If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
Vacation Destination Ideas Please
We did Disney World a few years back. We stayed at the Dolphin Resort. Our
package included free admission every day to all of the DW parks. The most popular with us was Epcott Centre. It's very convenient to stay at the resorts, but you'll pay an awful lot more than staying at a hotel near the park. I do not recommend the Dolphin to anyone. Someone entered our room while we were out one day, must have been a staff member (maid) because they had a key, accessed our safe in the closet and stole all of our cash, watches, some jewellery. They didn't touch the passports or traveller's cheques thankfully. The hotel denied any involvement and the rest is a long story "Andrea" wrote in message ... I will probably be going back to work next August (more on that in a future post) and we have been thinking about going to Disney World in Feb. because that will be the last chance we will have to go there during the off-season, and also because dh is not as busy at work that time of year. I have looked online at the prices for packages at Disney and prices for a 7-night Disney cruise, and the cruise is cheaper! If we go to Disney World we would like to stay about a week so we can visit several of the parks. If we take the cruise we would leave from Port Canaveral and would be able to stay with friends, who live nearby, the night before the cruise and the night after the cruise returns, which would be very convenient. Have any of you done a Disney cruise or visited Disney World with children (ours will be almost 4 when/if we take the trip)? If so then I would appreciate any tips or advice. Is it worth it to pay extra to stay at a Disney hotel/resort or is it better to stay off the property? I know both have their advantages and disadvantages. What do you all usually do about sleeping arrangements in hotels.....2 joining rooms or a suite? We have never stayed in a hotel with the girls before. We've always stayed at a house or condo on vacations. I am also open to suggestions about other family destinations as long as they are within a day or less driving distance from us (South Carolina). TIA, Andrea twin girls-Madison & Jordan 3 1/2 yrs. old |
#12
|
|||
|
|||
Vacation Destination Ideas Please
Andrea -
Now my 2 cents. Like other posters, we felt that DW was way too much for PRE-K'rs. It's an expensive proposition and there might be little reward for them other than the trip and the hype. But, as other's wrote, there may be other opportunities in the greater Orlando area to get a feel for things INCLUDING a short Disney Cruise. Here is what we did this past late winter with our brood: Orlando (Kissimee) for seven nights. I personally dislike the area but where better to let a kid run wild. I have a friend who had access to buying a timeshare for a week for us. What this afforded us was space, a kitchen, and a resort atmosphere for time between trips. So, we ended up with a 1,200 sq. ft. villa with two bedrooms and two full baths, large kitchen, dining area, pullout couch, etc... $475 for the entire week. On five star scale I would rate it at three stars. It was a little dated but clean and it shared a small (relatively speaking) pool and hot tub with a few other villas. It was a great way to spending early mornings and late evenings after a full day. As I said, we did not do Disney BUT we did SeaWorld twice. One discounted ticket ($48 per adult and $36 per child) got us in two days across a seven day period. Lots of interaction and amusement for smaller ones. They also have rides in the park as part of SeaWorld for the kid in you and older kids. We did every show and Shamu four times. You know how kids are. And as their attention span is that of a gnat, the idea of going back to the condo for a few hours in the pool was just as thrilling. A 70 minute ride to the coast is the Canaveral National Seashore beaches which (as I grew up on a beach) I found to be absolutely beautiful. Due to the latest shuttle disaster, as all shuttle launches were scuttled, the beaches were opened everyday with no limit. This made choosing the beach closest to Orlando the way to go and a very short ride. Again, the girls were just as thrilled playing in the surf, chasing jelly fish, and building sandcastles as petting Dolphins at SeaWorld. Then there is Islands Of Adventure. If you can get a discount, they have an area of more tame rides. Otherwise, it might be too expensive just for the smaller stuff. If the money is an issue, just cruising around the greater Universal Studios site (free) kept them amused with Midway rides, games, etc... The Disney Boardwalk can amuse everyone for a couple of hours especially if there is a special fireworks show in Epcot. Again, free. So, right there is enough stimulus for three or four days. If you can combine that with the cruise, you might find yourself never bored and always tired. Like others, we will aim for DW at about the ripe old age of seven or eight. Otherwise, it is just a waste in my opinion. Now, I must say that I have been to DW three times. The last two in 2000 and 2002 -- without kids on business. So I kept my eyes at "ground level" to scope things out. Although I had a blast, I didn't think my girls would get enough bang for the buck. As for staying on the resort, not necessary. There are shuttles everywhere, every major hotel has them, and you can be as little as a half mile away and take a boat right to the gates of both DW and Epcot. AGE Anna "Our Lady of Perpetual Motion" Grace "The Drama Queen" 4 yo and not ready to give up summer... (Andrea) wrote in message ... I will probably be going back to work next August (more on that in a future post) and we have been thinking about going to Disney World in Feb. because that will be the last chance we will have to go there during the off-season, and also because dh is not as busy at work that time of year. I have looked online at the prices for packages at Disney and prices for a 7-night Disney cruise, and the cruise is cheaper! If we go to Disney World we would like to stay about a week so we can visit several of the parks. If we take the cruise we would leave from Port Canaveral and would be able to stay with friends, who live nearby, the night before the cruise and the night after the cruise returns, which would be very convenient. Have any of you done a Disney cruise or visited Disney World with children (ours will be almost 4 when/if we take the trip)? If so then I would appreciate any tips or advice. Is it worth it to pay extra to stay at a Disney hotel/resort or is it better to stay off the property? I know both have their advantages and disadvantages. What do you all usually do about sleeping arrangements in hotels.....2 joining rooms or a suite? We have never stayed in a hotel with the girls before. We've always stayed at a house or condo on vacations. I am also open to suggestions about other family destinations as long as they are within a day or less driving distance from us (South Carolina). TIA, Andrea twin girls-Madison & Jordan 3 1/2 yrs. old |
