Staying On-Site Disadvantages at Disney World

Here are a few Disadvantages of staying On-Site at Disney World.

• Dining may be a bit more expensive and reservations for table service restaurants are an absolute must, but you have almost unlimited options and the convenience of being a short bus ride away. Plus, when you purchase the Disney Dining Plan you not only save money but can dine at the more expensive restaurants and not pay any more.

 

• The WDW transportation system will not take you to off-site attractions, but with a phone call there are shuttle/limo services that will.

 

• A minimum $200 deposit is due at the time rooms/packages are booked. But this can be done with a credit card which can be credited back if cancellation notice is given within the specified time.

 

• Late check-in (4:00 p.m.) If you arrive earlier you can pre-register. Your bags will be stored so you do not have to worry about them and you can just start having fun. Your bags will be delivered to your room as soon as it is ready. However, should your room already be prepared, even before 4:00, you can be checked in and go straight to your room.
  When weighing your options between on-property or off, take into account the added expense of ground transportation: to your hotel and back to the airport and daily transportation to the theme parks, out-of-pocket food expense and staying on budget, and having to lug around any purchases made in the parks. When all is said and done, you may find that the amount you save by staying off-property is not enough to off-set the inconvenience.

Staying On-Site Advantages at Disney World

The Advantages of staying on site are Disney World Resorts are numerous.

• Disney World offers over 20, uniquely themed resorts that will accommodate any budget and are conveniently located to all of the Disney parks

 

• Quality accommodations – clean, well appointed, themed rooms, and friendly, anxious to please, knowledgeable staff.

 

• Resort prices are comparable to any of the nearby off-site hotels.

 

• Disney’s Magical Express Service is one of the greatest benefits. You don’t have to bother with picking up your luggage when you arrive at the Orlando airport. While you are being transported to your resort to check-in, your luggage goes from the plane to your room. Plus, the savings on transportation to and from the airport may offset the difference between a Disney resort and an off-property hotel/motel.

 

• Disney Dining Plan, offered only to resort guests, allows prepayment of meals which makes budgeting easier, as well as making restaurants that would normally be too expensive, affordable. And, if you can go at a time when Disney is offering the Dining Plan free, depending on your length of stay, you can save several hundred dollars.

 

• Extra Magic Hours allows resort guests to enjoy select attractions one hour before the parks open to the public and up to three hours after closing.

 

• Online purchase of all inclusive packages: accommodations, passes, ground transportation, airline reservations, meals, and recreation. And, you can compare resorts and prices to help decide which is the best deal.

 

• All your reservations for table service meals, dinner shows, and character meals can be made in one phone call and now Disney offers online dining and golf reservations.

 

• Express check-out – an itemized statement will be slipped under your door the morning of departure. Should any subsequent charges be made, a revised statement will be mailed to you.

 

• Disney resorts have airline ticket counters for the major airlines where guests can check their luggage and receive boarding passes – just like at the airport.

 

• Free, convenient, easy to use transportation throughout the “World.” Usually, it takes no more than 20 minutes from resort to parks. By paying attention to the bus schedules, waiting can be cut to a minimum. No hassling with traffic and finding your way around, Disney does all the driving.

 

• All purchases, with the exception of fast-food type vendors, can be charged to your room. Your credit card will be charged one total amount for all purchases at the end of your stay and you will receive an itemized statement showing each of the charges.

 

• Purchases you make in the parks can be delivered to your resort – free. You don’t have to worry about keeping up with your purchases, risk leaving them on a ride, or getting broken. Just ask the cashier to deliver your purchase to your resort.

 

• Purchases can be shipped home. Each of the resorts has a gift shop/sundries store where purchases that you have made during your stay can be packaged and shipped to your home. You pay the shipping charges, of course. This is an excellent service. You do not have to worry about getting those breakables home. Especially with airport security, having a lot of carry-ons can be a hassle and items containing liquids, such as snow globes, will be confiscated. Purchases may also be shipped directly from the store where you bought them. Be sure to keep all of your receipts in case something does get broken or lost in transit.

 

• Most resorts have guest laundry facilities conveniently located. Some Vacation Club accommodations have their own laundry rooms.

 

• In-room babysitting and kid’s clubs allow the adults to explore the nightlife of Pleasure Island and Downtown Disney.

