Where To Stay In Disney?

[mrclark321]

We are starting to plan a trip to Disney for the end of May. We are planning to stay at a resort in Disney and one that we think we would like is the "Port Orleans Resort French Quarter. Can anyone share there experiences with this or some of the other resorts in Disney? Also the meal plan...Is it woth it?
Also I am gong to bring all my gear as well as a P&S camera, any recomendations for your gear?

Thanks Dan

[LBaldwin]

OK which Disney FL or CA?

[mrclark321]

OK which Disney FL or CA?

Florida

[mdruziak]

Disney does a good job at all of their resorts. Let your budget guide you.

You also may choose to select a hotel based on the resort theme. This is a pretty good overview: http://www.disneyvacationguide.com/

[Scottes]

Meal plans are definitely not worth it, IMHO. If you can plan on following the plan perfectly it's worth it, but if you deviate much it's quickly not worth it. And it limits your freedom.

As for which on-site hotel, pick the one you can afford. You get what you pay for, and they're all worth what you pay, basically. My wife and niece stayed at Port Orleans and they said it was fine. The Caribbean is kinda old (but fine) and large - find a room close to a food court and you're OK.

I would strongly suggest getting a book and studying a bit. Something like The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2007 (http://www.amazon.com/Unofficial-Guide-Disney-World-Guides/dp/047179032X/sr=8-1/qid=1167576423/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-2866154-0735245?ie=UTF8&s=books) is worth every penny, many times over.

[tommykjensen]

I would strongly suggest getting a book and studying a bit. Something like The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2007 (http://www.amazon.com/Unofficial-Guide-Disney-World-Guides/dp/047179032X/sr=8-1/qid=1167576423/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-2866154-0735245?ie=UTF8&s=books) is worth every penny, many times over.

I agree on that.

[SuzyView]

We have a time share in Orlando, but any of the resorts are fun. Just stay away from the Contemporary one, it's very old, small rooms, but cheap. The sports hotel is really fun, I heard, if you are into that. We bought a book like the one above and it really helped. Just plan on spending a ton of money. There's no way around it. Just to get on the parks costs a fortune, about $100/person/day.

[SuzyView]

As for gear, this is what I do - If you plan on going on the water rides or any of the very fast rides, don't bring your good gear, a P&S will do because you can't put your bag anywhere. If you are planning to have one or more responsible people not going on any rides at all (which happens to me since my 2 little boys don't go on the rough rides), then take your good camera and lenses. All you really need is one DSLR and 2 lenses-wide angle and zoom.

[Scottes]

If you're going for a while, I'd even suggest hitting the Kingdom once without your camera - though a P&S is a good idea. Hit the rides without your gear, and then the second time take pics. I would not leave the camera if you go to the Animal Kingdom - well, I like animals. But I'd rather skip a ride than skip a day of pics there. I don't think a camera is worth it for MGM - too many crazy rides, and probably the least photo opportunities.

I know the Kingdom has rentable lockers, and I think that they all do. You might have to plan on them since I don't think the hotel room safes will even hold a camera and 2 lenses.

I stongly agree on going light with lenses. The 24-105mm is probably all you need, though the Animal Kingdom has many places where you'll wish you brought the 100-400... Well, *I* would bring the 100-400 just for the animals. The 85 and 135 will be more baggage than worthwhile, IMHO. Just kick the ISO for the rare times you try for indoor pics.


One of the great things about staying on property is that it's easy to go back and forth to parks and your hotel. My wife and I took a rest every day, and went back to the hotel for an hour or two and then hit a different park in the afternoon. This little rest allowed us to go 8:00 AM until Midnight every day, and without killing ourselves. Oh, if you plan on something like this then the Park Hopper pass is a must. It will get you into any park, any time, as many times as you want. If you hit a park a day and stay all day then it might not be worth it, but if you like to bounce around it's priceless.

[sageone]

I absolutely love the Boardwalk. It's walking distance to Epcot and a boat ride to MGM. I've also stayed at the Caribbean Beach and All-Star resort. At the end of the day, Disney does everything first class. Stay within your budget and you'll have a good time.

