If you had one bit of advice, what would it be?

[Jshiddy]

Alright Intercoters, I've got an upcoming vacation with my wife to WDW. We are pretty excited about this trip, because it is our first trip together as a married couple to WDW. She went a couple of times as a kid. I have been quite a few times.
One tradition that My Dad started a few trips ago was creating a book for each of the travelers. This has become a very elaborate operation over the past few years. I've decided that I'm going to make one for myself and my wife. This is where you guys come in.

I've got the normal information in this book already. Park hours, maps, menu's, flight info , hotel accommodations. What I wanted to get was a list of special advice from the folks in the know. What information would you share if you could only share one thing? Is it a restaurant you have to eat at? A special snack you have to try in a certain park (don't say beverly cola)? The best pool to swim at? Nothing is off topic here. Let me know, and I'll put it in the book (with proper credits of course).

Thanks!

[Cinderelley]

That is a hard question to answer without knowing what you guys like. I know this is two, but here it goes.
My family absolutely loves getting schoolbread in Norway and sharing it during illuminations.

For romance, when I went last year with my boyfriend, we had dinner at the Rose & Crown by the water, and he gave me a claddagh ring from the UK pavilion. I loved it.

[Itchy]

I have found that exploring WDW without kids can be a whole new experience... Enjoy..

We have found that if you chose your favorites to see do them first and let the rest happen as they may come.

Stop every once in a while and just look at all what each park has to offer. Watch the people and especially the kids and how they react to everything.

Find a nice park bench and enjoy the moment with a frozen Mickey bar and watch the world go by..

Make reservations for dinner at your favorite restaurants and enjoy everything they have to offer.

Most of all be yourselves and become the kids that you will always be at the happiest place in the world.

Have a great time....:mickey:

[tink179]

I would definitely remember there are other ways to get to and from parks and resorts besides just the bus. We've taken the little ferry boat that goes from MK over to the Grand Floridian, we take the big ferry boats to the monorails, we take the ferry boats from HS to and from Epcot, and we do take the monorails. It's nice to see the parks from other perspectives. :mickey:

[LovinWDW]

1. Be at the parks for rope drop. You can accomplish more in the first hour than in the following two.
2. Stroll the countries of EPCOT at night. (just the two of you will be very romantic)
3. Eat a cinnamon roll from Starring Rolls in Hollywood Studios. It has to be from Starring Rolls! Several other places sell them but, these are better for some reason.
4. ENJOY!

[sassafras]

Don't miss the rice crispie treats at the Karmel Kleutch (sp?) in Germany. They are huge, coated with thick chocolate and caramel or just caramel. Much better than the Mickey ones.:D

[epceddie]

My biggest piece of advice would be to take a break after lunch for a nap or a swim back at your resort.
We've done the pound-the-parks all day in the past and have always found ourselves dragging at the end of the day.
The parks will all be there later on. You can always return to the same park, or a different one if you have hopper tickets, in the late afternoon.
Our last couple of trips have been a lot more relaxing thanks to the mid-day pauses that we've used to recharge our batteries.

[Fastpasssteve]

My biggest piece of advice would be to take a break after lunch for a nap or a swim back at your resort.
We've done the pound-the-parks all day in the past and have always found ourselves dragging at the end of the day.
The parks will all be there later on. You can always return to the same park, or a different one if you have hopper tickets, in the late afternoon.
Our last couple of trips have been a lot more relaxing thanks to the mid-day pauses that we've used to recharge our batteries.

Amen! This person hit it right on the nose. They phrased it just the way I think about this very issue. Don't be a hero.

[rkmemkc]

Ok, you come to the great people at Intercot and ask their humble opinion on picking 1 thing that they would recommend. :confused: As I read your request I thought...goodness, how can I pick just one? Well as I read on ... it was just as I thought. WE CAN'T PICK JUST ONE! :grouphug:
So as I looked at the other answers - they all bring a smile to my face. You already know the magic as does she so have a great time and a wonderful trip making memories together! So...
here is my ONE thing (hee hee):blush:
:mickey:Margaritas in Mexico while watching Illuminations
:mickey:Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie with Vanilla Ice Cream at The Main Street Ice Cream Parlor (not on the menu-last I checked)
:mickey:Taking the monorail around the Seven Seas Lagoon to visit the properties (and try the different drinks)
:mickey:Tower of Terror 2 times in a row - fun!
:mickey:Just enjoy each other, hold hands and explore places in the park neither of you have seen.
Have fun!!

