Need help! First time at WDW! 2 young kids

[Mamakoala]

Hi-
we're going to disney in January for 7 days with 2 young boys, aged 5 and 2 years old. We are really torn about where to stay. DH likes the Swan, because he feels it will give him and me a nice break from the "disney" feel during the afternoons and evenings, but the price is around $300 a night during that time frame. The fact that I am a homeschooler might give me a bit of a break but not a lot, unfortunately. Buying a 7 day MYW pass on top of the hotel is about $700 or so.

We also considered the Polynesian--dh thinks the kitschy Poly theme is kinda cool, and I like the fact that it's on the monorail so we can come back and rest during the day without dealing with buses. There's also a part of us that feels if you're gonna do Disney, you should IMMERSE yourself in Disney, KWIM? So...if we're debating between Swan and a disney resort, which disney resort would you recommend for kids that age? And in Jan, is it even possible that we would use the pools, so should the pool factor into our decision?

SO we're looking at:
1. Swan--actually ends up being the cheapest compared to the other WDW Deluxes (except AK)
2. Poly-pricey!
3. Animal Kingdom-probably too far away and not enough of that typical magic kingdom feel?
4. coronado?
5. wilderness lodge-close to mk, but pricey....

Can anyone help here? We are feeling overwhelmed by all the choices and really need to make our reservations. thank you
5.

 

[MrsJ Henry]

we have stayed mostly at YC and AKL. But now we have a little one so we are staying at the Poly. We thought it would be a good idea to be on the monorail.
If it were me I would pick WL or Poly (out of your choices)

WDW can be very overwhelming with all the choices. This board as well as allearsnet.com and mousesavers.com are great and can be very helpful!

(WL and AKL should be the same price.)

 

[MrsJ Henry]

By the way.... welcome to the Dis!!!!!!

 

[Mamakoala]

thank you! the poly is PRICEY for the time frame we want!! I just double checked the prices and got a quote of $3,600 for 6 nights. wow. The WL was 3100. Choices choices. Not including food, the Swan comes out to 2800 if you include a park hopper MYW pass for 7 days...

ugh, the choices. I am going crazy.

 

[MrsJ Henry]

One more thing... DO NOT PAY RACK RATE!!!!
There are codes and AAA discounts out there. keep a watch out for these. They don't take a WHOLE lot off but at least it is something!

 

[Mamakoala]

thanks! i saw the AAA rates off...they help a bit.

so...if you were decidiing between Coronado Springs and Swan, where would you stay? In JANUARY--so I don't know how much my boys would be using the pool.....

We like the polynesian but where can i find discounts for this?? 3600 for 6 nights, park hopper option and dining package is just way too much for us.

 

[MrsJ Henry]

I went on and looked and if you get a standard view at WL it is less than 3,000 before any discounts and with tickets included.

If it were between the Swan and CS I think I would pick the Swan for it's location as well as a few other things.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

If it comes down to a decision between Coronado and the Swan, I would choose the Swan. The easier access to 2 parks and the close proximity to a number of restaurants makes it an easy decision. $300 per nite for the Swan sounds like a lot to me, however. Have you checked mousesavers.com? It has a list of every discount available for your time frame. Even check expedia and AAA.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Have you considered a stay at the CBR? If you want to get away from the "Disney" feel, the CBR just might be for you. We like staying there because we feel as if we are getting a tropical vacation and a Disney vacation all rolled into one. The price is much cheaper than the deluxe resorts.

The rooms at the CBR are larger (340 sq ft) than the other moderates and are the same size as some of the standard rooms at the WL and AKL. I am not sure of the Swan room sizes.

The CBR is made up of several different village with each village having their own bus stop, quiet pool, laundry facility and beach. The village bus stops are very close to the villages. The laundry facilities are right by the quiet pools and just a bit away from the beaches. The beaches have hammocks and beach chairs and some have small playgrounds.

The CBR is very centrally located so it never takes long to reach any Disney destination which is a real plus in our book.

The food court at the CBR has something for everyone. You'll find burgers, chicken strips, pizza, pasta, deli sandwiches, rotissiere meats, vegetables and lots more. At breakfast, there's an assortment of breakfast meats, waffles, pancakes, omelets, etc.

The store is pretty large. One side sells tropical and pirate themed merchandise and the other side sells the more traditional Disney merchandise.

Hope this helps in your decision making process.

 

[hockeybabe]

Mamakoala, don't book yet. Rumor is that a general public code is coming out for Jan/Feb next week. I got a pin code version of this code so I could book earlier than the general public, and I got the WL std room with 5 days park hopper water parks and more tickets for $1766 including all taxes. The promotion is a free upgrade from base tickets to park hopper water parks and more tickets and a small room discount (our $225 room was $185). Watch these boards very carefully in the next few days...the rumor is that the code will be released around 10/31 or 11/1. This is the same code that was offered to the general public for the past 2 years, and was offered in the beginning of November. In the meantime, play with some new numbers based on only having to purchase base tickets and a 15%-ish room discount.

