Venting. Am I wrong?

[BAST]

We are arriving on May 9 and staying for 8 nights. Travelling with DH, DD who is 3-1/2 and DD who is 2. I have split reservations at AKL savanah and Poly lagoon view - even with AP rates this comes to about $2300.

I booked knowing that EE had been discontinued (you can have the character caravan). I then had to wait until mid-April to book all our PS since the park hours were posted so late. Then, I made all PS based on the thought that we would at least have two e-nights. Now, ALL May e-nights have been cancelled.

I am rather angry. Given the short hours at all the parks - I cannot really see going back to the resort in mid-afternoon ( MK is open all of 9-6) which was one big reason to stay on property. And given the short hours, we will be back in the room rather early as well -which is one big reason to stay off-site at one of the suite hotels.

Given that the nice suite hotels would run me all of $1300 for my stay - should I do it? Believe me, I do buy into the Disney magic idea. But how much can a person tolerate?

[zurgswife]

If it was a reputable hotel....I had a bad experience at a discount hotel....I would definately save the $1000.00. I'm all for the Disney experience and magic...but early hours and no EE and no e-nights...I might just go for the money savings.

Though I really love the AKL......

[suevee]

When have the e-nites been cancelled? They are still posted on the website.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours.htm

[Cinderella]

I can understand you being upset by the cutbacks but, personally, I would not stay off-site with your little ones being so small. With the short park hours, u will need all the time you can get so staying onsite will be a big bonus. Even with Magic Kingdom hours being shorter, I would still take DD's back to the room for a couple of hours around lunchtime. It will definitely enhance your stay, plus you will be avoiding the heat.

We stayed in August once with two little ones and because they were so small, we never stayed in the parks until late anyway and always took our afternoon naps. We needed them as much as they did.

I know it is a pain but, have you tried changing your PS ressies? Hopefully you will still be able to rearrange them with times to suit.

[jennymouse]

I can understand your frustration, but, really, how much park time can you actually spend with children that age.....I'm a grandmother, I know these things. I'm sure you can force kids to go, go, go, but that's no fun if they're tired and fussy. I know you've spent time and effort in your planning, but you can plan until the cows come home and have a bad vacation experience if you're trying to force the fun & experience.

Go, enjoy those wonderful convienant resorts, take it easy with the park time with the little ones.........they'll probably enjoy the resorts more than the parks anyway at that age.

If you really don't think you're getting your moneys worth, by all means stay off site, but go with excitement and anticipation.........not looking out for the almighty dollar or you won't have a good time no matter where you stay.

Just my 2 cents.

[jade1]

I think you will get more done from 9 to 6 at MK in May than we did from 8 to Midnight over Springbreak. Our kids are too old to leave school that time of year, so we are stuck with crowded weeks. I would love to get that much done and then go back to the 2 awesome Hotels/Rooms you are planning. I wish you had later hours and EE nights offered, but dont let it diminish what sounds like a great trip.

[MelissathePooh]

Web sites may not have been updated yet, but you can call WDW and verify (as we did earlier - much to our disappointment) that May e-nights have all been cancelled.

[SeaSpray]

We went last May and didn't do any e-nights. I believe MK was open till 7pm. (The other parks were open later). The crowds were so light that we truly didn't need to stay any longer in the evenings, and we were able to plan in other things to do, such as Downtown Disney, DisneyQuest, etc. I'm sorry about the disappointment over e-nights. I have read that sometimes they do have e-nights, even when none were originally scheduled.

[DisOrBust]

I felt the same way after our trip in Jan. Yes the crowds were light but it still takes time to see the shows, as much as if it is crowded. We spent the entire day in the parks to do everything we had done in the past with EE and enights. We truely missed not going back in the afternoon and returning in th eevening.
Last year we went over spring break and I said never again. Now after our Jan trip , I don't think I would go and stay on site UNLESS it s with holiday hours. I had hoped the hours and enights were getting better.

Before I get my butt thrown on the bar-b-que., have you thought of staying at USF onsite? That is truely an experience having FOTL acess all day. It really takes the pressure off of shortened hours. Just a thought.

