Help for a newbie who REALLY wants to go to WDW

[blessedmommyX4]

Hello, my name is Jenn and I am new here. I would really like for my family to be able to go to WDW next year. We were very fortunate to go to DL last year but it was mostly on credit and we are still paying that off.

I know NOTHING about WDW! I did go once as a child, and I loved it!! I have a friend that has offered to GIVE us their timeshare next year. It will cost us $100 to reserve our date and then another $100 to upgrade to a bigger condo since there are 6 of us.

When is the best time go to? We homeschool so I won't have to worry about the kids missing school. How do I plan disney on a budget? How much does it even cost? or how much would you guess? We spent at least $5,000 on Disneyland and we did it really cheap. There were a lot of "not enough money" We would love to fly but we may have to drive and I am not sure our van will make that trip.

There is so much to this board, I don't even know where to get started!

I appreciate any input!! I'm not sure who loved DL more- me or the kids! I teared up our last night and didn't want to leave! lol

Thank you!!
Jenn

[disneynutt1225]

By staying offsite, you won't have access to Extra Magic Hours (extra hours the park stays open for resort guests). This is not necessarily a deal breaker for some, but it will limit your park hours if you choose to go during an off peak time. You will be able to use Disney transportation to get around at the WDW resort as that is a free perk to anyone with a valid theme park ticket.

If you fly, you will more than likely need to rent a car, if only to get from your hotel to Disney property. Some hotels offer shuttle service to and from WDW, but your best bet for reliable service is to rent a car to get from A to B. There are many codes out there to get discounts on rental cars. Check out the Budget Board and subscribe to Mousesavers to get the newsletter that will give you discounts for your vacation.

Buying park tickets is usually cheaper when you purchase via a vendor (but try not to buy them off of eBay because you never really know if you're getting a used ticket or not). Mousesavers has several vendors they recommend to get tickets from at a discounted rate. You can also try through AAA if you are a member.

The time of year you go generally depends on what your preferences are. Can you handle the heat? Do you want to see the Christmas decorations? Do you prefer being able to spend time at the pool (yes, they are heated, but they're still cold getting out of during the winter months)? If none of the above matter to you, than pretty much any time of the year is a good time to go.

Finally, read, read, read. These boards offer a tremendous amount of information. You don't even necessarily need to purchase any of the many guides that are out there if you don't want to. Definitely do your research and you will be able to find a "best fit" for you and your family.

[Christine43]

Hi Jenn, I am relatively new here too and I'm no expert but I'll tell you what I did when I wanted to plan. I read three or four trip planning books on DW and followed their advice very carefully. I mean, I highlighted things that were important to me, planned meals and ADRs, planned which park to go to each day depending on extra magic hours etc. Highlight anything you need to refer back to. I like the Unofficial Guide and Passporter Guide to DW particularly. We flew but the sooner you buy your airline tickets, the less you'll pay and some airlines are less expensive than others. I did an extensive budget plan that I made myself stick to and we're doing the dining plan which is the only way I can afford to bring my kids to character meals. I budget so much for souvenirs etc. for each day and when it's gone, it's gone....no bargaining when the kids want something else and they became much more wise on what they chose when they knew I meant it. I also rec. you read a lot here and ask specific questions as you go along, it's very helpful. I hope this helped!

[blessedmommyX4]

Oh, I would LOVE to stay on-site! I was just thinking the condo thing would be less expensive. How much does it cost to stay on site? If we did that, we wouldn't need a rental car, correct?

Also, we can take the heat but would prefer to go when it is a bit cooler. When we went to DL it was in the middle of August and wasn't so bad. We are in Oklahoma now and are used to it being humid. I would prefer to go at a time that is not as crowded. The Christmas one sounds really nice, but I am guessing it is a lot more expensive.

Are there times that are cheaper to go than others?

I am sorry for all the questions but I thank you for the responses!

[blessedmommyX4]

Hi Jenn, I am relatively new here too and I'm no expert but I'll tell you what I did when I wanted to plan. I read three or four trip planning books on DW and followed their advice very carefully. I mean, I highlighted things that were important to me, planned meals and ADRs, planned which park to go to each day depending on extra magic hours etc. Highlight anything you need to refer back to. I like the Unofficial Guide and Passporter Guide to DW particularly. We flew but the sooner you buy your airline tickets, the less you'll pay and some airlines are less expensive than others. I did an extensive budget plan that I made myself stick to and we're doing the dining plan which is the only way I can afford to bring my kids to character meals. I budget so much for souvenirs etc. for each day and when it's gone, it's gone....no bargaining when the kids want something else and they became much more wise on what they chose when they knew I meant it. I also rec. you read a lot here and ask specific questions as you go along, it's very helpful. I hope this helped!

