Help! - 1st Time ever!

[Milly]

HI EVERYONE!

I APOLOGISE IN ADVANCE FOR NOT KNOWING ANY OF THE ABS. THAT YOU ALL USE BUT I'LL TRY TO PICK THEM UP AS I GO!
WE DEPART FOR FLORIDA ON 6th JULY FOR 2xWEEKS.
STAYING IN VILLA AT HIGHLANDS RESERVE.
ME(TIM),DW(LENA),DS(age17),DS(age13),DD(age8),DNEPHEW!(AGE17),PLUS INLAWS.......TOTAL OF 8.
I've been looking in on this site for 3xdays and have found a lot of usefull info and some great tips.
If anyone out there can get me started with any information on the Highlands Reserve area / the parks in July (crowds etc.) / any special events happening at the time of our visit etc.etc. then I will be eternaly grateful.
I've been trying to plan the two weeks around our pre-booked tickets(Style Holidays "new style popular combo) and seem to have run out of days!!!
Should we miss out certain parks on our first trip or try to cram in as much as possible?
I have information overload and my head will explode unless I get some help!!

Milly................

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

On our first visit we only did the Disney parks, but even then we went home wishing we'd had more time! We knew we would be going back the following year, so we didn't worry about misssing the Universal parks.

If you think this is a 'once-in-a-lifetime' trip I would recommend you visit, as a minimum, the four main Disney parks plus the two Universal parks and one of the water parks in Orlando. You will have covered the main attractions, perhaps a day in each, and still have some time to revisit your favourite bits.

Happy planning.

Regards

Rob

 

[WDWfan uk]

Hi there and welcome
Firstly, take some deep breaths! We know how you feel though! Regards abbreviations, please don't hesitate to ask if you want any explained - it will also help any one else new to the site.
Why not share your itinerary with us and we could perhaps make suggestions from that?
You sound like you have been taking in a lot of info and that will help you when you get there. Do you have a guide book?
July is quite a busy month, but the key with all the parks is to arrive early - get there for opening! It always pays off. You could take a break around midday if you all need one - get your hand stamped before exit and either go back to the villa for a swim, nap and lunch or go somewhere to have a leisurely lunch returning to the park later refreshed and when the heat of the day has diminished a little.
Popular rides in WDW have Fastpass........ do you know about Fastpass tickets? Universal have a very good equivalent called Express tickets, and these are on the majority of attractions.

(BTW, where in Hertfordshire are you? I'm in Bishop's Stortford!)

 

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

No info what you need just wanted to say welcome the to boards.
Hope you have a great holiday,be prepared to want to book again before you even have got there,im like that now,ive priced up a holiday there for december,and we go in 3days for the 1ST TIME EVER,so im like you.

We are doing a flydrive tho lol with accomadation.
Get planning,im lucky that my brother and his wife are coming,and they know what we would like to see and not,so we have done plans and planned the prices of our disney tickets,do this,our tickets just alone for the 2 of us is £640,but thats disney,busch gardens,seaworld etc.

I know we'll have a fab time, it just takes planning,and loads of info off everyone on here,they are great!

Have a fab time,
Take care
Beth x

 

[acepepper]

Hi, first thing to do, if you haven't already, is buy the Brits Guide to Orlando by Simon Veness. This book is an absolute must for planning your holiday. I think if you plan well you should be able to do most of the parks although it's a busy time of year. If you've been to Disneyland Paris, I wouldn't bother with Magic Kingdom. Apart from that I don't know what else to say, just don't panic, do as much as you can, but don't worry if you miss some stuff, because believe me you'll be going again.

Good luck.

 

[Goofyish]

I have to disagree about missing MK, IMHO it is a must do, especially for your kids. Although many of the rides are repeated at DLP (and some say they are better at DLP) you cannot beat the Disney atmosphere at MK

 

[Milly]

Many thanks to all of you who replied to my plea for help.
This is my plan so far !!!
Sat 6th July arrive - find baggage - find car - find accomodation - find bed - sleep !
Sun 7th - am Reps meeting - essential shopping(Wal-mart?) - lunch - International Drive - Back to Villa - Swim - Study maps etc. - early night (possible assistance thru alcholic beverages)
Mon 8th am - Seaworld (early as poss)
Tue 9th am - Typhoon Lagoon - Villa pm - Eve meal out.
Wed 10th am - Epcot - Back to Villa pm - Back to Epcot Eve.
Thur 11th am Islands of Adventure
Fri 12th - Universal Studios
Sat13th - Animal Kingdom
Sun 14th - Magic Kingdom - Villa pm - Back to MK for Eve.
Mon 15th - Blizzard Beach
Tue 16th - Kennedy Space Centre & poss. Cocoa Beach ?
Wed 17th - Busch Gardens
Thur 18th - Disney MGM
Fri 19th - Do anything we missed due to time/illness/hangover/got up too late or repeat of best park.
Sat 20th - Home via last min. shopping.

