I've never been ....

[LauraBeckett]

Okay, so here's a confession ... I've never been to Disneyland, ever I never went as a child so I really have no idea what to do about it. I always wanted to go of course but back then, flights to Orlando weren't exactly cheap and my parents were barely making ends meet. Anyway enough with my depraved childhood My husband and I decided we should take the kids as we think they are just now getting into all things disney but neither of us have any idea how to go about organising everything so I was hoping this site might give us some help.

Of course to help us, you would need to know a bit about us ... My family is pretty jam packed with two exhausted grown ups and four adorable little monsters

Our oldest boy is 6 years old and is currently your typical young boy, obsessed with sports, cars, dirt and all things little boys do.

Our oldest girl is 4 years old and is currently your perfect little princess, obsessed with dressing up, pink and tea parties.

Our youngest boy is 2 years old and is currently your dream disney bug, obsessed with everything that is disney including films, books and toys.

Our youngest girl is only 4 months and is currently not really fussed about what we do as long as she is kept fed, washed and cuddled.

Anyway, I don't even know where to start with organizing everything so please as the 1st step will someone tell me what to do 1st and then hopefully I can continue this post as I complete each task xx

 

[joolz1910]

Okay, so here's a confession ... I've never been to Disneyland, ever I never went as a child so I really have no idea what to do about it. I always wanted to go of course but back then, flights to Orlando weren't exactly cheap and my parents were barely making ends meet. Anyway enough with my depraved childhood My husband and I decided we should take the kids as we think they are just now getting into all things disney but neither of us have any idea how to go about organising everything so I was hoping this site might give us some help.

Of course to help us, you would need to know a bit about us ... My family is pretty jam packed with two exhausted grown ups and four adorable little monsters

Our oldest boy is 6 years old and is currently your typical young boy, obsessed with sports, cars, dirt and all things little boys do.

Our oldest girl is 4 years old and is currently your perfect little princess, obsessed with dressing up, pink and tea parties.

Our youngest boy is 2 years old and is currently your dream disney bug, obsessed with everything that is disney including films, books and toys.

Our youngest girl is only 4 months and is currently not really fussed about what we do as long as she is kept fed, washed and cuddled.

Anyway, I don't even know where to start with organizing everything so please as the 1st step will someone tell me what to do 1st and then hopefully I can continue this post as I complete each task xx

depraved or deprived?
Welcome! You will get loads of help here from the lovely people on here who all have tonnes of experience. They will probably want to know where you want to fly from, when you want to go, how long for and where you would like to stay - onsite, offsite, villa, condo etc. Happy planning!

 

[Elise79]

Welcome to the DIS

I think the first place to start to get some help is have you thought about when you want to go and second have to got a budget in mind?

Some other things to think about:

Do you just want to visit Walt Disney World? (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood studios, Animal kingdom, 2 waters parks & downtown Disney!)
Do you want see the other Orlando parks? Universal & Seaworld?
How long are you thinking of going for?
Do you want to book a package or are you happy booking DIY?
Do you want to fly direct or would you consider indirect to save money?

Sorry to just give you questions but it will help generate better answers for you

Just to give you an idea both BA and Virgin offer direct daily schedules to Orlando international (nearest airport to WDW) then some of the charters fly to Sanford.

Accommodation wise you can look at staying either onsite at Disney although with a family of 5 (one under 3 doesn't count to occupancy) you are not going to have much choice and will all be at the higher end ie Deluxe resorts. You can get some good accommodations near Disney that might suit you better with more space. They can be very good value too - one of the mods Wayne is an expert in finding deals for offsite accommodation so I leave that to him!

Hope this gives you a start

 

[dawnpisces]

Welcome Laura!
We are all friendly types here and will try to help you as much as possible.
Where in Scotland are you from and where do you hope to fly from? When would you like to go to Disney? Do you think you would like to stay in a villa or in a hotel? It really is personal preference.
Just ask questions, none are silly, just ask!
Good luck!

