What would you do with 8K?

[CindarellyCindarelly]

Guys...I'm in need of some desperate help and direction. My ADHD is in full blast right now and I'm feeling extremely overwhelmed. I apologize for the rollercoaster of my brain you are about to get on...

I'm attempting to plan our first ever Disney trip with my husband and two kids DS(6) and DD(2). I really want to 'go big' for out first trip and make it as magical as possible. I'm completely lost on which resort to choose....and if I'm being completely honest I don't even really have a month to go picked out. I was thinking first or second week in Feb, but am a tad concerned about it being too cold for pools. Maybe last week of April? Would appreciate any suggestions on that aspect as well.

As for the resorts, my 'dream trip' I had planned in my head was to do a split stay between AKL and BC. I loved the theming of AKL and I loved how you can walk to DHS and Epcot from BC. I also loved the idea of renting a cabana at SAB. With AKL Jambo not being open I'm concerned about staying there. I don't want to go to the resort and have it be 'dead'. I want lively and fun! So that leaves BC, but I'm concerned about staying a full week there since the theming looks a bit boring? Is that the case, or am I overthinking it? THEN I was considering a theme park view room at CR, but looking at the youtube videos it didn't seem like you're super close to the castle and who even knows if fireworks will be a thing by then. I wasn't sure if it was worth the price without being able to see fireworks from your room. THEN I was thinking about CBR since it's on the skyliner and we would have easy access to Epcot and DHS. THEN I was thinking about a Deluxe Suite at the CS tower since it looks close to a 1BR and I think it would be nice to have a separate room for the kids to go to sleep for the nights I don't want to go to bed at 8PM. Getting the 1BR in my head led me all the way back to AKL-Kidani looking at their 1BR Villas. Those seem to be a pretty good value. The one I was looking at was like 700/night and I feel like we can make up for that extra spending by cooking most meals in the room (that's how I justify!). Is there anything wrong with the 1BR Villas at Kidani?

Also, when should I book? If I'm thinking first week of Feb should I book asap? I did a random search for BC rooms for a week in April and it said none available?! Are they sold out or do you think that was a glitch. No way they would be selling out this far in advance right??

Can someone just tell me what to do. Thanks.... T_T

 

[MudQueen22]

When my two were ages (almost) 2 and 7, we stayed at Art of Animation. IMO, it is probably the best themed resort for young children. Ours loved it. Had we been able to afford it at the time, I would have chosen one of the suites, but the LM room was perfect for us since our dd (7 at the time) was into the Little Mermaid.
We visited each of the pools during our stay, and the experience is very immersive for the little ones. There is also an elephant graveyard playground for the little ones in the Lion King section. My kids still enjoy looking at pictures we took of them at the AoA resort.
Yes, it's a value; however, it's downright magical for this age group.

Edit: If you stay in the suites, you will have a kitchenette rather than a kitchen. I will say that we made dining out a priority. Our two absolutely LOVE character meals, and we have found that to be a worthy expenditure. We usually had breakfast in the room or on the way to the bus stop (we brought juice, yogurt, cereal bars, etc.), but we at lunch, snacks, and dinner in the parks or at a resort. We also kept some snacks in the room, but we weren't in the room much.

 

[BebopBaloo]

Hi! There is a certainly a lot to think about and fortunately these boards are a wealth of info. For time of year- February is typically a lot less busy than April. April will see a lot of spring break crowds. The weather in Florida can be rather unpredictable. Even in April you may need a jacket in the morning and later evening.

I've never stayed at BC, but have stayed at YC and BWV. I can recommend both, as far as being able to walk to two parks, having access to the skyliner, and boat transportation. There's also a lot of food options with the Epcot resorts being in such close proximity of each other. My kids aged early elementary and high school, didn't find them boring at all. It's really a beautiful area.

