Going To Disney World ! - Page 3

pdchristensen · 10-25-2012, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ragin Cajun

Yes and loved it...cabins are great looking BUT I think a little expensive...for example, we usually go in April to Disney, the Premium campsite is around $125/night after all taxes but the cabins are like $300/night plus taxes.

Cabins would likely be the route we take, just to eliminate travel time logistics. Is there a decent "grocery" outlet convenient to the camp ground ?

Cajun Po-Boy · 10-25-2012, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdchristensen

Cabins would likely be the route we take, just to eliminate travel time logistics. Is there a decent "grocery" outlet convenient to the camp ground ?

Yes, you'll find many of the local/national grocery stores a short trip outside the gates of Fort Wilderness, I'd say within a 3-5 mile trip. Also, for convenience of getting around the campground, you can rent their golf carts, we always do with how large and spread out the different areas are inside the campground. If you send much time inside the camp area, you'll like this option BUT usually have to reserve in advance of checking in as they go fast!

pdchristensen · 10-25-2012, 02:52 PM

Thanks,,,Thanks,,,,Thanks once again for the "tremendous" feedback.

I may even re consider hauling the trailer down to Florida now for the real Fort Wildnerness experience.

hockeytownmom · 10-25-2012, 03:31 PM

Seriously, check out Fort Fiends - Articles - Fort Fiends lots of GREAT info on cabins, golf cart rental, campsites, shopping, and awesome people as well.

JFM-jr · 10-25-2012, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdchristensen

Definitely will be at the Magic Kingdom on the evening of December 12 for the Electric Lights Parade & Wishes Fireworks display. (hold my breath the younger one will survive the fire works)

Your kids will LOVE that parade! That parade has spent a long period of time in California Disneylands Magic Kingdom and it is now back on the East coast in Orlando. Your lil one will be fine with the fireworks trust me. It is not just firewaorks it is all choreographed to music and a stage show. Tinkerbell will appear in the upper turret of the castle and fly across the park above the crowd to kick the show off your lil girl will be in awe. Another thing to check out is Mickeys very Merry Christmas Party it is a seperately ticketed event where inside magic kingdom they serve hot choclate,cookies and there are characters everywhere. My youngest is 12 years old this is the 1st year (2012) she has not been the WDW sinc she has been born. As I said me and my wife are addicts, you guys are going to have a great time.

BigJohn2 · 10-26-2012, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdchristensen

Thanks.....I heard they may have put an end to riding in the monorail front end after an accident a few years back ? Which parade & train station are you referring to - Is it in a theme park ?

You can NOT ride up front anymore.

Later,

John

BigJohn2 · 10-26-2012, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kariworld

www.fortfeinds.net is a great Ft. Wilderness website. Though you aren't camping there, they have a lot of information regarding the parks, resorts and other things as well. You can also check out www.allears.net. There's so much information there that it's almost overwhelming. But, you'll find a lot of useful tips.

We live in central Florida, and just spent 4 days at Disney this past week. We camped at Ft. Wilderness and spent a lot of time at the parks. You're going at a perfect time of year, weather wise. Have fun!!

Here are a couple more Disney website with lots of info. The DIS Discussion Forums - DISboards.com - Powered by vBulletin Disney World | Disneyland - Vacation Planning Tools

Later,

John

pdchristensen · 10-26-2012, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFM-jr

Your kids will LOVE that parade! That parade has spent a long period of time in California Disneylands Magic Kingdom and it is now back on the East coast in Orlando. Your lil one will be fine with the fireworks trust me. It is not just firewaorks it is all choreographed to music and a stage show. Tinkerbell will appear in the upper turret of the castle and fly across the park above the crowd to kick the show off your lil girl will be in awe. Another thing to check out is Mickeys very Merry Christmas Party it is a seperately ticketed event where inside magic kingdom they serve hot choclate,cookies and there are characters everywhere. My youngest is 12 years old this is the 1st year (2012) she has not been the WDW sinc she has been born. As I said me and my wife are addicts, you guys are going to have a great time.

thanks for the "vote of confidence on the "Electric Light" parade. Really looking forward to that. We were considering the "Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Parade", but they were asking a little too much money for admission to this one event and as it the only opportunity to see it during our week in Orlando was too late in the evening for the youngest.

pdchristensen · 10-26-2012, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigJohn2

Here are a couple more Disney website with lots of info. The DIS Discussion Forums - DISboards.com - Powered by vBulletin Disney World | Disneyland - Vacation Planning Tools

Later,

John

awesome, thanks for all the help.

hockeytownmom · 10-26-2012, 08:13 AM

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (MVMCP) is like extra magic hours, but it requires an additional ticket. You can have cocoa and cookies, ride the rides, see Santa, join the dance party with characters and a Christmas parade and Wishes. I wasn't sure if you knew it wasn't just a parade.

We've done it many times, but our last trip over Christmas decided not to attend. Disney at Christmas time is magic with or without the MVMCP, though. The Osborne Family Christmas Spectacle of Lights at Hollywood Studios is *WOW*!

