New and extremely overwhelmed

[lisamarie12]

I have been lurking for a while and reading some of the tips, but there are a lot of acronyms that I don't know that makes things difficult. I thinking about planning a trip to Disney next summer, in July for me, DH and my DD (4). I am a little unsure about going in July because of the heat and crowd factor both being an issue, but it looks like its the time that is going to work out for us. Our child care provider and back up provider are both taking vacation the second week in July which means that DH or I or both have to take vacation that week (or split it). So if we are doing that, we might as well just take a vacation. We were planning on taking a big trip next year to celebrate my birthday (40) and our 10 year anniversary in May but we would rather not use so much vacation time or spend as much money. So we may just make our trip a family trip and move it to July. And we were also thinking of taking DD to Disney when she is 5 or 6, so it is close and takes care of two big trips in one. And DD and I both love Disney so its a good choice.

So now I have many questions. DH and I did a short trip to Disney a few years ago (pre-kids), and really just had 2 days there. I decided that if I ever came back I was staying a few more days and staying on property. We had stayed off site and there was a shuttle from the hotel, but we were at the mercy of that shuttle (which had 1 or 2 pick up times all day).
So...
1. Where to stay
Price is the biggest factor. But also we will not have a car so we need somewhere that will have transportation to the places we go. I gathered that Disney has that, but do all of the resorts have it. We will probably stay at one of the value resorts. Are any of them better than others? Do all of them take you to the parks?
2. Is 4 (well 4 1/2) old enough to enjoy Disney. This is a kid who's favorite character is Minnie Mouse, favorite movie is Frozen (with Little Mermaid and Aladdin being right behind) and favorite channel is Disney Jr. She likes just about every show on Disney Jr. She has seen photos of WDW and wants to go, but she can be a bit of a pill. I think she is getting better with traveling though, last trip (a cruise) had very few meltdowns.
3. Dining Plan or not
Again, price is a factor, but I also like having things prepaid. Is it worth it, or is it significantly cheaper to do it ourselves. If we do a plan, we would probably do the basic one that has 1 quick service, 1 table service and 1 snack per person. If we pay out of pocket, we will probably do quick service for lunch and nicer diner. I can't eat every meal at quick service
4. When you buy the park passes how many days to get and does that impact the dining plan?
Flight schedule for the airline we would use is not out but I imagine we will probably fly in on a Monday and out on Friday. Friday is definitely shot. Monday maybe we can do something in the evening. If I buy the park pass deal for 4 days will that work. If we have dining, how will that impact it. Does that mean we can eat on Monday and not Friday. Its not a big deal for Friday to me.
5. What parks are best for little ones and would you get a park hopper
I am thinking Magic Kingdom because that to me is Disney. Its the one that I see in pictures. And my DD loves all of the characters and princesses. DH and I did MK and Epcot on our trip. Epcot was cool but I don't think DD would love it. What other parks would be fun?
6. Am I really going to regret going in July? If so, I may postpone it for a few years.
I am sorry. I am full of questions and probably many of these are answered. But I tried wading through the tips and there are so many acronyms that it felt like a different language to me. Thanks in advance.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Welcome! There is certainly plenty of advice here, but it can get overwhelming. L

So now I have many questions. DH and I did a short trip to Disney a few years ago (pre-kids), and really just had 2 days there. I decided that if I ever came back I was staying a few more days and staying on property. We had stayed off site and there was a shuttle from the hotel, but we were at the mercy of that shuttle (which had 1 or 2 pick up times all day).
So...
1. Where to stay
Price is the biggest factor. But also we will not have a car so we need somewhere that will have transportation to the places we go. I gathered that Disney has that, but do all of the resorts have it. We will probably stay at one of the value resorts. Are any of them better than others? Do all of them take you to the parks?

All of the Disney resorts provide bus transportation to the parks. Some of them also have boats and a monorail. The value resorts are nice. They have a food court which helps to hold costs down. There is also free bus service to and from the airport if you need it.

2. Is 4 (well 4 1/2) old enough to enjoy Disney. This is a kid who's favorite character is Minnie Mouse, favorite movie is Frozen (with Little Mermaid and Aladdin being right behind) and favorite channel is Disney Jr. She likes just about every show on Disney Jr. She has seen photos of WDW and wants to go, but she can be a bit of a pill. I think she is getting better with traveling though, last trip (a cruise) had very few meltdowns.

