Is Disney World Doable??

[keishashadow]

Which is another big reason why we're hiring a towncar service. Those drivers know the area and will be able to find whatever alternate route is available to get is where we need to be.

 

Because we already have our tickets, our 'excursion' cost will be less than half of what Carnival will charge. Kid's already know that we'll only see a few things...but then we've seen it all and done it all many times. Just being at Disney and walking around, even for a couple of hours, is enough for us.

 

good idea, just make sure to google the towncar company, cheapest not always the best;)

 

i've read more than a few accounts on disboards of people getting 'stuck' by divers showing late or not @ all:(

 

my family has used sunray for years without incident & always had stellar service (unfortunately, they have raised their fares to PC lol)

[msmayor]

good idea, just make sure to google the towncar company, cheapest not always the best;)

 

i've read more than a few accounts on disboards of people getting 'stuck' by divers showing late or not @ all:(

 

my family has used sunray for years without incident & always had stellar service (unfortunately, they have raised their fares to PC lol)

 

Very true. I'm narrowing the list now, and getting final quotes from services I've seen mentioned both here and at disboards. I fully expect to pay, with tip, upwards of $300-325 for the round-trip...not much more than just the cost of one day's admission. It will be worth it though to be able to bypass the car rental agency (I have to believe that saves 30-40 minutes on both ends of the day) as well as the parking lot/tram/monorail to the gate. I figure by using the car service we'll gain anywhere from 1-2 hours of time in the park.

[serene56]

Very true. I'm narrowing the list now, and getting final quotes from services I've seen mentioned both here and at disboards. I fully expect to pay, with tip, upwards of $300-325 for the round-trip...not much more than just the cost of one day's admission. It will be worth it though to be able to bypass the car rental agency (I have to believe that saves 30-40 minutes on both ends of the day) as well as the parking lot/tram/monorail to the gate. I figure by using the car service we'll gain anywhere from 1-2 hours of time in the park.

 

I looked in the car services-- and we do need tickets for one day which is VERY expensive. Carnival has this excursion to seaworld for 140.00 so foe 280.00 round trip. it was only a few more dollars.

 

We dont have tickets- thats where it becomes pricey and where the cruiselines excursion is the best deal for us

[meatloafsfan]

Magic Kingdom - no.

 

Epcot - maybe (but you'd miss dinner and one of the best things in that park are the world restaurants).

 

Animal Kingdom or Disney Hollywood Studio's - I'd consider one of those. You could certainly do the headliners and a few of the other attractions. Use fast pass and skip a big lunch and just have a quick snack to maximize your time.

[templed]

We did it one year from NCL Dawn. My opinion... it's not worth it. Not enough time in the park to really enjoy yourself.

[keishashadow]

Very true. I'm narrowing the list now, and getting final quotes from services I've seen mentioned both here and at disboards. I fully expect to pay, with tip, upwards of $300-325 for the round-trip...not much more than just the cost of one day's admission. It will be worth it though to be able to bypass the car rental agency (I have to believe that saves 30-40 minutes on both ends of the day) as well as the parking lot/tram/monorail to the gate. I figure by using the car service we'll gain anywhere from 1-2 hours of time in the park.

 

@ Magic Kingdom the towncars & taxis r supposed to drop u off @ TTC (ticket & transportation center) so u still need to take boat or monorail to MK, can take 1/2 hour each way

 

u could ask to be dropped @ Contemporary resort or Bay lake tower bldg & walk (approx 10 min lesiurely pace):)

 

the other parks allow drop off near the park gates (especially AK & MGM)

 

most of the towncar places now insist you leave 2 hrs prior for flight out of MCO, not sure what the time frame would be for ship

 

good luck

[Homosassa]

Also keep in mind that Disney will close any park to new admissions when they decide the park is or will be at capacity. I have seen the Magic Kingdom closed at 8:30AM when the official opening time is 9AM.

 

It is very possible that you will arrive and not be able to enter the park of your choice.

[serene56]

Also keep in mind that Disney will close any park to new admissions when they decide the park is or will be at capacity. I have seen the Magic Kingdom closed at 8:30AM when the official opening time is 9AM.

