tAll Encompassing Disney Thread

[Okie State 3887]

Just got back from a week at WDW and it was great. First trip for both the kids and they loved it. Crowds were manageable and we were able to ride everything we wanted to ride while only waiting over 30 minutes a few times. Genie+ was pretty self explanatory once I figured out how to add it to my tickets and the one off Lightning Lane passes worked great although pricey. Port Orleans Riverside resort was awesome too. Already thinking about when we'll go back.

[orange dream 1288]

We are heading to Disneyland for our first time over New Years.  Plan to be in the parks 12/31 - 1/2.

Staying at the Disney Paradise Pier hotel.  We have never been to Disney in California.

Can I go ahead and add the Genie+ and Lightning Pass stuff now or is that done day of or week of trip?

I saw a mention of touring plans by  @mdmost and @SimonBolivar but I'm not familiar with that.  

I do see the dining options seem to be very limited. The reservations are just opening for the days we will be there and most places either have nothing available or only have lunch at 10 AM or 2:30 PM or dinner reservations at 4PM or 8:30PM. 

Is it at all doable to have dinner in the Downtown Disney area and then go back to a park.  I have the impression that everything is smaller and closer together there but I still don't have a good feel for what kind of time to allow for a meal outside of the park we are in at the time, or if it's just preferable to find a quick meal wherever we happen to be when we're hungry.

Any guidance related to Disneyland for a newbie will be appreciated.

[Okie State 3887]

Adding the Genie+ to mine was a bit of a pain in the ass. I think they said I could have added it through the app before I had done early check-in online. Since it didn't even exist at the time I did all that I had to wait until the day of and then it showed up as available to add for that day.

The individual lightning lane passes for the 'premium rides' won't let you reserve and purchase until 7AM the morning you're going to the park. I had no issue getting those right as they became available each morning.

[ROFL BOX 6654]

I'm looking to the day when the "fast pass" or "lightning pass" is considered a cost of doing business, similar to the actual park entry & a crazy high % of people are actually buying one, thereby negating the same idea.

[SimonBolivar 11014]

59 minutes ago, orange dream said:

We are heading to Disneyland for our first time over New Years.  Plan to be in the parks 12/31 - 1/2.

Staying at the Disney Paradise Pier hotel.  We have never been to Disney in California.

Can I go ahead and add the Genie+ and Lightning Pass stuff now or is that done day of or week of trip?

I saw a mention of touring plans by  @mdmost and @SimonBolivar but I'm not familiar with that.  

I do see the dining options seem to be very limited. The reservations are just opening for the days we will be there and most places either have nothing available or only have lunch at 10 AM or 2:30 PM or dinner reservations at 4PM or 8:30PM. 

Is it at all doable to have dinner in the Downtown Disney area and then go back to a park.  I have the impression that everything is smaller and closer together there but I still don't have a good feel for what kind of time to allow for a meal outside of the park we are in at the time, or if it's just preferable to find a quick meal wherever we happen to be when we're hungry.

Any guidance related to Disneyland for a newbie will be appreciated.

Sorry, I was a cast member at WDW and have never been to DL so I'm not 100% of touring plans for DL, but my quick glance at their site makes it seems that they don't have a reservation finder for DL. Basically what it does is it's a bot that looks for cancelled reservations 24/7 and then sends everyone on the list a text message saying the x restaurant is available at x time and the first one that gets to it wins. 

[mdmost 43846]

2 hours ago, orange dream said:

We are heading to Disneyland for our first time over New Years.  Plan to be in the parks 12/31 - 1/2.

Staying at the Disney Paradise Pier hotel.  We have never been to Disney in California.

Can I go ahead and add the Genie+ and Lightning Pass stuff now or is that done day of or week of trip?

I saw a mention of touring plans by  @mdmost and @SimonBolivar but I'm not familiar with that.  

I do see the dining options seem to be very limited. The reservations are just opening for the days we will be there and most places either have nothing available or only have lunch at 10 AM or 2:30 PM or dinner reservations at 4PM or 8:30PM. 

Is it at all doable to have dinner in the Downtown Disney area and then go back to a park.  I have the impression that everything is smaller and closer together there but I still don't have a good feel for what kind of time to allow for a meal outside of the park we are in at the time, or if it's just preferable to find a quick meal wherever we happen to be when we're hungry.

Any guidance related to Disneyland for a newbie will be appreciated.

Genie+ hasn't started yet but I'd imagine you could add it to your reservation after it comes online. That's supposed to be online sometime this month. 