I can also recommend CBR with a 5th sleeper room. It is a large resort and if the skyliner isn't running, then it's buses only, but it is a beautiful place as well and is now within walking distance of the Riviera for more options. I'm a big fan of Sebastian's ,so hopefully that would reopen by next year.
You didn't mention it, but Art of Animation has rather nice family suites. That would give you the extra sleeping space, privacy, and two bathrooms. AoA is a 'value' resort, but don't let that fool you. The suites are nicer than some Deluxe rooms and certainly cost as much as some. AoA is also on the skyliner.

Hope that helps get you started!

 

[TikiRob]

For a family with young kids, I'd definitely go with Art of Animation suites. I've never stayed in them, but our first family trip was also there in a Little Mermaid room at $99/night! If I could have afforded the family suites, that would have been our choice. As mentioned, the grounds are a ton of fun, as are the pools. The Skyliner makes for easy transport to half the parks. Whatever savings you have, you should use to put a deposit on your next trip!

 

[olive]

There are a LOT of choices, but your kids will have fun at all of them. We stayed in a theme park view room at the Contemporary when there were fireworks (pre covid) right before New Years and split that trip with the Dolphin. My son preferred the Dolphin. He talked about it for YEARS. Kids like what they like. He was happy with the slide and the waterfall at that pool. By the way - he didn't DISLIKE the Contemporary. We are staying there in a few weeks. I just mean they will really be happy anywhere. It is Disney! Think about what will be convenient. With kids, we like staying at monorail resorts or Epcot area resorts so we could walk to/from parks or grab the monorail for breaks/naps as they needed them. We really prioritized the access. Space was also a significant factor. Those resorts tended to have larger rooms and often daybeds. We have also done 1 bedrooms. We did a 1 bedroom at BLT one year and that was wonderful for the extra space, second bathroom and - sadly, maybe my favorite? - a washer and dryer. We used it way more than I expected. I don't know that there is a right or wrong choice. But maybe think about what is most important for your family. Do you need to be closer to the parks because of particular needs or preferences that your family has? A favorite park that you think you will visit more than others that you would like to be closer to? Theming that seems more appealing? We have also done trips at different times of year, January, September, April, May, June and August. We were able to swim during all of them but there was a cold snap for most of the January trip. It was oddly cold, though. You will probably have far less crowds if you choose February, and lower rates!

Good luck with your choice! And happy planning. It is a fun stage to be in.

 

[Marionnette]

Guys...I'm in need of some desperate help and direction. My ADHD is in full blast right now and I'm feeling extremely overwhelmed. I apologize for the rollercoaster of my brain you are about to get on...

I'm attempting to plan our first ever Disney trip with my husband and two kids DS(6) and DD(2). I really want to 'go big' for out first trip and make it as magical as possible. I'm completely lost on which resort to choose....and if I'm being completely honest I don't even really have a month to go picked out. I was thinking first or second week in Feb, but am a tad concerned about it being too cold for pools. Maybe last week of April? Would appreciate any suggestions on that aspect as well.

As for the resorts, my 'dream trip' I had planned in my head was to do a split stay between AKL and BC. I loved the theming of AKL and I loved how you can walk to DHS and Epcot from BC. I also loved the idea of renting a cabana at SAB. With AKL Jambo not being open I'm concerned about staying there. I don't want to go to the resort and have it be 'dead'. I want lively and fun! So that leaves BC, but I'm concerned about staying a full week there since the theming looks a bit boring? Is that the case, or am I overthinking it? THEN I was considering a theme park view room at CR, but looking at the youtube videos it didn't seem like you're super close to the castle and who even knows if fireworks will be a thing by then. I wasn't sure if it was worth the price without being able to see fireworks from your room. THEN I was thinking about CBR since it's on the skyliner and we would have easy access to Epcot and DHS. THEN I was thinking about a Deluxe Suite at the CS tower since it looks close to a 1BR and I think it would be nice to have a separate room for the kids to go to sleep for the nights I don't want to go to bed at 8PM. Getting the 1BR in my head led me all the way back to AKL-Kidani looking at their 1BR Villas. Those seem to be a pretty good value. The one I was looking at was like 700/night and I feel like we can make up for that extra spending by cooking most meals in the room (that's how I justify!). Is there anything wrong with the 1BR Villas at Kidani?

