Hi Everyone...First trip to Disney with the Family

[24fanatics]

Hi all!

I just booked our first trip to Disney World as a family. I have been to Disney 3 times, but the last was in 1987 when I was 16 years old. I am married and have 4 kids. We have a 12 year old boy, and three girls ages 10, 8, and 6. We live near Nashville, TN, and will be driving down to Orlando in mid October when our kids are on fall break. We are staying 6 nights and will have 5 full days at Disney. My wife's parents will be going with us, and I have booked a 3 bedroom condo just a short distance from the parks. I looked at staying on property in one of the resorts, but our budget for the trip just doesn't allow it this time. The price differences on and off property are crazy.

Anyway, I am starting to do my research for the trip and I found this forum. Looking forward to reading through the tons of info on the site.

 

[huntfish25]

hi

 

[Metro West]

 

[Aliceacc]

Hi and welcome!

I would suggest booking at least one or two meals at some of Disney's restaurants-- anything from Chef Mickey's (Mickey and Minnie, Donald and some of the other standard characters do a routine, then go table to table for autographs and pictures) to the Coral Reef (one entire side of the room is the bottom of the fish tank--it's stunning!!!) Take a look at the menus at www.allears.net and make some dining reservations. But do it kind of soon; they tend to fill up early.

Also, take a look at the info on both photopass and fastpass. Photopass has photographers all over the parks taking your picture-- they give you a card with a bar code on it. We love it, since my husband is actually in the pictures. You don't have to pay anything unless you actually choose to take the pictures. Some of the photographers can do trick shots-- insert Tinkerbell into the picture, for example. There's lots of info at www.stitchkingdom.com

And fastpass will save you HOURS of waiting on lines!!! It's FREE.

 

[Disneydonnam]

Welcome

 

[magicaldisney]

 

[Boo Bear]

 

[24fanatics]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions everyone!!