Planning our dream trip to Disney World. Help please!

[Ashley Marie]

I am open to how many days to go. If we do club level at AKL we could do 9 days/8 nights costing $6501 plus cost of extra fastpasses, park tickets, dining, spending money would put us at our full budget. does this seem like enough time at each park to do everything? Another option we be no club level and more days.

1 day arrival
2 days Magic Kingdom
2 days Hollywood studios
1 day Epcot
1 day Animal Kingdom
1 day Typhoon Lagoon

It doesn’t sound like budget is a concern but FYI you should be able to stay AKL club level for 8 nights for less than $6500 in May - just watch for discounts.

However, if you’re not returning to Disney for a while I’d pick a different resort anyway. AKL is gorgeous but the MK or even Epcot resorts are so much more convenient transportation-wise when you’re only planning one day at Animal Kingdom (the park).

 

[baler31]

Club level was invaluable when my children were that age. With 4, the difference should pay for itself with breakfast and other foods.

Having done VIP tours, of it is either or I would choose CL. If this is a first visit and trip of a lifetime I would not recommend AKL. The makeup of your party lends itself well to the CL’s at Beach or Grand. Beach if a lot of pool time is paramount with easy, walkable or boat transport to two parks. Grand if MK being 5 minutes away via monorail or boat is important.

Advice, for a CL stay of that length you may want to consider purchasing 1 annual pass. The difference between length of stay ticket and the pass is small enough that an AP room discount will most likely pay for itself.

 

[CynBeth]

I would recommend Poly CL and also 2 days at Epcot.

 

[Farro]

Club level at Boardwalk always gets rave reviews on these boards. Plus Epcot is practically your backyard so you can hop in and out for food whenever you want. Walk to two parks. My favorite area. We will be there in May 2020 (not club level though).

If you do club level, don't bother with a dining plan (if you were thinking of one) in my opinion.

I think 9/10 nights is a long enough trip. We always go 9 nights and with hoppers, we have hit the parks multiple times by day 8.

Whatever you choose, have a blast!!!

 

[xAshx]

OK so heres what i'm thinking. 5 nights at AKL Club Level (arrival day, 2 days at Animal Kingdom and 2 days at Hollywood Studios) then moving over to Polynesian Club Level for 4 nights ( 2 days Magic Kingdom 2 days Epcot) this might go over our budget little not sure yet. Are split stays a big hassle?

 

[fairygagamother]

I personally (but that’s just me!) would( and do ) stay club level. You save a ton of money on food & drinks , often offsetting the price of a club room. We usually have one or two character meals which we try to schedule for lunch. After a big lunch, the lounge appetizers are sufficient for dinner. It’s also nice to have another area to hang out & relax in.
You also might consider buying tickets for Early Morning Magic at Toy Story land. That’s about the only extra we add. We don’t do dessert parties or any of those extras but feel like the Early Morning tickets are completely worth not fighting the humongous crowds & having that area of the park almost to ourselves.
And do be sure to schedule afternoon downtime, preferably at the pool. Because that’s what your kids will enjoy & remember the most!

 

[fairygagamother]

And we LOVE split stays! Your bags will be transferred for you to your second resort & if your room isn’t ready, you can hang out at the lounge. We do split stays every time!
And you do not need a dining plan if you’re staying club level.

 

[Dawn Peterson]

Last year we traveled with a 6 and 9 yr old and we did Contemporary and DDP but not club. We loved being able to walk in and out of Magic Kingdom and with spending time in the parks the DDP worked great. We did AKL club on another trip and loved the food, and it worked for a resort heavy stay because there is so much to do at that resort. Both trips were great but we found the most value in walking in and out of a park. It worked for my family that likes afternoon breaks and park time. This year we are doing Yacht Club so 2 parks to walk to.

 

[toodycat]

We stayed at AKL CL for DH’s 50th birthday and I wasn’t blown away by the food offerings. I’m not sure that it is worth the $$ although I love the AKL and AKV Kidani. Our last stay was in a two bedroom villa at Kidani and it was amazing. The convenience of having a kitchen and room to spread out was fantastic. The master bathroom was huge and well-appointed. I would definitely recommend that option. You would probably enjoy the Starlight Safari tour. Otherwise, my favorite is the GF’s club level. I’ve stayed at Sugarloaf and RPC and they are both excellent. GF might be a better choice than AKL because of the transportation options.

 

[baler31]

I would research each of the CL’s before you make a decision. AKL and Poly are two that I would not choose CL as they have more limited food service.

We have stayed at all the CL’s over the years but RPC at GF is our favorite. Also, for a first stay do really want to repack and move ? While great for subsequent trips I don’t recommend for first visits.

 

[SFMommy]

Hi OP,

We did a similar trip in the first week of May 2016. It was me, DH and our DD9 (at the time). We are also from the West Coast and had been to Disneyland many times. I'm not sure if you have also been to Disneyland, but we wanted to focus on the parks specific to WDW and not spend as much time at MK as most visitors.

I did A LOT of research and decided that the best location for us was an Epcot resort, so that we could walk to both Epcot and HS. (Since we are used to walking to both resorts at DLR.) I also decided that for an 8-night stay, having some space and a kitchen and washer/dryer would be best. I waited until the Spring Discounts were announced in January and booked a 1-bedroom villa at the Boardwalk Villas direct through the WDW website. We had a full kitchen, washer/dryer, 1 bedroom with a King bed and a sofabed in the living room. The total cost for 8 nights was $3,900. We had 2 balconies that overlooked the river towards the Swan. And we could see the HS fireworks every night from our window in the living room. The walk to Epcot was 10 minutes and the walk to HS was 15. We LOVED the Boardwalk Villas and would recommend it to anyone!

