Fuck me. Going to spend $$ on Disney for my daughter.

I hate Disney, I hate most of the fact of what they've done to copyright laws. I hate that they influence children so much.

My Daughter, 2 (fuck off Forbin), loves Frozen, loves Ariel, loves princesses. My coworker won me 4 1 day multipark passes (she called in as my wife and won a radio contest). I've been forced to go to Disney.

Even with 4 1 Day passes, and traveling during the week, it looks like this is going to cost me about $1k. Are the memories worth that kind of cash? I'm po. $1k takes some budgeting to pay for. I had a point to this thread, but not sure what it was, and I'm still going to hit 'send'.

Embrace it. She will love it.

Protip - don't try to do too much in one day. Hit Magic Kingdom and I'd say that's about it unless there's Frozen shit at the other parks that I'm not aware of.

Pics of co worker.

kingstonlake wrote:Pics of co worker.

Meh. I like her, and in her prime, maybe, but nah.

Didney is tDevil

You are going to be miserable and blow a ton of cash.

2... she won't remember a thing.

Go to Epcot and try to go around the world at the beer stations.  I almost made it.

More specific advice.

If you're not familiar with the parks, buy the 2014/5 Unofficial guide.

http://www.amazon.com/Unofficial-Guide-Walt-Disney-World/dp/1628090200

Get the wait time(s) app. Referenced in the book.

Follow a tour plan from the book Or make up your own beforehand.

Use Fast Pass. Use the shit out of it.

Bring snacks (pouches, goldfish, etc) and bottled water.

Don't go in the Summer.

Get there when it opens (MK). Watch the little character show. Book it to the rides that typically have the longest wait times. Don't use fast pass at the beginning of the day. Peter Pan, the new 7 Dwarves mine ride, Ariel's Grotto, etc. All in same part of park.

That's all I've got for now.

You should just sit at home and watch ESPN

I took my kids there about age 5 or 2. My kids actually had the most fun at the hotel bouncing on the bed and swimming in the pool. Downtown Disney is the ultimate hell. Wait 2 hours to eat at PJ Fudgerippers for another $150.
Last fall we did Universal Studios at age 10 and 8. Everyone had much more fun. But Just driving there from an hour away it was like $2000 for one night and two days. You are far better off going to Hawaii than going to a theme park.

Y'all are too high strung.

Took my kids to WDW in AUGUST when my son was 3.5 and my daughter was 7 months old. Prepped and planned appropriately and it is probably one of my favorite trips I've ever taken in my life. The entertainment, fun and memories they got out of that trip was spectacular. We are going back this summer, in bizarre fashion I kind of can't wait.

I forgot to mention. When I called, the automated responses knew everything about me. I'm calling from a cell phone registered in Lansing and living in Miami. They knew my address in Miami, only other company, besides government that had this info, was a credit company. Fucking eerie.

Im pretty sure not taking your kids to Disney World is considered child neglect.

The_Dude wrote:Im pretty sure not taking your kids to Disney World is considered child neglect.

Pretty sure you're thinking of the Calgary Stampede. Everybody goes to that, right?

....I appreciate your desire to give her a fun trip but, other than the MK, and a few of the presentations and kiddie rides, she won't get much out of it and won't remember a thing.  Hopefully, the passes don't have an expiration date!

ancientspartan wrote:....I appreciate your desire to give her a fun trip but, other than the MK, and a few of the presentations and kiddie rides, she won't get much out of it and won't remember a thing.  Hopefully, the passes don't have an expiration date!

She'll remember parts of it. She already knows all the princesses. I'm not paying to get her dressed up like a princess though. I think the 1 day passes expire after a year, and I'm pretty sure that the 3 or 4 day Florida passes are only good for 6 months.

InTenSity wrote:I hate Disney, I hate most of the fact of what they've done to copyright laws. I hate that they influence children so much.

My Daughter, 2 (fuck off Forbin), loves Frozen, loves Ariel, loves princesses. My coworker won me 4 1 day multipark passes (she called in as my wife and won a radio contest). I've been forced to go to Disney.

Even with 4 1 Day passes, and traveling during the week, it looks like this is going to cost me about $1k. Are the memories worth that kind of cash? I'm po. $1k takes some budgeting to pay for. I had a point to this thread, but not sure what it was, and I'm still going to hit 'send'.

