Going to Disney in May Resort help Value? Mod? Overwhelmed!!!

[goodsmg]

Hello!
Today we decided to go to Disney! We have 5 yr. old twins who have been asking to go, and we decided...we need a vacation!
BUT I am a budget kind of girl, and I don't buy anything w/o a coupon or a deal! LOL
So I come to these boards and OMG! I don't know where to begin!
I need to know if staying at a Moderate Resort as opposed to the Value resorts is worth the extra money.

I am looking at the hotel as a nice place to rest, and swim, but I am assuming we will spend our time in the park, so we really don't need the hotel to be THAT amazing, but still nice and fun. Or do we?? We plan on 3 days at Disney.

How much time will it take to get to the park from the Value Resorts as opposed to the Moderate ones? Is it worth it?

What else do I need to know???

I am just starting my plan of attack, so I will take any advice I can get!
Thanks!
Susan

 

[ticketwm35]

Hi Susan,
We stay at the all star sports 2 years ago and it was anice resort.The pools were fun and everything was clean.Rooms were small,but we weren't in them that often.We never had a problem with the transportation.We found out that the buses stop at the sports first so we always got seats on the bus.It was maybe a 15-20 minute drive.Also there is a mcdonalds at the entrance of the resorts.It seemed cheaper then the food court.We are also planning a trip this summer probably going back to the sports.Can't see spending extra money at the moderate when we had a good time at the values.Just more money to spend on food or in the parks.

Leslie

 

[Mackey Mouse]

Hi Susan... I can feel you panic all the way in MA.. first let me Welcome you to the Dis... I am sure you will get some great help here.. Also, you may want to visit the Budget Board..some are very good at doing Disney within a reasonable budget.. Click here for Budget Board

 

[morrow4]

We took our first family trip to Disney just last May and had a great time. We opted to stay at All Star Movies and found the resort to be fine. However, I still remember my first thought when we walked into our room ... "Oh my gosh -- this sure is SMALL!". It really didn't end up being any kind of problem though since we spent the majority of the day in the parks. When we came back to the resort we would eat and then our children would play in the pool. Since they were basically worn out, they fell asleep right after their baths. I'm sorry this is so rambling... just wanted you to know that "Yes" the rooms are small as most people will tell you, but it didn't detract from our vacation in any way. I've found that with my kids (ages 8 and 5) that if we as parents put a positive spin on something then the kids usually follow and do the same. Instead of going on and on about the room size, we talked about the really neat pool and theme, as well as how we could use the money we saved for a character meal.
The transportation was great. I don't think we had to wait longer than 10 minutes for a bus. Whatever you decide, just have FUN.

AND - keep checking this site even after you've made your reservations, and you may find a code that can help you save $

 

[markm0926]

My advice would be, if possible, plan on more than 3-days at Disney. We went for 5-nights last May and definately would stay 7 the next time.

 

[goodsmg]

leslie,
The more I look I am looking into this stuff (I have had at least 15 more min. of research! LOL) I am thinking the same thing. I am leaning towards the movies, because the kids would love the giant Buzz lightyears etc.
I am getting more excited by the minute. I was talking with DH this am and we agreed not to say anything to the kids until right before the trip. My son has been up for 2 min. and I am already ready to BURST! LOL
Keep those opinions coming!
Thanks!

 

[luvindisneyworld]

hi, we have stayed at the ASM, and as 4 adults in a room it was a little tight but nothing that we could not handle. no more than you are in the room you should be fine, but we loved the ASM we bought into DVC on our trip last april but on every trip that we have took we have had to stay at the ASM cause my hubby says that the AS makes you feel like a kid again, LOL.comparing the MODS to the AS, i think there is only like 20 extra square feet in the MODS compared to the AS, so not that much diffrence.whatever you decide you will have a wonderful time.
Misty

 

[kevind65]

Susan,
we have stayed at both the value(ASMu) and moderate resorts(CBR,CSR) a few times over the years. IMHO, there really isn't a significant enough difference in the room sizes between the two levels(about 15-20sq ft) to make a real problem. We have found the disney transportation system to be equally good from most of the resorts. If you are on a strict budget, don't hesitate to book one of the all-stars, they are nice enough resorts with nice pools and are really kid friendly. If your family is the type to spend most of the day in the parks, they why spend the extra $'s for a moderate? We have only started booking the moderates the last few years because we want to experience the different resorts. no matter where you stay, just remember you're at disney world and the memories you create with your children will last a lifetime. welcome to the boards.