Last time I went, I only had a 300D with a limited selection of glass. I brought a P&S too, but never used it. I primarily used the Sigma 18-125 as the walk around and then had the Sigma 70-300 for longer situations. However, I mostly used the 18-125. With my gear list now, I'd probably bring both 30Ds - not taking both to the park each day, but one as a backup. I'd probably use my EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM as the walk around lens because the 24-70 is quite heavy to walk around with. I'd also lug around the 70-200 for longer situations. Extra media, batteries and one of my 580ex's. I would probably also lug around the 50 and 85 primes I have for those certain moments when you're looking for a different feel. Keeping the bag light is critical because as you may know you do a TON of walking. Because I have two kids, traveling light is critical. And oh, don't forget your battery charges - camera and flash batteries. A no brainer, but had to be said.

[SuzyView]

When I go to Orlando, I take my best gear and don't go on any rides. I've taken some beautiful pictures at Epcot and Animal Kingdom. My sons take the miniDV and shoot the performers. I cannot carry a lot, so it is the holster bag with the lens attached and that's it. This summer, when we go again, it's the 5D with 24-70 or 17-40 and that's it. I have a plastic bag in case we decide to go on Splash Mountain. :)

[Franko515]

We went this past forth of july and stayed at the Disney Swan and had a great time. We stayed 8days 7nights and still werent able to do and see everything we wanted. The meal plan wasnt worth it IMO (we were always on the go eating at whichever park we were at. Most the turkey legs ;) ) Right outside of the resort are a ton of resturants.

Like somebody else already stated if you plan to ride the rides dont take your camera to the parks that day. You may even want to set aside a couple hours for yourself to go shoot (Maybe on day a night shoot when kids are sleep, then a couple hour very early in the morning) I didnt take my camera to the animal kingdom and i sure did regret it (your dslr may well suit you there ;) )

Have a plan and try and stick to it (its vacation though so no major if ya dont) that way you can do almost as much as you want. Its a very big place and i suggest two trips to actuallly take it all in.

Couple links that may be helpful
http://guide2wdw.com/A%20COMPLETE%20GUIDE%20TO%20WALT%20DISNEY%20WORLD% 20-%206.0.pdf
http://guide2wdw.com/index.html

[thomascanty]

A couple other excellent sources of information for anything Disney related are the MiceChat forums (http://www.micechat.com/forums/index.php) and MousePlanet (http://www.mouseplanet.com/). MousePlanet also has a forum on their site, called MousePad.

I know of a few other Disney themed forums, but I don't have the URL's for them handy right now. Those two I already mentioned should be able to answer any question you might possibly come up with.

[tommykjensen]

A couple other excellent sources of information for anything Disney related are the MiceChat forums (http://www.micechat.com/forums/index.php) and MousePlanet (http://www.mouseplanet.com/). MousePlanet also has a forum on their site, called MousePad.

I know of a few other Disney themed forums, but I don't have the URL's for them handy right now. Those two I already mentioned should be able to answer any question you might possibly come up with.

I have a few other Disney related links:

All Ears Net (http://www.allearsnet.com/)
Mouse Savers (http://www.mousesavers.com/)
DIS (http://www.wdwinfo.com/#blue-dishome)
WDW Magic (http://www.wdwmagic.com/whatsnew.htm)

[Skrim17]

We went about a year ago, we rented a villa not in the park and rented a car, it was the best vacation ever. We had laundry facilities and a kitchen so one trip to the supermarket when we got there and we made our own breakfast, packed snacks for the day and ate dinner out a few times but also cooked in and saved a TON of money that way. We are generally healthy eaters and most of what the park offered was fried, my sister stayed at the park the year before and took the meal plan and said that it was just as bad, mostly pizza chicken nugget type food but that might have been where they were, I don't know much about the meal plans.

Not staying in the park afforded us much freedom in where we went and when, we could even go home in the afternoon and return later in the day. and the local Kmart has great souvinirs for 1/3 of the price as the park!!

[Phil Light]

I was there for four days in September and stayed at Port Orleans. I thought it was very nice, although you will probably not notice a tremendous difference between any of the resorts at one of their four different levels - I don't remember the term they use, but essentially it goes: campground / economy / nice / VERY nice. Port Orleans falls in the "nice" catagory.

As far as the meal plan goes, you won't save any money but you might save some hassle. If you do go for the meal plan I would recommend that you get it for maybe half of the days you will be staying. If you use it everyday, you'll be stuffed trying to make sure you don't leave any meals unused. Also - MAKE RESTAURANT RESERVATIONS ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO! They book fast. And, last but not least, if you do do the meal plan and you make dinner reservations in advance, you will also need to spring for the "Park-Hopper" pass. This way you won't be tied to going to the park where your dinner reservations are.

