The Magic of Disney: Staying on Site and Epcot
OK, my latest progress with our Disney trip was coordinating all of our visitors. Not only will some old friends of ours join us for a day, but my parents may fly down for a night or two and my husband’s 91-year-old grandmother who lives in Florida during the winters may spend a night with us too.
The more the merrier…I hope. I tend to get frantic about vacation planning. I’m trying to repeat a positive mantra in my mind….”Disney is meant to be fun, not stressful.” Repeat when necessary.
Thanks to the fabulous hand-holding that local mom and Disney expert Jodi of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel has been giving me - I’m feeling less panicked and more excited. Read my past blogs for advice on all things Disney.
Here are this week’s questions. Next week will be our final Q&A with Jodi. Topics include: What if someone gets sick, 3 things to be sure to pack, downtown Disney. Be sure to check it out!
ME: For those readers who are still considering accommodation options - tell us about staying on-site. What are the perks and who does it make most sense for?
Jodi: Staying onsite definitely has some great perks, the most obvious being proximity to the parks. For families with young children, being close to your hotel makes accommodating naps into your day much easier! However, there are other major benefits that readers may not be aware of. For example:
- Disney’s Magical Express offers free transportation to and from Orlando International Airport, including luggage transfer. For families like mine with two kids in a stroller, the ability to leave the airport with only the stroller is a big convenience. Luggage is delivered to your room several hours after you arrive.
- Free transportation within Walt Disney World. Between the Magical Express and Disney transportation, you won’t have to rent a car, saving you money on rental fees, tolls, and gas. If you do have a car with you, parking is free for resort guests.
- The ability to participate in Disney Dining Plans. There are three Disney Dining Plans offering a wide range of meal coverage, and if you plan to eat most of your meals onsite, this can provide a big savings!
- Extra Magic Hours - guests of Walt Disney World resorts have the opportunity to enjoy extra time in the parks. Every day, one of the parks is open one hour early or up to three hours after regular closing time — only to resort guests!
ME: Tell me more about Epcot. It seems more of a grown-up attraction. Tell me it isn’t so!
Jodi:Epcot is my favorite park, partially because of the grown-up type attractions that are available. However, there are plenty of things that will appeal to young children also. The Seas with Nemo and Friends includes two attractions, Turtle Talk with Crush and Finding Nemo, that are great for little ones. Inside the pavilion, you will also find all kinds of sea life in the assorted aquariums.
The World Showcase also offers some great kid-friendly attractions. We always visit the Mexican pavilion and ride the Grand Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros. It’s a slow boat ride featuring Donald Duck. You may also catch a performance outside by the Mariachi Cobra (my daughter’s favorite!). In Japan, you can see Miyuki, a candy artist who creates candy animals and the Japanese taiko drummers, who are mesmerizing to watch! There are Kidcot fun stations throughout Epcot that feature art projects that kids can participate in, and the brand new Kim Possible attraction is now available in the World Showcase. Kids will also find many of their favorite characters in Epcot, such as Belle, Aladdin, Jasmine, Mulan, Mickey, Minnie and many others.
ME: I hear a great money-saving idea is to bring food in the park with you. Is it worth it? I just think carrying around all that extra stuff may be a drag. What have you seen people do at the park that seems extra creative on this front?
Jodi:Disney does allow you to bring food and beverages in the park with you, but glass bottles and rolling coolers are not permitted. I will often bring some bottles of water (many people freeze them so that they stay cool) for my family, as well as some small snacks, such as raisins and snack bars. Those snacks come in handy when we are waiting in lines! Otherwise, I usually buy food at the parks — half the fun is the food!
Epcots resorts are amazing. Being able to jump right onto the monorail and get to another park is absolutely the best. The grounds are beautiful and the views are very nice also.
Comment by Jeff Collins — March 22, 2009 @ 9:46 am