Category — w. Most Recent Stuff

ANIMAL KINGDOM: TUESDAY AGENDA

Today you  visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You have no scheduled meals.

Note: this is from the FastPass+ Lower-Crowd Seven Night Itinerary, Saturday Arrival Variant. It does not work all weeks–use the comment from to check in on yours!)

You should have FastPass+ for Kilimanjaro Safaris, Kali River Rapids, and Festival of the Lion King.

FIRST THINGS

• Pack spare clothes, as you will get soaked on Kali River Rapids
• Be at the park by 45 minutes before open

AT THE PARK

• Enter the park, grab a times guide, and compare the times of Flights of Wonder and Finding Nemo The Musical to your FastPass + schedule, figuring out when to see these. Target the first Nemo
• Head to Expedition Everest and ride
• Head to DinoLand and see DINOSAUR
• If they look like fun, see Primeval Whirl and Triceratops Spin
• Working around the show times for Fights of Wonder and Finding Nemo, see these shows and  Maharajah Jungle Trail and It’s Tough to Be a Bug
• Eat lunch at Flame Tree Barbecue
• Head to Africa and see Kilimanjaro Safaris (FP+) and Festival of the Lion King (FP+), with Pangani Forest Exploration Trail in between
• Rafiki’s Planet Watch is a minor adventure accessed by the Wildlife Express Train. If interested, and you have time (including the train allow 45 minutes), see it before your Kali FastPass+
• See Kali River Rapids (FP+)

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you continue your visit to the Magic Kingdom.

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!

EPCOT DAY 1: MONDAY AGENDA

Today you will begin your visit to Epcot, and have the evening off. You have no reserved dining today.

You should have FastPass+ for Soarin’, Turtle Talk with Crush, and a third ride.

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Lower-Crowd Seven Night Itinerary, Saturday Arrival Variant. It does not work all weeks–use the comment form to check in on yours!)

FIRST THINGS

Be at the park by 45 minutes before open. 

AT THE PARK: MORNING

• Enter the turnstiles when the park opens at about 8.45, grab a map and Times Schedule, and head to Test Track. Ride it.
• Go into Innoventions East and check out The Sum of All Thrills.  If it looks like fun, ride it
• Head to the other side of Future World and see the attractions in the Imagination Pavilion–Captain EO and Journey Into Imagination with Figment
• Two of your FastPass+ for today are all on this side of the park.  Using them see Soarin and Turtle Talk with Crush.   Fit in The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Living with the Land, and Circle of Life around the FastPass+ rides. If lines are too long for Living with the Land, add it later as a fourth FastPass+. Note that as you ride each FastPass+ ride you can move the next to an earlier time, if available.
• Have lunch while you are in this area of the park at Sunshine Seasons in the Land Pavilion on the same level as Soarin
• Next is the of World Showcase, starting in Canada and progressing counter-clockwise.
  • Each pavilion will have some or all of shopping, special exhibits, a ride, a movie, and other special events—such as acrobats in China.
  • Check your map, times guide, and the pavilion itself, to see what each pavilion has.
  • For scheduled events like the acrobats, etc., sequence what you do when among items that are not scheduled (shops, exhibits, and rides), and bounce back and forth between nearby pavilions, so that you don’t have to wait long for the scheduled item
• If the kids are bored by World Showcase, check out Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure
• And you are almost done if you wish to be! Check out Innoventions on your way out of the park to decide how much time you will want to devote to these on Thursday
• Alternatively, simplify Thursday by seeing more of World Showcase, Ellen’s’ Energy Adventure, and Innoventions

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS: SUNDAY AGENDA

Today you visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

You should have FastPass+ for the Toy Story Midway Mania, the Voyage of the Little Mermaid, and the Frozen Sing-Along. You have no scheduled dining today.

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Lower-Crowd Seven Night Itinerary, Saturday Arrival Variant. It does not work all weeks–use the comment form to check in on yours!)

FIRST THINGS

Arrive at the Studios by 45 minutes before open.

AT THE PARK

• At park open, grab a times guide, head to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and ride it
• See Tower of Terror
• Take a look at your Times Guide.  The challenge today is to see the fixed-schedule shows Indiana Jones, Lights Motor Action, Beauty and the Beast, and Fantasmic in the middle of all the other rides and FastPass+.  If the schedule works, aim for Indiana Jones a little after 11, Lights Motor around 4.30, and Beauty and the Beast around 5.30.  Fantasmic is what it is; if there’s two shows, the later one will be less crowded, but yields a day about 90 minutes longer…
• See Voyage of the Little Mermaid (FP+)
• See Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream
• See the Great Movie Ride
• See Indiana Jones
• See Muppet Vision 3D
• See the Frozen Sing-Along (FP+)
• See Star Tours
• Have lunch
• See Toy Story Mania (FP+)
• See Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream
• If time permits, see the Magic of Disney Imagination and Disney Jr Live on Stage
• See Lights Motor Action
• See Beauty and the Beast
• Be at Fantasmic 30-45 minutes before showtime. Fit dinner in before or after, depending on the Fantasmic schedule

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you will begin your visit to Epcot.