[LAinSEA]

I called this afernoon (Sunday) and confirmed no e-nights for the whole month of May! Just two weeks ago when I called for hours the CM I spoke with mentioned both e-nights during the week we'll be there and really talked it up - saying how popular they are!

given "murphys law" now that I've changed our PS's around again - they'll probably add them back!

oh well - we got a good deal for AKL savannah view and airfare (back in February) - might as well try to have a good time.

-LA:(

[LisaR]

How long do you really expect a 2 and 3 year old to last at the parks. I have a 7 and 4 year old and go to WDW at least 2 times a year. Our family has never done an enight. It wouldn't even cross my mind. After getting up and having a character breakfast, hitting a park for awhile, coming back for an afternoon swim and dinner, we are lucky if we make it back for an evening parade, show or fireworks! My kids are tired after the all day, non stop excitement. We were there in January (and will be back in 3 weeks). The hours were VERY short in January. That just gave us more time for great meals, downtown Disney, the Boardwalk, bike rental, water mice, etc. You will NEVER see and do everything in every park with the age of you kids even if the park was open from 7am to 2am! Relax and enjoy. The magic is still there......if you want it.

Lisa

[NancyK]

I'm in the minority here, but I would stay off-site and save the $1000. Whatever you decide, you'll have a great time!

[Nolcrest]

My family has never taken advantage of EE or E nights so I don't know what you're missing. This may be a good time to enjoy other aspects of Disney. Fort Wilderness has a nice petting zoo for the kids. Rent a surrey bike, enjoy the sights at the resorts. If money's an issue you'll probably enjoy a stay at a moderate. POR is great for families and the kids can go fishing there. I guess I understand your frustration but I'm so happy to be spending time with my family we don't get too crazed with the theme park stuff and PS's. Stay offsite if you think you'll feel better.

[MouseLover]

I would stay offsite. There are many places close enough. You may get a good rate at Downtown Disney hotels. Last year we stayed at Buena Vista Suites for $102/nt, with free full breakfast (adequate, not great). The hotel was convenient to WDW, clean, etc. Our DD was 4 at the time. I don't remember exactly what park hours were, but I think they were about 9-8 at MK. We did not take a break from the parks. We alternated sit-down shows and lunch times. When my DD was 2.5yo we stayed at the Poly. We attempted to take a mid-day break then (July) but guess who wouldn't nap??? She slept through dark shows (in her stroller) like Presidents, and through every meal. She went immediately to sleep at the end of the day. She never had a meltdown or even got cranky. But each child is different.

[wdwnut]

hi: may is one of our favorite months to go, and the hours are usually shorter than some of the other months. i think with the ages of your children, the shorter hours wouldn't be that much of a problem. the kids will probably be a bit tired by 6 pm. if they still are raring to go, then maybe a trip to mgm for the Fantasmic show would be good after the mk closes or a couple of hours in epcot. i'm a bit biased; we haven't stayed off-site since 87. i would still stay on-site. another way to take advantage of the shorter hours is to make your dinner ps for the same time as park closing if your children are used to eating at those hours.

[Shelly]

I agree with the post by jennymouse regarding the children.
yes they have canceled e-nights yet they seem to be extending park hours slowly but surely.
Next weedend was supposed to be 9-6, then it changed to 9-7, now it's 9-9 with Spectro and Fireworks. So it could all work out for the best anyway.
I have always gone in May and never needed e-nights due to the crowd level and staying onsite actually helped to not need e-nights. It's supposed to be a vacation relax.

[PamOKW]

MK will be open 9-9 on Fridays and 9-10 on Saturdays during May.

The crowds are lower and you should be able to get more done in the hours they are open. Then you can spend your evenings enjoying all the other things WDW has to offer like DD and the Boardwalk. Maybe Hoop or the Luau?

If you'd like to save some money, you can still have a great vacation staying offsite. However, the convenience of being right in the World is wonderful and just makes the whole experience that much more enjoyable....no matter what the park hours are.