 

• In-room safes.

 

• Priority tee times on WDW golf courses and online tee time reservations.

 

• Ready access to a wide variety of recreational activities such as beaches, boating, biking, and fishing. Charges for equipment rental, i.e. boats and bikes, can be charged to your room.

Staying Off-Site Disadvantages at Disney World

When you are considering staying Off-Site here are a few consideration that might be helpful in your descision.

• If flying into Orlando, you will need transportation to your hotel and back to the airport, which is an added expense that needs to be budgeted for.

 

• Commuting time getting from your hotel and actually into the parks can be considerable. The average driving time is about 20 – 30 minutes. Even though the advertisements say Kissimmee is right next door, it can take about 45 minutes to drive in morning traffic. Add time for the line you will sit in waiting to pay the parking fee and add another 10 – 30 minutes from the parking lot to the park entrance depending on which park you are going to. So all tolled, allow at least an hour, one-way.

 

• Shuttle service may be offered, but what arrangements will you have to make to be picked up when you are ready to leave the park?

 

• Inconvenience – Breaking up the day by going back to the room for a nap or swim can be an important factor, especially with children. This is not feasible staying off-site. Also, if someone in the group feels ill they cannot just hop on a Disney bus and return to the room to lie down.

Staying Off-Site Advantages at Disney World

When you are considering staying Off-Site here are a few consideration that might be helpful in your descision.

• Possibly lower priced, but take into consideration: a) quality – you usually get what you pay for; b) convenience – you do not have the option of returning for a mid-day break; and c) transportation issues – traffic, parking fee, and gas or getting the hotel shuttle if one is provided and for which there may be a charge. One hotel charges $11 round trip. For four people that would be $44 per day.

 

• More centrally located to non-Disney attractions.

 

• Better access to less expensive restaurants (if you have a car to get to them and don’t mind searching them out).

 

• More rooms available for last-minute booking, although because Orlando is such a popular convention location, this may not always be true.

 

• Not surrounded by Disney 24 hours a day, but then isn’t the total Disney experience the reason for going in the first place?

Staying Off-property or On Property when Visiting Disney World

The decision whether to stay at an on-property resort or an off-property motel/hotel is one that many who are planning their Disney World vacations, especially first-timers, will grapple with. The choice depends largely on your idea of what quality, convenience and value are. You may be happy as a clam at Motel 6, driving in morning traffic for 30 minutes with another 10 – 30 minutes to get from the parking lot to the park’s entrance. Someone else may not accept anything less than the posh Grand Floridian with the convenience of the on-property transportation system and 20 minutes from resort to park on the monorail. Look at the options offered by each situation and decide which will best suit you.

Lines too long? Not a problem with Disney’s Fastpass

When planning your day at Walt Disney World you may want to give some consideration to the Fastpass rides. Fastpass rides are the more popular rides, like Test Track and Space Mountain, where wait times can be a couple of hours. A Fastpass ticket gives you a specific time to return; typically you have a window of about an hour in which to return. Within the time shown on your ticket you will be admitted to the Fastpass Return line; you perhaps will not walk right in, but you will bypass everyone else in the Standby line and your wait time will be significantly shorter. Most people who have used Fastpasses tend to like the system.

• Fastpass machines are located in front of each of the attractions. Put your WDW admission pass in the machine and a ticket with a time stamped on it pops out. The ticket is free and your admission pass is returned unaltered. The time stamped on the ticket is when you return. Each person has to get their own ticket by inserting their park pass into the machine. If there are several people in your party be sure to get tickets at the same time. Waiting even a few minutes can result in a significant difference in someone’s return time.

 

• Something you want to be aware of before you get a Fastpass is a possible conflict with other plans. For most rides the return time will be less than two hours, but for rides like Test Track the return time may be considerably longer. Before you get a ticket be sure to look at the two clocks at the attraction entrance. One clock lets you know what time you will need to return if you get a Fastpass ticket; the other clock tells how long the wait time will be if you queue up right then. If, for example, the return time is going to be close to a dining reservation time you may be better off either queuing up right then or waiting until later. Remember, even with the Fastpass you may have a few minutes wait, then there is the time it takes for the ride and to get from there to the restaurant. So, you don’t want to cut it too close.

