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Where are you staying? We always stay in the Disney resorts and adore it! If you are, I have some really specific recommendations - if you're not, there's still so much to do and see! I would definitely book dining reservations early. Make time (and money) for dinner at the California Grill, which is part of the Contemporary Hotel, and overlooks Magic Kingdom. The food is AMAZING fresh, seasonal food based on California restaurants like Chez Panisse. It's to die for!
I'd also recommend spending at least one whole day at Epcot. There is so much to do and see there, and we usually ONLY go there (parks-wise) since we don't go down with kids and have been to Disney a lot. In Epcot, Mexico, France, and England are my favorite stops, but it's worth browsing everywhere.
I would also suggest either renting a car or taking a cab out to a grocery store if you're going to be there for longer than a few days. Many of the hotel rooms have full kitchens, and the food is so expensive (and filling) that I've found it's best to eat light breakfast and lunch meals at the hotel, and then splurge a little on dinner.
We are staying at Port Orleans and got the meal package but that's a great tip if we have a kitchen because we only have the grab and go meals for 2 of them per day and 1 full dinner at night.
Port Orleans rooms do not have kitchens. In fact most of the resorts do not except for the vacation club resorts (the villas). I'm just saying this so you don't expect a kitchen and be disappointed. Were going on our honeymoon to Disney in August and we have reservations at: the California Grill, Kouzzina, Artist Point, Coral Reef and Boma. We've picked some fancier restaurants that we've never tried before (California Grill and Artist Point). I also made reservations for facials at the spa at the Swan and Dolphin. There are also spas at the Grand Floridian and Saratoga Springs Resorts. Check out http://relaxedyet.com/ for the spa menus. We would also like to make reservations to do the Epcot segway tour, which I've heard is really fun. We're mainly planning on relaxing by the pool.
Be sure to check out Victoria & Alberts in The Grand Floridian! My FI and I went there while we were still dating. It was seriosuly the best $450 we've ever spent on a meal! ahha!
My Fiance and I love Disney World and very blessed that we get to go rather frequently. Something you might check into is that you can make dinner reservations well in advance. I think it is like 180 days prior or something. Also, the resorts are amazing in and of themselves. We've stayed at the Boardwalk Villas and it was fantastic. Also remember that as a resort guest, you can take advantage of magic hours...these are hours that certain parks are open to only resort guests. I found that the parks can be overwhelming if you try to do everything available. Make a plan, but don't be afraid to just walk around and enjoy the atmosphere. The disney world website has lots of useful information that you can browse ahead of time including maps and attraction descriptions. Good walking shoes are a requirement. hope this helps...congratulations!!
WDW is amazing! As a Vacation Club owner and former employee, I can guarantee that the two of you will have an amazing time! I definitely recommend going to the website and reviewing the Dining Plan guidelines to help you plan. You can visit some reallly great restaurants by planning accordingly. I definitely recommend having dinner in Epcot at least once. The Teppanyaki restaurant is Japan is AMAZING as is Coral Reef at the Living Seas pavillion. At Coral Reef, you have an amazing view of an enormous aquarium (where you can sometimes see people snorkeling)! A great place to visit in the afternoon is Downtown Disney. The shops are great and I definitely recommend eating at Wolfgang Puck Express. It is a really good sit down quality meal that takes only a Quick Service meal. Port Orleans is a HUGE resort so be prepared to have to walk back to the main area or to take a bus if you need something from the front desk. Have a great time!
We just got back from our Disney World honeymoon last week. We're not super foodies, so we skipped most of the really high end restaurants. We went to Coral Reef, which has great atmosphere, and they had the most amazing mahi mahi. I ordered the steak, and then proceeded to eat most of his meal. The Yak and Yeti in Animal kingdom was pretty good too.
It was SOOO hot when we were there, so my best tips are where there's lovely air conditioned, non food related seating. Epcot's France show... 18 minutes, in a lovely squishy chair in an air conditioned theatre... God send I tell ya.
We did the dining plan with one quick service, one sit down and a snack a day.
My best recommendation is to sit down for a bit before you go, and make a list of highlights that you MUST see in each park. And go early, and take advantage of the less people/cooler weather time, and get your fast passes. We usually went back to the hotel for a swim/nap in the mid afternoon, which worked out well.
