newbie here with a disney sized headache! help!

[dolphinlove]

Newbie here trying to plan our first ever family vacation. Looking at April 2010 and headaches over so much info and not sure where to start. I have a place in mind and debating btwn two meal plans. But then there's which parks to go to and unsure of the park hopper option...been reading conflicting things here. Husband has never been to FL and neither have my boys, ages 11 and 5. I haven't been since hs days and that was a long enough time ago! SO, any help and advice from those experienced at planning this would be fantastic! HELP!!

Tara in CT:confused:

[Mrs D]

Newbie here trying to plan our first ever family vacation. Looking at April 2010 and headaches over so much info and not sure where to start. I have a place in mind and debating btwn two meal plans. But then there's which parks to go to and unsure of the park hopper option...been reading conflicting things here. Husband has never been to FL and neither have my boys, ages 11 and 5. I haven't been since hs days and that was a long enough time ago! SO, any help and advice from those experienced at planning this would be fantastic! HELP!!

Tara in CT:confused:

:welcome: to the DIS! If you're planning at trip WDW you are in the right place!

I would advise that the first thing to do would be to decide if you'd like to do all of the planning for your trip on your own or would you like to enlist the help of a Disney Authorized Travel Planner (that's the key) i.e. Travel Agent that specializes in Disney. Dreams Unlimited sponsors this board and I have heard rave reviews about them - there are others out there as well. Personally planning the trip and determining every detail is almost half the fun of the trip for me, but a lot of people feel that your first trip (or first family trip) it is helpful to have a TA do it.

Next, order the planning DVD from Disney here (https://www.disneyvacations.com/dv/en_US/VacationPlanningDVD/index?sourcecode=11834&referrer=dp&hdrType=default&vcnType=genv&bhcp=1). If you interested in the possibilty of receiving discounts from Disney be sure to include all your contact info including email and address and check that your are willing to receive info & offers from Disney. I use a separate email address for all my Disney emails.

I would highly recommend getting a guide book or two devoted to Disney. They are chock full of helpful info and can really get you going in the right direction without being too overwhelming. I'd recommend getting The Unofficial Guide to WDW for full on research. I love Passporters WDW for it's great maps, concise info and those handy pockets!

Then you should decide what time of year you'd like to visit the World. There are great things about every time of year and everyone on the board will be happy to help answer specific questions to help you determine what will work best for your family.

After that you should determine a budget for the vacation. It would be very easy to spend your life's savings at WDW, but that's not always what makes it magical. I have been surprised that you can do Disney on many different budget levels!

Once you have a feel for your budget you can begin to decide which resort (hotel) you'd like to stay at. There are 4 levels (value, moderate, Deluxe and Deluxe Villas a.k.a. Disney Vacation Club).

When you have a handle on those items you can decide on tickets, what parks on what days, meal plans (or not) and the many other options that a vacation at WDW brings.

Please feel free to send me a Private message; I'd be happy to offer additional advise.

Mostly - don't get too overwhelmed by the wealth of information here. It's a lot but everyone here enjoys the ride!

HTH! :wizard:

[vfd265]

Best advice I can give you about the park hopper is, don't buy them upfront. they can be added to your package at anytime and they are still the same price. You can put park hopping into your plans and wait until you actually need them to purchase it. That way if you never hop then your not out the money.

[Metro West]

http://bestsmileys.com/welcome/17.gif

[pepe of ohio]

Best advice I can give you about the park hopper is, don't buy them upfront. they can be added to your package at anytime and they are still the same price. You can put park hopping into your plans and wait until you actually need them to purchase it. That way if you never hop then your not out the money.

Hoppers are good for the seasoned veteran, very easy to do Disney without and save some cash. We're veterans, we either have the hoppers or AP's and like the flexibility it affords us. A good book will do you wonders, write down what interests you, trying to keep it all in perspective, you'll never get it all done and the free Disney video will help alot. Best thing is to get a feel for the parks, locations and layouts before you arrive and a good grip on transportation and how it works.

We like to plan our stays around the slower periods, hard to do lately and value season when the resort rates are at their lowest. there are codes out for the general public which can save you a few bucks and AAA gives a small discount on Disney, every little bit helps. Best advice, don't get overwhelmed, plan alittle but be flexible, just being in WDW will take your breath away but above all, just enjoy the moments.

[Savvy55]

The advice that I like to give anyone planning on going to WDW is to just be flexible. You will have a set plan for when you go, but know that something will inevitable get in the way and things are going to change. Just go with the flow! You are at Disney World, the most magical place on earth. It will all be ok!

As amazing as WDW is during the holidays, for a first-timer you should steer clear of those peak seasons. The parks are packed and it just creates more frustration than you want. When I was working there, two of the parks were closed by noon because they hit capacity.

The best time to go, in my opinion, would be April/May or the middle-end of September, after the humidity has lessened a bit.

Good luck with your planning!! It will be an amazing experience :)

[Rylee]

Hi Tara,

I typed this earlier today for someone who wants to be super organized but it will help get you started.

Decide on a Budget.
Check this site and Mousesavers for special offers.
If using a travel agent, make sure you use someone who specializes in Disney Vacations.
If booking yourself, make sure you have the code for any special offers and ask to have it applied.
If booking on-line, read carefully before booking. The site automatically adds on some things you may not need or want... Hoppers, Trip Insurance, etc. Simply "un-check and update" any features you aren't interested in.

Pick your vacation dates.
(If flexible, check hotel and flight prices, first.)

Traveling -
Driving or Flying?
Need a Car Rental?

Accommodations -
On site or off? On site at a Disney Hotel offers conveniences and extra perks. Off site is usually cheaper.
Choose your resort.

Packages or Room-Only Reservation -
Packages require a $200 deposit and must be paid for in full 45 days before your arrival.
Room-Only reservations require a 1 night deposit.
If staying at a Disney Resort, decide if you want to book a package - room and tickets, with or without dining.

Tickets -
Decide which type of Ticket your family will need.
Will you visit 1 park per day?
Hoppers offer flexibility, especially for dining, but Hopping also requires time, time that could be spent in the parks.
Will you visit the Water Parks? One visit - cheaper to buy at the gate, More than one visit - cheaper to add on the Water Park option.

