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JP826
=)
Member since 9/06 10903 total posts
Name:
Me!! All about ME!
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Bit the bullet and booked.. Dare I say it?......Disney!
Not my destination of choice, but we decided to bite the bullet & do it for the kids. 
We are going the 1st week of June staying at the Disney Dolphin Resort.
Please tell me that's a good choice. I know its in a great location (close to Epcot & MK, which is what we wanted), but Im getting mixed reviews about the resort, service, etc.
So.... My question is.
Hotel & air is done... What next?
I know theres a science behind booking Disney vacations, so I need a Disney101 course because I have no idea what to plan / where to go at this point. I HAVE been to Disney back in 2007, but it was just DH & I. Now we are bringing our kids (Age 6 & 3), so I know we need to plan & not do things on a whim.
Help! What do I do?
Thanks Disney experts!
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Posted 11/12/14 8:51 AM  |
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ali120206
2 Boys
Member since 7/06 17792 total posts
Name:
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Bit the bullet and booked.. Dare I say it?......Disney!
Start looking into restaurants - you can make reservations 180 days out (which is in a few weeks).
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| Posted 11/12/14 12:30 PM |
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ThreeforTea
Girls just want to have fun..
Member since 5/12 7482 total posts
Name:
Mama
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Bit the bullet and booked.. Dare I say it?......Disney!
start looking into restaurants. which characters do your kids like? which parks do you want to go to? MK, Epcot, how about HS? AK? Do your kids like animals, Disney Jr?
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| Posted 11/12/14 3:12 PM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15657 total posts
Name:
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Bit the bullet and booked.. Dare I say it?......Disney!
The location can't be beat. We stayed at the Yacht Club which is practically next door, and the Boardwalk area is great. Short walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.
Just know that since it's not an official Disney hotel, you do not get a magicband (you can purchase one), and you also cannot charge on your magicband like you can with an official hotel. You also do not get magical express services, so you will have to arrange airport transportation (if need be).
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| Posted 11/12/14 5:23 PM |
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JP826
=)
Member since 9/06 10903 total posts
Name:
Me!! All about ME!
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Re: Bit the bullet and booked.. Dare I say it?......Disney!
Thanks for this info!
So... Whats the deal with this magic band? It is a necessity? What are the major perks of having it? It is worth changing properties to an official "Disney" resort?
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| Posted 11/18/14 9:36 AM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15657 total posts
Name:
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Re: Bit the bullet and booked.. Dare I say it?......Disney!
Posted by JP826
Thanks for this info!
So... Whats the deal with this magic band? It is a necessity? What are the major perks of having it? It is worth changing properties to an official "Disney" resort?
Rather than getting a card out of your pocket, wallet, bag, etc. you just wear the magicband and scan it to get into the parks (once you link your tickets), to charge to your room, to get in your room, for photopass pictures, etc. You basically don't need to carry your wallet with you. I don't think it's a huge deal to be honest, just more convenient. If your rate was cheaper than a comparable Disney resort, even with the transportation to the airport and the resort fee the Dolphin adds, I would just keep your current reservation.
Message edited 11/18/2014 12:11:17 PM.
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| Posted 11/18/14 12:10 PM |
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ml110
LIF Adult
Member since 1/06 5435 total posts
Name:
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Re: Bit the bullet and booked.. Dare I say it?......Disney!
Posted by JP826
Thanks for this info!
So... Whats the deal with this magic band? It is a necessity? What are the major perks of having it? It is worth changing properties to an official "Disney" resort?
having the magic band definitely makes things easier. you can use it to make purchases (you have a PIN, so if you loose it, nobody else would be able to make charges) you can also use it as your room key, park tickets are linked onto it, you scan it for "Fast Pass" for any rides. if a Disney photographer takes pictures of you with characters or whatever, its linked to the magic band (they just scan your band bf they take te picture so it all goes onto your account to buy later if you want to).
also- having a resort that includes the Disney Magic Express bus to and from the airport is SUPER convienient, especially with little kids. they check your bags all the way through- so you don't have to pick them up at the airport. and the morning you leave, they pick up your bags at your room and check them all the through for your flight home.