She will adore Disney. Her enthusiasm will be a joy to see. But young kids, and parents too, get overwhelmed by trying to do too much. You will have a great trip if you plan some down time for her. We took a granddaughter when she was 3 1/2 and she had some classic meltdowns. But, in spite of the meltdowns, we had a wonderful trip with many great memories. We took a grandson who had just turned five and he was really good. We had plenty of down time for him. His favorite thing to do was going swimming in the afternoon.

3. Dining Plan or not
Again, price is a factor, but I also like having things prepaid. Is it worth it, or is it significantly cheaper to do it ourselves. If we do a plan, we would probably do the basic one that has 1 quick service, 1 table service and 1 snack per person. If we pay out of pocket, we will probably do quick service for lunch and nicer diner. I can't eat every meal at quick service

This is a much debated topic. Most people can save money by going out of pocket. But if you plan to do a lot of character meals and table service restaurants you might want to consider it. We don't like it because it isn't the way we eat. We would rather have a salad than dessert, but appetizers don't come with the plan and desserts do.

4. When you buy the park passes how many days to get and does that impact the dining plan?

You can buy park tickets anytime, but you should buy them at least 60 days ahead of trip date so you can make fast passes early. The dining plan must be purchased at least a week to ten days before trip date. The tickets and dining plan are separate deals. If you buy a dining plan then it must match your reservation days. But you can buy tickets for as many days as you like. Our daughter is staying seven nights but only buying six days worth of tickets. If she were to add the dining plan then she would have to buy seven days worth of dining since she is staying seven nights.

Flight schedule for the airline we would use is not out but I imagine we will probably fly in on a Monday and out on Friday. Friday is definitely shot. Monday maybe we can do something in the evening. If I buy the park pass deal for 4 days will that work. If we have dining, how will that impact it. Does that mean we can eat on Monday and not Friday. Its not a big deal for Friday to me.

The way the dining plan works is that you a paying for every day of your reservation. in other words, if you are staying for four nights and buying the regular dining plan, then you would have four table service credits, four counter service credits and four snack credits plus a refillable mug. You can start using the credits the day you arrive or hold them until the next day. The credits are good until midnight of the day you check out.

5. What parks are best for little ones and would you get a park hopper
I am thinking Magic Kingdom because that to me is Disney. Its the one that I see in pictures. And my DD loves all of the characters and princesses. DH and I did MK and Epcot on our trip. Epcot was cool but I don't think DD would love it. What other parks would be fun?

MK is the best for little ones and I would plan to spend the most time there. Some kids love animals, so Animal Kingdom is a great place for them. Epcot has less to do for little ones but they still have plenty for a half day at least. We always get park hoppers, but they do cost more money. Hollywood Studios has some cute things for a four year old, including Muppets 3-D and Disney Jr. Playhouse. They also have live shows for Beauty and the Beast and Little Mermaid. If you buy park hoppers than I would do HS and AK as a half day.

6. Am I really going to regret going in July? If so, I may postpone it for a few years.
I am sorry. I am full of questions and probably many of these are answered. But I tried wading through the tips and there are so many acronyms that it felt like a different language to me. Thanks in advance.

No worries. They are lot of people here happy to answer your questions. I've never been to WDW in July, but it will be hot.

 

[Applemomma]

I have been lurking for a while and reading some of the tips, but there are a lot of acronyms that I don't know that makes things difficult.

Somewhere on the Dis there's a list of acronyms that might make it easier for you!

I am a little unsure about going in July because of the heat and crowd factor both being an issue, but it looks like its the time that is going to work out for us.

July will definitely be hot and sticky but just plan for it and as far as crowds go they say there realistically isn't a down time anymore.

1. Where to stay
Price is the biggest factor. But also we will not have a car so we need somewhere that will have transportation to the places we go. I gathered that Disney has that, but do all of the resorts have it. We will probably stay at one of the value resorts. Are any of them better than others? Do all of them take you to the parks?

Yes! Every Disney hotel has the same transportation system so you can go to every park, including Downtown Disney from your resort and it's continuous all day long so unlike a hotel shuttle you don't have to plan around it, except for park open hours. And of course not having to drive from the airport on Magic Express is huge. You can still rent a car on property if you want one! There lots of choices for that. For the values just take a look at the themeing and see which one appeals to you the most!

2. Is 4 (well 4 1/2) old enough to enjoy Disney.

There's no age that's not old enough to enjoy Disney! Will she remember every minute? No, but who does! Just don't be afraid to take those breaks and pool time. Pushing her limits if she's used to having a nap or going to bed at a certain time will make it no fun for anyone. Relax and enjoy!

