First trip and leaving in 15 days!Help!!

[Dval00]

I have been reading the boards for the last few months and getting a lot of information..Thanks to all of you!!! I love these boards!!

I am starting to freak though...cause all of a sudden the trip krept up on me.. we are going to be leaving in fifteen days and I am afaid I am going to forget something important or get lost once I get there.

This will be our first trip to WDW, my kids(13 and 15) and myself, and I don't want to get lost driving down there...renting a car...staying off site...wondering how easy it is to get a parking spot at the parks and where to go...need to take a deep breathe now..sorry..

We arrive at 9am on 12/22 and not sure if i want to waste one of our park passes and not sure of what to do...the kids kind of want to see the ocean....can't check into the hotel until 3 or 4pm...

Any information welcomed!!

 

[Happy vacationer]

It sounds as if you are at least thinking about all these important things. When we went to WDW last year I failed to get driving directions from the airport to the hotel. It was dark when we arrived and we had a hard time getting to our hotel. I would suggest to everyone that you get the driving directions before you leave home and keep them in your carry on bag or purse.

Parking at the parks was simple. We rented a car and I drove a lot of the time. It really is not a big deal - it's just like parking anywhere else only with a little guidance.

If your not sure about using up one of your park days the day you arrive you could always go to see the ocean and then maybe have dinner at one of the resorts (I'm thinking Contemporary for the character meal) or perhaps go to Disney Quest and stroll through Downtown Disney to put you in the Disney mood without having to enter the parks.

I'm longing for my next Disney vacation. It won't be for quite some time though since I will be losing my job in March due to the plant where I work is closing. I seem to get my Disney fixes by reading this board though.

 

[Dval00]

Sorry about the job, hope you can make it down there again soon. I also want to thank you for your reply. I am a single mom out for an adventure and what better adventure but WDW with your kids...

Have a Merry Holiday season and hope to post a trip report when we return...going to be reading these boards until the minute we have to leave...

Thanks again!!

 

[Disney Fool]

If you are arriving at nine a.m., you can still go early to the parks; the hotel will store your luggage for you. Not a problem. If, on the other hand, you'd rather get into your room and rest up before tackling the parks, it would be better to save your pass until the next day. In any event, you'll have a great time. First time to Disney? Well, I gotta tell ya, it sure won't be your last. Have fun.

 

[Melika77]

HI! Well if you are going to rent a car, I'd take a drive and head to Cocoa beach. It's about 1-2 hours from Disney. I went to Cocoa beach in August. My aunt and uncle live there. It's beautiful.

Other Suggestions for the first day:
1.) Make dinner reservations at the GF, Contemporary, Polynesian and then watch the Electric Water Pageant. (Click Here for Info: http://www.wdwig.com/ewp.htm)

2.) Take a ride on the monorail and ask to ride in the nose.

3.) Head to Downtown Disney.

Melissa

 

[boomer1961]

Melissa,
Do people who are staying offsite get to ride the monorail free? If not, how much does it cost?

 

[Dval00]

Yes this is our first time to WDW...and the kids can't wait!! Thank you everyone for your ideas...I get a little over whelmed with all that there is to do down there...the kids understand that we may not be able to see and do everything unless we do commando style...but they kind of want to see everything without rushing it...

Thanks again everyone!!! and does anyone know if you can ride the monorail free if you are staying off site??

 

[Disney Fool]

If you have a multi-day ticket, you can ride all Disney transportation which includes the monorails, buses, and ferrys. Which means you can easily jump from one park to another using Disney transportation. Just remember where you left your car! A little tip: if you want your kids to ride in the front of the monorail, board at the resorts, they're less busy, and the Cast members will check to see if the compartment is available.

 

[grumbada]

I am starting to freak though...cause all of a sudden the trip krept up on me.. we are going to be leaving in fifteen days and I am afaid I am going to forget something important or get lost once I get there.

I know what you mean... I started to panic myself... Kept thinking, I'm not ready yet!! Haven't done enough research!! I'm so silly...

This will be our first trip to WDW, my kids(13 and 15) and myself, and I don't want to get lost driving down there...renting a car...staying off site...wondering how easy it is to get a parking spot at the parks and where to go...need to take a deep breathe now..sorry..

You will be fine!! I'm guessing you're flying there and then renting a car? If so, the car rental agencies are terrific for driving directions, and usually they will give you pretty good maps of the central Florida area to get you started. Some of them will even give you pre-printed driving directions to/from the most popular destinations.

We arrive at 9am on 12/22 and not sure if i want to waste one of our park passes and not sure of what to do...the kids kind of want to see the ocean....can't check into the hotel until 3 or 4pm...

Check with your hotel first and ask if they will hold your bags, if you'd like to speed off to the parks first thing. What I would do, since it's your first time and never been there before is try to get your bearings on the first day. Either driving to your motel and dropping off the bags, or taking the bags with you and driving to Cocoa Beach or Downtown Disney sounds like a great idea!

