i get sentimental when i see threads like this. i think about all the work my parents went through to take me and my 2 siblings many times to disney world. ug what torture. i would never do what they did. i just dont have it in me

my mom would dress us kids up in the same outfit so she couldnt lose us and sometimes, tie us together with string by the wrists. I grew up in the era of Adam Walsh hysteria and paranoia i guess

funny thing though, even at 10 years old i hated disney world. i would have preferred an m80 stuck in my anus rather than go there. i did like 10,000 leagues under the sea and i got a cool glow in the dark full size skull from pirates of the caribbean that i still have on my night stand and a cap gun but otherwise...i just thought it was girly stuff

i feel bad for my parents. i hoped they enjoyed it. gosh i feel like an ungrateful bastard

Thank you T-bell's wife!!

sorry for all the Disney bashing, it does seem a little cultish though, the pins and outfits etc, but I digress.....

I have been once three years ago so I get the planning, meal plan and how to work the lines, etc. to answer you above, we are flying to Orlando direct and cheap on Jet Blue. I can stay at the Swan for free (points) and we will only be in Disney Parks, I think they are enough for 5 days so I am leaning toward a Park Hopper. For this reason I posted to see if there were some local discounts, coupoins or Something like Colorado ski lift tickets. Last time we stayed at the Grand Floridian, had Park Hoppers and did the meal plan. T

This time with a free hotel I am trying to find a way to circumvent the Disney system (insert Plankton laugh here)


As for all the 5-Star Playa's in the house I do also like to do it up right for vacations but after a big $$$ ski vacation this winter I need a recession era vacation for Dinsey.

I'd take a day at Disney, or any theme park for that matter, over that. :D



KT

Don't knock it 'till you've tried it I suppose... :eek: :p

Check out allears.net for more info on discounts. They have a fact sheet for Swan/Dolphin that should be able to answer some specific questions.

Definitely get the Park Hopper.

I was a project engineer when we built the Beach Club and Board Walk hotel about 2o years ago. It's next to the Swan and Dolphin. Cool place- great pool. Tell them you know me. OK maybe not.

I despise the Maus Haus. Born and raised in SoCal and avoid it like the plague. I have gone a handful of times (thankfully my son isn't a huge fan), and it is always painful.

Of all the theme parks, I find LegoLand to be the least offensive, although I hear it has gotten worse. We went a few times not long after it opened and it actually is fairly interactive. Disneyland is much more passive.

I'd rather take my son to surf at the beach, or mtn biking, or hiking, or to an art gallery, or *anything* rather than some theme park.

I don't care who you are, now that there is funny!

Disney used to have a maximum occupancy at the parks. They changed that and boy it is so crowded now it is intolerable.

As far as the ball pean hammer treatment, that sounds like the perfect pre-entry concession.

OK, her's an insider's trick. The food inside Disney is mostly cr_p except for some of the places at Epcot.

We go 3 or 4 times a year since I have young ones. Now we stay outside of the park at Lake Buena Vista Resort and Spa (big name for a condo). The apartments are 2/3 years old and you get a 3 bedroom for $125/night (no need to attend a timeshare presentation BTW).

We only take 1 apt (if we were at Disney we would need 2 rooms) and drive in and out every day. During the day the kids will eat at the eateries at the parks and at nights we go to better places.

Just a thought from someone who's been there many times. And yes, the look on my kids eyes is priceless.

For deals, check out AAA. We get more deals but those are limited to Florida Residents.

I was going to recommend AAA - and I too liked Sea World better than Disney - one day was more than enough for me (although my 6 year old loved it)

I think older kids would enjoy Universal and SW more. East a big breakfast - light lunch at the park and dinner out -

I've been to a water park once. Never again. Floating in everyone else's soup was like Soylent Green gumbo.

Just got back from 8 days and loved it. I hit a water park in the morning...a little golf in the afternoon and pig out at EPCOT in the evening. Here is my 2 cents.

I think Disney has a free meal plan special running right now...check it out on allears.net. I did not do the meal plan as I think it costs to much. We bring instant oatmeal for breakfast, granola bars for snacks and one big Disney meal a day.

We used their get 7 days for the price of 4 special. You may want to see if than is still running.

I would go during the off season in Sept-Oct. Avoid the summer. There is nothing worse than standing in line for an hour in 95 degree heat. You pay more money to stand in line longer. What is the point of that.

