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Archive | October 18, 2011 | PassPorter Blogs

What’s the best time of year to vacation at Disney?

Filed under The Disney Queue by Caldercup on October 18, 2011 at 12:21 pm {3 comments}

Deciding what time of year to visit Walt Disney World is probably one of the biggest questions you’ll toy with when planning a trip to visit Mickey.

After more than twenty trips, I still agonize over this question.

So, how will you decide?

Well, for starters, I’d suggest that you consider some key factors that will that affect budget, crowds, and weather.

Travel during the school months? (Even if you don’t have kids, you’ll be affected by how the school calendar affects attendance at Disney.)

Pros:

  • Low crowds means shorter lines, and you’ll get on more rides and in more attractions per day with less people in front of you. You’ll also get better spots to watch parades, shows and fireworks, without having to save spots hours before or elbow pushy people to hold onto your space.
  • Value Season has the lowest price point for Disney resort room rates, plus there’s no peak season charges added on at the restaurants.
  • Disney is likely to offer discounts on rooms and packages. For annual passholders, this means the deepest room rate discounts. And, for the general public, Disney typically offers a “percent off” rate depending on the level of resort you choose. For those who enjoy packages, Free Dining or “Play for 7/Pay for 5” types of offers are typically sent out to entice travelers to book for less-crowded times.
  • There are the special event parties to look forward to. For family-friendly Halloween festivities, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is offered from mid-September thru the first days of November. And Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parties are held from just before Thanksgiving to about a week before Christmas itself.
  • Then there are the “festivals.” A delight for foodies of all tastes, October serves up the Food and Wine Festival, with yummy offerings from around the world served at kiosks that ring the World Showcase. And May blooms to life with the Flower & Garden Festival — for gardeners, I can promise you that the classes and displays are enough to make you swoon!

Cons:

  • Parks have shorter hours so you have less time to spend on the rides and enjoying the Festival offerings.
  • From November through March, the weather can be cool, making the pools and wet rides off-limits for all but the bravest souls.
  • When crowds are low, Disney takes the opportunity to spruce up the rides and attractions. You may find that a family favorite is down for a short rehab during your trip.
  • Additionally, Disney closes one water park at a time (November through February), to perform repairs and to give everything a good scrub. While you will still have one water park to splash in, you might miss out on your favorite, depending on their rehab schedule.

 

Travel during the summer months?

Pros:

  • No school means no problems with teachers, homework, missed classes, etc.
  • The weather will be warm and sunny!
  • The parks will have extended hours – sometimes into the middle of the night. Not to mention lots of Extra Magic Hours for Disney resort guests to enjoy.

Cons:

  • It’s very hot and the sun is intense. Plus, you can count on a brief and intense rainshower EVERY day.
  • The parks are crowded, making the lines very long.
  • Being that it’s one of Disney’s peak seasons, the resort rates are higher and, though there are discounts, they aren’t as steep as value season.
  • With more people in the parks, there are more people waiting to see the parades, shows, and fireworks. There are also more people in line at the counter service restaurants, and the table services restaurants are often booked to capacity. (If you’re not the type to make Advanced Dining Reservations  180 days out, this might be frustrating, especially if you pay for the Disney Dining Plan.)

 

Travel during the school holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas week, Spring Break)?

Pros:

  • You’ll have the freedom of vacationing when there’s no school.
  • Thanksgiving and Spring Break often have good weather, though Christmas week can sometimes be quite cold.
  • The parks have very extended hours.
  • The parks will be decorated for the Christmas holidays starting in mid-November through just after New Years Day.

Cons:

  • You’ll be vacationing with EVERYONE ELSE who doesn’t have school.
  • The parks are crowded, often to capacity (which can cause Disney to close the turnstiles until the crowds thin out.) Lines can easily be 120 minutes for the most popular rides.
  • These are Disney’s peak seasons, and the resort rates will be at their highest, often with limited or no discounts offered.
  • Many restaurants are booked to capacity, and Disney tacks on a seasonal upcharge at most venues.

 

Personally, the trade-off for taking my child out of school is worth the improvement to our family’s vacation. But that’s me! You’ll need to assess your child’s needs and your school’s policies.

