Disney virgin!!

We are about to embark on our first trip to Florida and to Disney at Easter time. We will be armed with three of our Godchildren, ages 9, 7 and 3 (for credibility purposes you understand[}:)])so we're really looking forward to it.

I have started to read all the guide books and I know that it will be busy around Easter time. We are only there for a week, so we have a lot to fit in. Can anyone recommend any of the 'must see' parks and 'must do' rides?

Cheers

My advice would be don't do too much !

I first went to Orlando in 1994 at which stage there were only 6 parks if you included The Kennedy Space Centre. Now I've lost count.

Also alot of parks are in direct competition with each other ... Think of it of choosing Tesco or Sainsburys !

My choices, in no particular order, would be as follows :

1. Magic Kingdom
2. Epcot
3. Universal Studios
3. Islands of Adventure
4. Seaworld
5. Kennedy Space Centre (Good on a wet day, and very educational for kids)

It's also worth bearing in mind that by the time Easter comes around most of the parks will be open late into the evening giving you the opportunity to go there early to do some rides etc ... Then go back to the hotel for a swim ... Then back to the park in the evening.

I have a rule 'One day in the parks' 'One day by by the pool' otherwise you'll come back needing another holiday !

Hope this helps.

..and my advice would be to do LOADS!!

A week is good for a sampler but you are right that there is a lot to fit in. Choosing parks is tricky becaise it depends what you want to get out of them - but for "wow" factor I guess you have to go to the Magic Kingdom First!!.

After that there are obviously plenty of options - Universal and Islands of Adventure do things really well and they have some good very well staged rides - but with time against you it migt be betetr to do the WDW parks as they have everyting there from animals to movies to water parks to indoor attractions. And it also depends on where you will be staying!!

Must do rides is tricky becaause once again it depends on what you like - my top current top 5 in Orlando would be:

The Mummy - Universal
Spiderman - IOA
Expedition Everest - AK
Kraken - Seaworld
Mission Space - Epcot

Even as I write this I think of the ones Im missing and some of the "staged" shows like Terminator and Earthquake and Mickeys Philharmagic and the car stunt spectacular - ooh its so tricky to choose!!

As Andrew mentioned - Easter will be busy so be prepared for some "waiting in line"!!

Have fun anyway!! Im sure you will[y]

[Bazz]

Haven't Disney now updated Pirates of the Caribbean to include characters from the Movie? I thought Johnny Depp et al were all now prominently featured in all the set pieces? Always been a fav ride of mine [y]

[HighFlyer]

I went at Easter before with my young cousins (12 & 7) for a fortnight, one week was insanely busy as the US were on spring break, but the following week wasn't too bad. Still a lot of UK families but queues were drastically reduced. It might help to cross-reference your dates with US school holidays.

I'd also look up the opening and closing times of the parks you want to visit. As others have said, during peak times the parks stay open later, and you can always combine a morning at one park (say Animal Kingdom) with an afternoon at a water Park to cool the kids down. Thats how we tried to do it, as staying in one park all day had even our 12 year old falling asleep before the evening fireworks as the heat just wears them out. The shows that MarkJ mentions are a great 'cooler' if you have been queuing for rides, and are actually pretty good. Waterworld at Studios is one of my favourite.

Parks wise, i'd go with: Magic Kingdom (you just have to!), Islands of Adventure (for the older children), Epcot, MGM Studios and Seaworld, as most people seem to enjoy Seaworld. Do take time to relax and just chill at the pool - thats the bit i think kids seem to enjoy the most, and was certainly what my 7 year old cousin named as his 'best thing about Florida'.

Thanks,
Sarah

[RichardMannion]

With children of that age range, I would probably give Islands of Adventure a miss, as it's target group in reality is higher ages. You don't want the party stood round waiting, whilst only one of the kids can go on a ride. They won't be able to go on a number of the rides due to height restrictions. If you have never been before, Universal may be worth a visit.

Magic Kingdom is a must, Animal Kingdom and MGM will be worth a visit. Not so sure on Epcot. Seaworld will be a hit with all ages.

I visited Orlando last October with a 26-year old child who demanded we go on 'It's a small world', so don't worry about the credibility angle.

Thanks,
Richard

[ChuckC]

Originally posted by Bazz
Haven't Disney now updated Pirates of the Caribbean to include characters from the Movie? I thought Johnny Depp et al were all now prominently featured in all the set pieces? Always been a fav ride of mine [y]

Would love to have a picture of you on that ride, Bazz!:D

Chuck-

I visited Orlando last October with a 26-year old child who demanded we go on 'It's a small world', so don't worry about the credibility angle.