Just take 8 days and relax and enjoy. Go take in Sea World for a change of pace. Hit Universal/Islands of Adventure for something a little wilder. Disney Quest is also a blast. I also love the mini golf by the Swan.

I'd stay at the Beach Club if you are willing to spend more and be in a great location. If you want to escape Disney 24/7 the stay in a cabin at the camp ground. Those are my two favorite places.

Get the tickets that add the extras like water parks, Disney Quest and the 9 hole golf course. It works great to not stay at a park all day. That will wipe you out. Mix it up by hitting a water park then heading over to a park later in the day.

Agree 90% of mickeys food is criminally bad. **** even.

Just 2 tidbits for WDW in Orlando . . .

Don't go in the summer. You will broil & if the heat doesn't kill you, the humidity in Orlando will. We went in late July. I also travel down on business frequently. The summer months are cruel outdoors.

To escape Disney food, Antonio's on W. Sand Lake Rd has the best calamari appetizer that I have ever had. I have had it 2 different times with consistent results. That one dish proves that calamari shouldn't have the consistency of a pencil eraser.

Ian

you guys just need to know where to eat, this is why reservations are so important :D
i've only had a few bad meals there, one of the worst was at the floridian....and i am very picky....

the only downside to the dolphin/swan is i don't think they have regular bus service from the parks, but i could be wrong.
imo instead of paying to park ($11?)at the different parks throughout the day (if you have a rental), then park at epcot, it's usually opened the latest so there'll be no worry of getting to your car too late, from epcot you can get to pretty much anywhere on property with the bus system/monorail.
if you don't rent a car a cab should be pretty cheap (again if there's no buses), just get to epocot, to get to another park from epocot jump on the monorail and goto the grand floridian to catch a bus to get to any of the other parks (buses got from resort to park only, not park to park), the floridian has dedicated buses which will go strait to their destination iirc.

since you have free hotel accommodations then you should easily come out ahead financially if you don't spend frivolously, AAA has killer discounts, may be better to get your park hoppers through them.....but check around.

wifey and i have been to disney 20+ times in the past 7 months with our annual passes.....

I will add to my restaurant list, but these might be on the +$ end of the scale. Vito's Chop House on International cooks a mean steak. Charley's has 2 locations - both are very good for steaks. The one on Orange Blossum is usually easier to get into. Fish Bones is great too on Sand Lake but always busy. As you can tell, I have been there more on business than for mousing.

Ian

I am a SPG also and the Swan and Dolphin are great Hotels. You will not be disappointed. The restaurants inside them are VERY good and not Disney run. ;)
The Dolphin is the bigger Hotel with more shops and restaurants. The Swan is smaller and easier to get around in. Both are the same as far as points are concerned.

Blue Zoo is spendy but worth it for a one night indulgence, even if you get the kids a pizza in the room and you and the wife go downstairs for dinner.

From the Dolphin/Swan you can walk to Epcot and MGM. If you do not mind walking, you can walk through Epcot (very close to the hotel) and jump on the Monorail to Magic Kingdom. The walk will take about 10-15 minutes to get to the Monorail.

Otherwise there is bus service from the front of the hotel to the Magic Kingdom. There are also boats that run to Epcot and MGM from between the Dolphin/Swan.

As far as tricks for the parks, I'll leave it to the experts. If your there for 5 days you should be able to cover the parks well if you plan your days. I think on property Hotel Guests get early admission to certain parks on certain days, this is your golden hour to get to the rides with the long lines. Also use the fast pass as much as possible.

But, I am no expert. I rarely go to these parks.

To be honest, I have a 5 and 15 year old and my 5 year old has been there on two vacations in his life. We usually only go once every 5 years or so. I prefer national parks, beaches, hiking etc.. to Theme Parks. Every time I get into one, I ask myself why I agreed to do this. I have never seen these kinds of crowds on trails in the Smoky Mountain national park.

BTW - Super Bowl Sunday is the day when the parks are empty. My brother would go every year on this day and have the place to himself.

Rob has the most one track mind I've ever encountered. Sell RE and love those kids. Man, doesn't that white bread life ever get a little stale?

The last time I went to Disneyland was to eat at Club 33. We ate and left w/o a stop anywhere in the park. Perfect. The Grand Californian Hotel is worth a visit once if you come to the West Coast and land in SoCal.

Everyone should have had a chance to see Disneyland in 1956. But, your mom would have still done the same. ;)