Newbie .......quick question....:-)

[adr2.8i]

hi there. New to the site so please be gentle.

Just a few quick questions really if anyone can help.

Looking to book a trip to DLP in March 2010, partly as a suprise for my wifes 30th, and also my son will be 4 in april so im kinda guessing hes at the perfect age for going there.

im basically wondering if im best booking early or leaving it until january to get the best deal at a disney hotel for our trip?

And ive noticed that theres a big price difference in hotels with a swimming pool. if i booked a hotel without a pool, am i able to use any other disney hotel facilities or is there a place where we could go to go swimming?

many thanks in advance! :)

[poppyolivia]

Hi there!!!

well I can answer a couple of questions...no you can't use the pools if not booked with them..but hey you will be having to much time with mickey to care!!:thumbsup2

Right now you can get free food...lunch and dinner so I would book now...if they take a 20% off or 40% off you won't be able to get the free food!!!:thumbsup2 I've been to the santa fe and cheyenne hotels and not complained....they are brill with no pools!!!

let us know what you decide cause we are dead nosey on here!!!;);)

[Mrs Mickey]

Hi
I agree with poppyolivia about booking now; we always go feb or march and I think this offer is pretty good, you dont realise how much all the food adds up (especially if you are just charging it all to the room :rolleyes1). Probably the cheapest trip we will have had in the last few years.

With regards to the pool, i think it all depends how long you are going and how obsessed your 4 year old is about swimming. My 2 water babies (now 10 and 7) would be devastated if we didnt have a pool and we tend to go in to the park early, have early lunch, swim and go back to park until close. But if you are only there a few days then its probably not worth it.

Having stayed at the Disneyland hotel, New York, Newport Bay and Sequoia Lodge - weirdly my kids prefer the cheapest of them all (SL) - because the pool is fab!
JC

[Calumsmummy]

Can reccommend The Newport Bay Club, or of course The Disneyland Hotel.

I would say that especially if its for a special occassion, go for the best accomodation you can afford. Book now for the free dining as this really will make a huge difference. The food quality is excellent and it will make the trip feel even more magical.

BTW yes! Your 4 year old will love it! IMO the perfect age for a first time.

Get booked first then come back and we'll have lots of fun telling you where to wine, dine and spoil your wife completey rotten :thumbsup2

I think that you will get mega brownie points from your darling wife for doing this :woohoo:

[DLPdaft]

Hi adr2.8i,
Elaine, Jackie, Elaine and Reid welcome you to the DLP DIS board :goodvibes

We are a friendly bunch here so please join in on any other thread or if you have a number of questions then just start a new thread for each

If you have not had a look yet, DLP posting rules are here
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1477038,
DIS posting guidelines can be found here
http://www.wdwinfo.com/guidelines.htm

What a great husband and Dad you are :thumbsup2 - planning all this as a surprise for your wife. I'd agree with the advice you've been given so far - go for what you can afford as its a special occasion, and book now while the free dining is included in the price (this means free breakfast, fast food lunch, and table service dinner, every day of your stay, for each member of your party).

If you want a pool, you'll have to pay for a hotel which has a pool :).

[Ljay]

Hi,

i would say to def book now aswell, i think the free food offer is great! i wish i could book again now but hey ho:)

I love the SL myself, i think the pool is great there too! i love the theming:love: I think your 4 year old will love it:yay:

[adr2.8i]

many thanks for your warm welcome and kind advice. much appreciated.

my son does love the water but its not a must have that we go swimming. i was just thinking ahead just in case we have awful weather and we are stuck at the hotel thats all.

ive been trawling this forum for a few weeks now and ive made a note on how peoples reactions have been to the high price of food. so i shall book asap as you suggest and i shall let you know where and when i book! having never been to DLP before (although we have been to florida twice), i shall heed your advice as the food offer does look pretty good.

was looking at booking the santa fe but may "upgrade" to the sequia lodge just for the pool.

[adr2.8i]

just booked for march 2010 at the sequoia lodge 3 nights/4days.
not cheap though £616. and probably another £200 for eurostar tickets.

wife and son will be thrilled though! and dad will be skint :-(

another thing, is there much if any rides/shops or shows with reference to disneys Cars film? my son adores the film and its costing a smalll fortune collecting all the cars from the film so if theres anything there with a Cars theme then that would be blooming fantastic!

[DLPdaft]

Your little boy will LOVE the Studios park - it has the Cars Rally ride, which is suitable for little ones, as its a teacups kind of ride, but you ride in cars like those in the movie :goodvibes. The area around this ride also has life-size models of Lightning McQueen, Mater, Guido and Luigi, and the queueing area of the ride has loads of detail all the way through it from the movie.

The Studios also has scheduled meet n greets with Buzz Lightyear, Sully, the stars of Ratatouille, and if you're lucky you might meet an Incredible or 2 as well.

Theres loads of shows in the Studios which are great for youngsters too - Playhouse Disney live, Stitch live, Animagique, the daily parade - (can you guess I love the Studios too ;)???? ).

[adr2.8i]

fantastic!! my son will be most pleased to see Louigi..........thats his favorite!

[id@53]

Have a look here http://www.photosmagiques.com/gallery/walt_disney_studios/toon_studio/cars_race_rally.php for some really good photos of the Cars attraction.

[adr2.8i]

thanks for the link ID............looks fab!