Dining Plans -
If you want a Disney Dining Plan, (DP) decide which plan is best for your family - Regular, Quick Service, Deluxe.
Read Menus, here or at Allears.
Make Advance Dining Reservations (ADR's) 180 days in advance.

*If you aren't purchasing Hoppers - be sure to make ADR's IN or NEAR the park you are visiting that day.

*Even if you don't purchase a Dining Plan, you still need to make ADR's for any Table Service meals.

The Parks -
Check Park Hours, Extra Magic Hours, Show and Parade times, etc.
Decide which park you'll visit each day.
Make a list of Must-See-And-Do attractions for your family, and try to see these attractions first thing in the morning.
Learn about FastPasses and use them!
Study Park Maps.

*After you've checked-off a few of your Not-To-Be-Missed attractions... RELAX! Enjoy discovering the Magic at your own pace.

Staying Organized -
Put all important phone numbers in your cell - resort, airline, Disney Dining number, etc.
Carry a small notebook or index cards with an itinerary for each day. Include which park you plan to visit, parade and show times, dining confirmation numbers, and your list of must-see-and-do.

Packing -
If flying, check airline luggage requirements.
Make a list of what you'll need, by running through your morning routine, just as if you were getting ready for the day... (toiletries, etc.)
Buy ahead, and pack ahead.
Do the same for clothing.
Check weather sites, to get an idea of temperatures and the type of clothing needed.
Remember medicine.
Don't forget the camera!

*If using Magical Express -
Pack anything you'll need for the first day, in a carry-on, as your luggage will arrive several hours later.

Traveling with Children -
Will you need a stroller - bring one or rent one?
Pack items to keep the kids busy and items of comfort... blankie, etc.
If needed - order I.D. tags, bracelets, tattoos, etc.
Set out their outfits the night before, so they can be getting ready while you are.

*Tip - Take a picture of your children each morning on your digital camera - You'll have a picture handy to show the CM's, and in the exact clothes they are wearing, if you should get separated.

Extras -
Will you need extra bottled water, diapers, pop-tarts, granola bars, etc? Ship ahead or place an order with Garden Grocer.

Some other thoughts -
Order the Disney Planning DVD.
Ask for input from your family and listen!
Be sure to allow time to relax and to repeat favorites.


Be ready to toss all plans and go with the flow!

[kwitcherkicken99]

Greetings!

Here's what I did when planning my first family trip (after a 10 yr abscence from the World and my first planning trip):

1. Bought a Passporter guide book (really liked this book, but any guide will work)
2. made a list of attractions we could do as a family (DH won't do thrill rides and our kids are young)
3. decided on how many days we could go (we drove from Indiana)
4. decided on a budget

Since we went during spring break, we did 4 days in the park AND purchased park hoppers because DHS was a strict 1/2 day for my family - not as much for us there.

Don't decide on hoppers right now, you can always upgrade later.

Also, concerning the dining plans: again, it depends on how long you're going AND if you can eat your money's worth. If you aren't interested in sit down meals, look hard at the quick service plan. allears.net has sample menus and approximate prices of the meals. We chose to pay for our meals OOP last April. This fall we are on the regular dining plan since we're meeting with friends from out of state.

Read through some guide books and lurk on here for a bit before making your final decision. Good luck!

[dolphinlove]

Thanks so much for all the helpful hints!! Too late, I'm already overwhelmed! But trying to work through it! Was questioning the park hopping option and now I think I'll wait on that. It's hard since my oldest son goes on rides with me and my younger son will go on rides with his brother. My husband doesn't do many rides (few family type ones) so I just want to get the most out of our trip!! Now it's getting a list of what stuff we want to do...have a list of the parks (general list anyways).....and making the final call on which dining plan. Does anyone have advice on which plan is most beneficial~~trying to decide btwn. the quick service one and the deluxe one. And seeing as there is quite a healthy cost difference...guess I just want to make sure that whatever money we are spending on that sort of thing is valuable and not wasted. And with the deluxe...do we have to do the sit down table service every time? SO clueless here!:rolleyes1

Two other things before I go, anyone know the difference btwn the standard room and preferred room? Other than cost...didn't see a difference, just curious. And finally, anyone know the time frame in regards to planning the trip for April so when is too late to actually book the trip? Then, it's on to the airline joys.....never done this either but can't think of it now! Thanks again!
Tara:scared:

[Minniemama350]

Regarding the dining plans:

Since it is your 1st time, you could conceivably do quick dining. It will save you time to go do more rides.

However, if dining is part of what you're looking for(sounds like dh might really enjoy some dining since he doesn't ride much) the regular dining plan might be a great option. It provides 1 sit down, 1 counter service and 1 snack per night that you stay.You could have a sit down meal once a day(you can actually be pretty flexible on how you schedule these. Sometimes we have a day where we use two and use only counter service for the next day), which takes more time than a counter service (so you'll not eat up all of your ride time).

The premium plan is a lot of food. If you have big eaters, this might be for you, as you get more sitdown dining. My family cannot eat this much food, but I could see how teenage boys really could!Just keep in mind that more table service=less ride time+more reservations to make.

WHatever you decide, MAKE TABLE SERVICE RESERVATIONS. DO NOT think you will be able to make those decisions there. You will wind up with nowhere to eat. You could possibly even try making your reservations now before you commit, and see what is available and attractive to you. You can always cancel them if you change your mind. If it were me, I'd spend some time on this now. Just keep in mind where the restaurants are located. We often use our park hopper as a means to go eat at Epcot. We typically end up with 4-5 Epcot restaurants and prefer to hop there as opposed to committing to that many days at Epcot. I suspect once you get ahold ofyour dining plan and have a place to stay, you'll begin to relax.:surfweb:

[Rylee]

There is NO difference in the actual room. "Preferred" refers to to the location of the room. Preferred rooms are located closer to the main building, food courts, and buses. After walking all over the parks all day, some people are willing to pay extra money to be closer. Others don't feel it's necessary or are seeking a quieter location.