I carried my 30D, 35-350L, flash & other lenses all four days. I was glad I did, but my feet & back paid the price. Hope you have fun. Post lots of shots when you get back!

[greg20d]

yes do the meal inclusive and all the disney resorts are great shuttles to all the parks (disney that is)

[thomascanty]

I carried my 30D, 35-350L, flash & other lenses all four days. I was glad I did, but my feet & back paid the price.

I'll bet! I've rented that lens a few times. It's a great all-purpose lens, but boy is that sucker heavy! I wouldn't want to carry it around all day for four days straight! I wouldn't even want to haul it around an entire single day. The most I ever did was a four-hour trip to the zoo.

[xububba]

We always stay at the Wilderness Lodge, if you don't stay, at least take a look, some great photo ops right there!!!

I know www.disboards.com (http://www.disboards.com) has been mentioned already, but imho it is the best site for Disney info...

Enjoy!

Mike

[ANali]

We stayed off resort, so can't really help you much there. I've heard that the meal plan is good, but expensive. We did not get it, but still ate in the park. My 2 youngest kids(they are 5 & 8) were able to split a meal for lunch every day - the burgers are huge! And you can get cups of ice water (or just ice) for free at any of the restaurants or counter service, all you have to do is ask.

As far as carrying your gear - I carried my 20D with 17-40 everywhere. And I rode everything with it. Space Mountain, Splashwater Falls, Big Thunder Railroad (at Magic Kingdom) and even took some pics of the kids while on some of those rides. (I did put it back in the bag before we got to the 'Splash' part of Splashwater Falls though!) I even had it with me while riding Tower of Terror at MGM - it was kinda funny to see it 'floating' in front of me (I was not ready for the first drop, but I caught it before it hit anything, and it was in the bag).

I disagree about there not being any photo ops in MGM. I think I got my better parade and character shots there than at MK. It was difficult bordering on impossible to take pictures during the Indiana Jones Show and the Extreme Stunt Show due to lighting and distance as I only carried the 17-40 and no flash.

More than anything, HAVE FUN!

Andrea

[rhys]

We stayed just outside Kissemee in a rented house. It was a ton cheaper and we just drove to Disney when we wanted. Some days we went elsewhere and saved the tickets for next time (our tickets don't expire).

The safari ride in the animal kingdom went so incredibly fast my S1 wouldn't even focus. I would recommend that you use a 70-300 with at least an XT for the safari ride and possibly use manual focus only.

[Phil Light]

...The safari ride in the animal kingdom went so incredibly fast my S1 wouldn't even focus...

I was pretty aggravated with the driver I had during this ride too. Clearly he was not a photographer. I was using my 35-350. Nearly everytime I tried to frame a shot he would stomp the gas, hit the brake, fly over some bump in the road, etc. I know they are trying to put on a show so to speak but this was very frustrating. He ruined many of the shots I tried to take. :mad:

[mrclark321]

WOW....Thanks everyone. Keep them coming :) :)

We are figuring this trip will cost us around $5000 to $7000 but it's for the kids and a once in a life time event so we want to do it right.

Dan

[tommykjensen]

The safari ride in the animal kingdom went so incredibly fast my S1 wouldn't even focus. I would recommend that you use a 70-300 with at least an XT for the safari ride and possibly use manual focus only.

Yeah the safari ride was a big disappointment. Too bumpy and too fast. Problem is they have to get so many people through that you don't get to enjoy the animals.




We are figuring this trip will cost us around $5000 to $7000 but it's for the kids and a once in a life time event so we want to do it right.


That doesn't sound like a lot for a family. For how many and for how long? The 4 times I have been in Orlando my budget have been approx $5000 for one person for 3 weeks. (I never used that much but had it in case I needed it).

[mrclark321]

That doesn't sound like a lot for a family. For how many and for how long? The 4 times I have been in Orlando my budget have been approx $5000 for one person for 3 weeks. (I never used that much but had it in case I needed it).

We plan on going for a week, wife and me and the two kids.
They will be 8 & 11 when we go.

[ANali]

Our trip was in September for 5 days, but only 2 days at parks, and 1 day driving down and 1 driving back home, and we did it for well under $5000. That was for a family of 6 - 2 adults and 12, 10, 8 & 5 year olds. However, once they turn 10, in Disney eyes they are an adult, so we ended up buying 4 adult tickets and 2 kid tickets.