SemperFi3088 · 10-26-2012, 08:24 AM

You can rent a car from Rosen shingle creek hotel there. Real close for Fort Wilderness. They will pick you up

pdchristensen · 10-26-2012, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SemperFi3088

You can rent a car from Rosen shingle creek hotel there. Real close for Fort Wilderness. They will pick you up

The subject of car rentals is interesting. I thought I got a "great deal" to rent a car in Orlando - $100.00 for the week. Which is about $15.00 per day. Well now I need to factor in $12.00 per day for a toddler car seat (or decide to haul or own back & forth on the airline for an additional baggage surcharge). I need to pay $7.00 per day to cover auto toll booth payments. Optional GPS for $8.00 per day. That's before I even think about insurance.....

pdchristensen · 10-26-2012, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hockeytownmom

The Osborne Family Christmas Spectacle of Lights at Hollywood Studios is *WOW*!

I will have to dig up a little more info on the Osborne Family Xmas Spectacle of Lights @ Hollywood Studios and see if & when it is happening during our stay. Of our 6 days down there - 1 is at Animal Kingdom, 1 is at Epcot & 3 @ Magic Kingdom so we do have a day to spare to go to Universal.

EJM4 · 10-26-2012, 09:34 AM

Great surprise. We did something similar last year. The kids new we were going on a trip, but not sure where.

When they came home from school, my wife had Disney shirts spread out on each of their beds. So when they changed out of their school clothes they went crazy!

Enjoy the trip!

pdchristensen · 10-26-2012, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EJM4

Great surprise. We did something similar last year. The kids new we were going on a trip, but not sure where.

When they came home from school, my wife had Disney shirts spread out on each of their beds. So when they changed out of their school clothes they went crazy!

Enjoy the trip!

We are debating on when to break the news. The way I figure it with our kids if we inform them on an "exciting" activity too soon they never get much sleep for any nights up to the event. We are thinking of holding off until the morning of departure. My spouse will secretly pre-pack there bags while they are in school & pre-school on the Friday before our trip.
I love the idea of having the Disney clothes as a clue for the kids to wake up to !!!

CHD Dad · 10-26-2012, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdchristensen

We are debating on when to break the news. The way I figure it with our kids if we inform them on an "exciting" activity too soon they never get much sleep for any nights up to the event. We are thinking of holding off until the morning of departure. My spouse will secretly pre-pack there bags while they are in school & pre-school on the Friday before our trip.
I love the idea of having the Disney clothes as a clue for the kids to wake up to !!!

We are not breaking the news until we pull into Disney! Our kids wouldnt sleep (well the 9mth old would) if we told them early. We are just telling them we are going for a drive after school next Friday. We are stopping off in Jacksonville for the night and heading into WDW early Sat morning. Probably hit the Outlet first and then see about getting an early room check-in. We wont tell them until we get on property

speddy069 · 10-26-2012, 11:45 AM

I am planning a trip to Fort Wilderness next Thanksgiving 2013. We are going for 10 days and my daughter is so thrilled that she been putting her allowance and any money from birthdays etc. into a piggy bank so she can spent it on what she wants. Been there before a few times but never by travel trailer. Its a 1100 mile journey one way and cannot wait myself. So let me know how it goes for you and your family.

Thanks

pdchristensen · 10-26-2012, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speddy069

I am planning a trip to Fort Wilderness next Thanksgiving 2013. We are going for 10 days and my daughter is so thrilled that she been putting her allowance and any money from birthdays etc. into a piggy bank so she can spent it on what she wants. Been there before a few times but never by travel trailer. Its a 1100 mile journey one way and cannot wait myself. So let me know how it goes for you and your family.

Thanks

Gee your post leads me to a lot of questions.

Where are you travelling from ? Where are your planned stop overs ?
How old is your daughter ?

I might be able to use your experiences to plan my next trip, which may likely be with or travel trailer.

hockeytownmom · 10-26-2012, 04:43 PM

I buy Disney gift cards and save them for our trips; instead of saving money in a bank account. Our trip is in 1 yr and 3 days from today. In two weeks I'll start buying the gift cards. Our last trip I saved over 300.00 or 400.00 in gift cards. I had a lot of gift cards in the end, but it worked well. For the kids' birthday's, they would/will ask for them. We had to stop in every state for gas - we didn't how our truck/camper combo would do being the first time through the Smoky's with it, we could have been in a money bind without the gift cards.

Sorry for all the posts, I have a "little" Disney addiction.

huizarr · 10-26-2012, 05:14 PM

Universal Studios is a seperate theme park not affilated with WDW. The park that has the Osborne Family Xmas Spectacle of Lights is Disney Hollywood Studios (used to be called MGM/Hollywood). IIRC the spectacle is every night right after sunset starting on Thanksgiving and running to the beginning of January. We went last year for Thanksgiving week and it was a sight to behold.

If you are not afraid of heights I highly recommend the Soaring ride at EPCOT. You will likely have to use a FastPass as it is an extremely popular ride. It is a hang gliding simulation.

Next year (2013) we are going right after Thanksgiving and will be staying at Ft Wilderness for the first time.

Last year (2011) we were off Disney at the Kissimmee KOA and it was an easy drive to the Disney theme parks. One thing you will have to remember is that there is a daily parking fee, don't forget to take money for that. If you were at the resort you could take the transportation like was mentioned, but we heard many guests complain and if you on a WDW resort parking at the theme parks is free .

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