Overwhelmed with planning - first time, need help

[Jacq7414]

In the MDE app, I don’t see any option for FP+ unless a ticket is linked to it. How would I know what’s avaible before I book? Is there a way?

Since this is last minute, a few questions about June or Memorial Day, will these times be very crowded? Vs October when schools will be open?

Thinking of doing two trips one now and one in beginning of October if I can get decent hotel prices.

I and the kids don’t have patience so not sure how they will stand in line for even 20 min.

The distance between the hotels and parks with bus is it really 15-20min?

You can google “fastpass availability” and there are sites with FP+ times that are available for each park on a day of your choice. Not sure if we are able to link them.

The rides never really seemed that long for me. It was really easy to navigate

 

[VAfamily1998]

In the MDE app, I don’t see any option for FP+ unless a ticket is linked to it. How would I know what’s avaible before I book? Is there a way?

Since this is last minute, a few questions about June or Memorial Day, will these times be very crowded? Vs October when schools will be open?

Thinking of doing two trips one now and one in beginning of October if I can get decent hotel prices.

I and the kids don’t have patience so not sure how they will stand in line for even 20 min.

The distance between the hotels and parks with bus is it really 15-20min?

The distance between hotels and parks will depend on the hotel and the park.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

1. In the MDE app, I don’t see any option for FP+ unless a ticket is linked to it. How would I know what’s avaible before I book? Is there a way?

2. Since this is last minute, a few questions about June or Memorial Day, will these times be very crowded? Vs October when schools will be open?

Thinking of doing two trips one now and one in beginning of October if I can get decent hotel prices.

3. I and the kids don’t have patience so not sure how they will stand in line for even 20 min.

4. The distance between the hotels and parks with bus is it really 15-20min?

1. MDE won't let you in FP till your booking date. I was lucky that I was able to go in LONG before mine, but that was one of the famous glitches MDE is known for. Since I could only see 30 days out, it really wasn't a huge help, but the below site was!

https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/fastpass_plus_availability.php

That link is under my username, so you'll have to make up your own to see the FP availability. That site was a HUGE help to me before my 60 days came up. I will tell you that rides like SDD, 7DMT, and FoP you probably won't be able to get with a trip only 2 or 3 weeks away. However, you could very well grab those FPs the day of. Many people change their plans so FPs will open up the day you're in the park.

2. I've never been myself, but remember reading here where Memorial Day weekend can be fairly busy in May

3. If you use the FPs wisely, you shouldn't have to do any standby lines at all. 30 minutes is the most I'll wait in line. I ONLY use standby lines when I'm trying to cool down from the heat and the ride has an indoor queue. It really does help and stops me and family from being cranky from the heat.

4. That all depends on what hotel you are staying at and what park you are trying to get to.

 

[thor369]

I will check the FP+ online and see what’s avaible.

We are considering POP and someone recommended the POFQ.

If it’s going to be really really hot now then we will postpone to October if that’s a bit cooler. We want the little one to enjoy and not look for restaurants with ac to cool off.

Is it better to get a park hopper ticket?
If we get there during check in time should we start our ticket from the next day onwards? And the same for the day we are flying out?

Do people take a shuttle from airport to resort? Or Uber or lyft. If so and we won’t be bringing our car seats. Would that be ok to have kids sit on our laps?

 

[Nancyg56]

In the MDE app, I don’t see any option for FP+ unless a ticket is linked to it. How would I know what’s avaible before I book? Is there a way?

Since this is last minute, a few questions about June or Memorial Day, will these times be very crowded? Vs October when schools will be open?

Thinking of doing two trips one now and one in beginning of October if I can get decent hotel prices.

I and the kids don’t have patience so not sure how they will stand in line for even 20 min.

The distance between the hotels and parks with bus is it really 15-20min?

