WDW from Perth: I - Planning

[MarmiteOnToast]

Hi All

Very excited to find this website - was feeling very lonely on the US based ones. Doing a lot of internet and Unofficial Guide research and only just found you. Sorry, this is a very long post - might be a bit boring but I needed to SHARE!

Am still trying to justify a trip in late september for self, partner and 9 year old son. My partner can take no more than 2 weeks off work (probably can sneak in another couple of days) and the total $$ is scaryscaryscary! However, I think 9 yo is great time to go, he'll always remember it. I went to WDW with my parents in the 80's (must have been about 13) and self/partner went for 4 days in 1992. We had an early edition of the Unofficial Guide (it was so skinny back then!) and I whizzed him around so that we did everything in 4 days. However, I now know I commando'ed him and he did get stressed, so have learnt that lesson.

Because of that want to do it real slow if we go, so 14 days for Disney, not even going to peek outside the parks (Disney should love me). I'm pretty much decided on staying on-site, and want to do Dining Package - BUT also ideally want to experience 2 or 3 resorts. Sooo, am still considering the AP option - then I'd do say 4 days at POP, 4 days at a moderate and 4 days at AK. Shame you can't move around if you're on dining package. If we have to decide on 1 resort, as we're wanting to do rests in pm, and resort dining, transport is pretty important. Changes daily, but today I'm on Coronado (seems to have quickest links). We're not doing rental car as last time got hideously lost coming from airport and we'll probably be so tired so... understand resort to resort is hard but I'm putting aside about $250 for taxi fares for that sort of stuff. Anyone give me some prices on car hire rental for a couple of weeks end of Sept just in case I've got my knickers in twist

Re planning, I'm working with WDWVacations in US (got a booking on hold at moment), have a friendly travel agent looking at airfares - anyone got any good routes or suggestions Round the World doesn't work for us as we've got time constraints, the LAX route seems to be best - I thought going to the UK was bad enough - done that about 6 times though.

Timing, we have school hols first 2 weeks of Oct, but seasons move from value to regular about the 4th Oct, US has a public holiday on 8th and park attendance predictions seem to go from 4/5 to 6/7 in Oct, also the Epcot Food festival is on soooo.... will take son out of school for a week to get there about 24th. However, there's a lot of chatter on US sites about the free dining plan offer that's been offered last 2 years. Looks like (from touring plans.com) that be mid Aug to about 22 Sept. Previously as long as you started your holiday by end date it covered whole period of your holiday. If that's the case this year, if it gets offered at all (fingers xxd) I'll move us to get there by 22nd.

That's about it - sorry to go on, but love any advice.

Cheers!

[KeithS]

Whoa - that's a long message, and lots (and lots, and lots) of questions...

There are a lot of people on this site more qualified than me to answer all those questions (Sandie, Wayne - are you around?!) but I'll tackle a couple...

WDW in 14 days will be awesome - you'll get a lot done without feeling Commandoed - we did 9 comfortable days last year in mid-late September and were able to accomplish most of what we set out to do i.e. 2-days at each of the four main parks. So 14 days will be a good time frame to take it easy and soak the place up and even do the water parks.

Those last two weeks of September were good as far as park attendance numbers go. We rarely had to queue long for attractions as long as we were at the parks that did not have the Extra Magic Hours. However, because of the free dining plan, restaurants were very busy. For example, there was a day we were at Epcot and the attractions were all walk-on - we were wondering where all the people were - but the restaurants there were packed! If Wayne is around - he'll be able to explain the situation more clearly.

As for air travel - can't help much there, we came from Paris, but Sandie is booked for this year and she'll be able to tell you her route.

Anyway, welcome again to our site, and have fun planning your trip

[alice in wonderland]

i am so jealous. you have less time to wait until you return to WDW. I have to wait until Jan.

Answers to your questions:
1) i think that 14 days will be a wonderful amount of time. There is so much to do in WDW. DOnt forget to take time to explore the resorts they are amazing.

2) I have never stayed on site before so i dont have any first hand experience. I ahve been doing alot of research and from what ive heard POP is a great resort, very disney. That is where we will be staying. Check out all the reviews at passporter.com on the message boards.

