Now we have been getting a variety of DM’s recently relating to our Disney journey, if we used a planner, and the place we stayed, & so many extra. My guess is that a variety of households are shopping for tickets for Christmas presents, and I couldn’t be extra excited for them. We made so many reminiscences we couldn’t seize the quantity of smiles, laughs, and simply straight star-struck awe that Copey had every single day. This was our first time as dad and mom to Walt Disney World, as an entire, and nonetheless very new to your complete Disney journey and planning, it might be useful to get our perspective and take aways from a fellow beginner. We’re not consultants, however we used an professional so study from us…
As beginner Disney dad and mom, and neither Jose or myself have visited the parks since we have been each pre-teens, we wanted assist. We have been each overwhelmed by the considered all of the planning & making the journey truly really feel magical to all of us with out being annoying or poorly deliberate. Someday I noticed that considered one of my favourite accounts we comply with, @CreekGrown owns her personal journey company, TravelGrown.com, and Disney planning being one of many fantastic companies they supply, we reached out, and after just a few chats she had us booked and able to head right down to the park. We are going to chat extra about her and all the issues she took off our plate to make our journey as fulfilling as potential, and one of the best information, her companies are completely complimentary…. I do know stunning, however earlier than we discuss that permit’s provide the full run down of our journey from leaving the farm, to coming again.
Our Journey define:
We traveled Direct with Allegiant from Grand Rapids to Sanford-Orlando.
Hindsight this was a couple of 50 minute drive, Sanford-Orlando was the one airport we might get direct from our native airport (with Allegiant) and it’s extra north than MCO, being additional away from Disney and the Disney resorts. which wasn’t unhealthy, nevertheless it ended up being an uber of 80 bucks or so, plus tip.
As a result of we deliberate on utilizing Uber we did carry a journey automobile seat, if we have been to have traveled to MCO (the nearer to Disney Orlando airport) we might have determined to not carry the automobile seat and take one of many two third-party bus firms.
I’ll say, we didn’t really feel just like the additional drive, uber price, and automobile seat wasn’t an inconvenience, and would do it the identical method once more, relying on airplane ticket costs and route choices.
We stayed at Previous Key West Resort, a Disney resort.
Our first day in Florida, we took the complimentary ferry from Previous Key West Resort to Disney Springs, a enjoyable procuring middle with cool shops for each adults and children, in addition to some actually good consuming.
The second day, our massive day, we visited Magic Kingdom, a.okay.a. Mickey’s home (based on Cope), it was massive as a result of by day, we have been having fun with the Magic Kingdom, by evening, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering.
Wednesday, day three, we visited Animal Kingdom, to us there are only some should do’s there so have been in a position to sleep in little bit, to get a full restoration earlier than heading over to the park.
Our fourth day was a “relaxation day,” and I put that in quotes for a purpose, and we’ll discuss that later.
Friday we visited Hollywood Studios, our very first time to this park.
Our final day, Saturday, we spent at Epcot, the proper park to finish the journey.
How our Disney Planner made our journey superior!
For newbies like us, as quickly as you even take into consideration planning a visit to Disney, physique sweats ensue. There’s a variety of selections, choices, timing, ever altering Disney ideas and tips, it’s so much, I’m certain even for skilled Disney goers. Journey Grown took over all our stressors and questions on making this journey as magical because the Disney expertise. We have been so excited to be one of many first purchasers for Elizabeth’s personal journey company, Journey Grown. Elizabeth labored for a bigger company for a few years, however this 12 months she is planning future reminiscences on the helm of her personal company. We reached out to Elizabeth, and let her know we wished to plan a visit to Disney. Just a few quick questions, backwards and forwards, and she or he virtually had our whole journey deliberate, aside from some decisions that we wanted to make. Disney does job with offering data on their resort, however there are nonetheless questions you might have, and a Disney planner is superior to have, speaking with a human on the opposite aspect, who can converse from expertise. She narrowed down all the choices there have been when it got here to accommodations, and supplied a really in-depth evaluation of potential keep, we landed on Previous Key West Resort, due to the scale of the room and we have been touring with my dad and mom and wished to remain in the identical room. We liked that it had a ferry to Disney Springs, had a sizeable two room villa, a cool pool for Copey, and a little bit faraway from the Disney environment, because it’s far more Key West vibes than it’s Disney Trip Membership.
Disney opens its eating reservations 60 days previous to the go to. Elizabeth communicated with us previous to the 60 day window to permit for us to check out eating places we might wish to work into our journey. We solely chosen one restaurant to sit down down at, and that was “Be Our Visitor” consuming at Beast’s Citadel. We advised her what we wished, and she or he took it from there, there was no stumbling by the app to attempt to bear in mind make a reservation, or getting up early within the morning to guide, she did all of it. This was so enjoyable, and one thing we advised Copey effectively in-advance of our journey. It was so enjoyable listening to him carry it up randomly forward of our journey, and after we walked up he was simply so over joyed with the fortress and seeing the Beast. The meals was nice, however the Grey stuff was actually scrumptious.
