Need info on Walt Disney World!

[Pulse Red GTO]

We are planning a trip there in May. I have been before, but it was back in 94-96 & I know stuff has changed & that was with my parents, so they paid for everything! But was wondering if I should get the meal plans or not? Also which room to go with. I was looking at the Carribian Beach resort, it is in the moderate category & also the All Star Movie & it is in the economy one. The mean plans are $40 per day for each of us = $80 total per day for 7 days = $560. I didn't know if I should get that or if food is that expensive there????
Any thoughts or suggestions would be great to help me plan!!!!!!!

Thanks!!!

[310stanger]

get a book called birnbaums

[Sarge]

Drop acid 30 minutes before entering the gates. Mickey scared the shit out of me. Hey it was the 60's........oh and I woke up with some fat girl named Brenda in Orange County. I dunno....I dont think she charged me anything. I dunno if she is still lurking around Disney World anymore so you may have to pay. Hope this helps.

[98formy]

I was there around three years ago. Food in the parks if I remember right is expensive, and you dont get much. What exactly is the meal plan? Can you use them in the parks or is it limited to what you can get, or do you have to go back to the hotel to eat?

[Pulse Red GTO]

Yea the plan give you one snack, a quick service meal & a sit down meal & it is $40 per adult per day. I thought that food there will probably cost me more than that?

[RichB 99GTP]

The first time we went to DW we bought the meal plan. Ended up being a horrible mistake!! All day every day we had to think about eating all the time and it totally ruined the experience. We could NOT eat enough to use all of our meal credit and it felt like we wasted a lot of money.

The last time we went we did not use the meal plan and it was an much better experience! No wasted food or money. We did what we wanted and didn't have to worry about food unless we were hungry. LOL

I highly recommend NOT using their meal plans. :-)

edit: forgot to mention, the last trip there was two years ago.

[98formy]

If there are just the two of you going, it think it will cost more that 40, but not much more.

[ls1blackbeauty98]

DO NOT STAY AT AN ALLSTAR RESORT! unless u like children, then stay there otherwise its just kids...everywhere...and ure gonna get enough of that in the parks lol..

Carb. Beach is awesome, i love that resort, not to expensive and really great *i love their mickey waffles during breakfest, they serve them in the "dinning hall"...great waffles*

Anything moderate is gonna be nice, Dolphin/Swan, Carb. Beach, French Quarters (small and really nice, not to much walking on the resort) River Side (bigger, more walking inside the resort) If youre looking for a really nice hotel, that doesnt cost 400/night then go with one of them. I definitely recommend Carb. Beach, i absolutely love that place...

onto meals...
i personally wouldnt get the dining plan, because of a few reasons....#1 u have to preplan everywhere u are going to eat because U HAVE TO MAKE RESERVATIONS...again i stress this....RESERVATIONS or u arent going to be eating in Disney on their dining plan and there goes the few hundred dollars it takes to be on that plan. Another thing some resurtants like for instance....Coarl Reef in Epcot is a seafood place, sounds great but its no red lobster, there is a selected menu that u have to choose from, but other places like say Liberty Tree Tavern in Magic Kingdom is a cool old fashion served all you can eat style of mashed potatoes, pot roast, turkey, corn... ect its almost like thanksgiving. ALSO if you dont eat much, or are with a person that doesnt eat much it might be more cost effective to just pay as you go...if u go with the dining plan or pay as you go either way i suggest these resturants *RESERVATIONS!!!!!! MAKE THEM ATLEAST 4 WEEKS BEFORE U GO!*

-Cheif Mickey (located in Contemporary Resort, take monorail from Magic Kingdom to the resort, make sure u get on the resort monorail) about 35$ a person all you can eat buffet with Character Dining *Mickey, Mini, Donald, Goofy, Chip n Dale, Daisy* really really good food, really fun Dessert Bar

-Liberty Tree Tavern (Macgic Kingdom, description listed above)

-The steakhouse (Epcot, Located in CANADA) eat Steakhouse has awesome atmosphere

-Cinderellas Royal Table (Magic Kingdom) Charachter dining, lunch or breakfest. good food...really fun and you get to eat in the castle!!!!

-Planet Hollywood (Downtown Disney) love the place!

-Rainforest Cafe (Dtown Disney or Animal Kingdom)

Those are my "top pics" for resturants..

Things you need to see/Do

#1 Pirates of The Caribbean (Magic Kingdom)
#2 Mickey Phillar Magic (Magic Kingdom)
#3 Share a dreams come true Parade (Magic Kingdom)
#4 Spectro Magic Parade (magic Kingdom)
#5 Wishes fireworks (Magic Kingdom)

#6 Indiana Jones (MGM)
#7 Tower Of Terror (MGM)
#8 Beauty and the Beast show (MGM)
#9 Lights Camara Action! (MGM)
#10 Muppet Show (MGM)
#11 Fantasmic show (MGM)

#12 World Showcase (Epcot)
#13 Test Track (Epcot)
Illuminations (Epcots Fireworks show, get there early for a good seat!)
take a day for Epcot, there are alotta cool things to check out, ALOTTA walking there

#14 Animal Kingdom! explore it all, do the raft ride, the safari is really neat *a lion is like 20 ft from you while ure in the car, animals walk right by* Check out the tigers

#15 WATER PARKS!!!!!!! make sure u spend atleast 1/2 day in one of the water parks! Typoon Lagoon is my top pic! but Blizzard Beach is awesome too!!