 

It is very possible that you will arrive and not be able to enter the park of your choice.

 

 

Not on the Wednesday after Labor day. Im sure it will be very quiet- I mean expect crowds but not crowded like it would be in the summer- All kids are back to school by then.

[msmayor]

Also keep in mind that Disney will close any park to new admissions when they decide the park is or will be at capacity. I have seen the Magic Kingdom closed at 8:30AM when the official opening time is 9AM.

 

It is very possible that you will arrive and not be able to enter the park of your choice.

 

This is really only an issue on major holidays...4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's. A Wednesday in August isn't going to have this problem.

[sealady1]

Your driving time may even be extended a bit... this past week they have begun getting ready for the construction of another toll booth on 528 (the beachline). At the moment, it isn't slowing us much (cones on each side of the lanes) but I expect it is going to start backing things up soon.

 

If you decide to go, I would do so through the cruiseline rather than on your own.

 

Cocoa Beach is a nice place to visit if you decide to stay closer to the pier.... hope you have a great time!

Wow!!

I went offline for a couple of hours and I come back on and there are two pages of replies to my question!! Thank you everyone. My plan is to go through the cruiseline for this excursion, considering the time limit. The thing is, in planning this trip with my friend, she initially wanted to go to Disney World itself. She is a grown, mature woman but she loves it there. She has been there umpteen times. I am not a fan of theme parks and I definitely don't care for amusement rides. I would much rather go on a cruise since it is my new favorite way to vacation. I thought that with the itinerary of this cruise, I would have what I want and my friend would have a small taste of Disney. The best of both worlds!!

[serene56]

No way would I consider Disney-- any of its parks-- an amusement park.

Sure they have rides-- but most rides are attractions in itself--

 

If you do decide to go using the cruiselines excursion-- could you post back how it went. There are so few people who do this excursion and I am wondering how it will go.

[crewsweeper]

Wow!!

I went offline for a couple of hours and I come back on and there are two pages of replies to my question!! Thank you everyone. My plan is to go through the cruiseline for this excursion, considering the time limit. The thing is, in planning this trip with my friend, she initially wanted to go to Disney World itself. She is a grown, mature woman but she loves it there. She has been there umpteen times. I am not a fan of theme parks and I definitely don't care for amusement rides. I would much rather go on a cruise since it is my new favorite way to vacation. I thought that with the itinerary of this cruise, I would have what I want and my friend would have a small taste of Disney. The best of both worlds!!

 

Well you've read our advice and varied opinions. So go and you and your friend have a wonderful day at Disney World and a great cruise:)

[familycruzinnewbie]

Well if she has her heart set on Magic Kingdom and you are adults, you can make it work. Just do a little research and set a few priorities and alternatives. You can even get wait times and information on your phone. I've seen a good chunk of Magic Kingdom in half a day with two kids in strollers. Though it was more enjoyable this year with two full days and walking children, we got to explore a little more.

[dickinson]

We went to Disney a year and a half ago. We arrived on Sunday of Labor Day week end and left on Friday. Sunday was mobbed but the rest of the week the place was pretty empty! You should have no trouble enjoying the one park you pick.

[poobears]

We do Disney on vacation every couple of years. We get to the parks around 9am and have never ever stayed past 2-3. By that time everyone has hit the rides they wanted, sometimes more than once and we've seen everything.

 

I don't understand why some think it takes days to do a park unless you want to do every tiny thing there is, 1/2 a day is plenty even with kids (we have 4). We never rush, we don't stick to a plan. We pick the one must ride ride and hit it first to either ride or get a fast pass ticket then go with the flow the rest of the day until we are done.

[chipmaster]

Doable or enjoyable.

 

If all one wants are a few photos infront of iconic places then doable and got pictures.

 

Many find to "enjoy" the park takes days if not more time, doing it as a port day with the extra driving that would not be enjoyable or port time well spent IMHO.

 

Good luck!

