So like most of us we don’t like to admit it wives really are the deciding factor.Keep in mind almost weekly companies rent out the MK park for an evening during summer usually 7 pm until mid nite. If you have a pass for that theme park you will have to leave so try to find out when you pick what days and parks you want to be at with the group.If you have a Hopper pass you can go to another park for the remainder of the night.
OT: Disney World
- Thread starter tom1944
- Start date
Agree it is tough to see characters but they are scheduled at specific times in the parks. Just need to understand everything with meet the characters is a wait. Pictures, chats, all the things moms , dads and gran parents love .Waiting in the HOT sunshine.
I checked with my mom and we went the summer of 1972 the first time which was within a year of the opening
Chef Mickey doesn't have the best food, but you meet Mickey and all his Friends in one shot. Tough to beat this efficiency! Staying at the Contemp or BLT makes it even more convenience.
When our daughter was younger, we would use it for breakfast or lunch about half the time. The past few trips, after she was 7 or older, not so much. However, it is still very convenient for leftovers and quick turnaround snacks/meals (think frozen meal, soup, chicken nugs). There is a delivery food service called Garden Groceries that drops off food to the resort (who then keeps it at the appropriate temp). We stock up on the first day of every trip.
We love the functionality of having a real kitchen, but our meal use of it has diminished over time. The primary reason we get villas is for the extra space. We normally get a 2BR villa for us 3 (or 4 when my mom used to join us).
My wife just became a Disney travel agent. She doesnt charge any fees and knows absolutely everything about Disney. The price of your trip will be the same as if you were to book it, except if want to have her book your trip, she can help you do everything and provide endless suggestions and tips. For example she will make all of your dinner reservations, can give you tips suggestions on what parks to visit and when etc. She is super knowledgeable and helpful. Send her an email if you want her to help you book.
brittany.smith@findyourwonderlandtravelco.com
I think this resort would work best for us
Having the option for my wife and granddaughter would be a real benefit
Thanks
I will
My daughter seems to think she can put it together but I have concerns because some teachers are telling her there is no rush in setting everything up
I used to work in the travel office for Exxon so I know the value a good professional provides
Here is the 3rd party DVC points rental service we use to book BLT (and other DVC villas):
Rent DVC Points & Save on Disney Vacation Club Resorts | David's Vacation Club Rentals
Rent Disney points from DVC Rentals and stay at a deluxe Disney Vacation Club villa hotel as a guest of a Disney Vacation Club owner.
dvcrequest.com
We have used these guys about 15 times. Never any problems! The benefit is getting a great price. 30-40% reduced versus booking directly via Disney. The downside, you pay upfront and changing/cancelling is normally not possible.
So what do you think a 6 night stay would run. We would have 5 peopleHere is the 3rd party DVC points rental service we use to book BLT (and other DVC villas):
Rent DVC Points & Save on Disney Vacation Club Resorts | David's Vacation Club Rentals
Rent Disney points from DVC Rentals and stay at a deluxe Disney Vacation Club villa hotel as a guest of a Disney Vacation Club owner.
We have used these guys about 15 times. Never any problems! The benefit is getting a great price. 30-40% reduced versus booking directly via Disney. The downside, you pay upfront and changing/cancelling is normally not possible.
G
No I completely understand that… but you can deal directly with WDW customer service and get all that too. Nice to see her offer her time and service but one thing Disney does still offer is help on the phone and the computer and quickly.
6 nights is fine. I would say that is the minimum to do, but nothing wrong with a full week! :)
I guess it depends on you GD. Is she okay being away from home? If yes, why not the week? Check in isn't until 4pm, so the first day is mostly travel. We first went to WDW with our little one when she was a young 3 years old. We only did 5 nights. She was fine even back then, so we quickly moved to a full week, which is.....travel day, 6 full vacation days, travel day. Yes, you can use travel days for activities, but without a home base, the risk and logistics get more complicated.
BTW, what are your plans for a rental car? Yes or no?
She gets a % of the total trip. But she gets it directly from Disney, so there is no additional cost for her service.
For example, If you book a trip directly through Disney and it is $5,000… if you let my wife book it, it will still be $5,000 but she can help book all of your reservations, lighting lanes plus answer any questions you have and provide a ton of valuable tips and advice (we have been to WDW over 30 times in the last 10 years).
She would be much easier to access and much more personalized then dealing directly with Disney. She will tell you thinks Disney does not want you to know that can make your trip much for enjoyable.
Last edited:
If we fly down we would probably rent a car but since it is summer and we are retired and my daughter is off I could see we might drive down over 3 days and drive back in 2
Time is not a factor so we could stay the week as you suggest
So say we stay a week what would I expect the Bay Tower room to cost me for the week
End of August, 2BR at BLT (standard or lake view.....no need to pay for magic view) should be $8k'ish using a points rental service. One note, the 2BRs at BLT are great since they also have 2 separate bathrooms. There are some 2BR villas that share a large bathroom which isn't ideal, at least for my family.