And we ate lunches at the parks, but dinners off-resort. There are tons of restaurants down there - we ate at places like Chilis, Olive Garden, Joes, can't remember where else right now. We did have a breakfast at McDonald's, but that was the only time we ate 'fast food'. (Hey - it was MY vacation too, and I am not going to eat tons of fast food or cook.)

We gave each boy $50 for spending money - souveniers and 'extra' snacks that they wanted. They were really more interested in being there and riding rides and having fun than anything else.

Andrea

[CoolToolGuy]

We went in January 2006, and stayed for a week at Pop Century. The meal plan worked for us. We also flew Air Tran, and had the luggage checked through to the hotel and the Disney bus to the hotel - that was a bonus, too (its a Disney plan).

Our kids were 18 & 10 at the time. We got two (connecting) rooms, and it was great to not be jammed on top of each other. Pop Century is like a motel, and each building has a theme of one decade of the 20th century. Not expensive, and relatively new. We planned on heading out in the morning and usually not coming back until late afternoon. The buses were frequent and quick to the parks.

As for equipment, I took the 20D, EF-S 17-85IS, 70-200 f4L, 24-70L, and EF-S 10-22. I never even used the 10-22, and I left the 24-70 L at the hotel after the first day. The wife and girls had their A-series P&S's, so we were plenty covered.

I would encourage you to get and use the "Disney Photo Pass" card - its free. They have photographers all over the parks, and they will gladly take the group shots at the best points. In addition, they have some "special" shots where they insert Disney characters into the shot in post processing. For all of the shots, as they take them they transmit them to Photo Central, and you can review them after you get home and buy just what you want (none, if that's what you choose).

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Have Fun,

[Ronald S. Jr.]

Not gonna read what others have posted, but I'll give my $0.02. When I went down, I stayed at the "Holiday Inn Beach Resort". More or less next door to disney. It was right near "medieval times" (you know, from the Cable Guy). Walk out the back of the hotel, and you're on the beach. There's also two pools, a jacuzzi, and a good portion of the rooms have an oceanview terrace. Very nice indeed. Don't recall the cost (that woulda helped, huh?). Lots cheaper than "in" disney, though. If you're stuck on staying in actual disney world, that's another thing.

[sugarzebra]

Hi Mark,
Over the years our family has stayed at pretty much every Disney Resort other than the Grand Floridian....for kids, our favourite by far would be the Beach Club & Yacht Club. The rooms are not spectacular but the pools are amazing. They actually have sand bottoms! (lazy river, great slide, huge whirlpool, quick sand, sand islands with water cannons to shoot each other). Its also centrally located on the Board walk next to Epcot and you can travel to MGM via boat, which the kids enjoy. Wilderness Lodge & Animal Kingdom lodge are also nice but IMO more for adults than kids. We've gone every year for the last twenty and its always a blast. Regarding equipment, I only take my camera with 24-105 & POTN strap and put CF cards & batteries in my pocket, (my wife puts the 10-22 in her waist pouch)....and take the gear on all the rides and take pictures while on the rides. You definately need something wider than 24mm on a crop body. Hope this helps. Here are two shots taken while on rides (Everest at Animal Kingdom & Tower of Terror at MGM)

[Tsmith]

I vote the Polynesian Resort.

[sugarzebra]

Sorry Mark, I just remembered you have a 1D, which I think is a 1.3X, so your 24-105 might be OK....or its a good excuse to buy that 16-35. Just think of it as a necessary vacation 'investment' :D

[Phil Light]

One other point of interest. This may seem kind of lame, but something I've always wanted to do is ride a Segway. I finally got my chance at EPCOT in one of their Innovention exhibits. You can get a ride on one one with brief instruction free for about a minute. If that's not enough they have a 45-minute option for $30 and a two hour option where they take you on a tour around the World Showcase for $80 (if I remember the prices correctly).

[rhys]

Yeah the safari ride was a big disappointment. Too bumpy and too fast. Problem is they have to get so many people through that you don't get to enjoy the animals.

To be quite candid the animals were the only things that weren't very obviously faked there. The animals were my only reason for my lifting my foot over going there. I must admit though that there were interesting things there otherwise but my idea of perfection is a derelict area or wilderness.