[mirlow]

We usually go in the summer. I have 3 young kids and we got up early ( did EE at MK) came back for a nap and some swim time. Then we head back to the parks and were in bed around 11:00. We went in Jan. and felt like DisOrBust did. When the parks close at 6 you don't have any time to go back to the hotel to take a 21/2hr nap. One thing that was nice about going in January is that we slept in and didn't rush. My kids were so tired from going all day that they crashed at 7:00. I prefer to be out later when I'm on vacation and it felt strange to be to bed so early. My ds who is 3 had some meltdowns from being tired, he even fell asleep on my dad's lap during dinner. We always stay at the Polynesian because of how close it is to the MK. I think if we were to go WDW again when the hours are shorter I would try one of the moderates, if we don't have the time to come back to the resort why spend all of that $. Have you thought about that? They have some great prices. I can truly understand your frustration. The hours kept changing in January (usually for the better) and it was hard to make plans for meals. With the three little ones I like to have a game plan of what to expect before we get there. Good luck and remember it all works out in the end;)

[B3LM]

We've stayed on-site and off-site. In November, we stayed at CR, but we really didn't go back to the resort for a break because of the short park hours.

We just came back from an Easter week trip. This time, we stayed off-site and we did take a break during the afternoon a couple of days. But, the parks were open much later, too.

We did save a lot of money by staying off-site. I definitely wouldn't recommend it unless you have your own vehicle to get around. We drove everywhere ourselves. The off-site shuttles don't run very often.

Beth

[SouthernMom]

I know how you feel. And though I seem to be in the minority, but after much thought, we are cancelling our Dis on-site reservations. The only thing we haven't decided is whether to stay off-site, or whether to forget Dis altogether and stay at Universal, enjoying the front of the line perk.

Sadly, I think our love for the Mouse (myself included) is causing us to put with things from Dis that we would never put up with from most anyone else. (Sorry) But when business is slow with my company, I try HARDER to please my clients. Disney, on the other hand, seems to have very little regard for us anymore. And to me... that is a very sad commentary about the Mouse who brought us the happiest place on earth.

If we go to Disney, we will still have a blast! This won't spoil our trip. And yes, for us and that moment in time it will still be the happiest place on earth, but I guess I just need the personal satisfaction of feeling I've made just a very small (I know, VERY, VERY, small) effort in saying, "This is no way to run a business."

Wherever you decide to stay... I wish you luck with your "napless" afternoons! :-) And have a magical visit!

[LisaR]

I guess I just don't get it. I go on vacation to spend quality time with my family. We choose Disney because of the entertainment value for all ages, the clean facilities, the numerous dining options, the weather and the quality of service. I have never traveled anywhere in my life where I have gotten the consistent, all around nice employees that I continue to encounter at Disney. Sure, there are some rude CM's but the vast majority are so kind. It is all part of the magic for us. I have failed to see where Disney has gone so wrong for so many people. Yes, they have cut back on things. Guess what? So has every business in America! We just found out we need to pay $1000 out of pocket for health insurance this year. In my Dh 21 years of employment with one of the big 3 companies, we have never paid a penny out of pocket for insurance. What should he do? Quit? Complain? Maybe just deal with it. Things have changed. Disney is in the business to make money. They will do whatever it takes. If having the MK open from 9am - 9pm isn't enough, will anything ever be enough?

Good luck finding the perfect place.

Lisa

[halfway there]

Boy! I think I have to agree with the ones who say stay on-site. Just remember what driving and parking and walking or taking a tram (with 2 strollers??) will actually be like (both ways!). Save your MK days for when you're at the Poly. Take advantage of being able to sleep in a bit or have a leisurely breakfast (with characters even). Perhaps then your kids will be able to make it all day without a nap.
There is so much more to experience at WDW than just the parks. This will be a great opportunity for you to see everything else in the World! If it's really the money, do like everyone else suggests and try a moderate for less. What ever you decide for your family, I'm sure you'll make the best of it.

