Need tips DisneyWorld Winter 07-08

Being an architect I have managed to visit Celebration a few times for professional reasons and curiosity. I've eaten in a few of the restaurants there but for the life of me I remember little about them. Nothing stood out I guess.

If in Orlando you ought to also consider taking your kids to Sea World. Our grand daughter probably enjoyed Sea World more.

Disney Downtown is a free area to walk around in. They have a Circ de Soliel there.

Next question

the Disney Transportation system

It is not clear to me whether they ask to see your room key, or your tickets, or something else in order to board a bus/monorail/tram/boat/train for transporation between the various resorts, parks, and other areas

For those of you who have used the disney transportation, what did the driver/pilot ask to see when you boarded to allow you passage?

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

Next question

the Disney Transportation system

It is not clear to me whether they ask to see your room key, or your tickets, or something else in order to board a bus/monorail/tram/boat/train for transporation between the various resorts, parks, and other areas

For those of you who have used the disney transportation, what did the driver/pilot ask to see when you boarded to allow you passage?

I have used it numerous times and they never ask me for a key, ID or whatever. Just my observations.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Nothing. All termini are Disney, what would be the point? You are going where they want you to go, and the transportation exists to facilitate that.

Tom

I’d second Mosca’s recommendation for dinner at Ohana’s. It’s probably the most fun dinner for children at WDW and not promoted as much as the character meals so it’s not usually as crowded.

The Disney cup can be a cost saver if you use it like this: buy one cup, walk to the food court and fill with soda, bring back to the room and divide between two room cups; then rinse, walk back and fill with coffee. For cold drinks, add ice in the room, not at the food court.

Don’t forget Tom Sawyer Island (which isn’t always open on the slower weeks). It’s hidden in the middle of the Magic Kingdom, has lots of shade and is a good place to slow down the pace for the kids if they’re getting too hyped up.

There’s a good feature, although I forget the name of it. It’s parent trade-off or something like that. If both you and your wife but only one of the girls wants to go on a ride, one parent and child can go on it and the other pair can wait at the front of the line until they return and switch off for the 2nd ride without losing their place. Just ask when you get to the ride and they’ll tell you what to do.

Speaking of lines, I would always take a game to play while we were waiting in line and we’d only play it then. Our favorite was a deck of cards with letters of the alphabet on some of them and categories on the rest. You’d pick a card for a letter and a category and have to try to think of a Food beginning with B, a TV show beginning with S, or a something to wear beginning with M, for example. Sometimes we’d get “stumped” and would ask others in line and they joined in. It really helped to pass the time if the line was long.

From many years of WDW experience, my most emphatic tip is: Don’t overplan or overschedule. You always see some people looking exhausted, grumpy and with kids begging to go back to their hotel – the WDW equivalent of those who want to get their money’s worth at a buffet by eating until they’re so stuffed they’re on the verge of throwing up. If you spend an afternoon at the hotel pool and miss the main Street Parade, then so be it. If the girls want to go on a ride twice instead of going on a new and different ride, what difference does it make? It’s a vacation, a time to relax and enjoy yourselves and I hope your family’s is wonderful.

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

Next question

the Disney Transportation system

It is not clear to me whether they ask to see your room key, or your tickets, or something else in order to board a bus/monorail/tram/boat/train for transporation between the various resorts, parks, and other areas

For those of you who have used the disney transportation, what did the driver/pilot ask to see when you boarded to allow you passage?

They have never ever asked me for my ID, or Key or whatever. And you know what else is great? if you stay at one of the resorts and shop at the parks, you can just give them your name , the resort you are staying at, room and show them your ID and Key and they will make sure your purchases get to your room!! no more carrying the bags!!!

Many thanks for the continued assistance.....

Now, to answer Mosca, since my last question was kinda weird.....

quote:

Originally posted by Mosca

what would be the point?

