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Welcome to the Swamp.....GO GATORS!!!!
Everyone here so far has knocked Disney. We have always loved it. Some of our best memories are from our trips there. It's expensive but really no more than any other type of entertainment. When you see your little one in awe of everything it will be worth it.
Universal definitely has better rides. The spiderman rude is great. Take a few of the water bottles with the fan attached... Lifesaver.
We're taking our sandwiches and snacks, got really comfy shoes, and I picked up a misty mate.
Took granny's advice and the last two days, we're staying at Universal so we have a unlimited fast pass when we visit the park.
Will check out that pizza spot and good advice for the character lunch!
So, I was at Disney and Epcot last week. We've been to Universal (both parks) twice in the past year.
Epcot was remarkably uncrowded - particularly in the World Showcase. It doesn't have the appeal/excitement that the other parks have but I still like it.
The Magic Kingdom is still fun during the day and is magical at night. The Electrical Parade and fireworks show are spectacular... and I worked the parade for 11 years.
Depending on your kids' stamina, I still recommend getting a character breakfast reservation (BOOK NOW) at the Contemporary on the morning that you want to go to the Magic Kingdom. Park at the Contemporary (saves you $15) for your breakfast, then take the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. Get a parade position on Main Street about 8:40 and watch the parade and the subsequent video show (projected on to the front of the castle - it's very cool) and fireworks. Then head toward the front of the park with 60,000 of your closest friends and leave them as soon as you exit by turning left and walking to your car at the Contemporary - passing the hour long lines for the monorail and ferry boat.
Have a great time.
XL BGE, Klose BYC, ProQ Excel, Weber Kettle, Firepit, Grand Turbo gasser, and a portable Outdoor Gourmet gasser for tailgating
San Antonio, TX
Next day, the 4th of July... All wearing matching Disney shirts, they pulled us out of the crowd to help open the park plus move to the front of the line passes.
Jake was too young to tide the Tower of Terror so they gave him a bellhop uniform and let him work the ride.
Helluva vacation.
@cazzy... The castle character breakfast has all the Disney princesses. On a side note... Muriel was filling up her seashell top... My favorite attraction.
I'll jump on the Epcot bandwagon. Though it wasn't as flashy and in-your-face as the other parks, we hit Epcot at the low point of our Disney vacation. Included were me, my wife, our boys, her sister, her sister's girlfriend, father in law and his girlfriend. I was so tired of the heat, the resulting whiny kids, as was everyone else. I saw a meltdown coming, so we just decided to go our separate ways at the World Showcase. We got the kids' faces painted, and my wife picked up the largest margarita I've ever seen from "Mexico". I opted for a Beck's from a lovely fraulein in "Germany". The fact that it wasn't as crowded, and we could just walk around the water made it wonderful. The attractions were pretty impressive as well. (I want to say one was called Flight, and the other was Mission to Mars).
Our vacation was a ball, and you'll have a blast. That place is incredible. I was constantly entertained, even when standing in line for rides. For most of us, it's a once or twice in a lifetime experience. Take advantage of it! If I could do it again, I wouldn't be as concerned with money. I spent a lot, but it didn't kill me.
Have a great time! And yes, the character breakfast is awesome.
LBGE since June 2012
Omaha, NE
XL BGE, Klose BYC, ProQ Excel, Weber Kettle, Firepit, Grand Turbo gasser, and a portable Outdoor Gourmet gasser for tailgating
San Antonio, TX
" Where were you when I started this thread? "
Sigh....
XL BGE, Klose BYC, ProQ Excel, Weber Kettle, Firepit, Grand Turbo gasser, and a portable Outdoor Gourmet gasser for tailgating
San Antonio, TX
When you go to the Magic Kingdom at night, if you are not parked at the Contemporary then leaving after the fireworks is a very poor option. The better option is to ride some rides during the 9:00 parade and get out to Main Street by 9:45 to watch the light show and fireworks - then watch the 11:00 parade and call it a night. About 75% of the crowd leaves after the fireworks at the same time and getting on a monorail at that time takes almost an hour.
XL BGE, Klose BYC, ProQ Excel, Weber Kettle, Firepit, Grand Turbo gasser, and a portable Outdoor Gourmet gasser for tailgating
San Antonio, TX
Crap.
And technically I am a pro. I worked in that parade for 11 years - wearing the costumes, driving the floats, etc.
It's an incredibly well-planned ordeal. Pay attention to the light and sound details. Listen to the main theme music from the speakers on the street and how it blends with the music from each section from the parade. It is synchronously broadcast over different FM frequencies from the castle - which is essentially a giant broadcast antenna - in 63 second loops. The opening announcement will play and then the lights for that section of the parade will go down EXACTLY at the time that the first float comes into view for that section of the parade. Hitting your mark with that first float is a challenge that requires being on a radio headset with spotters on the street and the guy in the castle who pushes the button for the opening announcement about 45 seconds before you hit the spot.
And out of over 600,000 lights on the floats it is extremely rare to see any of them not working because each light gets checked 3 times a day.
Overall, it is remarkable that they can pump out a parade of that magnitude up to 3 times a day.
XL BGE, Klose BYC, ProQ Excel, Weber Kettle, Firepit, Grand Turbo gasser, and a portable Outdoor Gourmet gasser for tailgating
San Antonio, TX
@XLBalco, you are right on target. Younger than 4 is probably too young to really get a lot out of it. 7 and 5 or 8 and 6 is perfect. I found out last week that 18 and 16 is still pretty great. Did one trip with a 13/14 year old soccer team and that worked too. Of course, when you have connections and can get the whole team on floats with Mickey, Goofy, etc. in the Animal Kingdom parade it's hard for the experience to be anything but wildly positive.
But as they get older, the more exciting rides at Universal have more appeal.
XL BGE, Klose BYC, ProQ Excel, Weber Kettle, Firepit, Grand Turbo gasser, and a portable Outdoor Gourmet gasser for tailgating
San Antonio, TX