[Mickey'sGirl]

At MK:

Take the time to ride the Railroad all the way around the park.

Grab an ice-cream and go into the artist's alleyway on Main Street to sit quietly and listen to the sounds that are imagineered around you.

At Epcot:

Grab a favourite cocktail (mine is the Pomegranate Kir from the kiosk in France) and lean against each other to watch Illuminations. Heavenly.

At the Studios:

Go to the Animation Academy in the Magic of Disney Animation tour. You will learn how to draw a Disney character, and have a fabulous keepsake afterwards.

At AK:

Walk the trails. Fabulous.

[joonyer]

My tip:
Don't ever leave WDW without watching Wishes over Cindy's Castle at least once during your trip. For me this show is the essence and icon of the magical experience of Disney. Hearing Jiminy singing "When You Wish Upon a Star" brings tears of joy to my eyes. It makes the whole vacation special.

[MushuGrl]

We can't have a trip without fried cheese from Liberty Tree Tavern!

I also discovered mango green tea slushes from the China pavilion last year - very yummy!

[steamboat willy]

First of all, congratulations on your first "married" vacation to WDW! Here's to many, many more! :wine:

Here's my few:


I probably don't have tell YOU to set at a window seat at the California Grill on top of the world at night and have a drink or glass of wine.
Set on the grassy hill next to the beach at the Poly and watch the Electrical Water Pageant and Wishes!
Set on the stone bench under Swiss Family Robinson Tree House and share a dole whip... lick... lick!
Snuggle at the Rose & Crown Pub and watch Illuminations.
Get a cozy seat for Legend Of The Lion King.
Walk hand and hand through Downtown Disney Westside and step inside Raglan Road.
Maybe a Dine-In Movie at AMC.
Ride the boat from MK to Wilderness Lodge, Ft Wilderness and Contemporary Resort. AT NIGHT. Sneak A Kiss!
Take plenty of POOL BREAKS before going back out.


Take your time, take plenty of pictures. Get fellow guest to take lots of you both!
Enjoy and come back on your 5th, 10th, 20th, 25th, etc......anniversaries. :thumbsup:

[KatieDuck22]

get to the parks as early in the morning once they opened as possible! this DRAMATICALLY improves the quality of the day. You can knock off fast passes, and all those rides like peter pan that you sort of wanna do but the line is fourty minutes for after ten am!

I saw it a few comments back but...its definately worth it to grab an ice cream cone and people watch. Relax!

[BraddyB]

I have been to WDW with my wife for our honeymoon and anniversary. The most important piece of advice I can give you is...

Relax, don't rush, enjoy the little things. Don't focus so much on What you have to do, focus on What you are doing at the moment. These are the moments you won't forget, not how many times you rode Space Mountain or you didnt get an ADR at a certain restaurant. Make each other laugh, be silly, take lots of pictures. Just enjoy yourselves and you when you look back on the trip, you will think about what a great time you had.

[scooterca42]

Make it a Hopper!

Park hoppers rock! I would never visit without them.

The afternoon break, can I just say Right On!?

Big D and I spend hours in Epcot - The Seas is amazing.

Wishes is a must do.

Stop and smell the roses!

Congratulations on your Wedding!

[dizneydeb22]

Congratulations on your adult only trip! You don't say where you are staying, but on our last trip, my husband and I took the boat from DTD to the French Quarter. We walked around a bit and ordered some beignets and then headed back to DTD. We are going to try it in the evening next time! We also splurged on the Deluxe Dining Plan and planned dinner at a signature restaurant for every night we were there! So far our all time favorite is Jiko at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Enjoy your trip! I hope it is filled with lots of magic and pixie dust!:tink:

[Jshiddy]

Thanks for the info. This is exactly what I'm looking for. Keep it coming.

We're staying at the Pop Century resort. But I know from past experiences, I really like the pool at Beach club. Probably have to walk over from EPCOT some afternoon. We'll also swing into Beaches & Cream.

[spoiledraf]

I love the pool at BC too, BUT, You must be a guest and show your room key to get in.

Lots of good advice here. Not sure of your travel plans but when we drive, we stay off site the day we get there (ususally after an all night drive). We check-in to a gateway hotel, then park at the Boardwalk. We pick a restaurant for an early dinner or snacks and start to enjoy the World. Then it's back to our hotel for an early bedtime. We're up and checked in to our Disney resort by 7:30 and off to the parks we go!