By the way, Downtown Disney has free parking, is free to enter, and is a very good way of getting a Disney fix without using up a park pass. DisneyQuest is inside DowntownDisney and is around $30 per person (If you are lucky enough to have an Orlando Entertainment Coupon Book... Available at www.entertainment.com , you can get 20% off each ticket).

If you like, you can take a look at the first day of my trip report to find out a little more about what we did.

Above all... Have fun and enjoy yourselves! Consider this an adventure.

 

[Dval00]

Thank you all so much...i am starting to calm down a little now...did last minute shopping this past weekend...so now 12 days and we will be in WDW...can't wait....Thanks again and you all have a Merry Christmas!!!

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad Says...................................................... The Kennedy Space Center is only an hour from WDW, and it's near the ocean, you could do both!! Get to the parks early, it is going to be crowded when you are there. Use fastpass!! Tip. You can have more than one fastpass at a time, as long as the starting time on pass number one has past. We got FP for Spash that was for 1:15-2:15. It was about 12:30 so we went to the Poly to have lunch. Got back to the park about 2:00 and grabbed a FP for Haunted Mansion that was for 2:35-3:35. Raced to Splash to get on at about 2:10, waited a few minutes, rode it and went back to Haunted Mansion, waited about five minutes.

 

[Dval00]

Never thought of the space center...i know the kids wanted to see the ocean but now they are not sure if they want to go to the hotel and see if we can swim until the room is ready or try out downtown disney...they changed my flight time so now we are arriving around 10:30 am have no idea how long it will take at the airport to get luggage and rental car and head out..know the kids will probably be hungry by then too.

thanks again for the great ideas!!!

 

[LoveRafiki]

FYI -- Downtown Disney is mostly shops (although they have very cool stuff) and restaurants. Disney Quest is a glorified/Disney-fied high tech arcade --- if you've ever been to Dave& Busters -- it is somewhat similar. If your kids like video games, they'll probably like it-- we find it to be not something we want to spend the bucks for -- but many people rave about it.

Parks will be extremely crowded near xmas -- it is wise to get to park very early and knock out as much as possible. Take a break in the afternoon then go back later. Commando style is great for the first 2-3 days until you all hit the WDW "wall" ---

You will not be able to see/do everything -- it is impossible (thats why all us Disney fiends keep going back.....). Try to decide a few priorities and get those done each day.

If you're staying on-site, just take the Disney transportation and don't worry about parking the car (exception would be if you're going at night to Pleasure Island or Downtown Disney--driving may work easier).

Cocoa Beach/Space Center is neat ---- Space Center is about $25 though and takes a good chunck of time to do properly (I would allow a minimum of 4hrs). Have Fun!

 

[Dval00]

Thanks for all the info LoveRafiki...i had a feeling we wouldn't be able to do everything...but we do have six days to spend at the parks so whatever we get to see i think will be fine with my two teenagers...i think it is just the idea they are able to go and see something they have never in a million years thought they would be able to do...

thanks again...

 

[Grumpy92]

You have had some great suggestions on this board. I will just add a few. KSC is right on the beach you will see the ocean it is a great place to spend the day. It will take atleast an hour via the Beeline to get to Cocoa so plan on your travel time. Another great spot in Cocoa for teens is Ron Jons Surf shop (A1A South of KSC). It is also on the beach, the shop carries everything related to water and when you are through shopping their is a public beach right behind it.
As for the parks you will be exhausted and overthat first day. I recommend checking into your hotel, have them store your luggage and head over to Disney property. They will charge you $6 a day for parking. Go to the Contemporary or the Poly and head to the Gst Services desk, usually next to the Front Desk. As the CM for an Update, dining guide, property and park maps. Take the kids to one of the restaurants. At the Poly Capt Hooks or Konas, Contemporary Concourse Stkhouse. Sit down order lunch and read the info then if you have questions you can ask you server or go back to Gst Svcs. We have found the servers great resources and very helpful. Then go ride the monorail, fireworks and electrical water pageant on the beach at the Poly are great ways to spend the day. THe GF lobby is another great spot to sit relax and listen to the entertainment (starts around 4pm). I would go back to the hotel and get to bed early though.
Make sure if you have not already done so make Priority Seating for sit down dining. Xmas and Xmas Eve will be very limited if you wait until you get there (think Fast Food). Call now if possible 407-wdw-dine. At www.wdwig.com you can find all the menus.
The weeks of xmas and New Years are the busiest of the entire year at WDW. IF you are staying off property and want to do WDW on Xmas you must get there early between 7-730am. The parking lots will fill and no other off property guest will be allowed in. Usually by 10am they have filled MK to capacity and the other parks quickly follow.
Think about EPCOT or the Studios on these days, they also have the best Xmas decorations

 

[Dval00]

Thanks for all the neat ideas Grumpy92...we have decided to stay away from MK on Christmas Day...we will be at EPCOT and enjoy eating ourselves around the worlds...plus we will be spending some time by the pool at the hotel too over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day...only a few more days to go and we will be at the world...

I want to thank everyone too who have given me such good ideas and what to watch for etc...take care and have a Special Holiday Season!!!