Military discounts to Disney

[peggyfromwastate]

Here is some info about it:

http://land.allears.net/blogs/dnews/...he_memori.html

We are probably going to try to do it, since it's *rumored* that the World will not offer anymore sweet 4 day packages again in the future... But I don't know.

Right now I have a question- Heidi? Anyone?

This is stupid, but I don't understand what the water park and more thing adds on. Does that mean that you go to a water park INSTEAD of a theme park on a day? Or do you go to a water park AND a theme park on a given day? Or can you go to a water park AND a theme park on separate days?

It says for a 4 day water park fun and more you get 4 visits to the water park fun and more... Does that have to be used in 4 days only?

Confusing...

[peggyfromwastate]

I found an explanation of the water parks and more from the allears website... Are the water parks worth it? Fun? Not fun? We're talking August here. So... Humid and miserable, but it's humid and miserable here in the DC area too...

[Urowife]

Question - for the 3-day park hopper, do you have to use the tickets for 3 days in a row? Or could you conceivably go one day in January, then another day in April, etc?

Seems like such a great deal!

[Vanquisher]

For a 4 day trip, I'd skip the water parks. There is plenty without doing them. What is the cost difference? Also, depending on what you want to do, park hoppers might not be a good option either. Just depends on the price. The water parks are fun, but I would need to know more to best advise you. Are you considering Universal? Are you staying in the parks? Are you worrying about that yet?


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[peggyfromwastate]

The tickets are 4 day parks plus either the park hopper option or the water and more add on. For 138 each. It's 30 more I think if u do the water and the park hopper.

So we would prob go to parks 4 days and water parks 2 days but separate days. I promised Kate we'd do universal next time we go to disney but I don't know if universal has good baby stuff. J will be almost 3 and she is already really into princesses. She knows them all. Lol.

We have been to disney twice in the last 4 years and nothing is urgent to see or do there. We pretty much have done it all.

I don't know. We might not be able to swing it. Dh barely gets leave and kates sport commitments are crazy. She starts soccer the second week of august and swimming ends the last week of July. Sigh.

As far as the expiration- urowife u have 14 days fr when u activate to use the ticket.

[L.Jane]

Universal = Harry Potter.

[MDPhDWife]

As far as the expiration- urowife u have 14 days fr when u activate to use the ticket.

Another option is to purchase the no expiration option but you'll have to do a cost/benefit analysis.

Peggy: I agree w/ Heidi about not doing the water parks for a 4 day trip, I would only recommend the water parks which are very fun if you're staying 7 days or more. Are you staying at Shades of Green, it's supposed to be pretty nice but I've never been since we're not military. Also, I have a friend who is a travel agent who specializes in all things Disney. PM me if you want her info.

[peggyfromwastate]

We would probably be there about 7 days or, maybe 8 or 9 depending on DHs leave and how long it takes to drive there. It's about 850 miles or so. We don't want to hassle with flying again, or risk being stranded in Orlando like last time!

We always stay at the Shades of Green (always as in the last 2 times we've been- those are the only trips we've taken but the last one was extended from 6 nights to 11!!! Blizzards of 2010 shut down our airports here). It's right on the property. You can hear the fireworks at Magic Kingdom. It's across from the Polynesian.

Anyway, the way the tickets are, it's either the Water Parks and More option or the Park Hopper and I've never been into Park Hopping. I don't know, just seems like a lot of hassle to me. I could see us going to, say, Magic Kingdom early, and ending the day at a waterpark, or vise versa more likely. We've never tried the water parks. That's one of Kate's gripes.

I want to go to Universal too- the world of Harry Potter, but I'm not sure if there is enough to entertain the non-coaster riders. We'll see...

[Vanquisher]

I too think park hopping is a pain in the butt and a waste of time. You spend so much time in just transportation getting from one park to another that it is exhausting. Given that it is one or the other (I thought there used to be a $99 ticket that just included the parks for military). If you are going to be there for 7-9 days, I think the water park and more option is probably best. The water parks are fun, I just wasn't sure they were worth an upcharge from base tickets, but if it is either that or the park hopper, I'd go for more parks.

I don't know anything about Shades of Green, so I can't be any help to you there. You know much more about it than I do, I am sure. If we have a house by then, you would be welcome to stay with us.

Universal is definitely more geared toward the big kids with roller coasters. Harry Potter is really cool, but I am not sure Josie would be that into it. They do have Seuss Land in Universal that would be fun for her. I am limited in my experience with Universal. We just barely got passes, and have only been once so far. Butterbeer is really yummy though! It kind of depends on what you want to get out of your visit. Who are you gearing your vacation toward? Josie won't remember this. Kate will. You will.

Magic Kingdom, of course, is just like Disneyland. Toontown has been completely removed though. They are remaking that whole area of the park, and it won't be finished by the time you visit.

EPCOT is great for some, not so great for others. It is a very intellectual park. Lots of learning opportunities. Fewer rides. Test track, Soarin', and Turtle Talk with Crush are fantastic though. I love EPCOT, but it isn't for everyone. Lots of kids would find it boring.