Hmmmm, I can't possibly imagine who you are referring to Richard?[:p] Bet you had that song whirling around your brain for days afterwards?

Thanks everyone for the information. I guessed that the Magic Kingdom would be at the top of our list. It all sounds a bit overwhelming to me. It think the key thing is to plan ahead to get the most out of our trip. My Godchildren may even get to go on a ride of their choice if they're lucky[}:)]

Thanks again guys [:X]

[RichardMannion]

Wouldn't mind, but this is the same child (albeit 25 at the time) that dragged me on the 'It's a small Christmas world' at Disneyland California in December 2005, a mere 10 months earlier. I couldn't even get a mobile signal inside the attraction to be able to surf the web..... and did I mention the size of the queue for the damn thing on 31st December!

Thanks,
Richard

My best advice for you is FASTPASS. Or if you venture into Universal they have a pass you can buy to skip you to the front of the line. Can't remember what that is called off the top of my head.
It is going to be busy so be prepared. If you can't get Fastpasses (Disney only allow you to get one at a time or another one after about 3 hours) then you can expect 60-90 minutes in line for a popular attraction.

Here are some other tips for you.

Go early
When you hit Epcot get a FP for Soarin' or Mission Space first (which ever is your preference as these are total different sides of the spectrum)
As soon as World Show Case opens head out and do:
Norway - Maelstrom
Mexico - El Rio Del Tiempo (Should be open again by then)

When you hit Magic Kingdom get FP for Philharmagic. The 'Dark Rides' (ride that take place in the dark using ultraviolet light and reactive paint) such as Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh are all BUSY when the kids are in.

When you hit Animal Kingdom get FP for expedition everest if you like the fast rides

I would always try to doa late stay at MGM to catch Fantasmic at park closing as this is spectacular, mind you so is Wishes and Reflections of Earth (the Magic Kingdom and Epcot evening shows)

Wow, there is just soooo much you can do if you plan it properly.

HAVE FUN!

Paul

Originally posted by Bazz
Haven't Disney now updated Pirates of the Caribbean to include characters from the Movie? I thought Johnny Depp et al were all now prominently featured in all the set pieces? Always been a fav ride of mine [y]

They have and they are - - this was actually the ride with the longest queue when we were last there - and I have to say its OK but not one of my faves - the waterfall at the beginning is the best bit ( no more spoilers!!)

And really agree with the above - some planning really helps - you dont need to make it into a military operation - but its worth checking out when the evening shows/fireworks are on so that you can work around these. Depending on where you are staying it can be good to get in early and then take the afternoon backat base to relax by the pool before venturing out again. The early evening is also a great time to go on the "bigger" rides as most people will have done them earlier in the day and the queues will be significantly shorter!!

We are now all gonna be waiting on your post-Orlando TR!!

Originally posted by MarkJ
We are now all gonna be waiting on your post-Orlando TR!!

Ooh, crikey Mark, no pressure then![:p] I will certainly give it my best shot though!

p17blo, thanks for the fastpass info, will definitely help little legs from getting tired, waiting in long queues.

Maybe a water park (Blizzard Beach??) to break the days up? As all the others have said Easter will be busy.Give some consideration to the type of entry ticket you wish to purchase .Greater number of days access purchased (with add ons such as water parks, hoppers,no expiry etc) can work out cheaper in the long run (albeit will be more expensive to purchase initially) if you plan to visit Disney again.Park hopping also means you only pay the parking fee at Disney once on that day (currently $10).Be warned though- you'll be exhausted by the time you leave!!If you've booked with VH consider using the Downtown Disney check on and max the time available on your last day there.
Julie

Its all awsome, don't worry what you miss, you will be back!!.

I went first in 2000 flying in humble EC with Virgin, one week in Orlando to make the other arfs dream come true ( swimming with dolphins ) he let the wish slip out after a few bevvies, lol. Next day it was straight on to google, I have this annoying habit of remembering every conversation even when I get rat arsed.

Anyway I digress, I wasn't much looking forward to Orlando, much more the second week in the Bahama's, theme parks big deal thought I.

turned out once in the Bahamas I longed to be back in clean, safe polite Orlando, been ever since, this Oct will be my 7th visit.

Magic Kingdom is a must see, the castle at night is awsome with the fireworks behind.

The Hulk at Islands of adventure along with Spiderman is also unmissable, then the Mummy at Universal Studios. You can now buy the priority pass online at this end from 3 months before departure, just print it off your pc, its essential for getting on the rides if your short of time.