Too much ? Missed anything ? Comments re- days to visit etc.
This was planned with the aid of Simon's Brits Guide back pages.

Milly

 

[Miss Mickey Mania]

Hi!
Looks like you have covered all the main attractions. I remember our first visit back in '91 - nothing can describe your first time at WDW, you'll see!

Just one thing, we found that it takes 2 days to get round EPCOT, it's BIG. One day for each of the others should let you see the main highlights. The time you've allowed for rest at the villa is absolutely necessary, you'll need it. Remember though, it often rains pm so don't be in the pool during a thunderstorm.

I saw Highlands Reserve last year. It wasn't far from where we stayed. It was off the main tourist road but very convenient for shops, restaurants etc and close to WDW. Essential shopping your first day - we do that too as we always stay in a villa If I remember correctly you might be better going to Publix supermarket as there's one close to where you're staying. The nearest Walmart is further along Highway 192.

Can't think of anything else right now. Have a wonderful time, you'll have a ball!

Louise

 

[UKDEB]

Hi Milly

What exactly do your combo tickets give you?

You will be awake very early on your first morning (we're usually awake by 4am), so it is the ideal opportunity to hit one of the parks early. Animal Kingdom is probably a good bet. In July it will may well be open at 7am - head straight for Kilimanjaro Safaris to see more animals about (they will head for the shade as the day hots up).

What time is the reps meeting? We went to one on our first trip back in 1992 and really felt we'd wasted the best part of a day. We were awake at 4am and had to while away the time until the meeting at 11am. Then we had to sit through a couple of hours of a thinly veiled excuse to sell us excursion tickets and sun tan lotion. I'm not saying they're a total waste of time, but I think you'll get better information from these boards (check out the main info site www.wdwinfo.com as well as the discussion forums) than you will from a welcome meeting.

 

[jjcollins]

Hi Milly i've just sent you a PM with some info on it.



jj.......

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

I'm not sure that attending the Reps meeting is entirely necessary. You'll be able to get all the info you need from this group (and perhaps the Brit's Guide book) so you could use that time to do something else.

The opening time at Animal Kingdom is getting later and later. It used to be open at 7am, which was great for the first day when you were awake early because of the time difference. Now, however, it doesn't open until 9am (even in the summer) so there is no opportunity to head there early on your first day or two. I now recommend that you leave this park until the end of your trip. I think you can best appreciate what it has to offer by taking it easy and absorbing all the wonderful detail in the park - somethink best done later in your visit when you want to move down a gear.

As Louise said, don't be worried about taking mid-afternoon breaks. This allows you to pace yourself during the day, and it's a good time to avoid the worst of the crowds and the heat.

Regards

Rob

 

[acepepper]

I agree with the other comments, the reps meeting is a waste of your valuable time.

 

[MalcolmC]

Milly,

I agree don't bother with the rep's meeting, they only want to sell you tickets and expensive sun cream, just get out there and enjoy it all.

You asked for information on Highlands Reserve, here goes!

HR is about 10 minutes drive to WDW and is set around HR golf course. There is a restaurant in the clubhouse but I haven't tried it yet, but I hear its pretty good. The nearest supermarkets etc.(Publix and WinnDixie) are at the end of 192 about 3 minutes away. There is a 24 hour Walmart (for sunday?) at Haines City which is nearer (15 minutes drive) than the one on 192 by Mediaeval Times. There are gas stations, a bank and a drugstore slightly nearer.

A car is essential for this location but I assume you have one. Just make sure its got a big enough boot for the luggage, thats the problem most people encounter, first time!

 

[Sue's Mum]

Hi, I see that you plan Kennedy Space Centre one day and Busch Gardens the next. You might consider breaking this up as Kennedy is a 45 min to 1 hr drive East and Busch is (I would guess) over an hour in the other direction. Now, that is fine if you were just going one way but don't forget you will have to drive back again! So you (and others in your party) might not fancy the drive back from Kennedy one day and the drive to Busch the next.

Personally, I would give both of these a miss on my first visit, although I do appreciate that, on a first visit, no-one knows what they want to do, having had no experience. LOL (Lots of laughs.)