Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt <<We are staying at Port Orleans this time>> Don't miss the Butterfly Garden behind Acadian House..The kids will love it!!
Originally Posted By Disney and beyond Thanks, Dave, for some reason I always miss Spaceship Earth. Also, if you want to cool down, Innoventions has some cools and fun oppertunities.
Originally Posted By JenniBarra >>For now the debate is drive (20 hours) vs. fly (2 1/2 hours) to Florida.<< If you can swing it, I say you've got to make a trip to the other coast at least once. (I say the same thing to folks who always go to WDW.) I love both, but they're such different experiences. >>>It amazes me that so many serious Disney park fans refuse to go to the ultimate park in the world, Disney Sea.<< I would love to go to *all* of the Disney parks worldwide. Of course, there's the obvious issue of money, but I also have a spouse who is extremely smoke sensitive, which makes me wary of traveling to places like France and Japan. We've had a hard enough time just traveling domestically in places like Nashville.
Originally Posted By JenniBarra >>If the guests park free offer is still valid, we will drive to the park each day and the (on early close nights) drive off property to eat dinner. I'm assuming the parks will close early in February like they do in Anaheim.<< I can understand if you want to dine off-property to save money, but it's actually really easy to use WDW transportation. >>Thanks for the warning that Fantasmic is not as good.<< Okay, so it doesn't have the Mark Twain, but it is interesting to compare the two because there are scenes unique to each version of the show. Oh, and as someone who isn't very tall, it's really nice to be able to see over other people's heads due to the stadium seating. My philosophy tends to be, even though you think you "know" certain attractions, it's fun to try out the other version at least one time. The differences can be non-existent (sp?) or actually pretty sizable.
Originally Posted By Disney and beyond >>My philosophy tends to be, even though you think you "know" certain attractions, it's fun to try out the other version at least one time. The differences can be non-existent (sp?) or actually pretty sizable. << Agreed 100%
Originally Posted By barboy ///but I also have a spouse who is extremely smoke sensitive, which makes me wary of traveling to places like France and Japan./// Yes and No DO NOT GO TO Disneyland Paris Resort---- right you are about the rampant smoking in France(and Europe in general). Smokers are everywhere, men and women alike. But Dl Paris is unbelievably stunning---sheer beauty abounds. It's too bad smoking has to ruin for you as that is easily the best Magic Kingdom style park of the 5--- sorry but even more lovely than our magical Dl in Anaheim. Yes Japanese smoke in Tokyo but unlike at DlParis I don't remember seeing smokers at Tokyo Dis. Resort. I'm not saying they aren't there; it's just that it was a non issue.
Originally Posted By barboy ///My philosophy tends to be, even though you think you "know" certain attractions, it's fun to try out the other version at least one time. The differences can be non-existent (sp?) or actually pretty sizable./// Agreed 100% also
Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt SMOKING!!! OH NO!! My Dad actually gives up smoking while we are at The Parks.. He says the people in the smoking section look sad. They do!
Originally Posted By BellesLibrarian >>If the guests park free offer is still valid, we will drive to the park each day and the (on early close nights) drive off property to eat dinner. I'm assuming the parks will close early in February like they do in Anaheim.<< I can understand if you want to dine off-property to save money, but it's actually really easy to use WDW transportation. ~~~~~ I think we had a fluky bad experience with transportation because no one else agrees with us. We'll try it again. The last time we went (October 2003) the hotels were booked to capacity because of the bad hurricane season (people pushed their vacation dates back to after the storms were over). Unfortunately transportation seemed to still be running on the October (aka slow season) schedule). They buses were packed, they were slow. It took us an hour from our room to any main gate. Like I said, everyone else raves about the transportation system, so we'll probably give it another try.
Originally Posted By BellesLibrarian <<We are staying at Port Orleans this time>> Don't miss the Butterfly Garden behind Acadian House..The kids will love it!! Thanks, Happy Haunt!
Originally Posted By BellesLibrarian >>For now the debate is drive (20 hours) vs. fly (2 1/2 hours) to Florida.<< If you can swing it, I say you've got to make a trip to the other coast at least once. (I say the same thing to folks who always go to WDW.) I love both, but they're such different experiences. Jenni, we are DL converts. We started with trips to WDW, but fell in love with the original. This is our first trip back to WDW in 4 1/2 years.
Originally Posted By BellesLibrarian >>My philosophy tends to be, even though you think you "know" certain attractions, it's fun to try out the other version at least one time. The differences can be non-existent (sp?) or actually pretty sizable. << Agreed 100% Off course, I agree, too. We are just trying to maximize our time. 7 days at WDW is not the same as 7 days at DL. No matter what we do, we will skip Soarin' as I object to their not being able to create one based on what Florida and the East Coast have to offer. Still need time to chase characters and look around. I know I want to go on Space Mountain because that was always my favorite ride as a kid!
Originally Posted By danyoung >Like I said, everyone else raves about the transportation system, so we'll probably give it another try.< Not everyone raves. I've never had to wait an hour for a bus. But I still don't like even 20 minute waits. I just sit there and think that I could be at the park by now. And at the end of a park day, the thought of cramming into busses with hoardes of hot sweaty tired cranky people just stinks (in more ways than one!). Nope, I'm a happy car renter (or driver of my own car when I drive from Dallas), and plan to continue that way.
Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt <<>Like I said, everyone else raves about the transportation system, so we'll probably give it another try.<>> The buses are fine, I've NEVER waited more than 10 minutes. It just feels longer since you are standing in the sweltering Florida heat!!
Originally Posted By danyoung The busses are fine FOR YOU - not for me. And I try not to visit during the sweltering months - it just ain't fun storming the parks while you're slowly melting away! But I've had several bus waits that were 20 minutes or even longer, and I find I just can't slow down enough to relax during those times. I'd much rather be jumping into my car and enjoying the 10 minute drive to the park of my choice. And there are tricks to make having your own car worth it. For example, when parking at Epcot in the afternoon, bypass the parking attendant and zip on up to the good rows at the front of the lot. There you'll find many open spaces, as people who got to the park at opening are taking their afternoon break. I'll frequently have a spot that's in the first 4 or 5 rows - very cool at the end of the day. Also, when closing a park, stay in the park, strolling and people watching, till the masses have exited. Then take the short walk (or tram ride) out to your car that's now easy to find, and drive out of a non-congested parking lot.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>Unfortunately transportation seemed to still be running on the October (aka slow season) schedule). They buses were packed, they were slow. It took us an hour from our room to any main gate. Like I said, everyone else raves about the transportation system, so we'll probably give it another try.<<< That is exactly the experience we had. Difference is, I am not willing to try it again.
Originally Posted By BellesLibrarian Just to clarify... we did not WAIT an hour for the bus, just that it took an hour from point A to point B (aka: the room to the park). This included waiting for the bus, driving to each of the three All Star resorts, then driving to the park. We were lucky we were at the first stop so we got seats. Glad to hear others were less than enthralled with the transportation system.
Originally Posted By EighthDwarf <<Glad to hear others were less than enthralled with the transportation system.>> You can add me to that list. I've been spoiled by the short distances at DL I guess. There just seems to be so much wasted time at WDW trying to get around. And dave, I would take DCA over MK any day as well!