[russ57]

Do be a good pre-planner, get a passport or other great organizer, and when you trip comes, just relax, know to get up and get to the parks, know what time and where for ADR's, and enjoy vacation without stress. Also frequent breaks between rides and attractions, and keep hydrated, and sunscreened. Florida sun can be brutal.

[KatrinaJ91]

Many people have said to get there early and take an afternoon break....we are just the opposite! We are not morning people so we like to take our time and get to the parks around lunch time. This is when those early morning people are leaving to take their break! We go get fast passes for those rides that need them and then enjoy our day. It is so nice not to have to leave the park, go back to the resort and then have to come back. All that traveling seems like a waste of time to us! We have never had any problems getting on any rides with Fastpasses or by waiting in line. We love to stay until close to see the fireworks too!

[KatrinaJ91]

One other tip....spend an entire day in World Showcase! Stroll through each country, taking in everything....whether you think you would like it or not! You may be pleasantly surprised!! Take in the movies, watch the performers, shop in the stores, gaze at the architecture, talk to the CMs in each country, eat and drink the many wonderful selections at each country and absorb all the culture! Most people spend little time actually exploring and appreciating each country, but it is so worth it!! :thumbsup:

[Daisy'sMom]

We have been an adults only couple for a few years now. A few years ago, we took my inlaws with us. As we were walking down Main Street, the 80 something inlaws in front of us, DH nudged me and pointed to his parents. They were holding hands. We noticed that they did this thru out the entire trip and now we hold hands all the time.
It was so sweet seeing this eldery couple that had been married for 50+ years, walking down Main Street holding hands.
Every once in a while, reach for your sweetie's hand. Have fun!:mickey:

[jillluvsdisney]

I have too many tips to limit it to just one

Wear comfortable shoes. Wear sunscreen and/or a hat. Nothing will ruin the trip quicker than sore feet or a sunburn.

Get to the parks before they open. You stand a much better chance of hitting major attractions while the lines aren't too long if you are there at rope drop.

If you have ADRs inisde a park, try to plan your day around that park. It takes a while to get around WDW even if you have your own car. Do not underestimate how long bus rides can be. I think a lot of time gets wasted this way.

[finaldynasty]

Three words...Share Dole Whips!

Enjoy your trip!!:mickey:

[PrincessASquared]

Congrats on your wedding!:party: If you enjoy a good steak, you must try Shulas Steakhouse in the Dolphin Resort. Best steak on Disney property IMO.
The Grand Marnier Slushie is a must have whenever we pass by the France pavilion in EPCOT.:marg:
Enjoy Yourselves!!

[LVT]

We try to see fireworks every night.
The new Memories show on the castle is great.
Illuminations from Rose and Crown or from La Hacienda. Get those reservations!
Segway tour.:party:

[alaMode]

I guess my best piece of advice is do what YOU want to do! The first two trips we took were consumed by trying to do it all. Now that we've been a few times, we concentrate on the experiences that make US happy. DS loves meeting characters, so we make sure to do that as much as possible, even though it is time-consuming. I love the special event parties, so we try to fit one in during a visit whenever possible. DH likes the rollercoasters, so we have to try to get on each of them at least once every trip!
We may not ride every ride, see the parades, catch all the shows, eat at every great restaurant, or stay for the fireworks, but that's okay! We can do it next time if we feel like it!

[Awesome_guy]

Hmmmm...:
- It never hurts to ask. ...whether you can wait for the next train (or Soarin' flight) for front (or middle). ...whether you can take your Starring Roles desserts and coffees into Beauty and the Beast (you can!)
The Monorail Resorts have some great snacks and drinks and breakfasts that MK itself doesn't. The Epcot Resorts have some great finds too (Beaches and Cream, Boardwalk Bakery). These can be fun, calm mini-escapes.
We fell in love with Narcoosee's during the Water Pageant and Fireworks. If you haven't been, and are doing a nice evening out, my advice would be to consider it. There was something nice about dining while seeing Mainstreet and the Mountains accross the water. There was also something quite nice about heading to late night EMH afterwards a bit dressed up, taking things slowly.
There's something to be said for accomplishing a ton in the mornings. ...even the waterparks feel more manageable when they first open.
There's also something to be said for reconnecting with a long-forgotten "cheesy" attraction; it's nice not to pass all those up in favour of the bigger name ones.


...Those are five that come to mind!

Enjoy!!! (I guess that's the big one!)