3. Dining Plan or not
Again, price is a factor, but I also like having things prepaid. Is it worth it, or is it significantly cheaper to do it ourselves. If we do a plan, we would probably do the basic one that has 1 quick service, 1 table service and 1 snack per person. If we pay out of pocket, we will probably do quick service for lunch and nicer diner. I can't eat every meal at quick service

If you you are looking at eating one quick service and one table service a day and you're already prepared to pay for that out of pocket then yes, the dining plan will be a good value. Keep in mind though the table service are reservations that, in some cases, you have to plan 180 days out, especially if you want to do some character dining. If you like to fly by the seat of your pants and don't like the idea of having to be at a set place at a set time table service might be a challenge. Don't discount the quick service! There's some really good options besides just burgers.

4. When you buy the park passes how many days to get and does that impact the dining plan?
Flight schedule for the airline we would use is not out but I imagine we will probably fly in on a Monday and out on Friday. Friday is definitely shot. Monday maybe we can do something in the evening. If I buy the park pass deal for 4 days will that work. If we have dining, how will that impact it. Does that mean we can eat on Monday and not Friday. Its not a big deal for Friday to me.

You buy the dining plan based on how many nights of your room reservation not how many park days you buy. For example you could book 7 nights at Pop Century and only buy a one day park ticket and never leave your resort for the other 6 days and still have 7 days of dining plan. I believe it runs out the day you check out. If you can, don't worry too far out about how many days. See what will work best for your travel schedule when you book. Your flight times will determine if you have enough time to go to the park the day you arrive or leave and no point in buying tickets or days of dining that you won't have time to use. I usually book a room only reservation and then modify it once I see exactly what I need. You can always upgrade your tickets when you're there.

5. What parks are best for little ones and would you get a park hopper
I am thinking Magic Kingdom because that to me is Disney. Its the one that I see in pictures. And my DD loves all of the characters and princesses. DH and I did MK and Epcot on our trip. Epcot was cool but I don't think DD would love it. What other parks would be fun?

Every park has something for the little ones, including Epcot. The biggest thing to research is how fastpass works, especially if you want to do things like Frozen characters as demand for their attention is high. At that age I would pick a few characters that you know you can get fastpasses for and not worry about standing in line. The Passporter Guide to Walt Disney World is really good for breaking down activities in the park by age. As far as park hoppers go I think it's a good investment if you want options. Especially if weather or crowds become a factor. Being able to switch part way through the day to a park that might be open later and play while it's cooler might be worth it's weight in gold. I never not get the park hopper. Yes, some folks like to stay at one park and just do all they can but I love being able to come and go as I please.

Regardless, don't stress! Don't overplan...read all you can so you know what options you have if the plans you do make don't work out. Don't think you're going to be able to do it all and don't forget to soak in the details! My first trip was stressful until I decided to just explore with the kids and let the magic happen and it was just that...magical. Reading the Dis Boards regularly definitely gave me an advantage and before you know it you'll catch yourself being able to answer questions and knowing what those acronyms are.

And then get ready to plan your second trip!

 

[Terra Nova guy]

I won't add too much because I think both PP had some great advice for you. But I just wanted to suggest that you look into staying at Art of Animation resort in the Little Mermaid rooms, since your DD likes Ariel. The price is very close to the other value resorts and I think AoA is wonderful, especially for smaller kids. I stayed in a Nemo suite last year and it was great, but my daughter loved walking up in the Mermaid section. Some people complain the Mermaid rooms are far from the food court. Although it is a bit of a walk, it is no farther than walking around most moderate resorts.

 

[RHMH]

You received some great advice and tips from op so I will say ......

Dis-Friend

 

[crewsn]

There is a lot. It can be overwhelming I understand. Just start breaking it down. Figure out dates. Then pick a resort.

If looking at value and using only Disney buses I'd just look at Pop or Art of Animation. They do not share buses which is a big advantage.

We loved Pop. We got a great location of a room and still walked over to AofA to check it out and eat at the food court a couple of times.

I liked the food court better at AofA though and the pools were pretty neat. (Though we went in November so this didn't matter to us in a choice hence another reason we didn't even look at moderates).

The distance to the Little Mermaid rooms is a further walk so just something to factor.

As for dining, once you know your dates think of which park you want to go to each day. This way you know what reservations to book for dining. Think of if you want to do character dining, etc. You need to book these 180 days in advance.

