• Welcome to OGBoards 10.0, keep in mind that we will be making LOTS of changes to smooth out the experience here and make it as close as possible functionally to the old software, but feel free to drop suggestions or requests in the Tech Support subforum!

Disney World Tips and Tricks

I've never understood why people sit around for an hour or two waiting for a parade, but maybe that's because my wife and I are tall.
 
One thing kids like is to be tricked. For instance, I was going to take my nephew to Disneyland, but instead I drove him to an old burned-out warehouse. "Oh no," I said, "Disneyland burned down." He cried and cried, but I think that deep down he thought it was a pretty good joke.

I started to drive over to the real Disneyland, but it was getting pretty late.
 
You can work through the front desk and they have preferred sitters. So maybe not official Disney sitters, but the times we've done it, our sitter was a Disney staffer getting extra bucks.
 
That's pretty cool. Unfortunately, my wife doesn't trust rando sitters and my kids would see right through it.

Looking forward to when both of them are old enough to do the Pirate Cruise at Port Orleans Riverside.
 
Have done both of the parties and have really enjoyed them. Was listening to a podcast yesterday that was talking about them and one tip they said was to try and book Sunday night if you can, as these are usually the least crowded. If you can't do Sunday, try Monday through Wednesday. They said Thursday through Saturday are normally the most crowded, especially the weekends as that is when locals go.

If you go to the Halloween party, be prepared to receive a ton of candy, if you "Trick or Treat." My wife and I did this and ended up taking it to work and giving it away because we received so much. They just dump it in your bag in many cases.

I prefer the Christmas party as I think this is the best time to be in the parks. There is just something different at being at Disney at Christmas time. I do think you can get most of the feelings of the party without being at the party, just in the park on a random day. But the party is a lot less crowded in a time when the Magic Kingdom tends to be crowded.

I too think they have upped the number of tickets sold to these events in recent years, but you can definitely tell its not a normal park crowd, especially if you go on a "down" crowd night.

If you go for a Christmas party, also make sure and take a trip to Hollywood Studios and see the Osborne Spectacle of Lights. Its a pretty amazing display (several million lights, lights dancing to the music playing) and this is the last year they will do the display.
 
Got to think they'll eventually do some type of "Toyland" type Christmas thing once Toy Story Land is built.

My 6 year old's first Disney trip was to the Osborne lights at 6 months old. Great memories.
 
PhDeac said:
That's pretty cool. Unfortunately, my wife doesn't trust rando sitters and my kids would see right through it.

Looking forward to when both of them are old enough to do the Pirate Cruise at Port Orleans Riverside.
Click to expand...

We're staying riverside this trip Still debating if I go to ESPN to watch a win or just listen on the app between rides sat
 
I went to ESPN for a State game several years ago. It was crowded but better than nothing.
 
Big announcement today. Disney has changed the annual pass structure at Disney World and Disneyland, pass prices went up, and parking increased from $17 to $20.
http://www.insidethemagic.net/2015/...l-passholder-program-prices-for-parking-rise/

Last weekend, we stayed in a hotel on I-Drive with some family from Chicago. They got some kind of flight/hotel package for a hotel on the cheesy side of I-Drive. It was my first time staying off property in Orlando and my first time on I-Drive since I went to a conference at the convention center several years ago. It was ok, but I'd much rather stay at a Disney resort. I'd be open to stay at one of the nicer places on I-drive if the money is right. My boys thought the Wonder Works building was really cool. It's open till midnight every night. We may go there some evening we're staying on property instead of back to the hotel or Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney).
 
Was debating last week to go on and buy my annual passes, or to wait till this week as we plan on going this weekend. Decided Thursday to go on and purchase them, and saved about $50 in the process. Score that one a win over Disney.
 
Nice. The new system is actually a win for me. The old FL resident passes were annual with parking and seasonal without parking. The only difference in the new FL resident passes is one has summer blackout dates and the other doesn't. Three seasonal + 1 annual under the old system $75 less than 4 silver passes in the new system.

I assume you're doing Food & Wine this weekend. We're going on Sunday for our annual Panthers bye week trip.
 