As for the dining plans -

Personally, I wouldn't think anyone on their first visit would want the Deluxe plan. Just to get your money's worth, you'll be spending a lot of time in restaurants. My family would never let me book Deluxe because they feel all those Table Service meals (waitress waits on you) take too much time away from the attractions.

I would never be happy with the Quick Service plan. I want at least 1 Table Service meal per day.

We always do the regular Dining Plan. 1 Table Service meal, 1 Counter Service meal and 1 snack per day. We also pack pop-tarts, granola bars, fruit snack, etc., for the kids to eat for breakfast in the room while we get ready.

Remember, your 11 y/o is considered an adult on the dining plan.

You can also pay-out-of-pocket and just schedule as few or as many Table Service meals as you want.

Even if you don't purchase a dining plan, you need to make Advance Dining Reservations if you want to dine in the Table Service restaurants.

[Disn3y]

Welcome to the DIS! Enjoy your trip! :wizard:

[PrincessTiffany]

Thanks so much for all the helpful hints!! Too late, I'm already overwhelmed! But trying to work through it! Was questioning the park hopping option and now I think I'll wait on that. It's hard since my oldest son goes on rides with me and my younger son will go on rides with his brother. My husband doesn't do many rides (few family type ones) so I just want to get the most out of our trip!! Now it's getting a list of what stuff we want to do...have a list of the parks (general list anyways).....and making the final call on which dining plan. Does anyone have advice on which plan is most beneficial~~trying to decide btwn. the quick service one and the deluxe one. And seeing as there is quite a healthy cost difference...guess I just want to make sure that whatever money we are spending on that sort of thing is valuable and not wasted. And with the deluxe...do we have to do the sit down table service every time? SO clueless here!:rolleyes1

Two other things before I go, anyone know the difference btwn the standard room and preferred room? Other than cost...didn't see a difference, just curious. And finally, anyone know the time frame in regards to planning the trip for April so when is too late to actually book the trip? Then, it's on to the airline joys.....never done this either but can't think of it now! Thanks again!
Tara:scared:


When in April are you planning on going? If you are going during the first three weeks in April, you need to prepare for very, very large crowds. That is the height of Spring Break Season and it's also much more costly to travel then. If you can go the last week of April, it will be much slower and not as expensive. Also, your Advance Dining Reservations window opened up in October, so if you are planning to have any sit-down/character meals, then you need to book now and get your ADRs in order. As far as the dining plan, the best plan, in my opinion, is the basic plan - 1 table service meal per day, 1 quick service/fast food meal per day and 1 snack per day. The deluxe is WAY too much food, especially if you are new to WDW - you would just be wasting most of your time eating. The easiest way to plan out your vacation is using the www.touringplans.com crowd calender (it's the companion website to The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World). It cost $8.95 for an annual subscription, but it's totally worth it. Usually, if someone asks me for WDW planning help, I give them this list:

1) Pick your dates.
2) Pick WDW resort and book your package.
3) Choose dates for best park days on the touringplans.com crowd calendar.
4) Go to allearsnet.com and look at the restaurants and menus and decide which place you will eat. Just pick a restaurant that is in the park or area you will be in on a specific day.
5) Book ADRS on-line as soon as possible so you can get a good seating time.

Hope this info helps!

[dolphinlove]

silly question......planning on def doing the basic dining plan now (thanks everyone for your info)....here's the question, doesn't it leave one meal per day that you have to pay for out of pocket?? Just wondering how expensive it's gonna get down there to do that every day for four people for a week. Guess we'll have to buy some snacks!!:rotfl:

Was planning to go for my younger son's break from school...April 11-18....and now I'm hoping it's not to crowded. We could do it later, it's just that I really would like my 5yr old not to miss school...but have to check that crowd website and see. Thanks so much for that tip!!

Any recomd as to how many days ticket to get??? I know that we def want to do MK, AK, Hollywood Studios and we were hoping to do the Typhoon Lagoon park....so not sure how many days tickets to get and what options....thinking about the park hopper thing again......anyone know if the water park option is worth it???? We really like that but it's so freaking expensive and I want us to have fun without spending a million down there!:eek:

Thinking about staying at Pop Century......wish there was one with adjoining rm option or something. My youngest is hard to sleep with in a small bed which is why we like another option but short of going up in cost and looking at those hotels I didn't see anything. Oh, can you make your ADR without "booking" the trip? I only ask since gonna be using tax return to pay for the trip and obvsly it's too early yet...thanks.:yay:

[PrincessTiffany]

silly question......planning on def doing the basic dining plan now (thanks everyone for your info)....here's the question, doesn't it leave one meal per day that you have to pay for out of pocket?? Just wondering how expensive it's gonna get down there to do that every day for four people for a week. Guess we'll have to buy some snacks!!:rotfl:

Was planning to go for my younger son's break from school...April 11-18....and now I'm hoping it's not to crowded. We could do it later, it's just that I really would like my 5yr old not to miss school...but have to check that crowd website and see. Thanks so much for that tip!!

Any recomd as to how many days ticket to get??? I know that we def want to do MK, AK, Hollywood Studios and we were hoping to do the Typhoon Lagoon park....so not sure how many days tickets to get and what options....thinking about the park hopper thing again......anyone know if the water park option is worth it???? We really like that but it's so freaking expensive and I want us to have fun without spending a million down there!:eek:

Thinking about staying at Pop Century......wish there was one with adjoining rm option or something. My youngest is hard to sleep with in a small bed which is why we like another option but short of going up in cost and looking at those hotels I didn't see anything. Oh, can you make your ADR without "booking" the trip? I only ask since gonna be using tax return to pay for the trip and obvsly it's too early yet...thanks.:yay:
As far as the dining plan, we just eat a quick breakfast in the room. We bring pop tarts and donuts. Or you can use your snack credits at the food court for breakfast items also. We rarely have to pay out-of-pocket for food costs when we are on the basic dining plan, if any, it's very minimal.

April 11 - 18 is the week after Easter and it will be very crowded at WDW. As far as taking your 5 year old out of school, I personally, wouldn't even give it a second thought. My kids are 13, 10, 8, and 7 and we've taken them out of school three times for Disney vacations and haven't had any problems yet.

