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Disney Trips can seem a bit OVERWHELMING! Here's an itinerary for your PERFECT trip. (Your family will think you planned for months!)
First: Check in to your home away from home- a beautiful end unit on the 6th floor of a new resort, Blue Heron Beach Resort. The condo is a spacious 2BR/2BA with additional bunks and a queen sleeper sofa. Sunlight abounds in this professionally decorated unit and you'll definitely enjoy the full kitchen, dining, free hi-speed internet, washer/dryer, granite throughout, balcony overlooking pool and lake, etc.! Two balconies let you see the Lake view out the back and the Disney Fireworks from the front. How many places allow you to see the sunrise AND the sunset? It really is spectacular.
On with your itinerary: Upon arriving, just walk next door for CiCi's Pizza (the kids love it!), stop by the adjacent supermarket for essentials and walk home. Put up the groceries and head to the Hawaiian Rumble Miniature Golf course adjacent to the resort. (Beware when the fire shoots out of the volcano!) Resort guests receive a 10% discount.
At the end of your long travel day, watch the fireworks from the front balcony of your condo (9 or 10 pm depending) and turn in early because you will have a full day tomorrow!
Wake up to a beautiful view of the lake in the morning. Savor your coffee as you watch the sun rise and enjoy the stillness. (You may want to walk to the Starbucks which is on-property for a latte.) Either have breakfast at home, or get a "flat bread ham and cheese" breakfast from Dunkin Donuts (yum) which is also in the adjacent shopping area.
Next, either take the 8:00 am shuttle to Disney or drive your car (easier, we think) to the Disney parking area. The reps at the Disney Ticket Counter are VERY good at helping you figure out the least expensive way to do what you want to do - they often suggest things you might not think of. (If you are buying 3 day passes or more, you may wish to purchase them at Walmart which is one mile down the street as you take a left out of the resort parking lot.)
Dress for COMFORT and put your essentials in a fanny pack - sun lotion, ID, credit card, cash, Kleenex, camera, phone.
To get to Disney's Parking and Transportation Center, just take a right out of the Resort, go under I - 4, (but do not get on I-4), and at the Next light, take a left. (All this is under 1 mile). Follow the signs to the Parking and Transportation Center. We park the car and take the monorail to Magic Kingdom to buy our passes. Sometimes we get a Park Hopper Pass so we can "Hop" from one park to the other on the same day.
The Parks generally open at 9 a.m. Remember that it is sometimes best to go right to the BACK of the park and make your way forward since that is opposite of what everyone else does.
Note that younger children (under age 11) love Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Sea World is a good one for all ages. As they get older, they really enjoy Universal Studios and Island Adventures (big thrilling rides). Teens and adults love Epcot and if you are over 16 you can see the park via a "Segway" stand-up scooter.
Downtown Disney is really entertaining at night. They play music and usually there is a nice breeze. There are lots of shops and restaurants. Call ahead for tickets to Cirque de Soleil - it is an awesome show and located at Downtown Disney. Pleasure Island is a lot of fun if over 21. To get to Downtown Disney, just follow the same directions (under I-4, left at next light) and look for signs.
Also, in the summer, the kids love Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. They have lockers for you so your things don't get wet.
Back to your day: After the big parade in each park (about 4:00 pm) make your way home and be sure to eat one night at "Bahama Breeze", a restaurant right by the condo. You may want to call ahead and put your name on the list. Their lightly fried shrimp appetizer and tangy sauce is excellent -(take right out of the Resort, then first right at light, restaurant immediately on left.)
Be sure to plan a day to relax at the pool, take in the watersports on the lake, "BV Water Sports", (they will even deliver to your dock!) and just ENJOY your family. The serenity of the resort can be a welcome oasis after the "excitement" of Disney.
Hope all of this is helpful! You will have a wonderful and "Magical" vacation and return home with a new lease on life!
[Note RE: Why stay in a condo versus staying in a hotel on the Disney property? The first few vacations we took to Disney, we stayed in hotels on the grounds of Disney. By the second or third day, our kids (and us) were sick with tummy aches (or worse) because they were just not used to eating all the different foods at every meal. The choices for food at Disney are not always the healthiest choices. Additionally, to have a pot of regular coffee delivered to us at the Grand Floridian was $14. By staying in a condo, you don't have to eat EVERY meal out which is much easier on kids' tummies AND your wallet! Not to mention the fact that this condo is MUCH larger than even the most expensive hotel suite.]
(Note re: Directions: Enter the resort address into your GPS or driving directions: 13428 Blue Heron Beach Dr, Orlando, FL 32821 It is right off of I-4 at the SR 535 intersection. If this address is not in your GPS, use the address of the mini golf: 13529 S. Apopka Vineland Rd, Orlando, FL 32821)
YOU MAY WANT TO PRINT ALL THIS OUT AND BRING IT WITH YOU, feel free to contact us for phone numbers of all the places mentioned above. |
