Postby dudette » Mon Feb 20, 2023 9:02 am
You’re quite a long way from the beach and it probably won’t be warm enough in December/January so I’d cross that off your list. But no problem because there is so much to do in the Orlando area you will find ten days isn’t enough. As well as the Magic Kingdom and Epcot you have the Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom which are both must sees. You also have two (actually I think it’s maybe three?) parks at Universal. Then there’s Sea World, Busch Gardens in Tampa and the Kennedy Space Center on the Atlantic coast. It’s just a fabulous place to take young kids (and adults - I loved it - we went twice when our kids were little.) Before you do anything else get hold of the current version of the Unofficial Guide to Disney World (there is also one for DW with kids which is worth getting) which is brilliant. They also have one for the other resorts but I think they are mentioned in the Disney one - just check before you buy. It’s worth checking what if any specials you get by staying in Disney or Universal hotels. When we went if you stayed at a Universal hotel you got a free Express Pass which took you to the front of every queue - definitely worth having. Disney hotels allowed you early entry to some of the parks each day which is great if you’re coming from the U.K. as the jet lag works in your favour. This was ten years ago so things might well have changed since then. There are some great restaurants in the Disney resorts so it’s worth looking at dining packages too. The Unofficial guide will explain all this.
If I have one tip it’s to get to the parks as soon as they open, rush around doing all the top rides before the park gets busy, then have some breakfast, then do the less popular rides and leave at lunch time. Spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool if the weather’s good or playing mini golf or just having some quiet time. The parks are huge and exhausting so you want to manage your time carefully and plan ahead for the rides you want to do. Again the Unofficial Guide has great suggestions. Definitely get hold of the book(s) before you book anything. They will give you great recommendations on where to eat and stay. We booked directly with Disney and Universal - again this was ten years ago so I’m not sure what the set up is now, but it was all very easy then. You can book the hotel, dining packages of you want them, and park tickets all together. You will have an amazing time - people can be really sniffy about Disney but it’s really one of the modern Wonders of the World. Thinking about it makes me want to go back!
