Help! I'm a WDW virgin--Teach me your ways!!

[Beauty908]

Hello, I'm Courtney and at my university I am taking a WDW class--We will be going to WDW in March, and I am really overwhelmed with how much there is down there!! Please, please, please--Help figure out the best places to research and ways to get the most bang for my buck!

I look forward to getting to know you, and thanks for coming to my rescue! :mickey:

[biodtl]

Hi Courtney - you have come to the right place for the best information on WDW. Just ask any questions you have and someone will have the answer. It's like magic!

[Mousemates]

useful things for others to know concerning your trip (so they can offer meaningufl advice) would include:

the number of days you will be at the parks

the age range of the group you will be traveling with

your general budget (i.e. is this going to be an economy trip or a 'first class all the way" affair.)

[Ms. Mode]

Welcome to Intercot!

I'm sure lots of people will be giving you tips, but what we did our first trip was figure out what rides were "must do" and which we could miss. To us, the rides/attractions are important. Also, check out the restaurants and make your ADRs as soon as you can....if not, it's hard to get into the more popular spots.

Here's my mini-list:

Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Everest
Dinosaur
Tower of Terror
Rock n' Rollercoaster
Kilimanjaro Safari

The Brown Derby
Le Cellier
Sci-Fi Dine In
Starring Rolls

Just to get you started :mickey:

[Beauty908]

Thank you all so much for getting back to me so quickly!!

My class size is 8 students and the teacher --(this is his dream class). All of the students are between 19-21. We will arrive on Wed. March. 10 and leave the 17th. Our passes are from the Wed. we arrive to Thurs. (16th). We are staying at Popcentury.

My budget is --basically spend as little as I can (poor college student-go figure) I don't mind kicking out money if its worth it, but i won't be paying $20 for a t-shirt.

I just recently started liking rollar-coasters. So I'm pumped about all the Mountains in WDW. Umm... I really don't know what my questions are yet since I don't know that much about the parks so....idk :confused:

[Imagineer1981]

a better question to you is, what WDW class are you taking, and how do I take it??? That sounds awesome!!!

[Beauty908]

a better question to you is, what WDW class are you taking, and how do I take it??? That sounds awesome!!!

It's at Western Illinois University, I guess you could transfer :) It will be pretty exciting--but this isn't a blow-off class either, the teacher is expecting a lot of book-reading, blog-reading, and thread-ing (idk if that is how to say it) but it'll be worth it. Plus I'm pretty good friends with my classmates so that is definitely a bonus!

[Joannelet]

First I need to ask you something!!!
What criteria is this class fulfilling for you? I think its such a great idea!!!
I wouldn't worry if I were you about being overwhelmed etc. It seems like if the teacher's wife runs a disney website then she knows what she is talking about and so does he.
I'm sure they are going to be taking you to everything in the parks and then telling you a little bit about each thing.
If I were you I'd pick up a disney travel book at your closest bookstore and read through it and highlight things like stores, rides, shows that interest you and then mention it to your teacher so that you can find the time to fit it in.

[Beauty908]

First I need to ask you something!!!
What criteria is this class fulfilling for you?

mention it to your teacher so that you can find the time to fit it in.

It is an Honors-humanities class. I already have humanities filled, so this is really just a fun class. We only have 6 more weeks to meet before we go so I know we will get more into what they have, but more excitingly--my class gets the chance to go into the tunnels and see behind-the-scences Disney!!

[BigRedDad]

A virgin college student? Just kidding because you opened the door. I just checked my MBA program and there is no WDW Class. Who can I call to get it added?

As a college student, I know the money constraints. There are many things you can do and many things you can skip. It is really up to you. You really need to research what is available at all of the parks to see what interests you. Since this is a college course, don't you have the Parks memorized by now :secret: j/k?

