First-timer--couple questions

[anchorgirl]

So...very last minute we decided to take DD for Disney World for her 4th birthday next week. We're staying off-site because we're basically squatting with a friend who will be there for a convention. As a west coaster, I've been to Disneyland several times, so I know the basics of Disney, but I have a couple specific questions.

On her actual b-day we have breakfast reservations at Crystal Palace. As I said, last minute, so the only time slot was 9:50. Here are my questions:
1. If I want to get into the MK when it opens at 9, what time do we actually need to be there?
2. How long do you think it typically takes to get there from a hotel in the Lake Buena Vista/Downtown Disney area?
3. If we get into the park at 9, will I have time to get her birthday button from town hall before we have to be at crystal palace (I guess by about 940)
4. Do I need her birth certificate or anything to prove it's her b-day?
5. If we go to AK the next day, can she get another b-day button there, even though it's not her real b-day? I am not trying to game the system, I just know it will make her feel extra special.

Thanks so much...I am in awe of the knowledge on this board...and getting freaked out by my lack of planning!

[MickeysBestPal]

So...very last minute we decided to take DD for Disney World for her 4th birthday next week. We're staying off-site because we're basically squatting with a friend who will be there for a convention. As a west coaster, I've been to Disneyland several times, so I know the basics of Disney, but I have a couple specific questions.

On her actual b-day we have breakfast reservations at Crystal Palace. As I said, last minute, so the only time slot was 9:50. Here are my questions:
1. If I want to get into the MK when it opens at 9, what time do we actually need to be there?
2. How long do you think it typically takes to get there from a hotel in the Lake Buena Vista/Downtown Disney area?
3. If we get into the park at 9, will I have time to get her birthday button from town hall before we have to be at crystal palace (I guess by about 940)
4. Do I need her birth certificate or anything to prove it's her b-day?
5. If we go to AK the next day, can she get another b-day button there, even though it's not her real b-day? I am not trying to game the system, I just know it will make her feel extra special.

Thanks so much...I am in awe of the knowledge on this board...and getting freaked out by my lack of planning!

1. If you're driving, be IN the MK parking lot and monorail/ferry boat station (called "TTC") by 8AM. You still must ride from there to MK on the monorail.

2. Figure 35-45 minutes, in case of traffic slowdowns.

You'll want to be through the MK ticket turnstiles and place to see the MK "Rope Drop Ceremony" that takes place on the Train Station platform starting about 10 minutes before the 9AM opening time.

(What is the DATE of your MK day? Hope it's not an AM Extra Magic Hours date.)

3. Yes, but I'd do that before the park opens at the outside-the-park Guest Relations, or at the Guest Relations at MK's parking lot monorail station, TTC.

4. Nope.

5. Yes. But, she can wear the same button the entire trip.

[Ms. Mode]

The opening show to MK is wonderful and very magical for a 4 year old, it starts about 10 minutes before park opening. I'd be there by 8:30 if the park opens at 9 that morning. :mickey:

[BelleBeauty]

I definitely recommend being at MK early to watch the rope drop ceremony. If it is her birthday, you might want to arrive very early in the hopes of possibly being picked to help open the park. You will definitely have time to get a birthday button before your breakfast ADR, and you can actually get one almost anywhere in the World and save it for her actually birthday. She can also wear it for the rest of the trip :mickey:

[Tygger7]

First, :welcome: to Intercot!

As others have said, allow 45 mins from the time you leave the hotel until you get to the TTC and take the ferry/monorail to MK. You can get the birthday button at guest relations while you're waiting for the park to open. You don't need to show proof of age/dob to get a button. The buttons are the same, regardless of where you get them. Not a problem getting one from AK too...just realize it's the same as the one you'll get from MK.

The biggest shock for you (compated to DL) will be the shear size of WDW. Where you can walk pretty much everywhere at DL, things are spread out at WDW. Only parks you can walk between are Epcot & DHS, and that's a good 10 minute walk. Allow plenty of time for transportation.

Hope you guys have a magical vacation and that it's a birthday your little one will remember forever!

[MickeysBestPal]

Only parks you can walk between are Epcot & DHS, and that's a good 10 minute walk.

For most guests, that walk would be 20-30 minutes.

[anchorgirl]

Thanks, everyone.
We'll actually be taking the hotel shuttle to MK. It's not an extra magic day. Does the shuttle stop at the monorail or can it take you right to the gate? I didn't realize you could get through the turnstile before the rope drop...never really thought about it and never got to disneyland that early!
Brilliant to get her button the day before--that never crossed my mind!
and thanks for the heads up the buttons are all the same, for some reason I thought each park had its own

[Scar]

Off site shuttles drop you off (and pick you up) at the Ticket & Transportation Center (TTC) and you will take the monorail or ferry to the MK (10-20 mins more.)