[SouthernMom]

Lisa,

Though most people have not been happy with Disney's cubacks, I think they understood them to a certain level -- and accepted them, albeit a bit grudgingly. After all, they are (were) still going, and they've adjusted their schedules accordingly.

That's not the point. The point is Disney's inability to make any decision and stick with that decision. In the example you gave of your husband's company -- sure you hate it; but you understand. But let's say in six months the company says, "Your insurance isn't going to cost you a dime again." That's great! But then two weeks later they come back and say, "Well, we changed our minds. We want that $1,000 again." I don't think you would be happy. And if you would -- you would definitely be in the minority.

That's the sort of game Disney is playing. And that is, in most anyone's book, poor business practice.

[LisaR]

Southern Mom,
You make a good point. However, I guess everyone plans their vacations in a different way. I am leaving in 3 weeks and I don't have a clue what the hours will be when we are there. I will probably check a few days before we leave just to get an idea but I guess I don't expect anything to be set in stone. With two kids, we go at their pace. We may think in our mind we are going to spend most of the day in one park and for one reason or another, it just doesn't work out.

The way I look at it, the only way a vacation is going to be perfect is if you let it be that way. Our January trip was one of the greatest trips we have had. Yet, I read trip reports of people that were there at the exact same time as us and they had nothing but complaints. You honestly would never have guessed we were in the same place! If I look back at our trip, we spent a day and a half in our room doing nothing but watching TV because my son had a fever. 24 hours before we were flying home, my dh was throwing up! We are pretty certain he had food posioning from Olive Garden. Oh yeah, we also had the worlds worst rental vehicle. We were shocked we actually made it back to the airport. Again, we thought we had a wonderful vacation. We made the best of everything and had fun whenever we could. I suppose it is just how you look at things.

I am not some "disney can do nothing wrong" person. But these changes have been going on since September. If they were enough to bother me, I would not wait until a few weeks before my trip to go elsewhere. I think the original poster is just setting herself up for a disappointing vacation. If you go into it with the wrong attitude, it will not be a good vacation. JMHO!

Lisa

[LindaBabe]

to really enjoy the zero entry pools at both ALK and the Polynesian. I'd stay at both on site resorts, save AK for days I was at AKL, and MK for Days I was at the Poly, and enjoy the time at the resorts.

I've only managed to stay awake and alert for e-night once, in 17 trips - and that was in September, when the parks closed at 7 pm, and I was still in bed by 10, exhausted.

[SouthernMom]

Lisa,

I can certainly see how this probably does not effect you -- in fact, MOST trips it would have little impact on us. We've never even done an e-night before! But this trip we sort of have a unique situation in that hubby will be at a convention, which means it will be 2:00 before we can even GET to the parks most days! With them closing at 6:00 & 7:00, we were really counting on e-nights to be able to do MK, so for us it almost seems like a pointless trip now. We did "wait" for many months to decide for sure until the hours and e-nights were posted. And CERTAINLY thought this close in -- and with them not posting until two weeks ago -- that they would be good!

Anyway, I certainly meant nothing negative towards your viewpoint, just explaing why it effects others differently. (Many of us aren't as spontaneous as you -- though I'm sure we'd be a lot less stressed if we were! I'm envious!)

I know we'll still have fun -- although it's probably going to have to be in the "other world."

Have a magical trip yourself -- and stay away from the Olive Garden! :-)

[dtuleya]

Have a magical trip yourself -- and stay away from the Olive Garden! :-)

SouthernMom-

I realize it might have been said tongue in cheek, but what does that mean? We were planning on eating there one night since it's my DS's favorite restaurant (love the salad) and we thought it would be a nice change for him (since he probably will only eat chicken fingers/ff everywhere else).

[Bob NC]

We stay onsite for many reasons, none of which include EE or E-night. We like the themeing of the resorts and we like being close, real close. When we go to Vegas we don't stay in Henderson, when we go to Key West we don't stay in Key Largo.

Going during May you don't really need EE or E nights. You will get everything done during the hours they are open. We go every year during the last week of April, first week of May. Lines are short, crowds are very reasonable.