 

[blake1]

We stayed at AsMo our first trip to Disney in 2001. Our kids loved the theming. My son loves toy story and my daughter loves dalmatians, so it was a hit. The food court was good and we loved the pools. We didn't use Disney transportation. The room size didn't bother us. We were only there to sleep anyway. I think AsMo is a great "First resort for kids" especially if you are on a budget.

 

[susy]

Hi and welcome!!!

The All Stars is perfect for a first time. If you go in value season, you can often find a code on mousesavers.co for around $49 a night. Fax the resort five days before you leave and request Toy Story section! See wdwig.com for faxing info, as well as all kinds of planning info. Definitely do a character meal or two!

Our son is 5 and we took him 6 times last year! Here is what we learned from our experiences:

Your kids will need a stroller, so I suggest renting a double. You only pay once a day, even if you switch parks. At the end of the day you will get a dollar (Disney) back for returning it. If they are small enough, two umbrella strollers would be fine.

Even at five years old and even for just three days, you will need to take a mid-day break daily. If your little ones are early risers,take advantage of it. Use the Magic Mornings program for onsite guests to get into the park an hour early.

The current schedule is:
MK-sun and thurs
Epcot-wed
MGM- tues and sat
AK- mon and fri

Get to the parks about 30 minutes before opening. Leave after lunch for a swim/nap break. Even though my son was way beyond napping, he fell asleep every day. He thouht he was just "laying down to watch tv with daddy". They have 24 hour disney cartoons.
Go back to the parks in the evening. We found our son was more receptive to Epcot at night than in the daytime. He seemed happier with the slower paced attractions later in the day.


Happy planning!!!!!!

 

[mm6mm6]

Goodsmg,
I know exactly how you feel! Trust me, the magic you feel inside that is like a butterfly dancing in your stomach will only grow bigger and bigger as the trip gets closer.
Now, I don't know what your budget is. I don't know how many vacations you go on each year or how much you spend.
I only know, don't pinch pennies at Disney. Pinch hundreds of dollars, but not pennies.
What I mean is, I think most of us with a family go on one, and only one, big vacation each year. Maybe a weekend away or to a water park/motel but I don't think most of us go on two or three week long vacations each year.
Maybe you are going to FL and visiting someone/somewhere in addition to Disney and that's why you're going for three days. If you are driving/flying from afar and ONLY staying at Disney, may I take the risk of suggesting you do whatever it takes to stay longer. 6 nights/7 days. My wife and I took our 5 year old daughter (DD5 for DisneyDaughter 5 years old) this past June '02. I had been to WDW in 1975 when I was 10 and only to Magic Kingdom and only for one day. My wife had been with an old boyfriend (geez) but had a horrible time and saw almost nothing (double geez).
Our budget was to not go crazy but not go cheap. We stayed at a moderate because the luxury resorts are just SO much more money. But comparing the value to the moderate, it just didn't seem like that much more. We loved the Caribbean Beach Resort. We liked the space and spread out, relaxed attitude compared to the value. We liked that there were 7 pools that spread out the number of people at the pools.
You will most probably experience the Disney magic we experienced. Driving onto the property for the first time with our DD5 shouting out the characters she saw on the billboards and signs, our hearts were thumping! Walking into Magic Kingdom for the first time and seeing the show at Cinderella's Castle as we came in.......we both cried with joy at how much our DD5 loved it. Magic. Plain and simple Disney magic. Don't chintz yourself. If you can afford it, go moderate. Go longer. I figured it this way: a friend went on a cruise. He went for three days. He paid $800 for the two airline roundtrip tickets. I went for seven days, paid the same for the airline tickets. The cost difference between 3 and 7 days on the same cruise was just $300. That's nothing when you realize the airfare is where alot of the money goes.
I think for the first trip to WDW, treat yourself, your family to a good dose of the magic. The second time, you can stay at a value if you find you spent most of your time at the parks. We found we spent more time at the resort than we thought we would. Of course it was not just a place to stay but the kind of place you could spend 7 days at all by itself.
For pics of our magic (to get you even more pumped up!), click here:
http://community.webtv.net/sktracy
Enjoy!

