When would you go and where would you stay?

[livih99]

I'm planning a trip for myself and 6 of my friends (7 people total) from college for sometime next year. We're all adults in our early to mid-20s and do not have any kids. We're all working in engineering fields, so we can realistically go at any point in the year, with the exception of May and October. We're trying to do this on the cheaper side and would like to avoid crowds. I'm beginning to do my research and am planning on looking at different resorts for different dates throughout the year, so I can present my group with estimated costs so we can pick from there. All the previous times I've been to WDW have been in July and were booked through my dance studio, so we've never picked where to stay. If you could go at any time in the year when would you go? And where would you stay with a bigger group like this? I am looking into renting DVC points as well so feel free to put any DVC resorts! Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Mle8308]

The least expensive times will be the end of the summer (last week of August and the beginning of September - not including Labor Day weekend). However, these are also the hottest times of the year and there is a risk of hurricanes (watching one for my trip next week). Also, how long are you going? Renting points for a 2BR would be an option, however if it is going to be for more than a week, it may be hard to find someone with that many points to rent from. And if you do consider DVC points, start reaching out before the 11 month mark. The other downside of renting points is that many times it is non refundable and you may either have to pay in full when the reservation is made or put down a sizeable deposit. With a group of individuals going who are not related, some may cancel and then you would be stuck. Another question is whether people will be willing to share beds. If not, you will need 4 rooms if you go value or three or four depending if a person is willing to sleep in a pull down sleeper at a moderate (CBR or POR) - that person will need to be on the smaller side to comfortably fit on the drop down bed (smaller than a twin). There are deluxe resorts where there is a sofa bed that will sleep one adult, plus 2 queen beds. If there are 7 and people don't want to share beds, then you would still need 3 rooms. The Dolphin and Swan might be options, they do have the deluxe resort benefits and are often you can find rates comparable or less than moderates. Good luck!

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Renting points, while cheaper than booking DVC villas direct via disney, is great, but in demand properties and villas types go fast. Negatives of DVC rentals, dates are not flexible and villa options at various resorts are limited for non- DVC owners. When you search DVC rental availability, it's really not an accurate picture of what's really available given DVC villa availability is constantly changing.

You're best bet is to get with a reputable DVC agency and let them know what you're looking for and when and see what they have. The more date and location flexible you are, the better off you'll be for renting points.

Also, keep in mind, your options for cancellations/changes will be much more limiting than that of booking directly with WDW so that may be a concern given you have such a large group. A group of friends may have last min cancellations/changes and people may bail and leave you or others in the group with a hefty hotel room expense with less flexibility to change your reservations. Be sure if you do rent points that ya'll understand the nature of cancellations/changes and fees.

As far as when to go given you all can travel most anytime, pick value seasons and see what your group thinks. There are pros/cons to visiting these times of year which is usually lower crowds but can have some drawbacks. Like September, great low crowd time of year, but super duper rainy, still hot and tropical depressions are a factor; January, also low crowd but can be really cold. I'd poll your group and get a season in mind and see what the DVC agency can find.

If it's me and I can travel anytime, I'd pick late February/early March and mid Nov. It's not necessarily low crowd or value season for any of these times of year, but it's milder temps which makes trips very enjoyable and typically not rainy. I really like mid November, again not low crowds but it's after Jersey week, before thanksgiving and you get a taste of Xmas and milder temps.

As far as where to stay, a group of 20 something single folks, maybe BWV- great location to Ep/DHS and lots of dining/lounge options all nearby. If you are really wanting the most space, OKW has some large villas but not my favorite location but would be more budget friendly. SSR also will be more budget friendly than the BW area villas.

If you decide against renting points, our favorite more budget friendly resorts are POFQ, Swan/Dolphin and GDT at CSR.

 

[Disneychick13]

First of all…this sounds like an awesome trip! Time wise I would go with the 1st or last week of February (to avoid Presidents’ Day/Mardi Gras) or the end of April/beginning of May (to avoid Easter/go before school lets out). The weather will be so much better than end of August/Sept. Where to stay really depends on how economical y’all want to be as well as how many people you would want in a room/how many rooms(beds/bathrooms) you need.

