I Am Sssoooo Confused!!!

[momsal]

Hi All.
I am not sure if this is where I should post this but you can move me if I am in the wrong place.

I am starting to plan a family trip to WDW for Jan of 06.
I am not sure yet exactally how many are going ( it will be either 3 adults and 2 kids or 5 adults and 2 kids)
I am trying to figure out the best way to do this

Is it better to try to get one place or get a couple of rooms
Can you ask that the rooms be next to each other??
I am also trying to sort out the new tickets!!!

has anyone ever gotten the meal plan???? Is it a good deal??
Well thank you any info you can give me

 

[seashoreCM]

For five people only a few Disney resorts (Riverside comes to mind) accept all in one room. Yes you can ask for rooms next to each other, some resorts including the budget All Stars have some pairs of rooms with a connecting door.

I personally don't recommend meal plans, they are priced taking into account the most expensive restaurant selections, and you have a tendency to eat enough so as to put on weight. Also if someone takes ill, you waste the meals.

For tickets, you'll have to do the arithmetic for the best choice and best deal. The more crystallized (cast in stone) your touring plan and schedule and decisions, the easier it is to land the best bargain. For example if you know for sure you are going to make a second trip further off in the future, you can take advantage of ten day tickets or even annual passes.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

Last trip: Jan. '05, Pop Century Resort

 

[tiberius]

Did you ever come to the right place!

First, it would help to have an idea of a budget range, where you would like to stay, and how long you plan to stay.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Congratulations on your decision to go to WDW! Now the planning begins! You've already settled on a time to go, which is the first hurdle. Now you need to decide where to stay.

With 5 adults, you might want to consider staying offsite in a vacation home or condo. This would give everyone a little more room to spread out and something we all need when traveling with others -- privacy. You would also have the luxury of a full kitchen at your disposal. That makes it easy to grab a quick but filling breakfast before you head out to the parks.

However, you might want to stay right in the middle of the magic if this is you first trip or the children are small and you want to be able to return to the room easily. Renting points from a DVC member for a 2-bedroom villa at any of the home-away-from-home resorts might work out for you. You would have two bedrooms and a pull-out sofa plus a full kitchen and two bathrooms. Renting points can be almost as inexpensive as staying at a moderate resort, especially if you don't include a Friday or Saturday night stay in the rental. Those nights require nearly double the amount of points that a weeknight costs.

For 7 people, my last choice would be the two connecting value resort rooms. They're very small and that might just be too much closeness. For a family 4 with small children, they're fine but with older children or adults, you will want a little more space. Plus, one of those rooms would require that 3 adults be in it. Disney charges an extra $10/night for each additional adult (over the age of 17) beyond the standard 2 adults per room.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

As for the tickets, like seashoreCM stated, it may be better to wait until your plans solidify to figure out your best option. The number of days you plan to visit the parks, whether you will park-hop or not, whether you want to visit the waterparks or DQ, and whether you want those passes to have no expiration date will all factor into the cost of those passes.

A family that decides to spend 5 days in the parks, no park hopping, no expiration date and no "pluses" would pay $193/$155 (adult/child; pre-tax) for MYW passes. Currently, a 5-day PHP purchased in advance from Disney would cost you $275.86/$221.52 with tax. However, if you add park hopping, no expiration and "pluses" to the MYW passes, you would get $308/$270. So, the MYW passes will only be cheaper if you get them without all the extras. After Jan 2, Disney will not longer sell the PHs and PHPs. You might be able to get them from a ticket broker after that date but no one is sure at this point. This makes it kind of difficult for you, since you will need to firm up your plans quickly if you want to purchase the Park Hopper Passes for the trip.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Finally, with regards to the meal plan. I haven't tried it myself but if Disney comes out with a good package deal for room and passes, the meal option might be worth it for us. I know that we can easily spend $35 per person per day on food (the cost of an adult dining addon), because we do a sitdown lunch everyday and the meal vouchers for that alone are $31 each for adults. Add in a counterservice meal (the equivalent of a Q&C voucher) for another $11.50 and a snack (ice cream & a soda) $5.00 and you've actually saved a little money.

And unlike the vouchers, they make it possible to combine your meal options to include character meals and dinner shows like Spirit of Aloha (normally $50.22 with tax & tip) per adult. Or, you can have your sitdown meal at dinnertime instead of lunchtime, which the vouchers don't allow. It's one of the reasons that I would consider the dining option for a short trip to WDW.

But if eating a sitdown meal everyday is not something that you would like to do (or something that you think the kids would sit thru), then the dining option may not make economical sense for you.

 

[disneysteve]

I think for 5 or 7 people, an offsite condo, timeshare, or pool home is a great way to go. Lots more space than 2 regular rooms, a full kitchen, washer and dryer, multiple TVs, maybe a private pool, etc. Someone above commented about staying onsite to be able to go back for a break mid-day. You can do that offsite as well as long as you pick a place not too far away. A community like Windsor Palms is only 10 minutes from the parks so an easy trip if you need to go back for naps or just some quiet time.

