A frequent visitor's guide to DisneyWorld (Walt Disney World Resort Florida in general)

Name: Newfloridian

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Product:	Walt Disney World Resort Florida in general
Date:	02/12/03 (1219 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's big, it's magical, it's the eighth wonder of the modern world

Disadvantages: It's a long way away; it needs careful planning to appreciate fully

please skip this first bit to be able to read the review with capital letters intact.
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My screen name should give an indication that although I come from the UK side of the pond, I have some predilection for the Sunshine State. I have spent many happy holidays in an
d around Walt DisneyWorld (WDW) in Florida. My first visit was back in 1980 and this year will mark my twenty fifth return. During that time I have seen, done and worn most of the T-shirts and have also explored many of the bits that one-time visitors just don't have the time to see and would not think to ask about. This review is something of a retrospective on my part but I also hope that I can pass on a hint or two that may make someone's next trip that little bit more entertaining.

FIRST THINGS FIRST.

This section contains some comments about holidays in Florida in general. The frequent visitor can certainly skip over this part as it should be 'old hat' by now. However it is easy to forget the hopes, excitement, misinformation and misconceptions that can attach to a first holiday in the "Vacation Capital of the World". So, here are a few thoughts.

The weather.

Florida is hot, and in the summer it gets hotter. The sun is unexpectedly strong. The August afternoon temperature is around the low 90ºs (F). January and February is more temperate but sometimes sees frost. Florida is wet - particularly from May to October. Although you are unlikely to get caught up in a hurricane (they usually hit the Carolina coast on the Atlantic or the Texas and Missouri coast in the Gulf of Mexico), you can expect heavy thunder showers most days.

The State

Saying that you are going to Florida for your vacation is like saying you're going to England. Florida is BIG (not far off the size of England from north to south). Although everywhere is connected by a very extensive system of Interstate Highways (motorways), distances are deceptive. Miami to Orlando: 228; Orlando to St Petersburg: 85 m
iles;
Tampa to Naples: 160 miles; Miami to Key West: 185 miles. Beware of package tours that offer trips from (say) Miami Beach to WDW one day and to Key
West the next.

Orlando

Metropolitan Orlando is a sprawling city which is still expanding very rapidly. It is now served by two airports that receive international flights. The main one - Orlando International Airport - lies just to the south of the city and is connected to the motorway system (and WDW directly) by a toll road expressway. The other - Sanford, to which many charters fly - is about forty miles to the north.

Hire car

Of course you want to be able to get around in Florida. Driving (for the most part) could not be easier. The cars are all automatics. They drive on the wrong(!) side of the road but most roads are dual carriageways. Roundabouts are a rarity. You can make a right turn at a junction when the light is red unless specifically instructed not to.

Be very careful that you have the right documents with you and insurance arranged before you go. You will need LDW (loss damage waiver) and are strongly advised to take SLI (supplementary liability insurance - personal injury etc). You will need to pay a variety of airport, transfer and sales taxes. If you end up paying for them when you arrive it can double the cost of car hire. Check this with your travel agent before you go and if you have access to the internet, have a look at (say) Dollar's premium offer which covers everything - and is much cheaper than they can offer in Florida.

Be also aware that some hire depots (Alamo for instance) are deceptively out of the airport and requires a bus trip. Imagine what that is like when a full Jumbo disgorges its load. Cars which can be picked up from the Airport car park include Dollar, Avis, National, Hertz and Budget.


WALT DISNEYWORLD, FLORIDA

The first thing to realise is the sheer size of the place. Alton Towers
this is n
ot! Incorporating forty three and a half square miles it spreads across two of Florida-s counties (Orange and Osceola) and the Tampa to Daytona I-4 (inter
state) highway runs through it. There are four major theme parks (Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and World Showcase, MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom), three water parks (Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, River Country), Downtown Disney (a shopping village and nightlife area), eighteen - at the last count - resort hotels, each with up to 1800 bedrooms, self catering villas, a camp site, every conceivable sports activity (golf courses, mini golf, water sports, cycling etc), a comprehensive transport system (monorail, bus, ferry) and a modern residential town (Celebration). It employs 60,000 people many of whom are part time. WDW has an active student work placement scheme encouraging young people to spend a year in a cosmopolitan environment.

When to go.

Florida in general and WDW in particular is busy throughout the year. June and July seem to be peak times for Japanese and South American tour groups. Can you imagine upwards of 100 people all dressed in the same coloured T-shirt, carrying same coloured bags, pushing same coloured pushchairs following guides carrying same coloured flags all converging on the same attraction?. However, bear in mind that American children return to school around August 15th. Other peak times are Easter, Christmas, July 4th weekend and Thanksgiving (end of November). Rates are cheaper and queues tend to be shorter outside of these times.

