Need help planning a trip

[Skye5000]

hi,
I'm looking for any advice you have. We have never done a Disney trip before, so I am completely clueless this is not a type of trip we are use to taking. We usually do a spur of the moment type of vacation just jumping in the truck and heading anywhere and then find a place to stay when we get to a place that looks like it would be a nice spot for a vacation. So please understand this is so outside my comfort zone. My daughter has been wanting to go to the Bibbity Bobbity boutique since she could talk. She just turned 9 and I want to do this for her while she will still enjoy it. My oldest son is a huge Disney fan and we will be going the week he turns 21 so he can spend his 21st at WDW. The only thing we have done so far is to get an appointment at the boutique and a lunch at Cinderella's castle right after. We can't afford to stay on sight so I need to find a place to stay too. We will be arriving on March 8th and staying until March 11th. Can anyone help me with some ideas on how to make this a nice trip for my kids! Thanks

 

[writermommy6]

There are lots of great suggestions all over the site. How many of you are going? You can easily find a hotel near Disney that's not on property. Do you need just an average hotel room or something more like a condo? Definitely look at reviews before booking a hotel. Condos/townhouses can be found on vrbo.com. I've had great luck with that site. I would look at a list of rides/restaurants and see if there are any MUST DOS so you can make sure to see those. I've never been during that time of year but I imagine it isn't too crowded.

 

[loves to dive]

Flower and Garden will be going on at Epcot which will put a little more traffic in World Showcase but it's loads of fun and the 21 year old should enjoy the adult beverages there. If you don't already have your tickets, you should go ahead and get those. Normally, first timers don't get park hoppers since there is so much to see and do in every park and it will save you some money. If you decide once you get there that you want them, you can upgrade no problem. Three nights is not very long for the first time so I'd suggest Magic Kingdom one day, maybe two and then Epcot and if you only do one day at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom. Like previous poster said, look at the rides and restaurants that are available so you'll have an idea what you want then after you get your tickets, go ahead and book your 3 fast passes. That way you'll know you will get those. I'm guessing since you are on a budget you aren't going to want any table service restaurants, you can bring food into the park if you want but there are loads of quick service places in all the parks that give you big portions that you and your daughter can easily share and your son can get his own. Remember, you aren't going to be able to see and do all there is to see and do so don't sweat it, don't try to load too much in and end up just being exhausted and frustrated. You'll find lots of people on the boards that schedule their day down to potty breaks and you'll find others that go with the flow. Neither is wrong, it just depends on your preference, it sounds like you are more of a go with the flow type so I'm guess just the first 3 fast passes and then see what you want to do.

 

[Pesky]

For offsite, I agree VRBO might be a great place to start. Also, a lot of folks like Wyndham Bonnet Creek. I think the next thing is deciding what parks you are/aren't doing and what kind of tickets (park hoppers or no?). I'd involve both your kids in planning to make sure you are prioritizing what rides/attractions are "must do" for your family -- and think outside of just the rides and shows, like parades (Festival of Fantasy? MSEP?), fireworks, and restaurants (BOG?). Limit them to 3 "must do" each day so you can feel some sense of accomplishment. Then mark the date when your FP+ window will open and make your FP+ reservations then. I'd definitely look to share meals/snacks or bring in your own. Remember you can get a free cup of iced water at QS locations and Starbucks locations.

 

[quagmire0]

VRBO and Windsor Hills. I think you'll find a bunch of affordable options there. If you're a reader, I'd HIGHLY recommend the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. That's where I started 5 years ago when I was planning our first trip. Coming here and reading up was the second part of my Disney education.

 

[Tara1988]

Resorts that offer timeshares are a great place to check. They often have great promotions. My husband and I once stayed at Sheraton vistana villages for 4 nights and only had to pay the resort fee that usually covers parking and Wi-Fi. It was $30 a night for a 1 bedroom villa. There was another place I've stayed at but can't remember the name, it was a 2 bedroom villa for around $150 a night. All we had to do was go to a sales presentation for buying into the timeshare. For the second place, they even gave us back $100 cash for staying through the whole 2 hour presentation.

 

[roseaster]

I don't know how budget you are looking at, but try a lot of the travel websites, Expedia, Bookit, Hotels.com, etc there are a lot of very budget hotels that are close to WDW. Some even offer free park shuttles and breakfast.

Undercover tourist offers discounts on park tickets. You can save money by buying your daughter a princess dress and bringing it with you.