All through the construct as much as the journey, she would ship reminders, ideas and tips to think about, and proper earlier than the journey she despatched over an itinerary with notes to make sure we had the easiest time. Notes consisted of what rides have been extremely popular, what rides and points of interest we must always prioritize our lightning lane and different genie + tips.
One factor I’ve discovered throughout our Disney journey is that there are a variety of shifting components in the case of all issues Disney, and to have a workforce in your nook that’s on the within observe to new data and upcoming adjustments is invaluable in opinion.
In case you are studying this going… “oh nice one other added price to my Disney journey,” right here’s the best half, their companies are commissioned from Disney, you don’t pay something additional in any respect! Sure, basically their companies are free to you, and when you opted to not use their companies, your nonetheless paying the identical costs, possibly extra when you’re not eager to the low cost choices and different ideas and tips. So why not have somebody that is aware of what’s happening, to the very newest information and updates, and have them offer you a hand to take advantage of your money and time.
Our Ideas of the journey.
So listed here are our ideas on your complete journey and what we’re going to do once more & what we’re going to decide out off (at the very least for our subsequent journey).
Previous Key West Resort Evaluation
We did benefit from the spacious room of Previous Key West Resort villa, we’re going to put this on the guidelines of “stayed there” however we’re going to strive one other resort for our subsequent journey.
The Professional’s of Previous Key West Resort
- It’s a Disney Resort so that you get the perks of moving into the park earlier that common opening.
- You need to use your magic bands to get out and in of the room, and pay for issues across the resort.
- We didn’t do that, however have been advised that whereas at a park you may have issues despatched to Disney resorts, so in case you are a heavy shopper that may be a perk.
- There’s ferry that may take you to Disney Springs each ½ hour or so.
- It’s very Key West themed, and the theatrics of Disney isn’t actually felt… So when you want a break from all of the in your face Disney, throughout your Disney journey it is a nice vibe.
- The pool space was enjoyable with a enjoyable slide that Copey liked.
- Olivia’s Restaurant was actually good.
- Greatest Professional, purpose why we stayed, it has the most important rooms throughout all resorts.
- Washer and Dryer in our 2 Room Villa
- Full Kitchen if you wish to cook dinner something earlier than or after your park go to.
The Con’s of Previous Key West Resort
- It’s a big resort and there’s a lot of strolling wanted simply to get out of your room to the widespread areas (i.e. pool, retailer, foyer, and restaurant). They’ve inner busses which might be on 15-20 minutes rotations, based mostly on room location, strolling could be quicker however nonetheless a little bit hike.
- Buses to the parks have been dependable, however nonetheless took some time due to the place the resort is situated. It’s closes to Epcot in order that journey is kind of fast, however Magic Kingdom was a little bit methods away.
- Just one restaurant onsite, and one fast service that doesn’t supply room-service. We opted to stroll to the restaurant one evening, and Uber Eats the opposite nights. Would have liked just a few extra choices.
To sum up this professional/con checklist, all of it got here right down to how unfold out the resort was, with minimal onsite choices. Our quickest approach to the primary pool space, restaurant, retailer, was to stroll from our room. The stroll was 10-Quarter-hour, which wasn’t too unhealthy, however we did get caught within the pool space/foyer throughout a Florida downpour and would have liked to get again to our room undercover. The one restaurant, Olivia’s, which was actually good however a small menu and required a reservation, & one fast service restaurant with pool-side meals choices, left us wishing there have been extra choices onsite & room-service. In any other case, the rooms have been improbable and large. Our 2 room villa even had a washer and dryer inside, which was very nice, as a result of we in a position to not solely do laundry, however acquired caught in just a few rain storms and would have left us with some very-very moist garments.
This resort is ideal for bigger teams of family and friends and that each one wish to keep in a single room. I’d even say a bunch with all grownup age family and friends, due to the added strolling (outdoors the strolling whereas on the parks), and a number of the villas being on the third flooring, hauling strollers up and down generally is a little little bit of a trouble. We might love to come back again to this resort with a bigger group, however for our little household we’re going to go for one thing which have a little bit extra facilities on-site, a enjoyable pool, and possibly even one of many monorail resorts.
All The Parks Quick Evaluation, What we Love and what we’ll do completely different.
So we liked all the parks in their very own method. Disney undoubtedly is aware of preserve simply the correct quantity of curiosity in every park so that you’ll wish to go to all of them for no matter purpose. One week and hitting all of the parks was method an excessive amount of for this little household. So we’re going to strive a special strategy to our subsequent journey. Planning only some parks and extra relaxation days.
