Disneyworld advice?

[Ed_McCarron]

Our family is staying at the 'all star music' resort in June.  We got the meal plan.  I'll let you know if it was worth it.

We did book thru AAA.  Saved about 300 bux off of Disney's price.

[Chris G]

Daytona, Kokomo, Clearwater are a couple of hours drive and we usually spend one day at the beach. Not to mention Cape Canaveral(kennedy Space Center)

If we have time we're going to try and hit the Kennedy Center at least.

Our family is staying at the 'all star music' resort in June.  We got the meal plan.  I'll let you know if it was worth it.

We did book thru AAA.  Saved about 300 bux off of Disney's price.

Ya we're thinking about doing the meal plan too so do let me know - thanks.

[ChadTower]

We avoided the meal plan and loaded up on the breakfast that came with our hotel room.  Then we brought snacks and water bottles to the parks with us so that we only needed to buy one meal a day at the park, then had a late dinner back at the hotel, often of PB+J.

Yeah, we cut a lot of corners, but we were able to stay a couple extra days because of it.

[Ed_McCarron]

The 'catch' with the meal plan as I see...

You have to buy at least a 1 day park pass to get the meal plan.  We've got passes from last time down there (~2 years ago...) that have 3 days left on each.  My wife and I will  still have to buy 1 day park passes to get the 3 days worth of meal plans we wanted to buy.

Each day, you get (1) Counter Service Meal, (1) Snack, and (1) Table Service Meal.  You can burn 'em all as you want - no restrictions on how many you can use a day.  Character meals will burn (2) table service meals.

Chad, if I'm on vacation, I'm relaxing.  I don't want to have to make PB&J sandwiches.  I work hard, I figure I deserve to blow some cash eating every meal where someone else has to clean up.

[boykster]

The 'catch' with the meal plan as I see...

You have to buy at least a 1 day park pass to get the meal plan.  We've got passes from last time down there (~2 years ago...) that have 3 days left on each.  My wife and I will  still have to buy 1 day park passes to get the 3 days worth of meal plans we wanted to buy.

Each day, you get (1) Counter Service Meal, (1) Snack, and (1) Table Service Meal.  You can burn 'em all as you want - no restrictions on how many you can use a day.  Character meals will burn (2) table service meals.

Chad, if I'm on vacation, I'm relaxing.  I don't want to have to make PB&J sandwiches.  I work hard, I figure I deserve to blow some cash eating every meal where someone else has to clean up.

must resist the quote mangle.......

 

[ChadTower]

Chad, if I'm on vacation, I'm relaxing.  I don't want to have to make PB&J sandwiches.  I work hard, I figure I deserve to blow some cash eating every meal where someone else has to clean up.

Try relaxing now and understand I was just telling you what we did.  I don't consider it work to make a sandwich and it dramatically reduced food costs for four people.  Plus I like PB+J.

[Chris G]

I loves me a good sammich!   

... but some of the restaurants look pretty damn good too.

My wife got a vacation planning DVD in the mail from Disney yesterday so guess what I got to do last night... happy-happy-joy-joy!

[Ed_McCarron]

Boykster, go away.

Chad, relax, they aren't all personal attacks.  I was simply stating that while on vacation I do not care to have to prepare food.  If it means I get to eat out for all meals, I'll save an extra $20 a week for the year.

That said, I prefer the fluffernutter.

[tk_42_1]

Local FL resident here that has the FL resident annual pass. 

The prices for food at Disney are a bit inflated.  If you can get stuff off site they have no problem with you bringing some stuff into the park.  I don't think you can get away with carrying a full Pizza Hut pizza box in but me and the wife had Chick-fil-a cups when we went this last Tuesday and had water bottles in your backpack and they didn't bat an eye at us.

Also, as an FYI, Disney doesn't have Sweet n low (the pink stuff) any more.  They do still have Spenda(yellow) and Nutrasweet(blue.)  Found that as being really strange, but the guy who was filling the condiment island told us, the pink stuff didn't move.

[boykster]

Boykster, go away.

How should I go away Oh Lord?

 

[ChadTower]

  If it means I get to eat out for all meals, I'll save an extra $20 a week for the year.

That said, I prefer the fluffernutter.

