By Dopey Diva
Anyone who knows me knows I am obsessed with Disney. My house is decorated in just about every room with something Disney related. I love when people come to my house for the first time and see our Disney collections. Although some people may think it’s crazy, it is what my family all loves. Since people know how much I love Disney, they come to me with their Disney vacation questions and I am always happy to offer my advice and opinions. My most asked questions seem to be “What resort is the best?”, “When can make dining reservations and Fastpasses?” and “How many Fastpasses do we get?” I thought I would share all of this information with the wonderful readers and fans of Tips from the Disney Divas and Devos.
Where Should I Stay?
This is really a choice that is different for each family. I personally have stayed in moderate and value resorts, but unfortunately, not in a deluxe resort (although some day I WILL try one). For my family, the Value Resorts are our best choice. We spend very little time in our room, mainly just to shower and sleep so spending a lot of money on a room is a waste for us. My husband and I have stayed in Moderate resorts twice, and we did enjoy them, but they are less Disney themed and are decorated more for grown ups. That was great for just the two of us, but when my kids are with me, I love the theme of the All Star Resorts, Pop Century, and Art of Animation. So when deciding on which resort you want think about how much time will you actually spend at the resort. Are you a family who prefers relaxing and hanging by the pool more than spending open to close at the parks? If so, I say go with a moderate or deluxe because they are amazing. If your family is more the type to head to the park for opening and stay until they close then a value resort is probably better for you. Disney Diva Tip: Keep in mind, if you are a family of 5 or more you can get 2 rooms at All Star Resorts or Pop Century for normally less than a family suite at Art of Animation.
When Can I Book ADR’s?
What is an ADR you might ask? It is an Advanced Dining Reservation and we at Tips from the Disney Divas and Devos highly recommend them. For those who think you can just walk up to the popular restaurants and get a table, odds are, that will not happen. Most experienced Disney World travelers know you MUST make ADR’s to get those coveted reservations. Not that you can’t wait in line for your favorite place to eat, but why spend all that extra time waiting for something you could have reserved months ago? ADR’s can be made 180 days prior to your arrival. These can be made online beginning at 6 am ET or you can call them in at 7 am ET. If you have already booked your Disney vacation package, you are able to make your reservations for the length of your trip if it does not exceed 10 days. Sometimes it does happen that the restaurant you really want doesn’t have the day or time available you were hoping for, but don’t give up. If you continue checking you might be surprised when one day it shows up with an availability. I have managed to get ‘Ohana and Be Our Guest within 2 weeks or our travel time…which made me VERY happy!
When Can I Make FastPasses and How Many Do I Get?
What is a fastpass? A fastpass is a way to bypass the stand by line and get onto your favorite ride quicker than other people. Who wouldn’t want to do that, right? Fastpasses are able to be chosen 60 days before your Disney World vacation if you are staying on-property. If you are staying off-property, they can be chosen 30 days before your stay. When you make your fastpass choices you start out with 3 and they must all be in the same park. Once you use up your first 3 fastpasses you are then able to make other fastpass choices (1 at a time) from one of the kiosks located in all 4 parks. If you decide to do a morning at one park and then spend the evening at another park, you will be able to pick fastpasses from the second park once you arrive, as long as your first 3 have been used or expired. Just keep in mind the more popular rides such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Toy Story Mania, etc. will probably not have any fastpasses left, so make sure you choose those rides in your first 3 choices and save others for later in the day.
These are some of my recommendations on the “Where?” “When?” and “How Many?” questions you may be asking. Still need more help planning your trip or booking your reservations? Contact Patricia with All for Dreams Travel! Click here for a free quote.