Hollywood studios has a lot more shows. Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Playhouse Disney, Indiana Jones (I think that's still going on), Stunt Show, etc. Toy Story Mania is a great, new ride. If you go to Hollywood Studios, get fast passes for Toy Story Mania FIRST. It is the first to run out of fast passes, and the line otherwise is LONG. Aerosmith rockin' roller coaster and Tower of Terror are good rides for thrill seekers.

Animal Kingdom is my least favorite park. I know, you must be shocked given the giant animal lover that I am. I do love the Expedition Everest roller coaster though, and the Kali River Rapids is a fun water ride.

All the Disney parks have a little something for everyone, and I think that is true of Universal too.

[Michele]

I've only been to Animal Kingdom once, but I loved it! Of course, Heidi and I are probably on opposite ends of the animal loving spectrum. I think park hopping with kids would be way too much work. Russ and I did it when it was just us and it wasn't bad....but no way would I try to do it with the kids.

I can't wait to move back to Florida. And get annual passes. I don't care how "corporate" the Mouse is. I love him!

[Vanquisher]

I can't wait to move back to Florida. And get annual passes. I don't care how "corporate" the Mouse is. I love him!

I love my annual passes. So much fun. I've already gotten my money's worth less than two months in!

[peggyfromwastate]

Heidi- I think we'd do at least a day at Universal to appease Kate. The only other kid who likes big coasters is Izzy. Luke would do them too- he did space mountain last time (it was TOO FUNNY because he sucked his thumb in line the whole time but he loved it...) Steven does not like coasters at all. I don't know why. There's always something to occupy him though! He seems to enjoy LOOKING at the roller coasters, just not riding on them!

Your point about WHO would remember the trip is well-taken. Josie is really into princesses- she knows all their names. But... She'll be nearly 3 when we go, and she won't remember a thing. We'll take video and pictures so she'll remember that, and she's really cute when she says *pincess* but no, she won't remember the trip!

Kate has always wanted to try the waterparks, and Steven wants to try the Videogame place (Quest something or another?) and that's part of the "water parks and more" add on, so I think all in all there's something for everyone with that package. The $99 base ticket package isn't available anymore. That was supposed to be the "last offer ever" but with the economy still sucking I guess they decided to give another "last time ever" offer-- just only with water parks and more OR hopper option. So we'll go for the water and more...

As far as the parks, we still have a lot to do at Hollywood studios. I dont' think the new star wars ride will be running, and that's too bad, but oh well. The Toy Story Mania ride is awesome- we did it once-- ITA about the fastpasses. The wait on that ride is INCREDIBLE. It would be nice if you could go through it twice in a row- because it takes about 3 minutes to figure out what you're doing!! But we havent' done the muppets, and the playhouse disney, and they revamped the tower of terror I think to make the drops more fun, so there's good stuff to do there. And the Belle show- we didn't do princess stuff last time we did Disney, it was all Star Wars then. I think we will probably skip Animal Kingdom too. I like the safari ride, but... I kind of think I'd rather do 2 days at Magic Kingdom and have the pace be a little more relaxed than try to do Animal Kingdom again. And it's so much walking there, it's truly exhausting. I like Epcot too. And my kids are into the fish, so we could spend all day in the Nemo aquarium. It's awesome. And Epcot is sort of a relaxing park. The kids really like the innovation stuff- just spending time there. They did little fire drills in the one area for about 45 minutes last time. Too funny. Mac and I wanted to "move on" and "see stuff" but they were as happy as could be going through the fire drill game with the little helper TWO times in a row!! And then there were crafts, etc., etc. Epcot is a lot more of a "chill out" park. There aren't as many rides to see so you don't feel so under the gun there. And I just like it. I love the laser light show. We didn't see it last time bc of the horrible weather, but maybe this time...

As far as Universal, I really want to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I can't wait to finish reading the Narnia series to the twins (1 book to go) so that we can start in on Harry Potter. That will be FUN! But I think we may just do that park? The Islands of Adventure one. We have a lot of big Coaster parks around here- and I promised Kate we'd take her to Hersheypark and we'll go to Busch Gardens williamsburg so she'll get her thrills in... But yeah, Harry Potter is pretty much a requirement.

So we'll do at least 1 day of Universal, even if it means we give up some Disney time. Josie doesn't have to be "entertained" all the time. Hell, I drag her to swim meets and soccer games and there's hardly anything more boring for a 2 year old than those places! A theme park is definitely a step up...

Anyway, I think we're kind of crazy to plan another Disney trip, but this seems like a good time, just before the Chief year starts, and just before the twins age up to "adult" status as per Disney (10 year olds) and Josie ages up to "Child" status (3 years old). That's a big jump in $$ for meals especially-- Josie is FREE at most buffet type places, and the difference between adult and kid price is about 100%, so it's a lot of $ saved by going now vs trying to go before chief year ends. I think this will be our last trip to the World for a while, assuming DH goes to the west coast for fellowwship, which is looking more and more likely.

So in short- Heidi I need to meet up with you at least for a coffee or something this time!!

[diggitydot]

When are you going again? My friend manages the Star Wars section of Hollywood Studios so I can probably find out when the new ride will be finished.

[SoonerTexan]

You might want to check out this place--my aunt's family went (in offseason I believe) and rented a 3 bedroom townhome with a splash pool for $600/week. She said it was awesome and really close to the Magic Kingdom. Just a thought.

http://vacationcentralflorida.com/