First Trip to Disney World

[jworthy]

Hello, I'm sure all of you have read this question that I'm going to ask a million of times...so here it goes: Where is the best place for my family stay at Disney World?

I'm coming from Michigan (GO WINGS!!!) and we plan to drive down there towards the end of February, we'll stop in Atlanta for a couple of days to see relatives, then we'd like to stay at least 3 nights in Disney, and the try to hit Lego Land (that's where my 10 year old really wants to go) for a couple of days, and then head home. It will be me, my wife, and 4 kids (2 boys ages 10 & 6 & 2 girls ages 8 & 2) and possibly my mom, so 3 adults 4 children. We're thinking about staying in the resort at Disney (because of what I read about the convenience) but the prices are outrageous. I want to stay somewhere that will be really fun for the kids and something memorable. Price is still a concern but any suggestions would be great.

BTW...I haven't been there since they were building Epcot so that's tells you how long ago that was. Just to give you a funny story, my parents and younger brother drove down to Miami for my dad's Met Life convention (he was rooking of the year) and we stopped at Disney on the way back home (also stopped at the World's Fair in Knoxville). Anyway, I was 12 and had a bad habit of always wandering off on my own with my parents always frantically looking for me. Well at Disney I wandered off, went to look back and see where my parents were and they were gone. I got scared, actually started crying, ran all over the place to find them but couldn't. I was really freaking out!!! I saw a security guard and ran up to him to tell him I was lost and that's when my parents came out of nowhere to tell the security guy that everything was okay. It turns out my parents were watching me the whole time, following me, watching me freak out and cry my eyes out...well they wanted to teach me a lesson, that was actually the last time I wandered off by myself. After that incident, I would ask/tell them were I was going, taught me a lesson.

Anyway, sorry to make this so long but that was my only recollection of Disney World. My brother was 6 and I remember him laughing at me because I was crying.

Just curious what you decide to do. I always find it interesting what hotel/rental people choose and why. We have stayed both offsite and onsite at 5 different resorts and we prefer onsite. Keep in mind, you will feel a little overwhelmed with all the stuff you will miss with only staying 3 days.

 

[rwdavis2]

Just curious what you decide to do. I always find it interesting what hotel/rental people choose and why. We have stayed both offsite and onsite at 5 different resorts and we prefer onsite. Keep in mind, you will feel a little overwhelmed with all the stuff you will miss with only staying 3 days.

With just my wife and I , staying on Site is preferable. But the size of the group the OP is talking about then a house is the way to go.

YES, 3 days is way too short for a first visit with the kids.

 

[cclement]

Ok, I want to chime in, as a kid we stayed off site and drove to WDW. Then i got married, my wife has 2 girls and i have 2 boys. Our first vacation to WDW my wife wanted to stay on site. I told her no because of the expense, Well i lost that battle and our first stay was at Coronado Springs, We booked 2 rooms as well as the dining plan. We have not stayed off site and have caught the Disney bug. We never had a problem fitting everybody into 2 rooms. I will tell you that it is a whole lot nicer in a Villa. Either way you will enjoy the vacation.

 

[GhostLady]

With just my wife and I , staying on Site is preferable. But the size of the group the OP is talking about then a house is the way to go.

YES, 3 days is way too short for a first visit with the kids.

The last sentence I completely agree with 100%...but the first part..not so much. We are a family of 7 and we have tried both. If the decision is completely up to DH and I, we will never stay off site again. It really didnt save us that much money and wasnt worth it to us. We will be staying in a pool home for 5 nights in October and then 8 nights at Pop. We are only staying off site because we are traveling with another family that really wanted to try offsite too so we reluctantly agreed. We will have 12 people total and have 3 rooms at pop. We still love staying on property even with a large group.

To the OP, if you decide to stay on property..the key to saving money is to keep an eye out for discounts. Disney almost always has some type of great discount. Sign up on their web site and maybe you will be lucky enough to get a PIN code discount. Cost is always our number one concern too but we still prefer on property and dont really feel like staying off property saved us much at all. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[CaffeinatedMama]

If you do want to stay on site 2 connecting rooms at Pop is less expensive than a family suite at Art of Animation. I just did that for our trip we took last week. If you can afford Art of Animation's family suites though I'd do that as your on site choice, especially for those ages of kids. The connecting rooms at Pop worked great for us.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

Hello, I'm sure all of you have read this question that I'm going to ask a million of times...so here it goes: Where is the best place for my family stay at Disney World?

I'm coming from Michigan (GO WINGS!!!) and we plan to drive down there towards the end of February, we'll stop in Atlanta for a couple of days to see relatives, then we'd like to stay at least 3 nights in Disney, and the try to hit Lego Land (that's where my 10 year old really wants to go) for a couple of days, and then head home. It will be me, my wife, and 4 kids (2 boys ages 10 & 6 & 2 girls ages 8 & 2) and possibly my mom, so 3 adults 4 children. We're thinking about staying in the resort at Disney (because of what I read about the convenience) but the prices are outrageous. I want to stay somewhere that will be really fun for the kids and something memorable. Price is still a concern but any suggestions would be great.