 

[Paul G]

There is a good chance a discount code will be available for the time you are going. Check out mousesavers.com for an explaination of discount codes.

Our first trip with the kids we were able to get a room at POR (a moderate) for about the same price as a value resort room.

I agree that you will have fun no matter where you stay but I think staying at a moderate is preferable.

 

[goodsmg]

This is such a friendly and responsive board! You people will be sick of me two months from now! LOL
I totally agree about staying longer, except our problem is my husband's job. He has a ton of stuff coming up and this is all the time off he will be able to get. So we are looking at a Friday-Tues. trip. (Fri and Tues. being travel time, and Sat, Sun, Mon at the park)
I have been working on a tenitive budget, I am hoping to stay under $2000 total.
My friend's brother works for Disney, so we will be getting our hopper passes from him at a discounted rate, that will save a nice chunk right there.
We are flying and right now the best price is around $700 for the 4 of us total.
I am trying to keep the hotel at under $600 so if there are any discount codes we might be able to upgrade to a Mod, but I am actually not against the Value hotels.
I would like to save more on the hotel and feel less "skimpy" on spending money.
If I can get the hotel for say $500, we would have about $125 per day to spend, and still not break the bank.
Does all of this sound realistic? I don't want to be skimpy, I want to enjoy it. Should I up the spending to more like $200 per day ($50 per person?) I know how quickly things add up!
The reason for the tight budget (beyond normal reasons!) is that last year we paid off all of our credit cards, and we never intend to be in debt again...for anything! We were known for going on a nice vacation, and then paying for it for a year. So this time...cash only.
Thanks so much everyone!
Susan

 

[susy]

With a code, you can defnitely do a mod for less than $500. For such a short stay, I would recommend saving and going with the value.

When are you going? Peak season runs through the end of April and the crowds and high rates are what keep me away. I would think about waiting until your husband can go for longer time and go during value season (or at least regular). If you go for longer, try to stay at a mod. CBR is nice. See photos ad faq's at wdwig.com

 

[fkj2]

If you do only go for three days, you should consider in advance how to spend your time and at which parks. Magic Kingdom will undoubtedly be a primarily attraction, esp. with 5 y/o. x 2.

When you get to MK, try to plan your day so that you are not walking back and forth between the "lands". Hit all the rides in Fantasyland, then head back toward Frontieland, etc. so that you don't waste time.

As the other posters said, plan for an afternoon swim/rest so that you can return to the parks in the cooler part of the day.

Meal splitting can be done frequently at places like 50s Prime Time Cafe in Disney Studios and you might want to post for other suggestions over at the Budget Board or check the Dining Board here for where people have split meals. Some of the restaurants offer cheaper lunches, same menu as dinner though, until 4 pm and you might want to plan a late lunch/early dinner.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Planning a trip to Disney can be so overwhelming! But all your planning will pay off when you get there.

I would recomend staying at the All Stars also. I have stayed at the ASSP a few times and it was great. I think the bus service is the best on property for the ASSp. The sports theming is very cool and seems to have more code availabilty than movies. They are basically the same, just the theming is different.

