Help feeling overwhelmed !

[Smilesonfaces]

Originally Posted by samanthacj

Thank you that makes sense can I ask where you go to do your outlet shopping ours all like there sports wear and trainers ?

Kind regards
Sam

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That might be the get out from Busch Gardens then, offer a bit of shopping instead ! We went to the Nike outlet on the 192 and also the Orlando international and Vineland premium outlets. They open until 11 pm so good for an evening walk around.

[Cazzius]

Originally Posted by samanthacj

Thank you that makes sense can I ask where you go to do your outlet shopping ours all like there sports wear and trainers ?

Kind regards
Sam

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We went to Orlando International Premium Outlets - International

and

Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets - Vineland

We weren't looking for sportswear but if you look on the website you can see there is Converse, Footlocker, Adidas etc.
Both sites have also Disney Outlets (Character Warehouse), but they don't always have great merchandise (lots of cruise stuff when we went).

Maybe look at the website and see which has the shops you fancy.

If you sign up for their mailing list you can get offers sent to you too.

[Guest]

I remember as a kid (first trip back in the depths of time in 1994, i'm now up to trip 10 or 11 i think) loving everything but feeling like I needed a holiday to get over my holiday. BG has always been a must for our family, right from trip 1 but those were the days before animal kingdom and before universal and sea world added thrill rides so potentially it would be a different ball game now.

Down time to chill out is crucial though, especially with the humidity which hits like a ton of bricks! You may even find that you aim to do a pool day and relax and do nothing and then the itch hits to go and get a theme park fix for the late afternoon and evening.

Flexibility I think is key to enjoying it. There are a couple of rides where fastpasses are crucial (all new additions i've not tried yet!) but if you've got older kids then you can utilise the single rider queues for some rides if not everyone wants to ride together and check out the anticipated wait times for rides. From 5pm onwards on non event or non extra magic hours nights the drop in ride wait times is huge!

Also shopping - totally recommend the premium outlets, we prefer the international drive ones for some reason but they are basically the same. The Nike outlet on the 192 is always our go to for sports stuff. I love a splurge at old navy as well so always go to the one in the Florida Mall. Mall at Millennia is worth a wander just for window shopping and the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores is usually a bit quieter and has some decent stores

[Disney2010]

I would give Busch Gardens a miss as you already have so much to do. But don't worry... The Dibbers are here to help!
Don't panic about trying to do everything. Like others have suggested, get the kids to prioritise to at least make sure you can hit the favourite choice of all members (including you!) - Youtube is great for ride POV videos but not everyone likes to watch them as it can spoil the surprise.

We always use water park days as rest days. And if you want, you can always head to a park in the evening for a night show, if you felt up to it. Or we sometimes do a split of water park followed by shopping.

I would prepare for long days, aching feet & cranky kids. That's not always a bad thing... Even us big kids get cranky after a long day. But it will be the best trip!

And you'll definitely go back

Zoe x

[MinniMouse]

We first went to Florida December 2004 and didn't know about the Dibb or anything Disney. Didn't have a clue about anything.

We bought a book called Brits Guide to Orlando. Fantastic book. Easy sections, rates rides into thrilling, gentle, scenic, etc. Also has accommodation, dining, transport.

Great book for first timers, IMHO Get it in WH Smith, Amazon, etc.

[maclondon]

its totally doable - we did our first trip n 2015 - 14 nights like you

we had 5 nights on site (2 rooms at contemporary - no idea how i got that so cheap looking at it now it would cost almost 10K just for that! ) 1 night at Hard Rock and the rest at a villa.


we did 3 trip to Magic Kingdom( two rope drop, pre opening reservations - one night time) , 2 to Hollywood studios, 1 to animal kingdom, 1 to Epcot, 1 to Blizzard Beach, 1 to Typhoon Lagoon, one brief trip to Springs (was downtown in construction then)

PLUS
2 days at universal (one night at hard rock hotel)
1 day at wet and wild
1 day at sea world
1 day at Cape Canaveral, space centre


our youngest was 8 and EVERY thing is rideable at disney
at universal / seaworld there were some inaccessible rollercoasters for the youngest the 10 and 12 year old were fine everywhere.

we had one - do nothing day
most of the days we only did a morning at the parks
we had one day were we did a morning and evening - but in the second week when we were used to the time change

[Guest]

Hello everyone,

Just back from our 5th trip to DLP and visited Disneayland LA and my husband also Tokyo.
We really feel we want to go to WDW and I really need some help with the basics.

If someone would be so kind to to answer some of my questions that would be very appreciated. I tried to read some of the topics but there are lots and I really feel a bit overwhelmed.

1) First we need to choose when to go: is April a good time ? (unfortunately has to be school holiday for us ...)

we are thinking to do only the WDW and not Universal and planning to stay there between 10 and 14 nights with our daughter who will be 7yo in May 2019.

2) then we will need to choose where to stay...our choice will definitely be a Disney hotel as my husband is a Disney employee and we have some benefits staying on site. There are so many resorts and some of them will undergo refurbishment... what are your suggestions? We were considering moderate resorts like the Caribbean one. Are transports easy and doable without a car? we really don't want to hire one.
is it better to change hotels during our stay? maybe the cheapest ones for the full days spent at the parks and nicest resorts for the relaxing days? or is better not to move?

Sorry but I really not idea what to expect...

We were thinking to spend at least 3 days in Magical Kingdom and 2 at the hollywood studios and maybe 1 at the animal kingdom and 1 in Epcot leaving some free days in between. (we are very lucky not having to pay for tickets that obviously this could be changed in loco if needed and add the water parks if we want to for the extra days).

Do you recommend the unofficial WDW guide or the Brit Guide Orlando 2018 ?

Many thanks in advance for whoever will be so kind to help!

[RachelE]

Marabella, you are likely to get better responses if you start your own thread, rather than posting on a random old thread.

[SophieLou]

I would agree with the Busch\ Sea World comments. We went for first time in October and did way more than anyone thought we'd manage with careful planning and FPs! BG is quite a drive and I'd drop that too - SW has the great shows and animal areas for the young ones and the best thrill rides in Orlando.

First week you'll be wired to get up early (I'm a midday riser and I was up at 6am!) so plan early days and finish up by 5ish for the first week or it will be to much for the younger ones (and me). The second week you can start to go later - go to the park midday and stay to see night shows/fireworks. Pick a couple of evening events you really like, throw in a character meal or two (I'd recommend Crystal Palace in MK as nice break in middle of day and Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood Studios if you fancy Fantasmic as it gives you VIP seats - then you get to see lot of the characters too without queueing) and then it will all start to fall into place.

Get the kids in front of youtube and watch some rides - get them to pick a few favourites and build a plan for the day around that- we managed Sea World twice, Mk twice (busiest parks so lets you get 6 lots of FPs, one early start and one later with fireworks), Universal, Islands, Hollywood Studios, Epcot , Animal Kingdom (twice), Discovery Cove, Typhoon and Aquatica. It was best time ever and you'll have a great time!

[a11mark]

its impossible to do everything at WDW and US, its made that way so you'll go back again and again.

having rest days is advisable, even if your used to being on your feet all day, the parks can still take it out of you. even just going back to the resort and jumping in the pool for an hour or two is a good break and rest, going out to the malls and outlets centres are also good.

as for a plan of attack, why not sit down with the parks EMH times and decide which parks you want to visit and which days you'll rest up for each day. this will help you focus your FP and ADR around the parks your going to and the area you'll be in.