Things that are must do's if you have never been:

1. Wishes
2. Illuminations
3. MK (pretty much all of it once)
4. D'vine @ AK if she is there
5. Kilimanjaro Safari
6. Kali River Rapids
7. Expedition Everest
8. Dinosaur
9. Festival of the Lion King
10. Nemo show maybe
11. All of World Showcase
12. SSE
13. Mission Space
14. Test Track
15. Soarin
16. DHS

Tips:
1. Take it slow and take in all of the detail and not just be overwhelmed with the size.
2. Say hi to me when I am there too (03/06 - 03/14). I am a tall red head with an awe-struck 4yo DD.
3. Enjoy Pop. There is so much nostalgia there, maybe not for your generation though

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Tips:

1. Arrive early and do popular attractions first-every day one park has extra morning hours and extra evening hours available to those staying on Disney properties
2. Most rides exit through a gift shop, fight the temptation to look around and go straight to the next attraction
3. If you plan to eat Table Service Meals (TS)-make ADRs as soon as possible
4. Make use of disney transportation-buses, boats and monorail are available to take you to the parks and Downtown Disney-give yourself at least 30 minutes to get to each location when using their transportation
5. Pack two pair of well broken in comfortable shoes-I suggest tennis shoes or walking shoes and take plenty of mole skin and bandaids just in case you get a blister.

Have fun:mickey:

[GrumpyFan]

Something else you might want to consider, check out some Disney-related podcasts. There are several to pick from including:

The Dis Unplugged
Magical Definition
The Meandering Mouse
The WDW Radio Show
WDW Today
A Window to the magic

They are fun listening and provide a lot of valuable information. Just go to iTunes and look for them.

Also, you might want to check out this thread here (http://intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=157409&highlight=podcast) on Intercot that talks about Podcasts.

[Iluvpooh]

If I had to write a WDW themed paper, I think I would pick the "Main Street Windows". There is a nice .99 iphone app that explains who everyone is and why they have a WDW Window. Also, why not watch Modern Marvels Walt Dineyworld it really gives you some insight on the original planning of the MK park.

[fielin]

It could be a good idea to start with simple informations about your trip, so that we can tell you things about what you are going to experience.

1. Where will you be staying (on-site in a Disney hotel, or off-site ? In which hotel ?)

2. Are you going to spend all your days at parks or are there any other activities planned ? Will you be going to waterparks, minigolfs, and Downtown Disney ?

3. Is there any kind of report or work expected ?

Then questions about you :

1. Do you have favorite characters that you'd like to meet ? (I know, your all grown and adult, but I'm 32 and I love meeting Chip and Dale !)

2. Are there things your are afraid of (insects, height) or anything you are subject to (motion sickness, claustrophobia) ?

3. Do you have any experience with a theme park at all ? Which one ? What do you expect from your visit ?

[elmjimmlm]

Order a Disney DVD off of the Disney website...It's free and covers a lot of the parks...YouTube is a great place to watch ride videos...If you have an IPod then you can download several free apps that you can use before you go and when you get there...You can watch Season of Disney on the Travel Channel...It is on every so often so if you can catch it take a look...Hope this helps a little...By the way,:welcome: to Intercot...

[Beauty908]

Something else you might want to consider, check out some Disney-related podcasts.
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Actually listening to podcasts is part of our curriculum. We are to listen to DISUnplugged, and choose between Musestation, Inside the Magic, The WDW Radio Show, WDW Today. Also we are reading blogs too!

[fielin]

Actually listening to podcasts is part of our curriculum. We are to listen to DISUnplugged, and choose between Musestation, Inside the Magic, The WDW Radio Show, WDW Today. Also we are reading blogs too!

Oooooh ! Can you share some of the blogs you are reading (names only, URLs are not allowed here) ?

I'm always looking for good blogs about WDW !

[Beauty908]

1. Where will you be staying (on-site in a Disney hotel, or off-site ? In which hotel ?)

2. Are you going to spend all your days at parks or are there any other activities planned ? Will you be going to waterparks, minigolfs, and Downtown Disney ?

3. Is there any kind of report or work expected ?/QUOTE]

1.My class is staying in Popcentury.
2. Morning to Afternoon is "class-time/tours" Afternoon-Evening is ours to explore and do stuff.
3. We have a major paper/project that is kind of an independent study--that we'll present to the class during Finals Week. I'm not sure yet what mine will be about, but I think mine will be focused on the interactions between cast members and guests of various ages.

[QUOTE/Then questions about you :

1. Do you have favorite characters that you'd like to meet ? (I know, your all grown and adult, but I'm 32 and I love meeting Chip and Dale !)

2. Are there things your are afraid of (insects, height) or anything you are subject to (motion sickness, claustrophobia) ?