Well, the websites I have read make a big point of one of the benefits of staying at the resorts is "unlimited use of the disney transportation system" which in turn strongly suggests that you do NOT get this benefit if you stay offsite....which due to budgetary constraints is looking like a possibility, despite the added cost of parking

So I am trying to figure out what I need to use the transportation system. Sounds like I only need to be metabolizing :-)

Which of course leaves me wondering....why is it listed as a benefit of staying at the resorts? Not that the answer is important or needed, it's just confusing.....

Harris Rosen owns a number of hotels in Orlando from reasonable to high end. If you are staying off property you might want to check out this one - http://www.comfortinnorlando.com/ -. They provide a free shuttle to and from WDW.

John: checked it out online via the provided link, looks nice, good rates.

However, the problem with most Disney accomodations is the limit of 4 folks per room, with a few (like this one) accomodating 5 in certain higher priced rooms. My party currently numbers 6.

oh, and who is Harris Rosen? Yeah, I could google for it.....

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson
Well, the websites I have read make a big point of one of the benefits of staying at the resorts is "unlimited use of the disney transportation system" which in turn strongly suggests that you do NOT get this benefit if you stay offsite....which due to budgetary constraints is looking like a possibility, despite the added cost of parking

So I am trying to figure out what I need to use the transportation system. Sounds like I only need to be metabolizing :-)

Which of course leaves me wondering....why is it listed as a benefit of staying at the resorts? Not that the answer is important or needed, it's just confusing.....

When you stay at a Disney property you can use their buses and boats and monorails. They are supposed to check for tickets or resort ID's, but in practice never or rarely do. This opens them up to people taking advantage of the "free" transportation even if they aren't a Disney resort guest. A lot of people see this as an opportunity to cheat the system a bit and Disney really doesn't seem to want to start any conflicts over such matters. I was at a buffet/character meal one time and saw a guy filling zip loc bag after bag with food and putting it in a small cooler under the table. The staff of the place watched, but no one confronted him. I also see people bringing their own cups and thermoses and filling them as if they had bought one of the bottomless cups.

I know a lot of people feel Disney charges too much and justify their behavior this way. A convenient set of ethics, but not one I share. I don't like when places are so lax, as it makes me feel like a sucker for paying what I owe. Oh well.

As a resort guest you are also able to drive and park in the lots at each theme park or hotel without paying extra for parking. They give you a pass to put on your dashboard so they just let you in without a charge. Believe it or not, someone smashed a window out of our rental car to steal this pass one year!

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

John: checked it out online via the provided link, looks nice, good rates.

However, the problem with most Disney accomodations is the limit of 4 folks per room, with a few (like this one) accomodating 5 in certain higher priced rooms. My party currently numbers 6.

oh, and who is Harris Rosen? Yeah, I could google for it.....

Hi TJ,

Harris Rosen is the Sam Walton of hotels in Orlando. His properties are not affiliated with WD. Room occupancy is dictated by local fire codes due to size, as are restaurants, theaters, etc.

http://rosenhotels.com/profileHarrisRosen_popUp.asp

Have you nailed down your dates yet?

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Bad
When you stay at a Disney property you can use their buses and boats and monorails. They are supposed to check for tickets or resort ID's, but in practice never or rarely do.

So are you saying that you are also eligible to use all the Disney transportation if you are carrying a park ticket valid that day, as well?

I mean, regardless, we'll be purchasing park tickets....we are not trying to cheat anyone, rather just trying to find affordable ways to do things.

If not, what is one supposed to pay for bus and/or monorail tickets at the parks? I've found no info on this, and I have searched extensively for it, on the basis of the "stay off-site" scenario

quote:

Originally posted by John A

Room occupancy is dictated by local fire codes due to size, as are restaurants, theaters, etc.

Yeah, I have no issue with that, but for a family vacation, it sure seems like the hotel and resort owners don't seem (in general, there are exceptions) to understand that "family" can often exceed 2 parents and 2 kids. It's annoying to find deal after deal limited to occupancy = 4

quote:

Originally posted by John A

Have you nailed down your dates yet?