If you are staying for seven nights then I would get 6 day tickets. I would not miss Epcot, especially with a 5 and 11 year old boys - Spaceship Earth, Soarin', Living Seas Aquarium, Mission Space, Test Track, those are all not-to-miss attractions for my kids. The water park option is not worth it unless you are planning on doing BOTH water parks. If you are only doing one water park it is more economical to pay out-of-pocket. As far as park days, I would do 2 days MK, 1 day Epcot, 1 day AK and 1 day HS and 1 day Blizzard Beach.

You can get connecting rooms at any of the resorts, but you must specifically request "connecting" rooms. Adjoining rooms just mean rooms next to each other or near each other. We are a family of six and we always get two connecting rooms at a value resort. We have stayed at Pop and it's great. All-Star Movies is our favorite value resort though. You can make ADRs anytime after your 180 day window opens up, whether you have resort reservations or not. As for making the resort reservations, you can call now and all you have to put down is $200.00 to book your package. You don't have to pay the balance until 45 days before the start of your trip, which wouldn't be until the beginning of March. I would call today and book if it were me. April is a busy time and the value resorts will be booking up quickly.

[dolphinlove]

I am now reconsidering the whole going in April thing!! Anyone know what months are less busy??? Thinking of May, end of Oct, beg of Nov?????

Thanks for telling me about Epcot since I wasn't even considering going there...now I'll check it out!

Wondering how that celebrate your birthday thing works? Only because if we were to go in oct/nov my youngest will turn 6 on Nov 5. and that could be an idea to celebrate it at disney.

So, maybe we'll just skip the water park....I'd really like to do it but for almost 200 bucks at the gate...I just don't know.:confused3

One last thing...how much more is it to get the connected rooms? Would prefer it but not at the cost of too much more :scared1: Thanks so much everyone for your posts. They have been really helpful!!:goodvibes

[PrincessTiffany]

I am now reconsidering the whole going in April thing!! Anyone know what months are less busy??? Thinking of May, end of Oct, beg of Nov?????

Thanks for telling me about Epcot since I wasn't even considering going there...now I'll check it out!

Wondering how that celebrate your birthday thing works? Only because if we were to go in oct/nov my youngest will turn 6 on Nov 5. and that could be an idea to celebrate it at disney.

So, maybe we'll just skip the water park....I'd really like to do it but for almost 200 bucks at the gate...I just don't know.:confused3

One last thing...how much more is it to get the connected rooms? Would prefer it but not at the cost of too much more :scared1: Thanks so much everyone for your posts. They have been really helpful!!:goodvibes
The first three weeks of April are very busy, but the last week of April is not too bad, pretty good crowds. First three weeks of May are lower crowds, the end of May it starts getting busy with the summer crowds. October has medium crowds with the Food and Wine Festival going on. First couple of weeks of November are slower also, but of course, gets crazy over Thanksgiving.

The birthday discount is one day free admission to a park of your choice. Someone may come along and correct me, but it saves you about $75.00.

As for connecting rooms, you pay the same price for the second room as you paid for the first room. In value season, that's about $164.00 per night.

[ToddyLu]

:) Hi! We went to MK for my birthday then park hopped over the Epcot for a birthday dinner. We were all adults so we didn't really need the Fast pass they offer, or free day in the park--we already had our trip tickets with park hoppers--so I went to the guest relations booth at MK and got a gift card worth $75. Later we went to DTD and I bought some Mickey earrings with my money.

DH and I also love the pass porter for kinda figuring and mapping things out. It helps to have the general locale of everything in your head.

I also use an Excel Spreadsheet that I would be happy to let you have a copy if you would PM me an email address and are interested.

The first thing I do is make collumns for each day there. In this I write park hours and EMH parks. Then I think about logistics and where we will be. We have certain places that we eat at each time. They usually go into the chart first followed by other ADRs. I also make notations of the times for fantasmic, Illuminations and Wishes. We now have lots of flexibility in our trips due to experience. But for my first trip we bought a Pass Porter and just went commando.....so we could get the most out of our vacation. I can certainly appreciate all that goes into your planning and actually enjoy that aspect of vacationing the most. Our yearly trip to Disney is sort of my "hobby" I guess. We will be there 12/01-12/10 this year and 6 months out I will have ADRs and park hours orgainized as soon as they are available.

I think I would basically stick to knowing park hours and ADR times and locations---the rest really will fall into place. Have a terrific time and I hope that is is magical for you:wizard:

[disney*mom*82]

I see you have a lot of questions and thats great, you are at the perfect place! It is so exciting planning your trip to Disney, it is one of my favorite parts of the trip!

I want to first of all say that Disney is no longer doing the Birthday ticket. It was a promo for last year and they are now doing the Give a Day get a day, it is a good thing too. You and your family could sign up to do a day of volunteering locally and each will get a ticket. I know some people have had problems finding places close to home though and this is limited to the first million people I believe.

I want to point out that USUALLY October is free dining month! We went last Sept, (I beleive it is sept and oct, could be wrong, someone can correct me) and you have to stay on property and get tickets and the dining plan is free. They did only do the quick service for value resorts and the reg dining plan was for moderates and above. This may be something you may want to wait for. We go every March and it is usually crowded, but not as bad as it is in May, luckily our spring break is earlier than most others! You can look at disneys main page for their current promotions.

As for your room, have you looked into a moderate resort? We always stay at Port Orleans Riverside and we LOVE IT! It does sleep up to 5 and there is a 3rd bed that is a trudle bed, perfect for a child. Our 10 yr old always sleeps on it. The resort itself has 7 pools I think and one of them has a waterslide. You also have access to POFQ, which has a cute waterslide and pool area. It offers the boat shuttle FREE to Down Town Disney, the dining area is actually tasty and it is just a beautiful, fun, spread out resort. This may be something to look at unless you just really need 2 rooms. It would be cheaper.

