Hi there. Been to WDW many times, as recently as last Sept ('07) and going again this coming Oct ('08). I'm going to give a slight history so you know what I'm not asking when I get around to my various questions - always some new ones seem to pop up before a trip, and they're ones I've never had to deal with before and can't seem to easily find the answers to.

So, it's my wife and I and our two boys (who will be 4 and 2 at the time of the trip). We'll be staying at my parents time share just off property (the Mariott Horizons right near SeaWorld, which is also where we stayed last Sept). We've stayed on property in the past as well (Beach Club and Port Orleans Riverside) and we're thinking of staying on property at the end of this trip for two nights (after the time share week is done). Which brings me to my questions:

1. We found last year (staying off property) that it was difficult to get advance reservations the night before for a restaurant at the park we were going to head to the next day (which is about as far in advance as we usually plan). We might think about planning farther out (a specific park on a specific day) if there's a place we really want to eat at - but part of it depends on how early I can make a reservation. I see a lot of '180 days in advance' if you're staying on property - but what if you're not staying on property?

2. I'll be renting a car for the first part of our trip (off-property) and I'm thinking of returning the car once we check in on-property. Would we be able to use the Magical Express to take us back to the airport even though we didn't use it to check in? Does it make sense to rent the car from Alamo/National at the airport so that I can return the car to them right on property?

3. Concerning Tickets - does it make sense to get a 10 day pass ahead of time (covering the entire trip) or a 7 day for the first part of the trip, with a 3 day once we're on property? I'm sure the price is cheaper per day if I get the 10 day, but is there some other benefit (maybe Dining) that would make it worthwhile to get tickets for the on-property portion of the trip? Or would it be possible for me to buy a 10 day with dining ticket even though I'm only staying for two nights - and could those tickets be used (meaning start) before I've checked into the on-property hotel?

That's all I can think of right now. I may have more questions depending on responses (or if I remember any others) - but thanks in advance for any help.

1. Anyone can make ADRs 180 days in advance of the date they're wanting to eat. Your experience at not being able to find something the night before is not a 'feature' of staying offsite, it's a 'feature' of calling so close. If you stay on site you can make ADRs for (basically) your whole trip 180 days from the first day, but if you're staying offsite and only want to do one call, you have to call 180 days from the last day (or call every day).

2. I don't think I'd bother with returning the car early, unless it's relatively a lot more expensive to keep it an extra couple of days. You CAN do DME one way, but they often get confused by it. Just make sure you make it really clear when you book that you need it on the back half only, and be ready to call them the day before you leave if they don't give you a pick-up time.

3. Personally, I would get a 10 day ticket at the beginning and not worry about the dining plan, and just do a room-only reservation on property (you can still do DME with that). You COULD get a 10 day ticket on a package with the dining plan, but only if you did the Disney part first, plus you'd only have the dining plan until midnight of the day you check out, so you're still going to pay out of pocket for most of your dining. But you can't do it at the end, because you don't get the ticket until you check in.

As far as the dinning goes the 180 days out is for any ADR staying on property or not. The problems you are having booking the night before is not because you are off sight but because probably 90% of the people there made their ADR's at the 180 mark and they are full.

For the DME you do not have to use it both ways so it will be fine to just use it on the way home. I have never rented a car so I am not sure about the returning of the car to a different location, I would call and check with them.

Thanks for the responses. It's funny, I had been under the impression that I could make an ADR 180 days out, but then last night as I was reading my Binbaum '08 Guide to WDW there was the phrase (something to the effect of) 'if you're staying on property you can call 180 days in advance to make reservations' and that got me all confused.

I also should have mentioned, I now know that it's nearly impossible to do ADRs for most restaurants the night before due to the Dining Plan. I didn't know that before our last trip (or didn't take it seriously) but I do now. I'm hoping things may be a little better in October, but I'm not counting on it.

