Disney Newbie.........HELP!

[SamElkins]

I have no idea where to start.....I have really no clue........I saw this board on another baby clothing board I am on..........

I am a mom of 5 kids........I would like to take them to Disney FL. I have a range of ages........17, 14, 12, and the latest 2 little ones.....2 (3 in June) and 10 months (1 in May)........

Should we go in June before Anna turns 3? Do I have enough time to plan?

Did I mention, I would need to go on a budget?

Is 4 days enough time to see parks?

I will be driving from WV, so I would like to arrive on Saturday night or Sunday....(it will take 2 days to get there, well an overnight in South Carolina, maybe?)

How can I do these parks with such a range in kids ages?


I just need help. The internet research is SOOOO confusing and I don't know who to trust and what to believe.........

My wealthier friends just call up Disney, book a resort, buy tickets and get in the car........With 7 of us, I just can't do that.......LOL!


I am open to any tips, suggestions and questions!

Thanks bunches,
Sam

Oh, I would love it if there was another mom of a large family that could be my guru!!!

 

[SamElkins]

I have even posted this is the wrong section........Can a mod help me move it?

I am not a Disney owner.......

See I am totally new at this................Sorry.......

 

[Tara]

Welcome to the DIS and the wonderful world of planning a Disney World trip! (some would debate whether planning the trip is more fun than actually taking the trip!)

My recommendation would be to spend some quality time at the library or bookstore looking through a couple of Disney guide books. I recommend the Passporter and the Unofficial Guide to WDW. There is a wealth of information on these boards in general...you might find more in-depth information about the parks and resorts in general on some of the other boards. This board is focused on Disney Vacation Club vacation planning - DVC is a Disney timeshare. There are specific boards for the parks, resorts both on WDW property and off, restaurants, budget, Disney for families, teens, for people with disabilities, etc etc - virtually anything you want to know can be found here!

That said, DVC isn't a bad idea for a group your size. DVC members often rent out their accommodations (I'm simplifying here) at rates that are far lower than Disney charges for them to regular guests through their hotel reservations. These accommodations vary in size:

-studios (kitchenette, 2 queen beds or 1 queen and 1 sleeper sofa)
-1 bedroom (master bedroom with 1 king bed, full bath with jacuzzi tub and most with separate shower; living area with sleeper sofa - some also have sleeper chair, full kitchen, w/d, and some have another full bathroom) sleeps 4 or 5
-2 bedroom (same as 1 bedroom with an extra bedroom with 2 queens and another full bathroom - or some 2-bedrooms are made up of a 1 bedroom and a studio combined) sleeps 8 or 9
-3 bedroom grand villas - large living area with sleeper sofa, full kitchen, same master bedroom as in 1/2br, 2 other bedrooms with 2 queen beds and a full bath each - some have another sitting area, a few have pool tables), sleeps 12

Renting such accommodations takes some planning ahead of time, so June might be too short notice. But there are some deals to be had for the summer. http://www.mousesavers.com/disneyresorts.html#mayaug2010 gives details of the summer room discounts. The great thing about Disney is that there's a hotel for just about everyone - though I'd advise doing some research - and asking lots of questions on these boards - to figure out which meets your family's needs.

Good luck - you've certainly come to the right place - there is NO shortage of people here who are very happy and eager to share what they know about Disney trip planning!

 

[luc122]

A couple days late- not sure if you're checking or not-
But here's a few tips that might help-
First, call Disney and see what your options are as far as rooms. compare prices at diff. resorts. They might have free dining or tickets included.
we are a family of 5 but brought our inlaws with us one year and got a 2 br DVC, so check out the rental boards and see what is available. The advantage is you have a kitchen so you can cook some. (so you dont get sticker shock, as an example, the 2 br for 4 nts sun -thurs at boardwalk villa is 35 pts per night total 140 points, at about $10 per point) then figure out your tix prices, this is the next biggest expense. Accidental tourist dot com has small discounts.
My mom owns a timeshare in Fla, and she can buy "getaway weeks" that are pretty cheap, so see if you know anyone who owns one with this option. I think its through interval int'l, and she joined the club or something like that.
I would say, skip the overnight stop, only because hotel and meals add up. We've done this a few times, hubby and I just take turns sleeping while the other one drives.
Doing the parks with an age range can be done if you're willing to allow the 17 yo to take the 14 and maybe 12 yo to a different ride while you do some with the little ones, and then you meet up. Use the switching off so you get to ride too.