FI and I are going to Disney in October! We made reservations for breakfast with lilo and stitch, alifornia grill, jiko, and boma! Planning on going to the International Food and Wine Festival at Epcot, parasailing, horse back riding, and going to the spa!
The only reservations I've made so far is my character breakfast at Chef Mickey's lol.
That was at the top of my priority list!
@JennM21 - could you give me the place where you are doing horseback riding? Seems like something different that we could do if we have spare time. Thanks!
We went for our honeymoon too. In addiiton to great restaurants mentioned above, and the spas, if you're interested in getting away from the parks for more quiet time, you can also check out golfing, carriage rides, and water activites (renting boats, parasailing etc.).
Right around the time you're there, they'll be putting up Christmas decorations. THose might be nice to check out. Even stop by the hotels, particularly the deluxe hotels, to see their lobbies.
We're going to Disney too! We'll be there the week before you :-) My FI and I work for the Federal Government, so we're staying at Shades of Green, a government/military resort on Disney grounds! We bought 4 day Park hopper tickets, and plan on spending an entire day in Epcot at least... I've been told to have dinner in Mexico. We also bought tickets to Islands of Adventure World of Harry Potter :) He's so excited for it, maybe more than Disney! Lol.
We are honeymooning at WDW, too, but in early December 2010! We were just there last late Sept./early October when my fiance proposed. :D
I agree that you need to make sure that you book all the advanced dining reservations you want NOW, or else it can be very hard to get into some of the most popular restaurants....especially with the "Free Dining" promotions going on this season. Don't forget that Downtown Disney also has some great restaurants on the Dining Plan and some nice shopping, too.
I would recommend 2 days, at least, for Epcot.....one for the front part/"Future World" and at least a day for the Showcase/World Pavilions. And Animal Kingdom is a TON of walking (it's the largest park of the 4) w/narrower and "hillier" paths, so be prepared for the walking. Even in November, you will still need sunscreen and probably can still wear shorts during the day. A light jacket or sweater or just some long sleeves should be enough for cooler evenings, I would think.
Also, make sure to take advantage of their FastPass system for the popular rides/attractions.....it can make a good difference in waiting in line time.
And now they have PhotoPass photographers set up everywhere in the parks, so make sure you ask them for a (free) PhotoPass card and get a couple of professional shots w/them taking them for you. That way when you get home, you can go online and see the photos and decide if you want to purchase a few. We got some of the BEST pictures last year that way (including live shots of my fiance proposing!) and I wish I had taken more w/PhotoPass.
Although it may start to be cooler when you are there, the outdoor pools in the resorts are usually heated, so you still may want to bring swimsuits....and I think Port Orleans is one w/a nice big hot tub, too. And they have carriage rides thru the resort (for extra $$, of course), but I have heard that this is very romantic.
And try to catch at least a couple of the evening fireworks shows! Both "Illuminations" at Epcot and the one every night at Magic Kingdom are great! We make a point of going to see them every trip.
Well, I know there is a ton more, but you will get a lot of info. and advice when you get there, too. Get ready for lots and LOTS of walking and a wonderful time! Have a magical honeymoon! :D
PS. don't forget your Bride and Groom Mickey ears! I have heard that cast members will take extra special "care" of you when they can easily see that you are a honeymooning couple. ;)
@JennM21: Thanks!
Thank you for all your information everyone!
One simple suggestion - a stroll on the Disney Boardwalk is a must! It's really romantic in a 1940's Coney Island kind of way.
Awesome :) We're going to disney also!!! I haven't been since I was very young and my fiance hasn't gone for 5 years or so. I wish I could give you some tips but I don't really know the area very well myself!!
We plan on taking a shuttle or cab over to universal though to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Yes, we're huggge nerds :) Hope you have a blast!!!
Another tip that my brother always uses, and can save time: If you are going to Magic Kingdom first thing in the morning, as soon as you enter the park turn around and hop on the train that rides the parameter of Magic Kingdom. Get off at the first top, by Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain and you can get a few rides in over in that area before all the walkers make their way down. There's hardly anyone over there in the first hour or two the park is open.