The difference between the value and moderates is not significant, IMHO. The room size is very comparable. The food courts are also comparable. I think the bus service is better at the value because there is only 1 stop. There is prettier landscaping at the moderates. When I go with my DH, we prefered the moderates for that reason (until we discovered the Deluxes, but that is a differnet issue )

Depending on your flight times, there are fun things you can do on your travel dates outside of the parks. There is the pool, downtown Disney is a blast! There are fountainds to play in, a McDonalds, a really cool lego store and a great atmosphere. We like to do that on our first night. The last day you can do a character breakfast at one of the resort hotels and then hit the pool before you head home. Or head downtown then.

Plan your park days. There is no way you can see everything in 3 days, don;t try! Pick what you think will be the family's favorite. You can also hit one park in the morning (early entry) and then another park in the evening.

Whatever you decide, you will have a blast! So will the kids. There are so many cool things that can make the trip special. Plan on buying autograph books for the kids to get character signatures. (You can always tape a picture of your child with the character on the opposite page!)
Buy name badges for the kids. CM will often address the kids by name,
Be at the MK at opening at least once. The characters come out and greet people at opening.
Do a character meal with your favorite characters, the characters will come up one at a time and it is a great opportunity for a sit down break and 1-1 time with the characters.

OK, long enough, but you get the idea. And please come back often! You have found a great community of Disney lovers who are always happy to share information!

 

[Disney Doll]

I would have to agree that if you are really going to have 3 full days there, then go with the values resorts. You won't be spending a large amount of time in the room.

You mentioned flying. Is there an early morning flight you can take on your "leave town" day? DH and I usually opt for a flight before 9AM the day we leave for WDW, because then you are in WDW by noon and have a good portion of that day to spend. Also, we take a later afternoon flight on the day we leave WDW so that we can get some more park time in on our getaway day. We usually opt for a flight sometime after 5PM. Just one little way we maximize our time there. Every minute helps!

I think $125/day should be pretty good. Just go easy on the souvenirs. Look at the Budget Board here for some other ideas. I know a lot of folks with small kids opt for having milk and cereal in the room for breakfast...it's quicker than having to do a food court sit down breakfast every day, and it's cheaper. If you're renting a car, make a quick stop at a grocery store, buy one of those cheap foam coolers, some milk, cereal, snacks, juice, and you have enough to get you going in the morning, and a little inexpensive snack food when you come back to the room for your midday break.

Alamo is now the official car rental company on property at WDW, and there can be some good deals on cars. They have some kind of club you can join which also gets you better pricing. DH joined it and it's nice because you do all the rental paperwork on line beforehand, so when you arrive at Orlando Airport, you walk out to the Alamo section, pick your car, and drive it away. I forget what they call the program, but I am sure if you go to their website, the info will be there.

That's all I can think of right now. Keep those questions coming!

 

[nowellsl]

I say go All Stars (your kids will love it!) and buy more souvenirs (your kids will love it!) That's what I do and I always feel like I'm getting more to show for my money!

 

[zaxmom]

I would also suggest extending the Magic by maybe doing a character dinner the night you arrive and/or the morning you leave. There are a few different ones at the hotels. One buffet covers two meals for our family. Downtown Disney is always fun for our kids. We go to dinner at Rainforest Cafe and play in all the stores. My kids are younger than yours, but they can go all day without a break. The little one will sleep in the stroller. We do not buy a lot of souvenirs, ourselves. These seem to be quickly forgotten by the time we are home. Usually forgotten by the time they are paid for. Our best souvenir was a coloring book we bought for $3. It kept them busy in the hotel room. You could probably split a day between MGM and Epcot. After a day at AK you could catch one of the nighttime fireworks at the other park. There is a lot at MGM and Epcot that is probably over the heads of little kids and they will aprreciate it more when you bring them back. We go down there every year and usually only spend 3 days at the parks. I have not stayed on site, yet, but you could always find a cheaper rate at a hotel nearby.