A few questions and concerns

[cajunrose]

I'm trying to a trip (my dd's 5th birthday trip) the 4th week of may. I have a few questions maybe you guys can help me with. I have never stayed in a hotel on property. We have always stayed in FW campground. I have always wanted to stay in a hotel at disney...don't ask me why....ROFL

I was really really wanting to stay WL. I can save the money but I'm really struggling with the thought of spending that much money on a place to sleep. We will be there for 10 nights. 7 days in the parks.

My question is this...is it worth that extra $$ to stay at WL as compared to Pop century (my other option). I want the 'magic' to be wonderful. Is there more 'magic' at WL than at PC?

We are also concidering staying in one of those hotels right off of the property that have bus service to all of the parks.

I'm so confused. All of this makes it difficult to breathe!

Also, is it too late to plan and book this trip? For some reason, I'm getting worried about getting ressies now.

Please calm me down and tell me this is JUST A TRIP!! IT'll be ok..lol

Thanks

Stephenie

 

[spiceycat]

you will be fine.

I would do the 7 days in the parks at Pop, then do 3 nights at WL to enjoy the resort.

been both onsite and offsite. they are different. the MK is definitely better onsite.

Epcot or Studios can be either.

 

[dixipixi]

I agree with spiceycat about splitting your stay. We have stayed offsite on a few of our trips (on our trips when we also went to US, IOA, and Busch Gardens).

Our last few trips, we have only done the Disney parks and stayed onsite (AKL, YC, and POFQ). I much prefer doing that. The whole trip was just more relaxing.

We never used the shuttle buses when we stayed offsite. They ran by a schedule that didn't suit us, so we drove everywhere and never had any problems.

I don't think it's too late to make ressies now. I had to change our February trip to January today and was able to make room ressies as well as all the ADRs I wanted!

We have been during the last week of May before and I have never found it to be overly crowded, so you should be able to make your ressies with no problems!

Good luck and have a great trip!!!

 

[misricsmith]

I was just there this past May and planning on going 2009 in May
got all ding res. I wanted and stayed at pop
other than our room being a little crowded it was perfect
thinking about a split res also with pop and connecting rooms for 5 days
and wilderness lodge for 5 days!!
still un decieded for dining though

 

[disnut8]

Spliting the stay is an excellent idea. Just make sure you go from the value to the deluxe and not the other way around. So do Pop Century first and then move over to Wilderness Lodge.

Do NOT rely on staying offsite and using the shutle service. It ain't Disney. For example, a Holiday Inn I stayed at once had an advertised "continous bus service to all the Disney parks". I didn't need it (thankfully) but I picked up the literature on it once I was there. This was their service:

Animal Kingdom - buses leave at 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM. Return time 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM.

Buses for Magic Kingdo left at 8:00 and 9:00. Epcot was the same and so was MGM. The return times depended on the closing hour.

That's not continous and not very flexible. It left you no chance to come back during the day and relax. the other hotels are about the same or even worse (one bus to take everyone to all four parks and one bus to get everyone back).

 

[Disney Fool]

How about staying at Pop for the first part of your trip like the other posters have suggested, and do all your running around in the parks. then switch over to WL for the last part of your trip to get some needed R&R--take in the resort (which is why you want to stay at a Disney hotel right?) and all it has to offer, go do a park if you want to for part of the left over days. a 10 day ticket is only a couple of dollars more than a 7 day. WL is lovely, relaxing. Enjoy it. Pop Century is energetic, fun, lively. Enjoy that, too! Whatever you decide, have a wonderful time.