Front Office Football Central - View Single Post

Hammer755 · 05-02-2008, 09:43 AM

My wife planned our last Disney trip hardcore. I would definitely buy The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2008. They analyze statistical data (attendance, wait times, park activities) to plan the most efficient itinerary. The authors of the book also have a website - touringplans.com - that can help you plan your days (subscription required for personalized plans).

Another site that my wife subscribed to was Tour Guide Mike's. You can put in the specific days you are going and the kinds of things you're interested in and they will build your itinerary for you (again, using some pretty advanced statistical algorhythms). There were 2 very big tips that we got from these resources.

1 - Use the FastPass as much as possible. Most people don't use it because there's a not-so-obvious caveat. I'm not sure how much you know about the system, but for most of the big rides there is a special FastPass line that has a much, much, (about 10 more muches) shorter wait than the regular line. The catch is that the FastPass is timed, meaning if you pick up a ticket at 9 am, it will tell you a window when you can return to ride, in this case likely to be 10-11 am. You can't get another FastPass for any ride until the first time in your window passes (10 am in my example). What they don't tell you is that the later time of the window is not enforced at all, and I can verify this with experience. If you have a FastPass that 'expired' at 11 am, and show up to the ride at 6 pm, they will not even blink at you. So, I would stock up on as many FastPasses as you can throughout the day.

2. Do not go to the Parks on Extra Magic Hours days, because EVERYBODY ELSE does. On certain days one of the parks will open an hour or two earlier or close an hour or two later, and they advertise it as a perk, but really it should be avoided at all costs.

I personally would advise against the Park Hopper. Yes, it is a nice convenience to have, but there was more than enough stuff at each individual park to keep us busy all day long without wanting to visit multiple parks in a given day.

My wife and I debated whether to get the Disney meal plan or not but ultimately decided against it. We didn't want to feel compelled to stop and eat 2-3 times a day because we already paid for it. Financially, it is kind of expensive, but probably worth it if you like the convenience of having everything prepaid. We went to a grocery store and made sandwiches and snacks to carry with us and eat quickly so we wouldn't lose any time. For my wife, it was about the efficiency of getting our kids as much fun stuff as we could, and sit-down meals cut into that. Although, as noted earlier, we did do a couple of Character Meals that were definitely worth it.

I would also second the advise of using Disney transportation, and the fireworks shows are must-see.

05-02-2008, 09:43 AM	#9
Hammer755 High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Houston, TX	My wife planned our last Disney trip hardcore. I would definitely buy The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2008. They analyze statistical data (attendance, wait times, park activities) to plan the most efficient itinerary. The authors of the book also have a website - touringplans.com - that can help you plan your days (subscription required for personalized plans). Another site that my wife subscribed to was Tour Guide Mike's. You can put in the specific days you are going and the kinds of things you're interested in and they will build your itinerary for you (again, using some pretty advanced statistical algorhythms). There were 2 very big tips that we got from these resources. 1 - Use the FastPass as much as possible. Most people don't use it because there's a not-so-obvious caveat. I'm not sure how much you know about the system, but for most of the big rides there is a special FastPass line that has a much, much, (about 10 more muches) shorter wait than the regular line. The catch is that the FastPass is timed, meaning if you pick up a ticket at 9 am, it will tell you a window when you can return to ride, in this case likely to be 10-11 am. You can't get another FastPass for any ride until the first time in your window passes (10 am in my example). What they don't tell you is that the later time of the window is not enforced at all, and I can verify this with experience. If you have a FastPass that 'expired' at 11 am, and show up to the ride at 6 pm, they will not even blink at you. So, I would stock up on as many FastPasses as you can throughout the day. 2. Do not go to the Parks on Extra Magic Hours days, because EVERYBODY ELSE does. On certain days one of the parks will open an hour or two earlier or close an hour or two later, and they advertise it as a perk, but really it should be avoided at all costs. I personally would advise against the Park Hopper. Yes, it is a nice convenience to have, but there was more than enough stuff at each individual park to keep us busy all day long without wanting to visit multiple parks in a given day. My wife and I debated whether to get the Disney meal plan or not but ultimately decided against it. We didn't want to feel compelled to stop and eat 2-3 times a day because we already paid for it. Financially, it is kind of expensive, but probably worth it if you like the convenience of having everything prepaid. We went to a grocery store and made sandwiches and snacks to carry with us and eat quickly so we wouldn't lose any time. For my wife, it was about the efficiency of getting our kids as much fun stuff as we could, and sit-down meals cut into that. Although, as noted earlier, we did do a couple of Character Meals that were definitely worth it. I would also second the advise of using Disney transportation, and the fireworks shows are must-see. __________________ I failed Signature 101 class. Last edited by Hammer755 : 05-02-2008 at 09:47 AM.