Help please! Planning our FIRST trip to WDW!

[saranbill]

HELP PLEASE!

Aloha!

My name is Sara and I am planning my FIRST trip to WDW September 13-21. I live in Hawaii and booked a package with a TA that is soposed to specialize in Disney and now I am getting to my 45 day till payment in full is due and not sure if I am getting the best deal and if I should maybe stay at a different resort now.

Here is some info about us and our plans:

2 adults, 1 daughter almost 4 years old.
Check in at Wilderness Lodge 13 September-21 September. (8 nights)
package is room plus free dining plan and 9 day hopper pass (no waterpark)

I purchased my tickets for air travel from ATA. All of us from Honolulu to Orlando for just under $1500.

Hubby is active duty army so we could stay at Shades of Green if availible. Not sure how to book it since I just learned about it recently. I was told that my TA could not book it since it isnt a Disney hotel. I also was told by the TA that the transportation is not very good (as she hears) as Disney.

I am unsure if the cost of the WL is worth it or maybe be better for the $$ to stay at a moderate. Any suggestions? I am planning on going to many of the other resorts for meals while we are there so I really think that the Disney resorts may be better than SOH for that reason alone. I would consider staying at a moderate for sure if it is still very nice and we arent really far from the transportation access.

I read on another thread that the free dining is still availible for some packages. I already booked all the priority seating for our main meals and I am really trying to make this trip a magical one since we are all finally back together again after a 13 month deployment my husband spent in Iraq. I am open to suggestions of ALL kinds!

My package price for tickets,room and magical express service is:$2467.63.
This is for two adults and a 3 year old. The room is a standard view room.

Also I definitly want to get the meal plan since we love to eat out and the priority seating is already booked!

Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer!!

Sara

 

[jabbo87]

I think you have a fine package set up here. It is easy to overthink things and believe that you didn't get the best deal. It looks to me (I'm a TA) that your TA did very well for you. Since you have already set up your PS for most of your meals, I believe you should just relax and enjoy the whole experience. WL is a beautiful place and you will love it. It is one of my favorite Disney resorts. SOG is about a mile away (and newly renovated), so you can go check it out and then start planning your next trip! Have fun! And a big thank you to your husband for his efforts in protecting our freedoms.

 

[julia & nicks mom]

I think your plan sounds great oo -

WL is close to the MK - and a great resort

 

[ahappydisneymommy]

Your package sounds great. I would stick with what you have. Just so you know for the future SOG would have cost you less then WL but you would not have been able to get the free dining (or any disney dining pkg) while staying there. You can also buy cheaper tickets from SOG but like I said you can't get the dining pkg. Dh is in the Navy and we are staying at WL or AKL in January. We were thinking about SOG but we really like the pkg with dining included. Have a magical time on your vacation!

 

[disnut8]

Keep your package and relax. And ask us specific questions on how to make this magical for you and your family. Wilderness Lodge is so nice and quiet and you'll love it. I think you'll walk into the lobby and stop and stare for quite a while. Ask about being a Flag Family (they go up to the roof and raise the flag in the morning). See the geyser go off (every hour, I believe). Ask for a Hidden Mickey list and spend some time trying to find them in the resort. Take the walk over to Fort Wilderness where there's a petting zoo. And that's all without going into a single park.

And I add my thanks to you and your family for your service to our country. This trip will be magical because you care so much.

 

[WEDWDW]

Wilderness Lodge is BEAUTIFUL!You will have alot of fun transportation options from there.You can take a boat ride straight to Magic Kingdom.You can also take a boat to the Contemporary Resort and Fort Wilderness.From the Contemporary Resort,you can walk to Magic Kingdom or take a monorail to the TTC and transfer to a monorail to Epcot.The monorail from the Contemporary Resort also stops at the Polynesian Resort,the Grand Floridian Resort and Magic Kingdom.THE FIRST TRIP TO WALT DISNEY WORLD IS UNBELIEVEABLE!IT REALLY HAS TO BE SEEN TO BE BELIEVED!

 

[abacobaby]

Let me tell you girl, your package sounds wonderful. Don't change a thing about it. Here is the package I booked for our trip in November. We are two adults and one 2 year old child. We don't have to pay for her. We booked 11 nights at Port of Orleans-Riverside with 10 nights dining plan and only 2 3day park tickets (no hopping or waterparks included) and our package is costing approximately $2850.00. Anyway, so it sounds to me as if you are getting a great deal. Have an amazing.

 

[Alice28]

My first trip I stayed at the WL too, and it's absolutely gorgeous. You will love it! You got a great deal on your package- I think you will have a fabulous time. We will be going right after you! We too are also eligible to stay at SOG, but prefer to stay at one of the Disney hotels when we can get a good deal (like the free dining). Have a great time and pace yourselves! That time adjustment can be a doozy (and this is coming from someone just on the west coast...not all the way from Hawaii).