Great advice! thanks!!

What are ADR's?

Where do you find those guides you were referring to? The ones you really liked...

May I ask how big your family is and what your budget was? I guess this is my biggest up in the air thing- I have no idea how much to even tell my husband it would cost!

Did you stay on site? Or where did you stay?

ty

[Belle's Mom Tink]

:cheer2: Welcome Jenn, you are definitely in the right place to start planning for WDW. First it looks like you are already on the way to a "cheaper" vacation just by staying in your friend's time share. Since airfare might be an expensive idea, and you are not sure if your van will make it, maybe look into renting a van from home and driving it down. Just check to see the mileage allowances and do some math, it might be cheaper then flying and worth the money and annoyance to avoid car trouble! Like the others said read some guides, I am currently working on reading the unofficial guide for my trip next summer, and also search the DIS for ideas that might interest you, places to stay, eat, there are even money saving tips! You can find just about everything here and if you can't then ask! It also helps that you don't really have school for the kids to worry about since you home school, and maybe you can try and plan for when they offer the free disney dining plan! There is abunch more I could say but I'll let you explore, and remember you can always ask questions!! Happy planning!:thumbsup2

[blessedmommyX4]

i found out what ADR's are- Advance Dinner Reservations. I believe this is what we did in Disneyland for character dining.

[disneynutt1225]

Staying in the Disney resorts doesn't necessarily mean more expensive. Again, depending on when you want to go. Early December is a great time to go if you want to see the Christmas decorations. Of course, the closer you get to Christmas, the more expensive it is. They usually take down the decorations during the first week or so of January, so even if you choose to go at that time, you will still see SOME of the decorations.

Since there are going to be 6 of you, you will probably have to get 2 rooms if you're staying at a Value resort. You might also want to look into renting points from a DVC member and stay in one of the many vacation villas on the Disney property (check out the DVC boards for more information on how to do that).

Don't feel bad about asking questions. That's what the boards are here for!

[fan of the TTA]

i think the best car rental company is called dollar rent a car. i will try and find out how much that is, and post it here. they have loads of cars to choose from

[beanjean]

The book is called Unofficial Guide to Disney World 2007 or 2008, either would be fine. I checked 2007 out at my local library. You can find the passporter guide on ebay, but I am not sure if that is available at the library. We just went to Disney World for the first time this past May and I got all my books at the library and read as much as possible not to mention staying on this site most of the time. For 2 adults and 1 10-yo it cost us a little over 1400.00 for our value resort for 7 days, 6 nights, and 4-day park hopper plus tickets but I got the hopper plus part free by getting a code for it. Go to the disney website and you can put in room only, tickets only or packages and it will give you a total of how much it will cost. We didn't do character meals or the dining plan. We spent about 50.00 or less a day to eat and we brought lunch meat and such for the room and ate breakfast in the room. We didn't buy drinks in the park except for a couple of times. We mostly just asked for free ice water and they don't charge for that. They do, however, charge for bottled water. Hope this helps a little.

[Jrabbit910]

Hi Jenn,
Welcome to the boards. You are in the right spot for a ton of suggestions and helpful ways to getting the most bang for your buck. As pp stated the time of year plays an important part in budgeting your money. Look at the value season dates on Disney and you will find the perfect time for you and your family to go. After you have the dates in mind that you want to go, get some quotes for price, check w/ a travel agent, search for discount codes, & by staying on the boards you can get an idea of what people that are going around the same time has paid. dreams unlimited is online and is wonderful in quoting out prices as well as checking codes for your trip. If pricing a package staying onsite seems cheaper then buying tickets, getting a rental and flying works out better then a package then you know which way you should go.
Also, there have been rumors around that disney is coming back with free dining next year in Aug/Sept... if that is something that is validated then you can save big there.
I wish you a ton of luck in planning and saving... Keep in mind your goals and you should be able to achieve it. :cloud9:

[swanwed6206]

Birnbaum's is a pretty good/informative guide. I think the 2008 edition comes out in late Sept/early Oct. You can usually get it at any bookstore for about $20. This site is really great for all types of information and you can try allears.net as well. Good luck and have a magical time!!!;)

[blessedmommyX4]

So I have been looking around and have gotten some great info.

