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WhiteHowler posted:Personally, I think you're crazy for skipping Epcot; it's my favorite park. Sure, it's lighter on rides (but Test Track is cool, and Mission Space is neat if it doesn't make you barf). However, the World Showcase is huge and awesome, and it has many of the best restaurants inside of a park. Epcot is also worth it just for the spectacular aquarium at The Seas. Thanks for all the advice. We agonized over which parks to pick for a long time and Epcot didn't make the cut. In Toronto there's tons and tons of ethnic foods and they just opened a Ripley's Aquarium, so things like that are not quite as special for us. We'll probably be back in a couple years to do Epcot and to go to Harry Potter at Universal.
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Dec 29, 2014 23:11
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| # ? Jun 6, 2024 19:04 |
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Trip report! My wife and I visited the resort from 12/19-12/24. The first and last day were travel days so we had one day in each park essentially. I went when I was in 4th grade (before Animal Kingdom opened) and my wife had never been. We went through Costco Travel and stayed at the Dolphin, which was really nice for the location. It was great leaving Epcot after Illuminations and just walking back to the hotel and not worrying about catching a bus or boat. Overall it went really well! I know this time of year is when the crowds start to get big but it wasn't that bad with a couple of exceptions. I really enjoyed the FastPass+ experience- I got every FastPass I wanted. Initially I didn't get Mine Train but Disney released additional passes a few weeks before the trip and I was able to get one. I used the park recommendations and cheat sheets at EasyWDW.com for planning and even with some big crowds we didn't have a wait longer than 15 minutes (except for The Seas with Nemo at Epcot, which in retrospect we should have just skipped), except for character photos and shows. If I had to do anything differently, I would have given us two days to do Epcot. We spent most of the morning and early afternoon in Future World which unfortunately gave us not very much time to do World Showcase. It was also our longest day where we were there from open to close and we definitely felt it. At Animal Kingdom, we had 6pm reservations at Boma so we left a little early and at Hollywood Studios a thunderstorm helped us to decide to leave early. For our Magic Kingdom day, crowds were crazy by 2pm so we went back to the hotel to take a nap and swim in the pool. We came back by 8pm for dinner and to watch wishes and by the 9:30 every non-coaster ride was basically a walk-on. The only problem I have now is that all I can think about is our next trip! It probably won't happen for another 2-3 years but that's not stopping me from looking at our trip pictures and watching ride videos on youtube. Does anyone have any tips for WDW withdrawals?
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Dec 30, 2014 03:00
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I just booked another late birthday trip to Disney Vero Beach resort. It's actually my favorite of all the properties. Going to get drunk and watch sea turtles dig nests.
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Dec 30, 2014 03:44
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Edna Mode posted:Does anyone have any tips for WDW withdrawals?
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Dec 30, 2014 04:08
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I do believe the only cure for Post-Disney Depression is booking another trip.
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Dec 30, 2014 05:19
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Edna Mode posted:The only problem I have now is that all I can think about is our next trip! It probably won't happen for another 2-3 years but that's not stopping me from looking at our trip pictures and watching ride videos on youtube. Does anyone have any tips for WDW withdrawals? Glad you had fun how'd you like Boma? Also sorry but no, there is no cure for post-partum disney depression except the obvious one and booking more trips gets expensive fast. Just willpower through it because you REALLY don't want to start chasing the dragon. Trust me. If it makes you feel any better, being at the end of your CP stint and having to go back to loving COLLEGE sucks 100x worse. You're not just visiting this magical universe when you're a cp you live in it, and whatever they put into the air builds up a LOT more. Coming back to reality after 9+ months really blows.
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Dec 30, 2014 07:12
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Ugh agreed. When I finished my CP I had one drat quarter left and it was the worst quarter of my life. On the bright side, it let me come back to do a professional internship. I'm doing Epcot for New Years this year. Nothing like partying with 60000 new friends.
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Dec 30, 2014 09:12
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Cais posted:Ugh agreed. When I finished my CP I had one drat quarter left and it was the worst quarter of my life. On the bright side, it let me come back to do a professional internship. I teared up on the way out of orlando and my dad thought it was hilarious. I wasn't sobbing or anything but it was defs a dude cryin'. gently caress you dad you just don't get it. At least he was nice enough to not make fun of me at that precise moment and let me man-cry in peace. ;.;
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Dec 30, 2014 09:35
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Another photo update, taken by some dummy who thought hanging in Magic Kingdom yesterday would be fun. (its me, the dummy is me) 
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Dec 30, 2014 12:58
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Wow. It's still that crowded? At some point this week, my in-laws are taking my wife and I to SeaWorld. I haven't visited that park since 1993, so I'm interested to see how much a park changes in 21 years.
