First Timer from VA!

[meliekanicole]

Hey Everyone! Just wanted to introduce myself as a new member of the DisBoards! I am a lover of ALL things Disney and can't wait for they day I can make it there again. I went once when I was 4, and haven't been back since. I don't remember much, but I've always had a dream that when my first child turned 5, I would return with them, and hopefully it would become an annual family tradition. That time has finally come. My DD is 3, will be 4 this May, so I am planning our first trip for Nov' 2015! I am so excited and cannot wait! This next year will probably seem like it's taking an eternity to come but I am excited to finally be going back!

Any first time tips or veteran knowledge would be well appreciated especially since I have ZERO knowledge about the planning process.

I would love to stay at the AKL one day, or the Epcot Resort Area, and am keeping fingers crossed for our first vacation for one of those spots! I may stay at the Dolphin (I work in Events for the Westin and am an SPG member, so I would get a discount), but I am also looking at Port Orleans Riverside Royal Rooms, Pop Century, POFQ, or YC/BC (Stormalong Bay )!

I am a HUGE Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, Princess and the Frog, and Frozen fan as is my DD.

But enough about me, I hope you will be seeing a little more of me and able to answer any questions I have as there are A LOT of them.

Anybody else traveling to Disney in 2015? Is November a good time to go? Any advice or well wishes you can send my way? Thanks DIS users!!

 

[CarlaLovesDisney]

Yay! Hello fellow Virginian!

You'll get A LOT of tips here for your planning The planning is just as fun!

 

[DanenRox]

Hello! And Welcome~

 

[magicaldisney]

 

[RHMH]

Dis Friend

 

[meliekanicole]

Hello DanenRox, magicaldisney, & RHMH!!

​

 

[Aliceacc]

Hi and welcome!

Take a look at the crowd calendars. If you can swing it, I'm pretty sure that the weeks before Thanksgiving are MUCH better than Thanksgiving weekend.

I've never stayed at any of the resorts you mention (we're a family of 5 and wouldn't fit into most of them) but I have considered the Dolphin. That walkability to Epcot, and the boat to Hollywood Studios, make it a VERY strong contender in my book!! If the discount is significant enough to make it viable, then I would suggest you really consider it! (Take a look at the November temperatures-- I have no idea what they're like. But decide how much use you're likely to get out of Stormalong Bay and whether the difference between that discounted Dolphin room and the BC/YC rooms will make up for it. We go in August, and my kids are in SAB every single afternoon.)

Other things to consider: if you do decide on one of the Disney resorts, take a look at the meal plans and decide whether they make sense for your family. We love it, but lots of people don't.

Either way, consider at least a few table service meals. Your daughter can meet 5 princesses (they rotate, so no telling which ones) for photos and pictures at Aukeraus (in Norway, at Epcot.) Or take a look at dinner at 1900 Park Fare (in the Grand Floridian, easy to reach via monorail from the Magic Kingdom.) Cinderella and the Prince, along with the Stepsisters and Stepmother are all there. It's a buffet, so there's something for everyone. And the Stepsisters and Stepmother are a total hoot!!

Also, since you have so much time: start now stockpiling Disney Gift cards. Put one into the Easter Basket, give one for Mother's and Father's Day, let the relatives know that they're good ideas for birthdays and Christmas. By the time you leave for WDW, you'll have all the spending money you want, and saving will have been painless.

We also have a coin jar in my bedroom. Since we didn't go away last summer, it's pretty full-- my guess would be $500 or $600. Again, totally painless saving for Disney. We tend to OK just about any Disney purchase because we've saved so much in preparation.

And I bet there's still time for the Easter Bunny to snag a copy of WDW for Kids or something similar for your daughter.

Oh, one more thing: as you get closer to your trip, visit the Fairy Godmailer thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2440121

Happy planning!!

 

[princessy75]

Welcome neighbor! (I'm from Maryland!)

princessy75