I do have some more questions if you all don't mind answering them...

For the Free Dining offer (assuming they offer this again)- Can you get this if you stay off site? Or would we need to stay on site to be able to participate in this offer?

I am thinking my then 12 and 14yo would well cover the cost of the dining plan. If it is free, then that may cover the cost off staying onsite.

Which leads me to my next question... do any of the value resorts offer a place that 6 people can stay? or would i need to get 2 rooms. I really don't want to do that. I see some of the resorts offer rooms for 6ppl but they are more expensive.

I would really like to go early Dec. If we stayed in our friends time share place, it would make this more affordable to go at that time.

If we can get free dining while staying off site, I am thinking this is a near free vacation and then we could really save our funds and blow it up big next year by staying onsite!!!

jenn

[MomWith2Cinderellas]

So I have been looking around and have gotten some great info.

I do have some more questions if you all don't mind answering them...

For the Free Dining offer (assuming they offer this again)- Can you get this if you stay off site? Or would we need to stay on site to be able to participate in this offer?

I am thinking my then 12 and 14yo would well cover the cost of the dining plan. If it is free, then that may cover the cost off staying onsite.

Which leads me to my next question... do any of the value resorts offer a place that 6 people can stay? or would i need to get 2 rooms. I really don't want to do that. I see some of the resorts offer rooms for 6ppl but they are more expensive.

I would really like to go early Dec. If we stayed in our friends time share place, it would make this more affordable to go at that time.

If we can get free dining while staying off site, I am thinking this is a near free vacation and then we could really save our funds and blow it up big next year by staying onsite!!!

jenn

Welcome Jenn! You will find a wealth of information on the Disboards! :)

The free dining is offered to people who stay on site. For that matter all dining plans are for people staying on site.

Like some others have said, if you stay on site you have access to extra magic hours, Disney magical express from the airport, and you have Disney transportation to the parks and resorts in WDW. You would not really need a rental car if you stayed on site.
You really need to look at what the extra costs would be to stay at your friends condo. Than look at what it would be to book at package at WDW. Whatever comes out cheaper is the route to go.
You can also rent Disney Vacation Club points. That allows you to look for a 2 bedroom for all of you to stay in.
January for us turned out to be more cost effective. We are going in January again, because we really enjoyed going in this month!
Whatever you decided just remember you will be at WDW!!:love:

[Disney Crazy Debbie]

Welcome Jenn,

You have made a wise decision by joining DIS because these people know what they are talking about.

Read the Birnbaum Unofficial Guide and it will give you the rates for peak season, what dates those are, etc. You can also get it on line at the official www.disneyresort.com (http://www.disneyresort.com) site.

Free dining is usually offered in late August and September and it is a bargain.

One of the value resorts just renovated some rooms into suites and I think it sleeps 6 people. Check it out.

You could cut cost, too, by ordering a grocery delivery to your room by the Green Grocer. I have never used this service myself, but I read of it often on here and people who rent the villas often do this for breakfast, etc.

Hope this helps.

:surfweb:

[mrincredible2008]

I NEED MORE INFO ON THIS GROCER THAT DELIVERS TO THE RESORTS. THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE IS GETTING WATER THAT IS DRINKABLE. ALSO 7UP CANT BE FOUND ON THE PROPERTIES. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT ON THIS SERVICE.:confused3

[byoung]

Welcome to the DIS!

[Disney Crazy Debbie]

I NEED MORE INFO ON THIS GROCER THAT DELIVERS TO THE RESORTS. THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE IS GETTING WATER THAT IS DRINKABLE. ALSO 7UP CANT BE FOUND ON THE PROPERTIES. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT ON THIS SERVICE.:confused3

This is information that I found concerning grocery delivery:

Pre-Order and Pick Up - TheAlbertson's supermarket at 12981 S. Orange Blossom Trail (Orange Blossom Trail exit from SR 417) will allow you to fax a list to them at (407) 857-0132. They will have your order packed and ready to pick up! You can call them at (407) 857-5666 for hours and details. (If you use Happy Limo (http://www.mousesavers.com/limo.html) to get from the airport to your hotel or condo, you can request a grocery stop on the way, and they do use this Albertson's.)
Delivery - Goodings, an upscale supermarket located close to Walt Disney World, allows you to order online (http://shop.goodings.com/) and have the groceries delivered to most hotels and resorts in Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, International Drive, Celebration or Kissimmee. There is a $50 minimum order and a $20 handling charge.
:surfweb:
This was from the Mousesavers.com

Hope this helps.

