Itinerary

[NigelM]

Hi folks

Would appreciate some views on draft itinerary.

Am arriving on 20th March with family for three weeks, the first two in Kissimmee.

Have been 3 times in last 5 years so we don't need to overdo the parks but nevertheless the children will demand at least 60% of our time in kissimme be spent at the theme parks.

Have drafted a rough idea:


[u]Theme parks Days</u>

1. Magic Kingdom
2. Universal
3. Islands/Universal
4. Islands/Universal (third day free offer)
5. Blizzard
6. Typhoon
7. Epcot

[u]Other Days</u>

1. Airboat Ride
2. Celebration
Days 3 - 6 General musing around the shopping malls and lazing by the pool. This will include whatever we fancy on the day. It also includes my wife&#39;s 40th birthday which is being left free for an early morning ballon ride.

Is there a Disney hopper pass to suit or will I need to pay separately each day at the gate?

Your views would be most welcome.

Nigel M

[DMC]

Your plans sounds fine, with a good mix of Entertainment and Shopping.

I assume that you have had your fill of Seaworld on previous trips if not that's always worth a visit

As far as the Tickets are concerned a 5 Day Hopper should be ok with the spare day being saved and used either on your next trip ( as they don't expire ) or and extra day in the parks rather than shopping.

I think that buying a day pass each morning will cost you more in the long run.

The main thing is that you have flexibility in the schedule so that you can change things at short notice, just in case the weather isn't that good, not much fun being in a Water Park if it's cold

[NigelM]

Thanks DMC

From your reply do I assume that each day in the water parks counts as a day used on the hopper pass? I thought that the water parks were an added incentive and didn't count as a day off the multi-pass. If so we might need to re-draw our plans to keep within budget a 5 day hopper for a family of 5 is enough to melt the plastic in my wallet.[msneek]

Would be pleased to have some clarification?

NigelM

[Debs]

Hi Nigel,

Sorry I cannot help with the hopper pass details - I am sure someone will answer that query for you shortly.

Just wanted to chip in (even though you didn't ask!!!) with my suggestions for eating places!! You may have been to some already: Bahama Breeze (just love that Coconut Shrimp!!), Seasons 52 (haven't managed to get there myself but have heard rave reviews) and Bomas at Animal Kingdom - we had a great time there last year it is an all you can eat buffet (which I find great for my family as I can get them to try so many different foods) and you can top it off with views of the Animals with night vision glasses - well worth a trip. These are just a few but you can get more details from the eating out section on the forum

[athurstance]

If you have the 5 day hopper plus pass then you get 5 days at the main parks plus 2 'options' which give you admission to the water parks so a day at the water park would count as a 'plus option' not a day off your 5 days. If you have either any days left or any 'options' they never expire so you could use them on a future trip - on your plan you would use 2 days (Magic Kingdom and Epcot) and the two 'options' at Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon so you'd have 3 days left. The 5 day is the shortest you can get with the plus options although you can get a 4 day hopper for the main parks.
Hope that helps.

[tinkerbell]

Hi Nigel!

Your itinerary is making me depressed! I would say that a 5 day park hopper plus would be ideal, this gives you 5 days park hopping (that never expire!) in the four theme parks, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Disney Studios/MGM. The plus means that you also get 2 options, these also never expire, but they are valid in the water parks, pleasure island and Disney's Wide World of Sports!

It would sound as though a 5 day hopper is a little more than you need this trip, but a four day hopper doesn't give you the extra options for water parks etc, so in the long run, if you are ever planning a return trip ( I don't know anyone who's been who isn't!), then it's well worth it.

I have just returned last Sunday from 2.5 wks over xmas, and we bought our 5 day plus hoppers from Kissimee Guest Services (who provide tickets to our guests) which had 4 options instead of 2 for the same price! In Orlando airport on our return journey, we also saw the same deal in teh Disney store, but for slightly more money.

Hope this is of some use! Oh, and I can vouch for Boma's buffet! We did that for our xmas dinner and it was fab!!!

[Debs]

See I said you would get the answers you needed on the hoppers - what a great forum this is!!!

[tinkerbell]

It's great here! [msncool]

[NigelM]

Thanks

Your comments are most helpful.

It looks like we will need to pay for individual days at the 'Disney' parks. This is because it will be our last visit for some time now. My eldest starts at senior school and as we usually take the boys out of school for two weeks to take advantage of a quieter more temperate Florida this caused us an issue . We have therefore made a decision not to take him out of school term when he is at senior school.

All the things we love about Florida would be compromised by a two week holiday in the searing heat and humidity and the crowds and queues. In addition the costs are that much higher. That is not for us. [msncry]

This the attraction of unexpired days will be of no use to us.

Does anyone know the prices for individual days at 'Disney'.

cheers

NigelM

[Seminole]

Nigel, don't forget a tour of Kennedy Space Center over at Cape Canaveral. Kids will love it particularly if you have the good fortune of timing your visit with a launch. Lots of excitement over there now with the successful Mars mission which has been featured on the front page of the Orlando Sentinel newspaper.