Are you flying? If you are driving, keep in mind there is a daily parking fee at Swan (I think it is around $10/day).

Good luck!

 

[Mamakoala]

THank you for that info! i will wait til next week to book. thank you so much!

 

[Mamakoala]

where will this code be posted? can i PM you if i don't find it? And will it apply to Polynesian? And where would I 'enter' it...sorry for all the questions! i am a nervous wreck with all these choices..i SO dont want to make the wrong decisions!

 

[hockeybabe]

Towards the top of the Resorts board page, you will see a sub-forum called Codes and Rates. That is where they will post the new discount code when it is released. The DIS will also post it on their Discounts page, on the tan colored bar on the right hand side of the screen there. Also, another great website that usually stays on top of things is www.mousesavers.com. My other favorite Disney site is www.allearsnet.com. Their dining pages has all of the menus and prices for every eatery in WDW...very handy.

Back to the discount. You can call or apply it online, I prefer to call. Be sure listen carefully to the room type. When I called, they applied the discount to one of the more expensive room types, when I wanted the least expensive. They gave me the next lower priced room, but I called back the next day and asked specifically for a standard room and got it. Check the above sites and research your room preferences and prices, and when you book, let them know what you want. If it's not available (the cheapest rooms book fast) ask them to quote you on the next room type up (or down depending on your preference). I am pretty sure they automatically add trip insurance to your quote, often without asking you, or at least, without bringing a lot of attention to it. There are cheaper places to purchase trip insurance, like www.insuremytrip.com, and they may offer more coverage, like terrorism, for instance. Some people don't buy trip insurance, you might want to do some research on that. Disney's insurance adds about $140 to your bill.

In anticipation of the discount, I had gone to Disney's website and played with various packages for rack pricing and base tickets, and then added a 10% discount. When they gave me my quote over the phone, I was able to see how close or far off they were. It's how I noticed they had added that insurance, and had to ask them to take it off

Seems like alot of research, but the planning is half the fun of it to us DISers, and for such an expensive trip, it's a good feeling to feel confident about your choices.

Feel free to PM me anytime. I am no expert, but I can try to help. Of course, just posting on these boards may be better, to get everyone's help and opinions.

 

[hockeybabe]

I have never booked my trip online with the code...can anyone out there tell her how to apply one?

 

[Mamakoala]

Wow thanks!!! I am going to keep my eyes open for the discount and will call to be sure I am getting the best rate, and room. And thanks for the tip about the insurance! i had no idea!!!
And as for the DIS--do you mean the discounts 'square' on the right side of the screen on the home page? thx!

 

[Disneylush]

link to Jan code watch: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=21510939&posted=1#post21510939

Depending on where you are from you may or may not use the pool. We are from MN so 50 is swimming weather to us!

Just wondering what your reason for going with a mod / deluxe resort? Do you plan on spending a ton of time in the room?

 

[Mamakoala]

we havent been on vacation as a family in 5 years, so we want something nice. plus, we will be spending a few hours each afternoon as my youngest naps for 2+ hours!

 

[2tink4u]

OKay, Go on the DVC disscusion forum and buy points from someone. Stay in a one bedroom suite. You buy there points and they make ressie. You pay 10 a point you will need around 160 points less if you can stand a studio. Try for wilderness lodge and take boat to MK. Or disembark and walk up to Monorail before entering and go to Epcot. With all my experiance this is the best. Good luck.

 

[5/4Disney]

Mamakoala, don't book yet. Rumor is that a general public code is coming out for Jan/Feb next week. I got a pin code version of this code so I could book earlier than the general public, and I got the WL std room with 5 days park hopper water parks and more tickets for $1766 including all taxes. The promotion is a free upgrade from base tickets to park hopper water parks and more tickets and a small room discount (our $225 room was $185). Watch these boards very carefully in the next few days...the rumor is that the code will be released around 10/31 or 11/1. This is the same code that was offered to the general public for the past 2 years, and was offered in the beginning of November. In the meantime, play with some new numbers based on only having to purchase base tickets and a 15%-ish room discount.

Are you flying? If you are driving, keep in mind there is a daily parking fee at Swan (I think it is around $10/day).

Good luck!

This is a good deal. We did this last year at WL and had a blast. A great time of year to go. You might want to check into a Disney Visa I know at times such websites like mousesavers.com will post special rates for card holders. You also earn reward dollars that you can spend on your trip. Since your kidos are little you can use the boat taxi to get to MK and it's a relaxing ride. If you stay at the WL ask to be the flag family and you can raise the flays on top of the hotel while you are there.

 

[Cinderella]

With kids that age, I would consider the WL or the Poly and try to get a discount - definitely. The first time I took my kids - only slightly younger than yours then, we stayed at the Poly. Then the second time the WL. Both were perfect with kids that age.

Also, I don't know if your youngest one will be three by then but the neverland club is very good as is the one at the WL (think it is the Cubs Den). Otherwise, to give you a break from homeschooling - consider getting a sitter from Fairy Godmothers. They will come to any resort hotel - my kids loved ours. Ask for someone a bit older - a grandmother type.