The other difference in the new passes is that with the new Gold, you can download the PhotoPass pictures, which is normally something like $169. Its nice adding the parking to the Silver pass and we don't really care about Photopass or the Summer blackout dates, so we will probably do Silver in the future as well. Did you notice that the Gold pass now has some blackout dates as well?

Yes, doing Food and Wine this weekend as well. In fact, we will be in Epcot on Sunday as well and it is nice knowing I don't have to worry about keeping up with the Panthers while walking around. The wife and I are running a half marathon on Saturday morning in Vero Beach and then driving up. Doing Hollywood Studios on Saturday (2 year old son is enthralled by Toy Story right now so figured since we won't get into the parks until around 2 we would take him for autographs), Epcot on Sunday and then Magic Kingdom on Monday.
 
Disney is being obvious that they don't want locals around over the holidays and peak periods unless they are literally willing to pay a Premium for it. That's fair. I feel like I get what I pay for at Disney. I pay a lot and get a lot.

Here's an example of their great service. We went to Animal Kingdom last weekend with family. My wife lost our 3 year old's jacket near the safari, but we didn't realize it until we were at the front of the park. She called Lost and Found on the way out and let them know to look for it. She called the next day before we left Orlando and they had found it and shipped it to our house. We got it two days later.
 
Yeah, I have never found anything that can compare to Disney's customer service. It is a big part of the reason we keep going back. We enjoy being there a ton and a big part of the reason why we enjoy it is the customer service.

For some time now, I have wanted to be able to take some of the Disney Institute classes. Unfortunately, the cost makes it prohibitive.

We don't mind not being there on the holidays and in the summer. Living in West Palm Beach, we want to go some where a bit cooler in the summer. I have been on Easter, won't do that again. To see the Christmas decorations, we just go earlier in the month. About the only thing I haven't done that I wouldn't mind doing is to be there on New Year's Eve. But with a 2 year old, that isn't real practical right now anyway.
 
PhDeac said:
Disney is being obvious that they don't want locals around over the holidays and peak periods unless they are literally willing to pay a Premium for it. That's fair. I feel like I get what I pay for at Disney. I pay a lot and get a lot.

Here's an example of their great service. We went to Animal Kingdom last weekend with family. My wife lost our 3 year old's jacket near the safari, but we didn't realize it until we were at the front of the park. She called Lost and Found on the way out and let them know to look for it. She called the next day before we left Orlando and they had found it and shipped it to our house. We got it two days later.
Click to expand...

Try Europe next
 
GaDeac, how was Food & Wine for you that Sunday? My wife talked to a cast member while in line at La Cava and he said they were turning away people the day before. Unreal.

More updates on the new Star Wars enhancements at Hollywood Studios coming in December.

Bad news: No more Star Wars weekends.
Good news: It's going to be Star Wars all the time.

http://www.insidethemagic.net/2015/...-hollywood-studios-star-wars-weekends-ending/


Clip from new Star Tours scene from The Force Awakens:
 
Anyone know when next year's food and wine half-marathon reg is?
 
We enjoyed it as always. It was busy though. I think next year, we are going to take a Monday off and go then as I have been told the crowds are lower on Mondays. I tried some stuff I hadn't tried at past events. My wife and I put $100 on a gift card at the beginning and got completely full with about $30 left over (although I only had one beer and she doesn't drink) so we thought it was a pretty good bargain as well.

Did you see the construction plans have come out? One podcast I listen to said they are reading it as completion of phase 1 in 2018 (which includes opening of some rides). Another said the 2018 date was just infrastructure and they were guessing a 2021 open date for rides. Both had valid points. I'm hoping the first was correct as part of their reasoning was with Universal committing to a ride opening every year for the next five years, Disney has acknowledged it has to get on the ball. My sister says there has already been stuff done backstage, which could lead more to the 2018 date.

BYM: I would guess around February. The marathon normally goes up sometime in April and is run in January and the Star Wars Half runs in April and went on sale in September. It seems like 9 months is about normal for them.
 
I saw some plans come out but no estimates or details. Do you have a link?

My wife and I took the day off that Friday after we went Sunday. Got there around 10:30, left at 3:30, and picked up the boys from day care/after school around the normal time. Probably going to do that every year from now on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top