Touring Plans is a website that helps with scheduling when to go though Covid and the new passholder options might negate a lot of the information they used to use for forecasting as they based a lot on past crowd levels. They do have an app with wait times that are crowd sourced so you can get a more accurate idea of what the actual wait is versus what Disney will post. Just looking on there for you, they show the crowd levels as pretty heavy on New Years Eve and the 2nd which is understandable given the time of year. New Year's Day is not bad probably because people are sleeping off the previous night. But I would advise you to go at rope drop (before park opening) each day before the crowds get bad. You'll probably have smooth sailing until the afternoon. We usually plan a return to the hotel for 2-3 pm and return around 4-5pm. I'd imagine you'll get some sort of early entry perk for staying onsite. We've always stayed across Harbor Blvd to save a little cash. 

Sadly, Touring Plans doesn't have the reservation finder for DLR that they have for WDW. I would just keep checking back, especially around the time you're going as people drop reservations all the time. 

It's totally doable to have dinner in Downtown Disney and then go back into the parks. It's about a 5 minute walk to the west to get from either park to Downtown Disney. There are tons of options that probably will taste a lot better than the DLR options. I know there's a Ballast Point brewpub. Both parks are easy to get into and out of. We've bounced back and forth between the parks for dinner and rides in opposing parks on multiple occasions.  The nice thing with Genie+ is you can book stuff between parks if you have the Park Hopper ticket. So you could set up a time in the evening for a ride that's after your dinner so you can just go straight to that ride. It's not like Disney World where you need to add an hour to 2 hours to get around. 

For beginners, I recommend https://disneylanddaily.com/. She's also on Instagram and Facebook if you use either of those. She has lots of good strategies for first timers. She's also a pro at maximizing the old Maxpass system so she'll work up something pretty quickly when Genie+ comes out. We've used her plans before and they were perfection and we rarely had long waits each time we went. Granted, haven't been since Covid so things could be a lot different. 

I'd take a look at some of the quick service options in both parks and have those in your backpocket in case you get into a pinch on dining. Mobile ordering on the app is pretty easy. 

If you have any questions, just toss them out here. We haven't been since 2018 so I don't know how the new Star Wars or Avengers portions are. Our 2020 trip got the old Covid cancel but we're heading to San Diego and then onto DLR next May after school is done. 

Edit: I just saw this website so you might try it for your dining reservations. In Disneyland, Blue Bayou is a good one as it's sits at the start of the Pirates ride so boats go by your table. Carnation Cafe is also a good one. At California Adventure, we enjoyed Carthay Circle. 

https://mousedining.com/destinations/disneyland-anaheim-california

Edited November 3, 2021 by mdmost

[orange dream 1288]

Thank you both.  Helpful info. 

I know it will be a crowded time at Disney but work and school schedules really make that our only option.

[CooterBrown 18272]

There's plenty of good food available without a reservation at DLR/CA.  I wouldn't be concerned about not getting any reservations unless there was one you just had to have.  Honestly, our favorite place is in CA at Pacific Wharf where there's a half dozen food vendors to choose from. Everyone can find something they like and you can have an ice cold local beer in hand within about 10 minutes.

 

[mdmost 43846]

Is that the place with the chowder bread bowls? If so, that place is great. In Disneyland, I like Bengal Barbecue, Rancho del Zocalo, and Ronto Roasters in Galaxy's Edge (same food as the WDW version). We always grab a quick breakfast at Jolly Holliday or Mickey Beignets at the Mint Julip Bar in New Orleans Square. Flo's V8 Cafe is a cool place to eat in Cars Land since you're right next to Radiator Racers. The food is average though. 

Edited November 3, 2021 by mdmost

[CooterBrown 18272]

11 minutes ago, mdmost said:

Is that the place with the chowder bread bowls? If so, that place is great. In Disneyland, I like Bengal Barbecue, Rancho del Zocalo, and Ronto Roasters in Galaxy's Edge (same food as the WDW version). We always grab a quick breakfast at Jolly Holliday or Mickey Beignets at the Mint Julip Bar in New Orleans Square. Flo's V8 Cafe is a cool place to eat in Cars Land since you're right next to Radiator Racers. The food is average though. 

Yep, that's it.  One of my kids get the chowder bread bowl.  I usually get the ancho sauce smothered carnitas torta from the taco stand. it is legit. 

Rancho del Zocalo has a great breakfast burrito. 

The Jolly Holiday has the 2nd best grilled cheese I've ever had. The Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup lunch special is a good deal.  

The burnt ends grilled cheese at River Belle Terrace is the best grilled cheese I've ever had.

The fried chicken plate at Plaza Inn is excellent. If you ask for all white meat, they'll give you 3 breasts, Total Recall style.

The Monte Cristo and garlic fries at Cafe Orleans is excellent.