As far as tickets- We never get the hoppers. I feel that you waste too much time packing up, riding the bus to a different park, etc. We plan our days by the EMHs. These are extra hours that the parks are open only for guests staying on Disney property. We like the late ones, but they also offer early hours. We see which park will be open late which days then plan that way. Once you know which park you want to go to then you can look at the parade and show times and work out around what time you want to eat and pick a place within the park or if you wish to go to a different resort, you can do that. You cannot eat at a different park other than where you are for the day without the park hopper. We do add the waterpark option, but we did this when we bought like a 10day ticket and also added no expire. With this we have 10 days in the parks and 10 visits to either a waterpark, disney quest or the WWOS. We usually visit Disney Quest and a waterpark each trip. These tickets wont expire since we added that option, so we wont have to buy these again for a few years.

One last thing- as for not having all 3 meals covered per day with reg dining plan. Unless you are huge eaters, really this is enough. What we do...those that want breakfast get it and those that want a early lunch get that we usually use a quick service for this. Then if we get hungry in the afternoon, we get a snack...these snack options are crazy, you can get a lot of different things that will tide you over easily. Then we usually use of table service for a late dinner. You can pack snacks, maybe some poptarts, granola, yogurt, cereal, etc. We usually pack snacks for our LO and thats it. Also, with quick service sometimes the meals are bigger and if you want to split say 2 quick service meals between the family at breakfast and 2 at lunch for a family of four, that works fine. Then you still all have a snack and your TS left. LOTS of options.

Hope this helps, I know it can be confusing. Feel free to keep asking questions, people here will help as much as possible. GL and happy planning!

[Mrs D]

I am now reconsidering the whole going in April thing!! Anyone know what months are less busy??? Thinking of May, end of Oct, beg of Nov?????
I understand May, October and Nov are all nice times to visit. You just need to be aware of holidays, other events that determine crowds. As a PP said early April is less crowded. Just be aware when your kids are on Sprig Break and you want to go to WDW, so will others!

Wondering how that celebrate your birthday thing works? Only because if we were to go in oct/nov my youngest will turn 6 on Nov 5. and that could be an idea to celebrate it at disney.

As PP stated 2010 will no longer offer a Birthday Celebration promo (i.e. free admission, gift card or fast pass), however WDW IS a great place to celebrate a birthday. I did go in 2009 for the Bday promo and it was so much fun to have people wish me Happy Bday! That being said, you may celebrate a bday anytime at WDW. It doesn't just have to be on the actual day! I wore my bday button and noted it on every reservation of our 4 day trip. That's what the trip was about! Disney is celebrating and it's so fun to be in on it!


One last thing...how much more is it to get the connected rooms? Would prefer it but not at the cost of too much more :scared1: Thanks so much everyone for your posts. They have been really helpful!!:goodvibes

We just stayed at Pop last month and did have 2 connecting (doors in between rooms) rooms. There is no additional charge for this, just the cost of the 2 rooms. Please note that you may request connecting rooms but Disney will not guarantee them. Disney does everything they can to fulfill your requests but they will not promise anything until you check in. I had several requests on our trip (connecting rooms, king bed in 1 room, 60's section, lake view, high floor) we got 4 out 5 - ground floor which we actually liked better- not bad! :thumbsup2

I also want to tell you that you are doing a great job of researching and asking all the right questions! Remember that no matter what we say here, you know what's best for you family and for this trip. But it's so much planning and I'm so glad we get to be along for the ride! :wizard:

[dolphinlove]

Now I am looking at either end of Oct (aprox oct.19-25) or begin of Nov (sometime in first week which includes my youngest bday!). Waiting for new codes, magic hrs for oct/nov and airline prices to decide definate on which it will be. Glad to hear that it seems this time of year may be slower than my orig April time frame. I can deal with the kids missing school at this point!!:yay:

Big question...was wondering, if I were to book my trip by March (to get that 300 $ gift card promo) and another, even better promo comes out (like the dining plan~which I really hope happens!!) will Disney automatically adjust my pkg or would I have to call and do that should I see something else come up??

Think the hoppers will work for us only because having my 5 yr old I am expecting meltdowns at points...so, I'm hoping that having this option to leave and go back will help us keep everybody calm and that way we can always revisit and keep the tears to a minimum so this can be fun!!:banana:

As far as checking out the moderate priced hotels....I briefly glanced at them but possibly if they do the free dining plan option than maybe we can "room" UP and try it that way?? Guess we'll see. Anyone know when these new promos/codes come out for trips planning at end of yr times???? Just would like to know when to be best on the look out for them! Esp since I am trying to decide if I should try to catch this gift card promo or just hold out for something better!

While I can't say all the planning has been "fun" (LOL) it is beginning to get exciting that this will actually happen. We've wanted to be able to do this trip for awhile now and I just decided last yr that I'd rather spend the tax return on a fun time rather than pay a few bills earlier for a few months!:woohoo: My friend Traci has been helping me plan this.....she sent me to the site and I thank her and all of you out there!:thumbsup2

More questions to come......:rotfl:

[dolphinlove]

Oops..forgot to ask....what is this Pass Porter thing someone mentioned??? I figured since I was still here I'd just ask since I've not seen this anywhere! Thanks!

[disney*mom*82]

Now I am looking at either end of Oct (aprox oct.19-25) or begin of Nov (sometime in first week which includes my youngest bday!). Waiting for new codes, magic hrs for oct/nov and airline prices to decide definate on which it will be. Glad to hear that it seems this time of year may be slower than my orig April time frame. I can deal with the kids missing school at this point!!:yay:

These are also great times to go to Disney! May be a little cooler than it was for us in Sept. It as a very hot time when we went this past Sept. We always have to take our kids out of school for WDW, it shouldnt be a big deal. (DH and I are teachers in a different district)

Big question...was wondering, if I were to book my trip by March (to get that 300 $ gift card promo) and another, even better promo comes out (like the dining plan~which I really hope happens!!) will Disney automatically adjust my pkg or would I have to call and do that should I see something else come up??

NO, Disney will not just change your package and give you the best deal. But, if you find a better deal, you can call Disney and they will gladly change it. You will have to mention any specials that you are wanting or if it is a Pin code, you will have to have that.