[SouthernMom]

dtuleya, sorry about the olive garden confusion. that post was meant jokingly for lisa ... she had mentioned in a previous post that her ds had become ill after eating there on a previous trip. by all means, go and enjoy. i'm sure it will be great! :-)

[gepetto]

Bob NC....Memorial day week is quite crowded and park hours are considerably shorter than last year.

[Bob NC]

gepetto....Thanks for the heads up on Memorial Day...But, Bast is going on May 9th, and I was replying to that post.

[soluc]

I would definitly stay onsite. We stayed offsite last site yr, yuck! :)
There was nothing for us to do at night, no Disney Magic floating in the air and totally stressed out people everywhere, I say again Yuck!
This was just our experience, hope to never have to go through that again!
Stay on site and have fun, feel the Magic day and night, go for moonlight walks, DD, disney quest, whatever..just Feel The Magic!

[ducklite]

I'm confused by your post. Why would you plan on taking those young kids to an E-Night? Even if you are at home, and they get a good afternoon nap, are they still awake and HAPPY at 11:00pm?

At WDW they will be off schedule, no matter how hard you try.

Do them, yourselves and everyone else a favor. Stay on site, make sure they get afternoon naps, do'nt keep them up late at night for YOUR enjoyment (there are very few E-Ticket rides they can even go on!), and keep in mind that there will always be a next time.

Anne

[damo]

We've stayed off-site four times, on-site 3 times and at USF two times. We didn't feel we missed anything staying off-site. In fact we loved the large accomodations provided by the many suite resorts and the USF resorts. However, you definately don't feel as Disney off-site but it certainly doesn't ruin the vacation. Also the travelling time back and forth to hotels is really not a big deal when you have no choice. The parking lots are always full so it can't be that big a deal. We have waited a long time for Disney transportation too. Whatever you decide, you will still have a wonderful time because you are on vacation!!!! As long as your accomodations are safe and clean and fit your budget, you will be happy. If you are over your budget you will see every little flaw and that will definately ruin your vacation. It is very difficult to go to Disney and pinch pennies.

[Bob NC]

Do them, yourselves and everyone else a favor. Stay on site, make sure they get afternoon naps, do'nt keep them up late at night for YOUR enjoyment (there are very few E-Ticket rides they can even go on!)

Geez, other folks know your kids better than you do....LOL....

My kids have always been great with staying up late at WDW....Other kids have a problem with it....I wouldn't presume to know which kids you have.....

[Jennie4647]

I agree with Damo, we stayed off site and it was fantastic. The drive into any park was short, parking was no hassle. We had meals at various disney resorts and enjoyed these. I don't think staying onsite, or EE or Enights are the be all and end all. Just you and yours chilling together anywhere is bliss.

Jennie

[macs4us]

My husband is often on business when we are in Orlando (at Universal - but we still haven't been to their parks), so I am either doing things by myself or hanging around the resort until he gets back. Shorter hours definitely play a role in our trips, since he is often not back until 4PM. If you stay at Ft. Wilderness, you are still onsite, yet there are a lot of fun activities for families at the resort itself (petting zoo, horseback riding, campfire, boating, etc). We like the cabins, and love having a kitchen. I don't know if this would be your kind of resort (everyone has different tastes), but it may be worth looking into, as you can usually get a pretty good rate - we have paid $134/nt with AP discount. And you never know - we have been at WDW and they have decided to add an e-night due to attendance increases.

[mrsltg]

IMHo, offsite would be the better choice. Saving $1000 is really worth it. DH and I stayed onsite last year, but with a rental car. I didn't have a problem parking the car, and we never needed a tram. Granted, you're going to need to take two kids out of carseats, but is it inconvenient to the point of $1000? Probably not! Although I must add that I would rent a car anyway if my DD was with us. On the WDW bussing system I doubt that you will be installing proper carseats, and as the wife of a cop and daughter of a trauma nurse I can tell you with great certainty that small people don't fair well unrestrained in vehicle accidents!