I think no matter when you go, you and the kids need to pack your patience. If you choose October it will be busy. October used to be slower however DIsney has done a great job of adding events such as Food and Wine and Mickeys Halloween party to boost attendance, and that really increases the folks in parks and restaurants.

WHen I take young ones I am sure to work with them to increase their ability to wait. WE go to restaurnats to practice their good manners. WE shop and they learn how to build their self control. Little things that add up in time.

I will check the FP+ online and see what’s avaible.

We are considering POP and someone recommended the POFQ.

If it’s going to be really really hot now then we will postpone to October if that’s a bit cooler. We want the little one to enjoy and not look for restaurants with ac to cool off.

Is it better to get a park hopper ticket?
If we get there during check in time should we start our ticket from the next day onwards? And the same for the day we are flying out?

Do people take a shuttle from airport to resort? Or Uber or lyft. If so and we won’t be bringing our car seats. Would that be ok to have kids sit on our laps?

October is hot. There is no getting around the FL heat, and while it may be less humid that's SUmmertime, it still gets hot in the sun. I like it way better than July or August though.

I also like hoppers but I do not think they are necessary and would book an extra day over using a hopper every time.

We use DIney's magical express from teh airport which is "complimentary" for every onsite guest. WE also use Lyft or Uber if we want to avoid using WDW transportation from resort to resort, however we look at the bus transportaion as part of the vacation. I like it.

When you plan, know that location will equal cost so I would spend time ont he website just tinkering around to plan a ballpark budget for any level of resort. If you add a package you can have an idea about food costs, although that really fluctuates from family to family.

ALso, head over to touringplans.com and start building a model trip planner. WDW parks are deceptive n regards to size and distance between attractions or restaurants. WE never use a touring plan we only decide which park per day and what direction we plan to turn, but by using the planner you can get familiar with the size and distances in any given park.

 

[thor369]

First week of June will it be super crowded and really hot and muggy? Or somewhat tolerable?

What are something to do for boys, 5 year old must see attractions so I can focus on that. For the 2 year old I am not sure if there is any ride catered towards them.

Can we request a crib for the room?

 

[Jacq7414]

First week of June will it be super crowded and really hot and muggy? Or somewhat tolerable?

What are something to do for boys, 5 year old must see attractions so I can focus on that. For the 2 year old I am not sure if there is any ride catered towards them.

Can we request a crib for the room?

There’s tons of rides for a 2 year old. Dumbo, Peter Pan, little mermaid, small world, magic carpets of Aladdin, etc. we did a lot with our 2 year old.

 

[Klayfish]

I will check the FP+ online and see what’s avaible.

We are considering POP and someone recommended the POFQ.

If it’s going to be really really hot now then we will postpone to October if that’s a bit cooler. We want the little one to enjoy and not look for restaurants with ac to cool off.

Is it better to get a park hopper ticket?
If we get there during check in time should we start our ticket from the next day onwards? And the same for the day we are flying out?

Do people take a shuttle from airport to resort? Or Uber or lyft. If so and we won’t be bringing our car seats. Would that be ok to have kids sit on our laps?

Do NOT rely on those links to tell you what's available. FP+ availability can literally change second to second. Those sites, just like crowd calendars, really don't have value. They can make some general statements, but you may wind up quite disappointed if you rely on them to specifically tell you what attraction is available when.

Generally speaking, most attractions will have some FP+ availability, except for the most popular ones. There are "advanced" techniques to use the MDE system and get FP+ for pretty much anything, but you need to do some studying (it's called "refresh")

June is hot, it's Florida in summer, but it's not exceptionally crowded. However, such much of WDW is air conditioned that you can plan your day and avoid lots of heat exposure.

Yes, it can take 20 minutes to get from a park to a hotel...or longer.

If your kids can't wait in any line for 20 minutes, you may really struggle. Unless you're a wizard with MDE, which does take studying and knowledge, you're bound to have some 20-30 minute waits. We consider ourselves pretty advanced with MDE, and never wait more than 30 minutes, but 20 minutes is pretty common.