[ransam]

for me....the best advice is to not try to do everything. you won't. it's impossible. just relax and make sure you have a great time.

[darthmacho]

My advice for everyone is to use the first day to explore your home resort, no matter how many times you've been, then begin with the Magic Kingdom on your first full day, and finally, on your last full day, end your trip with the Magic Kingdom as well. :mickey:

[Ramblingman]

Do you know how hard it is to ask for just one piece of advice? Judging by the responses, you can see it's almost impossible to come up with just one.

Should it be general information? Specifically something that you think others won't mention? Or the most important thing to you on a trip? Ahh, the dilemmas...

Okay, I am going to go with a general piece of advice. Partly because I have not yet seen it in this thread and partly because I think specifics might not mean as much to you as they do to me. I'll type it now so I don't get started and wind up mentioning six different things.

Use photopass.

I just got my CD from this last trip. We love it. I was able to carry a small point and shoot instead of lugging around my large expensive camera. No worries about it getting broken or lost. We sought out photographers and mugged for them. If you prepay (a tip I picked up here, thank you very much), you save money. You can go in and edit the pictures, doing things like adding borders, and you can save every changed picture as a new picture so you never lose the original, and all of the pictures are on your CD, no matter how many you have. Pictures are the most powerful tools for memories to me, so make sure to get lots of them.

[Minnie97]

If you like soarin try to get to epcot early so you can get a fastpass they go quick.:smickey:

[Sylvia]

Be spontaneous.

Create your itinery, and include all of your ADRs, shows you want to see, etc. THEN, make a mental note that your entire itinerary is subject to change at a moment's notice, except for those ADRs for the hard-to-get-into restaurants. Check out all of the live entertainment throughout the parks.

Find a nice place to sit, relax, have a snack, people watch, and soak up the atmosphere.

Let Disney Transport plan a day. By that I mean, go to the bus stop and take the first theme park bus that comes along. You'll be amazed at the fun you'll have.

Spend some time exploring POP Century. It really is a nostalgia trip.

As you can tell from my tips, I'm not one of those people who is not constantly running from one attraction to another. :blush:

Above all, HAVE FUN!!!

[Mickey'sIrishPAl]

Ya know, just go and enjoy being at WDW together. No rushing, no expectations, just have fun and love one another at the happiest place on Earth. When I think of past vacations to WDW, it is never what I did....it's who I was with when I did the special thing. Examples, my daughter's face on Aladdin's Magic Carpets. Just a thrilled 2 year old little girl flying on a carpet with a huge smile on her face. My son's expression coming down the hill of Splash Mountain. Hands up, mouth open and screaming. My son crying last year as we exited the MK on our last night of vacation. He cried and I asked him what was bothering him. He said, "I don't want to leave. I love it here". Well, 8 days after vacation ended, I had my next vacation booked. Thise are the things that you remember, and will cherish. Have a great time.

[Snow's Mom]

Your first trip together, but not your last. Plan to go again someday, that way if you miss something, it's no big deal. You can do it next time!

[greengeen]

My advice is never be there at rope drop! I've been going since 1971 and never done rope drop. Rope drop is for tourists who are afraid they'll miss something, so they rush through everything. SLOW DOWN, don't rush or push, and don't use a mental checklist to see how many attractions you can do in the first hour.

[Kairi_7378]

One of the best Intercot tips that I have received is to take one or two gallon-sized Ziplock bags for the water rides and for the occasional rain storm. Use this for your camera and anything that you don't want to get wet.

You might also want to schedule a behind the scenes tour of one of the parks- something that you wouldn't be able to do with kids for a while.

(I know this tip is kind of lame compared to all of the romantic advice you've gotten!)

[KatrinaJ91]

My advice is never be there at rope drop! I've been going since 1971 and never done rope drop. Rope drop is for tourists who are afraid they'll miss something, so they rush through everything. SLOW DOWN, don't rush or push, and don't use a mental checklist to see how many attractions you can do in the first hour.



:exactly:

[NJDad]

Can't you go to rope drop and get the big rides out of the way so you have more time to slowly tour the rest of the park slowly?

[waymickey]

Stop every once in a while and just look at all what each park has to offer. Watch the people and especially the kids and how they react to everything.

Find a nice park bench and enjoy the moment with a frozen Mickey bar and watch the world go by..


:mickey:


My thoughts exactly! Have fun and remeber to stop and smell the roses!

