An Addiction Like No Other!
Written: Sep 26 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A vast array of magic, wonder and beauty for all styles and tastes
Cons: long lines and a need for careful budgeting
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| rmgood's Full Review: Walt Disney World |
When I was a little girl, my family planned a vacation to Florida and we set aside a day to visit Walt Disney World. Times have definitely changed! Now I have my own family and the planning process is much different. We plan a trip to Disney World, and if time allows we might venture elsewhere in Florida for a day!
The Disney complex is growing to the point of being a self-contained land on its own -the 51st state "Disney", if you will. And if you think you are going to stop in for a day to check it out, you may want to think again. The four major theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom) are tough to see in a mere four days themselves. Add in any of several water parks, the stadium, Disney Quest (a minimum four hour excursion into an abyss of arcades), Disney Marketplace (a huge shopping complex) or Pleasure Island (a nighttime arena like no other with enough clubs to suit any style and taste), and a full week is filled with non-stop action before you know it. And don't for a minute assume it stops there! I haven't even mentioned the array of hotels and restaurants on Disney premises, most of which are a sight-seeing attraction in themselves.
So where does one begin? Well, you've certainly made a good start. Epinions offers a wide range of views on all aspects of Disney from accommodations to parks to budgets. (And yes, finances will play an active role in this vacation!) The vast array of reviews in Epinions Disney World category will help you sort through all the Disney choices and find the ones best suited for you and your family. I have traveled to Disney World every year since 1994. I've done the vacation routine with my family, with friends, with my husband before children, while pregnant and with an infant. You name it, I've probably encountered it. And I've learned a few things along the way. Below are a few generic pointers to start you off with.
Tip 1: No matter who you are traveling with, go in the off-season. Lodging costs less, transportation costs less and the crowds are much easier to handle. Its true that park hours are shorter during these less hectic times, but you will find ample time to see all the attractions because the waiting in line time is cut down to a fraction of what it is during the summer or the week between Christmas and New Years. This is especially true if you are traveling with young kids. Pull them out of school for a week and enjoy a more relaxed, less frantic vacation. Those crowds will make you crazy!
Tip 2: So you completely ignored Tip 1 and decide to spend winter break in Disney World anyway. Be prepared for rides with hour long waits. The bright side is that Disney designed these lines knowing they would be long so almost every ride has some kind of pre-ride entertainment. If you do decide to travel during a peak season, get an early start and ride those favorite, must-see attractions first thing in the morning. Then plan on spending the greater part of the afternoon watching parades, seeing shows and simply touring the park. The rides make up only half of the entertainment at any given Disney park.
Tip 3: Whatever you do, do not and I repeat DO NOT go shopping for souveniers at park closing. Everybody does this! Look for those little trinkets and momentoes mid-afternoon when the sun is blazing, the shops are empty and the lines are wrapped around for miles. Disney will hold any and all packages for you until the end of the day and if you are staying at an on-site hotel, they will deliver those packages right to your room, free of charge. But by no means think of shopping on the way out. At the end of the day, those shops are wall to wall full of tired, cranky tourists and whining kids up past their bedtimes. You have been forewarned!
Tip 4: If you can find a way to work it into your budget, stay on-property. Disney has designed a wonderful transportation system of boats, buses and monorails that will quickly and comfortably get you from point A to point B anywhere on Disney property. This makes heading back to the hotel for an afternoon break a breeze. Disney offers a range of options from campgrounds to luxury resorts, all with a little Disney magical touch to make them all feel unique and whimsical. You won't find a more convenient location or better customer service than staying at an on-site hotel.
Tip 5: What's your hurry? Forget the crash-course in theme park 101. Buy one of the multi-day Disney park passes and take your time to enjoy yourself. Don't worry about hurrying to see everything because chances are you won't anyway. Whether you're there for a day or two or a week or two, there will certainly be something you will miss. I think the Disney folks do this on purpose to always keep you wanting more. Walt Disney World is huge! So relax, see what you want, don't worry about what you missed and sit down every once in awhile to catch your breath. Believe me, you'll need that energy to dance the night away at Pleasure Island!
There is no way one review can cover Disney World, but these five tips will head you in the right direction. There are some wonderful epinions geared at specific parks, specific accommodations, specific interests and even tips for disabled travelers and those traveling with infants or toddlers. And if that's not enough reading for you, I would suggest Birnbaum's Official Guide to Walt Disney World or Sehlinger's Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, both of which are updated yearly and provide wonderful information on planning Disney vacations.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
rmgood
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Member: Raquel
Location: Minnesota
Reviews written: 89
Trusted by: 85 members
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