Honestly, there's only one major reservation we're talking about - Cape May for the character breakfast (probably the first morning we're on-property, especially if we stay at the Beach Club again, which is our current leaning). My wife is also interested in the new Italy restaurant, and she liked Spoodles at the Boardwalk on our last trip (but I don't expect having trouble booking there). It's mostly EPCOT that we enjoy going to the restaurants at, but we just like to wait until the last minute to decide which park we're going to (like, the night before) and that's just too late to make those reservations.

I'm not totally decided on the car yet - but I was leaning towards just keeping it. The last time I used MEARS (before Magical Express was available, and my first son was only 1) was just a miserable experiance, waiting to leave the airport, way too many stops along the way to WDW - I hadn't planned on renting a car that trip - but then we had a miserable time hauling my one son onto the Disney bus to go to the park and I had had enough. Renting a car and driving ourselves to the parks (even though we were on property) worked out so much better for us, as well as driving us back to the airport. For those reasons alone, I'm leaning towards keeping the car the extra couple of days - just in case, and to make the trip back to the airport easier. I suspect as my boys get older this will change.

As to tickets, there's just about no way we're going to be staying on-property first (I don't think we could go 'backwards' - stay on-property and then move off), and it sounds like the meal plan would only last for as long as we're on property anyway, so I'll probably just go with buying the 10 day up front and we'll take care of meals separately.

Thanks again for the input. If anyone else has anything to add, feel free - I'll still be checking. I'm bound to think up some more questions before this trip anyway.

As a general rule of thumb, the car rental rates are a bit less when picking up and dropping off at the airport in Orlando. Florida has no drop off fees when picking up a car at one location and dropping it at another (except for Key West), but sometimes the rates are higher, so compare. Keeping the car a few extra days may not cost much.

If this is what you want to do, be very sure that your car pick up and drop off location are accurately listed on your reservation. If you drop off at the Disney Car Care Center and were not scheduled to do so, Alamo is within it's rights to alter your rate to their "day of rental" rate, often higher than it would have been originally. Car rental rates the past few years have been like airline tickets, often higher the closer you get.

Cape May Cafe for breakfast shouldn't be too hard to get if you book it in advance. It is character though, and those do fill up, don't wait until the week before your trip. Spoodles usually isn't a problem, but Epcot dining usually books up far in advance. Even more so with the Food & Wine Festival going on.

Just to help with car options, Avis has a location at the Downtown Disney Hilton. We got a good rate with Avis through my husband's company. We are picking up at MCO (doing Cape Canaveral for a couple days) and dropping off there since we are staying at DTDisney and can use the hotel transportation the rest of our stay. If you had to, you could drop off at the Hilton and take a bus back to your hotel from DTDisney.

Just another option.

Here's a little loophole that might help you out. When buying a Disney lodging package with the Dining Plan, you only have to purchase a one-day one-park ticket, and you're still eligible for all three days on the dining plan. So you could get a 9 day ticket, and then use your 1 day ticket for the 10th day, and have 3 days of the dining plan. I have an annual pass, but in the past I still purchased a package with that 1 day ticket. I have yet to use it, but it's nice to have in reserve.

More questions - I knew there'd be more eventually!

1. As previously mentioned, we're thinking about staying for two (possibly three) nights on property at the end of our trip. One of the places we're seriously considering is the Boarkwalk (we've previously stayed at the Beach Club and P.O. Riverside) - we love that whole boardwalk/epcot area, but then we're also a little concerned about the noise level. For anyone who's stayed there (at Boardwalk) - is it noisy? Windows open or windows shut? I've got two young kids and bedtime will likely be early most nights - but we don't really want noise from entertainment (or loud guests) keeping everyone up if we've gone to bed.

2. Also about the Boardwalk, the official guide mentions most rooms have a balcony - this is something my wife and I would really like to have so we have a place to retreat once the kids have gone to bed. How likely is it we'd get a room with one?