3) for flights there are a number of options. For me the price was what mattered the most as well as the aeroplane having a personal tv.

Round the world tickets are arount $2700 but due to your time restraints i dont think this would be a good option.

Im not sure of the prices but here are some other options

air NZ- sydney to auckland-Los Angeles then united from LAX to Orlando.(don't know how this works ex Perth youll have to ask a travel agent)This isthe option i am doing. As i am flying in peak time all up it is costing $3000 each.

Qantas- Fly to Los Angeles then add on LAX to MCO (i think this will be expensive)

Air Tahiti- this is a great option but it depends on the time you are traveling. You can fly to Tahitit and then to NYC. From NYC you can add on a fare down to Orlando.

Then there are things like air china etc but that is just making it a really long trip.

I read some talk about free DDP. Apparently over the last couple of years disney have treated guests to free dining. Ill investigat that for you.

Also make sure you check rehab schedule.Ill check for you today.

any more questions? i hope this has been helpful

[MarmiteOnToast]

Replies! Wow, this sure beats going to work or tidying house ...

KeithS - thanks so much for the reassurance. And I must say my, you look charming in that lovely dress I'm sure if free DDP is on, it'll be incredibly popular - still, thats OK with ADRs and planning. I probably won't be able to make mine until about 130 days out but that should be OK - we can skip anything princessy and I'm sure 9, nearly 10 is WAAAAYYY too cool for character dining (I might try and sneak in one...) I might build in a few optional ADRs to give me flexibility and it's OK to canx them day before or even on the day isn't it?

Alice - thank you too - don't worry. January is going to come around real quick. Flight info was real helpful - has anyone been Air Tahiti before - what are they like

Cheers all.

[MarmiteOnToast]

Forgot to mention something.

Now, please forgive me if this is covered in WDW 101 and you smart people all learnt this at your mother's breast...but I bought Unofficial Guide to WDW ($30-something) and there is an associated website touringplans.com which you can subscribe to for about US$6.

I've found it very useful, great with or without the book - it's well worth it. Good reviews of restaurants, touring plans etc. Also there is an awesome hotel search facility which checks lots of websites for best rates (great for comparisons). PLUS a calendar which projects park attendance for every day of year.

Check it out!

[KeithS]

And I must say my, you look charming in that lovely dress

Why, thank you very much hehe - I have reputation for being photographed with the Princesses in the Disney Parks. My mates think it is strange, but I see nothing unusual about being photographed with attractive women, and I always find they are happy to have a chat after kneeling down to little girls all day!

I got bailed up by Cinderella in Hong Kong DL once, and was a little embarrassed as she talked to me for a long time, despite the crowd of kiddies growing. I guess she was happy for a normal conversation! She wouldn't let go of my arm - we just chatted along - she even suggested that we go out together "in the nicest possible way" while her Prince could escort my girlfriend Della (who was taking photos) to the Ball!!! This is one of my fondest memories of character interaction

And if you can sneak in the character dining - do so, it is so much fun!!

[sandie]

Hi, welcome......

I have heard that free dining will be a go for Late august/September but your booking neeeds to be at rack rate and you need to purchase Magic Your Way tickets.

We are there for 23 nights from 20th August and with the free dining available from the 26th August we will save over $2500 over our normal method of annual passes and room discounts.

I honestly recommend http://www.tourguidemike.com over any of the guide books - yes I still buy them all but the info is sometimes years out of date (esp. frommers which still advertise the Disney Club which has been gone for 3 years.)

September will still be warm, if its late September you can get to go Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party, or if its early September the Pirate and Princess Parties - sucked in Keith "Sandie's going to a princess party!"

I'll try and answer any questions. (I'll even try and answer truthfully!)

[KeithS]

sucked in Keith "Sandie's going to a princess party!"

Say hello to them all for me, they'll remember me

[sandie]

Really? Is it your charm they will remember or is it that Aussie who tried to grope them that they will remember!

[KeithS]

Errr...I deny everything! Besides - Della keeps a very close eye on me I dare not do anything inappropriate (she is a scary woman after all!)