Erin

[Traveliz]

With a 3 year old and a 2 year old I am wondering how many enight attractions they can enjoy (Buzz for sure and the People Mover and Country Bear but I don't find the last two of those too hard to get into normally) but height wise can they do Space, Splash, BTMR, Alien? Fright wise will they enjoy Haunted?

Anyway I would stay onsite - if I wanted to save money I would do a moderate or a value - but if I had reservations at the Poly and AKL and could afford to stay there I sure would - they are perfect for young children.

I enjoy enights but that sure wouldn't be the deal breaker for me.

Liz

[mirlow]

Even if you are at home, and they get a good afternoon nap, are they still awake and HAPPY at 11:00pm
My kids are 1,3 and 7 and they do great staying up late if they get their nap in:D We are in the mtn time zone so staying up to 11:00 is only 9:00. ;)

[Ncrnation]

So was anyone given a reason why this was done?

[hellokitty]

you need to check this deal out

http://www.mousesavers.com/radisson.html

go to the radisson link listed and follow instructions
it is as nice as deluxe for only $59 a night.

good luck and let us know what you do.

[puffkin]

I agree with some of the other posters about changing your PS to later times or doing some of the restaurants in the resorts or DTD and Boardwalk after the parks close. IF your kids can eat that late, it will save some precious park touring time. Also, you didn't mention if you were renting a car, but figure that into the budget if you are going to stay off site. I would also look at some of the moderates. There are some great rates for them, and with 2 small children and 2 adults, you would probably have plenty of room.

[MKingdom]

Go in October instead; it's our favorite month for Disney. The temperature is just right and the crowds are so light that we don't need an e-night.

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Bob NC


Geez, other folks know your kids better than you do....LOL....

My kids have always been great with staying up late at WDW....Other kids have a problem with it....I wouldn't presume to know which kids you have.....

My experience in watching kids kept up late to attend events like E-Night and the MVMCP is that the large majority don't handle it well, and do not enjoy it.

Like I said, how many E-Rides can really little kids go on anyhow?

Anne

[MJames41]

Personally, if I am there for a Disney vacation, I will never again stay off site. But then again, it's my vacation. If you think the money is more important, then by all means grab a suite off site. I would suggest making sure that e-nights are gone (they seemed to be making a come back) before making a change if they are that important to you. We stay on site for different reasons though. It's your vacation, do as you wish. Just my 2 cents.

[jabrown40]

I have taken my boys, now 14 and 16 to Disney over the past 10 years 14 times. We have never done an enight, or early entry. If you are going for 8 nights in early May, you will have enough time to see the attractions that are offered for your kids ages. I know the lines won't be as long during that time. If they are early risers, go for breakfast, get to the park, and see what you can before they melt down. Only you can decide whether or not they can nap in a stroller, or on your lap during show. From past experience, I can recommend the Hall of Presidents for a great nap inducer in small children. It's air conditioned and dark. You may find you make it til about 4 in the afternoon, and see just about everything they can go on. If they nap later in the day, you may take in Epcot in the evening. If you are at the Poly , you can hop on the monorail to both. We are going in Aug for the BC and GF - I stayed off site only one time, and never again. It just wasn't the same.

[jaguar9748]

It IS a huge difference in price to stay offsite. There are certainly many hotels around Disney. I, however, will never stay offsite again. I would rather cram the 4 of us into an All Star room than deal with the Orlando area traffic, potential bad service in offsite restaurants and potential bad hotel rooms. Trust me, I've had it all! I stayed offsite in March while going to Universal Studios and the folks at the hotel I stayed at could have cared less! There were teens at the pool drinking in the open and getting very drunk. Everyone turned a blind eye to it! I longed for even sometimes grumpy Disney CM's who were better than these "jokers" any day! Yes, EE is gone. Yes, there might not be an Enight. That is sad, but look at all that Disney still has to offer after the parks are closed - great pools, lots of different kinds of food everywhere, Downtown Disney and all its fun, 4 miniature golf courses, the Boardwalk, and so on. There is SO much to do that even in 8 days it will be tough to get it all done. :D Stay onsight, enjoy yourselves, take a moment to really relax and enjoy the Disney magic - it is priceless! You'll be SO glad that you did! :cool:

[Tess]

The cancellation of e-nights may not be that bad for you. You indicate your children are 3 1/2 and 2--a good many of the attractions that are operational during e-night really aren't geared toward that age group. Maybe it is a blessing in disguise and will now save you the added cost of admission for the four of you. That is, if you had planned to take the two little ones along. If you weren't, there are so many things for the grown-ups to do that I wouldn't be too upset at missing just one of those options.