3. Is the pool at the Boardwalk young kid friendly (2 and 4 yrs old)? I feel like that slide is geared older, so I wasn't sure if the whole pool was like that. Along those same lines, can we choose to go over to the Beach Club pool if we're staying at the Boardwalk - I can't remember if that's allowed.

4. One more thing about tickets. I can probably figure out the difference in finances myself, but I'll bring it up here in case there's something more than money I should take into consideration if I wind up having this choice. So with the recent 'free dining plan' in Aug/Sept I've been wondering IF Diseny offers that in Oct as well (when we're going) would it make sense to buy tickets separately for part one of my trip (probably 7-8 days) where we're staying off property and then a two/three day pass along with the on-property stay (if free dining is being offered). I'm thinking financially, one may make more sense than the other (does the decrease in park ticket cost per day for buying a ten day ticket save more than free dining for three days) but is there anything else I might want to consider there?

That's all for now. Thanks again for any responses.

More questions - I knew there'd be more eventually!

4. One more thing about tickets. I can probably figure out the difference in finances myself, but I'll bring it up here in case there's something more than money I should take into consideration if I wind up having this choice. So with the recent 'free dining plan' in Aug/Sept I've been wondering IF Diseny offers that in Oct as well (when we're going) would it make sense to buy tickets separately for part one of my trip (probably 7-8 days) where we're staying off property and then a two/three day pass along with the on-property stay (if free dining is being offered). I'm thinking financially, one may make more sense than the other (does the decrease in park ticket cost per day for buying a ten day ticket save more than free dining for three days) but is there anything else I might want to consider there?

From the way you describe it, you will need tickets for two adults and one child (the under three year old does not need a ticket). Following prices are for three base tickets (not including tax) for you.

3 Day $ 577
7 Day $ 620
10 Day $ 637

I think the answer is obvious, you would save $ 560 (plus tax) by purchasing the ten day tickets. Also, if you get the dining plan you have to pay full rack rate for the room while if you are doing "room only" discounts are possible.

(Note, to all of the above, add $135 if you want the park hopping option and/or add $150 if you want the WPF&M option.)

1. As previously mentioned, we're thinking about staying for two (possibly three) nights on property at the end of our trip. One of the places we're seriously considering is the Boarkwalk (we've previously stayed at the Beach Club and P.O. Riverside) - we love that whole boardwalk/epcot area, but then we're also a little concerned about the noise level. For anyone who's stayed there (at Boardwalk) - is it noisy? Windows open or windows shut? I've got two young kids and bedtime will likely be early most nights - but we don't really want noise from entertainment (or loud guests) keeping everyone up if we've gone to bed.

2. Also about the Boardwalk, the official guide mentions most rooms have a balcony - this is something my wife and I would really like to have so we have a place to retreat once the kids have gone to bed. How likely is it we'd get a room with one?

3. Is the pool at the Boardwalk young kid friendly (2 and 4 yrs old)? I feel like that slide is geared older, so I wasn't sure if the whole pool was like that. Along those same lines, can we choose to go over to the Beach Club pool if we're staying at the Boardwalk - I can't remember if that's allowed

We've stayed at Boardwalk with our 3 kids for the last 8 years and have never found it noisy at all. I have heard that if you get lucky enough to be given a room overlooking the Boardwalk it is quite noisy at night with the windows open.:confused: We would still love that view though!:fez:
The kids love the pool,:) however you can not go down the slide with them. The CM at the top does not allow it and they yell at you if you wait at the bottom of the slide to catch them coming down too. So they definitely have to be able to handle the slide alone or not go down. The rest of the pool is fine for them to play in with you and there is a kiddie pool, very small, right next to the large pool. My kids would hang out at the stairs on either end of the pool when they were your kids ages. You can rent life jackets at the community center by the quiet pool for free too and my kids wore those when they first started going down the slide.
I think we have always had a balcony except the one time that we had a first floor room overlooking the quiet pool. There was a little patio there but the bushes right in front of it were so overgrown that we couldnt even see the pool and you could not walk out the door onto the patio and walk to the pool, which is why we requested that room. We still had to go out our room door and down the hall to the hallway exit.:(
You are not allowed to pool hop to Beach Club from Boardwalk even in the off season. Huge bummer. We have tried several times, once when it was cool and there was only one family by the pool and they still said no. Having said all that we love love love the Boardwalk! :D Spoodles is great for take out pizza, they have entertainers in the lobby sometimes that my kids love, (magicians, jugglers etc.) and the night time entertainment on the Boardwalk is a blast to watch.
Hope this helps and have a great trip!