Our favorite times of year are:

  • the end of April/beginning of May (Flower & Garden Festival)
  • the week before the Thanksgiving week (Mickey’s birthday is on November 18th!)
  • the first two weeks of December (low crowds and good weather, plus you can attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party!)

 

So, how are you going to decide? What factors do you consider when laying out your plans? Do you take kids out of school?

 

 

LEGOLAND Florida Price Survey: Passes, Food, Souvenirs, and Miscellaneous

Filed under Family Travel by Jennifer Marx on October 18, 2011 at 10:50 am {2 comments}

“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” So how much do you pay to visit LEGOLAND Florida, and what value can you get from it? In the four days I’ve spent at LEGOLAND Florida so far, I’ve surveyed prices of various things — everything from park passes and meals to strollers and umbrellas. Here is a list of the prices I’ve gathered, along with the personal value I’ve assigned to them. The price is objective (at the time of writing), the value is subjective (based on what I felt I got out of it). Your mileage may vary.

Please Note: None of the below prices include the 7% sales tax.

Item Price Value
Single Day Pass Price (Non-Discounted) $75/age 13+
$65/age 3-12 and 60+		 Fair. If you’re paying the full, non-discounted price for just a single day at the park, I recommend you at least arrive before the gates open and stay until closing. You’re still paying less than a single day ticket to Walt Disney World — sure, the hours are shorter, but as a mom with a 7-year-old, I wouldn’t be staying any longer than 6-7 hours in a park anyway. Discounts are readily available — use them!
Single Day Pass Price (Discounted) Prices vary based on your discount. Excellent. If you can get the non-discounted gate price down a bit, or take advantage of a two-day pass (extra $15 when you upgrade on the day of your visit), I rate the value for what you pay as excellent. LEGOLAND Florida has a lot to offer.
Standard Annual Pass $129/age 13+
$99/age 3-12		 Excellent! Less than the price of two one-day tickets. I highly recommend this over a one-day pass. Either spend at least two days here, or figure on returning within a year.
Standard Parking $12 – cars
$15 – camper/RV
$6 – motorcycle		 Fairly good. You have to park your car, right? Attempting to park it across the street in the K-mart lot and walking across sounds wearisome and time-consuming to me. If the price of parking really bothers you and you plan to visit often, the PLUS Annual Pass gives you free parking for the year for just $30 more than the Standard Annual Pass.
Preferred Parking $20 for any vehicle Poor. The parking lot is not so huge that you really need to be parking close to the park entrance, in my opinion. Save the bucks for something else.
Stroller $9/single stroller
$14/double stroller		 Very good. Daily stroller rental prices here at LEGOLAND Florida are substantially less than at Walt Disney World, where they are $15/single and $31/double.
Wheelchair/ECV $10/wheelchair
$35/ECV		 Good. Daily wheelchair/ECV rental prices here at LEGOLAND Florida are less than at Walt Disney World, where they are $12/wheelchair and $50/ECV.
Lockers $7/large
$12/jumbo		 So-so. A bit pricey. I’d probably just leave whatever I had in my vehicle, then go back out to get it — again, the parking lot is not so large.
Beverages (Water, Soda, Coffee) $2.50/bottle of soda or water 

$3.00/Gatorade

$1.99/coffee (basic)

$2.49/specialty coffee, mocha, espresso, latte, etc.

$6/slushie (with souvenir cup)

$1/milk (white or chocolate)

 Fair. I think these are mostly fair prices for beverages. The soda/water price is about the same you’ll find at Walt Disney World. The $6 for the slushie is high, unless you like the cool cup — then it’s a great price for a LEGOLAND souvenir! Coffee prices are excellent! Milk is also a great deal. 

 

 
Snacks $4.99/Apple Fries 

$4.00/popcorn

$2.00-$3.00/frozen treat

$2.00/potato chips

$2.50/baked goods (brownies, muffins)

$1.99/cookie

 So-so. Popcorn is a bit high. Other prices seem comparable to other theme park’s prices. Apple Fries are in a league of their own — such deliciousness is worth the $4.99 price! 
Food (a la carte) $5.99/Pre-packaged sandwich 

$3.50/fruit cup

$1.00/Granny Smith Apple

$3.99/side salad

$5.49/large salad

$3.99/soup

$5.49/mac & cheese

 Fair. Comparable prices in other theme parks. 
Food (Meals) $6.49/hot dog combo (hot dog, chips, soda/water) 

$6.99/burger meal (4 oz. cheeseburger and fries)

$6.99/deluxe burger meal (double cheeseburger and fries)

$5.49/kids meal (2 oz. burger with milk/water and piece of fruit)

$10.99/adult or $6.99/kid at the Pizza & Pasta Buffet (all you car to eat and drink)

 Fair. Comparable prices in other theme parks. The Pasta & Pizza Buffet is an excellent value. 

