First Family trip-May 2011!!

[Saffire]

New to the boards and looking for advice. I'm starting to get a bit overwhelmed with all the different options out there.

I will be heading to Disney World the week of May 8 with hubby and my twin sons. They will be turning 4 on May 12. Thinking this is a perfect way to celebrate their birthdays!!

We are thinking of staying 5 nights at a moderate or deluxe resort. Willing to pay a little more for some conveniences since we have two barely 4 year olds but definitely dont want to break the bank. here are some of my early questions:
*are 5 nights a good amount of time? should we get park passes for all days or plan a day to just hang by the pool/waterpark? again thinking of the little ones and wondering if it'd be too much on them....and me.
*Is it a big difference to stay at a monorail hotel for travel times/convenience? how much time approximately? if staying at the WL, do boats run frequently?
*approx when will discount codes be available for May, 2011? dont want to book too early or miss out on discounts.
*character dining? which ones are must-do? which would be great for a bday meal?

thanks in advance for all your advice.

*

 

[Mum from oz]

Hi and Im new here too. I am planning our first trip for May 2011 also. I will probably be there while you are. I am going with my partner our son who will be 4.5 and our daughter who will be just over 3.

How exciting for you and your boys. My DS knows we are going already and asks everyday about visiting Disney. Sorry I can't help you with your questions but look around, this place is a wealth of knowledge!

 

[Metro West]

 

[magicaldisney]

 

[ItsDisney]

 

[Disn3y]

 

[tracy0501]

Hi,

I am planning a disney world family trip for the first week in may 2011. I have two kids at that time they will be 2 and 5.
I plan on staying for 7 days 6 nights at all star movies and getting the premium dining package. I plan on getting the 5 day park hopper pass.

I am not sure how to handle what we will do at the parks for which attraction to hit first.

Any suggestions would be great!

 

[StitchBuddy]

First I must warn you Disney is addictive!: That being said, 5 days willl fly by! We took may daughter for the first time when she was 4 yrs old, we've been back 7 more times. Since you will be on-site be sure to make use of early morning entry and extended hours in the evening. Personally I would skip the water parks at that age, the pools are nice at the mod and deluxe resorts they have slides etc... We always go back to the room and take a rest mid-day. Of course we go in the summer and the heat and crowds can be bad, then again the parks are open later. For character meals we love just about all of them! You can never go wrong, no matter which one you pick. Be sure to let them know it's their b-day and they will make a big deal out of it. I hope you have a fabulous time!