- Aug 22, 2001
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It starts to pick up in Feb. but the crowds aren't too bad yet. May have to fast pass the best rides though. A little after Thanksgiving till mid-December is the slowest time, You can basically just walk right onto any ride, the parades are good, and you don't sweat and suffer like much the rest of the year. The Osborne lights are cool, there are huge christmas trees everywhere, and all the premium resorts have incredible food art, the real gingerbread house they sell gingerbread stuff out of, in the Grand Floridian, is our favorite. So if anyone can make it for the holidays, it is a great time to be there.
- Aug 22, 2001
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Thats it, thats all it is, the joy it brings your child/children, is worth every penny you spend.
I will mention, Epcot can be a blast for adults, and you can bring your own booze,(the prices there are outrageous) just buy a bunch of the nips and put them in your cargo shorts, that way you don't have to go through the bag inspection.
- Oct 30, 2000
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Packages
Passes
Promos
Partial Passes Returns - (Strip Malls on US441) - YMMV
Family Members w/ Disney passes
Family Members that work for Disney
Passes
Promos
Partial Passes Returns - (Strip Malls on US441) - YMMV
Family Members w/ Disney passes
Family Members that work for Disney
That is what I paid this summer, I don;t think it was worth it even. Sea World was much better place.
I went to Epcot though.
I went to Epcot though.
- Aug 22, 2001
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They haven't announced the '08 dates yet, so you can always hope. Unfortunately, my gut tells me that it just isn't busy enough at that time of year to justify the expense. That is why it was a summer thing this year, the kids are out of school, and the parks are jammed. I am certain anyone wearing those costumes would prefer the cooler months though.
If you didn't know already, when going to ride the monorail, tell a cast member that your child wants to ride up front, you may have to wait for the next one, but it is only 5-10 minutes. The pilot will point out stuff like turkeys and deer, and give the little one an official co-pilot card. It doesn't have the funky smell up front, that the passenger area does either.
I suggest the monorail from MK to Epcot or vise-versa to do it, since that is the longest ride.Star Wars Weekends in May/June at Disney Studios is great for Star Wars fans. My son absolutely loved it when we took him last year.
There are ways to save money at Disney. Check out www.mousesavers.com for tips.
If you stay in a Universal Resort hotel (there are 3, and they're quite nice), you get unlimited use of the Express lines for every day of your stay. No lines really adds to the experience!
Homerboy
Lifer
- Mar 1, 2000
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Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
They haven't announced the '08 dates yet, so you can always hope. Unfortunately, my gut tells me that it just isn't busy enough at that time of year to justify the expense. That is why it was a summer thing this year, the kids are out of school, and the parks are jammed. I am certain anyone wearing those costumes would prefer the cooler months though.
If you didn't know already, when going to ride the monorail, tell a cast member that your child wants to ride up front, you may have to wait for the next one, but it is only 5-10 minutes. The pilot will point out stuff like turkeys and deer, and give the little one an official co-pilot card. It doesn't have the funky smell up front, that the passenger area does either.
Arggh bummer on the Star Wars. I'll still hope, but I'm not even suggesting that they might be there to him as, at 6yrs old, he just wont get it if they are not there and in turn ruin the trip. He will LOVE the ride in the front of the monorail though! Thanks for the tip. All I have to do is ask to ride up front and we should be good?
- Aug 22, 2001
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That is our next stop, and will be between thanksgiving and x-mas also, as that is when the parks here are the slowest. I've heard a lot of bad things about the Nickelodeon resort, but most of those came during the busiest times of year, so he should have a blast when we go.Originally posted by: Mursilis
If you stay in a Universal Resort hotel (there are 3, and they're quite nice), you get unlimited use of the Express lines for every day of your stay. No lines really adds to the experience!
Originally posted by: Homerboy
Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
They haven't announced the '08 dates yet, so you can always hope. Unfortunately, my gut tells me that it just isn't busy enough at that time of year to justify the expense. That is why it was a summer thing this year, the kids are out of school, and the parks are jammed. I am certain anyone wearing those costumes would prefer the cooler months though.
If you didn't know already, when going to ride the monorail, tell a cast member that your child wants to ride up front, you may have to wait for the next one, but it is only 5-10 minutes. The pilot will point out stuff like turkeys and deer, and give the little one an official co-pilot card. It doesn't have the funky smell up front, that the passenger area does either.
Arggh bummer on the Star Wars. I'll still hope, but I'm not even suggesting that they might be there to him as, at 6yrs old, he just wont get it if they are not there and in turn ruin the trip. He will LOVE the ride in the front of the monorail though! Thanks for the tip. All I have to do is ask to ride up front and we should be good?
Well, the Star Wars-themed Star Tours ride is there at Disney Studios year-round, so he'll enjoy that, if he's tall enough (40"). The whole ride building has Star Wars set pieces all around it (check www.suitedisney.com for pics), so your boy will love that. I think Darth Vader and some Stormtroopers also make appearances at the Studios year-round, so check for that if you go to that park - they'll have daily character appearance schedules at the front gate.
Aharami
Lifer
- Aug 31, 2001
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its not just for kids. I was 21 yrs old the first time I went to Disney and LOVED it. we stayed at an off site hotel and drove in everyday. Maybe that's why it wasnt so expensive for us. I recently went back this summer and visited Animal Kingdom. Man that Everest ride is a blast!! And one thing that sets disney apart from other theme parks such as six flags is Disney's attention to detail. Yea, the rides might be more extreme at six flags, waiting in line at six flags in roped pathways exposed to the elements is not as much fun as waiting in line at Disney. Yea, waiting in line sucks at both places but Disney makes it more bearable by extending the theme of the ride to the waiting lines.