E-nights are okay, we've done them on vacations past, but we've done many more vacations pre-E-night institution and managed quite well without them. I know how exhausted I was after those 1 a.m. e-nights and our kids are older.

I do agree with the other posts, however. Disney should definitely make a decision and live with it. There must be a fiscal answer for the cancellation of May e-nights--perhaps they aren't seeing the number of people willing to pay extra for such an event and that it makes it cost prohibitive. Maybe the CM staff has been diminished to the point there aren't enough to cover the additional hours. You can bet though that it's not generating the requisite revenue or e-nights would be happening.

As to your question, the decision to stay on or off property is yours--if you feel strongly about your principles, e.g., that you're not getting the best bang for your buck with the reduction of onsite privileges, vote with your $$$.

[kidzmom3]

I also vote for on site. You do have a right to feel any way that you want. And I do believe most people would feel anger and frustration for the quick change of plans. I personally just really love to stay on-site. We do stay off site every other year in a rented house and the magic isn't the same. Its still very very good, just not the same. Good luck with your decision.

[2boys'mom]

with 2 ds's ages almost 3 and just turned 6. They kept MK open until at least 830, mostly 930 every nite except grad nites when we were there. But no enites which were originally scheduled.
1. my husband and I had a sitter scheduled to go to enite which we cancelled.
2. My 6 yo ds would have lasted to go with us to an enite, but not the 2yo. He would have been wild. Also kids your kids age cannot do most of the enite rides.
3. If saving money is important, consider garden view poly or Wilderness Lodge over your other choices.
4. I might save my money for AKL when they are a little older and might remember it more. We loved Boma for dinner and you can take kids.
5. Do the petting zoo and the pony rides at Fort Wilderness regardless.
6. Do character meals. They are the perfect age for this. Chef
Mickey's is great.
7. My kids love the birds and ducks and boat rides at Wilderness Lodge.
8. Word to the wise. Both years, it took us about 4 days to do MK. Unbelievable.
9. At MGM, Bear is good and Ariel, Beauty and the beast is hot outdoors. Muppets is just OK. You can punt about everything else for kids.
10. Leave the kids time to dig in the sand and run around and nap. Try the Boneyard Dig at Animal Kingdom.
11. Get the kids lots of sleep and don't try to do too much. Leave some time for the pool.
12. Changing rooms sounds like a hassle. If you were my husband, I'd take the kids to the pool and let you pack and move if you wanted to do it.

[chrissyk]

All May e-nights have been cancelled?!! UGH! There were supposed to be 2 during the week that we were going. DH is going to be upset...he was really looking forward to doing the good rides with smaller lines during e-night!

[denise33]

When our dds were 3 & 5, they're most favorite things in Disney were running around the fountains & Legoland in Downtown Disney, swimming and boat rides at the pool and meeting Ariel at MK (they stayed at the grotto for over an HOUR)!!! I like to take it easy and certainly plan, but also leave enough room in the day to enjoy the little things (which are big things to the little ones)... You're all going to have a great time either on- or off-site!!!

[caverill]

We have stayed on-site and off-site. For our family, we will only stay on-site.

I would make one suggestion, if you go to WDW on a regular basis, you may want to think about the Disney Vacation Club. The amount of money that you are looking to spend would make a great down payment.

Check out the DVC forum and the Disney Vacation Club web site.

[tax58]

We only stay on site after two trips staying on 192. The Magic comes easier when I don't have to drive over to the park. No EE is tough and I haven't heard about the e-night going away for now. Good luck and enjoy the experience.