Originally Posted By Bob Paris ">Forget what the Disney Dweebs say.< Bob, it's one thing to disagree with other posts. It's quite another to be insulting, as you were in this post. Quit being a jerk in making your point by tearing down others." I don't see anywhere in my post where I insulted any poster specifically......unlike you who actually referred to me, personally as a "jerk". I am simply sick and tired of this "DO NOT MENTION THE OTHER PROPERTY" mentality. FAR too many WDW fans completely write off Uni and it was my intention to let the OP know there is another GREAT holiday destination just a few minutes drive north of WDW. If you took umbridge at my post then perhaps you identify too closely with this group and their mentality and it may be time to broaden your vacation horizons.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<I would suggest not renting a car>> This is really a personal choice. The buses are fine, but I like having a car. You can get around much quicker, especially if your going to resorts for dinner, or otherwise moving around the World in ways that would require bus tranfers if you relied upon WDW transportation. And of course if you did want to leave property, then it's definitely a no-brainer to rent a car.
Originally Posted By dshyates "This is really a personal choice." I suggested it for someones first visit, only. I feel the immersive, not having to get in your car from the second you arrive to the second you leave property to be unique and in some ways more magical. On subsequent visits I find that the desire to leave property, and skim the parks while parkhopping more to my tastes. So a car comes in handy but the ability to seperate yourself from everyday activities while at WDW is unique and for one visit worthwhile. And you get the entire "Disney Show". At my age and with the number of times I have been, I don't even stay on property anymore. I find the omnipresant mantra of "Happy, happy, spend, spend", cloying after a while. But I would never suggest for someones first visit to WDW to stay off-prop.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<I feel the immersive, not having to get in your car from the second you arrive to the second you leave property to be unique and in some ways more magical>> I was actually going to write that some people enjoy not having a car for the reason you state, but couldn't find the right words. <<But I would never suggest for someones first visit to WDW to stay off-prop.>> I think that's really a budget decision. If it was make or break, and staying off-site was the only way to afford it, I don't see anything wrong with that. But if you can find a way to save up the extra money to stay within WDW, it does make that first visit "more magical."
Originally Posted By mstaft Count mer in as someone who will not return to IOA. I went lasy summer after years of hearing how great and Disneyesque in quality it was. Spiderman IS amazing, but most of the rest of the park paled in comparison. Suess land is good for little kids, but nothing for adults. Jurassic park had the most promise and is pretty to look at, but the displays in the discovery center weren't working, most of the interior space was a foodcourt, and some of the animatronics in the River Adventure had dinos with clearly exposed machinery. Other areas consisted of cardboard cutouts , lack of paint, disrepair. Maybe IOA was top notch at opening, but it needs more magic than Harry Potter can conjure up to bring it back to life. Yes, I love coasters and went on all of them, but IMHO, equating IOA to any of the Florida Disney parks doesn't add up. Just my opinion, but see it for yourself.
Originally Posted By danyoung >I don't see anywhere in my post where I insulted any poster specifically.< Bob, reread your post 52 - pretty insulting. It didn't target me, as I don't care where people go to on their vacations. "Jerk" may have been a bit strong. How about "jerk-ish"?
Originally Posted By dshyates mstaft, IOA has in its short life has had a problemed history through no fault of its own. Right after IOA opened NBC bought Universal. The very first plan for the parks division was to sell it. So while shopping them around to everyone from Disney to Six Flags, they let the parks rot. They added nothing, and didn't repair anything. It was really sad to see such lack of care to a brand new property. About 18 months ago they changed their minds about selling the parks and have refocused on the parks. It sounds like you hit IOA right at the cusp and I understand what your saying about not wanting to return (and I shouldn't say it in this thread, but here goes). The last time I went to WDW (Aug.2006) the place was a mess, the CMs apathetic, the entertainment beyond tired, and the overall experience disappointing. We had a great time, it just wasn't as "blow the top off" fun that I was expecting. Aug. 2007 we vacationed in Otown and didn't set foot in a Disney park, but this was for several reasons. One, we had just done Disney last year, and two, there are 3 other top shelf theme parks in Otown that my kids had never seen. I should add that by all accounts Disney has made positive moves in all the catagorieis I was disappointed in. But given the cost I have been more than reluctant to go back, even with the reviews. There have been no "must see" additions since I was there last (its only been 18 months). But I have been to WDW SOOOO many times, and used to work backstage at MGM. Familiarity breeds contempt. We will happily return when there is another "must see" attraction or park (DNK) added. I am pretty excited about the DNK Rumor and that will DEFINITELY get me back down to the swamp. I love the place and while we fanatics bemoan the loss of some of the sparkle, it still the most fantastical collection of Pixie Dust on this continent. And they are still adding more everday. I would have loved to see the "Ice Castle". And I hope they do it when we make it back for Xmas 20??. I am also interested in seeing the revamped Pleasure Island, and the T-Rex Cafe. OK, I amdit it, I'm just an amusement park zealot, and Otown is my Mecca.
Originally Posted By mstaft "OK, I amdit it, I'm just an amusement park zealot, and Otown is my Mecca." I'm totally with you on this one. As an ex-DMGM cast memeber, what are your thoughts on the current state of this park- and its future? I was SO disappointed on my last visit there that I skipped it altogether in subsequent visits...
Originally Posted By dshyates In far sadder shape than IOA was on my last visit. ToT and RnR I like a lot, but DHS needs an infusion of pixie dust in a major way. And from what I hear its on the way. TSM, Disney's American Idol: Sing It! and HSM2 don't excite me at all. But they are 1000% better than empty theaters that were sitting there shuttered on my last visit. And even though I'm am not a SW fan, the Lucasland rumor sounds good with the STv2 upgrade with the glasses free 3-D. And for its own sake they need to just shoot the Backstage Tram Tour and put it out of its misery.