 

[LauraBeckett]

depraved or deprived?
Welcome! You will get loads of help here from the lovely people on here who all have tonnes of experience. They will probably want to know where you want to fly from, when you want to go, how long for and where you would like to stay - onsite, offsite, villa, condo etc. Happy planning!

Wow My first reply, thanks Anyway I guess i'd better answer those questions:

- We would prefer to fly from Aberdeen, Scotland but would be willing to fly from any Scottish airport really.

- We never really thought about it but I guess all the parks would be great but I understand some might not exactly be directed at my kids ages, so if anyone could suggest some that might be better.

- We plan on staying for two weeks at least I would say which i figured would allow us to fit everything in.

- We don't really have any knowledge about where to stay so if anyone has pros and cons for all types, that would be great.

 

[LauraBeckett]

Welcome to the DIS

I think the first place to start to get some help is have you thought about when you want to go and second have to got a budget in mind?

Some other things to think about:

Do you just want to visit Walt Disney World? (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood studios, Animal kingdom, 2 waters parks & downtown Disney!)
Do you want see the other Orlando parks? Universal & Seaworld?
How long are you thinking of going for?
Do you want to book a package or are you happy booking DIY?
Do you want to fly direct or would you consider indirect to save money?

Sorry to just give you questions but it will help generate better answers for you

Just to give you an idea both BA and Virgin offer direct daily schedules to Orlando international (nearest airport to WDW) then some of the charters fly to Sanford.

Accommodation wise you can look at staying either onsite at Disney although with a family of 5 (one under 3 doesn't count to occupancy) you are not going to have much choice and will all be at the higher end ie Deluxe resorts. You can get some good accommodations near Disney that might suit you better with more space. They can be very good value too - one of the mods Wayne is an expert in finding deals for offsite accommodation so I leave that to him!

Hope this gives you a start

Wow, that was helpful Thanks, right let's start with my answers:

- As I said above, we arn't sure which parks are more suited to our kids so any suggestions would be great and also we don't really have a budget in mind right now and would rather get the best we can get first and then change details if we find we cannot afford it.

- We think the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Seaworld and the two water parks are a great idea for our family but we don't really know much about the rest of them.

- As I said above, we think 2 weeks should be enough time to fit everything in.

- Packages would be easier but we wouldn't mind doing it DIY if it was needed.

- We could probably cope with one stop over in London or something, maybe two.

 

[LauraBeckett]

Welcome Laura!
We are all friendly types here and will try to help you as much as possible.
Where in Scotland are you from and where do you hope to fly from? When would you like to go to Disney? Do you think you would like to stay in a villa or in a hotel? It really is personal preference.
Just ask questions, none are silly, just ask!
Good luck!

I'm from the Scottish Highlands so I guess Aberdeen would be the easiest place for us to fly from and we were hoping to go next August at some point I can see the pro of having more space in a villa but I am scared we might be a bit isolated if we didn't stay in a hotel.

 

[scojos]

firstly
2 weeks will NOT allow you to do everything...sorry to be a kill joy but its hard work, esp with young kids.
the heat/humidity (unless you go in the winter months) will drain and you av 12 miles a day walking
i agree with others, decide what is on your must list, then add a few mights and go from there.

on site will be hard with 5, ssr/okw have free ddp on at the mo which can save you a fortune, might be worth a look....

choose a budget then double it,

johnny is an expert on villas, wayne is an expert on everything, and the rest of usjust chip in when we feel we can add anything of use

break it down into days, right off the first travel day, my advice would be book some character meals, expensive but worth it for the experience...

consider tourguidemike, or touringplans.com they are worth the few ££ as they can save you alot of time.

last piece of advice- get there early do rope drop, hit the parks when they are quiet, get out at lunch time, let the kids napor play in pool, then go back in the evening...

planning is my fav bit..you ll make some great friends on here..i have
tracy

 

[LauraBeckett]

firstly
2 weeks will NOT allow you to do everything...sorry to be a kill joy but its hard work, esp with young kids.
the heat/humidity (unless you go in the winter months) will drain and you av 12 miles a day walking
i agree with others, decide what is on your must list, then add a few mights and go from there.