 

[debbiedoo]

First of all is the other 2 adults family of friends. I recommend with 2 rooms, this way if they decide to not go, your room is not bothered. I have had problems with large ressies and a couple of people camcelling and almost lost my whole ressie in the process of it!!!! Option 2 go over to the dvc rent/trade board and you can usually land a pretty good deal over there!!

 

[momsal]

Thank You all for the GREAT info!!

We are planning to stay from sat to sat ( unless I find a great deal on something else)

The People are all related ( my kids and Grandkids)
The 2 that aren't sure are my son ( college student) and his fiance ( working)he will be on break but working and she doesnt know if she can get off.

I was thinking that if I got a seperate rooms even if they could get away for a couple of days they could stay with me ( paying extra of course) * is that allowed?*
With DVC properties does it matter how many stay?? ( as long as there is bed spacee of course) but do you have to let them know in advance??

this my 2nd trip and the 1st one was fun but totallly hectic
we didn't see and do 1/3 of what we wanted to. I wish I had found this site before that trip.

Thanks!!!

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Thank You all for the GREAT info!!

I was thinking that if I got a seperate rooms even if they could get away for a couple of days they could stay with me ( paying extra of course) * is that allowed?*
With DVC properties does it matter how many stay?? ( as long as there is bed spacee of course) but do you have to let them know in advance??

There should be no problem adding your DS and his fiancée to your rooms for the few days that they can join you as long as adding them does not exceed the room capacity. You would want to let Disney know who is staying in the room or villa so that each person can be issued a room key and so that they are aware who is in that room in the event of an emergency. You can easily do this at check in or at any time prior to your DS's arrival.

 

[debbiedoo]

You will have to first decide where you are going to stay at dvc. OKW is the cheapest of points. If you need a point chart just let me know. I think that you can pull it up on disboards. Jan is a great time, our points are low. A one bedroom holds 4 people, and a 2 bedroom is up to 8 people. This will make a big difference in your points. You will also have a fullsized kitchen. OKW is a beautiful resort, was just there in oct. Most members rent for around 10 per point. You will find them anywhere from 8.5 to 13 per point. I would not go over 10. There is always someone with a situation where they have no choice but to rent. The member then calls and reserves you ressie. Every member asks for payment differently.

some examples of prices.

For okw - 1 bdrm - sat-sat - 160 points
2 bdrm - sat-sat - 218 points

This is what I mean buy the difference of knowing you party##

BWV - 1 bdrm - standard 1 week - 162/preferred 200 points
2 bdrm - standard 1 week - 222/preferred 272 points

It all depends on what your needs are. And yes we have 11 month booking if that is your home resort and 7 month booking on others, so don't waste time!! Some of these accomodations can go quickly. A lot of members offer payment plans. usually 25% down and everything paid 31 days prior to arrival. I would rent to ya but sll of my points are tied up at the moment. Next year I am suppose to trade out for Hawaii

 

[tink2dw]

Now you can start deciding what are the things that are "must do's" and "must see's." and decide the length of your trip.

Then decide on the tickets you will need here.
http://www.mousesavers.com/tickets.html

To keep an EYE on All the discounts for on-site and off-site resorts check here often and sign up for the MouseSavers.com newsletter to get all the best news.
http://www.mousesavers.com/wdw.html

For Air fares sign up at all the Airline Web sites that fly out of your airport that fly to Orlando or MCO in airline speak. Then Check Expedia,Travelocity for airline deals. Also check out the Transporation Board air,car deals.
http://www.disboards.com/

Start a WDW change jar to save for your trip.[ask for tips here on the budget board]

Also you can decide where you will want to eat and start making plans to make your food budget and check the Priority Seatings Calculator to know when you can make PS's some are as far out as 730 Days.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dini.../dispscalc.html

Also to help decide where to eat you can find menu's at Deb's wdw site,this works 2 ways to see where to eat what,and how much it costs, to finalize the food budget.
http://www.wdwig.com/menu/menus.htm

A Must Do Water Plan
The water in Florida smells and tastes like sulfer!! WDW sells bottled water for $2.50 each for a small bottle!!That can be a real budget buster!! SO a Water Plan in necessary. Here are some of the solutions That have been posted

1. Buy water filtering Britta Sports bottles.

2. If you Drive bring cases of your Favorite bottled water from home

3. Flying, Buy bottled water at Walmart near All Stars.

4. Send cases of your Favorite bottled water to your WDW Resort

Well,this should get you start on a thousand more Questions!! So,don't be shy! Ask away!! The kind members here will share what they know! So,check back often!!

tink2dw

 

[debbiedoo]

If I was diving I would make a trip to wal-mart for my case bottle water or publix on 192. Extra weight in the car means more gas!!!!