First timer....Need help PLEASE!!!

[oklahomagal]

Hello all,
I'm new to this site.
I am trying to plan a trip for my 10 yr old daughter and I in May 2009. We will be in Niceville, FL visiting family. I thought I might drive down to WDW and surprise her for her birthday on May 27.

This will be our first time. WOW I can't believe I'm FINALLY going to go to WDW after 34 yrs, LOL. I have waited a long time for this!!!
My daughter and I are huge Disney fans!!!

PLEASE any suggestions on planning would be great. Like I said we will be driving down and will only be able to stay 3-4 nites. I am a single mom so I will be on a budget. Would like information on food, hotels, and what parks to visit.

And anything else a FIRST TIMER should know

Thanks so much... I have to say this seems like a really nice group. I have read a lot of good posts. Can't wait to see what you guys have for me.

Have a great day!!
Michelle in Oklahoma

 

[Metro West]

 

[larleo]

WELCOME!!!!!!!

I'm new to posting to here as well but this year will be our third trip to WDW/Cruise. The best advice I can give is READ, READ, READ. Honestly, this is one of the most concise places to get info, even as big as it is. I won't be buying as many Disney planning books this year due to this site, however, I discovered Passporter this year and will be getting one. You can order online from their website or from a bookstore. This sounds like cheating, but, I HAVE gone to the bookstore with pen and paper and took notes from some of the books.

Either way, read alot and take notes because you won't want to miss or forget anything.

We did things like ate a simple breakfast in our room and then lunch in the park, which is less expensive than dinner. Since we had a car the first time, we drove off property for dinner. You can take snacks inside the park in your backpack. Some people like to stay in the higher end resorts, but for us, we spend so little time in our room, we are looking at value resorts this year. Stayed moderate the first time just because we got a good deal.

If you are going to be there on her actual birthday, check out the offer of a free ticket for her that day.

I've heard some say you can stay cheaper off site, but there are perks to staying on site that make up the difference for us. Especially the extra magic hours and being closer to everything.

Again, just read and take notes. It will try to take over your life, this planning! But, it's so much fun and worth the research.

Most important thing: relax. You won't get to see and hear everything and knowing that beforehand helps. Besides, you'll leave there already planning your next trip!

 

[Luna_Lovegood]

Ditto to the previous poster. Spending some time on these boards will help more than anything else. Other sites like allears.net are also excellent for getting specific information--lots of pictures of the hotels, menus, reviews, etc. We stayed at the Pop Century during our first visit and loved it. We also brought breakfast food to eat in the room, but the food court at the hotel was really good. If you are on a pretty strict budget, they will also let you bring some snacks or sandwiches into the park, though all we brought in were water bottles. I bought one book, The Unofficial Guide, and read it pretty much cover-to-cover before we went.

There is too much info to ever get into one post, and there is to much at Disney to try to see everything in one trip. I hope that this first trip for you and your daughter is absolutely magical!

 

[tiggerfan1]

That's awesome that you're going to WDW for the for first time! How exciting!! This site has tons of great info. You'll find a lot of great info and tips on the Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies board and the Disney Tips board. If you need help choosing what to eat and where to stay, there's also a Disney restaurants board and a Disney Resorts board. Take care and happy trip planning!