A Few Disney World Questions
 

Hi to all you great Fodorites. I have a few questions I need answered before our trip with our grandchildren to Disney.
We are flying in and out of Tampa(better rates) and would like to know the time for the trip from Disney to Tampa on Sunday AM 12/17,for an 8:00 flight.Next, we are staying one night at the Hilton in downtown Disney and the rest of the week at the Grand Vacation Resort on International Drive for Disney World.I can't seem to find any directions for the prip each way from these resorts to Tampa airport.
Would also like to know if there is a charge for the Candlelight Processional, the Jumpin Jungle Parade,or the Osborne Family Dancing Lights. Can we eat a dinner in a park restaurant without using a ticket?

One more question!
Do the little princesses (3yr olds)all wear"Official" Disney Princess dresses(she has one) or do they wear pretty holiday dresses in December to the castle luncheon?

Here are mapquest.com directions from the Tampa International Airport to The Hilton:

1: Start out going SOUTH. 2.4 miles Map

2: Take the SR-60 ramp toward I-275 / DOWNTOWN. 0.4 miles Map

3: Merge onto N MEMORIAL HWY / FL-60 E. 0.5 miles Map

4: Merge onto I-275 N toward I-4. 5.3 miles Map

5: Merge onto I-4 E via EXIT 45B toward ORLANDO. 67.6 miles Map

6: Take the SR-535 exit- EXIT 68- toward LAKE BUENA VISTA. 0.4 miles Map

7: Turn LEFT onto FL-535 N / S APOPKA VINELAND RD / KISSIMMEE-VINELAND RD. Continue to follow FL-535 N. 0.5 miles Map

8: Turn LEFT onto HOTEL PLAZA BLVD. 0.7 miles Map

9: End at Hilton Walt Disney World Rsrt:
1751 Hotel Plaza Blvd, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830, US Map

Total Est. Time: 1 hour, 21 minutes Total Est. Distance: 78.22 miles

Is it the Hilton Grand Vacation resort? If so, here are the mapquest directions back to the Tampa Airport:

1: Start out going NORTH on ARREZZO WAY. 0.2 miles Map

2: Turn RIGHT to stay on ARREZZO WAY. <0.1 miles Map

3: Turn LEFT onto VINELAND AVE. 1.6 miles Map

4: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto FL-535 N / S APOPKA VINELAND RD / KISSIMMEE-VINELAND RD. 0.2 miles Map

5: Merge onto I-4 W via the ramp on the LEFT toward TAMPA. 67.8 miles Map

6: Merge onto I-275 S via the exit on the LEFT. 5.1 miles Map

7: Merge onto MEMORIAL HWY / FL-60 W via EXIT 39 toward TAMPA AIRPORT / CLEARWATER. 0.9 miles Map

8: Take the exit toward TAMPA AIRPORT.

Total Est. Time: 1 hour, 18 minutes Total Est. Distance: 77.31 miles

Allow plenty of time to get to the airport - we ran into construction and traffic the last time we flew through Tampa. It is an easy drive and a nice airport.

There is no extra charge for any of those events.

You must have a ticket to enter a park, even if it is just to eat. But Disney has lots of great restaurants in the resorts that don't require a ticket.

As for your final question -

Do you already have a reservation for the Princess lunch? That is a really hard reservation to get.

No, your granddaughter doesn't have to wear an official Disney dress. You'll see people in Disney princess dresses, little girls in pretty dresses, and people in regular tourist clothes. The holiday dress will be fine - though you might consider the addition of a tiara, just for fun. :-)

Since your granddaughter likes princess, you might want to check out this page with princess locations throughout WDW:
http://www.buildabettermousetrip.com...rincesses.html

The parks will be busy for the holidays - though not as bad as after Christmas. Do you have a good touring plan? It'll save you a lot of time waiting in lines. You can buy the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World or have www.buildabettermousetrip.com do a custom touring plan for you.

ajcolorado;
Thanks so much for all your research. Yes, we do have a castle princess reservation as well as other event reservations (daughter has done all the planning including the touring plans and maps. Looking forward to a really fun trip. Can't wait to see the children's reactions as they are very young (31/2 princess and 18mo busy boy.