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Disney with 4 kids. help??

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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 05:51 AM
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Disney with 4 kids. help??

This coming Saturday we're going to Disney with kids the ages of 4,8,11, and 13 for 8 days;
Which "world" in Disney will the kids enjoy the most?
Animal Kingdom?
Epcot?
Magic Kingdom?
MGM Studios? or
the Water park?

Also, does anyone have any suggestions on what shows and/or rides we must see or ride?
Are there any worlds that should or shouldn't be visited on weekdays or weekends???

Thank You sooo much for your help.

-Andread
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 06:45 AM
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Do you know how to find your message from last night? I just topped it for you, but all you have to do is click on your screen name to find it.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 06:55 AM
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Different parks for different ages. Everyone loves MGM studios.
I did not see Sea World on your list! My kids' fave when they were 4 and 10. They also loved Universal Studios (MGM would be great as well).
Epcot for the older kids.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 07:08 AM
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All of them.

Get park hoppers.

For the best Disney advice to to www.Disboards.com
 
Old Jul 25th, 2007, 08:02 AM
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We just went to Disney last month with our 6 and 8 year olds. We went to Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom and Epcot (in that order). Here are my few thoughts:

at Animal Kingdom
--the roller coaster Expedition Everest was a blast ... was my 8 year old's favorite ride from the whole trip. It's a great (full-size) roller coaster.
--the water ride at AK is fantastic ... was my 6 yo's favorite ride of the whole trip.

at Magic Kingdom
--there's a good area for rides for your 4 y.o. right behind Cinderella's castle, and the parade is fun to watch
--Big Thunder Mountain (another roller coaster) is fun and the log ride with the Brer Rabbit theme is great ... it's along the lines of It's a Small World crossed with a few fun hills and some water splashes
--Magic Kingdom was the least favorite park for us

at Epcot (our favorite park!)
--all the lines were short and in air-conditioning
--Test Track is tons of fun
--Ellen's Energy Adventure (or whatever the technical name of it is) was scary for my kids ... there's part of it where there are "life-sized" dinosaurs that move and roar loudly and they're surrounding you. The big kids would like it, but might not be great for the 4 y.o.
--the Nemo ride is cute and very mild
--Soarin' was awesome (for everyone!)

Miscellaneous notes
--it was really hot ... and the lines were long (everywhere except Epcot). They sell spray bottles with fans on them for $17 each (WHAT?!) at Magic Kingdom. I saw some at the Rainforest Cafe gift shop that were 2 for $10.
--use the fast passes!! you go to a ride you'd like to go on and get "tickets" to ride it later where you go through a MUCH shorter line. It's free and well worth it ... I wish we had figured it out before our last day!!

Have a wonderful, magical time!! Hope this helps a little
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 08:32 AM
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Fantasmic at MGM and Illuminations at Epcot are two evening shows you don't want to miss. You need to arrive early to secure seating for Fantasmic, while Illuminations is viewable from anywhere in Epcot, though you'll want to be near the lake to see the laser part of the show.

The Aerosmith roller coaster and Tower of Terror at MGM are great rides, though probably not for your 4-year-old.

At Animal Kingdom, the river rapids ride is awesome on a hot day and the Kilamanjoro safari tour gets you up close and personal with the animals.

Your 4-year-old will love Magic Kingdom and there are rides there all the other kids (and you) will also enjoy like Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Epcot is the best park at which to eat. There's great variety in the World Showcase.

Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are comparable. In 8 days, you can hit them both.

Park Hopper passes are the best way to go.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 08:58 AM
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Been to them all and my favorite is Islands of Adventure.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 09:32 AM
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Eight days in Disney with four kids and you are leaving in two more days?

I feel sort of strange that I started to learn everything I could about the parks (The Unofficial Guide to Disney) months in advance so I could really plan out my trip.

I bet you are a lot more laid back than I am (smiling).

Have a wonderful time. I'm sure the kids will love it.

