View Full Version : Expert(s) advice needed with difficult decision
Nostromo
15-07-2003, 13:31
I have been forced to moderate our rather heavy 3-week schedule in Orlando next spring, mainly following your expert advice to allow more rest days. I think the experts are right - there are 2 seniors in our group. But in doing the rescheduling, I have no choice but to eliminate a major park to get that extra rest day. I have taken a vote from the members in our group and the chop seems to be falling on Busch Gardens. Everyone wants to visit all the Disney Parks, Water parks, Universal, IoA, KSC and Sea World, plus a couple of shopping days. Their arguement is that with Animal Kingdom we get the animals, with IoA all the rides and so could miss Busch, which also has both. I like Busch and am not so sure. Please help!!
If it was me I would chop MGM and keep Busch. MGM is not a patch on Universal and is the most cramped of the Disney parks, so if you pick a busy day, you'll be fighting for space everywhere you go!! Tower of Terror and Rock'n'Roller Coaster are worth riding, but you could always hop over to MGM from Animal Kingdom, and do those two rides. You could see the best of AK and MGM easily in one day!!
Busch Gardens is a wonderful park but then so are the others. Personally I would rather go to Busch gardens than Animal Kingdom and hopefully you'll have another chance another year.
Jeff
Nostromo
15-07-2003, 13:42
Thanks. I cannot chop MGM I'm afraid. One of the seniors is my father-in-law who is a mad movie buff and has read about the backlot tour and animation demos. I have promised him both studios and cannot back out.
Personally I feel Busch Gardens is better than Animal Kingdom. If you are a movie buff both Universal Studios and MGM are a must - though I do feel they could offer more of this. I would happily leave the rest of the family to the rides!
athurstance
15-07-2003, 14:04
I love Busch but if you have seniors in your party who want to take it a bit easy it is a long day out to go over there. They will probably want a 'pool day' after going over there. We had a great couple of days over at Busch but when you add the hour's drive to the rest of the day in the park it is very tiring. Although they may relish the chance to have a day's rest by the pool in peace while the rest of you go.
I'd agree with the other replies.
Busch is a far better park than AK, in fact, we usually miss AK out completely unless we're with someone who has never been before.
Although we have been known to "hop" in late in the afternoon just for Khali River Rapids and/or Its Tough to be a Bug !
I would`nt miss Busch for any thing last time we went we got the free bus from Premium Outlet(saves getting lost !)Had a great day and then got on the luxury (I hope thats how you spell that) bus home We are going to park hop between MGM + Epcot this year so that gives us enough days to do every thing
Nostromo
15-07-2003, 15:27
Thanks everyone. I am glad anyway as I like Busch too. I think I'll keep both Busch AND AK and cheat my wife out of one of her shopping days! If she gets mad, she can always miss one of the parks on her own.
floridahol
15-07-2003, 16:27
Its very easy to do AK in half a day...
caroline
15-07-2003, 16:56
We quite often tack a couple of hours shopping onto the early evening - when it's a little cooler - and then head on for dinner :D this just may save you from an irate wife;)
neilandkay
15-07-2003, 19:11
When I last did a 2 week 'do the parks or die' holiday, the shopping trips were a rest day for us (but we are not seniors!). Unless you are going to shop til you drop, you can easily do a sleep in, have brunch, shop for a few hours and then go back to the villa to play in the pool.
Also have you considered the option of not everyone going to one of the parks/attraction. If particular people in your group need/want the extra rest day, perhaps they would prefer to spend a quiet day in the villa by themselves relaxing?
-Kay
Nostromo
15-07-2003, 20:44
My wife IS shopping mad and it is more likely that the shops close before she stops, let alone drop! She plans to spend a day each, believe it or not, in Mall at Millenia, Florida Mall and the two Belzes together. No, I think the best way is to leave her out of Busch and take it easy ourselves. I think with the seniors in tow, we will probably take longer than usual with the Pangani Trail and Maharajah Trek and thereby use a full day for AK as well.