[TSNCS]

I planned my first trip this April, and I read, read, read!!!! I think I read every post on this site! Check out tourguidemike.com as well. Totally worth every penny, and we went during spring break, one of the busiest times!

My MIL has a timeshare in Fla, and by running the numbers, it ended up costing around the same staying onsite in a value on the dining plan vs. offsite, renting a car, and bringing money for food.

My advice is just read up, great advice on this board, check out mousesavers.com, too. Love that site! Good Luck!

[Epcot82Guy]

Welcome to the DIS!

I think you could really have a trip for a pretty affordable price with what you have. A few suggestions I have:

First, I really second the early December idea. Seeing WDW at the holidays is really great. Also, the crowds are lighter, and the weather is more condusive to being outside than the summer months.

I think your time share option is a good one. That's a great deal. If you decide to drive, then having your car is great (it is $11/day to park FYI). Unfortunately, most Disney accomodations won't sleep 6 comfortably without being quite expensive.

If you would prefer flying (which is my usual route), I might suggest this as an option:

Using a 6 day trip as the baseline, get a rental car for the first four days. Use the timeshare during that time ($50/day). Then reserve a Disney hotel for the last 2 nights. When you check in, drop off the rental car (make sure it's one that has a drop off at DTD), so you don't have to pay for it. Disney transportation is free, you could stock up on a couple days worth of groceries on the way to save on food costs, and you can get free transportation back to the airport after your stay on ME. It also would give you a taste of staying on property while cutting the costs.

Usually, during these times, the Values and Moderates cut their rates down, so you can get some pretty good deals (allowing you to get 2 rooms). And, if not, if you have AAA, you can get a 20% discount if you book through them regardless.

I know that seems a bit involved, but it may be an option that gets you on property and may save you a few hundred dollars in the long run.

[ashleypmo]

Hello fellow homeschooler!

First of all, a WDW homeschooling tip! :teacher: We will be going next year also, so for this year's social studies/geography/science curriculum we are studying Epcot with a great book written by a homeschooling mom. Go to vacationeducationbooks.com and check out the Epcot book. It has material for unit studies on every country in the world showcase and on each attraction/area in Futureworld. We are loving ours! Even if you already have this year's curriculum planned, I'd get it anyway, because it will really, exponentially increase your families enjoyement of the World Showcase, which is an amazing place. I've been to Epcot 3 times, and I can't believe how much I've missed.

Also, checkout allears.net too. she has photos of every single ride & attraction in WDW, plus tons of photos of each and every Disney resort. And if you explore the site under "dining" she has great tips for eating cheaply inside the parks (for example: any counter service restaurant that serves burgers will sell you an extra bun for less than a dollar. Order a double burger (a lot cheaper than ordering 2 burgers), with an extra bun, and put the extra meat patty on the extra bun. Most burger restaurants have toppings bars where you can add all your fixings to both burgers. There's lots of great tips!

We are also a family of 6, and will be taking my mom along with us, so 7 in all travelling. Airfare from DFW is going to eat our proverbial lunch, but will still be much less than the therapy required to recover from driving from Dallas to Orlando with The Enforcer, Soundtrack Boy, The Narrator, and The Grabber.

We are staying on-property, two rooms at the All Star Movies, which will run about $100 bucks each per night w/ AAA discount. The only way to get 6 people into a single Disney room is (A), lie (I don't recommend it:angel: ); or (B) if one of your party is a child under 3, you can stay in the Port Orleans Riverside, Alligator Bayou section, which has moderately priced rooms that sleep 5 +one under 3. The cabins at Ft. Wilderness Resort can sleep 6, but they are the same price as getting 2 value rooms, but without the benefit of 2 bathrooms.