Kids two and under get in free, you whiner.

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:More specific advice.

If you're not familiar with the parks, buy the 2014/5 Unofficial guide.

http://www.amazon.com/Unofficial-Guide-Walt-Disney-World/dp/1628090200

Get the wait time(s) app. Referenced in the book.

Follow a tour plan from the book Or make up your own beforehand.

Use Fast Pass. Use the shit out of it.

Bring snacks (pouches, goldfish, etc) and bottled water.

Don't go in the Summer.

Get there when it opens (MK). Watch the little character show. Book it to the rides that typically have the longest wait times. Don't use fast pass at the beginning of the day. Peter Pan, the new 7 Dwarves mine ride, Ariel's Grotto, etc. All in same part of park.

That's all I've got for now.

here is a website with lots of tips, more than you will ever need or use.
http://www.mousesavers.com/


it could be worse - mine want to got to Harry Potter world, I hate that shit - but me & my money are going.

beal99 wrote:

Kids two and under get in free, you whiner.

I understand that. Even still, cost to drive up there, shouldn't be too bad, but roundtrip, looking at probably about $75 (30ish in tolls). Hotel for 3 nights is going to run about $450. Food for 3 days, if you're conservative is going to run at least $100, probably a bit more realistic, cuz I'm gonna need beer, is $200.

I'm guessing that even with free tickets, its still going to run us about $750 to $1000.

InTenSity wrote:
I understand that. Even still, cost to drive up there, shouldn't be too bad, but roundtrip, looking at probably about $75 (30ish in tolls). Hotel for 3 nights is going to run about $450. Food for 3 days, if you're conservative is going to run at least $100, probably a bit more realistic, cuz I'm gonna need beer, is $200.

I'm guessing that even with free tickets, its still going to run us about $750 to $1000.

You are underestimating your costs. Food in the parks is very expensive and you will be a customer, just roll with it.
Are you staying at a Disney hotel or outside the park? Outside is generally cheaper, but then you have to deal with transportation, if you stay in the park they have buses and monorail to take you everywhere.

With a little one, you may want to take a break mid day and then go back, which is much easier if you stay on the grounds. After a couple days, you will want to punch the next 'character' you see, but your kid will be adrenalin rushing the whole time, which is the whole point of going there.

InTenSity wrote:I hate Disney, I hate most of the fact of what they've done to copyright laws. I hate that they influence children so much.

My Daughter, 2 (fuck off Forbin), loves Frozen, loves Ariel, loves princesses. My coworker won me 4 1 day multipark passes (she called in as my wife and won a radio contest). I've been forced to go to Disney.

Even with 4 1 Day passes, and traveling during the week, it looks like this is going to cost me about $1k. Are the memories worth that kind of cash? I'm po. $1k takes some budgeting to pay for. I had a point to this thread, but not sure what it was, and I'm still going to hit 'send'.

Meh, no matter how pissed off you are now, and no matter how put upon you feel, once you see your kids face after you get there, you don't mind the expense or the time.

Are we talking about the baller from Miami who is was contacted by a head-hunter and is considering a move to Las Vegas to make the reeeaaallly big money?

tTito wrote:Are we talking about the baller from Miami who is was contacted by a head-hunter and is considering a move to Las Vegas to make the reeeaaallly big money?

Who are you again?

DWags wrote:

Meh, no matter how pissed off you are now, and no matter how put upon you feel, once you see your kids face after you get there, you don't mind the expense or the time.

That's not what he wants to hear though, DWags.

Let me help you out InTen.

WDW is the devil. They are going to gouge you at every corner. You are going to be completely miserable and hate every minute of it. That happiest place on earth mantra? It's a bullshit marketing ploy to sink their teeth into your kids. Your daughter may enjoy herself, but you will know the truth so make sure you undermine her fun at every turn if the wife winds up putting the screws to you and forces you to go. If you do go, prepare your anus. You are going to wind up dropping at least 3-4k.

Good luck.

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:

That's not what he wants to hear though, DWags.

Let me help you out InTen.