Where to stay

The first (and probably the most significant) decision you can make is your choice of hotel. Most package tours offer accommodation 'Near the Main Gate' or on International Drive. If the main focus of your stay is WDW itself then you will score considerable advantages by staying 'on property' (ie in one of the hotels within the grounds). These hotels come in all sizes, facilities
and prices. Th
e cost may be higher but will be repaid many times over in the course of the stay.
- A dedicated free transport service from the hotel and around WDW. You
are never more than one change of vehicle from your front door to your destination anywhere in the park.
- Your room key can be used as a charge card around WDW
- Guests staying 'on property' get early entry into a park each day an hour ahead of other visitors
- Your telephone is a direct link to the Disney Dining booking service. Reserve your lunch or dinner places before leaving for the parks.
- Easy to have a break from the park at your hotel in the heat of the day and return for the evening activities. This is particularly important if you have young children in your party.
- Free car parking: it takes about an hour to get from a hotel on I-Drive, negotiate the traffic, finding a space and parking in the fee-paying car park and be transported into the park of your choice.
- If you won't travel much further or don't want to drive you can arrange collections to and from the Airport by Meers Transportation in their distinctive yellow coaches.
- A daily and weekly 'what's on' guide in your hotel room.
- If you want to do a little shopping, there is a new Publix supermarket behind the outlet mall on the other side of I-4 (bigger and cheaper than Goodings in Crossroads)

With small children, closest to the Magic Kingdom are the Polynesian Resort, the Contemporary Resort and Winderness Lodge. If you want to go self-catering, the Treehouse Villas can be fun (if somewhat spartan)- shades of Swiss Family Robinson. Alternatively have a look at the Old Key West Resort which has an active childrens' entertainment programme.

Once you have found your feet at WDW, how about taking away 'A Piece Of The Magic'? Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is their own vacation ownership experience. It was founded in 1992 and
has about 30,000 fam
ily members worldwide (the second highest level of ownership is from the UK). You buy a real estate interest in one of their resorts (at one time I owned 01.7% of b
uilding 15 at Old Key West Resort). For this you are given a number of vacation points every year which you can exchange for vacation days. There a
re now five resorts in WDW that are all or part Vacation Club based with further resorts in Vero Beach and Carolina. You can also swap your points for cruises on the Disney Cruise Line and stays at many other resorts and hotels around the world. There are DVC information kiosks in every theme park. If you are interested you MUST make a prior appointment, there is no high pressure selling.

The Parks

There is a confusing variety of entrance tickets and prices. Travel agents will try to sell multi-entry tickets before you leave the UK. A one day ticket will allow you to go into just one park. 'Park Hopper' passes have a 3-, 4- or 5- day validity and allow the holder to move from park to park and use the WDW transport system. 'On property' hotels offer 'Length of Stay' passes which include the afternoon of your first day and the morning that you leave.

There are also some ticket offers which are not well advertised. If you are likely to go to DWD more than once, consider an annual pass. We spent 10 days there in late August 2001, a weekend in February 2002 and two weeks at the end of July 2002 - a total of 26 days. The adult cost was $285 plus tax (about the same price as an 11 day 'Length of Stay' pass. The annual pass also entitles discounts at a number of attractions (50% on mini golf admission) and restaurants; and 10% off merchandise at Disney Village. Annual pass holders also have access to their own restricted lounge with refreshments and facilities (last year this was in the Land Pavillion in EPCOT)

Each park is large. The Magic Kingdom is six mini-park
s in one (Main Street USA
, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Mickey'sToon Town. Remember that parts of a park may not open when the main gates open (World Showcase ope
ns one hour after EPCOT). If you are starting your visit in the morning, go to the furthest part of the park and work backwards. If you visit in the evening, start at the beginning. Bear in mind that each park has its own street parade and most have firework displays. The rides are usually quiet during these times.

The major rides nowadays run a 'Fast Pass' system - you take a ticket from a machine and return at the stated time, joining a fast track queue which takes you straight onto the ride. However, Disney in particular has made queuing an art form, incorporating it into the story of the ride and in many cases you will miss the full impact with the 'Fast Pass'.

At one time, WDW declared that completion of a circuit of the three Magic Kingdom mountains ('Space', 'Big Thunder', 'Splash) - Mountain Mania.

Until the opening of 'Test Track' at EPCOT, the fastest ride in DWD was the monorail system. There are three lines - two circling Bay lake, one going from the Ticket and Transport Centre at the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT Center. Each monorail train is known by the colour of the stripe down its side. Most casual visitors cram themselves onto the anti-clockwise monorail. Try taking the clockwise one (stops at Magic Kingdom, Contemporary Resort, Ticket and Transport, Polynesian Resort and Grand Floridian). If you are quick, you can ask to ride in the front compartment with the driver - great fun for the kids of all ages.

Try 'themed' travel. How far can you get around WDW (and where would you visit) travelling only on water?

What else is there to see?