Whether to buy the dining plan or not, estimate costs and compare. The dining plan is a lot of food, but can be worth it depending on where you potentially want it eat. If you aren't into snacking and deserts, etc it most likely won't be cost effective.

Hope this is a start. Happy planning. It can be as fun as the trip itself once you get into it

 

[SoupKidsX3]

Thanks for all the great tips! This is so helpful!

 

[lisamarie12]

Book character meals 180 days out! Yikes. That is like now and we are not even ready to book the vacation yet. We probably won't book for a month or 2, as we have to get vacations approved and get together some of the money.

I think we will probably only do one character meal, because of the cost. What is a good recommendation for a 4 year old girl that is cost effective with good/decent food. She likes Minnie/Mickey and CO, Sophia the 1st and the major princesses (i.e. Cinderella, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine) and of course, anyone from Frozen. I saw one at Hollywood and Vine (I think it was called that), that looked promising. I also thought I saw one that had several princesses, but I forgot the name of it.

Also, do they have character meet and greets at the parks that are regular attractions (i.e. not extra cost) or characters roaming around? I would like her to have the opportunity to see as many as possible.

 

[MOpGrad2013]

Book character meals 180 days out! Yikes. That is like now and we are not even ready to book the vacation yet. We probably won't book for a month or 2, as we have to get vacations approved and get together some of the money.

I think we will probably only do one character meal, because of the cost. What is a good recommendation for a 4 year old girl that is cost effective with good/decent food. She likes Minnie/Mickey and CO, Sophia the 1st and the major princesses (i.e. Cinderella, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine) and of course, anyone from Frozen. I saw one at Hollywood and Vine (I think it was called that), that looked promising. I also thought I saw one that had several princesses, but I forgot the name of it.

Also, do they have character meet and greets at the parks that are regular attractions (i.e. not extra cost) or characters roaming around? I would like her to have the opportunity to see as many as possible.

YES! You can meet the characters in the park. They have dedicated Meet and Greet areas. You'll stand in line to meet, get autograph and take picture. Many (most, I think) have a PhotoPass photographer so you can get a professional along with your own camera/phone.

Some character lines get pretty long, but if it is a priority, map out your plan to get in that line quickly. They are also a mix of indoors (air conditioning) and out door lines (misting fans, but still hot). We met Sorcerer Mickey inside the Animation building at DHS. That line was pretty long--about 40 minutes so it was good to be inside. Sofia and Jake were outside of DisneyJr on stage. The line was about 20 minutes each.

There are FP+ available for some super popular characters. Of course, you may not want to use your FP for that because you prefer certain rides or shows. We used one for meeting Mickey and Minnie in AK. Very quick. Yes, we visited with Mickey twice during our trip. DS3 was very enamored with Daisy Duck and Minnie.

Eating with the characters will indeed set you back--cost and time. The meals are expensive when you compare to your local restaurants where a child eats for less than $5. If you choose to do the DDP, you will use credits so the only time the true cost comes into factor is the gratuity.

Time: factor in about 1 1/2 hours for your dining experience. Of course, if you figure you are standing in line to meet one character and that is 40 minutes VERSUS meeting 4 characters and eating in the 90 minutes...It can be argued to be worth it.

Setting ADR's before you actually book your vacation. Sounds crazy, but many of us do it. Don't feel that your plans are cemented down...As the park hours change, you may change where you want to be. But if you have the feeling of "we HAVE to meet Cinderella, grab that reservation asap." If you choose a time that would be good for you to eat at home, you will more than likely be pleased with the time at WDW.

We have done Crystal Palace each visit and it's already on our must do in the future..We love Tigger.

 

[scoopmorgan]

I would also suggest looking into a water park while you are there. The July heat can be oppressive, so a romp in the water is a welcome blessing. That said, the resort pools are excellent, too, but my DD works at Blizzard Beach, so it is a favorite with us.

 

[skier_pete]

Hi and welcome.

While asking questions is a great idea, you will quickly find that you get as many different opinions as you get people that post responses. Remember there are a lot of different ways to tour the parks, none of them are more "right" than another. My key to you would be "keep it simple".

So, if you are going in July, it will definitely be HOT and CROWDED. If you are prepared for that, so be it. However, if you have a pre-schooler, I am not sure why you wouldn't consider another time of year. (If you are a teacher, I get that!) If that is your only choice though, you can still do it, just realize it would be smart to take a breaks during the midday to cool down or else you will have a bunch of meltdowns!

