Emailed Disney Park Questions

We receive a bunch of fan mail weekly and many of you seem to have lots of questions regarding the parks, when to really go, etc. I figure I would take some time and answer a few of those questions online. If you have more questions or need something explained in more detail, just contact us at the link above.

• “What is the best Disney Park to visit if you simply cannot visit them all in one trip?”

This is a good question.  We have lots of fan mail with similar questions.  This answer really is based on the person visiting and may depend of if children are also going or what time of year, etc.  Lots of variables…  I would always tell you to visit the Magic kingdom first.  This is your staple park, your home base and by far, the most to do.  If you ever wanted to act like a child again and still get tears in your eyes at the sight of true Disney Magic, this is your park.  Magic Kingdom combines great rides, great food and wonderful imagination.  If you love the Disney characters, this is your place!

My next stop would be Epcot.  Walt Disney’s “Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow” or Epcot for short is based on new engineering and amazing technology to demonstrate the future of things to come.  Although titled as a more “adult” themed park, Epcot has it’s opening to all ages.  Although slightly less rides and characters than Magic Kingdom, Epcot delivers with some of the best rated rides, such as Soarin and Test Track.  The kids will love Nemo and Dinosaur and the family can spend time in the World Showcase where you may run into Alice or Mary Poppins in England or even Aladdin in Morocco.  The food in the Showcase is great and there is a lot to see, so have cameras ready.

The third recommendation I would have depends on your childrens ages.  If you are traveling with small children I would recommend Animal Kingdom next.  The shows, live animals and rides are great.  If you happen to be travelling alone or with children over the ages of maybe 7 or 8, you may want to head to Hollywood Studios.  A bit more fun for the movie buff or thrill ride enjoyer, Rock’n Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror will deliver!  The Hollywood Studios has it all from great restaurants and themed events, to the huge arena for Fantasmic.  A wonderful, light, sounds and water show that is sure to amaze even the casual Disney fan…  The arena sits outside on an amazing set of pyrotechnics, laser lights and a waterwall of Disney storyline and characters.  Will Mickey triumph the Evil in his dream?

Depending on your time in Disney, try not to rush to see it all in one stop, you would be amazed at what you’ll miss!

• Where is the best place to meet Disney Characters?

This is a very common question.  We tend to notice that a lot of people really do just walk around looking for characters in the park at random times and spots.  Disney actually has a plan for this.  They have “Character Spots” and times of when and who will be there.  For example, if you are going to Hollywood Studio’s, a great place to get Sorcerer Mickey is in the Animation Studio and you will also usually find Mr. and Mrs. Incredible and others too!  It’s a rare hidden spot.  The information guides tell you some info, or you might even see the “Character Spots” signs up, so you know this is the place, just ask a cast member for who is there. Guest relations are also a world of help. They can tell you where and when for nearly every character.  Each park has their own hot-spots and costumes will vary based on parks too.  Magic Kingdom you might see Winnie the Pooh, but in the Animal Kingdom, he might be wearing his safari gear!

• So many restaurants in Disney have Cheeseburgers on the menu, but are they different at different spots?

I love this question, for a few reasons.  We actually see a lot of complaints about lack of items on the menu’s in some of the theme parks here, but Disney has found a small way to make it easier and experience it a bit different.  If you are in Magic Kingdom you can surely find Frontier Land and make your way to Pecos Bill’s!  This is an old frontier saloon with the usual cheeseburger lurking on it’s menu.  One major seperation is in the fixing’s bar behind you!  You can find grilled onions, pickles, lettuce, tomato, condiments and grilled mushrooms.  Now you just raised your cheeseburger from plain to magical!  There are a few restaurants with this selection such as in Animal Kingdom in Dino-Land USA you can find the Restaurantosaurus. (try that a few times)  This place has got another great fixing’s bar and also a great dessert menu.

• Resort pricing seems to be such a big jump from Moderate to Deluxe. Is it worth it?

This is another one left to each individual.  I seem to think that a deluxe is worth the investment if you plan on staying for less than 5-6 nights.  If you are going for an extended stay, you may want to rethink the cost involved and see if it is worth it for you.  I think that Port Orleans is a great resort for your money.  In certain seasons and with a AAA discount, you can get the rooms for just over $110-120 per night.  A deluxe for the same time may run almost double.  There is a major difference from Pop Century and the value resorts to the moderate if you stay in the right spots.  Animal Kingdom is a beautiful resort and has a great warm atmosphere, but the interior of the room is not too much different from Port Orleans with the exception of privacy in the bathroom and changing areas of the room.  Is this worth double?  It could be depending on if you have children or multiple people in your party…  Keep in mind, it is not always the room, style, TV or view that can be different when you upgrade to a deluxe.  In most cases, the rooms look very similiar with different decor.  You must think about the resort location in terms of park distance.  “Are we taking the buses to the parks, etc?”  Animal Kingdom, although beautiful, is one of the furthest from the Magic Kingdom so bus rides tend to get long near the nights end.

The moderate’s have a few advantages overall, including views (most rooms) of fireworks, the castle, etc.  Now although these are not “free-upgrades” it is usually not too much more for a great view room and sometimes they upgrade you for free if you just ask!

Tags: Disney Tips, Featured

Category: Disney Guide