[MickeysBestPal]

Thanks, everyone.
We'll actually be taking the hotel shuttle to MK. It's not an extra magic day.

Does the shuttle stop at the monorail or can it take you right to the gate? I didn't realize you could get through the turnstile before the rope drop...never really thought about it and never got to disneyland that early!


If it's not a Disney-owned hotel, its shuttle will drop you at TTC, then you must ride the monorail to the MK gates.

Sadly, many times a non-Disney resort shuttle bus will not get you to the MK area in time for the opening of the park (Rope Drop.)

You need to inquire about that.

If the shuttle does not leave your resort by about 7:30-7:45AM, you may not get to the MK gates in time for the Rope Drop Ceremony (or you may be far back in the crowd.)

Staying off-site and not driving your own car can be a real problem. Non-Disney buses are often unreliable and unpredictable, especially for arriving early and/or staying late.

Certainly a much less flexible transportation choice.

[anchorgirl]

Yes, I would definitely prefer to stay on-site...but we got the room free so we can't complain too much:mickey:
Thanks again for all your help. I want to make this as magical as possible for her without over-stressing her

[KatrinaJ91]

You and your family will have an amazing time...what a wonderful birthday for a little girl!! As most have said....leave plenty of time for transportation, but other than that, it will be wonderful!

[bleukarma]

Just an FYI, if you are planning on going to Downtown Disney before going to the parks then you can get a button at Guest Relations there. It's behind the Ghariddelli shop. And there is nothing wrong with wearing a Happy Birthday button AND a First Time button! :mickey:

[MickeysBestPal]

Yes, I would definitely prefer to stay on-site...but we got the room free so we can't complain too much:mickey:


My comment is not about where you are staying, but that the timing of getting to the parks (which was your specific question) from a non-Disney resort without a rental car can be problematic.

The non-Disney hotel shuttles are not run with the attention to detail and timing offered by the many on-site Disney buses.
The off-site shuttles may not leave early enough in the mornings, and they certainly run with far less frequency, and they don't drop guests at the same areas as do the Disney buses. It's quite possible that your bus would serve more than one park, and who knows what order those parks would be visited?

Hitting proper timing for Rope Drop and/or an early ADR may be difficult, if not impossible.

Just be prepared to not be able to get around with accurate timing and ease.

[anchorgirl]

Oh, no I didn't take your response negatively at all. Two days ago, I didn't even know about a rope drop, and now I am sad I might miss it! I can see how this all gets so addictive!

[anchorgirl]

Just an FYI, if you are planning on going to Downtown Disney before going to the parks then you can get a button at Guest Relations there. It's behind the Ghariddelli shop. And there is nothing wrong with wearing a Happy Birthday button AND a First Time button! :mickey:

Awesome! We can get it the day before, which is the day we arrive! Thanks!

[RBrooksC]

The Opening Ceremony is such a fun thing to watch. I was able to record it the last time we were there. Also, after the you enter the park, make your way down Main Street, USA and on Main Street right across from the Crystal Palace they do the Main Street, USA Trolly show. That was such fun to watch.

And also, make time to watch The Dapper Dans. Something about Barbershop music on Main Street, USA that feels so comfortable, like an old slipper.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Maybe you could take a taxi that day so you can get there early, that is if your hotel shuttle doesn't run early.

[ShanlovesMickey]

It is cool to have on a birthday button. Everyone will speak to you. If you stay for the parades the characters will wave to you and some will wish you a Happy Birthday. Make siren she wears it all day! Also I have seen people wearing lots of buttons. I hope it is a great birthday! Enjoy your trip!

Shannon

[dizneydeb22]

Birthday buttons are great! We usually visit a week or so before my son's actual birthday so that he doesn't miss any school! A CM once told me as long as your birthday is at least 6 months before or after the day you are there, you can get a birthday button. It took me a second, but then I a had a good laugh!:mickey:

[anchorgirl]

Well, we just got back after having an AMAZING time. Yeah, she spent her birthday character breakfast cowering under the table, but other than that, she was enchanted. She was too tired and jet-lagged to do everything I had planned, but I took it at her pace and it was truly magical.
Thanks so much for all your advice...it was a wonderful week!

