we all agreed that 3-4 days just isn't enough. In fact, when those cruises ended we sort of felt half fulfilled. And spending that much money for half of the feeling just didn't seem right.

Right now I am leaning towards going on a Disney Cruise this year and WDW next year. I really want to see the Seven Dwarfs Mine Coaster, as well as seeing what Kalogridis does to the kingdom. I do hope I decide soon though. Time is running short. Anything else anyone wants to add to maybe sway my opinion in one direction or another?

[Barbaraann]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

Take the cruise.

Return to WDW when Fantasyland is totally complete. That way, you won't leave WDW feeling like you missed something.

[swampymarsh]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

Right now I am leaning towards going on a Disney Cruise this year and WDW next year. I really want to see the Seven Dwarfs Mine Coaster, as well as seeing what Kalogridis does to the kingdom. I do hope I decide soon though. Time is running short. Anything else anyone wants to add to maybe sway my opinion in one direction or another?

Take the cruise.

Return to WDW when Fantasyland is totally complete. That way, you won't leave WDW feeling like you missed something.

There in lies the problem. WDW is far more than just the Kingdom.

If your excuse to not visit is FL construction. That will be you excuse again and again. Because after that, Avatarland, and after that something else and something else. It will be a shame if you never get to WDW.

[Barbaraann]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

I have been reading this thread since the beginning, and I apologize if I am wrong. I somehow feel that the OP is a bit overwhelmed by the bigness of WDW, and all the planning that it takes to guarantee a successful trip.

I have never been on a cruise, but perhaps at this point in time it would be a better choice.

[Bongo]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

There in lies the problem. WDW is far more than just the Kingdom.

If your excuse to not visit is FL construction. That will be you excuse again and again. Because after that, Avatarland, and after that something else and something else. It will be a shame if you never get to WDW.

Don't worry. We'd be able to do WDW next year. We have enough for one vacation per year, and in this case enough for either WDW or a Cruise right now. It was just a matter of trying to decide between something good and something good. Fantasyland is not my only excuse. There are other things that factor in. Fantasyland is just something that always comes to mind when typing these things.

For next year I am hoping to shoot for February as my WDW time. It's not at the peak season of the year and the weather should be slightly tamer than in summer. Plus the Fantasyland Expansion should be complete, and hopefully some problems with WDW should be sorted out through Kalogridis (Key word: hopefully). The main problem is my school. I am still in high school and am stuck to a traditional calendar. I used to have a non-traditional schedule with a month of school then a month of break repeated. That would of allowed me to go during the perfect time when it was not peak season and weather would be tame. So another future possibility would be when I leave high school in two years, I could plan another WDW vacation of my dream where I would not be restricted by schedules.

I have been reading this thread since the beginning, and I apologize if I am wrong. I somehow feel that the OP is a bit overwhelmed by the bigness of WDW, and all the planning that it takes to guarantee a successful trip.

I have never been on a cruise, but perhaps at this point in time it would be a better choice.

I am a bit overwhelmed by the bigness of WDW, but I don't want to plan out every single move of my day. I just want to try and get a very broad view on topics that I am curious about and want to know some answers for.




Thanks for the suggestions guys. Don't think your suggestions have gone in vain however. I will start applying them into my visits at Disneyland to try and see if I could get a little used to a WDW trip routine. Although I may not take a trip to WDW this year, February of 2014 seems like a likely candidate. Once again, thanks.

[alphabassetgrrl]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

I planned my quickie visit to WDW a bit, just writing on a slip of paper the things I wanted to see, essentially in order going around the park that I was visiting that day. It was something to job my memory, to make sure I saw the things I wanted to see, while still letting me have freedom to be spontaneous.

I hope you have a fantastic trip, whether you pick the cruise or the parks! I lover cruising, so I'm a little biased in that direction, but the parks are awesome, too.

[swampymarsh]

Re: Any Tips, Tricks, or General Advice for a Disneylander's First Trip to WDW?

One thing I want to mention about the cruises if that is what you choose. Hurricane season runs June to December, peaking in late August/start of September. So if that' your choice go earlier in the summer.

Also beware that the long cruises are more likely to be exposed to a hurricane's path. The itinerary can often be changed as they try to route the ship around a storm. Sometimes this means another at sea day rather than making a port of call, or an alternative port of call. Check the weather right before your trip in case the ship's route and a hurricane path intersect.