If this is your first time going, or your haven't been in awhile... I would talk to a Disney travel specialist (there are a few on here). they don't charge your anything extra (they get commission from Disney), and the prices are the same. but its great because there is a little bit a science behind a Disney vacation now- and they take care of it all for you!! make dining reservations, Fast Passes, etc. they keep tabs on any new specials Disney releases which could save your money.... all that kind of stuff. we just used one to book a Disney cruise, and it was awesome!!!
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| Posted 11/18/14 2:16 PM |
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pumpkinmom
LIF Adult
Member since 5/12 2911 total posts
Name:
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Re: Bit the bullet and booked.. Dare I say it?......Disney!
Posted by JP826
Thanks for this info!
So... Whats the deal with this magic band? It is a necessity? What are the major perks of having it? It is worth changing properties to an official "Disney" resort?
We bought the magic bands and stayed offsite. They are not a necessity. I liked having it because there was no fumbling for cards at the gate or for fast passes or when we had photos taken. But, you could probably get some kind of lanyard card holder that would be just as easy. If you stay onsite, it is your room key and you can charge with it, but I would still carry a credit card- I saw lots of stories about credit cards not getting hooked up right.
So, not a necessity at all, but I liked it.
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| Posted 11/19/14 1:11 AM |
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JP826
=)
Member since 9/06 10903 total posts
Name:
Me!! All about ME!
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Re: Bit the bullet and booked.. Dare I say it?......Disney!
Thanks for the info everyone... Much appreciated!
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| Posted 11/19/14 9:22 AM |
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JP826
=)
Member since 9/06 10903 total posts
Name:
Me!! All about ME!
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Re: Bit the bullet and booked.. Dare I say it?......Disney!
Okay.. So planning this trip is giving me major anxiety already. I started making restaurant reservations based on the parks I *think* are the best day to attend based on the Disney crowd calendar. 6 months out and I'm already having issues booking places for dinner. I honestly dont even know what Im having for dinner tonight.. How can I possibly know what I will be in the mood for in 6 months? 
I made reservations for dinner (4 different places, 4 nights). I feel like just winging it at this point!
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| Posted 12/15/14 1:47 PM |
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billswife
LIF Infant
Member since 1/08 216 total posts
Name:
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Re: Bit the bullet and booked.. Dare I say it?......Disney!
The Dolphin is close to Epcot and Hollywood Studios not MK. Just didn't want you to be disappointed when you arrived. Great area to stay in. We love that area. We are Disney Vacation Members. We usually stay at the Boardwalk.
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| Posted 12/15/14 3:07 PM |
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pumpkinmom
LIF Adult
Member since 5/12 2911 total posts
Name:
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Re: Bit the bullet and booked.. Dare I say it?......Disney!
Posted by JP826
Okay.. So planning this trip is giving me major anxiety already. I started making restaurant reservations based on the parks I *think* are the best day to attend based on the Disney crowd calendar. 6 months out and I'm already having issues booking places for dinner. I honestly dont even know what Im having for dinner tonight.. How can I possibly know what I will be in the mood for in 6 months?
I made reservations for dinner (4 different places, 4 nights). I feel like just winging it at this point!
We did just wing it for dinner. The only thing we reserved were some character meals we wanted. The really popular stuff was booked because the whole trip was last minute. For most meals, we did counter service in the parks. One night we went to the princess dinner in epcot (name is escaping me) last minute. It was raining so I searched in the disney app for a dinner and that came up.
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| Posted 12/15/14 5:40 PM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15657 total posts
Name:
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Bit the bullet and booked.. Dare I say it?......Disney!
We have been to Disney so many times, I just wing it. I don't like to be tied down to a reservation, and now you are charged a fee if you don't cancel.
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| Posted 12/16/14 7:25 AM |
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ThreeforTea
Girls just want to have fun..
Member since 5/12 7482 total posts
Name:
Mama
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Bit the bullet and booked.. Dare I say it?......Disney!
I just book the places that I know my kids would love based on the characters. Like they love Disney Jr so I made sure to book Hollywood & Vine (breakfast, lunch or dinner- whichever was available). Other than that, I wing it.
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| Posted 12/16/14 7:31 AM |
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