Finally booked first trip

[markkelly]

So I've been keeping an eye on this forum and picking up snippets of info for a while....finally booked last night to go April 14...was really constrained due to wife being a teacher so flights were expensive....I always said I wanted to go direct but in the end I've gone for US Airways via Charlotte and saved at least 1600 over direct (and that was Thomas cook) - BA/ Virgin etc were another 600-800 on top of that for the 4 of us.

So now what......
Kids are 6 & 8 so holiday is predominately for them.....so thinking of staying near Disney -is it worth the extra cash? My thoughts were:

7 nights Art of Animation - usually I would stay somewhere with a higher rating than this but the pics look great and I think the kids would love staying in a LIttle Mermaid room......I guess this is a glorified Travellodge type set up...though Pool etc looks nice and since it only opened in 2012 I figured it must be in nice condition.

7 Nights DIsney Dolphin or Swan - these are Sheraton hotels now so I could book some nights with my SPG points - though if this is not a good place to stay I am sure that I can spend the points elsewhere.

Food - Disney food plan....is it worth getting ? Seems to be in cluded in 4* properties and above.....so it looks to me that staying in the Art of Animation + dining plan approx £350 menas it would cost similar to a 4* such as Coronado Springs ...which seems a little crazy to me.

If I stay in one of the above - do you advise a car....in someways a car seems hasle to me and the hotels say there is transport available to the parks....however, I guess I am going the busiest time and so having freedom with worrying about the bus being full etc might be worth it....just concious of getting a car and then it being mainly parked up at the hotel for the 2 weeks.

Looks like I have a lot to read.

Thanks for any advice / comments

 

[scoobydooby]

In you plan to stay on Disney property the first thing you need to do is look at the current free dining plan deal if you are considering using the dining plan at all. Not available free at Value resorts or at all at Swan/Dolphin.

 

[daisydoo]

Hi, I have also booked my first trip this weekwe are staying in a timeshare which I only found out about through the dis forums. we have 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, along with pools and 2 lazy rivers. Its off site but very close to disney. we only paid the equivalent of £810 for 2 weeks, and it has a shuttle service to the parks. forgot to say its Wyndham Bonnet Creek

 

[joolz1910]

We stayed at Old Key West with free Disney dining - it was fab. Having a car was good, but not essential for us as the Disney transport was rarely crowded. One main bonus of staying onsite was that we had the option of nipping back for a rest/afternoon swim with minimum hassle.

 

[flortlebap]

If you can get free dining, go for the moderate! CSR is lovely.

We stayed at Pop a couple of years after it opened and it was like brand new, so if you can't get a free DDP then AoA would be a good bet - I hear the rooms and food court are excellent. I wouldn't pay for DDP though - I just don't see how it's worth it.

 

[flortlebap]

Also re the car - if you're staying on site, you won't really need one. Worst case scenario, you can grab a cab from right outside the lobby of any WDW resort. The buses are generally very good - the only time they really fill up is after the firework shows or parades and at park closing, and even then if there are a lot of people waiting the CMs will radio for more transport for the resort. It's highly efficient!

 

[markkelly]

Thanks for the info guys....
I forgot to say - I am going 6-20 April (20th is Easter Sunday) - didnt have much choice given the OH is a teacher and we wanted 2 weeks...though a bit aprehensive about the crowds...sure it will still be great!

Wyndham Bonnet Creek looks a great resort...maybe a week (or similar) there a week in Disney would be a good compromise.
Where are the other good locations?

Glad to hear that the moderates and the budget ones all sound pretty good - I guess I am kind of torn between knowing we wont spend much time in the hotel - but also nice to chill out on a few days by the pool etc....though I gues there is a park or three for that!

Do you guys just have the standard DPD (free) or do you upgrade....read a long thread on here about it about a year ago...but need to find it to refresh my memory.....seems a semi-permanent offer?
Also looked at Complete Orlando as someone on here suggested - seems some good deals on there!