[Dante King]

Just a little primer dano!!
http://www.danteking.com/disney1.jpg

[Eagle]

I was pretty aggravated with the driver I had during this ride too. Clearly he was not a photographer. I was using my 35-350. Nearly everytime I tried to frame a shot he would stomp the gas, hit the brake, fly over some bump in the road, etc. I know they are trying to put on a show so to speak but this was very frustrating. He ruined many of the shots I tried to take. :mad:

The driver is on a timed route and is not going to stop and go easy so all the people on the truck will get a perfect picture. You just have to be quick and prepared. I got lots of good shots on film the last time I went, the year after they opened Animal Kingdom.

We are figuring this trip will cost us around $5000 to $7000 but it's for the kids and a once in a life time event so we want to do it right.

Dan
I went twice and averaged $1000 per person for a week.

If you have a RV and enjoy camping don't overlook Disney's campground. I stayed there the last trip down. It is the nicest campground I have ever been at. It is juct like a resort and right there also.

[Dante King]

Oh, I dont know if your kids are young enough to enjoy, but the princess dinner and breakfast in goofy's kitchen were all highlights as the characters come around to your table.

http://www.danteking.com/disney2.jpg

[Dante King]

it is the happiest place on earth, but pretty damn a very expensive place on earth too LOL!! Enjoy.

[Phil Light]

The driver is on a timed route and is not going to stop and go easy so all the people on the truck will get a perfect picture. You just have to be quick and prepared. I got lots of good shots on film the last time I went, the year after they opened Animal Kingdom...

It had nothing to do with expecting the driver to stop so people could take pictures. It had to do with the fact that we went through the entire course with the driver constantly stomping on the gas or the brake. I wasn't the only one irritated with the ride. I watched other vehicles going through much more smoothly.

[Eagle]

It had nothing to do with expecting the driver to stop so people could take pictures. It had to do with the fact that we went through the entire course with the driver constantly stomping on the gas or the brake. I wasn't the only one irritated with the ride. I watched other vehicles going through much more smoothly.

It is a shame you couldn't have had a smoother ride. Did you get any pics on the ride?

[Phil Light]

It is a shame you couldn't have had a smoother ride. Did you get any pics on the ride?

Absolutely, I did get some good ones. Just not nearly as many as I would have liked. There were a couple that I was really excited about just as I was about to press the button, but then I got slammed back in the seat and the shot was blown. I'm not completely upset about it. I do understand that they are there to put on a show, not provide photo-ops. Just frustrated to have missed some shots I would really like to have had.

[mrclark321]

Hi Mark,
Over the years our family has stayed at pretty much every Disney Resort other than the Grand Floridian....for kids, our favourite by far would be the Beach Club & Yacht Club. The rooms are not spectacular but the pools are amazing. They actually have sand bottoms! (lazy river, great slide, huge whirlpool, quick sand, sand islands with water cannons to shoot each other). Its also centrally located on the Board walk next to Epcot and you can travel to MGM via boat, which the kids enjoy. Wilderness Lodge & Animal Kingdom lodge are also nice but IMO more for adults than kids. We've gone every year for the last twenty and its always a blast. Regarding equipment, I only take my camera with 24-105 & POTN strap and put CF cards & batteries in my pocket, (my wife puts the 10-22 in her waist pouch)....and take the gear on all the rides and take pictures while on the rides. You definately need something wider than 24mm on a crop body. Hope this helps. Here are two shots taken while on rides (Everest at Animal Kingdom & Tower of Terror at MGM)

Hi Scott

Thanks for the suggestions.....Dan ;)

[mrclark321]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and experiences I really appreciate it. Two weeks ago I could have booked flights from Detroit to Tampa for $89 and now there $120.....I hope they come back down again.

Dan

[mikeivan]

The Grand Floridian really is five star, great restaurants too. If you like shooting birds, there is a wonderful free flying pen in Animal World, very colorful birds from all over the world.

[rhys]

It is a shame you couldn't have had a smoother ride. Did you get any pics on the ride?

I got a few but not many. It was just too fast and jerky. The commentary was nonsensical rubbish that I never listened to.

[mrclark321]

Thanks again everyone, the flight is booked and I think we are going to stay at
Port Orleans Riverside. Dante you are right....Looks like it's going to be expensive :)
But fun

Dan

[sugarzebra]

Hi Scott

Thanks for the suggestions.....Dan ;)

Ooops.....sorry Dan. Enjoy the trip.

