Planning our first trip to WDW

[pinkygirl]

Where do I begin?
What should I know? I have so many questions!!! LOL
When should we book?
It will be me, DH, DS4 and DS7.
We want to go late August/early September. And stay at POP.

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

CONGRATULATIONS! Well your post count looks really high, so I can assume you have been around for a while! Since the rates are out for 2009, you can book at anytime! Get yourself a good guidebook - I recommend the Unofficial Guide and keep hanging out around here on the DIS! Don't be afraid to ask any questions! You will find there is a wealth of knowledge here! Have fun planning your trip!

 

[SydneyFalco]

You've done the cruise but not the World?

 

[maxie]

Check out www.mousesavers for the best times to go.

 

[pinkygirl]

CONGRATULATIONS! Well your post count looks really high, so I can assume you have been around for a while! Since the rates are out for 2009, you can book at anytime! Get yourself a good guidebook - I recommend the Unofficial Guide and keep hanging out around here on the DIS! Don't be afraid to ask any questions! You will find there is a wealth of knowledge here! Have fun planning your trip!

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!
all my posts are from the cruise thread. We just came back last week!!
Now we're ready to hit the parks LOL

Is there free dinning available for the time we want to go? would that be listed somewhere?

 

[pinkygirl]

You've done the cruise but not the World?

that's right!!!!!!! It was so much fun! and we're doing it again in 2 year!!

 

[pinkygirl]

Check out www.mousesavers for the best times to go.

thanks for the link!!

 

[erynsmom]

Check out the Fairytale Dreams and Destinations website(for some reason it won't let me post a link). Christine is wonderful. All they do is book Disney vacations so they know what they are talking about. You can get a quote from them to give you an idea of cost. I booked our first trip through Christine and it was amazing. You can read my guestimonial in the guestimonial link. We are the Carpenter family, third from the bottom. I will be booking our next trip with them as well.

I also picked up the Unofficial Guide and the Passporter - both were great reads. Of course, most of my information came from here, the DISboards. Everyone here is wonderful and very helpful.

Have fun plannning.

 

[fivebyfive]

Is there free dinning available for the time we want to go? would that be listed somewhere?

It is unknown at this time if (and when) free dining will return in 2009. However, there is a very good chance that it will. Any discounts for your travel time won't be available until about April, 2009.

I would vote for early September, as crowds are always much lower right after kids go back to school.

 

[pinkygirl]

thanks everyone for your suggestions!!!

 

[michelle1]

Assuming there is free dining again, your dates would fall right into that time period but I agree with the OP who said go in early Sept rather than Aug. If it doesn't matter for you the crowds will be lighter in Sept. POP is a fun resort and if your kids like waterparks the Disney waterparks are awesome! I would plan at least a day at each park since it's your first time but depending on how much time you have you may not see everything in one trip. You will have a great time!

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

Where do I begin?
What should I know? I have so many questions!!! LOL
When should we book?
It will be me, DH, DS4 and DS7.
We want to go late August/early September. And stay at POP.

I think you can count on many special offers to be presented in the coming months to entice more visitors to come to Disney, so don't jump the gun to book anything yet. We booked through Mousesavers and they will apply any discounts that become available even after you have made your reservations.

Tradionally, Disney will release it's free dining offer in early April for vists in late August to October. We've done Disney with and without the free dining. Our kids were 11 and 12 at the time, so they qualified as adults on the dining plan - your kids will qualify as children as they are between the ages of 3-9 and be limited to ordering from the childrens menu only - keep that in mind.

The weather in late August will be HOT HOT HOT and HUMID. Be prepared if you want to go at that time. We went last August, but took advantage of the water parks to cool down.

We've stayed twice at POP and once at MUSIC. Enjoyed both equally, but found the wait for MUSIC buses a bit longer as it was shared between the other 2 all stars resorts (MOVIES and SPORTS). POP has it's own dedicated buses.

 

[casper_jj11]

You're going to have so much fun! Our first trip was late Aug 2006 during free dining (kiddos were 4 and 7mo). We havent managed to get there at that time of year since but would love to. It was REALLY hot but we loved it. I think free dining came out in late March/early April. I'm pretty sure if you're ressies are made you can add free dining to it when the deal comes out though if you want to book earlier. We stayed in Movies for our first two trips and the kids loved it. I planned that trip and all others after using the Unofficial Guide and www.tourguidemike.com Even during our trips at March break and in July, the longest line we waited in was 10minutes. That site is wonderful! We're planning our fourth trip for Feb (our first winter trip) and I'm still using TGM. Not everyone loves the site but if you have a lot of time to plan and you really like planning, its great.

 

[pinkygirl]

I think you can count on many special offers to be presented in the coming months to entice more visitors to come to Disney, so don't jump the gun to book anything yet. We booked through Mousesavers and they will apply any discounts that become available even after you have made your reservations.