Most important rules:
1) Get to the parks when they open, those first few hours will have low crowds and low temperatures.
2) Use Fastpass+, no ones idea of a good vacation is standing in long lines. This will help you avoid it.
3) Have a plan but be flexible. #1 rookie mistake is going in with no idea of what your getting into. #2 rookie mistake is trying to plan every minute of every day. Pick half a dozen "must dos" each day, focus on those early, and from there, let the day flow as it may.

With a shorter trip like you are thinking, I would recommend the on-site stay, especially if you are looking for transportation. The value resorts all have bussing to all the parks. We think Pop Century is great, It looks big on the map, but when you get there it isn't so bad. Everything is very central to the main hub, and if you do a request for the right building, the walk to the bus and food court is very short.

Art of Animation is newer and we haven't been there, it has the Little Mermaid single rooms. (It's mostly a suite resort, but the one section is value rooms.)

Others have mentioned the water parks, but your little one is probably too small to go on most of the rides, and with a short first time trip, I would just enjoy the pools at the resort. Your DD won't know what she's missing anyways, and will love the pools. (I don't think 4.5 is too young, but that IS the age where our daughter's favorite part of the trip was the resort pool.)


Don't try to do too much, and for that I would recommend skipping the dining plan. If you want to do 1 or 2 Table Service meals such as a character meal, just pay out of pocket, and stick with the Counter service. Again, keep it simple. When you eat Counter service, you can pick your meal times whenever it's convenient. TS costs a pretty penny and ties you up at certain times.

Of course MK is the park not to miss. Hard call on the others. I love them all. AK is our 2nd favorite and good with little ones, but is wicked hot in the summer. I usually don't recommend spending the extra money for the park hopper option, but with a shorter stay it is something to consider as it could allow you to get a taste of all 4 parks. There's good stuff in every park for the youngsters, DHS probably has the least. (I think for the expense of travel it would be nice if you could stretch it to get 4 full days, it will go by very fast.)

Back to keep it simple. Tackle the trip planning one piece at a time. Decide on your dates, then your resort and how you get there. Once that's done, then decide what parks you want to go to on what days. Use that as a basis to book any meals you might want. Then finally at your 60-day mark book your fastpasses (FP+) to make sure you get your "must-dos"!

And keep asking questions!

 

[lisamarie12]

Hi and welcome.

While asking questions is a great idea, you will quickly find that you get as many different opinions as you get people that post responses. Remember there are a lot of different ways to tour the parks, none of them are more "right" than another. My key to you would be "keep it simple".

So, if you are going in July, it will definitely be HOT and CROWDED. If you are prepared for that, so be it. However, if you have a pre-schooler, I am not sure why you wouldn't consider another time of year. (If you are a teacher, I get that!) If that is your only choice though, you can still do it, just realize it would be smart to take a breaks during the midday to cool down or else you will have a bunch of meltdowns!

Most important rules:
1) Get to the parks when they open, those first few hours will have low crowds and low temperatures.
2) Use Fastpass+, no ones idea of a good vacation is standing in long lines. This will help you avoid it.
3) Have a plan but be flexible. #1 rookie mistake is going in with no idea of what your getting into. #2 rookie mistake is trying to plan every minute of every day. Pick half a dozen "must dos" each day, focus on those early, and from there, let the day flow as it may.

With a shorter trip like you are thinking, I would recommend the on-site stay, especially if you are looking for transportation. The value resorts all have bussing to all the parks. We think Pop Century is great, It looks big on the map, but when you get there it isn't so bad. Everything is very central to the main hub, and if you do a request for the right building, the walk to the bus and food court is very short.

Art of Animation is newer and we haven't been there, it has the Little Mermaid single rooms. (It's mostly a suite resort, but the one section is value rooms.)

Others have mentioned the water parks, but your little one is probably too small to go on most of the rides, and with a short first time trip, I would just enjoy the pools at the resort. Your DD won't know what she's missing anyways, and will love the pools. (I don't think 4.5 is too young, but that IS the age where our daughter's favorite part of the trip was the resort pool.)


Don't try to do too much, and for that I would recommend skipping the dining plan. If you want to do 1 or 2 Table Service meals such as a character meal, just pay out of pocket, and stick with the Counter service. Again, keep it simple. When you eat Counter service, you can pick your meal times whenever it's convenient. TS costs a pretty penny and ties you up at certain times.