So exciting!!! FI and I went last Aug for vacation and then for a day in Sept and again this Sept (we go down to Universal for Halloween Horror Nights) ANYWAYS! Make sure you stop by customer service to get the Just Married pin-- they are doing this whole new "what are you celebrating" and you get lots of free goodies! We went and said we just got engaged and had the pin we got free champagne and dessert at lunch (Sci Fi Cafe at Hollywood Studios formerly MGM) Free champagne at the italian one Mama something at Hollywood Studios.
I would definitely recommend reservations for the Crystal Palace at the Magic Kingdom.. it's buffet and with Winnie the Pooh characters. The food was great (bfast or dinner) BUT definitely HAVE to make your reservations BEFORE you get there!! They book up soooo quickly!
The Toy Story Ride at Hollywood Studios is soooooo fun! RUN there first before anything else just get in line and then get a fast pass for later. Seriously awesome but gets filled up really fast!
I also second the Boardwalk! Go to JELLYROLLS! It's a dueling piano bar and soooooooo fun! They play any song you request!
I also second getting the bride and groom ears so that people know you're celebrating, everyone there will make it a magical experience! ENJOY!!!!!!!
@Habibah14: Do you know if the hotels give out the pins or only in the park?
Thanks for the great info!
We did sooo much walking when we were there, we bought some peppermint lotion for our feet at night. You could give each other foot massages when you return to your hotel!!! :)
The meal packages is awesome! It does save you money! I love Le Cellier in Canada in Epoct, the food is probably my favorite in Disney, although I really love Tony's in the Magic Kingdom, too! Definitely make reservations in advance.
If you want more fun dining experiences, Ohana at the Polynesian has an awesome charachter breakfast with really good food, and at night they have an all you can eat meal, where they literally come to your table with tons of different meats. It was Mr. Starfish's favorite, he still talks about it three years later. Just dont make plans to go out that night, you'll be too full!
Pleasure Island is really fun, but I've always wanted to go to Jelly Rolls, since I love Dueling Piano Bars.
When you check into your hotel ask for the pinm it will make your stay much more fun!
We just booked out honeymoon for Disney in late September too! Seriously, if you haven't started booking the sit-down dinners, do it now. You are able to book out a dinner 180 days away from your vacation dates! We are staying at the Coronado Springs Resort for 5 nights/6 days :) When I get back I'll let you know how it went and some advice!
We plan on going Spring 2011.
I have been to Disney Land but not Disney World. I am a bit comfused with all this "four park" talk. Isn't Disney World just one park? Do you have access to all them with your disney pass?
If you can, try to check out the Hoop De Doo Revue dinner show at Fort Wilderness. My family and I had so much fun when we were there. The food is pretty good, but the entertainment is great.
Yes, the hotels can give you a pin-- when we checked in at Saratoga Springs they had it waiting because we let them know ahead of time we just got engaged. But we sometimes forgot ours and got new ones at the parks at customer service-- definitely a must have! HAVE SO MUCH FUN!!!!
Do yourself a favor & pick-up a copy of Birnbaum's "Walt Disney World without Kids." Glad to hear you are doing the Disney Dining Plan. It is very expensive to eat & drink at Disney World, so that will help you cut down on costs. Also, you won't have a kitchenette in your room at Port Orleans, but you should have a mini-fridge, so you can load up on drinks & snacks at one of the shops & keep those in your room to control food costs. As several others have said, make sure you book sit-down meals well in advance (120-180 days in advance). Call 407-WDW-DINE to make the reservations. Before you depart, check Disney's web site for "Extra Magic Hours." Every day 1 of the 4 parks (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios) either opens 1 hour early or closes 1-3 hours later and that time is only available for Disney resort guests. As a resort guest you can also make purchases in the parks & then have the items sent directly to your room so you don't have to schlep a bunch of bags around with you all day and can continue enjoying the rest of the day. Enjoy!
My sister went to Disney World on her honeymoon. Her and her hubby bought the bride and groom mickey ears. It seemed to give them lots of perks. In some of the restaurants they got free desserts. They also got moved to the front of the line on some of the rides. One day when they got back to the hotel, there were balloons and an autographed picture from Mickey and Minnie.