[Bob_A]

We are starting to plan a trip to Disney for the end of May. We are planning to stay at a resort in Disney and one that we think we would like is the "Port Orleans Resort French Quarter. Can anyone share there experiences with this or some of the other resorts in Disney? Also the meal plan...Is it woth it?
Also I am gong to bring all my gear as well as a P&S camera, any recomendations for your gear?

Thanks Dan


Hi Dan,

We've gone to Disneyworld twice and both times stayed at Port Orleans Riverside resort. The rooms were great and the staff were very efficient/friendly. There was a pool between each of the complexes and a larger pool with slides, etc. for the kids at a central location.

A few things to keep in mind:

1. Our family doesn't consume anywhere close to the amount of food that is considered to be a single portion at a Disney restaurant. My wife and I would split a main course and there was often still too much food for us.

2. The resorts have a cafeteria where most go for breakfast before hitting the attractions. You can get anything from a bowl of cereal to a cooked meal.

3. Depending on how long you stay you might get tired of the food at the resort. There are one or two good restaurants in Downtown Disney that are worth trying out (Planet Hollywood IS NOT one of them).


Based on 1, 2 and 3 above ... for my family ... a meal plan probably wouldn't be worth it unless it provided a huge discount.


4. Unless things have changed in the past two years the food in Magic Kingdom is typical hot dog and hamburger fair food. Nothing great. Disney could learn a lot from nearby SeaWorld where the food is actually very decent.

5. The food at any of the theme breakfasts/dinners is also nothing to write home about (unless you like writing about so-so food). The Princess breakfast is expensive, and you have to book it way in advance of arriving in Orlando, and the food is ok ... Just remember you go to these things for your little girl to meet all of the Princesses, not for a great meal :)


Some other tips:

If you get tired of carrying a jacket or sweater, when you go to one of the stores at an attraction to buy a souvenir, just put the piece of clothing in the bag and they will deliver it to your room.

The mid-priced and higher resorts have more buses per capita than the lower end resorts, so you have a better chance not having to wait forever to get on a bus after the fireworks.

I took an Elan II with one lens (28-105), my 420EX, about 20 rolls of Fuji Reala and some extra batteries (and maybe a couple of other small items) packed in my Lowepro Microtrekker 100 and had no problems. For me, a longer zoom wouldn't have been used.

I tried to take some photos of fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, but it's pretty difficult to find a decent spot, since to get the classic shot you'd have to be looking down main street directly at the castle. They actually shoot the fireworks off quite a ways BEHIND the castle, so if you shoot more from the side (like I did) you get a shot of a castle with fireworks behind it ... not quite what I was looking for. :)

Watch what kind of park passes you get since some limit you to the number of different parks you can visit each day. Both times we got a hopper pass that had no limits.

Check if the local Disney store is having a promotion for park passes. The first time we went we got a deal from the Disney Store in Edmonton. The second time it was better to buy the passes as part of an all-inclusive deal from the resort ... you just have to shop around.

If I recall correctly the resort people were able to gain admittance to the parks earlier than the general public (maybe this was certain days of the week). All I remember is that we could get in way before the crowds and ride something like Thunder Mountain Railroad, Buzz Lightyear or Splash Mountain two or three times in a row before a lineup even formed.

Try to book at least one day at SeaWorld. It has great attractions and is a good break from the Wonderful World of Disney.

[mrclark321]

Oh, I dont know if your kids are young enough to enjoy, but the princess dinner and breakfast in goofy's kitchen were all highlights as the characters come around to your table.



Dante the pics are gone :( ....I was telling my wife but did not get to show her. ( They were great shots of your kids too, can you post them again? )

[LBaldwin]

Ditto on the Sea World, the wife and I went last year and took the behind the scenes tour, it included a very cool aviary as part of the tour. As well as sea cow stuff too.

BTW my brother works at the Lake Buena Vista resort and it is great there too.

Les

[othomas]

I agree on that.

Same here but dont follow timetables

[mrclark321]

OK everyone booking tomorrow....Down to Port Orleans Riverside or the Wilderness lodge and going with the food option (sit down meal, counter meal and snack)
I really like the wilderness lodge but it's $600 more. One of the complaints I have read about Port Orleans is the bus service is awfull....Anyone experience this?