on site will be hard with 5, ssr/okw have free ddp on at the mo which can save you a fortune, might be worth a look....

choose a budget then double it,

johnny is an expert on villas, wayne is an expert on everything, and the rest of usjust chip in when we feel we can add anything of use

break it down into days, right off the first travel day, my advice would be book some character meals, expensive but worth it for the experience...

consider tourguidemike, or touringplans.com they are worth the few ££ as they can save you alot of time.

last piece of advice- get there early do rope drop, hit the parks when they are quiet, get out at lunch time, let the kids napor play in pool, then go back in the evening...

planning is my fav bit..you ll make some great friends on here..i have
tracy

Wow, okay we might be able to stretch it to a month I guess Yeah, the month of August in Disney sounds pretty good - I think I will have a villa so I guess I better make a must list ...

Must Have:
- At least 2 bedrooms, preferably 3
- A private pool, maybe a neighborhood one as well
- A full sized kitchen and a nearby supermarket
- Close to all Disney Parks and other amenities

I think that's all I NEED to have

 

[dawnpisces]

Yes I agree with previous answer two weeks will not let you do everything. I'm afraid until you get there its a bit difficult to imagine the sheer size of the place! Still it just means you will need more than one trip!!.
I think if my children were as small as yours I would opt for a villa - it just gives you a bit more home from home. Most villa owners are very kind and provide a buggy/stroller for you to use, and if you need two then Walmart sell them pretty cheaply.
Its been five years since we went and 10 years since our first visit and there are sooo many things new for us to see. I can't wait! And my children are mostly grown up!

 

[LauraBeckett]

Yes I agree with previous answer two weeks will not let you do everything. I'm afraid until you get there its a bit difficult to imagine the sheer size of the place! Still it just means you will need more than one trip!!.
I think if my children were as small as yours I would opt for a villa - it just gives you a bit more home from home. Most villa owners are very kind and provide a buggy/stroller for you to use, and if you need two then Walmart sell them pretty cheaply.
Its been five years since we went and 10 years since our first visit and there are sooo many things new for us to see. I can't wait! And my children are mostly grown up!

I think we're going to go to the villa so if anyone has any great ones they could suggest, that would be great - We have a foldable double buggy for the youngest two but thanks for suggesting Walmart as there is only so much carrying our toddler son we can do if our 4 year old is in his buggy space

 

[dawnpisces]

I suggest you buy the really good map of orlando thats recommended on here - is it tourguidemike???? I have it its excellent, someone else will keep you right as I'm having a senior moment!! It lets you see the proximity of villa communities to Disney so will help you find a nice location.
We have stayed in Lindfields, Clear creek (a bit far out for us), and Indian Creek. All good places though.

 

[Shazzie B]

Welcome to DIS

I agree a villa would probably be you best option; helps keep little ones in their bedtime routine. Area around 192 (road south of Disney) is popular and close, nr supermarkets etc.

We only 'did' Disney the 1st time we visited DD5 DS7 and there was plenty to do in each park for them. Might be best option - as you can buy a ticket that covers you for the full 14 days - which enables you to come and go as you please - with little ones (and even now mine are 15 & 17!) if some-ones tired and out of sorts you need to go 'home' and rest and not worry that you need to see everything before you leave. Especially Magic Kingdom - divide park up and visit on a couple of days minimum.

On rides Disney allow you to do what they call 'Child Swap', basically you queue one but take it in turns to ride with the older children whilst the other adult waits with the baby and toddler in very often a nice cool area.

Also with children of these ages I'd consider taking your own double stoller for the little two and perhap consider hiring a Disney double stroller in the parks for the 4 yr old - they'll be space for the 6 yr old to hop in too if necessary (and it may well be!).

If going in August I'd reccomend the last two weeks as park aren't so busy - most states go back to school mid August. (though I think perhaps you do in Scotland too?)

