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by Brian Bennett
4/2/01
Q.
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Tina Writes: We are taking a 2
week vacation in Florida but can only spend one day at Walt
Disney world and one day at universal studios and we will have
our 6 year old grandson with us and are overwhelmed on how to
see the best things at WDW in just one day when there is so
much to see and what is best to see for his age and how much
the tickets are at the gates. |
A.
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Tina,
MousePlanet's Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide has a
whole section on "WDW
with Kids." Those pages should help you sort
through the various issues that will help make the visit as
pleasant as possible.
Once you're prepared on the high-level issues, you'll have
to decide which of the parks you want to spend your day in.
MousePlanet does not yet have any information on Universal
Studios in Florida, but that same "WDW With Kids"
section has listings of the various age and height requirements
for all of the Disney parks and a list of attraction "fear
factors" (things that make several of the rides quite
frightening for children). Those two lists, along with the
rest of the Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide should help
you decide which Disney park, at least, that you'd want to
visit.
One day ticket prices (actually, all ticket prices) for the
Disney parks are listed on MousePlanet's Admission
Media From A to Z page.
Once you're at that page, just click on the bookmark link
at the top of the page to the "prices" section.
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Q.
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Jeff Writes: If possible I am looking
for an e-mail address to express my feeling from my recent trip
to Dixie Landings. |
A.
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Jeff,
The best answer is to write a formal letter and send it via
regular mail. Address the letter to Port Orleans Resort Riverside,
Guest Relations, 1251 Dixie Drive, Lake Buena Vista, 32830.
(The reason for the "Port Orleans Resort Riverside"
address is that Dixie Landings had a name change back on March
1st.)
I don't have an email address for the resort, but I've always
received responses from mailed letters (and I've sent several,
both good and bad, in the past).
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Q.
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Heather Wrote: Looking for information
on non-WDW accommodations for two adults and two children. Prefer
a site with breakfast served. |
A.
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Hi Heather,
I would suggest that you read through MousePlanet's guest
review of off-site
accommodations.
MousePlanet does not have our own review or standards program,
so I can't recommend any particular resort, but the guest
reviews at the URL above can give you some great insights.
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Q.
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John writes: I am looking for the
average per day cost for food for a family of four. 2 kids,
ages 14 and 8. We are not really looking at being conservative...
this is a trip of a lifetime for us. Also, any information on
average expenses for souvenirs, etc. |
A.
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You should check this
page, in MousePlanet's WDW Trip Planning Guide. It
has information like you're asking about. |
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Q.
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David Writes: My kids are 8, 6, and
4 this year. I am very spoiled at WDW because my last two trips
I stayed at the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian Resorts for
the monorail convenience.
As the kids get older I'm sure it will be easier to stay
off the monorail, but will I be disappointed in the Boardwalk
Villas or Villas at Wilderness Lodge after staying at those
other hotels?
My feeling after this last trip in December was that my kids
were losing the "magic" and that we might as well
have been at any amusement park. Any thoughts?
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A.
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David,
One of the things that makes WDW so magical is the variety
of the themed parks and resorts! I think your kids will thoroughly
enjoy a different resort just because the theme will be different,
the views, colors, music...all will be different.
You might want to ask your kids which of the resort themes
does the most to float their boat. Being involved in the decision
might add to the excitement, too.
Also, from my experience with an infant-four year old, I
think the buses are just about as convenient as the monorail.
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Q.
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Lance asks: I will be visiting WDW
in May of 2001. I wanted to know if there were any places to
do karaoke? I would think with all those resorts, clubs, and
restaurants, at WDW, someone would have a karaoke show. I hope
you can help! |
A.
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Lance,
I'm not aware of anyplace at WDW that has Karaoke. That doesn't
mean that it's not available, just that I'm not the type to
sing in front of a drunken crowd. :) On the other hand, that
might be the best kind of crowd for me to sing in front of...
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Q.
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Jack Writes: had a hard time finding
prices to rent watercraft. specifically the 'water sprites'. |
A.
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Jack,
"Water sprites" are now known as "water mice"
at WDW.
