• Print out a sheet of ID labels with your name, home address, cell phone number, etc. After you label any of your items you are taking with you, keep a few extra so that toys and other items that you buy while you are there can be marked as yours as well.
DID YOU KNOW?
If you want some keepsake photos from your trip but don’t want to carry around a camera, Disney’s PhotoPass service can help. Disney photographers around the parks will take your picture and then give you a card. From then on, whenever one of them takes your picture, you give them your card to swipe. When the trip is over, you just visit the website to view your pictures (www.disneyphotopass.com) for 30 days, and you can let friends view them as well. The site lets you crop, resize, and add borders and captions. You can even create holiday cards, mouse pads, mugs, and shirts.
Items can be pricy, but if you had a lot of pictures taken, it can be a better deal to have them send you all the unedited pictures on a CD for around $100.
If you have had pictures taken at a character meal, be sure they are added to your PhotoPass account. Just visit a PhotoPass center in one of the theme parks or select resorts, tell them where you were, and when, and see if they can add them to your account.
• Try some craft projects. Have your kids make “lost child” name tags or lanyards that they can wear in the parks. This is functional and fun.
• Prepare your kids for all the walking that they will do in the parks by starting a family walk every evening for the two or three months leading up to your trip. You can build their endurance, ensuring that they enjoy more of the trip!
• If you’re going to surprise your kids, have some planning materials ready for when you break the good news. Let them do some of the planning by selecting rides in some parks, choose some of the no-reservation-required meal destinations, and list what characters they want to meet.
• Let your kids plan a day at the parks. A neat new feature from Disney’s website lets you create a customized theme park map. You can print them out at home as well as have them printed for you. The maps take a few weeks to arrive, but they can be a perfect excitement builder.
• Buy an autograph book and a fat pen if you have kids who will want to meet their favorite stars. You can probably get a cheaper book at home; just be sure it’s big enough and opens easily. Characters with large padded gloves and children with little hands will appreciate the book and pen being large and easy to work with.
• Know your child’s height before you go and determine what rides you can’t let them experience, avoiding some disappointment ahead of time.
• If you are going to have eight or more in your overall party at Walt Disney World, or if you are meeting friends there, think of signing up for the Grand Gatherings program at Walt Disney World. There is no extra charge, and you will get access to special events and reserved event seating. For more information, call 407-934-7639.
Once You’re There
When you get to Walt Disney World, use these strategies to make the trip more enjoyable for you and your children:
• When you arrive, make sure you get your resort’s recreational activities calendar. This will tell you what is going on at your resort while you are there, and can alert you to free movie nights, ceremonial activities, and other entertainment that you might have otherwise overlooked!
• Make sure that most days include a pool visit or nap in the afternoon. Despite their apparently endless supply of energy, younger kids will tire out, and if you don’t plan for that, you will have some very unpleasant moments.
• Each theme park has a complimentary Baby Care Center where you can retreat to an air-conditioned calm zone. There are TVs running Disney movies, toys, baby-changing areas, and other conveniences that can allow you to calm an upset child or rest a tired one. Use them to refresh younger children.
• Use the Rider Switch feature at any height-restricted attraction. In this, you get a pass from the attraction attendant by the standby entrance. The first parent goes on the ride, via the standard line. When they are done, the second parent uses the Rider Switch pass, getting in the FASTPASS line, regardless of time of day. Whatever parent is not riding can take the kids to do something else. This way both adults get a chance to try some of the thrill rides and roller coasters.
• Identify an easy-to-find landmark. This can be a place where you can meet if separated, or to rejoin the group at a predetermined time.
DID YOU KNOW?
Need a doctor while at Walt Disney World? While Disney resorts can help you out, there is also a physician’s group that makes house calls to the resorts. Call 407-399-3627.
There is also an urgent care hospital that provides complimentary transportation. Centra Care (407-938-0650) has multiple locations. What about filling that empty prescription? Turner Drugs delivers; just call 407-828-8125.
• Plan a character meal. This is a must-do for almost every child.
• Consider the children’s activity centers or baby-sitting services as a way to get some away-from-the-kids time, without ruining the fun for them. A sane mommy and daddy equals a happier vacation for all!
HIDDEN MAGIC!
Many of the Deluxe resort hotels at Disney have children’s activity centers for kids age 4 to 12. These provide an ideal way for you to keep the kids entertained while you get an adult’s night out. They get dinner, movies, activities, and fun. Make reservations by calling 407-WDW-DINE (407-939-3463). No, you do not have to be a guest of the actual hotel for your kid to enroll. Usually you have to pay about $12 per hour per child, and reservations are necessary.
• Ride in the front of the monorail. It can be a highlight of any kid’s day.
• In-room baby-sitting is available, known as Kid’s Night Out. Call 407-828-0920 for reservations. Guess what? They don’t just baby-sit! They can actually take the kids out to attractions, if you want them to. Typically, rates run around $14 per hour for one child, and additional kids are just a couple dollars more per hour. This is not a Disney-run program, but a local Orlando service that is very popular with regular guests.