Also, when should I book? If I'm thinking first week of Feb should I book asap? I did a random search for BC rooms for a week in April and it said none available?! Are they sold out or do you think that was a glitch. No way they would be selling out this far in advance right??

Can someone just tell me what to do. Thanks.... T_T

Well, you're certainly all over the map with your choices. Maybe you might be better off breaking all your costs down and then narrowing down your resort choices to suit your budget.

Make a line item list that starts with tickets. You might buy from Disney as a part of a package but it's going to be the same price as buying separately.

Airfare & ground transportation (or gas, tolls and parking fees if driving).

Then make a food budget. I'll be frank, as a DVC member we often get 1-, 2- and even 3-bedroom villas but eating lunch in the villa is a rare experience since we are usually in the parks at lunchtime. We also tend to do happy hour in the villa but dinner is frequently eaten out or delivery is ordered. However, breakfast is almost always in the villa. Don't short-change the food budget.

Once you have those 3 core budget items worked up, subtract them from your $8K. That's what you can spend on a room. Then visit mousesavers.com and check the rack rates for 2021 (2022 has not been officially published yet). Mousesavers includes room tax in their nightly rates, so the math is pretty simple. 2022 rates will definitely be higher but the dates for some seasons (like Easter) will change every year. Prices will reflect those changes every year.
https://www.mousesavers.com/2021-disney-world-room-rates-season-dates/
After that, it's a matter of personal preference. You might find that a family suite at one of the Value Resorts is just what you need. Or you may want the close-to-park experience of one of the Deluxe Resorts. Or a 1BR villa might still fit your budget. Or renting from a DVC member could bring that villa into an acceptable price range.

My own experience is that I don't find staying at one resort for a week to be boring. In fact, I prefer it because it allows us time to acclimate to the where things are and how things run at that resort. I just never feel quite settled when I know that I have to pack everything up on day #X to switch resorts

 

[robinb]

Here is what I would suggest. Your kids are young and will enjoy any resort on property. At that age, it's all about the pool! And your 6-year old may or may not be brave enough to use the slide. So ... I would back off on trying to make this a "trip of a lifetime" by going whole hog at super-deluxe resorts and focus on making it fun and affordable. You'll be able to use the money that you saved for your NEXT trip. Also, once you start at the tippy-top peak of WDW resorts, it's difficult to not feel that you're "settling" for the more affordable resorts which are perfectly wonderful. Work your way up to the more expensive resorts.

The Value resorts are super fun and kids love them. You are definitely in the "Disney theme" 24/7. I agree with others that a suite at AoA would be your best bet for this trip.

Like @Marionnette, I also own DVC. I always eat breakfast and always have a snack and glass of wine in the evening in my villa. I almost never eat lunch or dinner in my villa because (1) it takes time away from the parks, (2) it's not convenient to cook even with a full kitchen and (3) I like eating out while on vacation. FWIW, I packed a PB&J with me when my daughter was young because she was a pretty picky (vegetarian/carbitarian) eater. She also has a great idea to work your way up to the $8K and see how much you have to spend on a resort and then decide if it's worth it.

 

[CmdrThor]

I also thought I wanted a cabana at SAB, but since only full day rentals were available due to COVID we skipped it for our first Beach Club trip. It ended up being the best decision because our 6 and 3 year olds spent HOURS playing in the sand and we would not have been comfortable sitting in the cabana without being in the pool supervising them. The table we got one visit and chairs in the sand on another worked just fine for us. We ate dinner at the table one day purchased from Hurricane Hanna's. I would definitely go April if you are wanting a better chance at pool weather.

I think you are overthinking "boring" theming of deluxe resorts. Those resorts definitely don't have the in your face Disney theming of the values, but they are very well themed and upscale. We prefer the upscale theming and larger rooms available with the DVC 1 and 2 bedroom villas. Kidani is extremely nice, has a great pool for kids, but just one restaurant. If eating at your resort is typical for you be sure to understand what is available until Jambo House fully reopens.

