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Walt Disney World trip

IaHawk19

HB All-State
Oct 1, 2001
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I am in the beginning stages of planning my family's first WDW trip. It will be my wife (no pic) and I and our two kids (5 and 7 this fall). I'll keep it as general as possible and open to any suggestions based on your experiences.

Some questions that have come up in my brief search:
  • Stay on-site? If so, what resort?
  • Use a travel agent or book everything myself?
  • How many days? We are planning on flying in on a Sunday and going to the park M-F and leaving Saturday but I have considered only doing 3-4 days at Disney and possibly going to Busch Gardens, head to the beach or possibly go see some gators!
  • Recommend buying a meal plan?
  • We plan on purchasing a princess dinner for my daughter. Any other extras we should consider?

Also, any good resources you can recommend from the internet, I'd be happy to have those for my research. It seems like there are way too many sites dealing with planning a Disney trip...I can't tell which ones are worth a damn.

Thanks for the help!
 
We went with 6 and 9 year-olds. By the fifth day they said enough just wanted to swim. We stayed on site at Caribbean Beach Resort so we could do the longer park hours. No meal plan just winged it but got shut out of the nicer places to eat because of reservations required way in advance. Nice trip but two exhausted kids at the end.
 
I am in the beginning stages of planning my family's first WDW trip. It will be my wife (no pic) and I and our two kids (5 and 7 this fall). I'll keep it as general as possible and open to any suggestions based on your experiences.

Some questions that have come up in my brief search:
  • Stay on-site? If so, what resort?
  • Use a travel agent or book everything myself?
  • How many days? We are planning on flying in on a Sunday and going to the park M-F and leaving Saturday but I have considered only doing 3-4 days at Disney and possibly going to Busch Gardens, head to the beach or possibly go see some gators!
  • Recommend buying a meal plan?
  • We plan on purchasing a princess dinner for my daughter. Any other extras we should consider?

Also, any good resources you can recommend from the internet, I'd be happy to have those for my research. It seems like there are way too many sites dealing with planning a Disney trip...I can't tell which ones are worth a damn.

Thanks for the help!
I'll give this a shot. First, buy a book. The unofficial guide to Walt Disney World is a great start. It has absolutely everything Disney World in it. Discounts, savings, how to do dinners everything. The decision on staying on site is almost completely budget related. It is a better experience. Much more expensive with fewer room choices. However, the convenience to the parks and the extended hours make it worth it. If you are going in the fall, watch for deals. This is where a discussion board like disboard.com come in handy. At least I think that is the site. They will post discounts as soon as they are out. They have extensive information on the meal plans. I know it is tough to get your money's worth.

You cannot see Disney in less than 5-6 days, especially with young kids. It just won't happen and you really shouldn't try. It will take you 2-3 days to get those kids through the Magic Kingdom. I have gone three times. It is really worth it to go over Halloween or Christmas. Disney does those holidays right.

Don't miss the parades and fireworks. Definitely worth the effort. I've never used a travel agent. I've always done research through online boards and the unofficial guide. Your mileage may vary.

Finally, realize you are going to have fun. Don't push the kids too hard to see everything. The resorts are almost theme parks on their own. I would spend a day at the resort. The pools are amazing.

Let me know if you need anything else.
 
I am in the beginning stages of planning my family's first WDW trip. It will be my wife (no pic) and I and our two kids (5 and 7 this fall). I'll keep it as general as possible and open to any suggestions based on your experiences.

Some questions that have come up in my brief search:
  • Stay on-site? If so, what resort?
  • Use a travel agent or book everything myself?
  • How many days? We are planning on flying in on a Sunday and going to the park M-F and leaving Saturday but I have considered only doing 3-4 days at Disney and possibly going to Busch Gardens, head to the beach or possibly go see some gators!
  • Recommend buying a meal plan?
  • We plan on purchasing a princess dinner for my daughter. Any other extras we should consider?

Also, any good resources you can recommend from the internet, I'd be happy to have those for my research. It seems like there are way too many sites dealing with planning a Disney trip...I can't tell which ones are worth a damn.

Thanks for the help!

It is http://disboards.com. If you go there, the posters know everything in the universe about Orlando and all the parks. Every tiny piece of information that you can possibly want to know is on there. They can tell you which rooms at every resort have the best views. How to get a front car on the monorail. Absolutely anything.
 
I am in the beginning stages of planning my family's first WDW trip. It will be my wife (no pic) and I and our two kids (5 and 7 this fall). I'll keep it as general as possible and open to any suggestions based on your experiences.