After You Get Home
Capture that magic! Have kids make albums of their trip, complete with photographs, tickets, menus, hotel and park maps, and anything else you can think of. If you need some extra scrapbooking materials, visit Disney’s Wonderful World of Memories store at Downtown Disney.
Vacation Strategies for Adults
Disney World is not just for kids; in fact, it is now considered the number one honeymoon destination in the United States. There’s plenty of fun to be had for adult groups, as well as romance for couples who are so inclined. There are also some strategies that will help you shorten line-waiting time, see more of the park, and enjoy the trip as a full vacation. The following are some pointers to remember when preparing for your visit.
• Some rides have single rider/standby lines that are much shorter than the regular ones. Sure, you’re not sitting next to your friend on the ride, but that’s for only a few minutes, and you can shave hours off your total line-waiting time.
• Close down the park! Stay late and enjoy smaller crowds, shorter lines, and fewer kids.
• Eat at non-standard meal times (lunch at 2, dinner after 8) to get quieter meal settings and easier-to-get reservations.
• Try the Richard Petty Driving Experience, a spa treatment, or a round of golf for a mostly child-free time.
Nightlife
There’s a great deal more nightlife than you might expect in the Walt Disney World area. Knowing a few places to spend a night out can help bring adults a little sanity.
• Hotel lounges—Not all hotels have a lounge, and those that do are usually smaller and quieter, making them an ideal place for a romantic cocktail or for a small gathering.
• Theme parks—The four theme parks are not exactly nightclubs, but they can be a nice place to lounge around and enjoy the Florida nights. The best of these is Epcot’s World Showcase, and only the Magic Ki
ngdom is alcohol-free.
• Downtown Disney—The nightlife here has taken a hit since the closing of the nightclubs of Pleasure Island. But dancing, music, and drinks can still be had at places like Raglan Road, Bongos, and House of Blues. Find out more in the Downtown Disney chapter.
• BoardWalk—Not quite the wild party that you might be wanting, the BoardWalk still has a few adult-only retreats that are fun, as well as family-friendly entertainment on the walk itself. Learn more in the BoardWalk chapter.
HIDDEN MAGIC!
Where are some of the best clubs? Here are my picks, though there are certainly more:
• Outdoor lounging: The World Showcase at Epcot
• Cool clubbing: Todd English’s bluezoo in the Dolphin hotel
• Rowdy singing: Jellyrolls at the BoardWalk
• Bar: ESPN Zone at the BoardWalk
Romance
Romantic dining spots and private getaways in Walt Disney World are surprisingly numerous. Fireworks give you a great backdrop for an evening stroll. Other activities and events help set the mood, including private boating excursions, spa services, and opulent suites. Here are just some of the romantic options available at Walt Disney World:
• Dinner at Victoria & Albert’s at the Grand Floridian Resort (formal), California Grill at the Contemporary Resort (casually elegant), or Le Cellier in Epcot (cozy)
• Cocktails at Todd English’s bluezoo (contemporary elegance)
• Private boating
• A nighttime walk along the BoardWalk
DID YOU KNOW?
Disney World florists can deliver flowers or snack baskets to a room, but they can do a great deal more as well! In 2009, they added room decoration packages that can be themed to a specific event (first visit, engagement, wedding, etc.), and can include anything ranging from a 3-foot-tall Mickey to cookie bouquets, Hidden Mickey books, and all sorts of other great surprises. Visit www.disneyflorist.com.
Summary
There are a lot of time- and money-saving strategies out there, and these are just a few. As long as you plan ahead and are ready for a few surprises, you’ll have a great time.
Part 2
Choose Your Castle: Picking Your Resort Hotel
Walt Disney World has dozens of resort hotels on its property, and the Orlando area sports hundreds more accommodation selections. Should you stay at a Disney resort or stay elsewhere? If you are staying “on property,” what kind of resort should you select? With so many choices at your fingertips, I help you quickly sort through the options and pick the place for you. Welcome to your castle!
Chapter 6
Walt Disney World Resorts
In This Chapter
• Learn about the different hotel options at Walt Disney World
• Discover the benefits of staying on property
• Learn about the Disney resort seasons and how the charges change
A large part of the expense and the experience of a vacation to Walt Disney World is where you lay your head at night. I know what you’re thinking: what does it matter where we stay when we’ll spend so little time there? That’s what I explain in this chapter, providing you with my suggestions and some options to match the varying needs of your particular travel party.
As you read this and the other chapters in this part of the book, you’ll see that I am partial to staying at the Disney-owned resorts. But that’s not to say this is the right solution for all visitors. Of course, there are literally thousands of accommodation options in the greater Orlando area, so covering them all here is out of the question. Instead, you find an overview of several of the best options for someone visiting Walt Disney World. So I do offer some non-Disney recommendations, pointing out the benefits and costs of staying at these alternatives.
