Mini Golf Options

[merlinmagic4]

Hello

My youngest son is turning 7 on the first full day of our trip. We are not doing a park, and he wanted to do Disney Quest. I don't want to spend the money, especially since I have been reading that is a bit run down these days. I'm wondering what our mini golf options are. Is Fantasia Mini Golf good for younger kids or is it TOO challenging? What about Winterland and Summerland (I had never heard of these!). Any thoughts on any of them? We have dinner at T-Rex at 4pm and then need to celebrate with something somewhere!!

[MargaretMessler]

Hello

My youngest son is turning 7 on the first full day of our trip. We are not doing a park, and he wanted to do Disney Quest. I don't want to spend the money, especially since I have been reading that is a bit run down these days. I'm wondering what our mini golf options are. Is Fantasia Mini Golf good for younger kids or is it TOO challenging? What about Winterland and Summerland (I had never heard of these!). Any thoughts on any of them? We have dinner at T-Rex at 4pm and then need to celebrate with something somewhere!!

Fantasia is possibly a little more challenging than the others. The theming of WinterSummerland might be more to a smaller child's liking, regardless.

As for DQ, are you travelling with package through Disney? I could've sworn when I was glancing over the package inclusions, they now include vouchers for DQ, so that would save you the admission and you would just have to worry about any games that require extra $$

[merlinmagic4]

We don't have the WPF&M tickets so we would be paying full price to get into DQ. Two of our tickets are 4 day hopper military tickets (we're going with Coast Guard friends) and they can't be upgraded. The other three are 4 day base. I guess I could actually add on the WPF&M to the three that I bought and we could do a day at a water park as well.....decisions, decisions

[Capt_redshirt]

You may want to have your friends check through shades of green (the military resort) they can get you the best possible price for DQ

[AgentC]

My children are 4 and 7. We have never done the Fantasia course but they lover Winter Summerland. It is next to Blizzard Beach. The theme is Santa Claus built a golf course in FL for his elves. There is a winter themed side and a summer themed side. It is a fun course for kids and mine often ask to go back. I recommend it.

[Katzateer]

We did not like the Fantasia course as well as the other. Summerland/Winterland is lots of fun and most buses head to DD before going back to the hotels so you could shop or eat afterwards.

If you only pick one - go with Winterland in late fall or the holiday season - Summerland in the summer or spring. Each take about 45 minutes with kids. We took lots of pictures too - have some fun shots. We would try to go when the course first opened so the kids had more time and you don't get too rushed with others behind you. I believe the course opens at 10 or 11am.

[MargaretMessler]

We don't have the WPF&M tickets so we would be paying full price to get into DQ. Two of our tickets are 4 day hopper military tickets (we're going with Coast Guard friends) and they can't be upgraded. The other three are 4 day base. I guess I could actually add on the WPF&M to the three that I bought and we could do a day at a water park as well.....decisions, decisions

If I was reading correctly, it was part of the MYW package, regardless of style of ticket purchased with the package. But if your tickets are separate then, yeah, I guess it would end up full price.

I've been once, once was enough for me, I wouldn't go again at full price.

[January-2007]

We really liked Disney Quest. DH is a big vintage video game fan and had a blast, as did DS, 2 at the time we went. We are all looking forward to going back for DS's 4th birthday trip. As to the mini golf, we haven't tried it yet. Whatever you decide, I hope your son has an excellent birthday!

[Mendelson]

When we did mini golf for the first time a few years ago, Fantasia Gardens had no wait but Winter Summerland had a 30-minute wait. I was tempted to go with the former, but after I got a look at that course realized it was HARD and would not be good for kids. WS was definitely worth the wait.

And of course yours truly had low score of the day at Winter Summerland, so I am biased towards that course.

[disneygirlie11]

Fantasia gardens is way too hard for a 7 yo IMO...my husband is a scratch golfer & it was a little difficult for him! It's more on the lines of a professional mini golf course with sand traps & such.

[ThanxForNoticin]

Something that I haven't seen mentioned here is that there are 2 courses at Fantasia Golf. One is very challenging, and would be difficult for younger kids. But the other course is a more traditional type of minigolf - certainly something my kids enjoyed when they were that young. That being said, I know my kids also enjoyed the Summer/Winter courses, too. I might lean my recommendation toward S/W, but I don't think the one course at Fantasia Golf is too much for a 7yo.

Enjoy your evening!

[Janmac]

We took our grandkids at 9 and 10 to DQ, during the middle of the day. There were some things that were a bit challenging for the 9 year old - can't remember now, as the 9 year old will be 21 this year. Most of DQ was nearly empty at mid day and we heard from CMS while there that evenings are much more crowded with teens. Reporting what was told to us, all those years ago.

Regarding our mini-golf experiences: Fantasia has two courses - the Fairways is more challenging since it's more like a long putting course. The other Fantasia course is typical mini-golf and isn't difficult if you've done mini-golf. We've had younger than 7 when doing this course and they've enjoyed it. Of course, we were somewhat casual with the youngsters' strokes, etc.

As for Wintersummerland, we've done both even in one day, since when doing one, there is a 50% discount on the other. Or used to be. We've had as young as 4 on the Winter side. She enjoyed it, but there again, we were casual about her strokes. We like both sides as the sight gags are hilarious. I'd say do the Winter side in summer, and Summer in winter.

I'd much prefer Wintersummerland over Fantasia unless we had a big Fantasia fan in the group.

Since you're eating at T-Rex at DD, perhaps there's something you can do there, instead of traveling to the golf courses. There is Splitsville, the movie theater (which is way more impressive than ANYthing we have available to us at home), and the Lego store, which would have been a big draw for my grandson at age 7. He could have spent hours in there and never even have bought anything. If we'd spent on Legos what the mini-golf would have cost, he'd have been in heaven.

The most fun thing our grandson would have wanted to do at 7 would be hang out at the pool. He was 6 on the trip we stayed at WL. Loved the pool (WL is still his all time favorite resort).

Jan