Think the hoppers will work for us only because having my 5 yr old I am expecting meltdowns at points...so, I'm hoping that having this option to leave and go back will help us keep everybody calm and that way we can always revisit and keep the tears to a minimum so this can be fun!!:banana:

Just so you know, you can come and go from the same park all day as much as you need without the park hopper, you just need the hopper if you plan to visit different parks in the same day. EX Magic Kingdom in the morning, say back to resort in afternoon and then Epcot at night, they hopper is needed. But if you just want to return to MK for the evening, you dont need it.

As far as checking out the moderate priced hotels....I briefly glanced at them but possibly if they do the free dining plan option than maybe we can "room" UP and try it that way?? Guess we'll see. Anyone know when these new promos/codes come out for trips planning at end of yr times???? Just would like to know when to be best on the look out for them! Esp since I am trying to decide if I should try to catch this gift card promo or just hold out for something better!

Just keep checking on here and disney website. Also, www.mousesavers.com, these are great resources as to when disney will release new promos and what they are. Its another fun adventure in itself! I think the promo code for free dining came out last June for Sept/Oct. I could be worng with the month, but I think that was when.

While I can't say all the planning has been "fun" (LOL) it is beginning to get exciting that this will actually happen. We've wanted to be able to do this trip for awhile now and I just decided last yr that I'd rather spend the tax return on a fun time rather than pay a few bills earlier for a few months!:woohoo: My friend Traci has been helping me plan this.....she sent me to the site and I thank her and all of you out there!:thumbsup2

More questions to come......:rotfl:

Im glad that you have been able to find help. You are doing a great job researching all of this. You should be one informed mama by the time you get to WDW!
Oh, one more, kinda neat thing, if you go on Disneys website and click on My Disney Vacation, then click on the link to the far left, says Customized Maps. These are maps of each park that you can pick which or all attractions to be added on these and they will print them and send them to you. They are very large and very cool! The kids love them and they give you a good idea where things are in the park. When we surprised the kids at Christmas that we were going to WDW, they got these maps wrapped up and they just freaked! We have a set that we have frammed and put up in our office, they are neat!:thumbsup2

[dolphinlove]

Well, just checked on the pkgs with our new dates and luckily the prices were the same for both times. Pending any new promos to come of course! Here's my thing right now, I'm trying to find any reasonable priced alternatives to getting a little bit more room in the sleeping area dept! Mainly due to the fact that trying to sleep with my youngest in the same bed is a terrible feat....know from experience. So, while I know that trying to get connecting rooms could be feasible I was trying to price out other ideas. Seems that the moderate hotels are too steep for us right now. I was wondering......the two places I'm looking at currently are: Pop Century (not ideally enough in the sleeping area dept) and the All Star Music family suite...which seems plenty big enough but at an almost 1,000 $ cost difference!! So, if anyone has stayed at these places (better yet at both) and can give me some opinion/advice/etc. I'd appreciate it!

Although with the potential free dining thing coming again (fingers crossed :idea:) I don't know that we'd still be able to upgrade to the moderate to get it.......wish I knew how much is cost so I could subtract it and get an idea.

Anyhow.....that's where I'm at.... :) keep contemplating the stupid park hoppers....that's another days issues! G'night all!

[Mrs D]

Big question...was wondering, if I were to book my trip by March (to get that 300 $ gift card promo) and another, even better promo comes out (like the dining plan~which I really hope happens!!) will Disney automatically adjust my pkg or would I have to call and do that should I see something else come up?? A PP said Disney will not change your package for you, you must call yourself (or your TA would call). If an when a new deal comes out you should do the math to see which is better for you.

Think the hoppers will work for us only because having my 5 yr old I am expecting meltdowns at points...so, I'm hoping that having this option to leave and go back will help us keep everybody calm and that way we can always revisit and keep the tears to a minimum so this can be fun!!:banana: AGain as PP pointed out you are allowed unlimited entry to a single park on a base ticket (w/o park hopper). This is how we do it too. Go to park in the AM, leave after lunch for naps/rest/pool, return to same park to finish out the day. You do no need PH for that. If you want to go to MK in the morning, leave for rest time then go to Epcot in the afternoon that's when you need parkhoppers.

As far as checking out the moderate priced hotels....I briefly glanced at them but possibly if they do the free dining plan option than maybe we can "room" UP and try it that way?? Guess we'll see. Anyone know when these new promos/codes come out for trips planning at end of yr times???? Just would like to know when to be best on the look out for them! Esp since I am trying to decide if I should try to catch this gift card promo or just hold out for something better!
Here's my favorite site for looking at what types of discounts were offered and when they were released. http://www.mousesavers.com/historicalwdwdiscounts.html


Well, just checked on the pkgs with our new dates and luckily the prices were the same for both times. Pending any new promos to come of course! Here's my thing right now, I'm trying to find any reasonable priced alternatives to getting a little bit more room in the sleeping area dept! Mainly due to the fact that trying to sleep with my youngest in the same bed is a terrible feat....know from experience. So, while I know that trying to get connecting rooms could be feasible I was trying to price out other ideas. Seems that the moderate hotels are too steep for us right now. I was wondering......the two places I'm looking at currently are: Pop Century (not ideally enough in the sleeping area dept) and the All Star Music family suite...which seems plenty big enough but at an almost 1,000 $ cost difference!! So, if anyone has stayed at these places (better yet at both) and can give me some opinion/advice/etc. I'd appreciate it!

The thing about this is the bigger your budget the bigger accommodations you can get. At Pop, you get 2 double beds. At Port Orleans Riverside you get 2 dbls and a trundle. That would definitely work for your youngest. In the family suite at ASMu you get a queen, a dbl sleeper, and 2 sleeper chairs (plus 2 bathrooms and the mini kitchen). If the Mods are too much, the suite is even more (so would 2 rooms at Pop).
My suggestion is that you could probably squeeze in a kids readybed for your youngest if you though that might help. I'm thinking it's just a bit longer than a pack & play so you could move the table & chairs to the other side of the TV cabinet.