I must be the odd one out. I was not impressed with Busch at all compared with Didney & would not bother to drive there again:(
Nostromo - what about the Premium Outlet? And Lake Buena Vista? I have serious shoppers in my house - 2 teenage daughters! We have given up Beltz because it goes on and on and on and on, and you drive from one little car park to the next (at least in the heat you do!).
Seriously though, all of those you mentioned are a day's shopping. LBV is the only one that you can do in half a day, and PO if you are disciplined and know where you want to go!
Nostromo
15-07-2003, 22:48
quote:Originally posted by fiona
Nostromo - what about the Premium Outlet? And Lake Buena Vista?
Thanks, Fiona but NO! I don't want to give my wife anymore shopping ideas! I know that she will be spending her own money for whatever she buys - have no fears on that - but I'm afraid I'll end up carrying a lot of her shopping afterwards! As far as my wife is concerned, the Premium Outlet is on Mars and LBV is a small body of water.
chrizzy100
15-07-2003, 23:05
quote:Originally posted by neilandkay
When I last did a 2 week 'do the parks or die' holiday, the shopping trips were a rest day for us (but we are not seniors!). Unless you are going to shop til you drop, you can easily do a sleep in, have brunch, shop for a few hours and then go back to the villa to play in the pool.
Also have you considered the option of not everyone going to one of the parks/attraction. If particular people in your group need/want the extra rest day, perhaps they would prefer to spend a quiet day in the villa by themselves relaxing?
-Kay
My mothers got a bad heart.....but we've yet to go to Orlando and have any rest days........we're out nine in the morning till around 11 at night.........I'm looking forward to being able to take my time.....I think one afternoon we took her back to the hotel....and that was cus she had a moody on.....hehehehe...
steph_goodrum
16-07-2003, 01:43
If your wife isn't too bothered about Busch Gardens then you could always drop her at either Eagle Ridge Mall or Lakeland Mall on the way and pick her up on your way home (and that'll save her $48 admission fee which can be added to the shopping budget):D:D
We found the Belz malls really disappointing last time (January) and would drop the day there and combine a day at AK with Premium Outlet mall, possibly stopping at Bahama Breeze for dinner on the way past before Premium Outlet. Also trim down Epcot from two to one day. We have found Epcot to be a little cheesy and the aquarium is simply not a patch on Seaworld, so I don't know if you need to do that bit. The world pavilions don't actually take too long for most of them, and I don't know if the Japan department store is still closed for refurb. I know you commented before about the amount of walking at Epcot, but as it is all on a fairly level surface I don't know if you would find it too bad.
Best wishes,
Euan
Nostromo
16-07-2003, 10:43
quote:Originally posted by steph_goodrum
If your wife isn't too bothered about Busch Gardens then you could always drop her at either Eagle Ridge Mall or Lakeland Mall on the way and pick her up on your way home (and that'll save her $48 admission fee which can be added to the shopping budget):D:D
Thanks Steph. That sounds like a good idea. It will save ME $24 since we have agreed to go 50:50 on everything but the shopping.
orlandobabe
16-07-2003, 14:03
We don't do the water parks at Disney so we have a bit less hassle fitting everything in. Would you really want to spend all day in a water park-I would combine that with half a day shopping or half a day at MGM or AK?
I would much rather shop at LBV than Belz anyday.
athurstance
16-07-2003, 14:12
We quite often spend the whole day at the water park - I count it as a rest day though. I can float round the lazy river for hours while the rest of my lot are throwing themselves down the slides.
Nostromo
16-07-2003, 21:29
I agree with Angela. Most of a warm day in a water park can be more relaxing than watching TV in the villa. Moreover, we will be going to BB on Monday in early May and the chances are that it will be relatively quiet. We plan to stay for some hours there and do Arabian Nights the same evening.