Dispelling some popular myths...

Myth: You shouldn’t take a child to WDW until he is old enough to remember it.

What we say: Who cares if they don’t remember it? Mom and Dad will! And this is a lame argument in my opinion. A young child isn’t likely to remember any vacation, so does that mean you should stop visiting grandparents or taking other trips? No way! Disney is appropriate for any age. And so what if they don’t remember? They will surely enjoy the experience while they are there.



Myth: WDW is only for kids.

What we say: WDW is a magical experience for any age. Regardless of your knowledge of Disney movies or interest in Mickey Mouse, a vacation to WDW can satisfy if you go in with an open attitude. Okay, yes, there are constant Disney references and you might hate that “It’s a Small World” song, but there’s more to it than that. You’ve got thrill rides at Hollywood Studios and natural beauty and wildlife at Animal Kingdom. Epcot, widely considered to be the “most adult” park, offers a beautiful representation of many different cultures in the World Showcase as well as other areas of the park concentrating on The Land and The Living Seas and technology in Innoventions. You’ll feel smarter having been there. I’m a firm believer that everyone should visit WDW at least once. It's magical.



Myth: There’s only fast food in WDW.

What we say:  COMPLETELY FALSE! While you can certainly find turkey legs and hamburgers on the fly, WDW is also home to some amazing fine dining choices, many of which don’t have a Mickey Mouse in sight. The biggest mistake people make is lack of planning or research. If you don’t believe me, just have a look at California Grill or Victoria & Albert’s, for example.


Myth: Staying on Disney property is very expensive.

What we say: It depends on where you stay. If you pick the Grand Floridian Resort, then yes, it’s expensive. However, Disney has organized their resorts into three tiers: The Deluxe Resorts (most expensive), the Moderate Resorts (the middle ground), and the Value Resorts (cheapest). You get the same benefits staying in any Disney resort, whether the most or least expensive – free Disney transportation around WDW, free Magical Express, access to Extra Magic Hours inside the parks, great pools, etc. By staying in a Value Resort, you will save yourself a ton of money WITHOUT giving up the fun of staying on property. The Value Resorts are: The All-Star Movies Resort, All-Star Music Resort, All-Star Sports Resort, Pop Century Resort, and opening in 2012 is the new Disney’s Art of Animal Resort themed around the Disney Pixar movies. Go HERE to check them out in greater detail. 


Myth: I can just “wing it” on my Disney vacation. No need to plan.

What we say: While we agree flexibility is important, it’s also absolutely necessary to at least have some kind of idea about what you want to accomplish each day. If it’s a busy time of year, you might not get a chance to do everything in each park, so having a list of the top attractions you want to visit is a good way to ensure you get to do what’s most important to your family. And if you want to eat in any table-service restaurants – character meals especially – reservations are practically a must (and keep in mind that the organized people will all have made their reservations 6 months in advance) unless you want to wait in endless lines.
UPDATE: Now that FastPass+ exists, planning ahead of time is even more important. You can book three FastPasses per day up to 60 days in advance of your trip if you're staying in a Disney resort, or 30 days ahead of time if not. 

No comments:

Post a Comment