Ummmmm.... i cant think of anything else in the parks because im on information overload


BUY A PARK HOPPER PASS- that way you can go to anypark, any day, as many times as you want. otherwise you are stuck with a ticket, to one park, for one day and you cannot go back there unless u buy another ticket. its like atleast 350$ for a four day pass i think, but its worth it..trust me!

You should also think about getting a car *if ure flying down* because Orland is really great, you have Universal Studios which is really really fun *Especially if ure not taking young children lol* Seaworld is also alot of fun. International Drive has a ton of shops/resturants/malls... and if u have a car u can go to the beach too. i usually go to CoCo when im down in Orlando.

I think thats all i had to say! I LOVE disney world, i use to go like three times a year before i started realizing how much money i spend on vacations lol...

HAVE FUN!

[310stanger]

DO NOT STAY AT AN ALLSTAR RESORT! unless u like children, then stay there otherwise its just kids...everywhere...and ure gonna get enough of that in the parks lol..

Carb. Beach is awesome, i love that resort, not to expensive and really great *i love their mickey waffles during breakfest, they serve them in the "dinning hall"...great waffles*

Anything moderate is gonna be nice, Dolphin/Swan, Carb. Beach, French Quarters (small and really nice, not to much walking on the resort) River Side (bigger, more walking inside the resort) If youre looking for a really nice hotel, that doesnt cost 400/night then go with one of them. I definitely recommend Carb. Beach, i absolutely love that place...

onto meals...
i personally wouldnt get the dining plan, because of a few reasons....#1 u have to preplan everywhere u are going to eat because U HAVE TO MAKE RESERVATIONS...again i stress this....RESERVATIONS or u arent going to be eating in Disney on their dining plan and there goes the few hundred dollars it takes to be on that plan. Another thing some resurtants like for instance....Coarl Reef in Epcot is a seafood place, sounds great but its no red lobster, there is a selected menu that u have to choose from, but other places like say Liberty Tree Tavern in Magic Kingdom is a cool old fashion served all you can eat style of mashed potatoes, pot roast, turkey, corn... ect its almost like thanksgiving. ALSO if you dont eat much, or are with a person that doesnt eat much it might be more cost effective to just pay as you go...if u go with the dining plan or pay as you go either way i suggest these resturants *RESERVATIONS!!!!!! MAKE THEM ATLEAST 4 WEEKS BEFORE U GO!*

-Cheif Mickey (located in Contemporary Resort, take monorail from Magic Kingdom to the resort, make sure u get on the resort monorail) about 35$ a person all you can eat buffet with Character Dining *Mickey, Mini, Donald, Goofy, Chip n Dale, Daisy* really really good food, really fun Dessert Bar

-Liberty Tree Tavern (Macgic Kingdom, description listed above)

-The steakhouse (Epcot, Located in CANADA) eat Steakhouse has awesome atmosphere

-Cinderellas Royal Table (Magic Kingdom) Charachter dining, lunch or breakfest. good food...really fun and you get to eat in the castle!!!!

-Planet Hollywood (Downtown Disney) love the place!

-Rainforest Cafe (Dtown Disney or Animal Kingdom)

Those are my "top pics" for resturants..

Things you need to see/Do

#1 Pirates of The Caribbean (Magic Kingdom)
#2 Mickey Phillar Magic (Magic Kingdom)
#3 Share a dreams come true Parade (Magic Kingdom)
#4 Spectro Magic Parade (magic Kingdom)
#5 Wishes fireworks (Magic Kingdom)

#6 Indiana Jones (MGM)
#7 Tower Of Terror (MGM)
#8 Beauty and the Beast show (MGM)
#9 Lights Camara Action! (MGM)
#10 Muppet Show (MGM)
#11 Fantasmic show (MGM)

#12 World Showcase (Epcot)
#13 Test Track (Epcot)
Illuminations (Epcots Fireworks show, get there early for a good seat!)
take a day for Epcot, there are alotta cool things to check out, ALOTTA walking there

#14 Animal Kingdom! explore it all, do the raft ride, the safari is really neat *a lion is like 20 ft from you while ure in the car, animals walk right by* Check out the tigers

#15 WATER PARKS!!!!!!! make sure u spend atleast 1/2 day in one of the water parks! Typoon Lagoon is my top pic! but Blizzard Beach is awesome too!!

Ummmmm.... i cant think of anything else in the parks because im on information overload


BUY A PARK HOPPER PASS- that way you can go to anypark, any day, as many times as you want. otherwise you are stuck with a ticket, to one park, for one day and you cannot go back there unless u buy another ticket. its like atleast 350$ for a four day pass i think, but its worth it..trust me!