 

A few posts up, i said I was burned out on DLR after 21 visits since '14. Shit, now I have a jonesing to go. My parents are actually there right now so I've been getting a bunch of pics the past few days. 

 

Edited November 3, 2021 by CooterBrown

[mdmost 43846]

We've only done sit down meals at Disneyland if there was some package attached to it like when Paint The Night was there and it got us up front seats which was nice to not have to fight the crowds. We did Blue Bayou with Fantasmic preferred seating once. In CA, we did Carthay Circle as our Christmas Eve dinner one year. I think we also ate at Ariel's Grotto back before it became Lamplight Lounge because it got us better seats for World of Color. Otherwise, we try for quick service because we'd rather spend the time on rides. When we go in May/June, we're probably not eating sit down until day 3. 

And I don't know if it's similar at DLR but if you place a mobile order, just go ahead and say you're there before you even head to the restaurant. They get so backed up that you might be waiting 20 minutes in the restaurant for your food to get made. We learned that by day 2 at WDW this year. 

Edited November 3, 2021 by mdmost

[Brew 3049]

Downtown Disney is an easy option from DL and as others have mentioned it’s probably a better option. My wife has been able to get reasonable reservations in the park by just keeping an eye on it. They went the first of October and she ended booking a couple of meals the week before because of cancellations. I’m not sure what that looks like around NYE with the crowds, but we much prefer DL over WDW. The size and layout are much easier to deal with.

[RexWilson 1499]

What's the latest in Genie at DL?

[PilotsError 2342]

 

[mdmost 43846]

An hour and 43 minutes? 

[LonghornSean 4072]

Defunctland is a great channel. I watched the Fastpass video in two sessions. It's really well done.

Edited November 23, 2021 by LonghornSean

[mdmost 43846]

@orange dream Relevant to your interests. Genie+ starts on 12/8.

 

[mdmost 43846]

Here's more details on it. Unlike the WDW version, you don't have to be up at 7am to get selections and you don't have to be a hotel guest to have an advantage. You just need to be scanned in the parks to make a selection. That's how Maxpass was. So you want to get there when the gates open in the morning.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/12/disney-genie-and-disney-genieplus-service-coming-to-disneyland-resort-beginning-dec/

[RexWilson 1499]

I'll be there on the 8th. Hopefully won't be a disaster.

[LW Goatman 1129]

On 10/30/2021 at 7:12 PM, Okie State said:

Just got back from a week at WDW and it was great. First trip for both the kids and they loved it. Crowds were manageable and we were able to ride everything we wanted to ride while only waiting over 30 minutes a few times. Genie+ was pretty self explanatory once I figured out how to add it to my tickets and the one off Lightning Lane passes worked great although pricey. Port Orleans Riverside resort was awesome too. Already thinking about when we'll go back.

We overlapped, got back on the first after spending 8 days in Orlando, 5 days at disney, and 1 at universal. Had a good time overall. Pandora at Animal Kindgom was incredible...I think Avatar Flight of Passage is the best ride in the parks, got to hit it twice.

I've been to a Disney a lot but we've never watched youtube stuff. For those planning, there are some great channels on youtube that are very helpful. I recommend allears.net (mainly WDW content) for anyone about to go. Its their job and they are in the parks daily. They go over all of the food, rides, new things like Genie+, have fresh content almost daily, etc. Its also entertaining, please check it out.

And if you are going to WDW, Steakhouse 71 is a must, get the cheeseburger. Space 220 is a cool concept, but wasn't worth the price point to me...the standby lounge would have been a better option but my wife waited until 4am to get reservations so we got the fixed menu. 

Edited December 7, 2021 by LW Goatman
1234

[Okie State 3887]

Flight of Passage was the best ride in my opinion and it wasn't even close.

[mdmost 43846]

Disneyfoodblog is another site that does good YouTube videos. They're how we started considering the Swan Resort for our WDW trip this year. 

I saw the Tron coaster may not open till 2023 now. 

[LW Goatman 1129]

8 hours ago, mdmost said:

Disneyfoodblog is another site that does good YouTube videos. They're how we started considering the Swan Resort for our WDW trip this year. 

I saw the Tron coaster may not open till 2023 now. 

Yes, that is another one that is in our rotation. 

[RexWilson 1499]

Shocker, day 1 of Genie+ at DL is a disaster. I'll post my details later.

[mdmost 43846]

Yeah, following that on Twitter and it looks like a mess. Not sure how they couldn't be ready for this given how much extra time they had to ramp up. The people who opted to not get Genie+ had a normal day. Nice job, Bob Paycheck!

[RexWilson 1499]

Long recap of my experience of Genie+ launch today at DL.