#13
|
|||
|
|||
Vacation Destination Ideas Please
Andrea -
Now my 2 cents. Like other posters, we felt that DW was way too much for PRE-K'rs. It's an expensive proposition and there might be little reward for them other than the trip and the hype. But, as other's wrote, there may be other opportunities in the greater Orlando area to get a feel for things INCLUDING a short Disney Cruise. Here is what we did this past late winter with our brood: Orlando (Kissimee) for seven nights. I personally dislike the area but where better to let a kid run wild. I have a friend who had access to buying a timeshare for a week for us. What this afforded us was space, a kitchen, and a resort atmosphere for time between trips. So, we ended up with a 1,200 sq. ft. villa with two bedrooms and two full baths, large kitchen, dining area, pullout couch, etc... $475 for the entire week. On five star scale I would rate it at three stars. It was a little dated but clean and it shared a small (relatively speaking) pool and hot tub with a few other villas. It was a great way to spending early mornings and late evenings after a full day. As I said, we did not do Disney BUT we did SeaWorld twice. One discounted ticket ($48 per adult and $36 per child) got us in two days across a seven day period. Lots of interaction and amusement for smaller ones. They also have rides in the park as part of SeaWorld for the kid in you and older kids. We did every show and Shamu four times. You know how kids are. And as their attention span is that of a gnat, the idea of going back to the condo for a few hours in the pool was just as thrilling. A 70 minute ride to the coast is the Canaveral National Seashore beaches which (as I grew up on a beach) I found to be absolutely beautiful. Due to the latest shuttle disaster, as all shuttle launches were scuttled, the beaches were opened everyday with no limit. This made choosing the beach closest to Orlando the way to go and a very short ride. Again, the girls were just as thrilled playing in the surf, chasing jelly fish, and building sandcastles as petting Dolphins at SeaWorld. Then there is Islands Of Adventure. If you can get a discount, they have an area of more tame rides. Otherwise, it might be too expensive just for the smaller stuff. If the money is an issue, just cruising around the greater Universal Studios site (free) kept them amused with Midway rides, games, etc... The Disney Boardwalk can amuse everyone for a couple of hours especially if there is a special fireworks show in Epcot. Again, free. So, right there is enough stimulus for three or four days. If you can combine that with the cruise, you might find yourself never bored and always tired. Like others, we will aim for DW at about the ripe old age of seven or eight. Otherwise, it is just a waste in my opinion. Now, I must say that I have been to DW three times. The last two in 2000 and 2002 -- without kids on business. So I kept my eyes at "ground level" to scope things out. Although I had a blast, I didn't think my girls would get enough bang for the buck. As for staying on the resort, not necessary. There are shuttles everywhere, every major hotel has them, and you can be as little as a half mile away and take a boat right to the gates of both DW and Epcot. AGE Anna "Our Lady of Perpetual Motion" Grace "The Drama Queen" 4 yo and not ready to give up summer... (Andrea) wrote in message ... I will probably be going back to work next August (more on that in a future post) and we have been thinking about going to Disney World in Feb. because that will be the last chance we will have to go there during the off-season, and also because dh is not as busy at work that time of year. I have looked online at the prices for packages at Disney and prices for a 7-night Disney cruise, and the cruise is cheaper! If we go to Disney World we would like to stay about a week so we can visit several of the parks. If we take the cruise we would leave from Port Canaveral and would be able to stay with friends, who live nearby, the night before the cruise and the night after the cruise returns, which would be very convenient. Have any of you done a Disney cruise or visited Disney World with children (ours will be almost 4 when/if we take the trip)? If so then I would appreciate any tips or advice. Is it worth it to pay extra to stay at a Disney hotel/resort or is it better to stay off the property? I know both have their advantages and disadvantages. What do you all usually do about sleeping arrangements in hotels.....2 joining rooms or a suite? We have never stayed in a hotel with the girls before. We've always stayed at a house or condo on vacations. I am also open to suggestions about other family destinations as long as they are within a day or less driving distance from us (South Carolina). TIA, Andrea twin girls-Madison & Jordan 3 1/2 yrs. old |
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Please give vacation ideas? | Mickee | General | 3 | May 8th 04 12:09 AM |
Review: Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (* 1/2) | Steve Rhodes | General | 0 | April 2nd 04 12:42 AM |
Review: Johnson Family Vacation (***) | Steve Rhodes | General | 0 | March 31st 04 05:34 PM |
misc.kids FAQ on Babyproofing - General Ideas | [email protected] | Info and FAQ's | 2 | March 18th 04 09:11 AM |
misc.kids FAQ on Babyproofing - General Ideas | [email protected] | Info and FAQ's | 0 | January 16th 04 09:15 AM |