Some questions that have come up in my brief search:
  • Stay on-site? If so, what resort?
  • Use a travel agent or book everything myself?
  • How many days? We are planning on flying in on a Sunday and going to the park M-F and leaving Saturday but I have considered only doing 3-4 days at Disney and possibly going to Busch Gardens, head to the beach or possibly go see some gators!
  • Recommend buying a meal plan?
  • We plan on purchasing a princess dinner for my daughter. Any other extras we should consider?

Also, any good resources you can recommend from the internet, I'd be happy to have those for my research. It seems like there are way too many sites dealing with planning a Disney trip...I can't tell which ones are worth a damn.

Thanks for the help!
One last thing. Haters gonna hate. There is no better vacation on this planet for young kids. Disney does it right in nearly every detail. It is horribly expensive, but so much fun for the kids.
 
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One last thing. Haters gonna hate. There is no better vacation on this planet for young kids. Disney does it right in nearly every detail. It is horribly expensive, but so much fun for the kids.

Agree with everything cowtipper posted. At their ages your kids will love it. It is very expensive but once , maybe your first trip, you should stay at a hotel on site. We stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Got up in the morning, looked out the window and saw giraffes, wildebeest, various kinds of deer down below us. They must keep the lions somewhere else.

Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain and the Haunted House are all must-sees. I liked an Old West saloon with funny acts, Davy Crockett's tavern, and the parade in front of the Liberty Tree. A Bug's Life, so much more. I would go with five nights. If you go in the summer carry water as you walk around. Disney also has a great bus shuttle from the hotels to various stops in the park. It is very easy and free.
 
5 and 7 too young wait until 9 and 11. go to universal parks 2 days then rest then another 2 days of parks.
 
Well, obviously I have an opinion on whether or not to use a travel agent but we'll leave that be for now. :)

The first thing to know about Disney is that they are very protective of pricing and they will shut down any suppliers found to be discounting their product. You may find someone who discounts the air portion but by and large Disney prices are what they are. And they are not going down.
When it comes to specials they do offer them but usually not until a few months prior to that season. For instance, it was mid October before they released the specials for January-March. And those specials are getting worse. In the past they have had free dining but this year it was a flat dollar amount discount. For the summer it's even worse. Like a free quick service meal. I believe that is in response to those boards telling people how to work the system. With Food and Wine festival they are now selling out in the fall and I would anticipate that they continue scaling back those discounts. Really what you need to do is decide when you want to go and book at a price you are comfortable with. If a special is released you can try to get rebooked into the new special. As a travel agent I receive advance notification of the sales and can rebook my clients into those sales as soon as they are released. I'm not sure if you book on your own if you can edit the booking or if you have to call in. If you are a Disney Visa card holder you can get access to those specials before the general public.
When deciding whether or not to stay on site it matters when you are traveling. And the stamina of your kids. If you are traveling during a busy time stay on property. Occasionally Disney will be at capacity and they will cut off admittance to those staying off property until they come back below capacity. Generally this is during Christmas. You have to stay on property to have access to the dining plan. And if your kids will get tired it is easy to head back to the hotel for a bit and hit the pool before heading back to the parks if you are on property. There are 3 different dining plans and the princess dinners can be paid for with your table service dining credits. If you want the princess dinners or bibbity bobbity boutique those need to be booked as soon as they are available or you may end up being shut out.
Ultimately if you love researching this stuff, reading the boards, monitoring for sales, etc then by all means book it yourself. If that sounds like a miserable pita then call a travel agent. It's their job to do this for not only you but all of their Disney clients. It won't cost you any more and may save you a bunch of headaches.
 
Find a Disney authorized travel group and let them do the work. We used Cupcake Travel and they didn't charge us a dime. Disney paid them in park credit and their agents go a couple times per year.

Here was our trip:
On site at Art of Animation get a suite
2 families, 5 kids ages 12,11,10,8,5.
Meal plan with 1 quick service and 1 sit down
4 days in the parks (we did Hollywood, MKx2, and a split day of AK and Epcot)
Travel agent booked all meals and we only got shut out of one choice (Be our Guest just opened)
We did the night show at Hollywood Studios with reserved seating set up by the agent
Parade and Fireworks in MK and the second night we went we skipped this and hit rides with basically no wait
Character meals at MK (Pooh and friends) and Epcot (Princess dinner at Askerhaus)
We booked our own flights but our package included ground transport

Final cost of Disney about $1000/person flights were extra.
 
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5 and 7 too young wait until 9 and 11. go to universal parks 2 days then rest then another 2 days of parks.
5 and 7 are perfect for Disney so long as the 5 year old is over 40" tall. Universal is just a different trip if you ask me, for the older kids.

I can't really add to cow tipper. He has you in the right direction. The only advice I would add is subscribe to Touring Plans. You can put it what rides you want to go on and it gives you an itinerary based on when lines will be the shortest. Probably the factor that will most direct impact your enjoyment is when you choose to go. I would never go in the summer, Thanksgiving week Spring Break, or from 12/22-1/3.
 