More questions - I knew there'd be more eventually!


3. Is the pool at the Boardwalk young kid friendly (2 and 4 yrs old)? I feel like that slide is geared older, so I wasn't sure if the whole pool was like that. Along those same lines, can we choose to go over to the Beach Club pool if we're staying at the Boardwalk - I can't remember if that's allowed.

The Beach Club pool is so popular. You can't pool hop, unless you're staying at the Beach OR Yacht club. They share the pool facilities. You'll have to show proof of where you're staying. I think your KTTW card (room key) must show the info on where you're staying and for how long.

Sorry to be the bummer.....

Things are coming along nicely for our trip. We now have our confirmed reservations at my in-laws timeshare, two nights books at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (Oct 31-Nov 2) and our Mickey's Not So Scary tickets for Halloween night itself.

My wife brought up a completely different question, and I thought I'd answer it here. When my wife and I were at the Magic Kingdom in 1999 (I remember because we had just been married) we happened across a place in Frontierland/Liberty Square in the evening that had a cowboy/dancing girl type show and we sat and had dinner and watched the show. Neither of us could remember the name, and we couldn't remember seeing it on our most recent trip (2007). But fortunately, I held on to our Official Guide from 1999, and it looks to me like it was the Diamond Horseshoe Review.

What I found interesting is the current (2008) edition of the Official Guide still shows the Diamond Horseshoe on the map - but I can't seem to find any information in the book about it at all. Is it still a restaraunt with a show - is it just a restaraunt now with no show, is it under construction? I'm sure someone out there can fill me in. We thought our Woody loving sons would enjoy the show, but I suspect it may be gone now. Thanks again.

I believe they're using it now for a meet & greet, no show. I could be wrong, though.

No longer a restaurant, no show there now. I fondly remember watching the show and having a light lunch there on the old days.

I remember the Woody & Jessie & Friends dance-a-long events too. So cute watching the kids learn the steps and join in the dancing. Have only seen the location used as a meet & greet area for the last couple of years though.

With Disney you never know, plans for the Diamond Horseshoe could change again.

I saw on www.allearsnet.com in "dining news" that Diamond Horseshoe would have some light lunch offerings for a few May dates, just sandwiches and such, no mention of any shows. Looks like mostly around the Memorial Day holiday weekend when they expect larger crowds.

So maybe they will use it like they do with Tomorrowland Terrace? Just open it when the crowds are heavy?

If your children enjoy Woody when we were at WDW Easter 2007 there was a little 'show' in MK (I think at the corner bit of Peco Bills) where Woody and crew came and did a little performance which the children joined in with. We just happened across it and frankly it de-railed my plans ( ;) ) but they loved it. You could find out if that's still going on. It was definately geared to the pre-school crew. My then 8 year old only joined in to kepp his sister company (or so he claims)....

I'll be at MNSSHP on Halloween night as well!

I'm so excited!

wishiwasthere - nice, I see from your countdown clock that you're going to WDW twice this year. It'll be our first time ever to Mickey's Not So Scary Party - and based on friends reports and what we've read online, it sounds like a winner.