WDW is amazing....there is too much to suggest, I used to work for the mouse. I second Victoria and Alberts if you can swing it. The California grill is an amazing restaurant and even better at fire works time. MGM & Animal Kingdom you don't necessarily need full days. MK and Epcot you could spend a couple of days. Get park hopper tickets so you can get the most out of your day. Disney transportations is the way to go but can be slow at times. Downtown Disney is great for an evening dinner (Wolfgang pucks is my favorite) and then some walking around. There is so much more but I would say to do your research online and don't try to fit too much in. You want some special time with your honey just relaxing. Port Orleans is a nice resort by the way. :)
Oh, and BTW, you should go to wdwinfo.com and click on boards-their forum is awesome for any questions and they probably have a newlywed board or something. This is where I go when I'm getting ready for a WDW trip.
We just went to Disneyworld in May for our honeymoon! It was AWESOME! Definitely, definitely do not miss the fireworks at the end of the night at Magic Kingdom. We hit up all of the parks (we were there for 2 weeks so we spread them out) and did mostly relaxing at the pool on the days in between. If you are there for awhile you could always drive to the coasts to go to the beaches. We went to the Atlantic side one day (Cocoa Beach area) and another day we drove to the St. Petersburg area for the Gulf side. Something else that was really fun that we did was went horseback riding. At the same place they offered ziplining which would have been really fun except we just happened to go there the week that the state had "love bugs" EVERYWHERE sooo ziplining would have = catching lots of bugs in the face so we opted out of that adventure lol Something else fun to do is walk around the downtown Disney area. They have lots of shops & restaurants - we ended up going there quite a few times for something to do at night that didn't involve spending money.
Have fun! And don't forget to get your "Just Married" and "Happily ever after" pins! There are lots of Disney honeymoon items you can buy there too. We bought a couple of really cute bride/groom Mickey & Minnie Christmas ornaments. Make sure you wear them around the parks - we got free ice cream multiple times and everyone is just so happy for you that you hear "Congratulations!!!" all of the time :)
Ohhh! Something else we did was go to Islands of Adventure so if you have the extra time/money to go there that was a ton of fun.
I have another question for you all... what is the weather like down there during late November? Just wondering what weather I should pack for... and i'm worried that if it's going to be warm I should start buying summer clothes now while the last of it is still on the shelves in the stores!
Thanks!
We went to Disney World, Thanksgiving 2007. I remember it being hot. We went in January 2009 it was hit or miss....warm one day...cold and rainy the next.
@Bride_Colleen: There are four different parks that are "run" by Disney - Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. Anyone else correct me if I'm wrong but they are only included in one pass if you have the park hopper?
Yes, you are correct. There are four total parks that make up Walt Disney World, Fl. (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios) and you can either buy separate park tickets/day at each park individually OR buy what are called "Hopper Passes" that let you "hop" between all four parks, on whatever days/times, "in and out" privledges, for the duration of your stay at WDW.
I feel like Hopper passes are the only way to go for the money (especially if you are staying longer than 3 days), but that is just my preference.....
And don't forget the 2 additional water parks that you can also add to your Hopper passes, plus Disney Quest (indoor video/gaming venue), too.
And definitely make your dining reservations ASAP , especially if you are doing a DDP (Disney Dining Plan). With all the free DDP promotions they have going on, the parks and resorts will be pretty full and the restaurants get full FAST. I have been trying to get reservations at Le Cellier at Epcot for 2 months now and it is booked SOLID for the entire 8 days/all day during our trip....coming in DECEMBER!!! Six months out and that restaurant is booked solid! cRaZy! :D
And, incidently, for those above asking about the weather in October/November....we went the very last week of Sept. into the first week of October in 2009 and it was still very, VERY HOT and humid almost every day! We wore shorts and short sleeves the entire time and I sunburned my scalp(!!) one day at Animal Kingdom, so make sure you bring hats and sunblock!
And the humidity was BRUTAL (and I am from Houston, TX, so I live in a very humid region, already, but this was really, really bad humidity,too!), so be prepared. We ended up using the majority of our snack credits on our DDP on bottled water.
For our honeymoon we are going in early December this time....it should be cooler (I pray!) :D
I just booked at Chef Mickey's for a character breakfast, Wolfgang Puck Cafe, Coral Reef, & Kouzzina! I'm excited I got some reservations at some places you guys recommended! Thanks!
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Over the weekend we booked our honeymoon to Disneyworld in Florida.
I haven't been since I was probably 12 (don't remember much) and my fiance has never been before.
We are both excited about the experience but I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for itinerary and must-stop-at places while we are there (aside from the obvious).