Please help me to not hate Disney!

[disneysteve]

OK, I have to ask - are you saying that you can get in without staying at the motel? It certainly looks interesting from what I see online. If we can go in, I may make a point of going there this coming year.

Yes, you can just go over to wander around. However, you do have to pay for parking. Last time we were there that was $15. It may have gone up since then. Some of the onsite restaurants might validate parking. I just posted that question to the Disboards. I'll report back with an answer.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Take what i suggest with a grain of salt since I haven't been to Disney. But I am not sure how I'll handle the lines and crowds. The more I read the more i think of going in the winter. Anyway though I'd just buy a day pass to disney and do other stuff to see how much the kid likes it. I know mine are scared of people in costume so disney is a waste of money right now.

[disneysteve]

Anyway though I'd just buy a day pass to disney and do other stuff to see how much the kid likes it. I know mine are scared of people in costume so disney is a waste of money right now.

Don't let the kids being afraid of characters stop you from going. Years ago, you would find characters randomly wandering in the parks. Today, that's rare. Most of the characters have set meet and greet locations, some of which are indoors and not visible from the street. It is pretty tough to accidentally run into characters if you don't care to.

No way would I say that a fear of characters makes Disney not worth doing.

As for buying a day pass, keep in mind that ticket prices are tiered. The more days you buy, the less you pay per day. A one day pass will run you just over $100 while on a multi-day pass, the daily price drops to as low as just over $40.

[Scanner]

I don't know. . .I know there has been good coaching here on "theme parking it" and even making the most out of Disney without the park attractions (shows in Downtown Disney, swimming with dolphins, golf). From general advice (make an itinerary) to my more specific advice (go here, skip here).

But the OP has stated:

A. She/he doesn't like "cheesy attractions"
B. Doesn't like lines
C. Finicky about food

I mean. . .I dunno. . .I love Disney as much as DisneySteve but. . .if you aren't into it, you aren't into it.

I say do the Disney cruise for shorter. You don't have A, B, and C with that. You won't get as long as a vacation on the same budget but the important thing is you will enjoy yourselves. Your 4 year old will get characters + fun.

But I'll defer to Lord DisneySteve on my advice.

[scfr]

Check out the rockets at Kennedy Space Center.

I've not been to Kennedy Space Center but have been to Johnson Space Center in Houston and it is fascinating! If Disney's not your thing, sounds like a great opportunity to explore some non-Disney things in the area.

[disneysteve]

But the OP has stated:

A. She/he doesn't like "cheesy attractions"
B. Doesn't like lines
C. Finicky about food

I mean. . .I dunno. . .I love Disney as much as DisneySteve but. . .if you aren't into it, you aren't into it.

Certainly, there are people out there who just don't like Disney World. I don't associate with those folks but I know they exist .

It's been my experience, though, that the people who claim to not like Disney usually had a bad experience due to lack of knowledge and/or lack of planning on a previous trip. Many people go to Disney World without doing their homework. They expect it to be like their local amusement park where you can pretty much just show up and have a good time. Disney isn't like that. It is far too big and involved to just show up and expect to get much done.

I can't really help you if you think the attractions are "cheesy". I don't agree obviously but I will admit that some things are better than others. The coasters are great. Some of the simulator rides are top-notch, state of the art experiences (Star Tours, Mission Space), many rides are one of a kind technology (Soarin'). The parks also house some fantastic shows (Beauty and the Beast) and great special effects (Fantasmic!) and some of the best fireworks displays you will find anywhere.

As for lines, even though we go in peak season, our personal limit is 15-20 minutes. We almost never wait longer than that for anything. You just need to know how to do it.

As for food, I will continue to push back on that one. We think one of the best things about Disney World is the food. We love that rather than being stuck with a lousy hamburger or chicken fingers, we can enjoy things that we actually look forward to eating each trip and at pretty reasonable prices.

I just want to try and communicate the fact that many bad experiences at Disney are avoidable with better pre-planning.

[disneysteve]

Yes, you can just go over to wander around. However, you do have to pay for parking. Last time we were there that was $15. It may have gone up since then. Some of the onsite restaurants might validate parking. I just posted that question to the Disboards. I'll report back with an answer.

Parking at the Gaylord is $18/day. I believe some of their nicer restaurants will validate your parking.

[Green43]

As for food, I will continue to push back on that one. We think one of the best things about Disney World is the food. We love that rather than being stuck with a lousy hamburger or chicken fingers, we can enjoy things that we actually look forward to eating each trip and at pretty reasonable prices.

I just want to try and communicate the fact that many bad experiences at Disney are avoidable with better pre-planning.