Do you camp? Disney's campsites (both tent and RV) are among the best anywhere and are very reasonably priced, plus lots of recreation and Disney Vibe. I would love to do this, but couldn't do it to my dear Mom. :eek:

The timeshare thing sounds great, though. I like the idea that one poster suggested about switching to an on-site Disney resort for the last two nights. There is just something magical about staying on-property, even if it is just at a value. My kids loved the 4-story tall Perdy and Pongo that sat outside our building. :love:

DEFINITELY buy the Unofficial Guide, as several have suggested. I have been to WDW 5 times, and had never read the UG before planning for this trip. I am a uber-planner when it comes to WDW, and never have I felt more prepared than this time around, using the Unofficial Guide and the allears.net site (and, of course, the DISboards!!!!)

I heartily recommend the first week of December. It's value season (which of course, only matters if you opt to stay on site), and the first week of December is just about the lowest attendance of the year, but you still get all the amazing Christmas decorations & entertainment. Again, allears has photos of every resort & every theme park at Christmas.

Otherwise, the Unofficial Guide gives you the rundown on how much each season costs, AND what kind of crowd levels to expect. As a bonus, if you buy the book, you have access to their website which will predict the crowd level (on a scale of 1-10) for every single day of the year! So you can look, for instance, and the week of May 3-10 and see what the crowd level will most likely be each day.

Souvenir strategies: we are giving each child Disney Dollars (which can be purchased from any Disney Store and are used w/in the parks like cash) for birthdays & holidays, and have suggested that family do the same. This will be each child's souvenir money, saved up in advance over the course of the year. Also, the Unoffical Guide gives the rundown on each and every souvenir shop in all the theme parks & resorts, as well as Downtown Disney, so I have gone through with the kids to select which stores they want to shop in. For instance, DS8 is into pirates and mythology, so he wants to shop in the Pirates of the Carribean store (naturally), and he wants a Troll statue from Norway in Epcot. If he has money left over, he may decide to buy a custom-made lightsaber at Downtown Disney. I know it sounds like it takes the spontaneity out of it, but spending hours in shop after shop while 4 kids decide what the absolute perfect souvenir is neither time- nor cost-effective, and somebody always finds something "more perfect" after they've already spent all their money. And this way, Mommy already knows where to find the darling little Chinese take-out purses and batik sarongs!

Oh, my, but I'm the queen of TMI! One final piece of advice: no matter where you stay or what kind of budgetary contortions you have to put your family through, as long as you go into it with a good attitude, you will have an amazing time! I've stayed off-property and on, and while I prefer on, our off-property trip was still a blast! I've always enforced a strict budget, and still had magic coming out our Mouse-ears. We've gone when it's hot, we've gone during spring break (tip: DON"T go during the month of April. period.) when lines are long and tempers short. In a single, 4-day trip, we endured a torrential downpour, 100+ temperatures with 99.99% humidity, one day where the high temperature never broke 45 degrees (I kid you not!)--and came home with more wonderful memories than you can imagine. That same trip had to be cut short, because one night I got the news that my father had unexpectedly passed away. We couldn't leave right away--it would have broken our 3-year old's heart. I spent the entire next day crying. Crying on the monorail. Crying in the Haunted Mansion. I had saved the Pirates for last, and couldn't even do it, because it was Dad's favorite ride. But as bittersweet as that trip turned out to be, some of my absolute favorite childhood memories with my Dad were from DisneyWorld, and that last day turned out to be a day of bittersweet tribute to those memories. It was still, all things considered, a fantastic trip.

So congrats, and happy planning!

[CTRalways]

I have to put in my 2 cents now. I love all the ideas posted so far, and have a couple different angles. I have been to wdw once or twice a year for the last 7 years. I have stayed with parties of 10 down to 2. I have worked on large and small budgets. Stayed from concierge at the Floridian to the all-stars, to off property. Let me tell you how I think you can get the most value out of your vacation.

Number 1, plane tickets. You have to look at frontier airlines. bar none the best value out of oklahoma city, flies direct to orlando. Another option is priceline. extremely competitive.

If you can drive, DRIVE. Your van may not make it? You can rent a mini van from oklahoma city for 60 dollars a day plus tax. Lets say you go for 10 days. 5 tanks each way. You are looking at $1000 to to $1200.00 in total transportation cost. Plane will cost you probably 1800 plus tax. How much are you trying to cut?