- Aug 22, 2001
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Yes sir, just tell one of the cast members that work the platform that you heard about it from a friend that said their child enjoyed it, and your child would like to do it, and they will take care of you. At worst, you have to wait for your turn, but with the time of year you will be there even that shouldn't be a issue.
Where are you guys staying? If you don't mind my asking.
Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
That is our next stop, and will be between thanksgiving and x-mas also, as that is when the parks here are the slowest. I've heard a lot of bad things about the Nickelodeon resort, but most of those came during the busiest times of year, so he should have a blast when we go.Originally posted by: Mursilis
If you stay in a Universal Resort hotel (there are 3, and they're quite nice), you get unlimited use of the Express lines for every day of your stay. No lines really adds to the experience!
The Nick Suites hotel looks cool (never stayed there), but it's not Univeral-affiliated, so you won't get free Express access in the Universal parks if you stay there. Just FYI. Universal has cool parks though, and they're opening a "Simpsons" ride next year, so I plan to take the kids then. We last went in 2005, and had a lot of fun. We stayed at Universal's Royal Pacific hotel - beautiful place, and walking on all the rides was a great perk!
Disney is ridiculous. I spent $2,000 (including a $1,000 plane ticket) during 2 weeks in Budapest, Bratislava, Krakow, and Vienna. That's money much better spent than 6 days in god-awful Florida.
NuclearNed
Raconteur
- May 18, 2001
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I'm posting from the heart of Disney right now (Boardwalk Hotel, here for a conference). Everything is incredibly expensive; thankfully it's almost entirely covered by the company.
- Aug 22, 2001
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Those are good points, and don't forget you can fast pass too. For rides like that we get there when the park opens and head straight for it, no line yet, and you can usually get 2 rides in before most people find where the ride is.
About staying off property, it can be a real deal, and many offer shuttle service to the parks too. The reason we stay on property though, is that we get awesome offers as pass holders, and the point you made about the theme being extended applies to the resorts as well. At the Caribbean Beach (good place to watch the Epcot fireworks from a hammock on the beach with a cold alcoholic beverage) The cast members took my son and I on the lake in a speedboat, and had him chase away a "pirate" stealing a boat. He was given a pirate hat, sword, eye patch, and when the pirate was scared off, a certificate for his accomplishment. At the Animal Kingdom Lodge, the "mouse keepers" would line up his stuffed animals every day, to greet him when he came back. Lots of other cool things too, that the kids just don't get off property. It just keeps the theme rolling. Animal Kingdom lodge has a african safari, and the kids can even do a night safari with night vision, good stuff.
Good info, thanks much. :beer: Did the resort have enough kid stuff or themes though? I think he would love Nick for that.
crab
Diamond Member
- Jan 29, 2001
- 7,330
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We did it last year and I had a fricken blast...I'll have a great time, I just think its overpriced. I think we'll do Europe or something next summer.
And just to clarify...the platinum plan includes access to any park, at any time, four full meals plus desert per person per day at nearly any restaurant at Disney including room service, plus passes to the spas, any recreational activity such as the Cirque show, parasailing, boat rentals, water skiing, golfing, golf lessons, fishing, fishing lessons, horseback riding, etc. Theres tons of stuff to do, and we never have to open the wallet again while we're there. As long as you use this stuff, its worth it.
Shawn...come see us when we're down there and help me use up some meal points
[/quote]
The three Universal hotels (Royal Pacific, Hard Rock Hotel, and Portofino Bay) are very nice, but more adult themed. Still, they have kiddie-pool areas and such, so he'd still probably have a good time. He'd definitely like the Nick Suites (what kid wouldn't?), but if I were going to the Universal parks, I'd stay at one of their hotels, just for the Express line access perk, which is awesome. You could probably book a night at the Nick Suite afterwards, just to let your kid run around there for a day and enjoy the place. Pics of the Universal Hotels are available at their website (www.universalorlando.com).
alkemyst
No Lifer
- Feb 13, 2001
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There is a great LaQuinta on Universal Blvd next to Pirates Mini Golf and Ran Getsu (I highly recommend this authentic Japanese restaurant as well and Hanamizuki in the Mercado plaza next to the hotel). We stay at the La Quinta because they are pet-friendly. Universal also has pet friendly rooms, but the reasonable rooms are usually booked way in advance. We usually go for our longest times in October and the room rates are about $80ish with AAA and whatever discounts. This year though there are a lot of conventions and the rates are about double that or sold out most nights.
The Laquinta is practically next to SeaWorld and Universal (3 miles and 2 miles respectively) and 9 miles to Disney. You can walk to Wet and Wild...there are shuttles to everything as well. The address is 8504 Universal Blvd.
If you have pets it's a good one. They also have a good breakfast buffet with danishes, waffle machines, hardboiled eggs, bagels, cereal and fruits.
The Laquinta is practically next to SeaWorld and Universal (3 miles and 2 miles respectively) and 9 miles to Disney. You can walk to Wet and Wild...there are shuttles to everything as well. The address is 8504 Universal Blvd.
If you have pets it's a good one. They also have a good breakfast buffet with danishes, waffle machines, hardboiled eggs, bagels, cereal and fruits.
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