WDW is the devil. They are going to gouge you at every corner. You are going to be completely miserable and hate every minute of it. That happiest place on earth mantra? It's a bullshit marketing ploy to sink their teeth into your kids. Your daughter may enjoy herself, but you will know the truth so make sure you undermine her fun at every turn if the wife winds up putting the screws to you and forces you to go. If you do go, prepare your anus. You are going to wind up dropping at least 3-4k.

Good luck.

  

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:

That's not what he wants to hear though, DWags.

Let me help you out InTen.

WDW is the devil. They are going to gouge you at every corner. You are going to be completely miserable and hate every minute of it. That happiest place on earth mantra? It's a bullshit marketing ploy to sink their teeth into your kids. Your daughter may enjoy herself, but you will know the truth so make sure you undermine her fun at every turn if the wife winds up putting the screws to you and forces you to go. If you do go, prepare your anus. You are going to wind up dropping at least 3-4k.

Good luck.

Yep.  And his kids smile will be worth it.   Oh, and he at least better get a favor from his wife. That's a lot of money and aggravation for an adult. Oh and Intensity. Speed pass. They help.

DWags wrote:

Meh, no matter how pissed off you are now, and no matter how put upon you feel, once you see your kids face after you get there, you don't mind the expense or the time.

Exactly. Parents shouldn't look at it as whether it's fun for themselves. The fun for a parent should come from watching the wide-eyed wonderment on your kids' faces. Some said that a 2 year old won't remember much, but you will. Those are memories you'll treasure, too. I can remember so much from my daughter's first time to Disney, when she was about 10 months.

Minus well embrace The Mouse now, InTenSity. As she gets older, and realizes that it's only a few hours away, she'll start asking for it, but in some ways it's also a blessing having it so close. If she's hankering to go, you can just pop up there for a quick one-night weekend trip and get it out of her system. Compare that to having to pay for flights like most people, and then needing to make it a several day trip to make it worthwhile. I like that we can go there, but it doesn't have to be a big family vacation.

Going with kids is the only way to justify the expense, because Disney is the master of guilting you out of waaay more than you plan/expect.

My question is the adults with no/grown kids that continue to go to Disney year after year.
Are they just overgrown geeks, or do they have to be pedophiles?

Herbie Green wrote:I took my kids there about age 5 or 2. My kids actually had the most fun at the hotel bouncing on the bed and swimming in the pool. Downtown Disney is the ultimate hell. Wait 2 hours to eat at PJ Fudgerippers for another $150.
Last fall we did Universal Studios at age 10 and 8. Everyone had much more fun. But Just driving there from an hour away it was like $2000 for one night and two days. You are far better off going to Hawaii than going to a theme park.

If you live(d) within driving distance and spent $2K for one night/two days, you're either really stupid or doing something terribly wrong. Unless you're staying at the Grand Floridian on the busiest night of the busiest time of year, no freaking way you should drop even half that for a one night trip.

I.B. Fine wrote:Going with kids is the only way to justify the expense, because Disney is the master of guilting you out of waaay more than you plan/expect.

My question is the adults with no/grown kids that continue to go to Disney year after year.
Are they just overgrown geeks, or do they have to be pedophiles?

My next door neighbors is a couple in their late 20s, no kids, and they have a Disney Annual Pass sticker/magnet on their car. I think they'd fall in the geek category, as they seem a little like that anyway. I mean, there are enough different things at different parks for adults to enjoy (my wife and I used to go about once every couple of years before having kids, though we'd mix it up and do different parks), but enough to go several times per year in order to justify an annual pass?

That's the thing. The whole thing was for the kids and they were miserable.

Maybe if they weren't so young and/or it wasn't so hot it could have been different.

Like I said, they did like Universal Studios so at least I got some return in value. But even then, we had to drag my kid (who had read/seen every Harry Potter) out of the pool and back to the park against his will "to get our money's worth".

Trying to project our idea of what should be fun for a small child isn't always going to work out so well. Just like adults, some of them don't like crowds, lines and heat any more than adults do.

MiamiSpartan wrote:
Exactly. Parents shouldn't look at it as whether it's fun for themselves. The fun for a parent should come from watching the wide-eyed wonderment on your kids' faces. Some said that a 2 year old won't remember much, but you will. Those are memories you'll treasure, too. I can remember so much from my daughter's first time to Disney, when she was about 10 months.