3. Do you have any experience with a theme park at all ? Which one ? What do you expect from your visit ?

1. Chip & Dale or Chippendale? ;) Not off the top of my head. I'm excited to see some of the musical-stuff (Beauty and the Beast, Lion King)
2. I just recently got into roller coasters--I'm a big scardie-cat, but if pressured, i'll do it!
3. I went to Disneyland when I was 4, then we lived in Reno-so it was pretty close. Umm... Six Flags (chicago & St. Louis), Adventureland (Iowa),

Honestly I expect to be amazed. Watching the cheesy promo videos literally puts a smile to my face. I expect this travel program will be great because not only is it fun, but more importantly I am going with some of my friends. :mickey:

[Beauty908]

Oooooh ! Can you share some of the blogs you are reading (names only, URLs are not allowed here) ?

I'm always looking for good blogs about WDW !

Required:
DISUnplugged.
Passport2dream
Land All Ears--Jack Spence
Main St. Gazette

Optional:
2719 Hyperion
Jim Hill Media
Sam Land Disney
Imanginerding
df82.blogspot
Designing Disney-Blogspot

[fielin]

Okay !

About your resort : you're staying at Pop Century. There are three kinds of resorts on the Disney property : value, moderate and deluxe.

The Deluxe are the most expensive, and are supposed to be more subdued. In a deluxe resort, you access your room by an indoor corridor. The pools are elaborate, and they have a slide. Most deluxe are situated near a park. From some (Contemporary, Boardwalk, Beach and Yacht Club), you can walk to a park. Some have a direct access to the monorail (Polynesian, Contemporary, Grand Floridian), others have boats to a park (Wilderness Lodge, Polynesian, Grand Floridian to the Magic Kingdom, Boardwalk, Beach Club and Yacht club to Epcot). They also have several restaurants on site - some of them are the best on property.

Moderates have a beautiful theming (New Orleans, Carribeans...), a slide at the swimming pool, but choice of restaurants are more restricted, and you access your room from the outside of the building.

Value are the least expensive, there are no slides at the swimming pools, and they have food courts (quick service restaurants).

Pop is a value, but I stayed there and I loved it ! The theme is all about the 50 last years of the 20th century. Each building represents one decade, with catchphrases from these years, giant objects and statues, and it is a very FUN resort.

All hotels have buses to go to the parks, waterparks, and DownTown Disney.

Pop is very special, because it does not share its buses with other hotels on-site, so it is usually easier to hop on the bus : no need to wait for the next one !

You will love it there !

It i possible to by a mug that grants you free refills at the food court of your hotel for your whole stay.

This can be a great way to save on soft drinks and hot drinks !

If you wish, and if you can find the time, you can also visit other resorts (but you can't use their pools). This is a great way to unwind and discover the intricacy of the different themes.

[fielin]

You have 6 days pass. As this is your first trip, I suspect you will not need to hop from park to park : a day at each park will let you enjoy everything you want, and you then have two full days to do what you didn't find the time to do the first time.

Magic Kingdom (MK) is the classic Disney park, very close to what you experienced at Disneyland, but not quite the same. It's quite big, and full of nice dark rides. Nearly every ride there is a classic, and that's where you'll find Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain and Space Mountain. You won't want to miss Haunted Manor (not scary) and Pirates of the Carribean (with Johnny Depp !) Newest show there is Monster Inc Comedy Club, which is a great interactive experience, very funny, in Tomorrowland. Some here think it takes two days to do everything, but with a clever use of Fastpass, you can do most in one day. This is a beautiful park to just walk in, with a very lush landscape. The nightshow is a firework named Wishes, and is great.

Epcot is another classic park, including future world (a land about discovery and science) and World Showcase (a land about countries around the world). Big rides there are all in Future World and include Test Track, Mission : Space and Soarin'. You'll want to make some time to discover the differnet countries and talk to the Cast Members for your report : they come from all these countries. Minor rides can be found in the World Showcase, they are nice and you should experiment some of them. The nightshow is a show with water, fire, video and fireworks named IllumiNATIONS and should not be missed.

Disney's Hollywood Studios (DHS) once was a working studio, but no more. Big rides there include Tower of Terror (free fall), Rock and Roller Coaster and Toy Story Midway Mania. There are lots of shows there, and you should make some time to experience som (like Beauty and the Beast, and Indiana Jones). This is my least favorite park. The nightshow is a show with fire, water and video, and is also my least favorite, but shoukd be seen at least once.

