New here - bunch of ??'s!

[sandym718]

Hi to all! This seems like a great place for honest information! I'd greatly appreciate any help. Here's some background: Just in the "infancy" planning stages of first Disney trip since I was a child. Looking at the end of April 2007. Likely arriving Friday, April 27th. I am thinking 6 nights at Disney (5 1/2 days in the parks, we will be driving from Cleveland, leaving the 26th, so hopefully be there fairly early Friday) and then a 3 night cruise May 3-6. We have a lot of time to save, but will still need to be very budget conscious. So, we are definitely looking at a value resort, and thus will be booking the cruise/resort seperately. Our kids will be, at that time, daughter just 3 and son, almost 5 (in May). I'm thinking we definitely need to stay onsite to facilitate going back and forth for a nap, calm-down time, etc. If anyone has a different opinion, love to hear it!

OK, my questions:
1) Which value resort is the "best" in your opinion? Decor isn't really that important, but "ease of use" is, best pools, comfortable rooms, good food court.
2) If you have your own car, as we will, how important is Disney transportation - is that still the way to go? I've been reading about long bus waits, long rides to the parks,etc. Would we be better to just drive to the parks? What would parking cost? Or, if Disney transport is better - which value resort is best for this?
3) What's the way to get the best rates? We belong to AAA - is it best to go through them, or to find and use discount codes? We're looking at 6 nights in value resort, 6 day park passes WITH park hopper and water park options (or is it better to just buy 1 day water park tickets?) and then the 3 night cruise - just a standard inside stateroom for that.

OK, guess that's it for now! I know I'll have a ton more questions in the future! You all seem very knowledgable! TIA for any help!

Sandy

 

[spiceycat]

1) I happen to love Pop Century. Try to get a room in the 50's section.

2) if you stay at PC I would use WDW transportation. This resort does not have enough parking places (especially for the 60's) - so they also park in the 50's area. You ALWAYS use WDW transportation for MK. Otherwise you add an hour to getting to this park - park car, take tram, then monrail....

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I can't speak for the values per say, but generally we find it better to rely on Disney transport once we're there. With perhaps a few exceptions. One night we went to MK fairly late, to catch a few more hours. Since it was an off time, the wait was fairly long. We figured it might have been easier to drive, especially since we might have been able to find a pretty good spot since it was so late. On the other hand, as the previous poster said, you have to remember that the buses drop you off right at the park, while if you park, you will most often walk from your car to a tram, then take the tram then take the monorail (or the boat) before you even get to the park! All that takes a while.
The other parks don't have the monorail, and aren't quite as bad as far as parking, but we usually find it easier to take a bus.
Another thing to consider is that if you drive, and you want to park hop - you've either got to take the car, or factor getting back to the car into your plans. So if you park at AK, which closes by 6 usually, then hop over to MK via bus, you'll have to get back on a bus to AK before 7...or else get a taxi. ButI don't suppose you'd choose to do that.
Drinking at the parks is expensive, but at least if you use Disney transport, then you don't have to designate a driver. Everyone gets to have fun.
Driving around Disney is downright confusing. I'm pretty good at finding my way elsewhere, but I still have a hard time finding my way around Disney, and I've done it a bunch of times! I know my way reasonaly well around the rest of Orlando, but WDW is always tricky. It is marked, but not as well as it should be. This last trip, DH got lost finding our hotel. I felt bad for us and him, but A little bit I felt relieved, because someone besides me was making the navigation mistake.
The only other time we drive is when we want to dine at aother resort. It take s long time to go from one resort to another. So then the best option is to either plan your eating so that you are going from a park to a hotel (to dine) then back to a park...or to drive to the resort where you will be dining. See other threads about this topic though, as they get pretty heated. It really isn't polite to park at the GF all day if you aren't a guest there.

 

[emh1129]

I'm a newbie, too, so I don't have much information for you
When were you planning to book your trip?
We are going in January 2007 and I'd like to book as soon as possible, just not sure if it's too early.. when I called the 800 number the CM told me just to call a 'couple months in advance' and that would be plenty I'm pretty sure she didn't know what she was talking about, but does anyone know how early you can book? We're positive about our dates, so I'd like to go ahead and start making payments to get it paid off!
I hope I'm not hijacking your thread, Sandy

 

[allshookup]

Only tried POP as a value, but we loved it. I can't compare with the other value resorts though.

If you do decide to drive, parking is free for resort guests. Have to agree with other posters that it is much easier to let the bus drivers to the driving for you. The wait is never that long. Especially leaving the parks at closing, they send one bus right after another.

Book as soon as you can but you don't have to go thru AAA directly. You can call & just say you want the AAA rate applied to your room. Of course this applies to room only discounts. If you want a AAA discount on a pkg. you have to go through them. If you book, keep your eye on this board for any discounts that might come out & you can always change your resv. & have the discount applied.

 

[InstImpres]

Sandy -

Congrats on your early planning. I would recommend you book the cruise asap. The cruise pricing is like airline pricing - x cabins sell first at the lowest rate and it goes up from there. Sometimes there are small promos that can be applied.

Also, just FYI, not sure how you picked your dates but if you move it up a little bit, your youngest would be FREE (no need for park passes, no paying at character dining).

Pop is the newst Value resort and I like it though it can be few dollars extra.

Welcome to the Dis and feel free to keep asking questions.

 

[CharlieTuna]

Love POP.

If you are staying off the Monorail line - and you have a car - use it. Busses can be slow.

Have fun. You cannot go wrong.