Driving isn't bad. Having a car in WDW is a great help. It actually allows you to be more spontaneous and avoid relying on buses.
In comparison to getting my wife to the airport on time the flexibility of driving is utopia
Would she be able to use the service T posted or do you think she might be able to get similar room savings?
I like the idea of using a professional to hear what we want and provide us a plan to make that happen.
I think we should go for the nicest accommodations and convenience just based on family dynamics so the suite with kitchen sounds great.
I am going to figure $25,000 for the vacation. Hopefully that will allow some really good extra stuff
I am not sure what service he posted, just looked through the thread, but she does get access to all Disney discounts offered through Disney— and if you were to book a room, then weeks later a new discount emerged, she can almost always rebook at the new rate.
No pressure at all to use her, you could even just let her know what your looking for and she is happy to tell you current rates/prices etc. She will answer any questions you have even if you don’t end up booking with her.
Two weeks ago we were over in LI visiting our kids. We stopped for dinner at Pastrami King in Merrick. As usual a great sandwich and as we’re waiting for our meal our grand daughter says, “ Papa when are we going back to Disney World?”… when I asked her what was her favorite ride she named about 4 different ones and said , “ can we go to Cinderella’s Castle to eat again ? “ It is a nice experience for a little child especially a grand daughter of 6 . Guess I better start saving.
What do you think every 4 or 5 years gets them at different points in their development
Originally we booked this for 2020 but pandemic changed the date. Airline - UA and WDW gave us until March 2023 . Thankfully able to go this past August 2022. 6 was actually better for her maturity and size and endurance to get around all the parks. Personally every 4 years is good but so many go EVERY year. I would rather go different places with our kids and grandchild. I enjoyed this trip with my wife as it was actually a fun and relaxing trip . Well planned trip equals less angst. Hopefully 2024 we will go again.
I used to love going to Disney. It's simply too stressful now. On our last trip I was sitting there at 4:45 AM in Hollywood Studios with thousands of others to get in a "virtual queue" or something for Rise of the Resistance and I had an epiphany that there must be a better way to go on vacation.
That being said, I think 5 is the best age to bring a kid to Disney. They are old enough to make memories but still young enough that they basically love everything. In my experience, some kids age out of Disney FAST and are bored with it by the time they are 12. Not all, but some.
That being said, I think 5 is the best age to bring a kid to Disney. They are old enough to make memories but still young enough that they basically love everything. In my experience, some kids age out of Disney FAST and are bored with it by the time they are 12. Not all, but some.
The need to plan for a day at a theme park definitely makes it less enjoyable but that's partly because people go to parks with the mindset that 1. they want to see as much as possible 2. they want to see all the best rides. That makes for a hectic, stressful day. If you go with an open mind and just jump on rides with shorter lines you will have a much nicer time. The urgency to see everything, which is understandable given the costs, is what ruins the experience.
I rented my points through Davids's a few years ago. They've been around a long time. I might be renting out my points next year, we're going next week but don't see a 2023 trip as a possibility so I'll be looking to get rid of my points.Here is the 3rd party DVC points rental service we use to book BLT (and other DVC villas):
Rent DVC Points & Save on Disney Vacation Club Resorts | David's Vacation Club Rentals
Rent Disney points from DVC Rentals and stay at a deluxe Disney Vacation Club villa hotel as a guest of a Disney Vacation Club owner.
We have used these guys about 15 times. Never any problems! The benefit is getting a great price. 30-40% reduced versus booking directly via Disney. The downside, you pay upfront and changing/cancelling is normally not possible.
Well.. in-demand restaurant resvs need planning.. but for a 5-year-old.. there is plenty to see where it won't be a problem... but if you want to do an in-park character meet with Mickey for a photo... there will be a line. You can walk around and see shows at teh castle at specific times that you know.. sit on the curb and wait for them. buy a photo-pass and have the park's photogs take pictures of you and your family for you at key places.. some with animations and so on. There are free activities.. like hunting down pirate treasure in Adventureland.. some kind of animal checklist in animal kingdom.. not sure what else.
But, in general, yes.. planning.. micro-managing is a big part of it to get the most out of it.. the in-demand rides and so on.
Then you have the resorts and experiences. At Animal Kingdom Lodges there is a savannah with animals you can see from about half the rooms plus access paths. All "free" without even a park pass. Your resort will have pools of different styles. Some resorts have themed restaurants that feature character interactions.. for a fee, of course.. and in-demand scheduling.. but all without having a park reservation or pass. You can schedule "park days" that, maybe, need to be planned well to avoid lines as much as possible.
Hmmm.. you said the summer months would be used? I think the Halloween parties start, oddly enough, in August. These things are a paid party... figure $150 or something.. it varies.. and you can get into Magic Kingdom at 4pm or so.. they kick out regular guests starting at 6PM and at 7Pm the official party starts. While I hear it has been a bit crowded this year, these parties tended to be a decent deal compared to the regular park pass because they have some snacks for you and special events.. dance parties, characters, shorter lines.. and goes late into teh night with its own fireworks show.
