Travel: USA - Florida/Orlando
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Laura02:
Hi Laura02, you rented a car throughout the period in Orlando? Is it easy to drive in Orlando and finding the places of interest? Thanks.Well, the cold snap moved in overnight when we were there last Nov. Suddenly, one morning we work up and it was 0oC outside! So bring along some woollies, just in case. And a brollie ...
We rented a car because it was so much more flexible.
We drove to Legoland, and went to the science centre. My kids like it. It's fun and interactive, like all other science centers, then drove to a nearby Borders for books ....
My kids also liked Wondworks. It's good for 2, 3 hr max. We went for the laser tag and like an indoor treetop adventure thing. -
Miracle Child:
Actually when I read the travel guide book that advised the use of waist pouch, I was skeptical. Then when I tried, it was brilliant. This probably works better if you stay at a Disney hotel because all you need is your Key to the World card. It is your room key as well as charge card. All the eating outlets at the park accepts the card. Just bring a few dollars in case some push cart doesn't accept it.Wow! Dnls-mum, you really know how to pack...can put so many things in a waist pouch. :yikes:
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The weather is generally ok (except on occasion but that is usually well foretold by the weather forecast.), so you only need a light wind breaker or sweater. This when rolled up fits just nice in a waist pouch. The raincoat is plastic and this just easy to just slip in. That's all that is really needed. My kids previously could put their autograph book in their pouch too. I take some first aid like plasters and my small camera. DH has a camera waist pouch that can hold his DSLR, windbreaker, raincoat. I can't remember who held the bottle of water. But we brought 1 bottle only cause there are water fountains everywhere to fill up :). The stuff are all spread out and shared by everyone so it's easy on everyone :imcool: now I just need to get a pouch for DD for our upcoming trip.
We'll be in orlando, 27 Nov to 13 Dec. if you are there that same period and see a uncool Singaporean family of 5 carrying waist pouch, it must be us, so come say \"hi\" :rotflmao:
And I agree with Laura02 that having a car will be more convenient. But as we will be staying at a monorail resort at Disney, we only get the car when we are ready to leave. If you choose a non-monorail resort, moderate or value resort, then a car could be a plus. Otherwise, taking the buses are also ok, a little wait sometimes, but at least don't have to walk the long long way to the car after a long day at the park. Buses are right at the entrance of each park. For MK, buses go directly to the park. Those who drive need to park at TTc and take monorail to the park. So having a car at MK is not convenient. Busses are better. Most importantly, save some money since Disney hotels so ex. If stay outside Disney like many people, then definitely rent a car.
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I forgot to add that the KTTW card can be used to charge for shopping in WDW too and they can send your purchases back to your hotel. So convenient and nothing to carry
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Hi, we will be there from 28 Nov to 12 Dec...not enough leave to go too many days...plus my boss's frown when he learnt that I will be away from work for 3 weeks
Will keep a lookout for family of 5 with pouches :rotflmao: Actually, I will also explore the idea...in the past, I am always the one carrying the stuff and end up shoulder ache and feeling very tired :slapshead:
Still exploring the WDW website on the various options...so many things to look at
Is it worth to sign up for the dining plans? -
Hi, I was looking at the vacation packages at WDW. Understand that if you buy a 4-day ticket plus the water park fun & other option, you get 4 visits to the water parks/disney quest/etc. If say, we plan 1 day each for the 4 theme parks, after that 1 day at Blizzard Beach and 1 day at Disney Quest (i.e. over 6-day period), can we still buy the 4-day ticket plus the option? Or must we buy the 6-day ticket as the visits are over 6 different days? :scratchhead: Am I making sense?
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Miracle Child:
Great! We'll be there the same period! If we are not 5 with waist pouch, we'll be 4 with waist pouch and DH with a camera backpack. He now thinks he may want to bring more camera accessories! :yikes:Hi, we will be there from 28 Nov to 12 Dec...not enough leave to go too many days...plus my boss's frown when he learnt that I will be away from work for 3 weeks
Will keep a lookout for family of 5 with pouches :rotflmao: Actually, I will also explore the idea...in the past, I am always the one carrying the stuff and end up shoulder ache and feeling very tired :slapshead:
Still exploring the WDW website on the various options...so many things to look at Is it worth to sign up for the dining plans?
There are 3 dining plans at Disney. Deluxe, regular and quick service. Disney is giving free quick service plan with every night of value resort booking, or regular dining plan for moderate or deluxe hotel booking.
1. Quick service dining plan comes with 2 fast food meal, one snack and 1 refillable resort drink mug per person per night of stay.
2. Disney dining plan comes with 1 sit down restaurant meal, one fast food meal, one snack and one mug per person per night of stay.
3. deluxe dining plan comes with 3 meals (your choice of sit down restaurant or fast food) 1 snack (or is it 2, I'm not so sure) and one mug per person per night.
While the allocations of the meals are per day, you can use any combination on any day. Ie one day you can have as many sit down meal or as many fast food meal or none at all.
We did the regular previously, and will do it again now. We have booked several character dining including Ohana (LILO and stitch, mickey etc), 1900 park fare (cinderella, prince charming and step sisters), Cinderella Royal Table (at the castle), Tusker house (donald, daisy etc), Be our guest, the new restaunt at beast castle and many more. We are also using the dining plan to book the Fantasmic dining package which gives us a dinner at Mama Melrose plus tickets to reserved seating for the Fantasmic show at DHS.
I like the dining plan cause I don't have to worry about meal cost and the kids (and me :rotflmao: ) do enjoy the character interaction. This way, we don't have to queue at the park to take pictures with characters and at the same time, it is nice to sit down for a meal once a day. This year, the regular plan comes free with our Polynesian resort booking. The cost of the meal plan for 5 of us for 11 nights wold have been USD2400! That's a huge savings!