 

[WOODY13]

I have stayed at all 4 value resorts and I would probably pick POP. Newer, central location,good food court and gift shop.Besides that the prices are the same and the room sizes are the same. I always drive I just like the flexibility and conveinence of having our car. That said MK Parking is the fartest from the actual park and having young kids I would assume that you would be spending a lot of time there. I would book the AAA discount ASAP and watch for a better one. As far as tickets go I would get the magic plus option and the expiration added to your tickets. That way if you don't use them up you will have leftover tickets for the next time. Oh yeah parking at the parks is free if you are staying onsite.

 

[Cmbar]

We LOVED POP Century, Great resort and your kids will love it. I agree with Woody13 that you should book your AAA code as soon as possible. Don't think the 2007 year is out on the reservation system. But it should be by early in 2006. Also, You probably don't have to pay for Expiration option on the tickets unless you end up not using all the tickets. You can do that at the end. In other words, if you end up with extra tickets go back to Guest services and add the "option" of Non expiring. YOu will have to pay the non expiration for the full number of tickets, but I would do this after you are sure you won't use them rather than at the beginning in case you might use all days.

 

[WOODY13]

Also, You probably don't have to pay for Expiration option on the tickets unless you end up not using all the tickets. You can do that at the end. In other words, if you end up with extra tickets go back to Guest services and add the "option" of Non expiring. YOu will have to pay the non expiration for the full number of tickets, but I would do this after you are sure you won't use them rather than at the beginning in case you might use all days.[/QUOTE]
Cmbar,that's agreat idea I didn't know you could do that.

 

[InstImpres]

[/QUOTE]
Cmbar,that's agreat idea I didn't know you could do that.[/QUOTE]

You can add hopping or no expiration at any point, just keep in mind you pay it based on the original ticket not what is left. For example if you buy a 7 day pass and have 2 days left at the end of your trip, you pay no expiration on 7 days not 2

 

[sandym718]

thanks for all the replies! Looks like Pop Century is the way to go! The pics I've seen look really cute! I guess we'll play the buses vs. our own car by ear. I mean, it will be there anyways. We'll try the Disney transport first.

I'm planning on booking soon after the first of the year, get through the holidays first. I think I'll do a hotel/ticket package through AAA and then also use them for the cruise.

For the person who recommended going a bit earlier so DD would not yet be 3 - I SO wanted to do this! Would save $ all around, but unfortunately her bday is 3/1. My DH snowplows and can't really get away for long until April. So, I know for the cruise portion we'll all need to be getting passports with new rules, so I don't think there is anyway we can "cheat" on her age. Kinda stinks that the month will matter, but oh well.

Someone else PM'd me about waiting till the kids are older. I understand that, but I think we'll be OK. We can't really travel summer either (DH is in landscape installation) so I worry about pulling DS out of school for such a long period. Since we'll be driving, that really lengthens the times. He will start Kindergarten Fall 2007, so that's why we're thinking Spring 2007. I'm sure we'll want to go again, so we'll have to cross that bridge, but I'd really like to go somewhat soon! Also, our kids tend to travel very well and they just love parks. We did Sesame Place this year and they had a ball.

Thanks for the info on waiting on the No Expiration option - we'll definitely do that! I bet we'll use all the days, but who knows? someone could fall ill.

OK, a few more questions:
1) At POP century, what location should I try to get? I think the one pool is zero entry - we'd probably use that one the most. So, convenience to that would be good, but I'd also like a "somewhat" quiet area (obviously it's a Disney value hotel so it's all relative!). Convenience to the food court and bus pick up areas is good too.

Well, I guess only 1 more question! That's all I can think of right now! Thanks so much for all the help - you guys are great!

Sandy

 

[WOODY13]

sanndym718,I also snowplow but where I live we don't get much snow. What part of the country are you guys from? As far as what building to get I'm not sure which ones are prefered(these cost more around $10 to $12 dollars a night)but they are closer to the food court. remember if you get a room close to the pool it will be nice for going to the pool but it can be pretty loud because of swimmers. I might be wrong but I don't think that there is a zero entry pool at POP.There is a water play area but not sure where.

 

[Eeyore2003]

I can't help you out with the resort, but I can with the car. We always drive also and have our car.

Resort to resort-for meals etc. we always take our car. (didn't one time last week and it took us over 2 hours to get back to our resort, long story, mess)

Resort to park-toss up. Usually early in the day we take the car. It's just easier. In the evening, we use Disney transportation, we're usually not in as much of a hurry to get there or get back for break.

There is a little glitch though, even for those who have driven around there for quite a while. It IS a big place, and one person really has to watch signs.

We've done it both ways allot, and it's never taken us less time to use Disney transportation than our car, so it also would depend on how much time you want to allot for transportation to and from.

As far as parking, with the big lots, DH gets the car and picks us up at the door. Same thing with dropping off. Seems to work out good that way.

We also always take our car to Downtown Disney and waterparks.

Some people just drive so much on a daily basis that they just like to use the Disney transportation too. Depends allot on what you'd prefer.

 

[InstImpres]

There is a little glitch though, even for those who have driven around there for quite a while. It IS a big place, and one person really has to watch signs.

I agree about sign watching, I always tell my clients to look for the area you are going as individual resorts don't have signs until you are very close. For example if you are going to Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary, follow Magic Kingdom Signs, if you are going to Boardwalk you can follow the Studios signs, etc.

We never drive to MK as a bus puts you right at the park but if you drive you need a tram than a monorail or boat so bus is the most efficient (unless you want the transportation experience). We always drive to AK as the lot is so small walking is never a big deal if the tram line is long leaving the park.