Made sure the app was updated before we got to park.

At 7am, the free Genie service let you set preferences of what you wanted to do that day. Did that, dont think I ever referenced it again.

Once we had our tickets scanned (around 7:30), the app allowed you to purchase Genie+. I think this will change soon to allow you to purchase in advance but not sure. It took several attempts to purchase before it was processed. Had several error messages but finally went through.

At 8am, you were allowed to start making Lighting Lane selections and the a la carte premium. We decided to rope drop Space Mountain. I paid the premium for Rise of the Resistance and used a LL on Haunted mansion. At this point I have dropped $160 between Genie+ and RoR and havent been on a ride.

Get to Haunted Mansion and have to open/close the app several times before it would manage to pull up bar code but it finally works.

From there head to RoR. Line is crazy long at this point. Surprisingly everything went smooth and we were on in 8 minutes. That was the last time Genie+ worked.

When we got of RoR, opened app and it operated as if we never paid for +. Open/close/restart several times before it is "normal". Now every time you wanted to make a LL selection. "Something went wrong" message. This was system wide. By 10:30, the app said Genie+ was shut down until issues could be resolved.

The work around they came up with was to scan your paper ticket at the LL entrance and they let you go on. No time slot needed. This was great because now I didn't have to be on my phone and we did not have time windows to arrive for.

Around 4:30 the system came back online but we kept using the work around.

I hated paying $20 a person for RoR but the time it saved was great. It doesnt give you times to choose from so that kinda sucked. I don't think we will pay for Web Slingers.

As of right now, I can't understand why they ditched the MaxPass system. I think it would have been more simple to add the individual ride premiums instead of redeveloping a whole new app for everything.

[CooterBrown 18272]

MaxPass was honestly perfect. This is a complete money grab and will alienate quite a few people. Maybe that’s the point. The CEO doesn’t really seem to like the parks business. There’s already a lot of YouTube videos about how they are starting to half ass ride designs going forward.

[mdmost 43846]

Maxpass was great and I'll argue for the DLR Fastpass system over the WDW one any day because it put everyone on equal footing. Maxpass just made it easier to not have to run to pull paper Fastpasses. But of course Bob Paycheck wanted a way to monetize Rise of the Resistance, Radiator Racers, and Webslingers further. $20 per person is ridiculous but sure people will pay it. I wish people would say no and this would fail spectacularly but after the kinks are worked out, it will do well. Wife and I talked about just making Rise our Rope Drop on the 2nd day we go to DLR in June for our vacation. We'll do a day of the regular DLR like we did prior to Star Wars Land opening up. 2nd Day will be Star Wars Land, favorites, and things like Flag Retreat, riding the Mark Twain, taking the train all the way around DLR, and doing more stuff on Main Street. 

I'm not sure if you guys have seen the video but Disney released a sneak peek at the new Star Wars "cruise ship" experience. They pulled the video after a couple of days because it looked horrible and the comments were just hammering how bad everything looked. The bridge looked cheap and nothing at all like a Star Wars ship. The halls looked generic. They had a Twi'lek singer that looked like a cheap knockoff of the alien opera singer in The Fifth Element. All of that for the price of an actual cruise for 7 days. Couple that with the really pathetic "lightsaber experience" where you just aim your lightsaber at a beam of light that's just a fog effect. Someone accurately said that Disney yet again doesn't understand the Star Wars audience as the cruise ship looks marketed to kids and not the hardcore Star Wars nerds in the 20-50 age range. The LARPers would've eaten this up if it had been done right. Instead, it looks like a half-assed sci-fi cruise.  

Quote

As of right now, I can't understand why they ditched the MaxPass system. I think it would have been more simple to add the individual ride premiums instead of redeveloping a whole new app for everything.

They could have absolutely done this for Webslingers and Rise since both were virtual queues and kept Maxpass for the rest. The one that annoys me is Radiator Springs Racers being an individual LL selection since that was one you could get with Maxpass previously. Also, there's a lot less rides in California Adventure and the only ones that are worth skipping the line for are Guardians, Incredicoaster, and Midway Mania.

Edited December 9, 2021 by mdmost

[RexWilson 1499]

Day 2 system is off to a better start. One tweak for the paid LL I like, it lets us come back anytime instead of a window. If I am going to pay extra, I prefer more time flexibility.

[Knoxtnhorn 6262]

Thanks for all the info guys.

See you in June @mdmost. 

[RexWilson 1499]

Got a refund for Genie+ day one fiasco. So that was nice.

Edited December 10, 2021 by RexWilson

[LW Goatman 1129]

On 12/8/2021 at 11:31 PM, RexWilson said:

Long recap of my experience of Genie+ launch today at DL.