Personally I would try to take the pressure off of making it the "dream" trip and just decide on a resort that will work for you, and then plan your activities around being at that location. We are working on staying at all of the DVC resorts and only have three at WDW left to go. The best trip in my head is the next trip!

 

[jordan13402]

I'd stay at CBR

 

[Eastern]

You have been given a lot of good advice. I would not go crazy on hotel spending either. At your kids' age, they only care about the pool. I am planning a fall trip and when I ask my (now adult) son if he prefers one resort over another, he says, 'I don't care, I'm at Disney'.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

I think AoA suite is a great suggestion. I’d also recommend early November as a great time to visit. IMO it’s perfect weather wise and if you avoid veterans and thanksgiving, the crowds won’t be terrible. February can be very dicey for pools.

 

[CindarellyCindarelly]

I'm floored by all of the responses! Thank you guys for all the suggestions.

I'll definitely have to look into the AoA suites.

Do you guys know when the best time to book would be? For a feb trip should I be booking now? I know you CAN book 500 days ahead of time, but I wasn't sure what was a 'normal' time to book in advance.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

I'm floored by all of the responses! Thank you guys for all the suggestions.

I'll definitely have to look into the AoA suites.

Do you guys know when the best time to book would be? For a feb trip should I be booking now? I know you CAN book 500 days ahead of time, but I wasn't sure what was a 'normal' time to book in advance.

If you're booking a package there is no harm in booking early as it only requires a $200 (refundable) deposit and you'll be able to secure your first choice of dates and resort.

 

[Eastern]

I'm floored by all of the responses! Thank you guys for all the suggestions.

I'll definitely have to look into the AoA suites.

Do you guys know when the best time to book would be? For a feb trip should I be booking now? I know you CAN book 500 days ahead of time, but I wasn't sure what was a 'normal' time to book in advance.

'Normal' - my guess would be 6 months to a year in advance. But book as soon as you have definite plans. If you are not going during a holiday week you have more time but having to book park reservations adds another layer of complexity to planning.

 

[Dug720]

I'm floored by all of the responses! Thank you guys for all the suggestions.

I'll definitely have to look into the AoA suites.

Do you guys know when the best time to book would be? For a feb trip should I be booking now? I know you CAN book 500 days ahead of time, but I wasn't sure what was a 'normal' time to book in advance.

Per my TA, booking earlier is the best bet right now. With so many people eager to travel, things are booking up quickly.

 

[DisneyMomof4_86]

Guys...I'm in need of some desperate help and direction. My ADHD is in full blast right now and I'm feeling extremely overwhelmed. I apologize for the rollercoaster of my brain you are about to get on...

I'm attempting to plan our first ever Disney trip with my husband and two kids DS(6) and DD(2). I really want to 'go big' for out first trip and make it as magical as possible. I'm completely lost on which resort to choose....and if I'm being completely honest I don't even really have a month to go picked out. I was thinking first or second week in Feb, but am a tad concerned about it being too cold for pools. Maybe last week of April? Would appreciate any suggestions on that aspect as well.

As for the resorts, my 'dream trip' I had planned in my head was to do a split stay between AKL and BC. I loved the theming of AKL and I loved how you can walk to DHS and Epcot from BC. I also loved the idea of renting a cabana at SAB. With AKL Jambo not being open I'm concerned about staying there. I don't want to go to the resort and have it be 'dead'. I want lively and fun! So that leaves BC, but I'm concerned about staying a full week there since the theming looks a bit boring? Is that the case, or am I overthinking it? THEN I was considering a theme park view room at CR, but looking at the youtube videos it didn't seem like you're super close to the castle and who even knows if fireworks will be a thing by then. I wasn't sure if it was worth the price without being able to see fireworks from your room. THEN I was thinking about CBR since it's on the skyliner and we would have easy access to Epcot and DHS. THEN I was thinking about a Deluxe Suite at the CS tower since it looks close to a 1BR and I think it would be nice to have a separate room for the kids to go to sleep for the nights I don't want to go to bed at 8PM. Getting the 1BR in my head led me all the way back to AKL-Kidani looking at their 1BR Villas. Those seem to be a pretty good value. The one I was looking at was like 700/night and I feel like we can make up for that extra spending by cooking most meals in the room (that's how I justify!). Is there anything wrong with the 1BR Villas at Kidani?