Animal Kindom (AK) is a park about animals, but it is not a zoo. Big rides there include Kilimanjaro Safari (a safari) and Expedition Everest (coaster). Nemo is a GREAT muscial, and my personal favorite on property. Don't miss it ! You should make some time to walk around : there are animals everywhere, and the trails give you great opportunities to see them from up close. Some people think this is a half day park, mostly because there are not a lot of rides. But if you take the time to discover all the animals, you will spend the day there. There is no nightshow (hey, animals need to sleep !)

If you want to get away from the parks on your last two days, you could enjoy a waterpark (there are two : Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach), play minigolf (There are two : one near blizzard beach, and another near the Boardwalk), shop around Downtown Disney, or enjoy a giant arcade with tons of videogames at DisneyQuest (in Downtown Disney).

Now, this is a lot of info, so don't hesitate to ask questions and we will all gladly answer them !

All this reflects only my personal opinion, and I'm sure some other posters will disagree with some of my opinions ! This is what's great with WDW : we all like different things, and we still all love it ! :)

[Beauty908]

Quick question?
Does WDW let you bring water bottles or ceral bars into the park?

[fielin]

Yes they do. They check bags to be sure there's nothing dangerous inside, but they let you bring bottles and snacks. No problem !

[Goofy Texan]

First visits are so much fun. While you're likely to have a blast, try not to get over excited. Disney will exceed more of your expectations if you don't over due the expecting :thumbsup:

Decide if the trip will be a marathon (no exhausting yourself the first few days) or a sprint. If you choose to sprint (also known as "going commando") so you can see as much as humanly possible, be sure to get in good physical shape. If you're not working at a job that requires standing for 8 hours - find one! Nothing will get you in shape better than a job standing on concrete. If that's not possible, walk a lot - at least 3 miles a day.

Understand how fast pass works and use it to your advantage

I'm not sure if your group will be allowed to split up. If you do, only do repeat attractions or rides the others aren't interested in. It's a pain to wait for attractions you've already done, and don't want/need to do again, just because others haven't done them yet.

Plan each day (which park, when you'll get there), as much as you can. Especially the "when will you get there" part. Many people don't like to start a vacation day before noon, but the shortest lines are when the park opens at 9am. If you want to do both, split your week by doing early mornings the first half of the week and late nights (and sleeping late) the second half.

Go to the Magic Kingdom on your arrival day and eat a hot dog at Casey's for me. It was my very first meal there and for some reason I remember it vividly. The hot dog was good too.

Hope this helps!

[Beauty908]

Awesome!! That alone will save $$

[Beauty908]

[QUOTE=
Decide if the trip will be a marathon (no exhausting yourself the first few days) or a sprint. If you choose to sprint (also known as "going commando") so you can see as much as humanly possible, be sure to get in good physical shape. If you're not working at a job that requires standing for 8 hours - find one! Nothing will get you in shape better than a job standing on concrete. If that's not possible, walk a lot - at least 3 miles a day.
[/QUOTE]

the exercise part is a really good idea. Can you tell me more about the fast pass?

[TinkerbelleRoo]

I recently did a trip 'on the cheap' to WDW and also stayed at one of the Value resorts. I found that a really easy way to save money if you're not a big eater is to buy a package of pop tarts (2 per package) for I believe $1.99. That can be breakfast for two days and is acutally cheaper than cereal and milk which is only sold seperatly and about twice the price.

Also the kids meals are about 4.99 or 5.99 at most of the quick service/fast food restuaruants. At the Land Pavillion, there's a food court, and that price bought me a small bottled water, a small turkey sandwich, carrot sticks and an applesauce. I think milks were also available and included in this price instead of the water (it was about 100 degrees and sunny so milk wasn't too appetizing). Just to give you an idea, its usually a personal pizza, grilled cheese or some other sandwhich, a veggie, a fruit and a drink.

I was there for about 8 days and only spent about $100 total on food. And no one really questioned my ordering the kids meal.

As for rides and stuff in the parks, there are a few that you should get the fast passes for but don't make yourself crazy with it. Its only going to make your feet hurt running back and forth.

I'd suggest getting the fast passes for Soarin, Toy Story Mania, and the roller coasters.

Everything else may have a wait but if you're in the general area and can see when the FPs are available for, for example if you're right at the Tiki Birds and see that the Jungle cruise is giving out Fast Passes for the next half and hour time slot, and that beats the wait time posted for standby, get it.

Its then when you see how silly the whole FP thing is but I'm sure most people think it has its uses. Personally I feel it makes the waits longer than they've ever been.