There are a myriad of little things to see and do that are not obvious. For the last two years, Disney Pin Trader
s have run a flourishing busin
ess. Enamel broaches featuring Disney characters, places, hotels are bought, sold and swapped. Many are cheap and commonplace but some have only limited issue or circulation.


The old replica paddle steamer at Downtown Disney now owned by Fulton's Crabhouse was originally a floating restaurant called 'Empress Lily' - named after Walt Disney's wife. It required gentlemen to wear jacket and tie.

Instead of standing out in one of the parks for the fireworks, try a firework dinner.
- book a meal at the Hollywood Brown Derby, get a reserved seat for Fantasmic - MGM Studios
- eat at the restaurant at the Japanese Pavilion, EPCOT; see the fireworks from the balcony.
- Book early (several days before) at the California Grill, Contemporary Resort for a rooftop - view of all the displays or Narcoosie's, Grand Floridian Hotel for views across the lake.
- Consider also a night time cruise out onto Bay Lake to watch the fireworks.

Your Concierge desk at the hotel (or Guest Services at the Park entrance) is also a valuable source of information. They usually choose a guest family to ride with the Main Street Parade each day. Children may also be invited to take part in the little pageants such as the Independent Parade outside the American Experience in World Showcase.

Try one of the (half or one day) back stage tours. These are rarely advertised and small parties are escort around the parks by a senior staff member, demonstrating areas of interest, discussing Disney history and trivia, answering questions of forthcoming plans and attractions. The majority of our fellow travellers were also dedicated Disneyphiles and we were delighted to swap experiences and little-known facts. Our 'Behind The Magic Tour' included the following:
The workings of the American Adventure animatronics at EPCOT.
A walk inside the dinosaur exhibit of the EXXON World of Energ
y at EPCOT
A tour of the staff
areas and underground corridors in the Magic Kingdom.
The Christmas factory - the preparation and storage of Christmas decorations throughout the Disney empire is a year long
activity.
The costume shop were clothing for the staff, parades and other attractions are designed and made.
The Spectromagic parade. It is surprising how flimsy these magical vehicles and costumes are up close - constructed of string, wires and sellotape.
The executive dining rooms at the Coral Seas Restaurant, EPCOT
We were also treated to a lunch in the Italian restaurant in MGM Studios and were given a commemorative limited pin badge.


Little extras

Parents with young children have the ideal place to deposit the little ones for an evening so that they can enjoy a short time to themselves. Apply to the Neverland Club at the Polynesian Resort - and believe me with free films, all-you-can-eat suppers, free video games and character visits you'll have difficulty prizing them out again.

Do you have a favourite character? Do your children? You can dine (breakfast or dinner) with Mickey or Winnie the Pooh at a variety of the restaurants in the parks or the hotels. You WILL need to book well in advance to avoid disappointment.

Wherever you look you will see 'hidden Mickeys'. Many are obvious (the cut of the picket fences, the topiary, the shape of the butter in the restaurants); many are not (there are three rotating spotlights in the Land pavilion - EPCOT the beams of which occasionally come together on the floor to make a Mickey head - but you can only see it from the upper balcony)

Take (or buy) an autograph book. Keep an eye open whenever or wherever you go. You never know when you might see Miss Piggy or Captain Hook ready to shake a hand or sign an autograph. EPCOT has its own character (Figment). The Grand Floridian features Henry Morrison Flagler - the oil magnate
and railroad baron - who opened up tour
ism in Florida in the 1890s.

Give the kids a Passport and hunt out the "Visa" stations to get it stamped at each of the pavillions in World Showcase. Collect a set
of commemorative flags of the world pin badges.

Not a credit or a charge card but the Magic Kingdom Club has its own Gold Card which gives a 10% discount off merchandise in Disney Village and Disney Stores around the world. There is also a club magazine which arrives by post every three months.

Do you want to leave behind a little memento of your visit? Have a look at Disney's "Walk Around The World". This is a walkway that stretches around Bay Lake and is made up of hexagonal paving slabs which are fired with personal details of guests over the years. I now have two! EPCOT also has a memorial set up where holographic photographs of guests are etched onto metal plaques and set into marble columns.

It is now possible to "tie the knot" in WDW. There is a Wedding Pavillion on the shore of Bay Lake adjacent to the Grand Floridian Resort. The bride can even arrive in Cinderella's Glass Coach.

Let them know at the time of the booking that there is a special occasion and they will do their best to make your stay special. Children staying at the Contemporary Resort at Christmas time are given milk and cookies to leave out for Santa and the reindeer.

The official bank of WDW is SunTrust; the charge card is American Express. Of course Mastercard and Visa are also accepted.

FINALE

If you think that you can see and do 'Disney' in a three day visit, think again. I have been going for 25 years and I find something new every time I go. If you have any Disney Secrets that I haven't mentioned why not let me know about them in a comment.

Have a nice day!

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