Dan

[sugarzebra]

Hi Dan,

We've been to both and Wilderness Lodge is significantly nicer than Port Orleans. You can also take a boat to the Magic Kingdom which is nice and also faster than bus service to Magic Kingdom. One option to think about (and save a bit of money) is to stay at both. Stay at Port Orleans on the days you intend to go park hopping and then move to Wilderness Lodge on the day(s) you intend to hang around the hotel and enjoy the pools. Not much sense in paying $400 a night and not using the facilities!

Either way you cant go wrong.

[Scottes]

I have heard worse things about Port orleans than the Wilderness, though not specifically about the bus service - but I can't imagine the bus service being much worse in any one hotel over another. I've never heard that anyone loved Port Orleans, though I've heard 2 folks say how much they loved the Wilderness. Not much to go on, I know...

[mrclark321]

Thanks guys, the wife does not think we will be at the resort much and spending most time at the parks....I have tried to tell her that everyone will need some time to mellow and want to use the pool. Have you found that you needed a break and wanted to hang around the pool? Any other resorts woth looking at like the Carribean or the Coranodo Springs

Dan

[Woolburr]

We go every year...the pool gets more use than you might suspect...at least with my family. The water is a treat after all the walking.

[Phil Light]

Anyone ever stayed at Disney during the "love bug" infestation? From what I understand it's only for about two weeks toward the end of September. I was told they live for about 3 or four days and exist only to mate and then die. (Insert clever comment here) I've never seen such swarms of bugs in my life. The only thing that could make them more annoying is if they could bite or sting.

[sugarzebra]

Thanks guys, the wife does not think we will be at the resort much and spending most time at the parks....I have tried to tell her that everyone will need some time to mellow and want to use the pool. Have you found that you needed a break and wanted to hang around the pool? Any other resorts woth looking at like the Carribean or the Coranodo Springs

Dan

The Carribean Beach Resort is getting old and was one of Disney's first moderately priced resorts, while Coronado Springs is much newer and has a huge pool. We've been to both, but I wouldn't consider them over your other two choices at this point.

Our pattern since our kids were small (and we still do the same thing now (our youngest two are 15 & 17)) is to get to the parks early (i.e. 30 minutes before they open to be near the first of the line when the park opens) and ride the major attractions once or twice before the crowds arrive (and get fastpasses for later in the day). Just after noon we head back to the hotel and spend two or three hours relaxing by the pool before heading back to a park (usually a different one) and then we stay until it closes (fireworks, fantasmic etc). It works very well and the kids need the break, as do we :D It overwhelming for younger kids to go non-stop for 12 hours, so the afternoon retreat to the hotel is vital and most of the time the kids will actually sleep for an hour. When we are at Disney for a week, we usually spend two days not even at a park....those are the days that are great to spend at the Yacht Club, Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge.

[mrclark321]

The Carribean Beach Resort is getting old and was one of Disney's first moderately priced resorts, while Coronado Springs is much newer and has a huge pool. We've been to both, but I wouldn't consider them over your other two choices at this point.

Our pattern since our kids were small (and we still do the same thing now (our youngest two are 15 & 17)) is to get to the parks early (i.e. 30 minutes before they open to be near the first of the line when the park opens) and ride the major attractions once or twice before the crowds arrive (and get fastpasses for later in the day). Just after noon we head back to the hotel and spend two or three hours relaxing by the pool before heading back to a park (usually a different one) and then we stay until it closes (fireworks, fantasmic etc). It works very well and the kids need the break, as do we :D It overwhelming for younger kids to go non-stop for 12 hours, so the afternoon retreat to the hotel is vital and most of the time the kids will actually sleep for an hour. When we are at Disney for a week, we usually spend two days not even at a park....those are the days that are great to spend at the Yacht Club, Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Thanks again......I think (will see tomorrow when I book :rolleyes: )
that Port Orleans might be nice and a chance to save about $800.
This way if the bus line ups are long we will just take a cab, is taking a cab or limo easy?

Dan
BTW: I really appreciate this from everyone.

[sugarzebra]

The only time you will find transportation a challenge is when the parks close at night and the whole system is busy. Other than that, Disney is extremely good at moving people around.

[Bob_A]

Thanks again......I think (will see tomorrow when I book :rolleyes: )
that Port Orleans might be nice and a chance to save about $800.
This way if the bus line ups are long we will just take a cab, is taking a cab or limo easy?

Dan
BTW: I really appreciate this from everyone.

From Port Orleans Riverside the bus lineups aren't that bad, and even if you have to wait for another bus because one is full, the wait is only about 5-10 minutes. If you want a cab to go off-site (Sea World, the airport, etc.) it's also no problem.

