We'll be visiting Disney World over President's Day weekend (Sunday & Monday). My husband and I will be there with our two daughters, ages seven & four, and his elderly parents. To make a long story short, this is last minute and we have nothing booked or reserved ahead of time (except our hotel, which is not in the Disney park). I began an attempt to book dinner reservations and everything was booked.
Does anyone have any advice on a last minute Disney trip? I'm very anxious about paying top dollar for everything, waiting in long lines with my young kids & elderly in-laws, etc.
Thanks so much!
L.
If you still have enough time, get the meal plan it is so worth it. It may not get in restaurants that are booked but it will be cheaper than not having it. Also when you get to Disney call the restaurant reservations hotline, sometimes people cancel at the last minute.
One thing i can suggest is to get/rent wheelchairs for one or both of the grandparents. Then you get to skip the lines!
L.:
We were there with our 3 kids (ages 12, 10 & 5) at Thanksgiving. It was crowded but one of the things that made it easier was getting into the parks as soon as they opened - this way you get maximum ride time before it gets too busy. Also. stick to one park a day. The cool thing about disney is that even when you are waiting or in the time going from one attraction to the next, there is always something else to see and do. Give your girls a spending budget (worked like a charm for mine) or you will be eating bologna sandwiches for the next month. As far as other meals goes, there are lots of self serve places in the parks so you do not need to worry about making reservations. This food is not cheap but some of it is not half bad. If there is a particular restaurant you do want to go to, try making a lunch reservation - should be easier.
Don't know if you have princess obsession in your house but if so, the princess lunch at Akershes (sp.) in the Norway pavillion in Epcot was wonderful (you can try to get a reservation). And my daughter was over the moon about her princess make over at the Bibbity, Bobbity boutique - what a great experience for her. Buy your girls autgraph books as soon as you get into the park and get a schedule of character appearances - it is very easy and a major thrill to see the characters.
One last thing, fast pass is excellent. Check the website to see how it works but it really helps with the line time.
Have fun and remember that this is not a relaxing trip. You'll make lovely memories but it is exhausting!
R.
I agree with going to the parks early in the morning. It is less crowed than. Lunch should not be a problem at the park. THere are plenty of casual places to eat. But what I would do at night time is eat by your hotel. There are tons of choices away from Disney and much cheaper. I was just there in December and this worked out great for me. You might want to also go to the pool in the afternoon. It is too long of a day for everydody to be at the parks for 10 hours.
My advice is to do Magic Kingdom and go online in advance to try to map out your day. Speed pass is a wonderful feature to use to avoid waiting in lines. Also, take a look at the restaurants in and around your hotel. It might be nice to do a poolside dinner at your hotel - another great place is Paradise Island - they have a lot of places to eat there and it is somewhat off the beaten track. Most of all - don't stress - take pictures and try to have fun. Laughing will make the trip more enjoyable for everyone - young and old.
