This site is a work in progress and is not in any special order, it will change and be updated regularly. Take from here what you think you may want or need. Most of the info here is the opinion of the author, his friends and associates.
OK! 1st and foremost Disney has got the best lawyers money can buy. Where else can a private company over ride the copyright laws of the U.S. of America, like they did with the Mickey Mouse image. I'm not going to get into it, but this web site has NOTHING to do officially with the Walt Disney Company. It is STRICLKLEY the findings of someone who's been there umpteen times. It is a collection of tidbits of info I found out, from Disney employees, and am passing them along as a courtesy. OK Counselor? " the first we do, lets kill all the lawyers" King Henry. Walt Disney World has really gone down quite a few pegs over the last few years, as well as the area, but I still love it there. So Disney and Orlando can look at this as a FREE service from a dedicated visitor.
Also, the Orlando area has much to offer than just Walt Disney World. Hands down Disney is the crown jewel of the Orlando tourist area, especially if your a golfer. But there is Sea World, Universal, Wet and Wild, International Drive Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway. There are hundreds of things to see and do there, but bring plenty of money.
This web-site will be critical, rewarding and fair to the Orlando tourist area, but it will be brutally honest.
Visiting Walt Disney World is probably one of the greatest experiences you and your family will have, but there are a million things that most people will never know about a Disney visit. Here we have put all our experiences for the last 25 years
If you staying on property, you will be treated good. If your flying into Orlando International, the Disney buss will drop you off at your hotel. Disney transportation will get you any, and every where you want to go, on there property only. The draw back is, the tourist area along International Drive and Irlo Bronson memorial Highway have great places to eat, and play, and your not going to see any of it, unless you lake the Linx public Transit or a cab into the area, and Disney WILL NOT tell you, encourage or advertise the off property tourist area.
If your staying off property, your saving a hell of a lot of money. But Do not! repeat do not venture outside the tourist area, because it is crime on steroids. I don't give a damn if the florida tourist industry likes or dilikes what I put here. The Muggers get mugged in the orlando area. If your picking up a rental car at the Orlando Airport, get ready to get your pockets picked by those tolls, every several hundred yards. Tell the rental people you want to take Sand lake road to the tourist area, it will take you 10 to 15 minutes more but you will save the cost of a good breakfast. There still going to get a buck off you to leave the airport. And remember 'do the speed limit, and obey every driving law, especially leaving the Disney area going home. 'Osceola sheriffs Love to write tickets, to tourists when on there way home. As one Osceola sheriff told me, Hey! I got to get a paycheck too. See map below
The map below shows the tourist area (shaded) that is safe. All along International Drive and along 192 is ok. Of course the Disney, Universal, Sea World property and the other Big name attractions in the area are very safe. Ok now repeat after me 'STAY OUT OF ORLANDO'
Be on the look out for these to booklets (below), they have good discount coupons in them, esspecially for the restuarants, the maps are very acurate and detailed. They are free, and can be found along International Drive and Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway. I strongly suggest you pick up both of these and go sit by the pool, and get familiar with them. If staying on Disney Property, you won't find them there. So grab one at the airport or on the way.
DISNEY
After dropping almost a hundred bucks to get into the park, your going to need to cough up another 14 bucks to park. With a little imagination and thought you can park for free. One way is park at Downtown Disney and take one of there busses to a high priced Disney Resort Hotel and transfer to a theme park bus, monorail or boat.
here is a partial list of things to prepare for.
1. You will be ready to stand in very long lines, for very long periods of time. Sometimes over an hour.
2. You will be ready to spend a hell of a lot of money for everything.
3. You will be ready to be very annoyed at fat lazy people on motorized scooters, who get attended to first.
4. You will hear everything repeated in Spanish.
5. You will be in a line for a long time, only to be told the attraction has to be shut down, do to technical problems, by an embarrassed smiling American youth. Especially the Rock and Roll Roller Coaster in Hollywood Studios.
6. You will be herded into tight crowded areas, while still being told to move in, and fill all spaces.
7. You will be annoyed by rude people who don't move all the way across the row, so they can be in center theater. Especially in the 3d movies.
8. When the parades begin you will need to remain were you are till it's over.
9. There are never enough benches in and around the parks, and never located in shady spots.
10. Finally if you got little tikes who want to get a picture and autograph with a Disney character. The lines seem like there a mile long, and at any time, that embarrassed smiling American youth, will tell you Mickey, Donald or the Princess got to leave now but will return later. YES! after you been waiting in line for an hour.
Sounds like sour grapes, not at all, I love Disney. I just never have to deal with any of that crap, anymore.
$$$ Saving tip. Disney will give you a large cup of ice if you ask for it, and there are water fountains everywhere, but the water is never cold.
Time saver secret.When leaving the Magic Kingdom. The monorail to the ticket and transportation Center may be packed, especially at closing. The resorts monorail also stops at the transportation center, so hop aboard that one, but shhh it's a secret.
When leaving the Magic Kingdom for Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios. Grab the monorail or a hotel boat to the Polynesian or the Grand Floridian, and grab a bus, they leave every 20 minutes. And Ya the high price hotel busses drop you off close to the entrance. Other wise you will have to go all the way back to the transportation center, and that's a pain in the ass.
Your bags will be checked, so they say by security, but I know a lot of people who snuck hooch in. Just go in looking like an arab women in one of those Ninja, or Bee keeper outfits, and they won't even look at you. I must say the guy with the squiggly wired ear phone in plain clothes, keeps a close watch on them.
Out of an 8 hour day in the Magic kingdom, I clocked actually 1 hr 23 minutes being entertained, being on the rides, the rest of the time is waiting in line and walking around. I admit I didn't count the street entertainment. I decided to time every ride, that I will be posting in the future. After all, I got to be fair to Disney World.
Here is a real time visit on Nov 17-10 a day when it is one of the least crowded, at the Magic Kingdom
Arriving at 11:15am waiting on the ramp for the monorail, at the ticket and transportation center. A happy voice came over the loud speakers, telling us the monorail is experiencing technical difficulties, and we need to take the ferry over. We arrived at the Magic Kingdom ticket kiosks at 11:50. Walking leisurely up Main Street, over Adventure land, then to Frontier Land and finally Liberty Squire, the time is 1:34pm. In that time we got on 4 attractions. Pirates of the caribbean, the actual ride is 7 minutes, Splash Mountain, actual attraction time ride 9 minutes, Big Thunder mountain ride time 3 minutes, and finally my favorite The Haunted Mansion, actual ride time 7 minutes. So! out of a 1 hour and 44 minutes tour our actual attraction ride time was 26 minutes. leaving 1 hour and 14 minutes either walking leisurely or writing in line.
Highlite of the day. As we were leaving the magic Kingdom, we got stopped, at a great spot to watch the 3 pm parade.
Down beat of the day was, we went to Epcot for dinner, ate at the Season restaurant when asked to replace string beans instead of these horrid looking beens, We were told they are only served with the fish. Now you got to understand the setup, this is a quick service were all the food is in these hugh bowls. I guess Disney stock would go down if they gave me string beans instead of the what ever these other beans were, and this college student was annoyed when I asked for gravy on my potatoes.
Humorist part of the day was when, this fat lazy women on a scooter on the scouring ride, caused the usual annoying, 'me me me I'm first, I'm on a scooter, took her seat and needed to be helped being strapped in over her blubber. Sad for all those old and handicapped people who really need these things. There is talk of Disney not allowing these scooters in except for the handicapped, I want to see them enforce this. Oh by the way, the weather was perfect.....as usual.