Help Needed, first time in US

[deepa]

Dear all,
I'll be visiting US in May, & my life time dream is to see Disneyland/world. I will be in Florida for a week & I will have one week end free, I am traveling alone. So I was wondering if you all could help me getting the best of Disney world in 2days.
Most probably for me it would be once in a life time opportunity so I want to experience all what I can in 2 days.
The questions are
1) Should I stay at Disney resort?
2) Would I be able to see all 4 theme parks?
3) which tickets should I buy?
4) Should I get the tickets before if yes what is the minimum time period?
5) I really want to see the water world too, would I be able to cram this in?
6) What are the rides that I cannot miss?

Looking forward to hear from you

[aimster]

1. If you don't have a rental car, then you might want to look into that option. Though there are several hotels off-property that are very close by and MUCH cheaper. That's an option you might want to consider if you only plan on being in the room to sleep at night.

2. You can see all 4 parks in 2 days, but it would be quite exhausting. I'd day pick the 2 parks you're most interested in seeing and spend a full day at each one.

3. That depends on how many parks you plan on visiting.

4. You can buy your tickets when you get there, but if you want to buy them beforehand, I'd say do it maybe a week before you plan to go.

5. I have no idea what you mean by "water world". Can you be a little more specific?

6. At Magic Kingdom, you'd want to check out New Fantasyland and the Little Mermaid ride. Other must-dos at MK are Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Peoplemover... At Epcot the must-dos is Test Track. at DHS it would be Star Tours, Tower of Terror & Rock N Roller Coaster. Never been to Animal Kingdom so I can't give any advice on that park.

[deepa]

Dear Amy,
Thank you for your input...
I won't have a rental car, I'll be in Gainesville, and am planning to take a bus from there, I am hoping there would be a bus service available...
Regarding nearby hotels, I'll look in to this defiantly.
I really want to see all 4 parks, as I don't know if I'll be able to visit again, but again If I get the feeling that I'm not doing justice to the parks & my self by rushing things, then maybe I'll do 2 parks. & looking in to your answer you'd recommend Fantasy Land & Epcot.
By water world I meant Aquatia...But now I know it wont be possible.
I have made a note for the rides...Thank you once again...


Peace...

[aimster]

Yeah Aquatica is over at Sea World, not part of Disney property.

[goofy donald]

Dear Amy,
Thank you for your input...
I won't have a rental car, I'll be in Gainesville, and am planning to take a bus from there, I am hoping there would be a bus service available...
Regarding nearby hotels, I'll look in to this defiantly.
I really want to see all 4 parks, as I don't know if I'll be able to visit again, but again If I get the feeling that I'm not doing justice to the parks & my self by rushing things, then maybe I'll do 2 parks. & looking in to your answer you'd recommend Fantasy Land & Epcot.
By water world I meant Aquatia...But now I know it wont be possible.
I have made a note for the rides...Thank you once again...


Peace...

I would not recommend taking a bus from Gainesville, its a 2 hour drive from WDW. A rental car would be the preferred thing if you can afford to splurge a bit if not maybe a train? but i would have to check if they run through there. I would also recommend Magic Kingdom and Epcot if you can only do two, only doing two also saves you money as you don't need to buy park hopper tickets. 4 is possible though, especially as 1 person, it will just be a bit of a rush, check for some plans online there are plenty out there.

[deepa]

Thank you Goofy Donald,

Rental car wouldn't be a option for me as I don't have international driving license, plus I am used to right hand driving...
I will look in to the options for train though.
I did not understand" check for some plans online" What kind of plans if you please can post link....

Thank you in advance...

Peace

[swampymarsh]

Rental car wouldn't be a option for me as I don't have international driving license, plus I am used to right hand driving...
I will look in to the options for train though.
I did not understand" check for some plans online" What kind of plans if you please can post link....

I can understand renting a car to drive may be a problematic. Have you looked into an Internation Driver License? You may not need one, and if so they are often easy to obtain.

There is not a train option from Gainesville.

While the distance is only about 150km by bus it could take many hours. Check Greyhound for bus travel. There may also be a regional carrier.

I don't know if there are direct flights, which could make this a long trip, but fly. It's probably much more expensive, but if you stay at a Disney Resort, you can get complimentary transportation to and from Orlando(MCO).

If you seard for "Disney World Touring Plans" you may find a schedule of how to tour a park or multiple parks.


Have you ever been to a Disney Park? Hong Kong, Paris or Tokyo?

