What is the difference

[LisaR1809]

What is the difference between accommodation facilities and food options at these two resorts? We don't want to eat in the same place for 2 weeks. I would also not sleep well in the same room as the kids, so bed sharing could be a problem.

Also what do the adults do when the kids are asleep and you are all sharing a room?

Disney All Star Music and Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort?

 

[chmurf]

Also what do the adults do when the kids are asleep and you are all sharing a room?

We sleep too. lol

Days are exhausting, and DS wakes up way too early, so even if it's a good thing to make it to rope drop, we sure don't want to stay up late.
When we're not doing evening EMH it's usually lights out around 9:30-10pm

When you're up at 5:30 in the morning, you don't really want to do anything past the kid's bed time

 

[wayneg]

When DS was younger we used to stay up a little later but as above you are usually ready for bed not much later than them. We used to watch TV, read, internet etc.

Not sure what you mean about eating same place for 2 weeks. Disney has approx 100 restaurants, we have free dining for 21 nights starting next month, won't eat in same restaurant twice.
Offsite dining options are endless.

Will you have a car? staying in Disney is often the preferred choice if no car. Personally I prefer offsite rather than a value resort onsite but we always have a car.

 

[dixonsontour]

Disney does 1 and 2 bed apts if you want to be onsite but with more space - try Old key west or saratoga springs. Both will include free dining plan for most dates next year - you can eat anywhere at disney not just your resort on the dining plan.

My DD is 6 and we've been every year since she was a toddler.

We've just come back from a stay in a 2 bed condo offsite. TBH we all went to bed the same time.

In October we will be onsite in a studio room at old key west - one room but more spacious than a value room. We get up early and DD stays up late so we will all keep the same hours.

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

we've been going since the boys were 3 and 5 ..... they are now 14 and 16 and we normally all sleep in the same room. Disney standard rooms are 2 double beds.

Most days are full on with parks/shopping in the morning, pool in the afternoon and then when the boys were younger we'd go ALL go for a nap. Then about 6:30pm we'd head back into whichever of the Disney parks we had a dinner ADR for (normally the park with EMH) and stay there till after the fireworks or night time parade. By the time we got back to our room somewhere between 10:30pm and 1am we were ALL ready for bed.

The only difference now the boys are older is that is me who is having a nap by the pool As we are holiday I've never tried to stick to a normal routine and we just enjoy experiencing everything together during the day and evening.

 

[LisaR1809]

I don't have any experience of the whole Disney thing hence I didn't know you could eat anywhere. Tell me more about the dining plan?

I can't imagine my son staying up until 10.30 every night but then we aren't going untill 2014. I am also overwhelmed by the choice of accommodation. There are so many pros and cons. I guess I need to list out our priorities.


2 rooms or King size bed and 2 singles.
Close to the parks
swimming pool
Washing machine as we like to travel light.
Choice of eating places

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Hi Lisa - if you stay on or off-site you can eat at any of the restaurants in the parks, Downtown Disney or the hotels. For counter service you don't need to reserve, but for table service or any of the character meals you will probably need to make a dining reservation (from 180 days out).

The dining plan can be added to your package if you are staying at a WDW hotel. Sometimes you can get free dining with your package - a lot do this as Disney offer it to UK visitors for August and have previously offered good discounts on stays at Old Key West and Saratoga Springs. I haven't booked this but there are many who will be able to give you more advice.

Eating in Disney can be expensive, so I tend to book a few meals and then eat off-site as there are plenty of places to try.

How many people are going, is it 2 adults and 2 kids?

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

I don't have any experience of the whole Disney thing hence I didn't know you could eat anywhere. Tell me more about the dining plan?

I can't imagine my son staying up until 10.30 every night but then we aren't going untill 2014. I am also overwhelmed by the choice of accommodation. There are so many pros and cons. I guess I need to list out our priorities.


2 rooms or King size bed and 2 singles.
Close to the parks
swimming pool
Washing machine as we like to travel light.
Choice of eating places

Lisa how old is/will be your son ? As I said my youngest was 4 when we first went and with an afternoon nap he had no problem staying up as everything was sooooooo exciting. Admittedly he did then fall asleep in my arms on the way back to the resort on the bus ride home

To get and idea of places to eat I suggest you start here http://allears.net/din/dining.htm It's a really useful website with a wealth of information that many of us here use regularly.

I believe all resorts have laundry rooms and doing laundry whilst your son is napping is a good use of time

Most standard Disney rooms have 2 double beds and we have often asked for an additional rollaway bed as the boys don't like sleeping together

We have found that staying on Disney property is invaluable as getting to and from the parks is so easy with the Disney buses and being able to easily get back to the resort after lunch and then back to the parks for dinner etc was definitely worth the extra cost. Also with the free dining plan now being offered that has offset the additional hotel cost.

 

[queendisney]

I don't have any experience of the whole Disney thing hence I didn't know you could eat anywhere. Tell me more about the dining plan?

have a look at this...it lists the restaurants for the different types of dining ie counter service or table service. It lists where all the restaurants are be it in the parks, down town Disney or at the different resort hotels, and you can eat at any of them. As pp said you will need to look at booking the table service ones which is easy to do.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-dining-plan-restaurants.htm

I can't imagine my son staying up until 10.30 every night but then we aren't going untill 2014. I am also overwhelmed by the choice of accommodation. There are so many pros and cons. I guess I need to list out our priorities.

There are indeed LOADS of different options. To me it sounds like you would be happier with two rooms ie one bedroom and a living/kitchen area, so maybe look at OKW or SSR, which may include free dining and have a washing machine and also look at the new Art of Animation resort which is a value resort. The value resorts have laundry facilities normally near the swimming pool so you could always go for a swim while waiting. There are of course many many other off site hotels but you won't get free dining although they are often a whole load cheaper so paying out of pocket for food may still save you money.

2 rooms or King size bed and 2 singles.
Close to the parks
swimming pool
Washing machine as we like to travel light.
Choice of eating places

Don't worry about asking loads of questions thats exactly what these boards are all about and there is ALWAYS somebody that can answer any question you have.

 

[LisaR1809]

There are 4 of us travelling 2 adults and 2 children but I guess my daughter will be charged as and adult. My son will be 8 and my daughter 10. He is a bit of a bed head. They both get tired easily and strop out.

If we travelled in 2013 in October will we save enough paying the childs rate?

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

Knowing your kids ages now I think my advice would still stand. You'd be amazed at how long the kids last when they are really excited about everything that's going on. Also if they do like their sleep that afternoon nap is a godsend .... for everyone

 

[LisaR1809]

Thanks again for the replies. I still don't know what to go for but then if we aren't going until late October 2014 I assume there isn't a rush!!

The suits definitely look more suitable for us. Although I am still blown away by how many options there are for booking. Either as a package or a DIY. Different airlines etc. I was hoping for a one stop shop!!

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

I was hoping for a one stop shop!!

I know the Virgin Holidays offer flights, hotels, parks tickets, car hire etc if that's what your are looking for. They also offer all the special offers that Disney are offering at the time you book. There are other agents that do it as well.

 

[LisaR1809]

At a price!!