Another hint, if you don't care about sitting next to your classmates on Test Track, there is a single rider line that moves a great deal faster than the main line. The ride seats 3 and 3 in two rows so sometimes there are spots that need filling. That's where the single riders line fits in and that is worth it.

If the weather is rainy, stick to the Magic Kingdom that day. Lots of awnings and everything is near each other. The other parts are more spread out.

These are the first things off the top of my head, just ask if there's more you've got questions on.

[fielin]

the exercise part is a really good idea. Can you tell me more about the fast pass?

The fastpasses allow you to not wait in line for some popular attractions. For these attractions, you can choose the stand-by line (waiting in line) or the fastpass.

To get a fastpass, you put you ticket in a machine that prints you a ticket (one per person) with a return time. When the time comes, you just get in the fastpass line (which is shorter), and after 10 minutes or so, you get on the attraction.

You can get your next fastpass after your return time, or after two hours, whichever comes first.

Fastpasses are best used for the attractions that have more than a 20 minutes wait.

[Goofy Texan]

Fast pass is a ticket that lets you wait in line without actually waiting in line. It's available for FREE to all guests. Selected rides have special ticket kiosks near them (their location will be obvious).
As you approach the kiosks you'll see two times. The standby time is the anticipated wait if you just get in line. If any wait is 20 minutes or less than riding standby is the way to go.

The other time is the fast pass return time. Technically you have an hour past that time to use the Fast Pass - but as long as the time on it has arrived (and it's still the same day), it is valid. You can get a fast pass with a return time of 11am and use that evening at 8pm if you want.

Once you get the pass, you'll see a smaller time printed near the bottom. This is the time when you can get another fast pass. The time is normally either the time your pass becomes valid or about two hours from the time you first got it.

There are several ways to use fast pass wisely:
Get a pass and shop or eat fairly nearby until time to return. Basically instead of "standing" in line, you're "sitting" or "shopping" in line.

Collect fast passes during the morning inbetween riding non-fast pass attractions. Then make a second circuit of the park using your stack of fast passes. Note: some people think that is cheating the system, but Disney allows it - and it's a lot of fun.

Lastly you can get fast passes even if you don't intend to use them and just give them away before you leave, thus making someone else's day magical.

Wow this is long...

[BMan62]

A few small things about Pop that I have not seen mentioned:

1) Take the walk down Memory Lane. This is a path that starts at the parking area for the 50's buildings and continues along the lake to the 90's parking area. Along the path you will find signs with trivia questions pertaining to the time frame of the area you are in -- the front of the sign having the question, the back having the answer.

2) Take a walk across the Generation Gap Bridge. This is about half way down Memory Lane (directly across from the main building - Registration/Food Court). This was to have been a connector between the two halves of the resort - Classic Years & Legendary Years. Only Classic Years was built. 9/11 was part of the reason for work stoppage on Legendary Years. Note the decade lights on the bridge and how the numbers are in the style of the predominant text font for that decade.

3) Take note of all the 'icons' for the buildings and 'eras' around the property - they are all perfectly scaled up - to the point of the Big Wheel having the Maximum Load weight listed - the standard load for a Big Wheel multiplied by the scale of the icon. The Rubik's Cubes on the stairwells of the 80's buildings show a possible solution to the cube. The Bowling Pins on the 50's buildings - note there are only 9....the 10th is the pool!

So much to take in!!!! Enjoy every minute!!

When you check in.....Get a 1st Visit pin and wear it everywhere!! If nothing else, you'll get lots of welcoming comments from CM's!!!

[bruin1344]

Here are my cautions:

Beware that Ellen's Universe of Energy is 45 minutes long. I would only go on it if you like Ellen, dinosaurs, or have an hour to spare.

The only night extra magic hours that are worthwhile is Magic Kingdom. The other parks dont have enough attractions open and they get very crowded. If you dont use morning extra magic hours, stay away from that park.

Prepared to get soaked on Kali Rapids and potentially Splash Mountain.

Skip Peter Pan if the lines are very long. Its way too short of a ride.

Go AK on cooler days of the week. The park is huge, requires a lot of walking, and not a lot of indoor attractions.

Mission Space Orange is very intense. Its the only ride that makes me nauseous. If you go on it, follow the directions.

Once you see Wishes or Illuminations, local 4th of July fireworks are never the same.

[brad192]

All the previous posters have given you great advice, and I can't add too much to that (just don't miss the Voices of Liberty in Epcot, or Finding Nemo the Musical in AK). But...