 

[MainMom]

In the MDE app, I don’t see any option for FP+ unless a ticket is linked to it. How would I know what’s avaible before I book? Is there a way?

Since this is last minute, a few questions about June or Memorial Day, will these times be very crowded? Vs October when schools will be open?

Thinking of doing two trips one now and one in beginning of October if I can get decent hotel prices.

I and the kids don’t have patience so not sure how they will stand in line for even 20 min.

The distance between the hotels and parks with bus is it really 15-20min?

20 minutes is not long for a theme park wait. What were you envisioning? Also these lines (ques) are not typically like lines at six flags. They are themed. There is stuff to look at. Some even have games and other things to play with. Plus just the excitement of being there helps the time go quickly.

The transportation at WDW is very efficient. We used to stay exclusively at Pop Century. My kids started staying there since age 3. They are now 17 & 13 and my 17 year old has informed me that it’s not a WDW trip if she doesn’t get to ride the busses.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

We never have issues with ride time I guess, the last three times I have been on weeks that it was not super busy, we are rope drop people and the last one to walk out. ( the first year we went it was all planned out) we buy when we get to orlando now. I make fp reservations the day before/ at the park. So I guess we are just lucky.

 

[thor369]

That's great to hear, I don't mind 20 min, specially if there are things to look at, and thanks for the perspective comparing it with six flags.

I now, need to decide between POP or some other resort? considering swan and dolphin to get some more space.

Can we take our strollers? one regular and one umbrella?

What is the preferred way to get to the resort from the airport? shuttle service? do they offer car seats?

 

[Klayfish]

Yes, you can bring your strollers. A lot of people do (we always did). You can rent them too, but they're expensive so my opinion is to just bring your own. Only thing to note is that umbrella strollers, which we used plenty, usually have small and cheap plastic wheels. WDW is huge...no wait, insanely big...so you may find a stroller with larger wheels is easier to push around for days on end. Again, don't get me wrong, we have used umbrella strollers, but large wheel ones are much easier.

You can't compare WDW to Six Flags (we season pass members at the one here in Atlanta), it's apples and oranges. The queues at WDW, as noted, are themed and can be interactive. They're something to look at if nothing else. Very well done.

WDW offers "The Magical Express" service from the airport to the property. We drive to WDW, and we also stay off property in a rental house, so I can't tell you a ton about it but I know it's what a ton of people use. Very nice looking tour buses.

 

[thor369]

@Klayfish - Thanks for the info in the PM as well. and all this additional information.
I am getting some good rates at the swan and dolphin from May 26th for 5 nights for around $190 a night. pretty close to the POP rates, but from what I have read, the rooms are bigger and I think, our family will appreciate that.
POP resort
Pros: Disney band/magical express/theme/send purchases to resort
Cons:smaller room

Swan/Dolphin
Pros: bigger room/same price as value resort/walking distance to two Parks/boat ride etc.
Cons: no MB, no magical express, no theme

Did I miss something considerable?

We can uber/lyft from the airport, not sure if uber/lyft will have car seats?

 

[LynnTH]

I have stayed at the Swan/Dolphin a couple of times. It is such a nice area with the Boardwalk right there. And love Walking/Boating to Epcot and HS. We normally stay at the Boardwalk (staying there in July) and because of the location to the 2 parks we always get Park Hoppers. So, many times we pop over to Epcot to eat (so many great places to eat in World Showcase) or pop over to HS to watch Fantasmic. Just depends on how you want to tour. There are many times when we will go to 2-3 parks in one day. (of course my kids are much older and easier to do).

Pop is nice also. And having the convenience of the Magic Band and getting the Magical Express is very nice. You just need to see what is more important.

I am pretty sure you can request an Uber with Car Seats. It may cost more but is available. Last time we stated at Swan/Dolphin I booked a towncar to pick us up at the airport. For me it was easier than figuring out where the Uber might be and then we used Uber to get back to the airport. Super Easy.