One book I'd reccommend is the Brits Guide to Orlando (Simon Veness)- it's especially useful for 1st timers. Happy Planning - loads of advise / people willing to help here.

 

[starrysky]

Hi and welcome to the dis,

Ok here goes, we are from Aberdeen and have flown both from Aberdeen and Glasgow.

Flights from Aberdeen were with BA and went Aberdeen to Heathrow, Gatwick to Orlando international. Flights were good but the changing of airports on the way there and back was a bit of a hassle and cost about £70 for just the two of us. For all of you i can just see a total nightmare.

We also flew from Galsgow with the now defunct Flyglobespan. This was a direct flight into Sanford (which is only slightly larger than Aberdeen) It was great to be on a direct flight as we did not have to worry about change of planes etc.

This year we fly from Glasgow with Aer lingus, so its glasgow to dublin, dublin to orlando. No chanage of airport and much cheaper for us even with getting to glasgow and an over night stay before our trip out. Also we could pre book seats together and extra legroom for cheaper as well.

If you were re thinking of staying at a disney resort (one of the all stars ones have family suites if that is of any help but not sure how many people you can get in them) Then try to fly into orlando international as you can get Disney magical express for free to your resort.

If you are planning on off site and car hire you would probably be cheaper to fly into Sanford. It is a bit further out of Orlando probably about glasgow to prestwick distance.

If you are doing DIY booking then you might be able to get a flydrive package through first choice etc they from what i can see only fly into sanford.

Hope that helps

 

[Pegasus928]

Wow, okay we might be able to stretch it to a month I guess Yeah, the month of August in Disney sounds pretty good - I think I will have a villa so I guess I better make a must list ...

Must Have:
- At least 2 bedrooms, preferably 3
- A private pool, maybe a neighborhood one as well
- A full sized kitchen and a nearby supermarket
- Close to all Disney Parks and other amenities

I think that's all I NEED to have

Well I certainly don't think you will have any trouble with that list.
We have stayed in a villa on every one of our trips and in a variety of locations and have our own list have 'must-haves' that we work to when looking for a villa.
- A pool that is not overlooked and has a lake or conservation view.(I think all villas have their own pool - some however feel very claustrophobic with walls or fences around them)
- Free internet and Wi-Fi
- Free international phone calls
- Games room to keep the kids busy when they have had enough pool time for the day

You will find that most villas have at least 3 bedrooms, many with ensuites, but the price difference between a 3 and a 5 isn't that much when you bear in mind the total cost of the holiday.
With children the ages you have I would recommend one in the Ponciana Boulevard area. This is nice and close to all the parks, as well as some of the other attractions like International Drive, OldTown and the 192 - as well as convenient for shops and restaurants.
There are also a lot of villa resorts on the H27, but the distance to the parks is around 30-40 minutes. This doesn't sound much but at the end of a long day it will seem longer.

If it will help you I will PM you links to the villas we have stayed in recently along with some pros and cons of each. At least that way you will be able to cut down a lot of searching the internet.
If you do want to have a look for your own then a good place to start are these sites

http://www.orlandovillas.com/

http://www.vr360homes.co.uk/north-america/florida/disney-orlando-villas/

Also bear in ind that if you chose to stay in a villa you will certainly - at least in my opinion - need to hire a car.

 

[2Tiggies]

Since everyone else has covered all the info so well, I am going to chip in about the 2 week stay.

Everyone is correct. You will not see everything in 2 weeks. But you won't see it all in 3 or even 4 weeks. Not everything is going to be of interest or appropriate to you at the stage and age of your kids. When I go, I accept that I can't do it all and choose the things that are most important to me for that particular trip. You will have some instant preferences and once you have been you build your own list of favourites and never-agains.

If you think this is a one off trip, you are probably wrong. Most of us went on our once in a lifetime Florida trip the first time ..... and keep going back so don't put too much pressure on yourself. I don't know that I could do more than 3 weeks. We are pretty tired at the end of 2 - 2 1/2 weeks - a good tired, but tired all the same.