 

• You will want to get tickets for the more popular rides like Test Track and Soarin’ as early as possible. By midday they may have already given out all the tickets for those rides, so get your Fastpasses for those attractions as soon as you get to the parks. You should know, however, that once you get a ticket it may be as much as two hours before you can get a Fastpass for another ride. Printed at the bottom of your Fastpass will be the time after which you can get another ticket.

Disney Ride Height Requirements

Disney Ride Height Requirements and must to know for Disney Vacationers with small children.
______________________________________

Animal Kingdom Height
DINOSAUR 40 inches
Expedition Everest 44 inches
Kali River Rapids 38 inches
Primeval Whirl 48 inches
______________________________________

Disney Hollywood Studios Height
Rock’n’Roller Coaster 48 inches
Star Tours 40 inches
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 40 inches
______________________________________

Epcot Height
Mission: SPACE 44 inches
Soarin’ 40 inches
Test Track 40 inches
______________________________________

Magic Kingdom Height
Barnstormer Goofy’s Wiseacre 38 inches
Indy Speedway 52 inches
Space Mountain 44 inches
Splash Mountain 40 inches
Stitch’s Great Escape 40 inches
Thunder Mountain Railroad 40 inches

Last Minute Tips for and Enjoyable Disney Vacation

Claim your seats early for parades. Curbside seats begin filling up as much as an hour or more before parade time. Just be prepared for people wanting to step over you, or asking if their child can sit in front of you.
________________________________________
If renting a car have proof of insurance to show when checking in at the rental counter.
________________________________________
If you are waiting to get into an attraction that does not have a single file queue, such as the Haunted Mansion or Muppet Vision 3-D, do not let lagers waste your time, step around them. Do not feel like you are cutting in. Disney cast members will periodically ask guests to fill in all available space. You will be amazed at how much faster you will get in.
________________________________________
If you can plan to do at least one load of laundry while you are there you can cut down on the amount of clothes you need to pack by taking mix and match outfits. Ask the reservationist or your resort’s front desk where laundry rooms are located.
________________________________________
If you did not make advanced dining reservations, go directly to the restaurant and request an early seating time, about 5:30 p.m. The earlier seating times will often still be available.
________________________________________
If you want to try your hand at acting or you just want to be part of the fun, take note of times and locations of street shows such as the one at the United Kingdom Pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase. Before the show begins performers enlist audience members to play bit parts.
________________________________________
It is a good idea to have something to sit on while waiting for the parades to begin; the sidewalks and pavement can be extremely hot.
________________________________________
Just before and during parades is a good time to do attractions that are geared more toward younger children and, typically, have longer lines.
________________________________________
Know where restrooms are located. Many restrooms are tucked away inconspicuously. Even though they are marked on the park maps, unless you know exactly where they are they can be difficult to locate. When you have a child who needs to go now you don’t want to hunt for the restroom or stop to ask for directions. It may be a good idea to know where two or three restrooms are and make scheduled stops there. This could help avoid those emergency situations.
________________________________________
Measure and weigh luggage before you leave home to insure your bags meet airline baggage allowance rules.
________________________________________
Measure your child before leaving home so that you will know if they meet the minimum height requirement before you queue up.
________________________________________
Pack reservation confirmations in your carry-on bag so that they are immediately available when you arrive at your destination. Include your Disney Magical Express Vouchers if using this service; you will need them when checking in at the Disney Magical Express counter on the transportation level of the Orlando airport.
________________________________________
Put sunscreen on before you leave your hotel. Sunscreen works best if it has a chance to soak in. If you wait until you are in the parks, standing in line you are probably already too sweaty for the sunscreen to do its job. Remember to use a greaseless, waterproof sunscreen with the highest SPF number.
________________________________________
Remember, most shops will gladly ship purchases home for you; you pay the shipping charges of course. This is a great service for getting any breakable items home.
________________________________________
Restaurants have restrooms inside, but they may have fewer stalls and are usually more crowded.
________________________________________
Take a sweater or light jacket on the plane; airplanes are notoriously chilly. It’s also a good idea to pack a few snacks.
________________________________________
Take advantage of package delivery to your resort. Understand though that your purchase may not be delivered until the next day. So, if you have bought a toy your child will want later, get a locker or have your purchase delivered to the front entrance for you to pick up on your way out. Lockers are located near park entrances and can be rented for a $7 deposit, $2 will be refunded when you return the key.
________________________________________
While waiting in line, send one person to the nearest ice cream vendor to buy frozen strawberry bars. They are popsicles with bits of strawberry; delicious and refreshing. Don’t forget the wet wipes in your fanny pack for the inevitable drips.
________________________________________
Winter Florida temperatures can be unseasonable. Highs may be in the 50′s or they may be in the 90′s. Be sure to check the extended Orlando weather forecast before packing.
________________________________________
You may not want to do the Magic Kingdom on your first full day at WDW. The Magic Kingdom is the largest and most grueling of all the parks. Disney Hollywood Studios is the easiest and is best for your first day. If you have time to split them up, either Epcot’s Future World or World Showcase can be good first day choices.

