Disney World
 

We are a family of 3, with a five and a half year old boy, from the UK going to Orlando in 2nd week of April and I've got one or two questions about our forthcoming trip:
1. Is it possible to buy tickets for Cirque du Soleil when we get there, or does it get booked up so quickly its best to buy before we leave the UK?
2. We know the parks will be busy when we go, but what will be the average queueing time be for the small children rides in April?
3. Are there any parks you wouldn't take a five year old boy? Animal Kingdom? Epcot?
4. My wife is on a diet and has recently lost about 40lbs. Are all the restaurants fast food or are there plenty now that do low fat food/salads etc.
5. Which are the best beaches on the west coast and whats the driving time from Lake Buena Vista area?
6. Has anyone been to the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and not liked any aspect of it?
Many thanks in advance.
Neil

Check out disboards.com or mouseplanet.com or allearsnet.com for all the information you can ever want to know about Disneyworld!!

I think you wil have better luck getting the answers to al of your questions at disboards.com There are peopel who have been to DW 10-15 times or more.

http://www.disboards.com/

Re: the wait time. We took our 5 yr old granddaughter to DW and learned( from disboards.com how to reduce the wait time for rides. My wife got in line with our granddaughter and I got in line about 20-30 people behind them. After the ride was over, my wife handed our granddaughter back to me. I was, by that timne, at the front of the line and took in her for another ride with no additional wait.

I can't answer all of your questions, but here's some help on a few.

2. I highly recommend you take advantage of Disney's "FastPass" for rides. Even during off-peak season, the rides for small children (I'm thinking specifically of Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom) get quite long. With FastPass, you pick the ride you want and put your park tickets into the FastPass machine. The machine gives you a FastPass that states a window of time. Just bring the pass back with you during that time, and you can walk right on the ride in the special "FastPass" lane. Usually there's also a freeze on getting more than one FastPass at a time -- the pass will state when you can get your next one. Trust me, it's a HUGE help.

3. A five-year-old would probably love Animal Kingdom. It's a relatively quick park to visit, too. Epcot does tend /overall/ to be more for older children and adults, but there are certainly plenty of sights and attractions he can enjoy.

4. You should be able to get salads at most of the in-park counter service restaurants. The regular table restaurants will definitely have low-fat options. It's very, very hard to stay on a diet at Disney World, though!

just another website to checkout-mousesavers.com. We found it to be the most useful when planning our Disney trip.

I woudl say Epcot is not the best place for young ones. THey are trying to make it more kid friendly, however. At each country exhibit. , there is a designated area where children can pick up a mask and add various things to it at each county.
There are a lot of sit down reatuarants at D-World and alot of buffets.

1. Not sure. You can call the disney reservation line and ask though. They may give you an answer but it'll probably be a vague one like "can't guarantee you'll be able to get seats when you want so it's best to book ahead of time."
2. In Fantasyland on a slow day most waits are 15 minutes. On a really busy day they'll be well over an hour. Use Fast Pass as much as you can. Get to the parks when they open and hit those attractions first. The weekdays will probably be slower than the weekend.
3. It's Disney, all the parks have something for everyone. Epcot might be the most boring for a 5-year old but there's enough to keep him occupied for sure.
4. Congrats to your wife on her success!! Check out www.wdwig.com for menus of all the restaurants on propety. There are lots of healthy choices around. One of my favorites is a turkey sandwich and Baked Lays at Pinnochios Village in Fantasyland.
5. St. Petersburg Beach and Treasure Island will be the best beach bets on the west coast. It is roughly 2 hours away from LBV. You can go to Cocoa Beach on the East Coast at only 1 hour away.
6. Don't know the answer to this, never stayed there but have walked through the lobby and it's beautiful! It's one of the premier hotels in Orlando so it can't be all that bad.

As a side note, bring a light jacket or sweater when you come. Sometimes the evenings can get a bit chilly in April. Better to have your own than to have to make a surprise purchase.

Enjoy your trip!!
~Allison

check out disboards.com. There is a forum just for UK travelers to WDW.

Also check out wdwig.com the unofficial info guide. You should be able to get Cirque tickets when you get there. Check tips on wdw about traveling with toddlers - even tho your kid is 5. My daughter LOVED AK when she was your child's age. Be sure to get a seat up front for Lion King show, your child might be able to participate. Also allow time to spend at Conservation Station at AK, there kids can interact up close and personal with small animals. Your child should enjoy Epcot also, but some of the cooler rides (Test Track, Mission Space) he probably won't be tall enough to ride. There is a neat Japanese candy maker who does a demo outside the Japan pavilion several times daily, that is fun.

The best info I got before doing WDW was get the book "The unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World". We followed his route maps to the tee and saved a lot of time in lines etc. It is the bible of WDW!

Also - if you want to go to Pleasure Island in the evening, the Adventurer's Club has the most fun, family-friendly shows. It has the feel of a 1930s club, and the performers do cater to kids. Your child would be fascinated by the Mask Room (where the masks talk) and the Treasure Room with the floating genie's head.

If I was going to skip a park with a 5-year-old, it would be Epcot. Are you going to Universal Islands of Adventure, too? It's pretty cool, and a kid would love the Dr. Seuss area.
Regarding food, if you have the skills to lose 40 pounds you'll know how to find the healthy options anywhere you go. Yes, there are salads and grilled entrees around and you can always just get a small item to keep the calorie count down. Have fun!!!!!!!!!!

If I was going to skip a park with a 5-year-old, it would be Epcot. It's just not very kid oriented, especially for one that young. Definitely take advantage of the "Fast Pass" options when they are available to cut down on line waiting, and if there are more adult-type rides you and your wife want to ride, ask about the kid-swap option. One person can ride while the other waits at the end of the ride with the child, then when they get off, they do the "kid switch" and the second person doesn't have to wait in line.
Are you by any chance going to Universal's Islands of Adventure, too? It's very cool, and a kid would love the Dr. Seuss area. The Spiderman ride is outstanding.
Regarding food, if you have the skills to lose 40 pounds you'll know how to find the healthy options anywhere you go. Yes, there are salads and grilled entrees around and you can always just get a small item to keep the calorie count down. Have fun!!!!!!!!!!