A WDW class? REALLY??? Happy birthday to me! One quick question - is there a syllabus or course outline for the class? I'm trying to put together a course for our local public school Rec & Ed department which offers an incredible array of courses for the local community, and I really want to pitch my idea to them for the fall of this year. If you've got access to anything like that please PM me with the info. I'm really jacked to teach a class on WDW!

[kurt]

one of the things i would recommend seeing is the fieworks show at epcot. its spectacular:thumbsup:

[c&d]

If you're at MK for a day, hop on the monorail and grab lunch at one of the resorts. You can get a lunch at the Grand Floridian Cafe and then eat outside and relax for a bit before heading back into the park. It's nice to sometimes get away from the parks for a breather and exploring the resorts is a fun thing to do.

[disneykid@hrt]

First of all Congrats on taking THE COOLEST CLASS EVER! That is really really really cool. And a cool way to experience your first time.

That being said- WDW is EXPENSIVE. You will look at something, like a hot dog, in a whole new light. I think the dogs on our last trip were somewhere around 5 bucks. The grocery store at home sells them for 88 cents a pack and the buns are 99! So please plan on saving as much money as possible, so that you can remain comfortable. And snacks and bottled waters are an absolute must on a budget- and for time's sake it is quicker to grab breakfast in the room. Plus if you are a little hungry while touring, for example a usually 99 cent bag of chips is over 3 dollars in the parks and a bottled watter is $3, as well. Also glasses of iced tapped water are free, while a fountain pop is 2.50. If I went to WDW unprepared for the prices, I think I'd have a heart attack. SO take time to look at menus and plan accordingly.

I don't know how many sit-down meals you and your class are planning. Since your professor sounds like he knows the ropes, perhaps he has set up some Grand Gatherings? IDK what his budget is- but be aware, once again, that a simple buffet can cost you upwards of $30. For the meals you do plan, breakfasts and lunches tend to be cheaper. You MUST do a character meal. They are so fun- and Disney does it best.

As for your comment about a $20 t-shirt... I saw a t-shirt for 50 bucks while we were just there! They have some value priced souvenirs, so dont worry too much about that. Save any larger purchases for the end of the trip. I would worry more about essentials. Forgetting your shampoo will cost you more than 5 bucks. If you guys are driving, I would BEG for a grocery stop. You will save LOADS!

I hope I don't sound too negative! It is truly the MOST MAGICAL PLACE ON EARTH. A five dollar hot dog is PRICELESS when you're eating it on Main Street with Cinderella's Castle in the background. Enjoy! :mickey:

[LVT]

Sounds wonderful.
1. Share some meals. IE we get a big breakfast
and some fruit at POP and Share 3 ways.
2. Refillable mugs (Coke products.coacao, coffee)
3. Take prepackaged non-crushable snacks like nuts, granola and dried fruit from home in bulk.
4. We prefer not to carry much - belly bags only.
5. Get going early and take pool breaks/or naps
so you and keep going until 2am if needed.
6. Please write to us when you return.
Best wishes.

[Beauty908]

Sounds wonderful.
1. Share some meals. IE we get a big breakfast
and some fruit at POP and Share 3 ways.
2. Refillable mugs (Coke products.coacao, coffee)
3. Take prepackaged non-crushable snacks like nuts, granola and dried fruit from home in bulk.
4. We prefer not to carry much - belly bags only.
5. Get going early and take pool breaks/or naps
so you and keep going until 2am if needed.
6. Please write to us when you return.
Best wishes.

For the writing part: Actually since I received a travel grant for part of the travel programs expenses, I will be keeping a blog about the entire trip. I'll be sure to post a link or the name of the site so you can follow my adventrue!!

[websitekid]

useful things for others to know concerning your trip (so they can offer meaningufl advice) would include:

the number of days you will be at the parks

the age range of the group you will be traveling with

your general budget (i.e. is this going to be an economy trip or a 'first class all the way" affair.)

We will be at the parks for 6 Days in March over Spring break. Most days will be academically based, and the nights will be up to the students. All of the students are between 18 and 20 (there are eight of us)
Most of our time will be spent researching an aspect of WDW, then evaluating it in the sense of how it relates to Communication.

With that said, anyone have an aspect of WDW (IE, service, management, rides, scenery) that could be debated or altered?

[mulderxcoltrane]

This class sounds awesome!

Make sure you read, so you can learn!