Tradionally, Disney will release it's free dining offer in early April for vists in late August to October. We've done Disney with and without the free dining. Our kids were 11 and 12 at the time, so they qualified as adults on the dining plan - your kids will qualify as children as they are between the ages of 3-9 and be limited to ordering from the childrens menu only - keep that in mind.

The weather in late August will be HOT HOT HOT and HUMID. Be prepared if you want to go at that time. We went last August, but took advantage of the water parks to cool down.

We've stayed twice at POP and once at MUSIC. Enjoyed both equally, but found the wait for MUSIC buses a bit longer as it was shared between the other 2 all stars resorts (MOVIES and SPORTS). POP has it's own dedicated buses.

thanks for the info you've given me, my kids are pretty picky eaters so eating from the kids menu only is not a problem LOL
good to know about Mousesavers too that they will apply any discounts!!
thanks again!!

 

[pinkygirl]

You're going to have so much fun! Our first trip was late Aug 2006 during free dining (kiddos were 4 and 7mo). We havent managed to get there at that time of year since but would love to. It was REALLY hot but we loved it. I think free dining came out in late March/early April. I'm pretty sure if you're ressies are made you can add free dining to it when the deal comes out though if you want to book earlier. We stayed in Movies for our first two trips and the kids loved it. I planned that trip and all others after using the Unofficial Guide and www.tourguidemike.com Even during our trips at March break and in July, the longest line we waited in was 10minutes. That site is wonderful! We're planning our fourth trip for Feb (our first winter trip) and I'm still using TGM. Not everyone loves the site but if you have a lot of time to plan and you really like planning, its great.

I will definately look into this, but I do love doing my own planning as well!!!

 

[Echie]

I don't really have a lot of advice, except to just enjoy the planning! I had so much fun planning our "first" WDW trip (well our first together). I always use the unofficial guide book when planning a vacation (yes I still get the book out of the library), and I used the info online too and it was a huge help with planning. Other than that, just the info that I gathered on here was the best help ever!!
My one tip... don't overplan on your first time there - there is so much to see and do at WDW that when you're planning make sure to not try to cram too much in. We had overplanned and ended up dropping a lot of stuff so we could actually enjoy it more

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

I don't really have a lot of advice, except to just enjoy the planning! I had so much fun planning our "first" WDW trip (well our first together). I always use the unofficial guide book when planning a vacation (yes I still get the book out of the library), and I used the info online too and it was a huge help with planning. Other than that, just the info that I gathered on here was the best help ever!!
My one tip... don't overplan on your first time there - there is so much to see and do at WDW that when you're planning make sure to not try to cram too much in. We had overplanned and ended up dropping a lot of stuff so we could actually enjoy it more

I agree. You should also make a list of "MUST SEE" attractions at each park so you can make sure to make the most of your visit. Once the MUST SEES are done, you can concentrate on other attractions. Also, many of the popular attractions should be seen very early in the day or at least obtain FASTPASSES. Otherwise, depending on the crowds, you may have to wait longer than necessary or perhaps not get on your ride at all.

We always made a point to be at each park during rope drop to take full advanatge of the high volume rides. If you mosey into the park 2-3 hours after opening, you could expect long waits or FASTPASSES for 4-5 hours later in the day.

One strategy I've heard is to avoid the park with extra magic hours in the morning as the majority of resort guests will flock there first - creating overcrowding early in the day.....but then again, it depends on the time of year you decide to go as to wether or not it will be crowded.

 

[SydneyFalco]

I don't really have a lot of advice, except to just enjoy the planning! I had so much fun planning our "first" WDW trip (well our first together). QUOTE]

Frankly, constantly thinking about the vacation, and whipping yourself into a frenzy, is an additional perk of the process (as these boards attest). But you can over-"FRET" planning, which leads me to my sincerest advice for a first time visiter: don't get too ambitious. The oft-repeated advice that first-timers tend to try to do too much is pure truth. In fact, well-visited travelers can fall into the same trap.

 

[smeecanada]

It's very easy to do the booking yourself. Unless, you don't like planning. I think you said about looking at late August/early September. During that period there is the possibility of thunderstorms and they close done any ride that is outside at that time and will have you exit all water parks / pools.

Maybe, check mouseplanet.com for their weekly updates - they seem to stay on top of promotions / refurbishments quite well - they are usually posted on Mondays. Mousesavers that a pp mentioned is good as well.

We haven't stayed at POP (stayed at Caribbean Beach and Wilderness Lodge) so cann't help you out there. The transportation systems work quite well - if you need to be at a certain place for a reservation make sure to allow for transportation time.

 

[pinkygirl]

I don't really have a lot of advice, except to just enjoy the planning! I had so much fun planning our "first" WDW trip (well our first together). I always use the unofficial guide book when planning a vacation (yes I still get the book out of the library), and I used the info online too and it was a huge help with planning. Other than that, just the info that I gathered on here was the best help ever!!
My one tip... don't overplan on your first time there - there is so much to see and do at WDW that when you're planning make sure to not try to cram too much in. We had overplanned and ended up dropping a lot of stuff so we could actually enjoy it more

good tip!!!!