Of course MK is the park not to miss. Hard call on the others. I love them all. AK is our 2nd favorite and good with little ones, but is wicked hot in the summer. I usually don't recommend spending the extra money for the park hopper option, but with a shorter stay it is something to consider as it could allow you to get a taste of all 4 parks. There's good stuff in every park for the youngsters, DHS probably has the least. (I think for the expense of travel it would be nice if you could stretch it to get 4 full days, it will go by very fast.)

Back to keep it simple. Tackle the trip planning one piece at a time. Decide on your dates, then your resort and how you get there. Once that's done, then decide what parks you want to go to on what days. Use that as a basis to book any meals you might want. Then finally at your 60-day mark book your fastpasses (FP+) to make sure you get your "must-dos"!

And keep asking questions!

July would not be my first choice honestly, especially since our DD is not quite school aged. However, our child care provider (FIL) will be going out of town for a week in July. Our back up child care provider is also taking one week off, which coincidentally is the SAME week in July. So that means DH and/or I have to take the week off. DH has to put it in as seniority vacation, which means he has to request the entire week off. And if he is taking the whole week off anyway, we might as well take our family vacation that week and save the rest of our leave time.

Now I have a question about magic bands. From what I have heard, you can link your park tickets and room key to the band. So, if we do not do the dining plan, can we charge meals to our room and link a credit card to the account, so that we do not have to take credit/debit card or cash to the parks for meals. If so that would be great. If not, then whatever. its not a make or break, but it would mean DH does not have to carry his wallet to the parks, which would be a selling pint for DH.

 

[MOpGrad2013]

Now I have a question about magic bands. From what I have heard, you can link your park tickets and room key to the band. So, if we do not do the dining plan, can we charge meals to our room and link a credit card to the account, so that we do not have to take credit/debit card or cash to the parks for meals. If so that would be great. If not, then whatever. its not a make or break, but it would mean DH does not have to carry his wallet to the parks, which would be a selling pint for DH.

YES !! One of the great perks to staying on-site is the ability to charge to your room. You will still want to carry an id and a small amount of cash (just in case).

Each tier of resorts has a specific monetary amount when they will automatically charge your card on file. (Several threads have covered the most recent) You can either have them use the credit/debit card you place on file at check in OR take a Disney Gift Card over and pay the bill with that.

Gratuities on DDP can also be charged back to resort.

Another about on site--your packages will be sent back to the resort. No need to carry packages around the park.

I think you are going to have a wonderful trip. It will be hot, but you will have a great time.

 

[kmicklash]

I'm totally overwhelmed too I'm a first time thread poster...I literally just found out about Disney points the other day...so frustrating. It'll take hours of reading to figure this out!

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

It looks like you have gotten good advice so far! Welcome! Feel free to ask ?s ....that is what this forum is for. Regarding the alphabet soup of abbreviations (DP, PAP, DDP, FP+, ADR, EMH,etc) a google search should fix most of that. I hate to just randomly refer people to google but since I dont know whcih ones you need help with, it is probably easier. I google "what is disney emh and found Extra Magic Hours pretty easily...good luck with your plans!

Regarding July, it will be really hot. Do you have any options to go from Oct to Mid March? The weather is so much milder then and its so much more enjoyable

 

[mrsmomo]

Welcome and research research research!!!! If you need to find a travel agent that knows a lot about disney!! Otherwise keep asking questions and start prioritizing whats most important to do and give yourself a budget. Oh and you will not be able to see and do it all so don't sweat it. Most importantly have fun planning

 

[BradChristian]

Love all of the advice here...

I think you are in luck taking a 4-year-old...

I think Disney realizes that kids who are not school age can go to Disney anytime of the year, so the parks have really been geared to the Pre-K age group.

 

[MOpGrad2013]

I'm totally overwhelmed too I'm a first time thread poster...I literally just found out about Disney points the other day...so frustrating. It'll take hours of reading to figure this out!

Hello to you!

There are so many knowledgable folks about the points. Any questions you have--so many folks have been there, so they can help you. Pinpoint the details and they can get right in there.

 

[tcherjen]

Welcome

 

[brownhaired_girl]

I would suggest researching DVC points. You could possibly say in one of the condos instead of a hotel room. What you save in meals could make up the difference in prices. You are able to have groceries delivered to your room and do many of your meals there. They are also much more comfortable than a hotel room. I was able to trade in to Saratoga Springs with my timeshare and found it to be very pleasant.