[disneykid@hrt]

With that said, anyone have an aspect of WDW (IE, service, management, rides, scenery) that could be debated or altered?

I have a book about the Disney Service philosophy- "Be Our Guest." Possibly you could look into that and compare what the goal is vs what you experienced. You could highlight ways that they ARE meeting their goals and areas that they need work.
Or you could look into what they are doing at Universal and find a marketing startegy that Disney could come up with to answer to this Harry Potter fella?

OMG! Put me in this class!! I am super jealous. What a great opportunity! Is this a one-time deal or is your professor planning on continuing the course?

[mulderxcoltrane]

I have a book about the Disney Service philosophy- "Be Our Guest." Possibly you could look into that and compare what the goal is vs what you experienced. You could highlight ways that they ARE meeting their goals and areas that they need work.


That's a GREAT idea!

[Beauty908]

That's a GREAT idea!

We are reading parts of Be Our Guest as part of our curriculum. Realityland, Designing Disney, and Guide to Epcot are the other books we are reading along with various articles.

[mulderxcoltrane]

We are reading parts of Be Our Guest as part of our curriculum. Realityland, Designing Disney, and Guide to Epcot are the other books we are reading along with various articles.

I had some boring classes in college that should have been better - but the profs were bad.

Is he/she making it a fun class?

[Beauty908]

I had some boring classes in college that should have been better - but the profs were bad.

Is he/she making it a fun class?

The class is still a class with lots of work, but I think the dynamics between the teacher and the students makes all the difference. About half of the class had the same teacher for Speech last semester so we know him fairly well. Also most of the class was friends before hand so we know even though there is a lot of work, it will be a blast!!

[DakotaDisney]

What books are you reading for class?

I would suggest the Imagineers guide to the parks. There is a separate book for each park, with lots of great pictures, drawings and information beyond what normal tourism type books or travel books have.

I don't remember the exact title but it has Imagineer in the title.

Like others have said, that's one cool class idea and have a great trip!:mickey:

[LoriMistress]

I wish we had a WDW class when I went to college.

[Beauty908]

I had some boring classes in college that should have been better - but the profs were bad.

Is he/she making it a fun class?

Dave, I don't appreciate your trickery!

[mulderxcoltrane]

Dave, I don't appreciate your trickery!

You'll be okay - you're tough.

Take out your frustration on the twins - or Allison.

:D

[fielin]

You'll be okay - you're tough.

Take out your frustration on the twins - or Allison.

:D

Are you the teacher, then ? :)

That was fun !

[mulderxcoltrane]

Are you the teacher, then ? :)

That was fun !

I am. ;)

[finaldynasty]

How was your trip?

[Beauty908]

It was incredibly, amazingly, terrificly,spectacular!! I have fallen in love with Disney. I'm trying to work it in that I can do a Prof. Internship after I graduate. At first I couldn't understand why so many of my peers had gone down to Disney over and over...but now I get it!! I love it and I'm looking forward to go back sometime soon!!

[brad192]

It was incredibly, amazingly, terrificly,spectacular!! I have fallen in love with Disney. I'm trying to work it in that I can do a Prof. Internship after I graduate. At first I couldn't understand why so many of my peers had gone down to Disney over and over...but now I get it!! I love it and I'm looking forward to go back sometime soon!!


Uh Oh....She's got it BAD...:mickey::number1::cloud9::thumbsup::mickey:

[Beauty908]

Uh Oh....She's got it BAD...:mickey::number1::cloud9::thumbsup::mickey:

I definitely cried my last night at WDW...i miss it!

[eeyorepoohfan]

I'm so glad you had such a great time! I hadn't been to WDW for 12 years, then my hubby and I got to go in December to celebrate our 7th Anniversary. It was almost like going for the first time again. Plus, it was my hubbys first time going! I have always been a huge Disney fan, and traveled to Disneyland many times, but I became super addicted after our trip to WDW. I got my hubby addicted now too ;) I am now trying to get back there in the next year or two if possible. It's such an amazing and magical place! :mickey:

[Beauty908]

i know what you mean--i'm hooked! I definitely was the typical tourist--trying to get everything in, but I think that when I go back I will definitely be able to just sit back and enjoy the Disney atmosphere and culture. One thing I really loved doing toward the end of the trip is sharing some of my Disney-freak knowledge--I basically gave one couple a quickie tour of MK--it was awesome!!:thumbsup: