Disney questions

[CHCRandy]

I tell you all the truth.....I would rather have a root canal than go to Disney but my wife is bound and determined that we are taking our kids and grand kids to Disney in the next couple of years. From the looks of ticket prices....I may have to take out a 2nd mortgage. Just wondering from people who have been there....where did you stay, what did you do, where do you eat. What you think it will cost me to take 6 adults and a child or 2 for 5-6 days? It looks from package prices that you are just as well to stay 5-6 days as 3 days, since costs are about the same. Around $3000 for tickets and room, will another $3000 cover food and other expenses?

I can't imagine this being fun. I am sorry to be a buzz kill but it just don't look like my idea of a fun vacation, but if the wife wants it and the kids want it....I will be a good sport and go along with it.

To the guys who have been.....was it a good time or boring as all get up? I mean how many days can you really look at Mickey and Minnie without being ready to leave? Can you spend a day at each park without being ready to leave after 4 hours?

Thanks for any advice....I know this is a ways away....but just wanting to start thinking about it now.

 

[mrjarrell]

We loved Disneyland and visited all the parks. Loved the Animal Kingdom and Epcot the most. We stayed in the Frontierland cabins and had access to a kitchen so we could make our own food. Saved a bit of money that way, (we also drove down so we had access to our own vehicle and could drive to the nearby grocery stores). If you're planning on spending $3K for food, go with the Disney packages and get a meal plan. You'll eat better and often enough.

You can easily spend an entire day at each park. Some rides are well worth riding 2 or 3 times a day (the Expedition Everest ride at Animal Kingdom is one of those, as is the Kali Rapids River Ride). The one park that wasn't as exciting or interesting as the others was the Magic Kingdom, to me. But the little kids love it for the characters. The Disney water parks are fantastic, too. Take your bathing suits. Nice way to spend the afternoons, if you want to get away from the parks.

Check about going off season, too. You can save a few bucks that way.

 

[OakRiver]

Here's a second vote for off season to save some cash.

For your own sanity didn't a new shooting range for a fully automatic experience open up there recently?

 

[CHCRandy]

What is considered off season? Frontierland cabins is what I was looking at as well..didnt realize they had kitchen, that would be nice.

 

[hornadylnl]

I've been 3 times. First time was as a kid. I dreaded going the second time when we took our daughter. We had the time of our lives. So much so, we went back on 10 day tickets about 3 years later. By the 10th day, I was parked out.

Both times, we stayed off property. The last time, we rented a 2 bedroom condo with kitchen for $1000 even for 14 days. Driving should be a good bit cheaper than that many plane tickets. If you're only planning on eating for sustenance at the parks, you can do it for under $10 per meal easily. If you want primo food in the nicer restaurants, you'll go much higher than that.

It's a great place for adults of any age to be a kid and have a great time. You'll see people that are probably older than you riding the Dumbo ride. Why not? Have fun. 1 day in each park will not be enough to see and do everything. Not even close. We spent 10 days across 4 parks last time.

 

[hornadylnl]

Look at vrbo.com I just did a quick cursory search and found this 3 bedroom condo for $99 a night and it's 1.5 miles from Disney. Windsor Hills Vacation Rental - VRBO 83238 - 3 BR Kissimmee West Condo in FL, Windsor Hills is 1.5 Miles from Disney

Don't be scared about staying off property. It is extremely easy getting in and out of the parks when you drive. Parking at the parks is $17 a day. You'll be hard pressed to find any place on property for under $100 a night.

 

[87iroc]

We took my daughter when she was 5 to Florida. Hotter than hell. We closed the park down one night until 2 am. After fireworks, place cleared out.

We literally had the time of our lives that week and I am not regretting going. Was I looking forward to it? No...due to the crowds...but I wouldn't mind going back.

We stayed off site at a timeshary place that tried to jack us for a timeshare...but it was fairly cheap. Much cheaper than staying at the park. We also did the Midevil Times restaurant one night. Fun stuff. Food can be expensive...we had 1 or 2 meals a day on site.

Cheapest season to go to Disney is September. Fall break is a great time to go if your family can get a week off. Yes...you found the trick. 5 days of tickets is same as 3 days. Prices drop as you buy more days. We never made animal kingdom...but had a ball at the other parks.

Oh, we did a Luhau<sp?> at Sea World one night too.

Be prepared. Orlando feels slimy...but still Disney is worth the trip.

 

[hornadylnl]

Here's a good place to get tickets. Once you get up to 3 day tickets, each successive day is roughly $10-15 more. A single day ticket is $99 and is ridiculous. A 10 day ticket gets it to under $40 a day.
https://www.undercovertourist.com/orlando/walt-disney-world-resort/#tickets

 

[Kutnupe14]

We loved Disneyland and visited all the parks. Loved the Animal Kingdom and Epcot the most. We stayed in the Frontierland cabins and had access to a kitchen so we could make our own food. Saved a bit of money that way, (we also drove down so we had access to our own vehicle and could drive to the nearby grocery stores). If you're planning on spending $3K for food, go with the Disney packages and get a meal plan. You'll eat better and often enough.

You can easily spend an entire day at each park. Some rides are well worth riding 2 or 3 times a day (the Expedition Everest ride at Animal Kingdom is one of those, as is the Kali Rapids River Ride). The one park that wasn't as exciting or interesting as the others was the Magic Kingdom, to me. But the little kids love it for the characters. The Disney water parks are fantastic, too. Take your bathing suits. Nice way to spend the afternoons, if you want to get away from the parks.

Check about going off season, too. You can save a few bucks that way.

Shenanigans! Disneyland doesn't have an Epcot park.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Can you get boozed up at the Magic Kingdom now?

 

[Lucas156]

In my experience going with a big group sucks if you're wanting to keep everyone together for even a fraction of the time. Two parents and one kid is probably much more enjoyable.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

Check out the guided bass fishing trip they do on the epcot lagoon. It is ridiculous. Every second cast we were catching bass and most of them were around 8lbs or so. It's all catch and release, but it is just beyond awesome if you're into fishing. It is not a challenge, it is so easy that it is not really sporting, but you are using unbarbed hooks and throwing everything back and my brother in law caught one large mouth that could legitimately swallow a full sized inflated football.

Really, just insanely good fishing. You have to book the fishing thing some time in advance (weeks, months, don't know because my sister booked it for us). I really cannot say enough about it. It is mind blowing reeling in 8-10 lb bass one after another.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Disney is awesome. Stay off site, if you want to save $$$ bring food and leave in a cooler in your car. Eat in your car. Eat meals in your hotel room and stop at Walmart for supplies.

disney is awesome btw.

 

[AceDerringer]

We have taken my daughter 2 times now and going back again in March to take my wife's Sister and her 3 kids whom have never been... This time we are staying off property in a rental house, we paid about 1300/week for the house but its a 5 bedroom giant with a heated pool (we are going in March)...It would have cost us 3 times that to stay on property with everyone together (we are picking up the bill for lodging and tickets, 9 people total)... We have stayed at the Art of Animation on property and its AWESOME!! When we go back just the 3 of us that is where we will stay again, it is that cool.

On a concealment note, I ran with my full size USP in my crossbreed under a T shirt without issue all week the last time we were down there in the parks. I am 6' 6" and a big guy so I cannot ride a lot of stuff unfortunately but it didn't bother me on what I could get on...

 

[waross]

Can you get boozed up at the Magic Kingdom now?

I second that motion!!!!! ALOT!!!

 

[hornadylnl]

In my experience going with a big group sucks if you're wanting to keep everyone together for even a fraction of the time. Two parents and one kid is probably much more enjoyable.

This. If I ever do the grandparent trip, I plan on taking the kid for a few hours/days while the parents can enjoy themselves and vise versa.

OP, how old are your grandkids? I'd seriously wait til they're at least 6 or 7. The last thing you want to do is deal with strollers all day. Also, much younger than that, they won't remember much. My daughter was 7 the first time we went. When we go, we're in the park from open to close. A lot of people take a mid day lunch/swim/nap break but when I'm there, I want to see and do everything I can.

The Magic Kingdom parking lot is about 7 miles from the main gate. We could walk out the gate of the park and be in our hotel room 1 mile from the gate within 10 to 15 minutes.

 

[rw02kr43]

We went at the end of Sept. Rented a house for a week for $100 a night. 3 bedroom 2 bath with a private pool. About 20 min away. We went again in Nov and stayed on property at the Contemporary. I think that last time, we still came out ahead financially including the car rental and an extra day at a park. On property is nice, but I don't really see the advantages. Especially if you look at it from a financial standpoint. I would recommend late Sept. We walked on most rides and the park was empty compared to this past Nov.

Jason

 

[hornadylnl]

Under Cover Tourist has a good app that will give ride wait times. There are also websites that will tell you which park to go on which day based on historical park attendance. You'll definitely want to learn how the fast pass works as well.

 

[derrickgoins]

We've gone during fall break and the crowds are no where near as big (by Disney standards). Staying on property has some advantages (transport, etc) but there are tons of places close to the park for reasonable prices. Fall break is also the same time as the Food and Wine Festival @ Epcot.

Definitely agree with hornadylnl - figure out how the fast passes work. You'll also want to research which parks are open late on which nights, etc.

 

[mrjarrell]

Can you get boozed up at the Magic Kingdom now?

No, but you can at Epcot. Which does exist at DisneyWorld.