Pretty much - I wanted December 8, but the wife wants to bring her sister along and she claims her supervisor is unwilling to let her switch vacation dates....so....it looks like January 12 now, which means we can stay for one extra day, because it's Martin Luther King day on the Monday following -- and as any of you Disney veterans know, after day 5 or so, it's literally a couple of dollars more for one more day worth of park tickets

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Bad
When you stay at a Disney property you can use their buses and boats and monorails. They are supposed to check for tickets or resort ID's, but in practice never or rarely do.

So are you saying that you are also eligible to use all the Disney transportation if you are carrying a park ticket valid that day, as well?

I mean, regardless, we'll be purchasing park tickets....we are not trying to cheat anyone, rather just trying to find affordable ways to do things.

If not, what is one supposed to pay for bus and/or monorail tickets at the parks? I've found no info on this, and I have searched extensively for it, on the basis of the "stay off-site" scenario

If you have a theme park ticket you caan use the ferries and monorail, and probably buses as well. I didn't mean to say you were trying to cheat...it is just something I have noticed people doing on my trips in the past.

ah, good. I wasn't entirely should if you were or were not, albeit indirectly if so......my apologies for doubting you.

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

ah, good. I wasn't entirely should if you were or were not, albeit indirectly if so......my apologies for doubting you.

Finding affordable ways to do things at Disney is not an easy task!

Have you checked on the[url='http://www.mousesavers.com/dtguestsuites.html']Doubletree Guest Suites [/url] Not sure about prices, but they can accomodate 6 people. The linked site, mousesavers, may have some other good info.

TJ, I didn't know that which Tony wrote! They have no system for collecting money for transportation, and in 6 trips I've never seen a bus driver do anything but open and shut the doors, and drive. No one has EVER checked for validation.

Check the possibility of renting a condo. Especially at that time of year... check the Hilton Grand Vacations at Sea World, or any of the time share places; lots of those go unoccupied during off season, the market is flooded and they are eager to fill. We stayed at the Ron Jon one year, it was very nice.


EDIT: It took me only about 10 minutes to find a condo in the Hilton 2 br 2 bath sleeps 6, for $1500/wk. That split between 2 comes out to reasonably inexpensive, for what might be one of the nicest places I've EVER stayed in Orlando. I'll dig out some pictures and post them.
Tom

Hilton Grand Vacations, Seaworld. This was a one bedroom. Notice the full kitchen, freeing you up for ANY meal, not just breakfast. There are also two beautiful pools.

Just a thought.

Your effort is much appreciated, but for about 130 a day (around 900 for the week) I can get 2 connecting rooms at one of the value resorts. I am hoping to come under 100 a day....at that time of year, hopefully WELL under

Yeah, it's (far) less nice, but we're looking at the room as just being a place to sleep, shower, and dress....

Yeah, I am a cheap bast*rd :-)

Naw, that's OK. I don't know your budget. My job as your friend and advisor is to give you options, not spend your $$ for you!

You'll have a blast no matter what, as long as you do like RubyRose says, don't overplan, and like I say, don't try to see it all in one trip.


Tom

Even though it's the off season for Disney, it's not for Florida as a whole. Thanksgiving marks the start of the thrifty "snowbird" trips to Florida and Jan. 1st the regular so you won't find empty hotels with as much of an off-season discount as you would in the Northeast beach resorts, for example. If I were you, I'd ask for hotel recommendations with your requirements at some of the Disney forums. You'd probably get some possiblities pretty quickly.

I think the idea of "free use of the Disney transportation system" is a subtle way of saying that if you stay on WDW property, you won't have any need for a car, rather than free if you stay there vs. a charge for using it if you don't. The monorail is basically a way to go from one hotel to the other, not one part of the park to another so about the only time you'd use it would be if you were having a meal at one of the hotels.

One of my neighbors just returned from WDW and said that Tom Sawyer's Island, which I had recommended above, has been redone as a Pirate's Lair, with the same basic structures redecorated in that theme.

TJ, check out www.disboards.com they have a ton of info about WDW.

MikeS.

If I am not mistaken, I do think that Bongos is owned by Gloria Estefan and Co.....

quote:

Originally posted by roossy90

If I am not mistaken, I do think that Bongos is owned by Gloria Estefan and Co.....

You are right...I recall reading that on the menu.