I think, as per the advice above, look at what you really want to do and remember that you don't want to jam pack your days and weeks with back to back activities. You want time to just "be" there, enjoy the pool, sit around absorbing your surroundings and doing little things to unwind. However long you go for, it will never be long enough. You have to save some for next time.

 

[Pegasus928]

You are certainly getting plenty if quality information to help you in your planning

If you have a look at the link below it will take you to a Disney site that will give you a good idea of what each of the parks has to offer in the way of rides, attractions, shows and food etc.
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/theme-parks/
It will be a good idea to start making a list of your 'must-dos' - only then will you be able to plan your days to ensure you get the most out of your holiday.
Note which characters are your childrens favourites and find out where you can meet them for photos and autographs, as well as where you can go and meet them for a character meal. Look into the Photopass - its great for getting pics of you all as a family rather than one of you having to take the shot.
You have a lot of planning ahead - but with the help of everyone on here you will have a holiday that you and your kids will remember for the rest of your lives.

 

[LauraBeckett]

I LOVE MY HUSBAND Okay, I went away and though about everything you guys said and started looking for some holiday villas in the area ... I was just scanning my last page when he looks over my shoulder and says "I never knew you decided on a villa, I think I have a mate from University who owns a house nearby the parks" Sort of useful information to with hold but oh well, anyway I called his mate up and I must be crazy but I've managed to book a last minute deal to stay in his house ... my only problem we're meant to be there on the 8th August - I'm crazy, I've finally flipped I know it's such short notice but it's just such a good age for the kids and I couldn't say no.

Anyway I guess I should give you some small details on the villa It's in Westridge, Davenport ... I've not really had time to research it but my husband's mate assures me it is close enough to all the park. It is a three bedroom, two bathroom with an open plan ground floor containing the family room, dining room and full sized kitchen It's placed in a family oriented neighborhood and isn't usually used as a holiday rental area which means it will be quieter then most areas. It has an enclosed back garden which he describes as a child's haven with play equipment, pool, hot tub and trampoline but there is also a neighborhood pool with waterfall, slide and jacuzzi out the back of all the house This area also encloses a large bonfire area, basketball court, tennis court and children's playground ... I actually think I'm in heaven

Anyway, now that I've booked the villa I have to act quick, any suggestions?

 

[2Tiggies]

Anyway, now that I've booked the villa I have to act quick, any suggestions?

No. We first have to get over the shock

That is incredible. How long do are you staying there for?

 

[catherine]

I LOVE MY HUSBAND Okay, I went away and though about everything you guys said and started looking for some holiday villas in the area ... I was just scanning my last page when he looks over my shoulder and says "I never knew you decided on a villa, I think I have a mate from University who owns a house nearby the parks" Sort of useful information to with hold but oh well, anyway I called his mate up and I must be crazy but I've managed to book a last minute deal to stay in his house ... my only problem we're meant to be there on the 8th August - I'm crazy, I've finally flipped I know it's such short notice but it's just such a good age for the kids and I couldn't say no.

Anyway I guess I should give you some small details on the villa It's in Westridge, Davenport ... I've not really had time to research it but my husband's mate assures me it is close enough to all the park. It is a three bedroom, two bathroom with an open plan ground floor containing the family room, dining room and full sized kitchen It's placed in a family oriented neighborhood and isn't usually used as a holiday rental area which means it will be quieter then most areas. It has an enclosed back garden which he describes as a child's haven with play equipment, pool, hot tub and trampoline but there is also a neighborhood pool with waterfall, slide and jacuzzi out the back of all the house This area also encloses a large bonfire area, basketball court, tennis court and children's playground ... I actually think I'm in heaven

Anyway, now that I've booked the villa I have to act quick, any suggestions?

I presume that you all have passports. If it was me the next thing that I would be looking at doing is booking flights. have you decided whether you want to fly direct or indirect? You might want to look at making some ADRs if you want to do some character meals. At this late stage It's going to really difficult to get those. Hopefully there might be cancellations.