Magic Kingdom Day
Palms down we’ll at all times go to Magic Kingdom on each journey, its too iconic, and has one thing for all of us, and it simply warms all of our hearts simply pondering of it. This journey we mixed a daily day of Magic Kingdom and added the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering, which is a really lengthy day. This gave us sufficient time to experience each experience we wished and see all the things we wished to see. No stone was left unturned on our Magic Kingdom Day.
What we’re going to do completely different on our subsequent journey, if we’re going to do a night social gathering just like the Halloween Social gathering, we might make this a two day park throughout our go to… I’ll even argue that we make this a regular to go to park on every of our week-long journeys. Though we hit all the things, we felt like we couldn’t make one miss step. The whole lot fell into place, however to take a number of the edge off, we’re going to decelerate so much and make this a two day park.
Hollywood Studios
We loved our go to to Hollywood Studios, Toy Story land was all of the craze for Copey, the Slinky Canine Sprint Rollercoaster was his favourite. Mickey’s Runaway Railroad & Rock n’ Curler Coaster have been actually enjoyable too.
The one massive draw for us at our present stage was Toy Story Land, and even throughout the land, Toy Story Mania and Slinky Canine have been the rides we have been enthusiastic about. Jose is the one Star Wars fan at present, in order that isn’t a giant want proper for us as a household. All the opposite rides are actually enjoyable, however the park as an entire goes to get bumped to an each different journey rotation.
Animal Kingdom
Now we have a deep love for Animal Kingdom. That is our second go to within the final two years. Palms down the Safari Experience is the highest experience at this park at present. We do benefit from the Avatar boat experience, however not a should do for us. There are rumors of some massive adjustments coming to this park, taking down Dino land, and till these updates are executed, we’re going to put Animal Kingdom on a pause earlier than our subsequent go to.
Epcot
We liked Epot. We felt prefer it had one thing for everybody as effectively right here. There are at present a variety of updates being executed, so we can not wait to see these come to life. We needed to reduce our Epcot time quick as a result of climate, so we’re going to put this on the schedule for our subsequent go to.
Our subsequent Plan
We’re going to keep at a monorail resort, we’re pondering of staying on the Grand Floridan or the Polynesian, each look actually enjoyable and to fill these voids we have been feeling with Previous Key West Resort. We’re going to go a little bit later into the 12 months, someday in November. September was slower and enjoyable to see the Halloween décor, however we have been in 100 diploma days, and would have loved ourselves much more if it was just a bit bit cooler. We’re going to do Two Magic Kingdom days to have the ability to decelerate and benefit from the environment a little bit bit extra, possibly do a personality eating or a number of the slower issues. We’re going to additionally put Epcot on our subsequent go to, to see the park a little bit extra, and hopefully have a number of the development accomplished subsequent go to. We plan on maintaining the identical 5 day go to, three park days, and two relaxation days. We did get a little bit overwhelmed, and I believe all of us would recognize two pool days reasonably than two full park days.
The Random Classes Realized
- Genie+ was value it for each park, even Animal Kingdom. It’s was 15 greenback added charge for each visitor for each park go to, in order that provides up, however with the ability to bounce across the park, whereas holding a experience reservation was superb. In actual fact, we hit each single experience in Magic Kingdom… each experience.***Little cheat we discovered, there have been just a few rides cope couldn’t experience as a result of top, & my dad and I don’t like too lots of the loopy rides (movement illness). So Jose and my mother would swap magic bands and leap proper again on the experience for a second go. (don’t know if this unlawful—don’t inform Disney whether it is haha).
- Final minute we purchased a fitted rain cowl for our stroller. And that saved not solely Copey however our baggage whereas we have been using. We acquired caught in a single surprising rainstorm. Went right into a experience got here out to torrential downpour. Fortunately we had our Stroller rain cowl on with our backpacks within the seat so nothing go moist, however goodness was there a variety of rain.
- Convey a totally waterproof backpack. When you get hit with the loopy Florida rain everybody talks about, you’ll need a absolutely waterproof backpack and even water pleasant sneakers/sandals.
- Work in just a few relaxation days in there. We too have been like, have been going to be in Disney… a relaxation day is nonsense. Everybody wants it, and also you received’t remorse it!
- We are going to proceed so as to add as we consider extra, and when you’ve got questions please DM us on Instagram, and we’ll remember to add these to this checklist too.
All in all we’re so grateful for our journey, reminiscences, and expertise with this journey and sit up for the subsequent one. In my mother coronary heart, I believe we’ll go to much more usually, particularly with a variety of the upcoming adjustments Disney has within the works. We are going to proceed to make use of a TravelGrown to make these journeys occur, nothing like sending an electronic mail, letting them know dates you wish to go to and any particular occasions or belongings you’d love to do on that journey, and all it’s a must to do is present up… that’s my form of trip. Thanks a lot for stopping by the weblog at present and each different day it actually means the world to us. Sustain with us each day on Instagram, Fb, and TikTok. Keep Cozy!
xxLizMarie
Supply: Mad About The Home