 

[irenep]

Ooh, first trip is so exciting

I just booked my flights for next April too (7-19) but we have been a fair few times already

I would really recommend that you stay in a Disney resort if you can possibly afford to. Having been April/Easter a few times it gets VERY busy and being on-site makes such a difference for getting to the parks before the crowds arrive and being able to take advantage of the EMH. I have heard good things about the Dolphin and I am sure it would be nice so if you have points to use you could always do a few days at the end and although there is no DDP (or ME) here, you still get on-site benefits with EMH etc. and a FAB location

As for the dining plan etc, you should compare prices for different options factoring in any character meals/tips etc. Personally, If I am paying for a hotel/ticket/dining package then I like to go for OKW and the regular DDP as we like the rooms/resort and we eat TS every day (and still enjoy the character meals even though youngest is now 13)

A car is not absolutely necessary as the buses are pretty good but I usually have a car anyway just for convenience and for getting out and about. You can always rent one for a few days if you find the buses restrictive.

 

[zavandor]

The Dinind plan is worth only if it's included in the room rate with a good offer. A family of 4 might get a very good deal out of it.
If you have to pay out of pocket, it's not really worth the money.

If you:
- order the most expensive items on the menu
- know that your family would have ordered an entree and a dessert at every meal (so no appetizer instead of the dessert)
- use the snack credit for the most expensive items in the park
- eat mostly characters meals (so you have to succeed to get a reservation for those in the first place, not easy at all some time of the year)
then you might come out with some savings.

This means that with the DDP many people:
- end up ordering something only because it's more expensive or because it's included
- skip something they would like because it's not included
- eat much more that they would have without it
- not save money or even loose something

 

[markkelly]

Thanks for the replies...
Can you help me out with a few acronyms (you guys really like them on here!)

irenep OKW = Old KEy west resort?
EMH = Early morning hours? - What time does it open for those staying in Disney Resorts and do all the rides open....been to Eurodisney which opens early but hardly anything is up and running.

Regular DDP - is that the middle one - One counter mean and a table service meal? Is this one sometimes free when booking or it it only ever the Quick Service plan that is included?

"We eat TS everyday" - I havent even come up with a guess for what that one means?


Zavador - are you talking about the middle plan also - I have since looked the price of the quick service plan when staying in the value resorts - seems very expensive - I see why many are saying you never buy that until it is included.

Cheers guys

 

[irenep]

Thanks for the replies...
Can you help me out with a few acronyms (you guys really like them on here!)

irenep OKW = Old KEy west resort?
EMH = Early morning hours? - What time does it open for those staying in Disney Resorts and do all the rides open....been to Eurodisney which opens early but hardly anything is up and running.

Regular DDP - is that the middle one - One counter mean and a table service meal? Is this one sometimes free when booking or it it only ever the Quick Service plan that is included?

"We eat TS everyday" - I havent even come up with a guess for what that one means?


Zavador - are you talking about the middle plan also - I have since looked the price of the quick service plan when staying in the value resorts - seems very expensive - I see why many are saying you never buy that until it is included.

Cheers guys

Sorry, get so used to the acronyms it's easy to forget others don't know them!

OKW- Old Key West

EMH- Extra Magic Hours - usually one park opens an hour early or stays open a couple of hours later in the evenings. Most but not all of the rides are open. I always try to get to the EMH park that has morning hours before it opens as it's a great way to beat the crowds.

Regular dining plan (DDP) is 1TS (table service), 1QS (quick service) and 1 snack per day
Quick service dining plan (QSDP) is 2 QS and 1 snack per day
both have refillable mugs for resort use
Table Service is a sit-down served meal or buffet/family style and Quick Service is the fast-food type

Value Resorts don't have any dining plan
Moderate resorts include the QS plan
Deluxe resorts (and Deluxe villa resorts e.g. OKW and Saratoga Springs) include the regular DDP

You have to buy a package that includes hotel AND tickets to get the free dining and always do the Disney resorts first as tickets can't be collected early. Check the prices and details on https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/

 

[markkelly]

Thanks for the detailed reply Irene.
TS - table service...seems so obvious now.

Good info on the Disney hotel first as I would likely have considered that second. ...since being off site then moving on site would be nicer than the other way around!