Indeed. I'll always remember the first time I took my little ones to Shakespeare's birthplace and the home of William Blake. I'll never forget the looks on their precious little faces.

Cym Jim wrote:

Indeed. I'll always remember the first time I took my little ones to Shakespeare's birthplace and the home of William Blake. I'll never forget the looks on their precious little faces.

I have the same memories from taking my kids to multiple Civil War battlefields.  Lifetime memories for them.

Though perhaps the best was my middle son getting to meet Iron Chef Sakai after the Battle Rock Crab taping in NYC. What other kid has met and talked to Sakai and Michael Schenker by age 12? He's a better man for it today.

MiamiSpartan wrote:
My next door neighbors is a couple in their late 20s, no kids, and they have a Disney Annual Pass sticker/magnet on their car. I think they'd fall in the geek category, as they seem a little like that anyway. I mean, there are enough different things at different parks for adults to enjoy (my wife and I used to go about once every couple of years before having kids, though we'd mix it up and do different parks), but enough to go several times per year in order to justify an annual pass?

For what it costs to go there, I can think of innumerable alternative destinations that don't involve droves of sugar crazed kids and full sized comic characters. But if socializing with other adults isn't your thing......

LooseGoose wrote:

I have the same memories from taking my kids to multiple Civil War battlefields.  Lifetime memories for them.

Though perhaps the best was my middle son getting to meet Iron Chef Sakai after the Battle Rock Crab taping in NYC. What other kid has met and talked to Sakai and Michael Schenker by age 12? He's a better man for it today.

Besides Gettysburg what are some other good Civil War battlefields to see?

Go in July, when it's 110 and humid as fuck.

Oh, and get used to this song, you'll likely be hearing a lot of it:

i'll give you $50 for the passes.

The_Dude wrote:


Besides Gettysburg what are some other good Civil War battlefields to see?

All that I've visited have had something unique to see.   Gettysburg is the most interesting because it's the most preserved, someday if you want to get shivers walk the route of Pickett's Charge.  Lets you know just how much brass the guys had in their pants in those days.

Others I've really enjoyed:

In the Eastern Theater:
Fredricksburg - Chancellorsville - The Wilderness were fought over over much of the same ground and were interconnected in some ways regarding troop dispositions.  Bonus is that within an hour or so you can hit Yorktown, Mt. Vernon, Williamsburg and Monticello for some Revolutionary history too.

Antietam is good - again, if you want to shiver a bit go on the anniversary when they light candles for those that died there on the bloodiest day of the war.  An awe inspiring sight.

Stonewall's Valley campaign - if you got time to drive around and stop often this is a good 2-3 days or more.  Easily combined with the Bull Run(Manassas) campaigns.
In the western theater:
Shiloh/Pittsburg Landing - Grant's 1st big battle, disaster averted for the Union.

Chickamauga - Where Pappy Thomas made his legend as the Rock of Chickamauga.

I've been very lucky to have the time and means to visit most of those sites multiple times and many others.  I love history and especially American history pre1900.

LooseGoose wrote:

All that I've visited have had something unique to see.   Gettysburg is the most interesting because it's the most preserved, someday if you want to get shivers walk the route of Pickett's Charge.  Lets you know just how much brass the guys had in their pants in those days.

Others I've really enjoyed:

In the Eastern Theater:
Fredricksburg - Chancellorsville - The Wilderness were fought over over much of the same ground and were interconnected in some ways regarding troop dispositions.  Bonus is that within an hour or so you can hit Yorktown, Mt. Vernon, Williamsburg and Monticello for some Revolutionary history too.

Antietam is good - again, if you want to shiver a bit go on the anniversary when they light candles for those that died there on the bloodiest day of the war.  An awe inspiring sight.

Stonewall's Valley campaign - if you got time to drive around and stop often this is a good 2-3 days or more.  Easily combined with the Bull Run(Manassas) campaigns.
In the western theater:
Shiloh/Pittsburg Landing - Grant's 1st big battle, disaster averted for the Union.

Chickamauga - Where Pappy Thomas made his legend as the Rock of Chickamauga.

I've been very lucky to have the time and means to visit most of those sites multiple times and many others.  I love history and especially American history pre1900.

Are those at Epcot?