If going in June - you will want to book something really quick and get your tickets so you can get them linked and start making some Fastpasses. Not sure if it has been mentioned but getting to the parks at Rope Drop is the best way to get on a bunch of rides before the crowds come in. The first couple of hours are pretty light and you can get so much done in that time frame. Then book Fastpasses for last morning or early afternoon if they are available. Once you have used them all then you can book more (1 at a time).

 

[sponica]

@Klayfish - Thanks for the info in the PM as well. and all this additional information.
I am getting some good rates at the swan and dolphin from May 26th for 5 nights for around $190 a night. pretty close to the POP rates, but from what I have read, the rooms are bigger and I think, our family will appreciate that.
POP resort
Pros: Disney band/magical express/theme/send purchases to resort
Cons:smaller room

Swan/Dolphin
Pros: bigger room/same price as value resort/walking distance to two Parks/boat ride etc.
Cons: no MB, no magical express, no theme

Did I miss something considerable?

We can uber/lyft from the airport, not sure if uber/lyft will have car seats?

Lyft doesn't have car seats. Uber has a family option BUT it usually only comes with one car seat (also it might not be the right type). Also I believe they stopped enrolling new people into UberFamily, so the number of drivers may start dropping.

 

[thor369]

@LynnTH - yes, I need to book in the next couple days. Thinking of going now on May 26th - May 31st.
What is a rope drop, is it getting to the parks by 9am when they open?
Also, I like the idea of a towncar, need to do some more research.

 

[LynnTH]

@LynnTH - yes, I need to book in the next couple days. Thinking of going now on May 26th - May 31st.
What is a rope drop, is it getting to the parks by 9am when they open?
Also, I like the idea of a towncar, need to do some more research.

Yes. Getting to the park before they open so you can be inside as soon as they open. This in itself will be worth it to do. My kids when they were younger would be up anyway. Now, they like to sleep in but not at Disney - wasting too much valuable time in the morning.

I just put in a random date in May for Arrival/Departure with SuperShuttle (have used them before and they were great). You can do a Shared Ride with others and it was like $60 Roundtrip (total for 4). Or you can book a car just for your family - that was like $100 RT (plus tips of course). We always book the car just for us. Not sure if they have carseats but you can call and ask. Also check out Orlando Shuttle Service. They compare different companies and give you the different rates/option. I have used them before also.

I think the dates you want to go in May will be great (Except for the locals on the 26th and 27th) but you will be there before a lot of schools are out for the summer.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you are looking at renting DVC for October 2019, you are way too late. There is almost zero availability. If for October 2020, you are a bit early, contact an owner or broker no later than Oct 2019.

 

[Klayfish]

@LynnTH - yes, I need to book in the next couple days. Thinking of going now on May 26th - May 31st.
What is a rope drop, is it getting to the parks by 9am when they open?
Also, I like the idea of a towncar, need to do some more research.

Yes, the concept of rope drop is to get to the parks 30-60+ minutes before it opens so that you can get in ahead of the crowd. Some people do it, and there's nothing wrong with it. However I very much disagree with those that say it's the "best" way to do it or that you need to. Rope drop is an option, not a must, and if you know how to use FP+ well, rope drop isn't even any more productive.

 

[thor369]

Its good to know all these options ahead of time, since we are up early and on the day feel like we want to go do the rope drop, we could enjoy a few rides, specially since we are planning last minute and wont get much FP+ availability. However, now our concern is weather, end of May vs. October, October seems to be a bit cooler and also the added benefit of the Halloween decorations, on the MDE app, it says special event, does it mean separate tickets.

Also, need some guidance here, if we plan to do it twice once now and once in october, is it too close, will the kids and us feel we just came here and back here again? I am thinking that there is so much to do that there will be something to get us excited the second time around.

This is all based on our experience at smaller parks and never having been to disney.