Made sure the app was updated before we got to park.

At 7am, the free Genie service let you set preferences of what you wanted to do that day. Did that, dont think I ever referenced it again.

Once we had our tickets scanned (around 7:30), the app allowed you to purchase Genie+. I think this will change soon to allow you to purchase in advance but not sure. It took several attempts to purchase before it was processed. Had several error messages but finally went through.

At 8am, you were allowed to start making Lighting Lane selections and the a la carte premium. We decided to rope drop Space Mountain. I paid the premium for Rise of the Resistance and used a LL on Haunted mansion. At this point I have dropped $160 between Genie+ and RoR and havent been on a ride.

Get to Haunted Mansion and have to open/close the app several times before it would manage to pull up bar code but it finally works.

From there head to RoR. Line is crazy long at this point. Surprisingly everything went smooth and we were on in 8 minutes. That was the last time Genie+ worked.

When we got of RoR, opened app and it operated as if we never paid for +. Open/close/restart several times before it is "normal". Now every time you wanted to make a LL selection. "Something went wrong" message. This was system wide. By 10:30, the app said Genie+ was shut down until issues could be resolved.

The work around they came up with was to scan your paper ticket at the LL entrance and they let you go on. No time slot needed. This was great because now I didn't have to be on my phone and we did not have time windows to arrive for.

Around 4:30 the system came back online but we kept using the work around.

I hated paying $20 a person for RoR but the time it saved was great. It doesnt give you times to choose from so that kinda sucked. I don't think we will pay for Web Slingers.

As of right now, I can't understand why they ditched the MaxPass system. I think it would have been more simple to add the individual ride premiums instead of redeveloping a whole new app for everything.

We had similar issues at WDW after G+ came out, but got refunds like you. 

Edited December 10, 2021 by LW Goatman
1234

[mdmost 43846]

Relevant to people going to DLR in 2022. World of Color, Fantasmic, nightly fireworks show, and Main Street Electrical Parade are all returning this "Spring" according to Disney. 

@PilotsErrorStarted watching the Defunctland Fastpass video. Stopped with about 30 minutes left. Pretty interesting. 

[SimonBolivar 11014]

All you Defunctland fans have seen MartinsVidsDotNet's stuff on youtube right? Crazy good and thorough.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC45mYYA2wlGtaca6pfhdnHw

Edited December 10, 2021 by SimonBolivar

[LonghornSean 4072]

On 12/10/2021 at 9:01 AM, mdmost said:

Relevant to people going to DLR in 2022. World of Color, Fantasmic, nightly fireworks show, and Main Street Electrical Parade are all returning this "Spring" according to Disney. 

@PilotsErrorStarted watching the Defunctland Fastpass video. Stopped with about 30 minutes left. Pretty interesting. 

Did you get to the part of the video where he reveals that the Shapeland simulation is actually Animal Kingdom based on data from a specific day via Touring Plans. That was pretty cool. https://youtu.be/9yjZpBq1XBE?t=4517

 

[mdmost 43846]

6 hours ago, LonghornSean said:

Did you get to the part of the video where he reveals that the Shapeland simulation is actually Animal Kingdom based on data from a specific day via Touring Plans. That was pretty cool. https://youtu.be/9yjZpBq1XBE?t=4517

 

Yes, though I would liked to have seen a park that has more rides be the example they used like MK as Animal Kingdom has even less attractions than Epcot. One thing I don't feel he takes into account is there will always be a Fastpass of some kind at the Disney parks because of the VIP tours and the DAS people. When we were at WDW in September, we were constantly held at a former Fastpass kiosk area so people with Fastpasses could bypass us and it was certainly a higher ratio than 4:1. It was more like 20:1. It happened frequently and on rides that were very popular like Frozen at Epcot, Mickey and Minnie's Train at HS, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and the Avatar rides. So even in a time where the normal Fastpass was completely gone, standby guests still had to be held up by people with Fastpass access. I don't ever see Disney being able to remove that disability access and they certainly won't pass up taking the extra money from the VIPs. 

[orange dream 1288]

On 11/3/2021 at 3:50 PM, orange dream said:

Thank you both.  Helpful info. 

I know it will be a crowded time at Disney but work and school schedules really make that our only option.

Got back from DL last night. First time at Disney California.  Overall great experience.  Radiator Springs, Pixar Pier and Marvel Campus are all great.  Really like how close everything is and how easy it is to move from park to park to downtown Disney to hotel, etc.

