Anyone else going to WDW in October 2008?

[lisalonglash]

Almost our whole family is going (us and in-laws) - so far, our group numbers 11 LOL We can't really book anything yet, as we want to book our flights before we book accommodation and airlines only book about a year ahead, so we have to wait until at least October. Most of the family wants to wait until the spring to book air and accommodation though - more time to save up moolah!

We still can't decide what to do about accommodations though - there are too many choices! At this point, on-site resorts are out because of the prices in comparison to off-site. As for off-site, we could use a local hotel/motel or we could book a 7 bedroom villa. As I said, too many options LOL

Looking forward to chatting with others going next October (at this point, we're planning on Oct 17-25, 2008)

 

[hockey mom]

We are also going in October 2008. There are 14 of us so far.

I am hoping to stay at either WL or OKW using my points.

We know we are having Thanksgiving dinner at LTT.

Also doing MNSSHP and the food and wine festival.

 

[AprilFool]

We are going Oct 2007! There are 10 of us and we are staying off-site in our own hotel rooms. (same hotel for everyone). I don't think i could handle staying in a house with my parents or DH's parents for an extended period. We would all kill each other.

 

[petbren]

Hoping to go Oct 10 or 11-14. Just me and BF, we both have a birthday around that time--mine is the 12, hers is the 3.
Planning to do Food and Wine, eat, drink and relax without our kids or hubbies.
Haven't exactly sprung this trip on DH yet, as we will go Nov/07(same BF and her family) and March/08 already.
We will stay on points, preferably at BWV where we can roll back to after Food and Wine

 

[sheilag]

I'd really suggest you work on narrowing your resort choice, and putting down the $200 deposit to secure your spot now. You don't have to pay in full til much closer to your travel date (45 days) so that's lots of time to save. But do work with a Disney travel agent to help you find the hotel that's right for your family. They have special training to do that.

My own experience is that staying onsite is so much better than staying off-site. Besides being surrounded by Disney magic, you have access to the "extra magic hours" and can buy the dining plan, and you can use Disney transportion - the shuttle to and from the airport, and the buses/ boats/ monorails around WDW. It's well worth it. And a value hotel is not expensive - while seasonal influences will have the rates change a bit, it's usually around $100 per night.

WIth family reunions, if you have 8 or more, you can work with your travel agent to do the "family gatherings" stuff with Disney - and you don't need to stay at the same resort, even.

My recommendation - focus on what's right for your individual family and pick your resort - flights can always be secured later, and resort stays tweaked a little (disney charges change fee only if your pkg costs go down). Once you know where you're staying, get the other family members to follow suit - you need not stay together, or can - if it works. But, you can always hook up for meals each day.

Good luck!

 

[dsneygirl]

Something to keep in mind with a large group offsite is transportation. How many rental vehicles will you have? You may be at the mercy of someone who wants to leave before you are ready. With staying onsite everyone can come and go as they please from the hotel and meet up later.

We're probably going Oct '08 we went in Oct '06 and '05 and it's an awesome time of year to be there. The Halloween party is a must do!

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

We've taken a trip to Orlando and the World every year in October since our honeymoon in 2003. October is our favorite time of year to visit WDW with everything going on. The crowds are managable and the weather is typically cooperative.

As for accommodations, we've stayed both on-site and off site and both have their advantages. We find that we don't miss out on any of the "Disney Magic" by staying off site. If we are doing things in Orlando other than Disney we choose to stay off site and rent a vehicle. If we are mainly doing Disney, we prefer to stay on-site, but still rent a vehicle as we like the freedom of having our own transporation for going off site to eat or shop if we choose.

We can definitely see the advantages of renting a villa for a group as large as yours. You would however have to rent a vehicle or two though, so you would have to factor that into your budget.

You'll find people telling you that staying on-site is the only way to go, and others who say that off site is better. What it all comes down to what your preferences are, and what is best for your group and only you can decide that.

 

[sheilag]

I can understand the urge to rent a vehicle if you stay onsite - particularly if you plan on spending lots of time at AK and MGM (cause I hate riding buses, no matter how efficient they are - with two overtired and whiny kids, it ain't fun at the end of the day).

However, put me in the camp of definitely in favour of onsite. I've stayed off, and stayed on - the last time we stayed off-site, was for pure financial reasons only (and obviously, that's a consideration) - but we missed the "extra magic hours" that you can only get if you stay at a Disney onsite hotel. I don't know about you, but we tend to go "commando style" at the parks - up early, and out late (well, save back to the hotel for a dip in the pool, and maybe to rest and regroup). It's a tremendously big deal to us to be able to stay up to three hours later at a park than we could if we stayed offsite, and to be able to enter one hour earlier at another park (since Sept.11th, Disney alternates these perks thru the 4 theme parks - usually it's early at one park, late at another). The EMH gives us a bit of freedom to sleep in too if we choose one day - esp. if we know it's going to be a late night at MK, say.

Another huge perk, besides free transportation (the shuttle to and from the airport is a savings of $50 each way on cabs) and EMH, is that Disney resort guests can make all their ADRs starting at day one of their stay - out 10 days. If you're booking CRT, that's a huge deal as well.

The last time we stayed offsite, the bus ride home at the end of the day was horrendous - overcrowded, standing up, an hour ride home stopping at every hotel along the way. We saved money (we thought) but we lost time, and patience. To me, we saved very little.

But... to each their own. You have to try to know what works best for your family. And for mine, having done both many times (with and without kids), I'll stay onsite every time from here on out.