Useful Telephone Numbers

Listed below is some useful telephone numbers that you might need for your future Disney Vacation.
________________________________________

Advanced Dining, Dinner Shows, and Character Meal Reservations
(407) 939-3463
________________________________________
American Automobile Association (AAA)
(866) 222-2000
________________________________________
Behind the Scenes Tours
(407) 939-8687
________________________________________
Celebration Cruises
(407) 939-2329
________________________________________
Fairy Godmothers
(407) 275-7326
________________________________________
Fishing Excursions
(407) 939-2277
________________________________________
Kid’s Nite Out
(800) 696-8105
________________________________________
Kissimmee-St. Cloud Visitors Bureau
(407) 944-2400
________________________________________
Orlando Magicard
(407) 363-5872
________________________________________
Recreation Activities Reservations: Horseback Riding, Horse-drawn Excursions, Specialty Cruises
(407) 939-7529
________________________________________
Richard Petty Driving Experience
(800) 237-3889
________________________________________
Shades of Green Resort Information
(407) 824-3400
________________________________________
Shades of Green Resort Reservations
(888) 593-2242
________________________________________
Swan and Dolphin Resorts Information
(888) 828-8850
________________________________________
Water Sports Reservations
(407) 939-0754
________________________________________
WDW General Information and Reservations
(407) 939-6244
________________________________________

Disney Dining In Florida

All Walt Disney World Resorts are fabulous places to visit, but they are also amazing places to dine. Whether it be a quick snack or a full gourmet dinner, you will not be disappointed by the choice and quality of fare that Disney has to offer.

Each theme park, water park and resort area has a vast selection of eateries for you to sample and enjoy, and as you would expect, depending upon your budget, you can eat for just a few bucks, or really push the boat out and savour the delights of five star cuisine.

Many of Disney’s restaurants are “themed”, and these are incredibly popular with the kids. Likewise, character dining experiences (aimed at younger members of your party, but enjoyed by all) are often the highlight of a child’s day. Well what could be better when eating your meal than to be served by Mickey, Donald, Pluto, or maybe even a real life Disney princess ? Of course character dining also allows you to capture some magical photographic memories too.

All to often, people get the impression that theme park food is going to be unhealthy food. Admittedly, there is fast food available in the form of burgers, hot dogs and fries, but you will also be pleasantly surprised to discover that the alternatives are indeed exceedingly healthy, and downright tasty too.

Our vegetarian friends are also well catered for, along with guests who have special dietary requirements, or those who cannot eat certain foods because of religious beliefs. Full details of the contents of all meals served on Disney property can be found by simply asking the cast member who takes your order.

And whilst a lot of food served throughout Disney parks is essentially “American” cuisine, a visit to Epcot World Showcase for example, will give you the opportunity to experience a vast selection of foods from around the world, ranging from Chinese, to French and even little known Norwegian delicacies, to name but a few.

Each Disney park that you visit has it’s own map so that you can find your way around. Clearly marked on these maps, and divided into categories are the dining experiences offered to tempt your taste buds.

So whether it be a full service restaurant, character dining, a quick takeaway or a healthy fresh green salad, you will find it all at Disney. The service is, as with all things Disney, friendly and polite, and it’s great to know that when those hunger
pangs strike, that you will be well catered for, in every sense of the word.

Next Page »