 

[livih99]

We haven't quite decided how many people per room. When I'm showing them costs, I was planning on doing it as if every person gets their own bed, knowing that if everyone is fine with sharing beds the cost will go down

 

[sponica]

We did a group of 7 at Pop when we were in college. If we were a little older with a little more money to spare, I'd probably do coronado springs.

You'll need at least 2 rooms, and I'd want to do something that's refundable if people drop out before the trip happens., which would make me averse to renting points for DVC.

 

[jods]

I would stay in the epcot area. BWI or maybe swan/dolphin. Another option is coronado tower. They have some nice lounges. Maybe even splurge for CL there so you all have the lounge to hang out at. Enjoy!

 

[thecbco]

I'm in agreement that September can be a great time to go. It's a less expensive month, and plenty of fun activities are happening like Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom and Epcot's Food and Wine Festival.

 

[jimmymc]

Early December, staying in Wilderness Lodge, Grand Floridian, or one of the Epcot area resorts. You get good weather, Christmas decorations and parties, and they're all nice resorts.

I would also consider February in Animal Kingdom Lodge or the resorts listed above.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

With everything I have read, September would be my first pick, followed by February for lighter crowds.

 

[_19disnA]

Renting a nearby house is also an option if you aren't locked into staying at Disney. You can often rent a home with added amenities like a pool and complete kitchen for less money then staying on the property. Disney is a draw for people from all around the world, so while there my be some times that are slower, don't expect there won't be crowds of people/long lines for popular rides/etc. regardless of when you go.

Might also discuss with your group ahead of time how you plan to spend your time. It would be a mistake to arrive at the first park and suddenly realize you all have different ideas of how to spend your time. Some may want to do rides/shows, some may want to shop or others want to walk around. Disney parks are HUGE and can involve miles of walking. Some in your party may be less interested in doing parks all day long and prefer to relax by the pool. Good idea to discuss that ahead of time with a group of that size.

 

[livih99]

Renting a nearby house is also an option if you aren't locked into staying at Disney

My biggest concern with this is transportation. We would likely have to rent 2 cars or order 2 Ubers/lyfts every time we want to go somewhere, which can add up quickly (maybe still cheaper than staying on property, but less convenient)

 

[ghtx]

Go in September, as late as possible to try to avoid the end-of-summer heat, so you'll be able to do Food and Wine and maybe the Halloween party if you're into it.

Staying on property and renting DVC is a great idea. I really like OKW; it's the oldest DVC and not the most interesting theming, but the rooms are the largest and points are the cheapest.

 

[sponica]

My biggest concern with this is transportation. We would likely have to rent 2 cars or order 2 Ubers/lyfts every time we want to go somewhere, which can add up quickly (maybe still cheaper than staying on property, but less convenient)

I've done offsite with a large family group, granted it was in the pre-uber days but basically being at the whim of the driver is not fun. I think with a group that big that might have different styles or interests, on site is easier. When we did a friend trip to WDW, we could break off and do other things. Some of us went mini-golfing while the others went to Pleasure Island (yeah, that's how long ago it was)

I prefer flower and garden, so I'm partial to late April/early May. But if you want F&W, late september/early October isn't bad either.

I think the moderate resorts are the biggest bang for the buck. The least expensive moderate room is sometimes only about 40 or 50 dollars more expensive than the most expensive value room. You get better pools, better lounges and usually a sit down restaurant.

 

[ghtx]

I've done offsite with a large family group, granted it was in the pre-uber days but basically being at the whim of the driver is not fun. I think with a group that big that might have different styles or interests, on site is easier. When we did a friend trip to WDW, we could break off and do other things. Some of us went mini-golfing while the others went to Pleasure Island (yeah, that's how long ago it was)

I agree and see what you are saying, but I think nowadays with Uber/Lyft it is a lot easier and more convenient to rely on. In fact, relying on Uber/Lyft is likely more convenient than relying on Disney transportation. However, it is of course more expensive, so OP might want to do the math and figure out the difference in hotel price vs the expected cost of Ubers every day.

 

[VicarJT]

We love the end of Feb/beginning of March. With a friends’ groups like that, I would stay at GDT. Great lounges; fancy dinner at Toledo if you’re into that kind of thing, fun pool (and yes, we can usually swim then). Whatever your plans, it sounds like a wonderful trip!