I'm curious though, for those who've been to MNSSHP - I keep seeing things like 'plan ahead of time what you want to do, because there isn't time to do/see it all'. Now we're going to be at WDW for like 10 days, so riding the rides at the Magic Kingdom isn't going to necessarily be a priority on Halloween night. I've got a four year old who'll only be trick or treating at the Magic Kingdom that night, so I'm figuring that's a priority. I'm guessing the parade and maybe the fireworks (we'll determine earlier in the trip if the loud noises of the fireworks are going to be a problem for the 4 year old or the 2 year old) will also be near the top of the list. Anything else you can only do/see at MNSSHP?

I'm guessing lines for rides are shorter, so we might wind up going on some favorites. Just depends on what other things there are to do that we want to make sure we don't miss. Thanks for the help.

They also have some shows - and dance parties for the younger set that can be fun. In the past they've had some storytelling, too - but I think most of that has fallen by the wayside.

But definitely the parade, and if your kids can handle it, the fireworks!

As summer draws to a close, we've begun thinking about our Disney trip again, and my wife thought of a question I thought I'd pose here. My older son Ethan has recently really been into 'George of the Jungle' and we're wondering if there's anywhere in any of the parks that has George of the Jungle theming. I feel like I recall that at some point the 'Backlot Tour' in the Hollywood Studios had some of the props from the movie on display, but I can't remember anymore. Could anyone confirm? Thanks.

As summer draws to a close, we've begun thinking about our Disney trip again, and my wife thought of a question I thought I'd pose here. My older son Ethan has recently really been into 'George of the Jungle' and we're wondering if there's anywhere in any of the parks that has George of the Jungle theming. I feel like I recall that at some point the 'Backlot Tour' in the Hollywood Studios had some of the props from the movie on display, but I can't remember anymore. Could anyone confirm? Thanks.

I can't remember any George of the Jungle stuff myself. Tarzan does make (or at least used to) appearances at Animal Kingdom... though I guess that might be a pale imitation in your son's eyes :p

Nope. I don't remember ANY George of the Jungle theming anywhere. Sorry!

Less than 30 days until we leave on our trip to WDW!

And... I've thought of some more questions.

So, for most of the week we're staying at a timeshare - then we checkout on Halloween, and check in to Animal Kingdom Lodge the same day. What we'd like to do is use the pool at the Lodge until we go to Mickey's Not So Scary - but I've been wondering will we be allowed to do so even if our room is not yet 'ready' for us to occupy? For instance, we might get to AKL anywhere between 10-11am, but I know the rooms might not be available until the afternoon. I was figuring we'd just all be ready in our swimsuits - does this all sound reasonable?

And so later that same day, we'd go to our room, change into costumes and go to MNSSHP (which I found out we 'might' be able to get into as early as 4pm!). Next question is, my sons have those plastic jack-o-lantern carry 'bags' to hold their candy in - while possibly not convenient to carry around on rides - I'm just curious if they're allowed to bring those into the parks at all?

Thanks again for all the help.

Yes, you can use any of the hotel ammenities before your room is ready. My sister did just that when she had a redeye (arrived really early in the am) and we were staying at the Beach Club. Actually, she just napped by the pool, but she did 'use the pool area'!

I don't think I'd bring the plastic jack-o-lanterns unless they really complete the costume (like if you were a headless horseman) - they do give you bags for the candy (though you might want to bring something to consolidate, like a backpack, because sometimes you get a lot!)

I haven't heard any issues with the 'approximately 4 pm' entrance on the party tickets, either.

As summer draws to a close, we've begun thinking about our Disney trip again, and my wife thought of a question I thought I'd pose here. My older son Ethan has recently really been into 'George of the Jungle' and we're wondering if there's anywhere in any of the parks that has George of the Jungle theming. I feel like I recall that at some point the 'Backlot Tour' in the Hollywood Studios had some of the props from the movie on display, but I can't remember anymore. Could anyone confirm? Thanks.

They used to have the tree house from George on the backlot tour. It was in the area that they used for the stunt show.