This is just my two cents, but I would have to put MGM at the bottom of my list. I just didn't think it was that great compared to the others. Haven't been to the Animal Kingdom but my friend's 10 year old son thinks it's the best part of Disney.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 09:37 AM
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Go to a bookstore right this minute and buy the Unofficial Guide to WDW. Use the touring plans. They work.
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 11:25 AM
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Thank you all soo much
You couldnt even imagine how much you've helped!!!

I have another question though.
Are the Fastpasses free?
if not, how much do they cost per person???
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 11:31 AM
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Another comment on the heat: There are water fountains (bubblers) all over the park, so if you take water bottles and those little packets of Crystal Light to put in the water it's great.

No Sea World???
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 11:33 AM
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Fastpasses are free. You get a little ticket telling you a window of time to come back to the ride. When you do, you enter a separate and much shorter line than the people who don't have Fastpasses. That way you get to ride much more quickly, while the park gets to alleviate the long lines, at least to some degree. They work great. Also, it's not binding in any way, so if you decide to do something else, you just don't go back. I believe there is a restriction where you can only have two Fastpasses at a time, however. So, you can't run and get one immediately for every attraction. (And not all attractions offer Fastpasses; just the more popular ones where lines become a problem.)
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 11:35 AM
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Fastpasses are free!

aswim, are you staying on property?

If so find out what night E-Ticket Ride night is on and GET TICKETS!!! It is at The Magic Kingdom and is the bomb.

It is limited to about 5,000 guests and after the parks close, from about 11PM to 2AM they have the E-ticket rides open. With no crowds you can ride all you want. I'll find a link and post.
 
Old Jul 25th, 2007, 12:32 PM
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oh...well that's a relief!

what about "park hoppers" are those free??
if not, are they even worth paying for??

and E-Ticket; is it a show??
or a ride??
what is it???
Thanks!!
-Andrea
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 12:45 PM
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Chilepepper--
Sea World!
haha
yes of course we will go; just not in Florida.
Some of my cousins that are kids are comeing in August so we will be going to the Sea World closer to us in San Antonio!
I will ask for help on that as soon as I can when we get back from Disney!
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 01:34 PM
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aswim, when Disney first opened back in the 1970s instead of paying one fee and riding all the rides, you bought a book of tickets for the rides.

The tickets were A, B, C, D, & E with the E ticket rides being the best rides in the park.

Here's info:http://www.allearsnet.com/tp/etik.htm
 
Old Jul 25th, 2007, 01:45 PM
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ohh
well it sounds REALLLY fun
and entertaining!

I'll really check in to that!!!

now what about "park hoppers" are those free??
if not, are they even worth paying for??
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Old Jul 25th, 2007, 01:55 PM
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Sorry, they are now called Magic Your Way Passes.

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/news...se.cfm?ID=1912

aswim, a Magic Your Way ticket is a type of Disney ticket that allows you to hop from park to park on a daily basis.

If you buy a one day pass to Magic Kingdom, you can only visit Magic Kingdom.

If you want to enter another park, you have to purchase a pass to that park.


If you purchase a one day Magic Your Way ticket , you can visit all the parks that day.

You can buy Magic Your Way tickets from as little as one day to up to two weeks. Maybe even more.

 
Old Jul 25th, 2007, 01:57 PM
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Park Hoppers are not free. It's $45 to upgrade a one day ticket to a park hopper. However, you can buy multiple days and it starts to get a little cheaper the more days you buy. If you want to go to two parks in one day, you will have to purchase hoppers. Since you are staying eight days, I suppose you don't really need hoppers. You could just go to one park each day. However, I think it is more fun to have hoppers. Are you going to buy tickets for eight days admission, or are you buying less days and taking some days offs from the parks?

You can go to disneyworld.com and price your tickets.

Good luck and have fun!

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Old Jul 26th, 2007, 09:11 AM
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aswim54 -- We've been to the Sea World in San Antoino too! Loved the Shark Reef and the Shamu show!! Our favorites will always be feeding the dolphins, though. Some day I want to take my younger daughter to swim with dolphins somewhere.

Have a great time!!
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