Disney park geeks--I need your help!

[cramx3]

Cram, which hotel are you staying at in Disney?

It's a Holiday Inn, not a Disney resort, they just apparently are on the Disney lands it seems.  All my stays are at IHG branded hotels since these nights are all free, burnt about 1/5 of my stockpile of IHG hotel points.

So hmmm, animal kingdom is more worth than Universal?  I think we are both unsure about Universal so this is good info.  We both love animals too.  I think part of our reasoning is that a day at Universal, ticket wise, is cheaper so we'd get the park hopper for one day and Universal one park one day.  But you guys think a two day park hopper is the better experience?

[cramx3]

Bump

The GF and I booked our flight hotels and rental for a 7 day journey around Florida at the end of May (over the course of Memorial Day weekend).  Going in/out of Jacksonville (where my parents now live) and then spending two nights in Orlando before we head down to South Beach Miami.  So we will have two full days (will make the 2 hour drive from Jacksonville on a Wednesday morning so hoping to arrive when the parks open regardless).

Our plans for these two days are not set in stone, but we booked a hotel that's on Disney's property so there's access from the hotel to the Disney Parks.  However, our thought was for the first day to do Universal Studios, then the Thursday do the Magic Kingdom during the day and head over to Epcot later in the afternoon/evening until close.  I haven't been to Disney World in like 15 years or so when I was a kid.  I'm sure there's been so many changes that what I remember is not going to mean much.  So do my tentative plans sound alright?  Can I hit those three parks in two days?  Should we do something else in stead?  Best rides?  (I'm not a roller coaster person actually, but I did enjoy Space Mountain as a kid (which I understand is hardly a coaster, but just to gauge my thrill level))  Any other suggestions?   Is there any way to get discount Disney tickets?  Damn I never realized how expensive it is to do more than one park!

There's this ride at Disney that you have to go on... insane special effects, and music that you'll be hoping you can get on CD from the gift shop.  It's called "It's A Small World".

Most definitely going on that.  My mom asked if we would be doing that as well 

[Podaar]

I love Universal and all the new stuff there is top notch. Skull Island and Escape from Gringot's easily out Disney any of the Disney rides. That being said...

I also recommend Animal Kingdom. The new after dark shows are fantastic. I especially like the Tree of Life Awakenings.

[Stadler]

Podaar isn't really wrong; it's not like Universal sucks or anything, but  then again, Animal Kingdom doesn't either.  It's really personal taste, and you don't know until you go.  Personally?  I LOVE Universal; it's more a ride/adult oriented place, then you go to Margaritaville for a couple drinks, then to either Pat O'Briens for more drinks, or Emeril's for an excellent meal.   I also LOVE Disney; it's more an event/kids oriented place, but not at all in a bad way, and you can go to Downtown Disney (they're calling it something else now... Riverwalk or some shit?) and pound drinks at the Irish Bar there, or go to any of about five different EXCELLENT restaurants. 

Either way, you're getting your buzz on, you're not at work, you're not shoveling snow, and you're heading back to a hotel with your girlfriend so there's a >0 chance of action.  I say "WIN WIN".   

[Podaar]

Stads,

Speaking of getting your drink on, have you ever played "drinking around the world" at Epcot's world showcase? You must stop at each Country and have at least one beverage. I recommend starting at Mexico with the tequila bar and going around clockwise. I've had some great times with family and friends doing this.

[Chino]

Stads,

Speaking of getting your drink on, have you ever played "drinking around the world" at Epcot's world showcase? You must stop at each Country and have at least one beverage. I recommend starting at Mexico with the tequila bar and going around clockwise. I've had some great times with family and friends doing this.

We tried that years ago and it was the most expensive day of drinking ever.

[cramx3]

Stads,

Speaking of getting your drink on, have you ever played "drinking around the world" at Epcot's world showcase? You must stop at each Country and have at least one beverage. I recommend starting at Mexico with the tequila bar and going around clockwise. I've had some great times with family and friends doing this.

This is why we want to go to Epcot.  And since I haven't been to Disney since a kid, doing the adult things like drinking and seeing the shows and whatnot are definitely something I am interested in.... and yea, i don't expect anything on this part of our trip to be cheap.

I've been to Universal as well as a kid and I really liked it.  I was kind of pushing to do that for a day because I had remembered it being so fun and the rides being more entertaining,  but I've never been to animal kingdom.  Also, is that a drive through park?  Wonder cause I have a rental mustang for this trip (somehow it was just as cheap as a compact car) and I wouldn't want to damage it.

[Podaar]

Is what a drive through park? Animal Kingdom or Epcot World Showcase? 

[Stadler]

Stads,

Speaking of getting your drink on, have you ever played "drinking around the world" at Epcot's world showcase? You must stop at each Country and have at least one beverage. I recommend starting at Mexico with the tequila bar and going around clockwise. I've had some great times with family and friends doing this.