Paid for Genie+ each day upon entering park.  The Lightning Lane access through Genie+ worked well.  There were a few rides that had Lightning Lane access that really didn't seem to need it (stand by times were never more than 15 minutes) and then they did not have it on some rides that always had 45+ minute standby lines.  Not sure I understand exactly how they decide what rides will have LL as an option.  Not a big deal for our trip, just an observation.  The Incredicoaster is an awesome ride but it was experiencing technical difficulties quite a bit.  Thankfully we got to ride it using Genie+, but when we tried to ride again later it was out of service during our window which was unfortunate but they converted our LL pass to a "multiple attractions" pass which allowed us to have LL access to any ride (except for Radiator Springs Racers, Webslingers & Midway Mania) even ones that don't normally have a LL option.  We ended up riding 3 or 4 rides using this golden ticket and for the non-LL option rides they would just walk us through the ride exit and put us on immediately. Pretty sweet.

We paid for the LL individual ride option for Rise of the Resistance, Web Slingers (neat, but not something I would pay for again) and Radiator Springs Racers (awesome).  It was "worth it" from a standpoint of how long we would have otherwise had to stand in line (2.5-3 hours for each ride) but it is a bit ridiculous that:

1.  you have to pay per ride if you want to avoid spending upward of 2 hours standing in line

2.  there aren't any options for Genie+ LL all day from what I could tell (it seems like they should have some (30-50) per hour set aside for the Genie+ folks).

I know it's a money grab, and if people didn't buy them it would change but people, me included, are buying so it will only get worse.

If anyone has any questions about specifics let me know.

Had a blast and got to ride everything we wanted to thanks for the tips and guidance in advance.

 

[mdmost 43846]

Good stuff. Glad Genie+ worked out for you. Most of the YouTube guys we watch say Genie+ is definitely affecting the standby lane and now the wait times for standby are a lot more accurate. It seemed before the holidays that Genie+ wasn't having that big of an effect which makes sense. It's a locals park. They're less likely to opt for $20 per day per person when they can be there multiple times a month. But when there's more people who only go ever so often like when it's the holidays, more will pay to skip the line which makes the standby a lot slower. We'll opt for it when we go because I'm fine with paying a little more to skip the lines. Still not sure on paying for Rise or the other ILL but we might just to not waste what little time we have there. 

When Maxpass was going, I loved those Multipass recovery passes. We used one I think for the Incredicoaster to then jump into the line at Radiator Racers. Those are great at DLR especially. I think we got an Indy pass for free when the Matterhorn went down. That's why it's always good to get Fastpasses for those rides that break down constantly. Then you can try to time getting there when the ride opens back up and you can just get to the front and have that Multipass in your backpocket for a higher capacity ride. 

[mdmost 43846]

@CooterBrownLet me know if you have any Disneyland Paris questions. The park doesn't seem all that different than when we were there 5 years ago. 

[MNLonghornFUKM 8963]

Time to go round 2 (in 12 months) to Disney world in mid March. 2 days HWS, 2 days MK, 1 day each for AK and Epcot.

Wife is officially a Disney mom after going there last year for the first time.

Last March we went with 30% capacity and it was awesome. Now with it full, I imagine the lines and rides move just as fast than socially distanced rides? I’ll miss fast pass and rider swap, that was pretty slick.

Hope to god the masks are gone by then but at least it doesn’t seem like we have to wear them literally everywhere but your hotel room and eating like last time.

[Skipper 6406]

I'm going to start reading this entire thread as I'm sure sprinkled with advice that will apply to our situation.  But I'm contemplating a late spring (maybe early May before school is out) trip to WDW with our pre-K kids (5 and 3).  I was thinking 5-6 nights (enough time for a "rest day" at hotel).  Initially any advice on where to stay?  I assume on property is easier (but more expensive) which is probably fine if more convenient.  If there are good options with airport transport that includes car seats, etc. and I could avoid renting a car I would probably prefer that then trying to save a buck lugging car seats around and driving to and from the park.  Also ideally would prefer a setup with a separate room for kids so we aren't all on top of each other.  If anyone has other good resources in addition to this thread would be appreciated.  Other than a work outing drinking around the world at Epcot a few years back I haven't been to Disney since i was a young kid.

[mdmost 43846]

Take a look at Disney Food Blog for some ideas on places to stay. A lot just depends on your budget and how much you want to spend. It also depends on how close you want to be to the parks and which parks. Magic Kingdom, there are 4 right near, 3 on the monorail or boat lines. There also really expensive. Then there's Wilderness Lodge which is close but only offers boat or shuttles to MK. 

