I just did a quick google search and it looks like my assumption is correct for the rental car and tolls…
These rental car customers can use Florida’s toll roads and not worry about carrying cash or stopping to pay for tolls. Using license plate recognition systems, toll usage can be associated with your travel and paid through your rental agreement. This allows rental car customers to use SunPass, E-PASS and LeeWay lanes .
I don’t think I mentioned we were doing the Marathon Weekend races yet. DD will be running the 10k (first 10k race for her!) , DS will be running the Marathon (first Marathon for him!), and I will be running the Dopey (2nd official Dopey for me!).
After our day of thrill-rides at UOR, we will be heading to Wide World of Sports to pick up our race bibs. Is there any parking restrictions when using our rental car to park at WWoS to go and grab our bibs?
I have only ever taken the Disney supplied transportation in the past to the race expo.
After we grab our race gear, we will head to Disney Springs for supper at Ragland Road. What is everyone’s preference with respect to transportation? Should I drive and park at DS or should I drop the car at Pop and find another way to DS?
We’re also planning a 1-day side trip to UOR on 1/4/23, without Express Pass. Hagrid’s and Velocicoaster don’t take Express Pass anyway and by the 4th holiday crowds should have gone down. Mind you, our ride hit list is short: Hagrids & Velocicoaster, the 2 Harry Potter lands, and a few other rides.
Our plan will be something like this:
*Start in IOA w/EPA
Velocicoaster
HPFJ
HWEx to USF
Gringotts
Mummy and/or MiB
Diagon Alley
HWEx to IOA
Hogsmeade
Hagrid’s in late afternoon or whenever waits go down
Poseidon
HP doesn’t get too crowded in mornings since the hordes go to Hagrids… avoid unless you get up early enough to be front front front of the pack.
After I get up stupid-early and complete the 5k race, I will rush back to the resort to wake up the troops for outer-worldly adventure. We will be doing a one-day touring plan at Kennedy Space Center. DS has focused in on physics at school and wants to tour KSC. I brought him there back in 2008, but I think he was too small to remember. I am thinking of the following plan of attack:
rope drop park
Kennedy Center Bus tour first thing
Atlantis
Hall of Fame
Rocket garden
Any comments on this plan or lessons learned from recent visits?
Highly recommend the visitor toll pass. Even if you drop the car off at the CCC, you should be able to drop the visitor toll pass off at the airport when you fly out.
In which case you might not have time to see it all in one day. So it would be worth seeing what your son’s priorities are.
Whilst the Hall of Fame is now onsite, within the Heroes building, it might be that you should prioritise the space in the future exhibits. Because although I liked how they’ve done it, there’s really nothing that couldn’t be gleaned from books or the internet about the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions. It feels almost a travesty to say that but there’s a reason a 2-day ticket is about $10 more than a 1-day ticket.
Oh and make sure to spend just a few minutes at the memorial. It’s a stunning piece of sculpture and a very tranquil and serene monument.
I should have clarified absolutely do the Saturn V bus tour. Being able to walk underneath it is quite amazing, and nothing can quite compare to seeing it in person. You also see a reconstruction of the launch of Apollo 8 (I think), and some other displays.
After I crawl out of bed, run the 10k, and question why I decided to run these Disney races again, I will make my way from the finish line to HS. Last year my DD and I ran the 5k and took a bus to Boardwalk, We then walked over the HS and met my DS who was waiting in line to get into the park. We ended up being the first people there in the morning.
We will try our luck again, just like last year, and speed-walk over to RotR at rope drop (heck we will be warmed up after doing the 10k). Last year we ended up being the first family to get on the attraction.
After a leisurely day in HS, we will sit down at Brown Derby for a nice meal. What are you recommendations for eats? (@ HBD and anywhere else in the park)
There may be a trip or two on the skyliner to go and clean up or hop to another park during the day.
I may also end up falling asleep during fantasmic.