Although with the potential free dining thing coming again (fingers crossed :idea:) I don't know that we'd still be able to upgrade to the moderate to get it.......wish I knew how much is cost so I could subtract it and get an idea. In 2008 & 2009 free dining was offered in August & Sept (ending early Oct) but was then extended thru Dec due to low attendance/room occupancy. But in 2006 & 2007 FD ended in Sept. Just wanted you to know not to expect FD for Oct/Nov/Dec.

Most importantly, book what you can afford to pay or hang tight to see what discounts are offered.

Anyhow.....that's where I'm at.... :) keep contemplating the stupid park hoppers....that's another days issues! G'night all! The great news is you can add those PHers on anytime before or during your trip. I decide on PHers after I decided what parks we're going to on what days and what dining reservations I get.

HTH! :wizard:

[dolphinlove]

Turns out the moderate hotels were still SO much more than the suites at the All Star Music. I have thought about just doing the 2 rooms at Pop but since I'm checking prices out online....I haven't found a feature that will add two rooms...just has a msg that pops up saying you have to make 2 sep reserv and I wasn't sure I wanted to get involved with all that. Btw, what is a "kids ready bed"?????? I know the pack and play thing for babies...but I've never heard of that and do they have them at disney or would this be a purchase on our part? Do tell...interesting.

Now that I've thought a little more about it....I think I'm gonna redo my saved pkgs and take off the hopper option. But wait, that also means that should we want to eat at a different park we wouldn't be able to then without it, correct? Whatever. I have to wait until they make avail the magic hrs for my dates since they aren't up as of yet and then see which park for which day and then decide on the ADR's as well. Luckily my friend who has been helping me with this has given me a bunch of dining choices that they went to and liked so I have a head start having never been to any!

I'm trying not to spend a fortune obviously and my goal is trying to get this entire trip to be in the neighborhood of 4K (or less) at the most since I'm leaving an approx 1K for airfaire. So while I can prob do a little more than that....I'm trying to keep it as low as I can. This is why I'm trying to determine if the about 1K difference btwn staying at Pop vs. staying in the suite at All Star Music is really worth it......for me to have the space, sure! Just wish the price difference were less than almost a thousand bucks!! LOL:laughing:

And now so long as they get the magic hrs up for oct/nov I can prob book it for the gift card promo and then just wait and see if anything comes up. The dining free would be lovely, but if it's strict on where you're staying and etc then who knows...plus now you're saying it might not even be for our timeframe. Guess we'll see! :yay:

What's funny is that originally my oldest (age 11, geesh, 12 in July) knew that I was planning this for April and he was so excited. So, since my dates have changed I tried to play it off with him so I could hopefully throw him off and try to make it a surprise that it's still happening he just won't know when! Thanks...

[Rylee]

Turns out the moderate hotels were still SO much more than the suites at the All Star Music. I have thought about just doing the 2 rooms at Pop but since I'm checking prices out online....I haven't found a feature that will add two rooms...just has a msg that pops up saying you have to make 2 sep reserv and I wasn't sure I wanted to get involved with all that. Btw, what is a "kids ready bed"?????? I know the pack and play thing for babies...but I've never heard of that and do they have them at disney or would this be a purchase on our part? Do tell...interesting.

Now that I've thought a little more about it....I think I'm gonna redo my saved pkgs and take off the hopper option. But wait, that also means that should we want to eat at a different park we wouldn't be able to then without it, correct? Whatever. I have to wait until they make avail the magic hrs for my dates since they aren't up as of yet and then see which park for which day and then decide on the ADR's as well. Luckily my friend who has been helping me with this has given me a bunch of dining choices that they went to and liked so I have a head start having never been to any!

I'm trying not to spend a fortune obviously and my goal is trying to get this entire trip to be in the neighborhood of 4K (or less) at the most since I'm leaving an approx 1K for airfaire. So while I can prob do a little more than that....I'm trying to keep it as low as I can. This is why I'm trying to determine if the about 1K difference btwn staying at Pop vs. staying in the suite at All Star Music is really worth it......for me to have the space, sure! Just wish the price difference were less than almost a thousand bucks!! LOL:laughing:

And now so long as they get the magic hrs up for oct/nov I can prob book it for the gift card promo and then just wait and see if anything comes up. The dining free would be lovely, but if it's strict on where you're staying and etc then who knows...plus now you're saying it might not even be for our timeframe. Guess we'll see! :yay:

What's funny is that originally my oldest (age 11, geesh, 12 in July) knew that I was planning this for April and he was so excited. So, since my dates have changed I tried to play it off with him so I could hopefully throw him off and try to make it a surprise that it's still happening he just won't know when! Thanks...

One (1) room at Port Orleans Riverside (2 double beds, plus a trundle bed) is definitely CHEAPER than 1 suite at All Star Music. (Unless you have visited a site that contains an error, which I understand Disney has honored in the past.)

Cheapest options that offer separate beds for the kids, going up in cost -

Port Orleans Riverside - AB section,
2 rooms at a Value Resort (not guaranteed to be connecting)
1 All-Star Music Suite
Fort Wilderness Cabin
Deluxe Resort with Daybed, or bunk beds.

*** If you really want/need separate sleeping arrangements for the kids, some people have brought an air mattress or requested a roll-away bed. (Not sure roll-aways are available at all resorts.)

[jdtopgun71]

Welcome to the DIS!

[sstanaford]

I noticed you kept mentioning the gift card ($300), you only get that if you stay during a certain time period and where you are planning on sometime in Oct/Nov you are beyond that time period. Just wanted to point that out.

[Mrs D]

In 2008 & 2009 free dining was offered in August & Sept (ending early Oct) but was then extended thru Dec due to low attendance/room occupancy. But in 2006 & 2007 FD ended in Sept. Just wanted you to know not to expect FD for Oct/Nov/Dec.


Let me re-phrase that. There is no guarantee that FD will be offered. Odds are good it will be offered in 2010. What the exact dates would be is anybody's guess. Odds are good it will be for Aug & Sept. I would love to see them extend the offer into Oct/Nov/Dec again! Based on the deals they are offering into 2010 I think there is a likelihood they may extend it into the fall. But it's not a sure thing.

Ok, does that make more sense?

[dolphinlove]

Well I know that with the gift card promo you have to book the trip by end of March...which I may end up doing anyways and then go from there depending on new promos.