Introduction to Disney Hotels
Let’s start by considering the hotels on Disney property. These resorts provide certain benefits available only to guests staying on property, and they are all found in the immediate vicinity of the attractions.
MICKEY-SPEAK
Staying on property means staying at one of the resorts located on Disney property. These resorts, and their guests, enjoy some special treatment at the Disney parks, so the status can matter a great deal. Most are owned and operated by Disney, but a few are not; the benefits vary based on these distinctions, so be aware of what kind of on-property resort you are considering.
Disney classifies its resorts into the following categories:
• Deluxe Villa
• Deluxe
• Moderate
• Value
• Campgrounds
• Other select deluxe hotels
There are also a few other special resorts on Disney property: the Hotel Plaza Boulevard near Downtown Disney, the Shades of Green hotel for U.S. military personnel, and a new high-end Waldorf Astoria/Hilton complex at Bonnet Creek. These are covered in greater detail in Chapters 10 and 11.
What do the different categories really mean? The following sections provide a synopsis, including information on the other types of resorts on Disney property. Also take a look at the color insert found in the book. It has pictures of resort rooms from several of these different categories.
Deluxe Villa Resorts
Largely driven by the growth of the Disney Vacation Club, the Disney time-share program, this category of resort is growing more rapidly than any other. These resorts offer a greater array of room types, designed to support larger groups, cater to longer stays, and provide for those special needs that a standard room cannot address. Disney owns all of these resorts, so they get you all the benefits of staying at a Disney resort, as listed later in this chapter. Learn more about these resorts in Chapter 10.
Deluxe Resorts
Deluxe resorts are the high end of the Disney lodging experience. These resorts offer a greater range of amenities and services. The rooms are larger, and the overall experience is certainly more upscale than other types of lodging. These resorts enjoy better locations on the property, with quicker access to certain parks or entertainment areas. As an example, all but one of them enjoys transportation to a theme park via a short walk, a monorail trip, or a boat ride, all of which are preferable to a bus trip. You’ll get all the benefits of staying at a Disney-owned resort, as listed later in this chapter. You can find out more about what perks they do and don’t offer when you read their reviews in Chapter 7.
HIDDEN MAGIC!
If you are staying at a Disney resort, be sure to ask for the resort’s recreational activity flyer when you check in. Many of the Disney resorts have fun, family-friendly activities going on all the time that you may not have heard about. Mostly found at the Deluxe and Moderate resorts, but also at Fort Wilderness and occasionally at the Value resorts, activities include treasure hunts, poolside entertainment, and free outdoor movie screenings complete with bonfires and other surprises.
Moderate Resorts
These resorts offer nearly comparable-sized rooms to the Deluxe resorts at a greatly reduced rate, but they usually have fewer amenities available. The greatest drop-off is in dining options and transportation, where most rely exclusively on bus service to get to the parks and other locales. Within this group, the level of services varies, with each having something special to attract you. Recently added to this category were the Cabins at Fort Wilderness, which offers a family a unique accommodation option that is largely overlooked by most visitors. You’ll get all the benefits of staying at a Disney-owned resort, as listed later in this chapter. Learn more about these resorts in Chapter 8.
Value Resorts
These resorts are one of the great options, bringing on-property accommodations down to the price range that most of us can afford. Amenities drop off greatly, but the Disney machine makes sure to deliver top quality even if the price tag is a bit lower. Bus service is the standard transportation and there are no table-service restaurants at these resorts, but they do have many of the necessities—and they deli
ver them with flair. Disney owns all of these resorts, so they get you all the usual benefits, as listed later in this chapter. Learn more about these resorts in Chapter 9.
DID YOU KNOW?
Starting in 2009, guests have been able to go through the check-in process for their Walt Disney World resort from the comfort of their own home! Starting up to 10 days before they arrive, they can check in, make special requests, and get all that process out of the way. When you arrive, you pick up your packet and get right to the fun. They will even text you when your room is ready!
Campgrounds
Disney Campsites at Fort Wilderness have long been the RV enthusiast’s dream, offering ideal sites, affordable rates, and great amenities. The sense of community here also adds to the experience. Read more about these in Chapter 10.
Other Select Deluxe Hotels
The Swan and Dolphin hotels, located behind the BoardWalk, are on Disney property but are not run by Disney. These two massive tealand-orange Starwood resorts are run by Westin (Swan) and Sheraton (Dolphin) and are hard to miss. They are often home to conventions, and while there are some perks for those on Disney property that you do not get here, there are other side benefits that you can read about in Chapter 11.
Shades of Green
This resort is in a class by itself, as it serves U.S. military personnel and retirees exclusively. Learn more about this resort in Chapter 11.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Walt Disney World, 2012 Edition Page 6