[PBandJ]

Welcome to the US in advance

I think you will be okay taking a bus from Gainesville to Orlando - if there is no train, and you aren't comfortable with driving yourself, it seems like the most sensible option. If your free days are Saturday and Sunday, then you should take the bus to Orlando on Friday night, if you can.

Where will the Gainesville bus drop you off in Orlando? If you can get a bus that will drop you off at Orlando International Airport, then you should stay at a Disney hotel, because you'll be able to ride the Disney Magical Express from the airport to a Disney hotel for free.

Staying on Disney property is your best bet anyways, since they will give you free transportation to any Disney park at any time of day. You will also be able to use the "Extra Magic Hours," where some parks open early or stay open late only for WDW resort guests. That will help you make the most of your limited time!

May I ask where you are from originally? I'm curious to know if you live close to any of Disney's other parks? That might influence your decision about which parks to visit. You should also look on Disney's website to see each park's hours of operation on the days you'll be there - that might help you see how much time you'll have to work with.

You would have to take a taxi to Sea World to see Aquatica. I think it would take about a half hour to drive there from a WDW hotel, and the taxi would cost about $80 round trip.

I would recommend getting a Disney World travel guide and reading it cover to cover. That will give you all the info you need and help you make the best plan for yourself. Here is a link to the official Disney guidebook: Birnbaum's Walt Disney World 2013: Birnbaum Guides: 9781423152279: Amazon.com: Books I'm not sure if it is available in any languages other than English.

Best of luck with your trip!

[Johnny]

Hi Deepa!

I'm not sure what bus you are planning to take, but the Florida Express Bus has suspended operations: GAINESVILLE BUS TO ORLANDO SHUTTLE TRANSPORTATION so make sure you check that out before you get to the States.

I would suggest staying on property. Disney presently has a 20% off special with their Value Resorts for about $87/night. I suggest Pop Century over the All-Star Resorts: Disney World Special Offer | Disney World Deals | Walt Disney World Resort Also look-into lodging on Hotel Plaza Drive, such as the Royal Plaza: Orlando Hotels & Vacations Resorts | Royal Plaza, Florida, FL. I have stayed there, and it's decent for the price and they do provide transportation to the parks.

If you are short on time, you can easily use a park hopper to see the best of Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios in one day. As a true Disney fan, you will want to spend an entire day at the Magic Kingdom. If possible, I would suggest an entire day at EPCOT as well, but I am biased as EPCOT is my favorite park. It's also a Disney one-of-a-kind that only exists in Florida, so at least spend a half-day there. Spaceship Earth is a must-see, in my opinion.

Don't forget to take some time to enjoy the live entertainment. Main Street has a great variety from the Dapper Dans to the Main Street Philharmonic. Each of the World Showcase countries at EPCOT has great performance offerings as well. Definitely take the time to watch a parade. Be sure to pick up a Times Guide to check the daily offerings and showtimes. You can get a general idea at Steve Soraes's very useful website: Walt Disney World Live Entertainment

If you are touring solo, take advantage of single rider lines when possible. Also, I wouldn't spend a lot of time and money at sit-down restaurants, so grab snacks and sandwiches as you go (Sleepy Hollow, Aloha Isle, etc.). There are healthy snack options as well. You can typically just walk through any given restaurant if you are interested in seeing what it looks like. If you want to go hard core, I suggest a touring plan, but midweek in May should not be packed: Disney World | Disneyland | Universal Orlando - Vacation Planning Tools

Definitely do some research on what will interest you. Planning is useful (and fun), but leave some room for spontaneity!

[deepa]

First of All I thank you ALL who have taken their precious time and have answered my question.
Swampy Marsh I have never been to any Disney parks any where in the world, I have visited "Dream World" in Bangkok Thailand, which is great in a small scale, no way near Disney...
I am looking in the option of flying from Gaineville to Orlando, not sure yet.
PBandJ Thank you so much...I've always found Americans very friendly and cordial...You input is very much appreciated, most probably I will stay at Disney as you & Johnny have suggested as it would give me more Disney experience. I think I have to let go of the option for Aquatica
Johanny thank you for your detailed and much valuable answer, I will look in to the links you have provided.
I fully intend to enjoy the live entertainment, and you gave a good tip for single riders line, and of not spending much time at sit-down restaurants. Trust me i am trying to do research...That is how I got to this place & getting all the valuable tips and suggestions from you all, who have tasted the magic of Disney!!!

Peace