For off-site

If you are staying off property, You may consider priceline for your hotel. I have stayed at the sheraton safarri for as little as 24 dollars per night, and the holiday inn niki bird for as low as 22 dollars a night. worth a try.

The dining plan has good value, IF, BIG IF, you were gonna eat nice meals in the park. However, if you really want to save money, steer clear of the dining plan, and only eat snacks and counter service meals(8 to 10 dollars per person) on disney property. A regular disney meal is 28.00 per person plus tax and tip. adds up fast. Plenty of places to eat nice meals in the evening without forking out that dough.

When to go:

During free dining it is hot, and a bit more crowded than some other times, but with 6 people, you would get more bang for your buck. Do it then. If not, Use my guide below.


Now, if you are staying on site, I have some advice. Go the week after thanksgiving through the week before christmas. No crowds, Great weather, all the lights. OR, go the first full week after January 1. Same deal, no lights, but your disney vacation can be a christmas present.

Tickets:

Buy your tickets through AAA if you have it. Otherwise buy online at the disney site. periodically they offer a small discount for ordering through their website.

Lodging:

I would never encourage lying, but you are soooo close.... Perhaps book the room, and ask for a seperate pull away bed to be taken to the room. They dont look at number of guests usually once youre there. If that is too aweful, POR, or two rooms at a value resort are your best bet. Now. If you are staying on property, allow me one more suggestion. Buy a season pass for one of the adults. This will allow you to tap into the passholder rate on hotel rooms. The passholder rate comes out 3 to 4 months before the date, but is always awesome. I have stayed at port orleans for 109. wilderness lodge for 150.00, poly for 225, and two weeks ago grand floridian for 245. Huge, huge saving. Are you or your husband ex- millitary? Big savings there as well. You can also rent disney vacation club points from a member and stay in larger villas. Another option.

Dining on property:

If you want to eat some of the best food anywhere, you can at disney. As I said earlier, it will cost you. 6 people times 30 dollars, pluss tax and tip bring you to 220 bucks per meal is not a walk in the park. times 6 nights you are looking at 1200 dollars, and thats just dinner. If you do get a pass, you qualify for disney dining experience. It is a program that gets you 20 percent off most table service meals in wdw. It costs 70 dollars, but that would save you 240 dollars.

So on property I think you would spend approx 1200.00(two rooms, value resort) for Lodging, and dining during free dining week.

505 for room only any other time if you stay in one room, double if you rent 2.
plus 1300 in dinners and lunches.

weight it all out, see what you and can do, and make your decision there.

[Mrs.viv07]

i can send you a spreadsheet to help "plan out" your days, as well as some other things i made for our trip, email me and i'll be glad to send them along
mrs.vivian07@yahoo.com

you can see some stuff here:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1553770

[Tat2ddisneymom]

I think everyone else did a great job at answering your questions, so let me just say :welcome:

[crissichef]

I NEED MORE INFO ON THIS GROCER THAT DELIVERS TO THE RESORTS. THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE IS GETTING WATER THAT IS DRINKABLE. ALSO 7UP CANT BE FOUND ON THE PROPERTIES. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT ON THIS SERVICE.:confused3

gardengrocer.com delivers to all of the Disney Resorts. There is a $12 delivery charge but it is well worth it. They have a large selection of bottled water and anything else you can imagine.

[noahdove]

Hi Jenn,
I am also new to the boards, however, I am not new to Disney. I trust these discussions boards and there is one that has been helpful to me this time thru planning my trip next August. Go to allearsnet.com and this site even has the different restaruants and the prices of the food:) For me, since it has been two years, I couldn't remember what the food cost was, this site is great.
I stay at a resort and the cost of the rooms vary, but the all star ones are great and the food courts are fantastic:) To save lots of money, buy a refillable mug and you are able to fill it free at the resort where you stay and we take the mug full, while we wait for the bus and then refill it at the drinking fountains at the parks:) the park hopper pass is the best for your money also:) Try the month of March as it isn't busy and the resorts are lower in price also. There is a value resort that will house 6 of you, and that will be cost effective too. I value the Unofficial Guide to Disney by Steve Birnbaum...He has great hints and ideas:) I hope this will help you and if not, post more questions... I am taking my 8 year old nephew next August and he is soooooo excited. Blessings to you and your family for an awesome time.