BUKU

We are travelling with our 12 year old to Orlando in May and will spend 6 full days there. Looking for suggestions/ tips to make the most of our trip. We want to enjoy Disney Land, Universal, Lego land and Kennedy Space. Or maybe cut out one if theres no time...

BUKU

Also if anyone has some tips on what passes or discounted tickets I can get for the parks.

qwovadis

wdwinfo.com
visitorlando.com

good info do not forget Sea World tonnes of fun.

When I did this last a couple of years back paid $30/nt
bidding priceline.com got the Royal Plaza Resort at
DownTown Disney saved a bundle. Parkhopper can save some at Disney still VERY expensive good hotels have discounts on all the others.I massively overpaid at Disney in retropect I woul do more elsehwere.I used to visit the Magic Kingdom there in 1970s admission under $5 so kind of hard for me to stomach current Disney pricing up several thousand %..

Happy Planning!

qwovadis

Priceline and Hotwire Forumrlando (Lake Buena Vista-Downtown Disney) Hotel Royal Plaza ... Community Forum Software by IP.Board Licensed to: BetterBidding.com ...
http://www.betterbidding.com/index.p...opic=528753.5* Orlando (WDW) Hotel Royal Plaza - Priceline and Hotwire Forum
www.betterbidding.com/index.php?showtopic=67537

$30/nt for me last bid priceline.com

mikesmom

If you would like to stay on Disney property, Disney is offering room discounts from mid-April until early June. Go to disneyworld.com and click on Special Offers, or call Disney and ask. Just to be clear -- Disneyland is in California. You are going to Disney World in Orlando.

schmerl

For the Universal Parks....if you stay on site at one of their three hotels, you get early entry to the parks and express access all day to all but a few attractions. Since the Wonderful World of Harry Potter opened there, this is well worth it!
One night stay will get you two full days of the privileges. Just check in early...before park opening...and they will give you a room key which is what you need to show for the privileges. So...you will have the perks all that day and all day of your check out until the parks close.

persimmondeb

You're going to need to cut something out. Disney can EASILY absorb 4 days (4 major parks-each deserving of at least a full day), 1 day for Legoland, 1 day for Kennedy, and 2 days for Universal. Plus you might want to visit a waterpark, or just catch your breath and swim. It's very easy to overplan for Orlando, and keep in mind that you will be walking a lot and it is already very hot in May.

You can find some reasonable packages, but Disney in particular never discounts heavily. Anything advertising a discount of more than a few dollars is somewhere between questionable (timeshare presentation) and an outright scam (counterfeit tickets). I know it's costly, but if you can swing it, it's worth staying on property.

MichelleY

I agree with Deb, you will need to cut one or two of your destinations out. For a 12 year old, Legoland may be a little boring - better for younger kids. You may also want to throw in a water park as a down day for mom & dad. You will need a break.

321go

If you are a AAA member, they offer small discounts on various tickets - call your local office or go online.

I'm also agreeing with Deb; you'll need to drop something off your list. Walt Disney World is huge: 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, and a shopping and entertainment area. And Universal is 2 theme parks. So I'd read up on the attractions you're interested in and pick 4 or 5, leaving 1 or 2 days open. Then you can either hit a water park (or the beach) for some relaxing downtime or to go to another park that you dropped off your list but are still interested in or re-visit one if you feel you didn't get to do everything you wanted to on your first go-round.

lynchmobb

With only 6 days -- there's more to see & do than you could imagine so you will have to budget your time carefully. Disney theme parks (not water parks) are a must if it's your 1st trip to Orlando. Do your research on the Disneyworld website..and use/review the Disney mom's panel -- they are always helpful! Buy hopper passes - not day passes -- which will allow you to visit more than one park per day as time permits. Make sure you research your park hours before you plan your time @ Disney. When the magic kingdom is open until 10 or 11 -- it gives you lots of time to get 2 parks covered in a day. The two shows/parades not to miss "Fantasmic" at Hollywood Studios and the "Spectromagic night parade" at the Magic Kingdom (the latter is only offered on select evenings so check the disney calendar) Universal also has hopper passes and since you are on a time limit -- I would recommend buying the VIP pass which will cost you more -- but allow you bypass the regular lines for MOST rides (check the fine print for the exceptions). The other thing to consider (on the Universal website) is their upcoming events. Universal hosts alot of student "graduation" trips so the park could be overrun by teens...(not a bad thing...will just mean LONG lines) Kennedy Space Centre is an hours drive from Orlando (traffic pending) -- and will take a day to see it. Your 12-yr old might be bored unless they enjoy museums or are interested in space travel. Orlando weather in May will be really warm so you might want to plan a day at your resort to relax and enjoy your pool. If you haven't picked a hotel/resort yet -- there are really 2 options - on Disney property or off Disney property and there are accomodations & packages to suit every budget. If you opt to stay off property and have (or rent) a car, the resorts at Grande Vista (which includes a JW Marriott, a Ritz Carlton and a Marriott vacation club) is a great choice for a family with a 12 year old. The JW & the vacation club both have lazy rivers and a pool area to die for! Accomodations aren't cheap...but there are always online deals and the ammenities are well worth the price! Enjoy Orlando -- it's a GREAT vacation destination!

BUKU

Thanks everyone. My 12 year old is a HUGE Lego fan... So that is one place he will not want to miss and so with Kennedy space centre. I've been reading and there is so much to see and enjoy...
Universal Studios, Sea World- How do i fit everything in?
Wondering what to leave out- and maybe do it next time when we travel to the west coast....