Epcot and Hollywood Studios- there's a bunch around them with Skyliner and boat access. Take a look at the Swan or Dolphin as those are technically not Disney resorts but are considered Deluxe Disney hotels for the early and late park access and dining reservations. They're cheaper than most Disney hotels and are run by Westin and Marriott. They do not have Disney theming so if that's important, it's not the best option, but your money will go further there, IMO. 

Animal Kingdom- people rave about the Lodge but it's the furthest area from the rest of the parks so you're looking at buses. 

Since your kids are little, you might want to look at Art of Animation. They have family suites with bedroom doors and a really nice pool. You'll have to take shuttles to some of the parks and the Skyliner to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

Another option might be to take a look at Disney Vacation rentals. There are sites that can help you with renting someone else's week like dvcrentalstore.com. 

As far as not renting a car, if you're staying onsite you'd be fine to do that. Staying offsite, you'll need a car or have to Uber in. The Magical Express bus from MCO to WDW is no more. Mears took over the route so you can still get that service but it's not included with the hotel stay. 

Edited January 12, 2022 by mdmost

[Knoxtnhorn 6262]

@mdmost has about 1,000% more knowledge about the place than I do, but I'll put in my 2 cents for Animal Kingdom (lodge).

Stayed there 2 years ago; going again in June.  The bus trip isn't bad from AK to the other parks.  Generally, it was only packed first thing in the morning.   AK has two different pools that would probably be nice for your family as being able to both relax and entertain the kids between park visits.  Waking up to giraffes and whatnot outside one's window was pretty damn cool as well.

[CooterBrown 18272]

There are plenty of car services, with car seats, available for less than Uber or dealing with a shuttle. Plus, they’ll meet you at baggage claim and help with the luggage.

We use one at DLR and it’s $70 each way while Uber cost me $120 the last time we went and forgot to book a car ahead of time.

[Don Johnson 4802]

2 hours ago, Skipper said:

I'm going to start reading this entire thread as I'm sure sprinkled with advice that will apply to our situation.  But I'm contemplating a late spring (maybe early May before school is out) trip to WDW with our pre-K kids (5 and 3).  I was thinking 5-6 nights (enough time for a "rest day" at hotel).  Initially any advice on where to stay?  I assume on property is easier (but more expensive) which is probably fine if more convenient.  If there are good options with airport transport that includes car seats, etc. and I could avoid renting a car I would probably prefer that then trying to save a buck lugging car seats around and driving to and from the park.  Also ideally would prefer a setup with a separate room for kids so we aren't all on top of each other.  If anyone has other good resources in addition to this thread would be appreciated.  Other than a work outing drinking around the world at Epcot a few years back I haven't been to Disney since i was a young kid.

If price isn't a concern (probably ~ $1000/night), Bay Lake Tower fits your needs.  Basically a condo that connects to the Contemporary Hotel via walkway.  So on the monorail, yet close enough to just walk to the Magic Kingdom anyway.  A one bedroom villa has a living room with fold out couch and fold out chair beds, so kids can sleep in separate room but under same roof.  Also nice to have a fridge and kitchen for breakfast so you don't have to waste a lot of time and money on that.

Has its own pool setup but also have access to Contemporary pool area (which is all fine, but not as luxurious as Grand Floridian, etc.)

Great place to watch fireworks and water parade from.  With kids that age, not the worst thing in the world to get them ready for bed and watch fireworks from the hotel with cocktail in hand.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/bay-lake-tower-at-contemporary/

[Skipper 6406]

One thing I clearly miscalculated is that for late April early May, a lot of locations are apparently already sold out or close to it.  I looked at Bay Lake Tower that Don suggested and nothing is available.  Had no idea we would need to be earlier than this for what I assumed would be somewhat the offseason with school still in session.  I'm sure one of many lessons with Disney.   That Art of Animation looks cheesy as hell and we (wife and I) would probably prefer something nicer, but kids would probably love it.  It actually has availability.

Edited January 12, 2022 by Skipper

[mdmost 43846]

8 minutes ago, Skipper said:

One thing I clearly miscalculated is that for late April early May, a lot of locations are apparently already sold out or close to it.  Had no idea would need to be earlier than this for what I assumed would be somewhat the offseason with school still in session.  I'm sure one of many lessons with Disney.   That Art of Animation looks cheesy as hell and we (wife and I) would probably prefer something nicer, but kids would probably love it.  It actually has availability.

What's available? Post it and we can tell you the pros and cons. It might help to call Disney directly to see what they have. What do your kids like that's Disney related?

Yes, Art of Animation is cheesy but young kids would definitely like it if they are a fan of the particular movies featured there like Lion King and Finding Nemo. We stayed there when our kids were 9 and 6 and they really liked it. Wife and I tolerated it because we simply saw it as a place to sleep and go to the pool. Given you've got to deal with naps, you may want to spring for something nicer if you think you'll be spending a lot more time there. 