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Dec 30, 2014 15:18
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Nathilus posted:I teared up on the way out of orlando and my dad thought it was hilarious. I wasn't sobbing or anything but it was defs a dude cryin'. gently caress you dad you just don't get it. At least he was nice enough to not make fun of me at that precise moment and let me man-cry in peace. I do the ugly cry at specific points during my Disney vacation. The first is when we pull up at the front gate, where it says "Welcome to Walt Disney World". Then I cry again when I get into MK and see the castle. I get misty any time my kids meet a beloved character. Then I sob uncontrollably when it's time to go home. I just have a lot of feelings about Disney.
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Dec 30, 2014 15:53
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Doronin posted:Wow. It's still that crowded?
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Dec 30, 2014 16:16
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Braksgirl posted:I do the ugly cry at specific points during my Disney vacation. The first is when we pull up at the front gate, where it says "Welcome to Walt Disney World". Then I cry again when I get into MK and see the castle. I get misty any time my kids meet a beloved character. Then I sob uncontrollably when it's time to go home. I just have a lot of feelings about Disney. I get sniffly at Disneyland when it's me and my husband nestled up together, watching the fireworks on the exact same bench (which is somehow still in the same place) that we did the first time we were there together a few weeks after we got married. It's gross and dumb of me.
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Dec 30, 2014 16:45
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Braksgirl posted:I do the ugly cry at specific points during my Disney vacation. The first is when we pull up at the front gate, where it says "Welcome to Walt Disney World". Then I cry again when I get into MK and see the castle. I get misty any time my kids meet a beloved character. Then I sob uncontrollably when it's time to go home. I just have a lot of feelings about Disney. Come stay with us and watch the fireworks from our front porch every night. I'll try to get pics of the New Year's fireworks from around the park at our house. We walk just up the block and set up shop there to watch the whole show from the bike path where it is a clear shot to the castle. It's a blessing and curse.
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Dec 30, 2014 17:08
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Nathilus posted:Glad you had fun how'd you like Boma? Boma was excellent! It was a great way to start the "oh god we're eating everything" mindset. Lots of veggie options too which was great for my wife. I definitely was tearing up as we left the Magic Kingdom on our last night. It doesn't help that I still have a week off of work with nothing to do besides think about it.
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Dec 30, 2014 20:16
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Made lunch reservations at the Blue Bayou in Disneyland, because, well, y'know. Been looking at the menu... drat, I forgot how expensive it is. Maybe I should have gone for a Fantasmic package.
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Jan 2, 2015 03:54
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The Blue Bayou is where you can get a Monte Cristo sandwich, right? Because get that.
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Jan 2, 2015 13:14
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How is late May to early June for crowds in the parks? I'd think it'd be less crowded, but I could be completely off on that.
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Jan 4, 2015 01:48
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5MinuteButtermilk posted:How is late May to early June for crowds in the parks? I'd think it'd be less crowded, but I could be completely off on that. You miss the Spring break crowds and get there right before summer break before the real brutal heat arrives.
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Jan 4, 2015 02:12
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demonR6 posted:You miss the Spring break crowds and get there right before summer break before the real brutal heat arrives. Still relatively toasty though, but yeah.
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Jan 4, 2015 02:25
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demonR6 posted:You miss the Spring break crowds and get there right before summer break before the real brutal heat arrives. Excellent! Thank you.
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Jan 4, 2015 02:28
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Silly Burrito posted:Still relatively toasty though, but yeah. Of course. Hell it was 82 degrees today.
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Jan 4, 2015 02:38
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demonR6 posted:Of course. Hell it was 82 degrees today. True. This winter sucks so far. I might have to cut my grass this month if it ever stops raining.
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Jan 4, 2015 02:42
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Silly Burrito posted:True. This winter sucks so far. I might have to cut my grass this month if it ever stops raining. I had to last week..
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Jan 4, 2015 02:43
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Late May starts Star Wars Weekends too, if you're into that sort of thing.
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Jan 4, 2015 02:59
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Went to SeaWorld today. The roller coasters there, Manta and Kraken, are incredible. The weird face down aspect of Manta made it unique, and at a couple of points, actually freaked me out. Although I haven't been there in 20+ years so I completely forgot how small that park is. It's also incredibly obvious that they're doing everything humanly possible, from a public relations perspective, to indoctrinate guests about their marine conservation efforts. It was also strange not seeing trainers in the tanks with the whales, but I guess that happens when several hundred people watched a trainer get killed a while back.
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Jan 4, 2015 05:04
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Braksgirl posted:Late May starts Star Wars Weekends too, if you're into that sort of thing. Not especially, but my sister probably is. Thanks for the tip.