Fair enough.  Difference of preference.  I rarely find eating out all that relaxing.  I'd rather just get the meal done with and move on.  It worked out perfectly for us that way, too, since after 10+ hours of wandering around the parks, we had no patience left for waiting in a restaurant.  We just wanted to chow and crash.

[Ed_McCarron]

Boykster, go away.

How should I go away Oh Lord?

 

Oh, don't grovel!

One thing I can't stand, it's people groveling.

And don't avert your eyes.  It's like those miserable Psalms-- they're so depressing.

Now, knock it off!

[Ed_McCarron]

Ya we're thinking about doing the meal plan too so do let me know - thanks.

I survived the mouse.

Meal plan - DO IT.  I gotta get the exact price off of my wife, (think it was $30/adult/day) and less for the 3YO.

Heres the skinny:

FOr your $30(ish), you get (1) Counter meal, (1) Snack, and (1) Sit down meal.

Typical day, 1 person.

COunter meal - Entree, beverage, desert:  $20
Table Service meal - we used ours for the character dinners.  Most char meals were only one meal on the plan. $40-50
Snack - $3-5.

Basically, for 5 days, we spent about $350-$400 in meal plan.  When I asked the front desk for a totalized usage, the total we would have spent came to over $600.

Its probably the only place you can beat the mouse.

Best Disney moment that'll never make TV.

We go to the new "Monsters Inc" show.  SOme kind of CG interactive thing.  Its dark, the CG Emcee comes on and starts interacting with people in the audience.  THey get flashed up on the big screens.  A guy jams a mic in their face and they get asked questions.

Heres the kicker:  My wife decides to take advantage of the dark and starts feeding our 8 month old.  2 minutes in, shes blinded by a spotlight, and is on the big screen in front of 300+ people yanking a kid out from under her shirt.  SHe did manage not to flash anyone, but I don't think I've ever seen her blush that hard.

Priceless.

[Chris G]

   Nice story.  Sounds like an asshat was involved.   

Thanks for following up about the meal plan.  We had decided to do it, so I'm glad to know we made the right choice.

Chris

[boykster]

this subject is worthless without pics 

glad you saved some $$ with the meal plans, sounds like a dealio.

[Chris G]

What an idiot.  I completely forgot to reread this thread before we left, so we didn't make it to Islands of Adventure, didn't make it to the Earl of Sandwich (or make PB&J's!), and didn't check out the arcade. 

We ended up going December 30th through January 8th.  At the beginning, it seemed like it was going to be way too much time, but it moved along nicely after that.  Even with that many days, we still didn't end up doing everything we wanted, though that had a lot to do with sleeping in late and general slackitude.  By staying at a Disney property, we were able to take advantage of the extended park hours, which was nice.

Day 1: Magic Kingdom; Downtown Disney at night
Day 2: Magic Kingdom; Epcot for New Year's Eve
Day 3: Epcot
Day 4: MGM (sucked)
Day 5: Animal Kingdom
Day 6: Downtown Disney; Magic Kingdom
Day 7: Magic Kingdom; watched football
Day 8: Kennedy Space Center
Day 9: Typhoon Lagoon; boardwalk at night
Day 10: Animal Kingdom

My favorite ride: Buzz Lightyear.  It's basically a giant video game.
Wife's favorite rides: Everest and Aerosmith rollercoasters

The weather was 50-50.  First day was nice, then it rained for a couple of days, then it was freezing, then it warmed up the last 3 days.  Definitely didn't pack enough warm clothes.

The fireworks show at Epcot on New Year's Eve was incredible.

Food prices were ridiculous, so I'm very glad we bought the dining plan.  I think it cost around $700 (hard to tell since it was all part of a package), and we ate well over $1000 worth.  The only problem is that it was actually too much food, especially the desserts.  You got one with every meal.  Quality was mixed.

Transportation was good.  The buses ran often, but I was surprised how far away from everything we were, even while staying at a Disney hotel.  We rode the boat a couple times too, which was pretty cool.

[Chris G]

Picture of the Port Orleans Riverside where we stayed.

[Chris G]

Inside the Animal Kingdom Lodge, where I would like to have stayed.  Pricey!

[Chris G]

Lights at MGM.

[Chris G]

Snow White's castle lit up.  Very cool.

[Chris G]

One of my favorites.  The Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom.  145 feet tall, 325 animals "carved" into the trunk, 3D movie theater inside.

[ChadTower]

Dude!  Islands of Adventure is the best park there!