Edited January 12, 2022 by mdmost

[RexWilson 1499]

Stayed at AKL when our kids were 4 and 6. Each morning we setup a breakfast on the balcony and they loved seeing all the animals while they ate. The longer shuttle rides didn't phase us in the morning but in the evenings when everyone was tired, felt so much longer to get back to the hotel.

[Skipper 6406]

15 hours ago, mdmost said:

What's available? Post it and we can tell you the pros and cons. It might help to call Disney directly to see what they have. What do your kids like that's Disney related?

Yes, Art of Animation is cheesy but young kids would definitely like it if they are a fan of the particular movies featured there like Lion King and Finding Nemo. We stayed there when our kids were 9 and 6 and they really liked it. Wife and I tolerated it because we simply saw it as a place to sleep and go to the pool. Given you've got to deal with naps, you may want to spring for something nicer if you think you'll be spending a lot more time there. 

I might call later today when I free up a bit.  We don't have a set week we have to go.  Looking at likely either last week in April or first 2 weeks in May.   When I spent some time yesterday the 2 options with some availability certain weeks were Art of Animation (family suite available either of those weeks) and Kidani Village had a Savanah 1 BR Suite available a couple of the weeks.   The latter clearly much more pricy but also looked way more comfortable so thinking through those options. Most other places that had availability just had regular rooms which would probably work but not be as comfortable for a longer stay (and I think kids would sleep better if we weren't all in same room).  I'm also thinking through realistically with a (barely) 3 and 5 year old how many "resort days" we would need in a 5 day 6 night trip.  I'm sure at least 1 but potentially 2.  

[mdmost 43846]

23 minutes ago, Skipper said:

I might call later today when I free up a bit.  We don't have a set week we have to go.  Looking at likely either last week in April or first 2 weeks in May.   When I spent some time yesterday the 2 options with some availability certain weeks were Art of Animation (family suite available either of those weeks) and Kidani Village had a Savanah 1 BR Suite available a couple of the weeks.   The latter clearly much more pricy but also looked way more comfortable so thinking through those options. Most other places that had availability just had regular rooms which would probably work but not be as comfortable for a longer stay (and I think kids would sleep better if we weren't all in same room).  I'm also thinking through realistically with a (barely) 3 and 5 year old how many "resort days" we would need in a 5 day 6 night trip.  I'm sure at least 1 but potentially 2.  

Well if it's between those two, Kidani would definitely be a superior option. Art of Animation worked for us because we really just needed a place to lay our heads, swim, and eat meals outside of the parks because we had a dining plan, which don't exist currently. But it is essentially a motel level resort. It's "Value" but I'd say that should really mean "budget". Kidani will be miles above AoA in terms of quality. Not sure of the pool situation at Kidani but the AoA one is really nice and I would imagine your kids will want to swim. I'd imagine the food options are also better at Kidani. Actually, Disney Food Blog is always talking about Sanaa at that resort.

The thing to keep in mind for WDW is you're going to be looking at being on a shuttle for multiple parts of your day regardless of where you stay. Short of staying at Bay Lake Tower like mentioned above and only going to Magic Kingdom or Epcot, you're going to be looking at significant time on Disney transportation. Either of those hotel options means you're shuttling everywhere, minus Art of Animation since they have the Skyliner. With young kids, you're probably going to need to knock off in the afternoon for naps. I base my hotel choices on proximity to parks but I have older kids so it's easier to go quickly with them and we're less worried about making it back to the hotel or needing a lot of downtime. My younger one does love pools so that's always something I keep in mind. The transportation is definitely good but I like to caution people that it does take chunks out of your day. Disney even says to assume transportation could take up to an hour to get you to your destination and to factor that into your dining reservations. We typically have really good luck with the shuttles but late at night after fireworks can be a bear and then you have to factor in the walk back to your room once you get to your actual hotel. AoA, we were in the Little Mermaid wing and it took 15 additional minutes to walk back after the shuttle to our room. And that's with me having a kid on my shoulders every time.

Definitely investigate some of the Disney Vacation Club timeshare trading sites where people put their weeks up and you can rent their week. I would imagine with Covid, people might opt out of their weeks. You might be able to get a better deal at one of the nicer options. If we go back to WDW in a year or so, we might look at those as we'd like to stay at the Contemporary or Polynesian next time since it will be a more MK and Epcot focused trip. 

Definitely watch the Disney Food Blog YouTube channel. They have great breakdowns of the dining options, the resort options, and tips and tricks for navigating the parks. 

Edited January 13, 2022 by mdmost