 

Good Morning Everyone,

My best friend and I are planning a "girls only" cruise. We are thinking about the 9/4/11 sailing of the Pride out of Baltimore to the Bahamas. The first port of call is Port Canavaral from 7AM to 7PM. We would like to go to Disney World for the day. Is this doable?

Thank you,

Debbie

[krmckee]

Wow!!

I went offline for a couple of hours and I come back on and there are two pages of replies to my question!! Thank you everyone. My plan is to go through the cruiseline for this excursion, considering the time limit. The thing is, in planning this trip with my friend, she initially wanted to go to Disney World itself. She is a grown, mature woman but she loves it there. She has been there umpteen times. I am not a fan of theme parks and I definitely don't care for amusement rides. I would much rather go on a cruise since it is my new favorite way to vacation. I thought that with the itinerary of this cruise, I would have what I want and my friend would have a small taste of Disney. The best of both worlds!!

 

I'm assuming it's Magic Kingdom what you're looking to do. That's exactly how I felt after we decided to cruise on the Pride this year instead of taking my kids to Disney for a few days. We got to do both! Very doable but you will only have time for 6-8 attractions... If the price of the excursion is worth it to you then go for it. Just the sheer joy of walking into the park and seeing the castle is worth it!!!! Here is an excerpt from my Pride review last month:

"We rented a car to go to The Magic Kingdom. All 8 of us piled in a minivan. We had all been to WDW before but neither family had taken the little ones ages 3 and 4. Because we had been before and because most of us earned free tickets after volunteering via the ‘Give a Day Get a Day’ program, we felt it was worth the hassle and expense. It only cost us the rate of a minivan rental and 2 child admission tix plus incidentals (strollers, meals, souvenirs). Well worth the price for a day at Disney. Well, actually make it a half day. We got off the ship shortly before 8pm. I want to say we arrived at Disney by 9:30ish and after getting parking, tix, strollers, we were inside the park around 10am. We got to ride It’s a Small World, Phillarmagic (Fast Pass), Peter Pan (Fast Pass), Haunted Mansion, Buzz Lightyear (Fast Pass), and the Teacups as well as meet Mickey and Minnie at the Judges Tent. We also took a break for lunch and left the park around 3:15 because we wanted to return to the car rental (Thrifty) before it closed at 5pm. We could’ve pushed it and returned later and taken a cab to the boat from Thrifty but we didn’t want to, plus we got back to the boat in time for our early dining seating. It was a fun day worth the price we paid but I am not sure I would recommend it to those paying for full price admission tickets or for first time visitors. A first time visit to WDW deserves more time than a few hours. And FASTPASS is a must as some waits neared 60 minutes!"

[Cruisin'Allie]

We already have tickets...left over days from older admission tickets...so no real cost there and no time spent at the Ticket/Transportation center to buy them.

 

 

Please double check your tickets before you go. A few years ago when they changed their ticket structure, you had to pay extra for non-expiring tickets (otherwise they expire within 14 days) Five or six years ago, I was able to use a leftover day from a 1982 ticket but now they won't allow the use of the "old" tickets. If you know they'll work, Great! (Anyway to save money! :D )

[ehfl]

It's probably not worth the price. You would be cutting it close, and have to know exactly what attractions you want to do, and hope that you can get a fast pass for each of them.

[msmayor]

Please double check your tickets before you go. A few years ago when they changed their ticket structure' date=' you had to pay extra for non-expiring tickets (otherwise they expire within 14 days) Five or six years ago, I was able to use a leftover day from a 1982 ticket but now they won't allow the use of the "old" tickets. If you know they'll work, Great! (Anyway to save money! :D )[/quote']

 

Thanks...we do indeed know the tickets are non-expiring. They were originally purchased in 2003 or 2004 before the Magic Your Way structure went into effect in January of 2005. My Mom& Dad purchased 20 tickets YEARS before our planned family vacation for their 50th anniversary as a way to save on ticket price increases until the trip in 2008, and spread the cost of the trip out over a few more years.

 

I believe you are incorrect about the use of the old tickets...you may not be able to use the actual old ticket, but you can turn it in for a current version of the tickets to be able to use the finger scanners. They are not telling guests that their tickets are too old and no longer valid for admission.