Newbie needs advice

[amymc33]

I am new to this board, and my Dh and I have only been to Disney for our senior class trips about 17 years ago We are planning our first family trip sometime in the next year or two. My boys will be 5 and 3 in the fall.

When is the best time of year to visit? We do not want to go in the summer or any crazy crowded time.

Where should we stay? We want to stay in the park. I'll pay more $ for convenience

How far in advance do I need to book our trip?

Thanks so much for your help.

 

[lizerbug]

Welcome I can only tell you what works for us. We've been in September and in May. Most of September and October is part of the Value Season, when crowds are lighter and rooms are less expensive. My daughter and I have a trip planned for September 11th (yes we're flying on 9/11) through the 17th. We got a 40% off PIN so we can afford to stay in a deluxe resort this time around and are staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Both other times we've gone, we've stayed in a Moderate Resort - the Caribbean Beach both times. I would only stay in a Moderate or a Deluxe. I've heard the noise level can be really high in a Value Resort and the little time I'm at the resort, I want to have at least a little quiet around me. We never had any trouble at the CBR (Caribbean Beach Resort). The noise level was low. Staying on property is sooooo worth it to us because we don't have to rent a car and can use Disney free transportation to get to the parks and other resorts. And we love the convenience of the dining plan. I hpoe you have an awesome trip! Try and get yourself a PIN or discount though. I would never pay rack rates.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

How far in advance do I need to book our trip?
You can book through the end of this year (Dec. 31). In the fall they'll open up the window into 2011. As for dinner reservations, you can make those 180 days prior to your arrival at the park.

When is the best time of year to visit? We do not want to go in the summer or any crazy crowded time.
Well, are you wanting to go the end of this year or wait until next year completely? Disney does have a kids stay and play free promo through this fall and there is the free dining promotion for the middle of August through the end of September.

If you definately want to wait until next year, there are a lot of choices of when to go, it all depends on what you want to do. Keep in mind that most of Fantasyland/Toontown will be being remodeled and most if not all of it will be closed due to the construction.

Staying onsite with younger kids is DEFINATELY the way to go. It's just easier to get them home when you are close.

January (after New Years), most of February (excluding President's Day weekend), and the very beginning of March, plus the end of August, and most all of September (excluding Labor Day), PLUS the week after Thanksgiving until 2 weeks before Christmas is normally the slowest (and cheapest) times of the year. That kind of diversity will allow you to decide your weather and decorations for your atmosphere! The parks are decorated for Halloween starting around the time that MNSSHP starts and they start decorating for Christmas just after turkey day.

Where should we stay?
That totally depends on your budget!!!

The deluxe resorts will cost the most, and almost all of them are on the Monorail to EP and MK OR you can take a ferry to MK, EP, or DHS (depending on where you stay). It allows you the easiest access to the parks.

A couple of the moderate hotels (mid-range price) do have ferries to DTD, but mostly the are on the bus system. The rooms are a little smaller than the deluxes but still have elaborate theming.

The values are the bottom tier with the smallest rooms and larger than life theming.

You can read lots of resort fact sheets on allears.net. A great place for information!

As for a book, I would recommend a Passporter since you've got small children. The book is very concise, offers great information, and allows you to start and stop and not get lost. (I DO NOT recommend Unofficial Guide for a 1st timer... it's too much!)

Sit down and read through your book... keep a notebook of questions to ask on here so you don't get overwhelmed. This is a great place to find info for your trip!

OOOOO... also, get signed into the Disney system with a profile on their site and keep your information updated - they may send you a PIN (a special discount just for your family).

Hope that helps and

 

[amymc33]

Thanks for the advice. We will be going sometime in 2011. I will definitely get the book!

 

[JoePa4Ever]

welcome! If you want to experience WDW when it is not crazy busy & when the weather should be fairly decent then consider:

Early March
Between the second week after Easter and the week before Memorial Day
Mid-late October
November other than the first and Thanksgiving weeks
December up until a week before Christmas

Just to follow up on kwitcherkicken99 - you can make advanced dining reservations (adrs) for WDW restaurants 180 days prior to your arrival day. If you are planning on eating at any of these WDW restaurants, I would seriously encourage you to make your adrs at that 180 day mark. There are many popular restaurants in WDW & if you do not book them that far ahead of time, then you will likely not be able to eat there or you won't get the adr time/day you were hoping for. For more info on WDW restaurants check out the restaurants forum here on the DIS.

 

[pinkmonkeys38]

we almost always have gone during Jan/Feb time. We live in Michigan, so it's nice to get a break from the bad weather at home, and it's pretty nice (sometimes cooler then i prefer) weather down there. There are barely any crowds, except on weekends and during the marathon (early Jan). Watch for the Value season, it's valued for a reason. that seems to be the best advice on times to go... basically try for value, if it works with your schedule, and then look at weather to see what is best for your likings!

 

[dsaville]

They will release the package rates usually at the end of July. You can book room only 500 days out and then call once the package details are released and change whatever you need to. If you book a package your payment is due 45 days out but you will need min deposit of 200. We booked a nov trip a couple of years ago and switched it three times until we finally made it June of last year. As long as you haven't hit that 45 day mark you can always change your mind.

Our only trip we stayed on site in a deluxe and it would be hard not to try that again. The travel convenience of the deluxes was nice that we didn't have to rely on buses all the time. But we never had a problem with the buses and we had a large dbl stroller.

 

[Metro West]