BTW...I haven't been there since they were building Epcot so that's tells you how long ago that was. Just to give you a funny story, my parents and younger brother drove down to Miami for my dad's Met Life convention (he was rooking of the year) and we stopped at Disney on the way back home (also stopped at the World's Fair in Knoxville). Anyway, I was 12 and had a bad habit of always wandering off on my own with my parents always frantically looking for me. Well at Disney I wandered off, went to look back and see where my parents were and they were gone. I got scared, actually started crying, ran all over the place to find them but couldn't. I was really freaking out!!! I saw a security guard and ran up to him to tell him I was lost and that's when my parents came out of nowhere to tell the security guy that everything was okay. It turns out my parents were watching me the whole time, following me, watching me freak out and cry my eyes out...well they wanted to teach me a lesson, that was actually the last time I wandered off by myself. After that incident, I would ask/tell them were I was going, taught me a lesson.

Anyway, sorry to make this so long but that was my only recollection of Disney World. My brother was 6 and I remember him laughing at me because I was crying.

~Just stay on site if you can. Check out the Swan & Dolphin for nice room only discounts and special deals for teachers, veterans and gov't employees, you can't get the dining plan though. I've never stayed there but the resort is beautiful. Have fun! Go Wings! Go Blue! Go Lions! Bless you boys! And, all that!

 

[mossimo81702]

WOW!!! Thanks for all the replies...so many suggestions/advice, makes me feel overwhelmed just thinking about all of the possibilities besides thinking about DW itself. I think the cost is a factor but with the 4 kids and our youngest being (will be about) 2 1/2 yrs old (when we go in February) I know she is going to want to take a nap in the middle of the day. I see it being really convenient to just be able to get on the monorail (I think that's what it was) and be at the resort (within the park) in minutes and not have to worry about all of us going back if the other 3 kids want to stay in the park. I'm starting to lean towards just staying in the park because of that simple reason...and I know it costs more money for that convenience but when I think about it being our first time there as a family, I'm willing to pay. Maybe after that trip my wife and I can sit down and decide how things went and if we'd like to stay outside of the park and rent a condo or something else.

So staying there possibly 4 days/3 nights would not be long enough? I will only be able to take a week of so off and the kids are going to have to go back to school. I actually wanted to leave early am on Feb 21, drive to Atlanta and stay with some relatives and leave on Monday Feb 24 and stay at DW until Feb 27 and then go to Lego Land and stay until the 29th, then drive back up to Atlanta and stay for that night and then drive back to MI on the 30th. Is 2 days at Lego Land worth it? My oldest is really geeked about going there more than DW.

 

[rwdavis2]

... I think the cost is a factor but with the 4 kids and our youngest being (will be about) 2 1/2 yrs old (when we go in February) I know she is going to want to take a nap in the middle of the day. I see it being really convenient to just be able to get on the monorail (I think that's what it was) and be at the resort (within the park) in minutes and not have to worry about all of us going back if the other 3 kids want to stay in the park....

I think you need to take a look at what resorts are on the monorail line and where they are located relative to the Magic Kingdom.

Our first trip with kids we stayed at the Contemporary for that exact reason but none of the 3 resorts on the monorail are cheap. Check the prices. It was very convenient to hop onto the monorail to the Contemporary from MK since it is the first stop.

 

[nansmama]

So staying there possibly 4 days/3 nights would not be long enough? I will only be able to take a week of so off and the kids are going to have to go back to school. I actually wanted to leave early am on Feb 21, drive to Atlanta and stay with some relatives and leave on Monday Feb 24 and stay at DW until Feb 27 and then go to Lego Land and stay until the 29th, then drive back up to Atlanta and stay for that night and then drive back to MI on the 30th. Is 2 days at Lego Land worth it? My oldest is really geeked about going there more than DW.

I think this schedule is extremely optimistic at best. And I am speaking as someone who did a two week Mass-Ohio-Iowa-Missouri-Kentucky-Niagara-back to Mass road trip this summer. Michigan to Florida is a long haul and you're going to be so tired from all that driving (with four kids, no less) that you might not enjoy Disney and Legoland as much as you ought. WDW takes A LOT out of you, especially if this is your first trip, with four kids and a grandparent.

I think what I would do if I were you is do one day at Magic Kingdom and one at Legoland, maybe another at the beach. Do not try to push it with the full Disney experience. You'll just be frustrated that you "miss" so much (which you will--you can't do everything at Disney World in three weeks let alone three days). Get your feet wet at MK and go back another time when you can devote at least five whole days to being in WDW.

That's my opinion; take it or leave it as you will.

 

[Kleinhdr]

mossimo81702, We will be down from cold, cold Michigan staying in the motorhome at Fort Wilderness the same week you are there. (Go Wings, Tigers, Lions and most of all SPARTANS!!) According to all of the Disney crowd calendars, that last week of February should be with relatively lower crowds. There are ALWAYS crowds, but hopefully smaller than peak times. Since you do not go to WDW often, I think you will really appreciate the benefits of staying on property. I love to go back to the motorhome and take a nap during the hottest part of the day, which is usually the busiest time of the day. Puts me in a great frame of mind to go back to the park in the early evening to enjoy the parks during that time of day. Enjoy!!

