Trying to plan the perfect offsite vacation -HELP!

[Allie444]

I have planned my last 3 Disney vacations by listening to advice on these boards. My husband thinks I am a vacation planning genius and I kinda wanna keep it that way. So here is what I am trying to top:

April 2011- Beach Club with a terrific view, lots of great restaurants and The Hoop-Dee-Doo Review which my husband thought was the greatest thing on earth. My son loved the pool and lazy river and the ice cream place on site and walking to Epcot was just magical for me.

December 2012- Animal Kingdom Lodge club level. We LOVE seeing the Animals. This resort is our absolute favorite and club level was a big hit and just over 400.00 a night which as affordable to us for something special. We did an offsite trip to Kennedy Space Center and a swamp cruise and the early morning safari.... just the best trip ever.

until I topped it with.............

April 2013- Aulani- Just out of this world. This is the closest place to heaven on earth I have ever experienced..... just perfection in every way........

so now my husband wants to go to Disney again for our vacation at the end of November/early December. Club level is a fortune -like 600.00 plus a night so I am thinking 4 or 5 nights off site and 3 or 4 at Wilderness Lodge or the Contemporary club level. I would like the off site hotel/ condo to be in the 300.00 range and am looking for fun and interesting more than fancy.....

Any suggestions?

and a big Thank you in advance!!!!!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Gaylord Palms . Its a gorgeous resort on its own, but even more spectacular to take in during the holiday season.

Get a room that overlooks the 4-acre indoor atrium. Great views.

There is a wonderful waterpark onsite that your kids will love.

Start one of your mornings with the Shrek Feast...breakfast with Shrek, Fiona and Puss N Boots at the Villa de Flora restaurant. The buffet is spectacular and the character interaction is great. They take lots and lots of time with each table, and will even return to chat with you more than once.

Take in ICE!, the holiday feature that is themed this year for Frosty the Snowman. Bring your mitten and a hat, because you will need them.....its COLD in there (and I am Canadian, who is used to cold....so that is saying something! ). The ice sculptures are incredible. They even have a four-lane ice slide for the kids (even the big ones) to take a slide down.

Decorate cookies with Gingy the Gingerbread Man, and bring home your creations to hang on the Christmas tree.

Take in some of the free holiday entertainment at the stage which sits aside the 54 foot Christmas tree in the Gaylord atrium. They usually have singers and other performers beginning daily at 12 noon.

They have a family package called the Christmassy DreamWorks Experience that includes your accommodations, admission tickets, character meet and greets, and all the little touches to make your visit special. You can find the details here:

http://www.marriott.com/hotel-info/.../csyr9pd/christmassy-dreamworks-experience.mi

If you check out the link in my signature to my Christmas 2012 trip report, start on page 8 and you can see our photos and write up of our holiday visit to Gaylord Palms too .

 

[happymommy]

Or, if you would rather not do any driving, or if you'd like to stay at an Epcot resort, have you also looked into the Swan and Dolphin? We love that area, and rooms there are much much less than the Boardwalk or Beach Club. They have a nice pool (if it's warm enough to swim!) and room service.

You could also look into renting DVC points from an owner for the whole time - I personally find it a bit of a pain to move hotels during a trip. You kind of lose a good chunk of the day moving.