Also, when should I book? If I'm thinking first week of Feb should I book asap? I did a random search for BC rooms for a week in April and it said none available?! Are they sold out or do you think that was a glitch. No way they would be selling out this far in advance right??

Can someone just tell me what to do. Thanks.... T_T

Late April ,avoid spring break and Easter , or may, art of animation or pop century . Also if dining plans are back they are a good idea ! I hate cooking in vacation but did during our stay in July and plan to this June also ( half our trip is in a studio and the other half a 1 bedroom for the kitchen )

 

[meggers628]

I am doing a split stay at AKL Kidani and Beach Club Villas with my young kids (8,6,4,1). I know they will love the savanna view and Kidani kids pool area, and they already watch videos of Stormalong Bay and are so excited. Plus the whole crescent lake area is beautiful. We can watch the boats, go on the skyliner, and there is nothing more magical than walking to the parks, especially when dealing with a stroller.

If it’s in your budget I vote sticking with the beach club/AKL split stay!

 

[kevgraub]

The one I was looking at was like 700/night and I feel like we can make up for that extra spending by cooking most meals in the room (that's how I justify!).

For me, with kids that age and it being your first trip, I would swap those two priorities around. I think your family will get much more out of the trip by spending more money on character meals and eating at some of the fun themed restaurants on site than they will the room.

For us, when our kids were that age, character meals were great. No, the food was nothing to write home about. But the ability to interact with the characters and get those autographs/pictures taken care of without having to wait in line for an hour to meet Mickey was well worth it.

My guess is you will end up surprised at how little time you actually spend in your room - especially on your first trip. I'm not suggesting you should just take the cheapest, most unappealing option or anything. But I would not plan on scrimping on your food budget to bump up your hotel budget. My kids would MUCH rather have stayed at a moderate resort like CBR and done CRT, BOG, Chef Mickey's, Ohana breakfast, etc., than stayed at a deluxe resort and skipped out on some of the more expensive meals.

 

[DisneyMomof4_86]

For me, with kids that age and it being your first trip, I would swap those two priorities around. I think your family will get much more out of the trip by spending more money on character meals and eating at some of the fun themed restaurants on site than they will the room.

For us, when our kids were that age, character meals were great. No, the food was nothing to write home about. But the ability to interact with the characters and get those autographs/pictures taken care of without having to wait in line for an hour to meet Mickey was well worth it.

My guess is you will end up surprised at how little time you actually spend in your room - especially on your first trip. I'm not suggesting you should just take the cheapest, most unappealing option or anything. But I would not plan on scrimping on your food budget to bump up your hotel budget. My kids would MUCH rather have stayed at a moderate resort like CBR and done CRT, BOG, Chef Mickey's, Ohana breakfast, etc., than stayed at a deluxe resort and skipped out on some of the more expensive meals.

Toppolinos is also an amazing character breakfast , I agree with your post ! Especially if paying cash , we spent $230 on breakfast at toppolinos , So, we are a family of 6 ,
2 adults and our children are 14, 10, 6 and almost 2! Be our guest was about $350 for dinner and so was Cinderella’s royal table , at least that shock comes before your actual dinner since they have you pay ahead of time . We have always done the dining plan so I was shocked at how much I paid for meals ! Well worth it though ! To see how happy the kids were made it worth it ! I do miss the dining plan .

 

[focusondisney]

Do you guys know when the best time to book would be?

Best time is whenever you’ve decided on dates & a resort. Not all resorts are open right now & demand is high, so things are booking up well in advance. You can always try to change things later, but at least you’ll know you have a resort you’re happy with. It stinks to miss out on the room you want just because you waited to book.