Disney Parks - Initial Plan

[Spooks Dad]

Originally Posted by bigshaz

wha a fantastic trip you have planned. We did our three weeker last year - my thoughts would be:

Definitely FOLP passes for Busch Gardens - try to get a deal on line in advance

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I had not thought about getting the FOLP before actually getting to the park. We have only been to BG for 1 day across our last three trips - we have never hired a car and only found out about the Hertz buses last trip. With going at the end of August (26 & 28) I had hoped it'd be quieter with the US kids being back at school. Albeit the first of those 2 days is a Sunday.

Originally Posted by bigshaz

Have you got three week Disney tickets? If so it suited us to go back to Disney for three fast passes and fireworks in an evening when we stayed at HRH. MNSSHP is expected for 21st and 28th if you wanted to squeeze it in!

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We have just got 2 weeks of Disney Passes this time as I have split the holiday into 3 distinct sections - 11 days onsite doing all the Disney Parks (with DDP), 5 days in Hard Rock doing all the Universal Parks and then 5 days offsite for Aq, SW & BG.

Originally Posted by bigshaz

Hollywood studios yes to two days for us.

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Yes I think it is still one of our favourite parks - for quality of attraction if not quantity now.

Originally Posted by bigshaz

Blizzard Beach - if you can push to boat out and you want a good full day I would recommend a cabana, makes for a very relaxing day

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We tend not to stay in water parks for the full day and there is only 3 of us. Me and my boy tend not to sit down and just do rides, my wife lies back and reads on a sunbed. I don't think we'd justify it. I am hoping these days will either be a fast pass at main theme park in the afternoon or an afternoon nap and Disney Springs in the afternoon.

Originally Posted by bigshaz

Are you all good with the heat? I notice you have a few fast passes aimed at 4-5pm - we were crumbling by 2 if we had made rope drop - kudos to you for being more acustomed

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It'll be my boy's 3rd time and apart from a 'I can't breathe' comment when he was 5 we seem to cope with the heat - we tend to do The Canaries or Greece in August when we don't do Disney.

Originally Posted by bigshaz

you are going to have an amazing time, and to celebrate several times whilst being there will make it all the more special. thank you for sharing with us.

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Thank you, and thanks for taking time to reply. Much appreciated.

[Mrsn28]

Oh my word, this amazed me! I can only hope to be as well planned as this! We go 16th August, only time we could all get away. Two adults, 4 year old, 10 year old and 11 year old. Our first time. So excited about the planning. This last year has been nothing but research and I've still got lots to learn. Staying on iDrive x

[Mrsn28]

Were going 16th-31st August - may pass you without knowing! Hoping to pinch a few of your days here. We're going with 4 year old 10 year old and eldest will turn 12 while away any tips much appreciated X

[IndianaMac]

Spooks, we're there the same time - out on the 9th (VA from Manchester), three weeks in POR, with a couple nights (21st & 22nd) in Leows' Royal Pacific to take advantage of the Express Passes for Universal.

In fact, we'll be in MK on the Friday also, definitely FP+'ing 7DMT and BTM (was closed for refurb in August '16, need to ride it again!).

Plan looks good - even given me a few ideas for our visit, highlighted some of the new stuff we've not seen before.

Florida schools are back from Monday 13th, so heat and afternoon T-storms aside it's a good time to be there.

We missed Frozen Ever After on our last trip - it was broken down at our Fast Pass time, and all FP+ slots for that ride had gone (we had two weeks left, but no FP+). It's not averse to the odd break-down, so we're going to book it twice for FP+ this time, and throw away the second if we get on (or ride again). Perhaps on your first wander to Epcot, if you're there early enough, see what the stand-by's like?

For Universal, make the most of the Express Passes, even (especially) on your check-in day for HRH - when last we did Florida, we drove up to HRH, gave the car to a valet, checked in at reception at 07:00, where they gave all the instructions to get the Express Passes and stowed our bags for when the room was ready.

Do you have any shopping/mall time (not everyone's cup of tea, I know)? Presumably your Sea World hotel will be close to the southern I-Drive Outlet Mall (Vineland).

Also, for your Disney spell, you've not mentioned Disney Springs (apologies if I've missed it) - maybe an idea to pencil it in for one of your waterpark days? Morning in the park, back to the hotel for the afternoon rain, out to Springs in the evening? Some great places to eat, look around... the balloon is cool, AMC Dine-In theatre also.

Anyway, enjoy!

There should be a Dibb salute so folks can nod and say hello

[Eccle]

Originally Posted by IndianaMac

Spooks, we're there the same time - out on the 9th (VA from Manchester), three weeks in POR, with a couple nights (21st & 22nd) in Leows' Royal Pacific to take advantage of the Express Passes for Universal.