[Disney-4-Me]

I think the most magical time at the Magic Kingdom is at the end of the day. We always stay until closing and sit somewhere to relax watching the castle change colors and listen to the quiet winding down of the day.:cloud9:

[princessjojo]

Remember, though its WDW, its still a vacation. Have fun, make the most of it, take everything in at your own pace, and make plans to return on another vacation to see the things you've missed.

[AmandaChan]

See Kilamanjaro Safari early in the morning as the animals are just waking up and like to get out before it gets hot midday.

[Lisaj13]

My tip is: go with the flow.

Things happen. Luggage gets lost, reservations get messed up, people can be rude, rides break down. But how important is it in the long run? You're at Disney World and that's awesome.

Have a wonderful time.

[alex61821]

the best advice i can give is don't go. the rest of your life will seem like a let down compared to WDW :D

Take time to talk to every cast member you see, they are some of the nicest people i have ever met and they can make your trip something special. last time we were there my son was bugging me for a lemonade slushy and i wasn't sure i wanted to buy him one since we were going to be eating soon so i didn't see the need to spend the extra money. well he won the battle and then i gave him the money and told him to go get it himself. he came back in a little bit and handed me back all the money i had given him and said the lady told him to come behind the counter and make his own slushy and since he did such a good job she said he deserved a free one. so i went from being bummed about the money to thinking this really is a magical place. where else is something like that going to happen to you? walmart? target? little things like that have kept me going back for many many years. I spend 3k on a trip and save 3 dollars on a lemonade and somehow that makes me grin from ear to ear even now when i think about it a year later. now if that isn't magic i don't know what is.


the rest of your life will pale in comparison, save yourselves while you still can.

[Sylvia]

As you can tell from my tips, I'm not one of those people who is not constantly running from one attraction to another. :blush:

And, I just realized the above sentence is incorrect. It should actually read "I'm not one of those people who is constantly running from one attraction to another." That's what I get for rushing a post. :blush:

[kemps@wdw]

Rose and Crown for dinner and Illuminations.(ask for lagoon-side seating)
Take one day and go resort hopping.
Take one late afternoon/evening to stroll around the World Showcase lagoon and eat and drink something from each country, and try to catch a performance of Off Kilter(in Canada) and the British Airwaves (in the back gardens of UK).
Don't be in a rush to leave the parks at night. Grab some ice cream @ the Plaza Ice Cream on Main St and watch the crowds leave.
Attractions are usually easier to get on during parades and fireworks shows.

[Simba'sBud]

I think the most magical time at the Magic Kingdom is at the end of the day. We always stay until closing and sit somewhere to relax watching the castle change colors and listen to the quiet winding down of the day.:cloud9:

...and one of the best ways to experience this is on a bench just beside the castle going towards Liberty Square while sharing an ice cream cookie sandwich from Sleepy Hollow. One of my absolute favorite things to do with my DW! (Just my little addition to an already awesome tip!)

To add a couple more (gotta stick with the trend on this thread)...

-Take time to explore Rafiki's Planet Watch and the trails around AK.

-Stop into Starring Rolls at DHS for a carrot cake cookie. :thumbsup:

-If you happen to be in MK two separate nights for wishes, experience it the first night in front of the castle and the second evening jump onto BTMRR or Astro Orbiter or Dumbo (depending on what area you're in) or just stand behind Cindy's Carousel in Fantasyland (this last one is where the fireworks are going off all around you and is very magical, but as a warning it can sometimes get a little loud and smoky behind the castle)

-And I agree with many others when they say to take your time. Make yourself aware of your surroundings, you'd be amazed at the things you'll come across and experience when you go off the beaten path to explore or stop to watch a performer (especially the Dapper Dans) and the fond memories this will create. It's what makes Disney magical!

ENJOY and blessings to you both!!

[CuteAsMinnie]

One piece of advise....?

Take time to stop and enjoy the Magic of WDW.

The memories created on this trip together will become some of the most special of your lives. Enjoy!!!! :cloud9:

:mickey:

[figmagination]

See the opening at MK! Walk through under the castle. Get spat on by the camel in Adventureland. Watch Wishes. Explore a park at night. Ride the monorail around the Seven Seas Lagoon and see each resort. Visit each country in the World Showcase. Go in the red phonebooths in the UK or Canada and see if someone calls. Get a snack and settle down for Illuminations.Then try to find the fairy dust as walk out at night. Walk through Walt: One Man's Dream in DHS. Walk and around explore AK.