We had 6 day non-hopping park tickets (bought separately through Undercover Tourist)...2 EP, 1 HS, 1 AK, 2 MK. And we spent one day at The Kennedy Space Center. We got a rental car at MCO for the whole time (resort parking was free back then). So we walked to EP & HS, drove to AK and took the bus to MK. We drove to the grocery store once and to AKL for dinner at Sanaa too. My DH went shopping at the factory stores too, while DD and I were at the pool. We liked having a car for some freedom.

You might want to consider a 1 or 2 bedroom villa at an Epcot resort. You can get a grocery delivery (we used Garden Grocer). We loved having breakfast in our villa. Although Club Level is nice, you don't have to get out of your PJ's when you can eat in your own villa!

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[nkereina]

if Club Level will be worth it for us or maybe staying an extra couple days instead would be better.

If it were between club level or staying a few extra days, I would always opt to stay longer! Club level is a great perk, but we'd give it up for a longer trip.

 

[KenHutch]

Be careful when thinking Trip Of A Lifetime. In 2006 my daughter was 5 and I planned a huge one and done trip with anything I could think of for her. Well now its 2019 and I am planning a 2021 trip (our 6th) at the Poly and a 2023 trip to Disneyland (our 1st) and a stay at the Disneyland Hotel. The place grows on you.

 

[Marionnette]

I will research more into renting DVC points. It seems like a good deal but what I have seen kind of feels a bit sketchy and makes me feel unsure about it haha.

DVC renting is legitimate. For first-timers, I recommend going thru an agency rather than dealing with an owner directly just because it adds a layer of protection for the renter. The extra space that you would get with a 1-bedroom villa, the full kitchen and the in-unit washer/dryer can be invaluable during a long trip. Just being able to get breakfast while still in your PJs is nice! DVC resorts can be a part of a hotel resort (like BWV and CCV) or they can stand alone as an entirely DVC resort (like OKW and SSR). You have time to explore the option, so definitely look into it. I stayed in DVC resorts 3 times before finally giving back n and buying my own contracts.

 

[FSU Girl]

For me, Club Level isn't really worth it. The food is nice, but I like making ADR's and eating at the parks more. I think I'll go back to it once I have a kid and they become a Disney adult so it would save money with the food. I also don't think you should stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge. It's far from a lot, I would pick a monorail resort or an Epcot resort or do a split stay between those. The Club Level extra fast passes are still technically a test so you can't bank on them continuing it next year, just so you know in case that's a big reason to stay club.

My personal favorite would be at the Contemporary in a theme park view room. You can watch the fireworks from your balcony with the music pipped in through the TV. It's also really cool to see the monorail go through the hotel.

The VIP tour can be exhausting since you have to do it in a block of 7 hours with no breaks. I did it at Disneyland and loved it. I think one or two days of doing that you can have a really relaxed pace the rest of the trip.

 

[Disfan2016]

I would not recommend AKL Club if you want to go to the parks. The travel time from AKL to other parks is quite long. Also, the food at AKL may not appeal to everyone. The food at Wilderness Lodge concierge is probably the most family friendly and the location is a little bit better than AKL. If you do the club rooms, don't bother with dining plan. For most of the clubs, the appetizers are usually enough for dinner with kids. Also, the 9 year old is considered Disney adult if you buy the dining plan. Coming from the West Coast, you could try taking a red eye. If you have the club lounge, it is not bad getting in early in the morning even if the room is not ready.

 

[Shellyred8]

OK so heres what i'm thinking. 5 nights at AKL Club Level (arrival day, 2 days at Animal Kingdom and 2 days at Hollywood Studios) then moving over to Polynesian Club Level for 4 nights ( 2 days Magic Kingdom 2 days Epcot) this might go over our budget little not sure yet. Are split stays a big hassle?

I like this split stay option. However, I would skip the CL at AKL. We did the CL there last year and I wasn't overly impressed with it. AKL has a good quick serve restaurant that I preferred over the CL options. And unless you are DVC CL, you will be on a different floor from where the food offerings are, so it won't be as convenient as you might think.

Another option for the split stay that I would recommend would be to do a Boardwalk resort and then the Poly.

Split stays are pretty easy, just make sure you plan a park day for your move day, since your new room probably won't be ready until about 4pm or so. The transfer process is easy: Pack up your bags in the morning and drop them off with Bell Services on your way out. Ask them to transfer your luggage to your new resort. The luggage should be to your new resort between 3pm-5pm. After you are done at the park for the day, just head to your new resort and pick up your luggage from Bell Services (you can also have it delivered, but you have to be in your room).

I would also vote for doing a longer stay instead of CL.

Happy planning!

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Also, the 9 year old is considered Disney adult if you buy the dining plan.

Child is 3-9. Adult prices start at age 10.

 

[kniquy]

I am open to all suggestions! thanks so much!

I would stay at the polynesian -- it does have club level, but for your budget i would book 7-10 days there, along with this i probably wouldn't do club level. Instead with the extra $$ I would book dessert parties -- LOVED the Frozen party at Epcot and HEA at MK is good. You could also book early morning magic or after hour parties. Also california grill would be top of my restaurant list -- simply amazing there.

 

[makthompson]

you could possible get the room cheaper and have a savanna view at AKL if you try looking and asking questions on the rent/trade board on here. Just a thought.