advice for a first timer?

[cosmicray]

Ive been asked to advise someone going to disneyworld for the first time. Thing is, Im not really knowledgeable to know Im still a newbie myself

What advice would you give to someone going for the first time? what must they see? What should or shouldnt they do?

[ukwdwnut]

i would tell them to not rush around each park, just amble round taking it all in, and do as much as pos as they go round. i wouldnt tell them to hop to different parks, you miss so much that way on your first trip. do a couple of days at the parks then take a day out and relax, id do a water park as a relaxation day, we always do i wouldnt say, you have to do this or dont do that attraction/ride as not everyone likes the same things so try everything, you dont know if you like them until you try them is my motto

one thing i would say is do a shopping day if they are into that and do the malls.

[Kate]

Dont rush round trying to get everything done, you will exhaust yourself and before you know it its the end of the holiday and everythings a bit of a blur!

[foreverducky]

I'm agreeing with the others.

Don't park hop within a day. Traveling can take up a good chunk of time.

Enjoy it all, not just the rides. Take in the smells, sights, the shops, the little things that disney offers.

I think it's helpful to look over park maps before going. This will help orient someone. A person definitely doesn't want to be the one who is standing right past the gates looking at a map for the first time. Not that you have to plan each detail, just be somewhat familiar.

Definitely take a day to relax, whether that involves a pool/water, a movie, or just shopping.

Stay hydrated all the time and use sunscreen always!

[ukwdwnut]

i think another good thing, which i did for friends is to lend them any planning DVD's you might have for them to watch and get the excitement raging before they go. if they are an excitable family then im sure they will enjoy those

[Tink]

Definitely do a bit of research and have a good idea of what is in each park, and what of those attractions appeal the most to you and your party.

MK, we LOVE Main St. Simply walking down and taking in all the details of the buildings. Although the interiors are little more than one long shopping mall, the exteriors are chock full of details, and trivia laden.

A GREAT place to get a haircut! Especially for children. Getting the sparklies in one's hair is fun, but think twice about the hair paint. It makes a horrid mess of clothing.

Splash Mountain is my personal favorite here, but we like Big Thunder Mountain too, oh and the train! Mickey's Philharmagic is nice, and you must, must, must do Pirates of the Caribbean and SMALL WORLD! Many folks love Buzz Lighyear and Space Mountain too.

We aren't huge fans of the dining selections in MK, so only have ever had a snack or two here and there (one of the "heres" being Casey's on Main St.).

EPCOT: What can I say. I'm silly in love with the place. Plan two days and take it slow.

Same for AK. We love this park. You won't really need two full days though, but it's not a bad idea if you want a fighting chance to see it all (the animals can be very reclusive).

DHS: Well, we aren't huge fans here, but do like the Star Tours, and the Stunt Show.

Hope that helps a bit. It really is such a matter of personal preference!

[partygirl]

one thing I'm asked a lot is how they can find the characters to get autographs?

[WDW Vet]

One very important thing is to understand..YOU WILL NOT DO EVERYTHING! Don't make this a to do or die vacation. Make your list of what you want to do or see and get to whatever you can with in reason. If you have children don't sacrifice them to get it all done. Enjoy your trip. I hear so many times people come back from WDW saying I need a vacation.

Take breaks and enjoy being together. If you have children realize they have little legs and there is so much going on they can easily overload. I remeber watching this mother almost pull the arm off her 5 year old that was amazed and content with watching a Mickey ear balloon float off to space as she cried "we need to go on ...now!

There is a great article called IT written by Kim Sutherland which says it all, Visit this link. http://allears.net/ae/issue603.htm I was so impressed by her I offered her a job with Mickeys Travel. She is a special needs teacher and has a reading program she is heavily into so I lost out on a gem.

But vacation is important. And I learned lots from my friends here in the UK. These people know how to vacation. The last time I took a 3 week vacation was my honeymoon. Whether it is 3 days or 3 weeks make it the best. Don't make it a spreadsheet or a checklist on what you have to do. Enjoy it and do it at a pace that allows you to enjoy it. You can always go back and if you did this trip right you will want to.

[Slowhand]

one thing I'm asked a lot is how they can find the characters to get autographs?

The characters can be seen all over WDW...you could get "character overload" if you are not careful!
Each park has designated areas where "meet and greet" characters are available for autographs and photos etc. and these locations can be found on the guide maps for each park which are available as you enter along with the appearance times.
Many of the less prominent characters can be seen in the parades at most of the parks although in this case they are rarely available for autographs unless you are lucky.

There are also character meals available at many of the WDW resort areas where the characters can spend more time with you, although it`s advisable to make reservations for these venues well in advance of your trip.

[gwennie81]

#1. Direct your friend to this forum. We have many years of valuable knowledge and experience between the regular contributers.

#2. DO NOT park hop as a first-timer. Each park will take a day. Guaranteed.

#3. HAVE FUN! Do what you want. Be sure to pick up a park map and times guide when you enter the park but don't marry yourself to them. If a ride looks to intense (or lame) for your party, don't do it. If you want to ride rides instead of catching a parade or fireworks, so be it. But let me tell ya, as a first-timer, you're going to want to see the parades and fireworks. LOL!