Basically Orlando is magical in every way and you don't need to be a child to appreciate it that way, do all your planning at this end and when you get there leave your serious thoughts and responsibilities on the plane. Go with the flow and believe a dream can come true, if you look carefully it is actually coming true on the faces of some of the people there, its lovely to see.

p.s. take a look at the dibb, there is everything you could possibly want to know on there.

My top tips:
If you want to do a character breakfast, do it your first day when you'll be up really early.
I would give US and IOA a miss and stick to Disney/the water parks and Sea World, you'll never do it all in a week. Our kids love the swimming just as much as the rides (they're 6 and 10).
If you want to eat anywhere on site other than the counter service places, you MUST make an ADR (dining reservation) or you'll be disappointed.
If you are onsite, make use of the extra magic hours.
Take a break in the afternoons. The heat and all that walking will wear the kids out. If they have a swim and a nap late afternoon, they'll be refreshed to go back for a few hours in the evening to watch the fireworks.
Take a look at the unofficial online guide at wdisneyw.co.uk where there are pages and pages of up to date info. Take a look at the forums too, you'll get some great tips.

Hope you have a great time!

Thanks guys for the continuing fab information [y] I think I need to go and lay down for a while, my head is starting to swim with it all[:p] There's so much to do at Disney, I never realised!

A few books to track down: I have the US editions, well worth the money and all save you time and money! Great for first-timers, and even though I've been going to Disney parks for over 40 years now, I still buy new editions of them and use them.

(Amazon UK links)
What to do other than the House of Mouse
Beyond Disney
and one for the Magic Kingdom:
Unofficial Disney World
and one for those with young Mickey Mouse fans in tow
Disney With Kids

Note that all of these books have new editions coming out in April of this year, maybe before you leave, but probably not. I would see about getting used copies, but only if you can get ones which aren't marked up or have torn-out pages. Don't get any book over 3 years old; the parks change attractions on a regular basis, and you might have your hearts set on seeing/riding something which no longer exists.

I note that the Amazon UK site lists books by Brits to Disney parks, but I have no knowledge of those editions. You could look them up anyway. There are links to them on the Amazon pages above, especially the third book for children.

Don't get any of the Birnbaum books, Disney subsidizes them and they are not impartial when it comes to certain things Disney. Borrow them or get them used; they're good for reading along with the ones above, but not as your only planning books.

I also highly recommend one of the behind-the-scenes tours, like the Keys to the Kingdom tour. Here's the thread - warning, contains spoilers to the tour! Ianflies recommended it to the rest of us. There are other tours if this one doesn't suit; you learn a lot, have a good time, and get to see things you wouldn't ever see in a regular day at the parks. There's a thread below Ianflies' about another tour you might consider.

Also, if you see a copy of Disneyland Detective, this Disneyland book for sale, get it while you're in the US. Most Borders books and Barnes and Nobles have it, Amazon UK doesn't seem to. The link is to Amazon US. It covers Disney history, and things like 'Hidden Mickeys' in the park. A good read, even if you're not going to CA.

Have a great time, and remember this: you can not do all of the Magic Kingdom in one day! Don't even try.

Don't buy books, save you money - They are good but people who frequent forums already have them and will impart their knowledge for free.
Can I also suggest you take a look http://www.orlandoexclusivevillas.com/forum/ which is something I am part of. It is quiet and just starting up, but there are a dozen or more local property owners and local residents ready and willing to answer you questions which can cover more than Disney.

Regards

Paul

Well everyone, we about to embark on our Orlando adventure this Sunday [^] Not sure where the time has gone? Excited? Moi?


Thanks again for all the info

Have fun Mrs G!

And yes there is still a kid in all of us!

Enjoy it!

Cheers Ger

Have a good trip yourself

[honey lamb]

Have a good trip and bring out the inner child in you!!

Thanks HL,

I think it may well be a case of our GodChildren looking after us, than the other way around![:p]

I'll just have to make sure they don't see me scoffing down loads of ice cream, popcorn and fizzy drinks, pushing people out of the way to get Mickey's autograph and screaming at the top of my voice on some of the rides. Wouldn't want to set them a bad example [}:)]

Phew!

Finally back from a mad week in Orlando. No, we didn't get to see everything and yes, we're knackered! It was truly brilliant [y] We had so much fun, we are talking about doing it again next year. Once I have caught up on some much needed sleep, I will post a TR. The only bad thing that happened was that Continental managed to send one of our bags to Houston instead of Bermuda, on our return trip [n]
I hold out some hope that one day I will be reunited with the bag that contains half the contents of the Florida Mall!! [:p]

Glad you had a great time - hope you and your bag have made up now and are back togetehr!!

Looking forward to your TR - want to know what you thought of all the rides and whether you got to any of the nice restaurants!!