[Fastpasssteve]

Two things:

The idea listed above about getting a taxi for that one morning may be worth it. You would be heartbroken if you missed the Opening Ceremonies at the Magic Kingdom. Get there early. There's no worse start to a day at the Magic Kingdom than being stressed by transportation and the tyranny of the clock. Ugg!

You said your hotel was in the Downtown Disney area. Well...how close? There are Disney buses that run from Downtown Disney to each of the four parks. They begin early in the morning, I believe. You could check into that at Guest Services the day/evening before in Downtown Disney. Those buses deliver you as close to the gate as possible.

[RBrooksC]

One thing I may suggest and if somebody has suggested it already, I am sorry for the repeat but when riding the monorail into the MK, the obvious choice is to take the express but EVERYBODY takes that one. Go over to the Resort Monorail and take that one. Yes, it does make stops at the hotels but you may not have all the people trying to pile into those as you do on the express.

[j2k]

Glad your little one had a great time. I'm bringing my 5 year old for her first trip later this year and although I will have things planned out we also know that the trip is for her so we'll go at her pace.
How did the hotel shuttles work out for you? We're probably staying near Downtown Disney and will likely take the hotel shuttles. Someone suggested we could walk to Downtown Disney and take the DW transportation from there. Did you try that? How did that work out?
I know I'm full of questions but I'm trying to plan it all out. Thanks!

[anchorgirl]

The hotel shuttle was fine going to the park. It runs every 30 minutes. There are two routes, so one serves four hotels and the other serves three. But really there are 4 buses every half hour, because one A bus (the 4 hotels) and one B bus (the 3 hotels) go to two parks, and the other A and B buses to the other two (they seemed to vary, but typically it was MK and AK on one route. So each park is served twice an hour by each route.
Our first one left at 8 AM, but we were the last pick up, so it must be a little earlier at the other hotels. The one time we took the 8 AM we had to stand, though someone let my daughter share a seat with his daughter. We got to the park before 830 (bus was a little late) and to MK close to 9--we were walking up just as they were doing the ceremony.
They run until 90 minutes after the park closes. Coming home was more of a drag because the bus goes to AK before it goes back to the hotel, and we were the last to be dropped off.
Overall, I would allow an hour on either end.

There is no bus from downtown disney to the parks; they make you go to a resort first because people were freeloading. So that would have just added extra time. Plus, while we were close to DD, the other hotels were not as close and the DD shuttle from the hotels only runs at night.

All in all, no complaints, but would definitely look to stay on property next time. Though we will probably be relegated to Disneyland for the next several years.

PS if you buy an ear-hat on your b-day, they embroider your name for free!

[j2k]

Thank you for responding and giving me all this information. I know we'll figure it all out when we get there but it's good to know what I need to plan on for the first morning.

[j2k]

PS if you buy an ear-hat on your b-day, they embroider your name for free!

That's awesome! We'll definitely have to look into that.


Oh, and after weighing your response about the hotel shuttles from the DTD area hotels we decided to stay onsite and are booked at Coronado Springs!!! Thanks!

[texas211]

I would plan a lot of extra time if using offsite buses/vans. Very unpredictable.

As far as the buttons, my D soon to be W (i.e DW) wore he just engaged button all week, and in fact 2 weeks later, i'm still trying to get it off her..

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

Two things:

You said your hotel was in the Downtown Disney area. Well...how close? There are Disney buses that run from Downtown Disney to each of the four parks. They begin early in the morning, I believe. You could check into that at Guest Services the day/evening before in Downtown Disney. Those buses deliver you as close to the gate as possible.


I thought the buses from DTD only ran to the resorts? Or did they start going to the parks again? They had stopped doing that years ago because too many people were parking at DTD and not paying to park at the parks. This also caused a lack of parking at DTD for guests who were actually there to shop & eat.

[MickeysBestPal]

1- I thought the buses from DTD only ran to the resorts? Or

2- did they start going to the parks again?

3- They had stopped doing that years ago because too many people were parking at DTD and not paying to park at the parks. This also caused a lack of parking at DTD for guests who were actually there to shop & eat.


You said your hotel was in the Downtown Disney area. Well...how close?

4- There are Disney buses that run from Downtown Disney to each of the four parks.

5- They begin early in the morning, I believe.

6- You could check into that at Guest Services the day/evening before in Downtown Disney.

7- Those buses deliver you as close to the gate as possible.

1- Correct.
2- Nope.
3- Yup.


4- Nope.
5- Nope.
6- You could check, but there are no buses between DTD and the theme parks.
7- The buses from the WDW resorts deliver you to the park gates areas.
Sorry.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

Thanks, that's what I thought and it wouldn't really make sense to change it back because then they'd have the same problems.