You should also think about getting a car *if ure flying down* because Orland is really great, you have Universal Studios which is really really fun *Especially if ure not taking young children lol* Seaworld is also alot of fun. International Drive has a ton of shops/resturants/malls... and if u have a car u can go to the beach too. i usually go to CoCo when im down in Orlando.

I think thats all i had to say! I LOVE disney world, i use to go like three times a year before i started realizing how much money i spend on vacations lol...

HAVE FUN!

I got 2 questions because obviously you are the Disney person on the board lol Do they still have the restaurant where you sit in an old car and its a simulated drive in? And do they still have the restaurant where its supposed to be like eating at someones house in the 1950's? I remember going to both of them as a kid and it was pretty neat but I think like you said it was one of those places you had to make reservations way in advance because they were so popular at the time. This is going back probably 10 yrs or more so I'd assume they are probably gone by now.

[WhiteHotSS]

We go to Disney all the time. Here is a great site to help you.

www.intercot.com

they are everything disney.

[ls1blackbeauty98]

I got 2 questions because obviously you are the Disney person on the board lol Do they still have the restaurant where you sit in an old car and its a simulated drive in? And do they still have the restaurant where its supposed to be like eating at someones house in the 1950's? I remember going to both of them as a kid and it was pretty neat but I think like you said it was one of those places you had to make reservations way in advance because they were so popular at the time. This is going back probably 10 yrs or more so I'd assume they are probably gone by now.

Sci Fi cafe in MGM! in the car!
also i never went to a resturant where its like a house in the 50s but thats not to say its not there! there are still things i havent gotten to do down there.

i love disney
i can direct you to any shop you want gifts from, or the best time to hit places in downtown disney or when the waterparks usually shut down (and wont let new people in) because there are to many people in them at one time, i love that damn place. i need to join the vacation club, for people like me its the way to go. 25k for a time share, you have like 24 vacation days and u can go to ANY disney property in the world. ill have that some day *dream* lol

[Pulse Red GTO]

Sweet good info!!!! Yea I am thinking that I am one that would have to get my money's worth on the meals & I would be to worried about that to have a good time as explained!! Yea I have been doing some research & we will have our 2 yr old daughter with us. I am thinking the Carb. Beach resort also, I don't mind kids, but you are right, there will be plenty of them in the park!

[FatTom]

Went last week. We stayed at the Buena Vista Hotel and Spa blah blah blah at Downtown Disney. Caught a bus to the parks. Easy and free. Didn't do the meal plan. Ate breakfast in our room (what we bought at the grocery store) because the food is quite expensive. At Downtown Disney, Earl of Sandwich was a GREAT place to eat. The Animal Kingdom was the best in my opinion. Ride the Safari ride at about 9:00 in the morning. Animals have just come out and you get to see them all.

[doberman 152]

Drop acid 30 minutes before entering the gates. Mickey scared the shit out of me. Hey it was the 60's........oh and I woke up with some fat girl named Brenda in Orange County. I dunno....I dont think she charged me anything. I dunno if she is still lurking around Disney World anymore so you may have to pay. Hope this helps.

Brenda is skinny now and thats my mom, so that would make you my.....

[doberman 152]

I live near disney and your best bet is stay somewere near and shuttle there.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Stevie]

call a travle angent - then you get everything - hopper passes and meal plans.

[DrMilhouse]

Stay at a Disney property. You can take shuttles, but you get extra bonuses of staying there and you you can go back to your room at your convenience with out having to worry about schedules for shuttles, the monorails go there all the time. You also get bonus hours for when it stays open for those people who are staying on their properties. (that means you have the park with WAY fewer people). We didn't stay on the property when we were there. We stayed in a nice holiday, but where we were really did kinda make it a drag to go back. It was really on THEIR schedule for their shuttle. The monorail runs everywhere every 20 minutes or something like that.

Be sure to see Soarin'. I love that ride. There's lots of cool stuff all over the place. I was there a couple of years ago for the 4th of July. The epcot center fireworks show kicks ass, so does magic kingdom's.

The Rockin Roller Coaster at MGM and the Tower of Terror are two things you have to do while you're there. The "it's a small world after all ride".... eh... I could have done with out that couple of hours (including wait time).

There's a chinese restaurant that is in Epcot that is simply the best chinese food I've ever had. Great stuff. LOVED it. (and I'm not someone that ever LOVES food).

Space Mountain is fun. The ride that's inside of the Epcot wall is pretty cool, it's not scary, exciting, or "fun", but it's cool/interesting. They've got some really cool new ride through a mountain that they were working on when I was there, it's done now. It looked cool.

Say Hi to the band "Off Kilter" that's in Epcot Center.

I know I'm leaving out a lot. I have only been there once. I loved it there. It's where I plan to take my next vacation if I can ever get one in.

use the fast passes when ever/where ever possible.

Have a great time!

[doberman 152]

Disney is cool, but tampa busch gardens kicks ASS.

[DrMilhouse]

Oh yeah, while you're around in the area, try to spend a day at Sea World, that's always cool too.

[310stanger]

anybody know what the top speed on "test track" is? I never got a chance to go on that ride