HUGE QUESTION: Getting mixed up now....can anyone tell me this...do I need the park hopper option should I want to eat at a different park then the one we are visiting on any given day???

Need this info since I redid my two hotel options with out the hopper and saved about 200 bucks. Of course, when I added the water park option it went back to the hopper price plus about 3 cents!!:laughing:

Anyone ever do the swim with the sharks thing at the one water park??? My oldest is interested in that....still not sure if we're gonna do it this trip or not but was curious. Thanks everyone. Getting the help on this board has been so great!!

[Mrs D]

If you want to enter more than 1 park in a day you will need the PH. If you enter one park in the AM then have a reservation for a restaurant in another park that day you will need the PH. I try to plan my restaurants to be in the park I will be at. There are many restaurants at resorts that you do not need to use a ticket or PH for.

[Muppet_Girl]

If you want to avoid PH, try doing restaurants that are at the resorts or in Downtown Disney, which don't require a ticket.

[dolphinlove]

thanks ladies for clearing that ph thing up for me! Think I need to take a break from planning!:rotfl:

So think PH are out but how does anyone feel about the water parks...specifically Typhoon Lagoon and the swim with sharks thing?? Debating this.

Is there anyone out there who can recmd the resort they prefer??

Looking at Pop Century, All Star Music for the fam suite and Port Orleans Riverside (although the decor isn't geared towards kids like I'd like)!!

Seeking more sleeping space and trying to decide!

Also, anyone know what a Pass Porter is?? A kids ready bed?? These are two items that were posted but no clue what they are!

Bummed since the gift card promo isn't good for my trip....looking forward to what they put out.....just lacking the patience to wait!!:yay:

Thanks everyone! Tara in CT

[Mrs D]

My answers are in red.

thanks ladies for clearing that ph thing up for me! Think I need to take a break from planning!:rotfl:

So think PH are out but how does anyone feel about the water parks...specifically Typhoon Lagoon and the swim with sharks thing?? Debating this.I dont know anything about this. Sorry!

Is there anyone out there who can recmd the resort they prefer??

Looking at Pop Century, All Star Music for the fam suite and Port Orleans Riverside (although the decor isn't geared towards kids like I'd like)!!
I stayed at Pop and loved it, especially for the price. If you want just one more bed go with POR.

Seeking more sleeping space and trying to decide!

Also, anyone know what a Pass Porter is?? Passporter is an awesome guide book. It will really help you research your trip. I like it for the color fold out maps, the pockets which I keep everything trip related in, and it's easy to carry with without getting destroyed. You can buy it at most large book stores, on amazon or directly from their website passporter.com

A kids ready bed?? a kids ready bed is a twin air mattress but a little shorter. It also has an attached sleeping bag. It easy to blow up by mouth (we chucked the foot pump that came with it). DS4 likes using it and is comfortable enough in it. It rolls up fairly small for an air bed. You can buy them at Walmart & Target.

[dolphinlove]

Help with hotels......pop vs ASM fam suite vs POR??



Help with water park.......typhoon lagoon...is it worth it to add the water park option to ticket? Anyone ever do the swim with the shark thing????




Thanks! :cool1:

[PrincessTiffany]

Help with hotels......pop vs ASM fam suite vs POR??



Help with water park.......typhoon lagoon...is it worth it to add the water park option to ticket? Anyone ever do the swim with the shark thing????




Thanks! :cool1:
Two connecting rooms at Pop.

The water parks ticket option is only cheaper if you are doing both parks. If you are only doing one water park it is cheaper to pay out-of-pocket.

We prefer Blizzard Beach.

We have never done the shark thing.

[vfd265]

Swimming with the sharks is pretty neat. They have two options there. You can snorkel across an area maybe 50 feet long, lasts about 5 minute if you go real slow.....that is all free. Or you can rent some "surface scuba" equipment for a 30 minute foray. We did the freebie but the other looked very cool.

Not sure if you need PH to enter a park for dining reservations. My guess is you would. But as myself and many before have mentioned, they can be added any time and they are still the same price. I would hold off on them. Something could come up and prevent you from making your dining "reservation", and you wouldnt need the PH.

We stayed at Pop Century and loved it. Best part of Pop is the dedicated bus. Runs from the parks to the resort. We stayed at ASMovies and, while the ASM resorts do have a dedicated bus, it stops at all three resorts. Not a huge thing, but small things add up.

[DisneyTravelers2008]

a

[DisneyTravelers2008]

Regardig the dining plan, I would get the one that has 1 quick service, 1 table service and 1 snack per day. That way you can have one meal per day to sit down and relax. Disney has lots of great restaurnats to choose from. At age 10-12 my son enjoyed the character dining, so you might want to consider that for a few meals. It ireally is fun! Either way, be sure to make a few advance dining reservations (ADRs).By getting this dining plan, basically your quick service meal and snack for each day are free b/c you pay about $39 per day and that is about how mcuh it costs epr person at a sit down restaurant at Disney.

Regarding the hotel, for our first trip we stayed at the cabins at Fort Wilderness. It had a bedroom for the kids and a VERY comfy murphy bed in the Living Room for me and my hubby. Plus you get a small kitchen and a large deck. Overall we did not spend a lot of time in the hotel ( or cabin in this case) b/c since it was our first trip we were in the parks ALOT! We thought the cabin was a great deal for the money bc you got a lot of space.

We do also like Animal Kingdom lodge a lot. It has the animals you can see from your room if you book a room w/ a Savannah view. Or there are place throughout the lodge / resort wher you can view them. It is super cool and beautifully decorated.And it has great restaurnts a nd pools, kids activites at the resort, etc....but for a first trip you may wnat to focus less on the resort and more on the parks. ???? We stayed here on our 4the trip (in 3 years) so we did not spend as mcuh time in the parks and we actually enjoyed the resort a lot.

I used the Disney World web site to research the hotels and parks. And, I read through a Disney planning book...very helpful to get an idea off the many options.

Also, look over the park map to get an idea of where everything is located. Planning can be half the fun and it helps yor trip go more smoothly. You will have a great time and this board should help lots.

Good luck and have fun!