Hmm.. doesn't look like they have any for mid-summer.. just Halloween starting August 12 (this past year).. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/tickets/events/
I guess I am saying that a 5-year-old might not know what they are missing re: rides etc. if you did not plan it to the max and enjoy just being in the parks and seeing everything. And having to wait in line might cure them of an addiction to DisneyWorld. And you an always buy them expensive stuff in the stores. If there is an unmentioned Disney princess affliction at work here... very possible for 5 year olds... trying to get the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique appointment to be made into a princess and/or a character meal inside the castle.. two high-demand and pricey items.. would likely be enough for any 5-year-old princess.
Yes.. it is quite insane really...
Yeah.. Bay Lake is a popular DVC property. Plenty of places to watch the nightly fireworks from even if you do not have a park pass. And they just brought back Desert Parties at teh rooftop "Villains" themed space. It is for DVC members but maybe there is some kind of accommodation for those staying at a DVC property? unsure.
New Dessert Party Coming to Top of the World Lounge
Be sure to mark your calendars for a new event coming to Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort - Enchantment at the Top Dessert Party!
dvcfan.com
There is also a desert party inside the park near Tomorrowland times to the fireworks. I think they wills till be doing these as part of the 50th anniversary next summer... umm. no.. it ends March 2023. But they will have something similar. Like everything.. overpriced for what it is, but you get a table and seats for fireworks... and if you get on line early.. you pick your table (within reason to match the number of seats you have reserved) and can be under or near where Tinkerbell passes over.
Been to Disney a lot. Was there a couple weeks ago. I would just say be prepared to jump on the 7AM Virtual Queue one the Disney Parks app or the newest rides like Rise of the Resistance and Guardians of the Galaxy Ride (that one is really worth doing).
Plan rest days or at least plan rest half days. On my last trip, I did around 22K steps, 10.5 miles of walking in Epcot in one day. On other trips, I did more. All that walking and line standing takes it toll on the body, it's tiring. IIf there is anyone in your party who has difficulty walking that much should rent a scooter.
Plan rest days or at least plan rest half days. On my last trip, I did around 22K steps, 10.5 miles of walking in Epcot in one day. On other trips, I did more. All that walking and line standing takes it toll on the body, it's tiring. IIf there is anyone in your party who has difficulty walking that much should rent a scooter.
The kids went for breakfast , meet the characters with our grand daughter. Wife and I made great use of the concierge level breakfasts, snacks for park , afternoon wine , beer, hard liquors from 4-7 pm plus some of the post 7 pm deserts selections . The food on the concierge level and service by cast members was outstanding. Housekeeping and the people catering to you is nice. You do get what you pay for. Not cheap and perhaps OT but as we get older we realize this is what we have always tried to do in 55 years of being together as a couple. Work, Save and Invest, Spend on Family and Self and Don’t Be Sorry For Being a Boomer.
Been there several times and you need to make a plan for what you kids can handle. When our kids were younger we would do a park and then go back to the room and hit the pool and then do another park in the afternoon or evening
Wilderness lodge is awesome if you are going to spend most of your time at Magic Kingdom. If you don’t mind the bus I would suggest the Yacht or Beach club. It has an awesome pool and is a walk to Epcot and Hollywood studios. We liked Epcot for food but Disney springs is also very good.
I think this time we are going to stay at the Contemporary or Bay Lake Tower if I can book the type of room I want
For you Disney pro's Two questions
Is it worth it to get the Park Hopper or even better to get the Park Hopper plus option? It seems that the flexibility would be worth it
Should we look to spend some time at Disney Springs? If so how much time do you usually spend there?
Is it worth it to get the Park Hopper or even better to get the Park Hopper plus option? It seems that the flexibility would be worth it
Should we look to spend some time at Disney Springs? If so how much time do you usually spend there?
Contemporary pool is nice and it is very easy to MK. We like the food at Disney Springs and my son loves Splitsville
It depends on your touring style and what you'd like to do.
We have APs so we have parking hopping included and take advantage of it. It's nice being able to go to one park in the morning and then go to say Epcot for dinner especially around festival times.
Disney Springs is always worth a trip. There are a few unique stores and a bunch of good dining options..our biggest issue is that we like a few restaurants at Disney Springs we tell ourselves to try something new and then end up at old favs like Homecomin and The Boathouse.
The Contemporary pool is great for kids with several slides and a place adults can chill. Rent a Cabana for the day. FWIW: Contemporary is re- doing entire pool and upgrading is coming up soon . As for the Hopper we being there 10 days didn’t do it this trip. When you are looking to get in as much as possible in a short time frame then maybe a good choice. The convenience of the monorail through the hotel and 1/4 mile walk to Main Street in MK is what is a benefit for the young and OLDIES in your party. The pre planning and understanding the times to pick daily with Genie plus ( $18 per ride per person extra and some rides are more now up to $22) Family with ( 4 -5 x whatever prices ride is for day ) be prepped to spend some extra coinage. No matter what tom1944 you’re making the right choice by doing your due diligence. I’m certain you all will enjoy.