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Jan 4, 2015 05:46
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Doronin posted:Went to SeaWorld today. The roller coasters there, Manta and Kraken, are incredible. The weird face down aspect of Manta made it unique, and at a couple of points, actually freaked me out. SeaWorld's mantra since Blackfish is "Please come and visit us, we promise we are nice to animals. Please. Oh you bought a one day ticket? Well, congratulations, you are now an annual passholder, please come back"
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Jan 4, 2015 16:58
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Sea World was big on animal conservation before Blackfish. Unfortunately since that event are forced to push that in everyone's face because the movie is one dimensional and centered around that. In the past if you bought a one day they would upgrade you for the price of another ticket, now they have to give AP'S away. I saw the movie but knowing a few trainers personally as well some others who care for the animals the movie really did a disservice to the people who dedicate their lives to these animals and in some cases is all the family they have its so consuming. Also it's freaking hot here..
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Jan 4, 2015 20:16
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demonR6 posted:Also it's freaking hot here.. Figures. I went out and bought a snazzy Disney Parks varsity style jacket since I have no coat down here, and the weather gets hot as balls again. Florida is a pain in the rear end.
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Jan 5, 2015 04:58
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TheBigBudgetSequel posted:Figures. I went out and bought a snazzy Disney Parks varsity style jacket since I have no coat down here, and the weather gets hot as balls again. Florida is a pain in the rear end. Last winter-summer was like this too. I was giving people poo poo all winter long posting pics of me out knee boarding, hiking, all sorts of things.
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Jan 5, 2015 05:22
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Last winter was annoying. It was hot like this right up until my wife and I went on a cruise for our 1 year anniversary. Then it got just cold enough to make going out on the ship's deck, or swimming, not an option. A few days after we got back, it was hot again. Where I grew up, Mobile, Ala., may as well be Florida, but at least we'd get consecutive weeks of cold weather sometimes.
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Jan 5, 2015 14:29
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I went with my dad the day after Christmas. We spent a half day at Epcot and ended up getting into MK around 9. We tried to get on the ferryboat but they wouldn't let us on, saying the ferry boats were one-way that night.  How does that make any sense if they have to go back and forth?
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Jan 6, 2015 09:34
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Luigi Thirty posted:I went with my dad the day after Christmas. We spent a half day at Epcot and ended up getting into MK around 9. We tried to get on the ferryboat but they wouldn't let us on, saying the ferry boats were one-way that night. They simply want to open the gates and load passengers to go back to TTC not having to offload and wait. If they did allow cross traffic then inevitably there would be that family that would bring the wheelchair and stroller sit on the opposite side of the ferry then they would have to wait five minutes plus for them to saunter across to exit the boat. It's all about speed and getting people out of the park at that hour.
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Jan 6, 2015 12:48
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Working at the TTC, i learned their tricks a little bit. At certain high traffic hours, they will limit the travel to the Magic Kingdom to one mode rather than both. So sometimes they shut down the express monorail and just use the ferry, or vice versa. I just always take the resort monorail, since it's never crowded and it's basically "the scenic route"
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Jan 6, 2015 16:59
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TheBigBudgetSequel posted:Working at the TTC, i learned their tricks a little bit. At certain high traffic hours, they will limit the travel to the Magic Kingdom to one mode rather than both. So sometimes they shut down the express monorail and just use the ferry, or vice versa. I just always take the resort monorail, since it's never crowded and it's basically "the scenic route" Or park at Contemporary and tell the guard at the gate you are going to X restaurant there. Someone decided to cut us off from the Grand Floridian parking lot, we used to use that one all the time.
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Jan 6, 2015 18:09
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demonR6 posted:Or park at Contemporary and tell the guard at the gate you are going to X restaurant there. Someone decided to cut us off from the Grand Floridian parking lot, we used to use that one all the time. This sounds like it would work until your Magicband alerts the guard that you don't have a reservation there 
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Jan 6, 2015 18:12
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nimper posted:This sounds like it would work until your Magicband alerts the guard that you don't have a reservation there The only thing the guards check for, Magic Band wise, is a room reservation. Me and my friend went to the Polynesian to get Dole Whip and watch fireworks from the boat dock, and all we said was "getting some Dole Whip!"
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Jan 6, 2015 18:28
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Plenty of walk up dining so they won't push unless you look guilty.
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Jan 6, 2015 19:12
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Thinking about taking my four year old to Disney for the first time this year (he'll be nearly five by the time we go). It's been years since I've gone and it seems far more complicated to arrange things with a child in tow. We were planning on going either oct 16 or Nov 13, which both seem to be decent times to go. There's an overwhelming amount of advice about Disney with children on the Internet but it still seems daunting. Any opinions about what the best resorts (probably one of the Disney resorts) to stay at and any other pertinent advice would be appreciated. Also, is there any advantage to waiting to make our reservations, or should we make them now in order to reserve spots at the restaurants?
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Jan 6, 2015 22:12
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