Newbie needs help for Thanksgiving holiday at DW

[christidanne]

I am obviously new to this message board so please excuse my ignorance of your acronyms.

We have been to DW twice in the past with kiddos and twice without, also have been to Disneyland in Paris. We will arrive 11/21 and check out 11/25 to spend a few days in Miami with family.
My question, finally, is: where should we stay. We have never stayed on site before (with the exception of Disneyland Paris) and are interested in doing so. We are travelling with 12 twins. Also, I am unfamiliar with the discount programs mentioned on this site. What is an AP? I really feel silly but want to save as much as possible... more to spend elsewhere.
Thank you for whatever info you can give.
Christi

 

[Planogirl]

Welcome to the boards!

The AP is the annual pass. Many people purchase this if they plan to visit WDW more than once and it can save them money. Sometimes, Disney will release a limited number of rooms with special rates for annual pass holders but there's no guarantee that they will do so.

As for where to stay, that depends a lot on your budget and your preferred amenities and theming. A lot of people enjoy the Allstar Resorts but the rooms are smaller and they have fewer amenities. I prefer staying at one of the moderates such as Port Orleans or Coronado Springs but that's just a personal choice. I would definitely book very soon, you might want to check Expedia or Travelocity or one of the other budget travel sites if you use those types of websites. Hopefully, someone will post soon who can help you with ways to save money but check out the Budget Board if you haven't yet. And good luck!

 

[safetymom]

I would suggest looking at www.mousesavers.com You can get a little background on rates, discounts, etc.

Once you have an idea of how much you want to spend then we can help with resort choices. There are so many to choose from. Will you be spending lots of time in the room or just using the room to sleep? Once you figure out some of this other can relate their experiences at the different resorts. There is also a thread at the very top of the resort board with links to information on the different resorts at WDW.

We like staying at Caribbean Beach, a moderate resort. Your choice could be different.

Part of the fun of a Disney trip is in the planning. Welcome to the DIS boards.

 

[hookedup]

Welcome to the DIS Boards Christi!
I think that you will learn so much your head will spin - so be warned!
Check out all the boards for good info about the parks and such when planning. Check out the main part of the DIS site for more great info and the awesome dining database.
In addition to Mousesavers I recommend Deb Willis' website as I feel it is a great resource for just about everything anyone could want to know about Disneyworld. I learned about the DIS site 2 years ago after I stumbled across Deb's site. All Ears Site She has the most comprehensive information about WDW that I have found online.

Have fun planning!!!!

 

[christidanne]

I found a similar board before our vacation last year to Playa Del Carmen, and it was wonderful for planning our trip. I found out about great out of the way places and had plenty of info about how to make our trip better.

As for our budget this year... ? My hubby started getting quotes for the All Star resorts, but I remember hearing that they were not very special at all... very, very basic. Now, we do not plan to spend much time in the room, but I would like to know how the other resorts rate. Are they worth the upgrade if you are only eating breakfast, dinner and sleeping the night away.

I have never been inside any of the on-site resorts, except for a monorail ride through the Polynesian many, many moons ago. When in Disneyland Paris, our resort was very expensive and just nothing to write home about, so we are a bit leary....

Any suggestions would be welcome.
Christi

 

[Planogirl]

The Allstars are pleasant and cute but the rooms are a bit small and there is no restaurant or bar on the premises if that is important to you. There are good food courts and nice pools (no slides) however. The moderates do have restaurants and bars and pools with slides and a bit bigger rooms.

Here is a link to a nice website with full descriptions and lots of pictures of the resorts:
http://www.ourlaughingplace.com/asp/rescc/costcalc.asp

Hopefully, this will help narrow down a tough decision!

 

[swilphil]

Welcome to the boards!!!

We stayed at the Dolphin. We got a great rate and it was so close to Epcot/MGM/Boardwalk. I think that would be a nice place to be with 12 year olds.