Since it's your first trip, don't try to do everything- really you can skip the lines at Dumbo and do the magic carpet ride- same thing. I would recommend the Crystal Palace character lunch if you want to do a character dining. We always booked the first luch time cause my kids don't really eat big breakfasts and they were hungry by 11:30.
Since you have small ones and they probably nap, go back to the hotel, let them nap and the others can go swimming.
Definately get the Unofficial Guide to Disney. It has been my bible since we started going.

Hope some of this helps, just start by figuring out cost of hotel and tickets.
have fun planning.

 

[Chuck S]

Since you have 5 children, I'm going to move this to the Disney for Families board.

First off, I would look at inexpensive lodging options, like staying off site or renting DVC or other less expensive timeshare accommodations, like Bonnet Creek. Also, plan on making meals in the timeshare rater than eating a lot at Disney, as resort prices at Disney, like any resort, are pricey.

Another option may be one of the family suites at Disney's All Stars resort. That way if you fly, you can have free transportation to/from Orlando airport. If you are driving, though, I would definitely stay off site if you're on a budget.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Should we go in June before Anna turns 3? Do I have enough time to plan?

That depends. It would certainly be helpful to be able to not pay for the 2 year old. But you will have to act quickly. June is a busy time of the year, so resorts fill up quickly.

Did I mention, I would need to go on a budget?

Our budget board has plenty of tips. If you stay on Disney property, I would possibly suggest staying at the Fort Wilderness Cabins. There should be enough room to sleep everyone i one cabin, and there is a full kitchen so you can cook meals instead of eating at the parks. But I'm sure there are plenty of other people with much much better tips for saving money. As other people suggested, you could rent points and stay at a Disney Vacation Club villa, or possibly rent a house or stay in a suite offsite somewhere.

Is 4 days enough time to see parks?

That would give you 1 day for each park, assuming you go to all 4 parks. Personally, I'm not sure that's enough time for the Magic Kingdom. Since you are going on a budget, you probably can't add another day. You might want to consider skipping one of the parks and going to the Magic Kingdom for two days. You'd have to read the descriptions of each park and decide if there is a certain park you don't think your kids would be interested in.

I will be driving from WV, so I would like to arrive on Saturday night or Sunday....(it will take 2 days to get there, well an overnight in South Carolina, maybe?)

You might be able to do the trip in one day. Two would definitely be do-able. We will be driving from Pennsylvania, and plan on taking two days. We have done it over three days before, and found that much time wasn't necessary.

How can I do these parks with such a range in kids ages?

You might want to consider not going to Disney Hollywood Studios. Or, if you trust your oldest three enough, you might be able to have the 17, 14, and 12 year old go off together and ride the "thrill" rides in Disney Hollywood Studios (Rock-n-Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, Star Tours) while you take the 3 year old and 10 month old to some of the milder rides and shows (Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Playhouse Disney). You could then meet up for family-friendly rides like MuppetVision and the Great Movie Rode.

This is also a strategy you could use at some of the other parks, although I doubt you will want your family to be split up so much.

The other idea is that you can use the "baby swap" option (everyone stands in line, and someone waits with the small children while the rest of your family goes on a ride, and then when they are done you switch so you can go on the ride and they watch the little kids). I'm sure your oldest child or husband (not sure if you are a single mom, you didn't mention one way or the other) can watch the 10 month old and 3 year old so you can get to go on some of the bigger rides, too.

 

[Chuck S]

Another option is to buy base tickets for the parks, without park hopping. This would limit you to one park on a given day, but you can leave and re-enter that same park if needed. It is a little limiting, but it saves $.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Another option is to buy base tickets for the parks, without park hopping. This would limit you to one park on a given day, but you can leave and re-enter that same park if needed. It is a little limiting, but it saves $.

We are a large family also and the cheapest way to stay on-site is to get two connecting rooms at a value resort - we prefer All-Star Movies. It's about $100.00 per night cheaper than the cabins and you get a second bathroom.

If at all possible, and could move your dates, you could save a fortune and go during the fall free dining promo, which is being offered for booking dates of August 15 - October 2. We have been lucky enough to get the free dining discount for our last three trips to WDW and it saves us about $1,500.00