The only problem with the restaurant meal is that reservation start 180 days ahead. Now that you are near your actual travel date, a lot of restaurants may already be fully booked, or you may have to settle for late breakfast, early dinner, late lunch :(. Before you decide on which plan you prefer, you can always check the Disney online reservation to see if our choice restaurant is available. You can also use a general search so they tell you which restaurant on your preferred date and time. Some people will also start canceling nearer the travel dates and hopefully slots will become available.
Even if free dining is quick service or regular, you can always top up to regular or deluxe. I personally think deluxe is too much food! The servings are huge! If you decide to do the regular or deluxe plan, do note that some signature restaurants require 2 credits per meal.
The best deal for free dining is moderate resort since it gives the regular plan, yet rooms are much cheaper than deluxe hotel. You are 3 so moderate hotel room should still be ok. We are 5 so moderate room will be too cramp for us
Miracle Child:
Yes you can get the 4 day MYW with water park and more. The Magic your way base ticket is valid for 14 days from first usage. Ie you can use your 4 days main park entry on any 4 days within 14 days of first usage of your ticket. During these 14 days, you can visit any of the minor attractions 4 times. If at the end of 4 days and before your 14 days are up, you think you would like another one or 2 days at the major parks, you can upgrade your tickets and pay the difference. This will add the same number of visits to the minor attractions too. :imcool:Hi, I was looking at the vacation packages at WDW. Understand that if you buy a 4-day ticket plus the water park fun & other option, you get 4 visits to the water parks/disney quest/etc. If say, we plan 1 day each for the 4 theme parks, after that 1 day at Blizzard Beach and 1 day at Disney Quest (i.e. over 6-day period), can we still buy the 4-day ticket plus the option? Or must we buy the 6-day ticket as the visits are over 6 different days? Am I making sense?
Am I making sense?? :scratchhead: -
Miracle Child, I just did a quick check for you. Assume you check in on 28 Nov and stay 6 nights and get a 4 day MYW plus water park (park tic cost USD922 for 2 adults and 1 child) :
Moderate resort :
Caribbean Beach pirate theme room water view : about USD2500 with free Disney Dining Plan. exc park tic = USD1600
Value resort :
All star muSic Preferred room : abt USD1700 with quick service dining plan. Exc park pic = USD800 for room and food.
As you are only booking now, considered late cos Americans very KS and all book early, cheapest room with promo no longer available. But if you DS like pirates, Caribbean will be fun. ASM preferred means neared to resort bus stop or food court. The price diff of the 2 also reflect the meal difference. Restaurant meals very ex in Disney. To compare apple for apple! If you upgrade the quick plan to regular at ASM, you pay USD200 plus more.
Actually the price of the ASM Is similar to non Disney hotel and come with free meal some more. :rahrah: only prob is the first week of Dec is pop Warner week in Disney and the cheerleaders tend to stay at the value resorts and these teenagers could be potentially noisy or rowdy :siam:
If you want to have an idea what type of food they serve at the various restaurants and fast food / food court, check out the menus at
http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm -
Dnls_mum:
Miracle Child, I just did a quick check for you. Assume you check in on 28 Nov and stay 6 nights and get a 4 day MYW plus water park (park tic cost USD922 for 2 adults and 1 child) :
Moderate resort :
Caribbean Beach pirate theme room water view : about USD2500 with free Disney Dining Plan. exc park tic = USD1600
Value resort :
All star muSic Preferred room : abt USD1700 with quick service dining plan. Exc park pic = USD800 for room and food.
As you are only booking now, considered late cos Americans very KS and all book early, cheapest room with promo no longer available. But if you DS like pirates, Caribbean will be fun. ASM preferred means neared to resort
bus stop or food court. The price diff of the 2 also reflect the meal
difference. Restaurant meals very ex in Disney. To compare apple for
apple! If you upgrade the quick plan to regular at ASM, you pay USD200
plus more.
When I went to Orlando two years ago, we did not get the dining plans. Some of the nights we dine at downtown Disney. There are quite a few nice dining there. So we did not want to restrict ourselves to dining at the WDW...
Actually the price of the ASM Is similar to non Disney hotel and come with free meal some more. :rahrah: only prob is the first week of Dec is pop Warner week in Disney and the cheerleaders tend to stay at the value resorts and these teenagers could be potentially noisy or rowdy :siam:
If you want to have an idea what type of food they serve at the various restaurants and fast food / food court, check out the menus at
http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm -
G Tan:
When I went to Orlando two years ago, we did not get the dining plans. Some of the nights we dine at downtown Disney. There are quite a few nice dining there. So we did not want to restrict ourselves to dining at the WDW...
Downtown Disney is also part of WDW. The restaurants at Downtown Disney are also on the dining plan. I have made reservation to eat at TRex at Downtown Disney under dining plan. There is the rainforest cafe, Wolfgang puck cafe, raglan rd restaurant etc etc.
The dining plan can be used throughout WDW ie, inc resorts, water parks, disney quest, theme parks and Downtown Disney. Only some restaurants do not participate in the plan, and these are far and few between.
This is the link to the details of the plans and the participating restaurants and counter service.
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/planning-guides/in-depth-advice/disney-dining-plan/ -
Hi all,
Just to check how do you all get your kids to adjust to the diff time zone. my 2yr old dd is a very routine kid. other than the flight time, the next biggest worry for me is the time zone diff. I wonder how long will it take for one person to get over the jet lag. i myself had nv travel out of asia so nv experience jet lag.
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