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!l

MAGIC KINGDOM DAY 1: FIRST SATURDAY AGENDA

Today you will begin your visit to the Magic Kingdom, focusing on the evening shows.

Your key FastPass+ is for the Main Street Electrical Parade.

You may not get to use other FastPass+ today, depending on your arrival time, how late the park is open, and what time the evening shows happen.  Check the Magic Kingdom calendar here. Disney requires you to get three FastPass+ regardless, so select from among Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train for your second and third FastPass+.

Each of these is worth multiple rides!  The other fixed point in your schedule is dinner at the Crystal Palace.

(Note: this is from the FastPass+ Lower-Crowd Seven Night Itinerary, Saturday Arrival Variant. It does not work all weeks–use the comment form to check in on yours!)

FIRST THINGS

Check in, get settled if your room is ready, and be at the Magic Kingdom as soon as you can.

FIRST THINGS

• Arrive at your hotel, following the instructions in your Disney’s Magical Express packet if you are using it to get from Orlando International to your Disney Resort. Check in
• Unless you are arriving late, your room will likely not be ready, but you can leave your bags. First change into clothes more appropriate for the weather–which your To-Do List reminded you to pack in your carry-ons. You can ask to be called or texted later to find out your exact room
• If your room is ready, and if you have time–you want to be at the Magic Kingdom as soon as you can–get food and supplies (bowls, napkins, scotch) for your breakfast in the morning, which you will be eating out of your room. Also get (from the counter service restaurant) “Refillable Mugs,” which you will be able to re-use at your resort for free drinks over your entire stay
• Head to the Magic Kingdom as soon as you can

AT THE PARK

• Be at the park in time for dinner at the Crystal Palace
• If you arrive early, use your FastPass+
• Find the FastPass+ viewing area in front of the Castle and from that spot watch the Main Street Electrical Parade and Celebrate the Magic
• After Celebrate the Magic, move back closer to Main Street and see Wishes
• If you are up for it, continue in the park–but tomorrow is your longest day of this vacation…
• Head back to your hotel

BACK AT THE HOTEL

Buy food, supplies (bowls, spoons, etc.) and refillable mugs for breakfast in your room at your hotel counter service or gift shop, if you did not have time, or a room assignment, earlier.

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW

Tomorrow you visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!

DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: MAY 24 TO JUNE 1, 2014

The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic.

For more on May 2014 at Walt Disney World, see this.

[Read more →]

For the first page of this review of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, click here.

AMENITIES AT DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT

You enter the Grand Floridian’s main building into its lovely lobby, where on the first floor you’ll find check in and concierge services, some shops and some restaurants, and more shops and restaurants on the second floor.

(Dining at the Grand Floridian and the pools at the Grand Floridian are covered later in this review.)

At the other end of the lobby is a small shop with a lot of sundries and groceries.

This shop is called Sandy Cove–there’s another more gift-oriented shop upstairs.

Also on the first floor you’ll find a resort shop aimed at women, Summer Lace.

On the second floor of the main building, you’ll find a men’s resort shop, Commander Porter’s…

…a soap shop, Basin White…

…a hair salon…

…helpful for all the weddings hosted here…

…and another, much larger gift shop, M. Mouse Mercantile. This shot of the gift shop was taken during the Halloween season…

…and this one during the Christmas season.

Also on the second floor is the Monorail station. Magic Kingdom is the next stop. For Epcot, stay on the monorail and get off at the Transportation and Ticket Center, then change to the Epcot monorail.

Magic Kingdom can also be accessed by a slow boat at the far end of the resort, by Narcoossee’s. The Magic Kingdom is the second stop, after the Polynesian.

If your accommodations building is near this boat dock, check it out; others should consider the boat more for returns from the Magic Kingdom rather than trips there.

A recent addition to Magic Kingdom access options at the Grand Floridian is a pathway on which you can walk to and from that park.

Also along the water is this marina where you can rent boats for play.

Another view of the marina area.

Back out through the main building’s main entrance and to the right by the Convention Center you will find the resort’s bus stop. On the way there you’ll see these vehicles.

Buses from here will take you to Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, and the waterparks.

The bus stop has a monitor that indicates the next bus.

Over by the Villas you will find the famous Grand Floridian spa, Senses…

…a small (yet even so, poorly photographed) sports court…

…and a barbecue area. Of course, there are other dining options besides using this grill!

DINING AT DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT

This review continues here.

PAGES IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT

• Overview and summary of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
• Theming and accommodations at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
• A photo tour of a standard room at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
• Amenities at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
• Dining at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
• The pools at at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!