 

 

 

 

Miscellaneous Prices at LEGOLAND Florida:
Umbrellas (#4624047 or $4598393) – $14.99
Sunscreen – $8.99
Ponchos – $5.99/adult, $4.99/child
T-shirts – $20/kid-size or $30/adult-size
LEGO Shoulder/shopping-style bag (#4623801) – $6.99
Minifigure plush doll (Buddy – #4556081) – $16.99
LEGO Wallet (#4623799) – $9.99
Carnival Games – $3-$10
LEGO Scrapbook Kit with 75 pieces (#23412) – $14.99
Face Painting – $10-$15
Caricature – $14.99 (black & white face), $19.99 (b&w body or color face), $24.99 (full color body)
LEGO Driving School License – $14.99
RC Truck Tokens – $1 (gives you two tokens)
Handimals paintings – $15/hand
Photo souvenir frame – $24.99
Build-a-mini – $9.99

What do you think of the prices, and the value you get for what you pay? Let me know!

200 Photos of LEGOLAND Florida — Rides, Shows, Citizens, Prices, Menus

Filed under Family Travel by Jennifer Marx on October 15, 2011 at 8:07 am {one comment}

Balloon Over LEGOLAND Florida

I’m pleased to report that I now have a whopping 200 photos of LEGOLAND Florida, all with titles and full descriptions, for you to search and browse in the PassPorter Photo Archive. I have photos of everything from the rides and shows to LEGO sculptures to menus and prices! Here are some of my favorite photos from the collection:

Princess Lily

Lost Kingdom Adventure

The Last, Golden Brick in Place!

Click here to view the 200 photos of LEGOLAND Florida!

VIDEO: Tour Miniland USA at LEGOLAND Florida (KSC Shuttle, NYC, Las Vegas, DC, Pirates)

Filed under Family Travel by Jennifer Marx on October 14, 2011 at 9:50 pm {no comments}

Highlights from today’s tour of Miniland USA inside LEGOLAND Florda. Miniland USA is the heart of LEGOLAND Florida, national landmarks and Florida cities have been recreated out of 30 million Lego bricks! This short video includes Kennedy Space Center (shuttle countdown), Daytona (speedway and racing cars), New York City (Central Park, Downtown), Las Vegas (The Mirage, The Venetian), and Pirate Shores (ships and pirates!). This is only a sampling of the amazing things here in Miniland — there’s TONS of detail here.

Getting to LEGOLAND Florida: By Car and By Shuttle (Directions, Prices, Tips)

Filed under Family Travel by Jennifer Marx on October 13, 2011 at 6:42 pm {no comments}

The LEGOLAND Florida theme park is located 45 minutes south of Walt Disney World in Florida. Most people will probably drive down from Orlando (or up from Tampa), but there’s also a shuttle available. The park’s street address is One LEGOLAND Way, Winter Haven Florida 33884. Here are the details on getting to LEGOLAND Florida:

Many signs point the way to LEGOLAND

By Car  From Orlando

From Orlando, take I-4 west to exit 55 (Highway 27 South). Turn right off Highway 27 at State Road 540/Cypress Gardens Boulevard. LEGOLAND Florida is four miles on the left.

Alternate Route from Orlando: take I-4 west to exit 55 (Highway 27 South). Turn right off Highway 27 at County Road 550/Overlook Drive, turn left onto Cypress Gardens Boulevard.

Navigation Tip: Signs to LEGOLAND are prevalent along the way — I counted at least six signs and billboards. Follow the signs and you’ll find the park without trouble.

Money-Saving Tip: Stop at the Tourist Information Center, available right after you turn onto Highway 27 (it’s about a mile down on the right). When I visited, they had discounted park tickets for $10 off the gate prices.