The only time I've ever seen huge lineups for buses was for the All-Sports resort, especially after the firewords.

[SuzyView]

Our timeshare is across the street from Sea World. We chose it because my kids absolutely love Sea World with all the shows and rides. It's really large and can offer similar attractions as far as top rides as Disney, but has the aquarium stuff that my boys think is the best. Price is competitive with Disney, so it isn't cheap, but worth it.

[mrclark321]

Thanks again everyone we booked 8 nights at Port Orleans Riverside, now have to work on paying it off :) Everyone is pumped and looking forward to going.

Dan

Room requests have not been made but I have read Aligator Bayou is good with a pool view.

[FSUgly]

Complete dSLR newb. Also, I think this is my first post on these forums.....how weird is that? (EDITED: It's actually my 5th post....I didn't even remember posting way back in December--Ooops) It's not even photo related :( . Plus, its a post that hasn't been posted to since early January (I found it by searching 'disney world' looking for photo tips for our next trip in March- I need to get off the auto settings :( )

Anyways, Let me offer this to mrclark321 and family....If you plan on doing any character meals, BOOK NOW!

Someone mentioned the Segway Tour already, but another not so advertised item is diving in the Living Seas (if you are SCUBA certified). I have done it the past 2 years, and will be doing it again during our trip this March. Very cool experience. The whole family gets to watch me, and I get to interact with them (and all the other guests) through the glass. Kids love it!

Finally, Don't get stressed out if you 'missed' something. Do as much research/reading as you can before going. It will help you if you get in a situation where you might have to choose one thing over another. Also, don't disregard all the shows/movies. 2 of the best are Mickey's Philarmagic @ Magic Kingdom and It's Tough to be a bug @ Animal Kingdom. Take a break and go back to the resort for a hop in the pool, or a nap (yeah, right).
Have Fun! :D
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e211/fsugly/IMG_2830.jpg

[mrclark321]

Complete dSLR newb. Also, I think this is my first post on these forums.....how weird is that? (EDITED: It's actually my 5th post....I didn't even remember posting way back in December--Ooops) It's not even photo related :( . Plus, its a post that hasn't been posted to since early January (I found it by searching 'disney world' looking for photo tips for our next trip in March- I need to get off the auto settings :( )

Anyways, Let me offer this to mrclark321 and family....If you plan on doing any character meals, BOOK NOW!

Someone mentioned the Segway Tour already, but another not so advertised item is diving in the Living Seas (if you are SCUBA certified). I have done it the past 2 years, and will be doing it again during our trip this March. Very cool experience. The whole family gets to watch me, and I get to interact with them (and all the other guests) through the glass. Kids love it!

Finally, Don't get stressed out if you 'missed' something. Do as much research/reading as you can before going. It will help you if you get in a situation where you might have to choose one thing over another. Also, don't disregard all the shows/movies. 2 of the best are Mickey's Philarmagic @ Magic Kingdom and It's Tough to be a bug @ Animal Kingdom. Take a break and go back to the resort for a hop in the pool, or a nap (yeah, right).
Have Fun! :D



Thanks for the info

Dan

[mrclark321]

WELL WE ARE ALMOST 3 WEEKS AWAY AND EVERYONE IS GETTING EXCITED!!
I AM BRINGING MY BACKPACK WITH ALL MY GEAR BUT WANT TO PICK UP A SMALL BAG TO JUST CARRY MY 1D AND 24-105 AND MAYBE MY FLASH......ANY SUGGESTIONS??

Dan

[Shutter22]

Anyone ever stayed at Disney during the "love bug" infestation? From what I understand it's only for about two weeks toward the end of September. I was told they live for about 3 or four days and exist only to mate and then die. (Insert clever comment here) I've never seen such swarms of bugs in my life. The only thing that could make them more annoying is if they could bite or sting.

YESSS!!!!!

During the last week of September our town has a fair and a few of the local schools close for the week, so that's when we go to Disney. They are always there when we go.

[sugarzebra]

Hi Dan,
Perfect time of the year to be at Disney and I cant think of a better gear combination than a 1D & 24-105. If its really sunny (and I hope it is :D) taking a flash for fill is a great idea.
We're looking forward to seeing your shots Dan.....have a fantastic trip.

[csm328]

*subscribe* Great Info just when I need it.