Originally Posted By jonvn Um.... In any case, if you are going for the first time, you do not need to see IOA. You just stay on property, in a hotel/motel that you can afford, get park hoppers, and use extra magical hours when you can. The dining plan is handy IF you think you can benefit from it. Plan ahead on restaurants, because they may fill up when you are there. You can make reservations ahead of time. There are many excellent restaurants ate WDW, in the hotels, in the parks. The food at WDW, even at the lowest levels, simply blows away anything at Disneyland, to the degree of it being hard to believe they are even the same company. Dining is really one of the fun parts of going there, actually. So, to sum up, first time you go, let disney do everything. If you go a few more times, and you probably will, in subsequent trips go see other things like IOA (which is not something everyone absolutely loves), and the Kennedy Space Center. Maybe you'll want to eventually branch out into a Disney Cruise/WDW combo package. But many people simply go to WDW, stay there for a week, and never leave it. They use the WDW transit system, which is as large as any metropolitan transit system, and free. It is literally a city unto itself. OF course not everything is going to be perfect there. And the complaints you hear about things are coming from those who have gone a lot. But for your first visit, ignore that stuff. You will simply be stunned and amazed at the place, and you will wonder why you haven't been going all along.
Originally Posted By woody >>You will simply be stunned and amazed at the place, and you will wonder why you haven't been going all along.<< WDW is nice, but it is better to visit and along with other places on the same trip. 8 days is a long trip. You won't be able to fill out all your time there. Another thing, I hate the new ticket policy. It makes it expensive to park hop. If you want to visit between 3 to 5 days, the prices are ridiculous. With the new policy, I only want to visit 2 days and visit other parks (Universal, Sea World, Space Center) on the other days.
Originally Posted By dshyates Sorry about the tangent, but I agree with jonvn. First trip: stay on-pro, which you are. I wouldn't rent a car or leave property, especially since you are open to parasailing, Cirque, and all WDW has to offer. In June it will be as big a pain to get to your car via parking lot trams as it is to catch the hotel shuttle. And I can almost guarantee that you will so blown away with the place you will be planning your next visit while still on this trip. "OOOOh, next time I want to stay there." "OOOOOh, those water mice are so cute, I can't decide. Water Mouse or Parasailing. Since we have parasailing ressie for this trip the mice will have to wait til next time". Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. "Wow, I can't believe we didn't hit a single attraction in WS@EPCOT, well next time." You will spend 8 days there running like dogs, and when you leave you will be stunned at how much of the place you didn't see.
Originally Posted By danyoung >8 days is a long trip. You won't be able to fill out all your time there.< I could not disagree more, woody. I can easily fill up 8 days and more, and I've been to the World dozens of times. For a newbie, 8 days will be really nice to mix park storming with hanging at their hotel/pool and maybe touring the other hotels and Downtown Disney. And even then I can guarantee that they'll wish they had at least 1 or 2 more days!
Originally Posted By jonvn I think getting a car is not worthwhile, either. Just use the transit system there. It's very effective. The only thing is that at the end of the day you have to wait in line to use it once the park is closed, but the line does go quickly, as they have an astonishing number of busses. As Dan says, by the time you get to your car, drive it out of the lot to your hotel, park and go in, you'll probably have taken up as much time if not more doing that than just waiting for the bus or boat or monorail.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 My take on IOA... eh. I love coasters, and IOA has two fine coasters. Spiderman is a truly great attraction. And they have several others that are good. But the atmosphere is never truly magical. There's a lot of exposed backstage and the sort of thing people complain about DCA for. And the fact that every land has a fantastical theme I think is a defect - there's no Main Street or NOS to provide a sort of "grounding" or reality (albeit highly stylized reality). It's fun. It's way more pleasant than six flags (if not as coaster-ific). But for non-Disney parks I'll take either the better integrated atmosphere of BGW, the unapologetic iron of Cedar point, or the laid back family-run vibe of something like Holiday World. But you do have to give it to Spiderman.
Originally Posted By dshyates Dabob2 I do believe this is the very thing TWWoHP will bring to the table. Particularly during the Holidays. The Universal resort is solid, but lacks charm. And I'm a big fan of the 3 other parks you listed for the exact same reasons. But when IOA came to town the one thing Orlando lacked was coasters. Big, state of the art coasters. They are adding one now to USF. Orlando still doesn't have a good "woody".
Originally Posted By Mr X **In any case, if you are going for the first time, you do not need to see IOA.** I would disagree, if someone liked roller coasters or even wanted to check out something *gasp* besides Disney on their trip. But I mentioned a trip to the ocean a while back and was rebuked, so I suppose my idea of a nice trip to central Florida differs from most people around here.
Originally Posted By dshyates I don't disagree with you at all Mr. X. I would just save the other stuff for a later trip. For a first time WDW experience I would just let Disney do it all. I would suggest a Universal trip as a second visit. Where you stay at one of the Uni resorts, ( I love the Royal Pacific and Portofino Bay) and since Uni only has 2 parks and little non-park related resort activities there is more free time to include Sea World W/Aquatica, and then move down to St. Pete for beach/ BGA. I love central FL. But for someones first visit I stand by the recommendation to "live the magic".
Originally Posted By Mr X dsh, I guess I've just been around too many people who get obsessed with the whole "on property" thing. I had family who were staying at the Contemporary (I was living in Kissimmee), and I offered to drive them to a nice restaurant for dinner one night (maybe crossroads or somewhere else nearby). They declined, not wishing to go "off property" under any circumstances. However, they did eat (frequently) at the absolutely AWFUL Contemporary food court which at the time resembled a typical workplace cafeteria. Yeah, that's MUCH better.