Here's a list of watercraft rentals, all prices are approximate
and can vary slightly from resort to resort where you rent
the craft:
- Canoes (Fort Wilderness Campground, Caribbean Beach,
Port Orleans, Villas at the Disney Institute): $6/half hour
- Canopy Boats, eight (8) adult capacity (Downtown
Disney, Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Wilderness
Lodge, Yacht Club, Old Key West, Port Orleans, Caribbean
Beach Resort): $20/half hour
- Pedal Boats (Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans, Villas
at the Disney Institute, Old Key West, Coronado Springs,
Swan & Dolphin): $8/half hour for single boats, $16/half
hour for double boats.
- Pontoon Boats, ten (10) adult capacity (Contemporary,
Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge):$29/half
hour
- Sail Boats, two to six (2-6) adult capacity (Contemporary,
Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge):$6-10/half
hour
- Water Mice, (Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian,
Wilderness Lodge, Yacht Club, Fort Wilderness Campground,
Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Downtown Disney):$19/half
hour
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Q.
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Darla Writes: Since you started this
web page I'll tell you what I don't like. Last time I was looking
at something a box came up saying I had a message. I clicked
on it and it said I had won a shopping spree which I don't want.
I remember having a hard time getting rid of that message. Again
today I'm looking at something and the same message box comes
up. I forgot what it was about but I clicked on the X to get
rid of it but unfortunately the shopping spree box came up anyway.
This is very annoying. This is from Colonize.com. I minimized
this email and guess what - it's back. This happens only on
your web site. I was going to look at a report on a resort and
it comes up. Please check it out because it's very annoying.
Thanks. |
A.
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Darla,
I'm aware of the Colonize.com pop-ups. I, too, am annoyed
at them. Unfortunately, they're a very good paying source
of revenue for us.
I'm sorry for the annoyance. If some rich person out there
would fully fund MousePlanet, we wouldn't need revenue....unfortunately,
there aren't very many people out there with enough money
that care.
Yet. :)
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Q.
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Magi Writes: I am having difficulty
finding information on children's activities for children under
4 years old in the Fort Wilderness Campground and in the parks.
I did find some web sites which listed possible rides but it
was hard to determine which ones were and were not appropriate
for children age 4, based on height/age requirements since those
weren't listed. I would appreciate your help as we expect to
visit in June of 2001. |
A.
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Magi,
MousePlanet's "WDW
with Kids" has the lists you're seeking, of attractions
with restrictions. It also has a list of "fear factors"
and which attractions may frighten a child for any one of
several reasons.
After you've looked over the section, feel free to contact
me again if you have specific questions...but I think most
of what you're looking for is there (for the parks, anyway).
There is a lot of stuff going on over at Fort Wilderness.
Besides the beaches and pools and boating, you'll find a petting
farm (with pony rides for $2), a night-time campfire program
(free), hayrides ($6/4 adult/child), and the Tri-Circle-D
ranch where you can see the horses and the blacksmith at work.
All of these things, incidentally, are available to any WDW
guest...not just the folks that are staying at Fort Wilderness
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Q.
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Carey asks: Hi -- love your site
-- first timers to Disney this year -- site has been very helpful.
Question for you on the Deluxe Magic Package -- Disney says
that w/this plan all of our meals/recreation will be charged
to our room key. What is to prevent us from having people
join us for dinner and charging to our "room key"
-- how does Disney keep track of how many people are in your
party?
Thanks -- they are very vague about this.
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A.
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Carey,
Besides your strong moral fiber, there's one other thing
that will keep you from committing such a heinous crime...
The computers at WDW are all wise. They will have very complete
records available to the servers at the restaurants about
what you really are eligible for and how many folks in your
party can be served.
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Well, I hope you enjoyed the reader feedback
for the WDW Trip Planning Guide! Feed free to send more questions
or comments to brian@mouseplanet.com!
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Brian Bennett's Disney Trip Planner
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Click here to see
some awesome WDW pieces that have run on MousePlanet recently!
Click
here to check out the rest of Brian's Archive, including all of the previously
published "Notes From the World" pieces!
I've
always gotten email about the WDW Trip Planning Guide, but since we added
the feedback
form to the site several months ago, the number of questions has increased
dramatically! I do my best to answer each and every question personally,
but I've noticed that a lot of the questions are asked again and again.
The question that one person asks might very well be the question that
someone else is wondering about. Thus this page!
So...I'll post
reader email and feedback every once in a while, because the question
someone else asks might be the same one you're thinking about yourself!
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