I love WDW as much as anyone, took the kids 2 years ago and are already planning our next trip now that they are older and can enjoy more of the experience. I will very respectfully disagree on the food prices however. 4 hot dogs,4 small chips and 4 cans of pop= $53.. and no I am not making that number up, is not reasonable in my book.. Having said that I agree you are paying for the experience and I got over it because I wanted to have a great memorable trip with my kids, they do not remember the food being high priced (nor do my wife and I discuss it) They just remember the rides we went on and the things they saw. We remember the look in their eyes and the fun they had. THAT IS WHY WE GO. everything else aside.

[disneysteve]

I will very respectfully disagree on the food prices however. 4 hot dogs,4 small chips and 4 cans of pop= $53.. and no I am not making that number up, is not reasonable in my book

I think dining at Disney is one area where doing your homework and advance planning makes a big difference. My family of 3 - me, my wife, and my daughter who is now 19 - spend an average of $25/person/day on food. That includes all meals, snacks, and beverages. We do eat breakfast in our room which saves times and money. We carry some snacks with us into the park which also saves money. We mainly drink water during the day which is healthier and saves a bunch of money. When I see families ordering 4 big sodas or 4 bottles of water for 4 people I can't help but calculate in my head how much they are spending on drinks alone.

One thing that Disney does not make at all clear is that you aren't limited to ordering what is on the menu. When you went for those hot dogs, I bet the only option listed was a "hot dog meal" that came with fries or apple slices. You may not have realized that you could have just ordered a hot dog by itself and saved a couple of dollars. You and your spouse could have shared one order of fries. The kids could have shared another order. You would have saved $4 or so. The same for drinks. Four of you could have easily shared 2 sodas instead of 4 and saved another $6. Or you could have opted for water and saved $12. You could have had your hot dogs, fries, and coke for $35 or $29 if you skipped the sodas. I don't think $29 for 4 people to have lunch in a resort is unreasonable at all.

[bennkar]

Parking at the Gaylord is $18/day. I believe some of their nicer restaurants will validate your parking.

Thanks for the followup. Not sure we will go there, but its something to keep in mind as a possibility.

[bennkar]

One thing that Disney does not make at all clear is that you aren't limited to ordering what is on the menu. When you went for those hot dogs, I bet the only option listed was a "hot dog meal" that came with fries or apple slices. You may not have realized that you could have just ordered a hot dog by itself and saved a couple of dollars.

That is certainly something I did not know. We'll have to try it once when they aren't rushed to see if it actually works, and how much they charge.

[disneysteve]

That is certainly something I did not know. We'll have to try it once when they aren't rushed to see if it actually works, and how much they charge.

It absolutely works. We do it all the time. It isn't a secret. They just can't fit all of the possible combinations on the menu board. You can get a sandwich or main course by itself without the sides. You can also order different sides than what the menu states. For example, the board may say the kids meal comes with carrot sticks but you can substitute any of the usual options - grapes, apple slices, apple sauce, yogurt, or fries.

Also, any Disney restaurant will give you all the tap water you want for free if you ask. You don't have to let them soak you for $3.50 or however much it is now for a bottle of Dasani (which I don't even like). A family of four could save a couple hundred dollars over the course of a week by switching from bottled water to tap water.

[disneysteve]

Thanks for the followup. Not sure we will go there, but its something to keep in mind as a possibility.

The parking fee is steep but it really is worth seeing. I've been over there a couple of times. Last time, DD and I went over and had lunch there and wandered just to do something different.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Does Florida inspect bags like California. In California they have bag inspection stations prior to entering the park. I'm guessing they do this for obvious reasons and the main reason being for public safety. However, do they also inspect bags to prevent people from bringing in food so as to have people purchase food from the concessions/restaurants. So could a family bring in sandwiches, burritos, chips, snacks, fruits, etc. Would Disney allow this? The bag inspections that I witnessed were very thorough and people had to empty out the entire contents of their bags but I can't recall if anyone had food items being permissible or impermissible.

[disneysteve]

Does Florida inspect bags like California.

do they also inspect bags to prevent people from bringing in food so as to have people purchase food from the concessions/restaurants. So could a family bring in sandwiches, burritos, chips, snacks, fruits, etc. Would Disney allow this?

They do inspect bags. They do not stop you from bringing in food. You can't bring in alcohol or any type of glass containers. I'm not sure if they let you bring in aluminum cans. I'd have to check on that.

So yes, you can absolutely pack snacks or even a whole meal if you'd like. If you don't want to carry it around, you could rent a locker to store it until you are ready for it.

We always carry in non-perishable snacks - granola bars, nuts, etc. We don't bring in sandwiches but we have in the past. We also always carry a refillable water bottle. We freeze it partially overnight and just keep refilling it from the restaurants or water fountains throughout the day.