By Car From Tampa

Take I-4 East to Exit 27 (Polk County Parkway), then take exit 14 Winter Haven (2nd Toll Booth) at S.R. 540 and follow eight miles to Hwy 17 North. Take Hwy 17 North two miles over the bridge to Cypress Gardens Boulvard and turn right. LEGOLAND Florida will be on your right.

Parking Note: LEGOLAND Florida’s huge parking lot can hold 3500 cars. Should that parking lot fill, there is another a parking lot down the street. Parking prices: Cars are $12, motorcycle is $6, RV is $15, and Preferred (closer) is $20.

By Shuttle From Orlando

You can also take a low-priced shuttle from Orlando Premium Outlets (currently $5 per person, roundrip). The shuttle picks up from the north side of Orlando Premium Outlets (near where the other buses and trolleys are located) at 9:00 am (park opens at 10:00 am, so you should arrive in time for opening). You should be at the Orlando Premium Outlets to check in 30 minutes in advance. The shuttle leaves LEGOLAND Florida at park closing. Note that you need to book your seat(s) on the shuttle in advance.

Tip: Look here for directions to Orlando Premium Outlets. The outlets are only about 5 minutes away from Downtown Disney, so guests staying at the Disney resorts could consider taking a bus to Downtown Disney and then a taxi to Orlando Premium Outlets. If you’re staying off-property, your hotel may offer a free shuttle to the outlets.

AVOID a taxi — a round trip would likely cost over $200, according to taxifarefinder.com.

I checked with Mears Transportation to see if they offered their own shuttle services to LEGOLAND Florida, but they said, “not yet.” So it may be worth checking back with them after the grand opening of the park.

LEGOLAND Florida Photo Facebook/Community Contest

Filed under Family Travel by Jennifer Marx on October 12, 2011 at 8:46 pm {no comments}

LEGOLAND Florida’s Grand Opening is this Saturday, October 15, and I’m returning for the big opening weekend! I want to “bring you along with me,” in a manner of speaking, so I’m holding a little contest on PassPorter’s Facebook page and Message Board Community and giving away some LEGOLAND Florida souvenirs I pick up while I’m there. Anyone with a Facebook or PassPorter Community account can play — all you do is look for me to post a “Contest Photo” while I’m away (Oct. 13-15) and be the first one to tell me — accurately, and in as much detail as possible — where I am! You’ll probably want to study the LEGOLAND Florida photos I’ve already posted so you can recognize landmarks. I may also take general photos of Florida outside LEGOLAND, too. There may just be times when you need to make a good guess! When you reply to the photo, it’s important to be as specific and as detailed as you can — instead of just “LEGO City” you would want to say something like “Near the Drive-In snack bar which is next to the Ford Driving School.” And if you can link to a photo in the PassPorter Photo Archive showing that spot, all the better. I will choose the first answer that is the most accurate and complete as my winner!

Anyone can play, but you can only win once. Winners will be chosen after I returns from my LEGOLAND Florida trip next week., and prizes sent out after I contact the winners. Prizes won’t be really valuable, but may include cool Grand Opening merchandise and other LEGOLAND souvenirs like hats, LEGO kits, minifigures, and so on. I’ll put together some LEGOLAND Florida goodie bags for my winners.

Watch for the first photo to appear at http://www.facebook.com/passporter and at http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/window-seat-real-time-photo-trip-report-passporter/. Keep in mind that not all photos I post in these locations will be contest photos — you must see the words “CONTEST PHOTO” in the photo title for it to be eligible to win a prize! But you’re still welcome to guess at locations of any of my other photos, just for the fun of it.

Have fun, and feel free to ask questions here, on Facebook, or at the PassPorter Message Board!

VIDEO: LEGO Technic Test Track (Wild Mouse Coaster Review)

Filed under Family Travel by Jennifer Marx on October 12, 2011 at 10:21 am {no comments}

Alexander, Kid Reporter for PassPorter, tests out the LEGO Technic Test Track, a “wild mouse” coaster at LEGOLAND Florida. This is a short little video and includes a look at the ride vehicle, queue, boarding, and some POV on-board footage. If you have younger kids (must be 42″ or taller to ride) and you’re not sure they’ll like this coaster, watch this video first! I’ll note that the first drop at 49 feet was pretty scary, even for me, and we screamed the whole way down! I might ride it again (emphasis on might), but Alexander would not.