Actually, I have; my wife and her oldest son both enjoy Epcot.  The wife doesn't drink much, but son does, so we're global travelers.  I like when they have bands playing in the lake, too.   I wasn't there, my wife was, but one time it was Night Ranger!   

[cramx3]

Is what a drive through park? Animal Kingdom or Epcot World Showcase? 

The animal kingdom lol no drinking and driving through epcot

[TAC]

Stads,

Speaking of getting your drink on, have you ever played "drinking around the world" at Epcot's world showcase? You must stop at each Country and have at least one beverage. I recommend starting at Mexico with the tequila bar and going around clockwise. I've had some great times with family and friends doing this.

Actually, I have; my wife and her oldest son both enjoy Epcot.  The wife doesn't drink much, but son does, so we're global travelers.  I like when they have bands playing in the lake, too.   I wasn't there, my wife was, but one time it was Night Ranger!

We saw Dennis DeYoung a few years ago. Amazing show.

[Tick]

Bump

The GF and I booked our flight hotels and rental for a 7 day journey around Florida at the end of May (over the course of Memorial Day weekend).  Going in/out of Jacksonville (where my parents now live) and then spending two nights in Orlando before we head down to South Beach Miami.  So we will have two full days (will make the 2 hour drive from Jacksonville on a Wednesday morning so hoping to arrive when the parks open regardless).

Our plans for these two days are not set in stone, but we booked a hotel that's on Disney's property so there's access from the hotel to the Disney Parks.  However, our thought was for the first day to do Universal Studios, then the Thursday do the Magic Kingdom during the day and head over to Epcot later in the afternoon/evening until close.  I haven't been to Disney World in like 15 years or so when I was a kid.  I'm sure there's been so many changes that what I remember is not going to mean much.  So do my tentative plans sound alright?  Can I hit those three parks in two days?  Should we do something else in stead?  Best rides?  (I'm not a roller coaster person actually, but I did enjoy Space Mountain as a kid (which I understand is hardly a coaster, but just to gauge my thrill level))  Any other suggestions?   Is there any way to get discount Disney tickets?  Damn I never realized how expensive it is to do more than one park!

There's this ride at Disney that you have to go on... insane special effects, and music that you'll be hoping you can get on CD from the gift shop.  It's called "It's A Small World".

Most definitely going on that.  My mom asked if we would be doing that as well 

That's hilarious! I go to Disney quite often and my daughter and I force my wife to go on Its a small world every time. She gets more angry as the ride progresses. It truly is a form of torture for her. We are laughing and amused the whole way through, while she is not amused at all. She HATES that ride!

[TAC]

Bought this shirt a few years ago..

[TAC]

We just went to Disney last week. There were plenty of these around:



The even roped and rocked off the "beaches" at the Beach Club and Grand Floridian. My first thought was Jeesh, they are diminishing the gators' presence by pairing them up with snakes, as I've only seen one snake there before (floating along side my in the lazy river in one of the water parks).
BUT as we were walking along a walkway at Saratoga Springs (where we stayed) a three foot black snake with surprising girth slithered across just a few feet in front of us.

[cramx3]

  yea, I don't blame them for trying to prevent another feeding.  I feel like I keep following the TAC family vacation.

[Accelerando]

Yep, they are at just about any place where there is water. It went from "Don't Go In The Water" to "WE REALLY MEAN IT WHEN WE SAY DONT GO IN THE WATER."

My last visit back home during Christmas, I noticed there was a considerable amount of construction on the roads, specifically at the entrance to Magic Kingdom on World Drive. Looks like a ramp is being built to bypass the parking booth that will lead straight to the hotels. Before you had to stop at the parking booth to the far right to tell the parking cast member that you are going to one of the hotels. This is great especially if you are nearly late for a dinner reservation at, let's say, The Polynesian. Or if you are a Castmember trying to get to work, we had to pull our IDs out to show the parking booth who we were to let us through.

There are other construction projects that i'm not sure about. I do believe the one over between Studios and Wide World of Sports might be A) The Star Wars hotel or B) The new entrance/exit into Studios I've been hearing about, which makes sense because next summer when Star Wars Galaxy's Edge opens up, Studios is going to get all the crowds!

TAC, did you go visit Pandora? I love that land!

[TAC]

There’s going to be a Star Wars hotel?? They are definitely building a new hotel by the Caribbean Beach. I figured they were new DVC Timeshares.

We did go to Pandora. I’ve never seen Avatar or know any of the back story. They put a ridiculous amount of detail work which is quite impressive. As for the rides, the Flight Of Passage is great. But the fact that there are no bathrooms in the building is a joke. It’s a long line and goes on forever even once you’re inside. They need to put in bathrooms.

The Na’vi River ride is for Avatar enthusiasts only. It’s very short but again, the detail is amazing.