 

[mom2cgj]

So staying there possibly 4 days/3 nights would not be long enough? I will only be able to take a week of so off and the kids are going to have to go back to school. I actually wanted to leave early am on Feb 21, drive to Atlanta and stay with some relatives and leave on Monday Feb 24 and stay at DW until Feb 27 and then go to Lego Land and stay until the 29th, then drive back up to Atlanta and stay for that night and then drive back to MI on the 30th. Is 2 days at Lego Land worth it? My oldest is really geeked about going there more than DW.

So, if I'm reading this right, you are looking at 2 or 2 1/2 days in the parks? No, that's not long enough to do everything, but that doesn't mean you can't do the things you are most excited about. If I only had 2 days at WDW, I would spend them both at MK, but you could look at the parks and see what looks like you would enjoy it most and then go to 2 or 3 parks. You would have to be pretty set on which attractions you wanted to do, and I would use something like touring plans to help you optimize your visit. It's not going to allow you to experience everything, but you can still have a great time. We spent 4 full days, and didn't go to Epcot at all, and missed a lot at DHS on our first trip. If Legoland is a priority, then pick and choose what you want to do at WDW.

For resorts, the monorail resorts are the closest, but they are also expensive. The values are going to be much cheaper, but will be farther away (10-20 minutes depending on the park and the resort - those are times on the bus, would be different for cars I assume, and doesn't include time waiting for the bus). We stayed at AoA, and didn't think the time to get back to the resort was too long, but others will disagree.

 

[Kleinhdr]

Although your schedule is full, it is certainly doable. Having made the same trip you are talking many many times as my children were growing up, I can tell you the drive down is doable. This is especially true since you will be spending a couple nights in Atlanta. That breaks the drive up quite nicely. If you live anywhere in lower Michigan the drive to Atlanta is somewhere around 12 hours. The drive from Atlanta to Disney World is 8 hours or so. You will be tired, but you can do it. Now, if you are starting your drive from Copper Harbor in the U.P., then all bets are off!

 

[ZoZo]

From what other posters have said, it sound like they recommend just one day at Legoland, not two. That sounds like good advice - there are so many other things to do at WDW, even having four or five days probably won't feel like enough once you get there! But only you know your family, so it's up to you to decide, right? And also remember that those of us on the DIS are die-hard WDW fans, so we'd probably always pick time at WDW over Legoland!

Regarding on-site or off-site, it's hard to say which would be best for your group. Others have given you great (and unfortunately, sometimes conflicting!) advice.

You mentioned the being able to go back to your resort for an afternoon nap for one of your kids, but it's important to know that only three resorts are on the monorail line (Contemporary, Polynesian and Grand Floridian). They're all pretty pricey. All of the other resorts are served by WDW bus transportation, and some take longer to get to than others, depending on which park you're at. WDW is huge, and really spread out, so be aware of that.

I prefer to stay on-site, and love being able to immerse myself in the WDW bubble. We don't get a rental car because we use WDW transportation. But other people always get a rental car, whether they stay on WDW property or not.

There are so many decisions to make, I know it's hard. Keep reading through the posts and suggestions, and whatever your decision, I'm sure you'll be happy with your choice. After all, it's Disneyworld!

 

[Brian_WDW74]

Since this thread has little to do with theme parks attractions and strategies, and is more about visiting Disney with a family, I've moved it to the Disney for Families board.

 

[happymommy]

That really sounds like so much driving, for so little time in Orlando.

Do you need to stop in Atlanta for more than one night? And on the way back, can you just stop somewhere to sleep and not visit again in Atlanta? Just a thought.

Flying is out of the question, right? I am guessing so; just wanted to toss that out there though.

I agree with the PP about looking into even the Swan and Dolphin. You're looking at a slower time (and cooler), and I've gotten good rates there during slow times (like $129 a night per room). Also, you can look at renting points for a DVC condo too.

Check out www.mousesavers.com for some good info.

Remember, Disney tickets are priced so the more days you have, the less it is per day. Only time we went for just 4 nights (it was just me and my kids, and they were 4 and 6 at the time) we had annual passes (and got a great rate at AKL with our AP discount). Something to keep in mind - to price out your tickets.

 

[pooh4evr]

I suggest you might need a guide book first- WDW (as a whole) is huge- the size of Manhattan- the monorail resorts are very expensive- 2 days or even 3 is only the tip of the iceberg. LEGOLAND is a day maybe, if you are set on going there I would do that first, then Disney World for the last few days, because after being at MK, I'm afraid Legoland will seem boring? I think it's maybe 30-45 minutes from Disney World, so you could stay in the same hotel- maybe price a family suite at All Star Music- we have stayed there a few times and loved it- we re staying at All Star Sports this time at $90 for 1 room (we have 2 so $180) a night which was cheaper than 1 room at Port Orleans, or the family suite. There is so much to do at WDW it is completely overwhelming the first time.