VIDEO: Ford Driving School at LEGOLAND Florida

Filed under Family Travel by Jennifer Marx on October 11, 2011 at 2:54 pm {no comments}

Alexander, “Kid Reporter” for PassPorter, tests out the new Ford Driving School at LEGOLAND Florida. The video includes the full experience, from the queue and getting your photo taken for your license, to driver orientation and your hands-on driver’s test. Alexander gives his commentary on the ride and we offer tips for a great experience.

Preparing for a Day at LEGOLAND Florida: 5 Things to Bring

Filed under Family Travel by Jennifer Marx on October 11, 2011 at 9:43 am {one comment}

If you’re anything like me, you like to be prepared. Well, here’s some good news for you — LEGOLAND Florida doesn’t really require a great deal of preparation. It’s a low-key, easy “walk in the park” when you compare it to other adventures you could go on in Florida. Still, there are a number of things you should consider bringing with you to make your day the best it can be.

Entering the park with a ticket print-out

1. Your Park Tickets. Yes, you should try to get these in advance. Why? To save money and save time in line that you could be spending out in the park. To get park tickets in advance, you can visit the LEGOLAND Florida web site — once purchased, you just print the tickets out and bring the print-out with you. There are other ways to get discounted tickets in advance — here are examples:

  • You can buy gift cards redeemable for one-day tickets to LEGOLAND Florida at any Publix in Florida. Price is $64.20 for adults and $53.30 for children 3-12 (regular prices are $75/$65). And, conveniently enough, there is a Publix right across the street from LEGOLAND Florida!
  • Free LEGOLAND Florida child ticket (with purchase of adult ticket) discounts are available in a number of places. For example, there’s a Pepsi Special Offer — go to http://www.legoland.com/pepsi and use code 11090601. You’ll also find free child tickets in some LEGO kits, such as the Birthday Party Kit and Fun Favor Pack. And every LEGO Club magazine (which you can subscribe to for free) has a buy one adult get one child free ticket!
  • More discounts for LEGOLAND Florida are listed on the most excellent MouseSavers.com web site, and the page is updated regularly! Be sure to check it out!

Tip: If you print out your ticket in advance, and use an inkjet printer, keep your print-out in a plastic sleeve or something else that protects it. You don’t want your print-out to be destroyed by an accidental spill, or even just moisture condensation from a water bottle.

2. Sun Protection. Bring your hats, sunscreen, and sunglasses. While you can purchase these in the park, they are pricey. I spent $9.99 for a bottle of spray sunscreen, $12.99 for a pair of sunglasses, $16.99 for a child’s hat, and $18.99 for an adult’s hat on my most recent trip. That’s $63.09 that I could have saved (or spent on LEGO souvenirs) had I thought ahead to bring these items.

3. Rain Gear. Toss your umbrellas and ponchos in with your sun protection. Again, it’s available at the park, but expensive. And it’s so much easier to pull out an umbrella than to go hunting one down in the park.

4. Camera. Even if it’s just your smartphone, you’re going to want to snap photos of all the cool LEGOs in Miniland. Bring your favorite camera and make sure it’s well charged!

LEGO Minifigs are fun to trade!

 

5. Minifigures. Bring your LEGO minifigs from home and you can trade them with one’s you spot on Model Citizen (employee) name tags! This is a great way to get new minifigs, and it gives you an excuse to chat with the Model Citizens. I know my son has a number of duplicate minifigs that he wouldn’t mind trading! (If you don’t bring them from home, you can purchase one at the park for $2.99 to get you started.)

By the way, LEGOLAND Florida asks that guests not bring in food or beverages, with the exception of items needed for infants and those with special media needs. They do not have a security checkpoint inspecting bags, however.

Enjoy your day at LEGOLAND Florida!

VIDEO: Boating School at LEGOLAND Florida

Filed under Family Travel by Jennifer Marx on October 10, 2011 at 5:27 pm {no comments}

Alexander and the Shark

Alexander, Kid Reporter for PassPorter, takes you on the Boating School ride at LECO City in LEGOLAND Florida. The Boating School is a free-floating boat ride where you get to steer and power your own boat! Video includes his commentary on the ride, hysterical navigation by his mom (ran into the side several times), near misses from the water squirters, and tips on how to enjoy your ride!

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