In fact, we'll be in MK on the Friday also, definitely FP+'ing 7DMT and BTM (was closed for refurb in August '16, need to ride it again!).

Plan looks good - even given me a few ideas for our visit, highlighted some of the new stuff we've not seen before.

Florida schools are back from Monday 13th, so heat and afternoon T-storms aside it's a good time to be there.

We missed Frozen Ever After on our last trip - it was broken down at our Fast Pass time, and all FP+ slots for that ride had gone (we had two weeks left, but no FP+). It's not averse to the odd break-down, so we're going to book it twice for FP+ this time, and throw away the second if we get on (or ride again). Perhaps on your first wander to Epcot, if you're there early enough, see what the stand-by's like?

For Universal, make the most of the Express Passes, even (especially) on your check-in day for HRH - when last we did Florida, we drove up to HRH, gave the car to a valet, checked in at reception at 07:00, where they gave all the instructions to get the Express Passes and stowed our bags for when the room was ready.

Do you have any shopping/mall time (not everyone's cup of tea, I know)? Presumably your Sea World hotel will be close to the southern I-Drive Outlet Mall (Vineland).

Also, for your Disney spell, you've not mentioned Disney Springs (apologies if I've missed it) - maybe an idea to pencil it in for one of your waterpark days? Morning in the park, back to the hotel for the afternoon rain, out to Springs in the evening? Some great places to eat, look around... the balloon is cool, AMC Dine-In theatre also.

Anyway, enjoy!

There should be a Dibb salute so folks can nod and say hello

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Sorry to jump on, this may be something that has changed since your last visit, but if a ride goes down during your fastpass window, it changes in MDE to an anytime fastpass for any ride in that park for the rest of the day, so you should be able to ride it once it's back.

Not a bad idea to have a back up though if you really want to do the ride and can fit it in your plans

[IndianaMac]

Originally Posted by Eccle

Sorry to jump on, this may be something that has changed since your last visit, but if a ride goes down during your fastpass window, it changes in MDE to an anytime fastpass for any ride in that park for the rest of the day, so you should be able to ride it once it's back.

Not a bad idea to have a back up though if you really want to do the ride and can fit it in your plans

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This was August '16, so I guess procedures have changed (good to know though, thanks) - our MDE was credited with six additional FP+ (but only after we'd emailed a complaint), but rides had to be selected thru the app, and there were no free slots left for Frozen for the remainder of the holiday.
Not to worry, something new to experience for this summer

[Spooks Dad]

Originally Posted by IndianaMac

Florida schools are back from Monday 13th, so heat and afternoon T-storms aside it's a good time to be there.

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That's good, we are going 9 or 10 days later than our last 3 week trip in 2014, I guess this is a positive of that. Almost all the holiday will be during Florida school time.

Originally Posted by IndianaMac

We missed Frozen Ever After on our last trip - it was broken down at our Fast Pass time,

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It wasn't Frozen when we last went (we don't like Frozen in our house) and we had a couple of silly little family reasons why we liked 'The Norway Ride'. Hopefully we will still enjoy it.

Originally Posted by IndianaMac

Do you have any shopping/mall time (not everyone's cup of tea, I know)? Presumably your Sea World hotel will be close to the southern I-Drive Outlet Mall (Vineland).

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No, this will be my 4th trip and I haven't had a shopping day yet. Largely I guess because we have never had a car while we have been there.

Originally Posted by IndianaMac

Also, for your Disney spell, you've not mentioned Disney Springs (apologies if I've missed it) - maybe an idea to pencil it in for one of your waterpark days? Morning in the park, back to the hotel for the afternoon rain, out to Springs in the evening? Some great places to eat, look around... the balloon is cool, AMC Dine-In theatre also.

Anyway, enjoy!

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Disney Springs is an interesting one. For our Honeymoon in 1999 and our first trip with our son in 2009 we stayed in Dixie Landings / POR and loved Downtown Disney and went quite a few times each stay (Planet Hollywood, T-Rex, the Lego shop, Disney Quest, Cinema, Rainforest Cafe etc) but on our last trip in 2014 the work they were doing seem to squeeze all the guests together making it a route march. We went once and got out of their pretty quickly. We'll look to go early doors this time and if we like it get there a couple of times.

Originally Posted by IndianaMac

There should be a Dibb salute so folks can nod and say hello

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Good idea, make one up and suggest it on here. Maybe just a capital D on the back of your right hand or something.

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. Much appreciated and the reason why this site it so good. Hope you have as good a time away as we are planning to have!