It is http://disboards.com. If you go there, the posters know everything in the universe about Orlando and all the parks. Every tiny piece of information that you can possibly want to know is on there. They can tell you which rooms at every resort have the best views. How to get a front car on the monorail. Absolutely anything.

Yes, Disboards has all the info you'll need. To save some money on tickets, get them from Undercovertourist

https://www.undercovertourist.com/orlando/#tickets

To save a few more bucks, sign up for mousesavers newsletter. They send out a monthly link to undercovertourist that has tickets for a few dollars less. Its not a whole lot less, but there are no taxes if I remember correctly and it'll save over $100 bucks.

http://www.mousesavers.com/

You can also read more about these on disboards.
 
The mousesaver newsletter comes out on the 15th of each month. The latest says to buy tickets now because Disney will be doing a price increase in the next few weeks. You might not get it until after the price increase if you signed up now. I can send it to you if you want. This would only be if you're staying off site and need tickets only.
 
You will need the Disney world app... this is how you apply for fast passes each day, it will tell you wait times at each ride, it has maps of all parks and can find you the nearest bathrooms. It will also tell you what rides are close, height restrictions, show start times and wait times for autographs.

You can and should apply for fast passes quite a ways in advance. Get the app, check wait times to see which rides have the longest waits, etc.

I have always rented a condo when we've gone, last time we got a 4 bedroom condo for $150 a night. With little kids it might be good to stay at the resort though.

If you are going off resort, rent a car or use uber... a trip to epcot cost us $20 with u er and the driver was a retired Boeing engineer... trip back with a cab was $50 and the guy didn't speak english. Disney owns the cab companies down there.

5 or 6 straight days of parks is a lot, I would recommend breaking that up with a day for swimming and relaxing.

If they are into harry potter universal studios is a must, as long as they are tall enough for the rides. If you do go to universal you'll have to get the two park pass, which was like , $150 a person for a single day.

One more tip: you can take food and snacks into Disney parks. This can be a big money saver with little kids. Walked past a family who created the own mini sub shop at animal kingdom last summer.
 
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With young kids, it's good to stay on-site. Hit the parks early and go back to the hotel and hang out by the pool when the crowds get large in the afternoon (and heat is at its peak -- it still feels like summer in fall in Orlando). Then go back to the parks in the late afternoon/evening.
 
Buy the book and lay out a plan of the order of the rides. Parks are big you don't want to waste time or get tired. Be flexible though

Stay on property, go the hour early as a benefit and hit the most popular rides

Carry a small back pack with snacks, lunch, water bottle

Hit them hard. Then back to hotel mid day for pool and nap. Head out again at night for parade and shows

Fast passes can work but only if needed
 
I've taken my family 3 times now. I stayed off property once for a trip in June when my kids were 3, 5, and 7. Horrible experience for me and I said I'd never go back. The other two times were both the week after thanksgiving and we stayed on property at the Yacht Club. One time we had the meal plan. The last time we did not. We absolutely loved the 2nd two trips. There's my background.

- Number one piece of advice, GO DURING SLOW TIMES!! Never in the summer. Never around Christmas or spring break. Fall is a great time to go. If you want the Christmas feel (which is pretty cool at Disney) go the week after Thanksgiving. We just pull the kids out of school and enjoy the trip. That week is notoriously slower than most other times. By the way, just because it's slower doesn't mean it won't still be busy. It's always busy, just to varying degrees.

- Make reservations for restaurants a good 6 months in advance. Sounds crazy but to truly get the most out of a Disney trip, that's the level of planning it takes.

- staying on site is best. Not the cheapest by any stretch, but the best. Disney has 3 tiers of property. You can have a great time at any of them. The top tier are at more desirable locations with respect to the parks and have better pools. If you go top tier, I would recommend the yacht club or beach club. Best pool at Disney. He budget resorts are still great though.

- Take a day off (or 2) from the parks and relax by the pool. Our kids love those days just as much. It'll help your sanity.

I'm sure I've got a lot more tips and if I think of them I'll post.
 
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Good stuff here so far. With little ones I would say to skip out on the park hopper passes. They aren't going to have the energy to do multiple parks in one day. I'd also say skip Hollywood Studios right now. It just isnt worth it right now. They have the Star Wars ride, Tower of Terror, and Rock and Roller coaster which are all good things. But otherwise the Muppets show, Indiana Jones show, Great Movie ride, and others are way outdated. The Toy Story ride would be fun for your kids, but the line is usually at least 90 minutes long. Disney has announced plans for park renovations, which is a good thing because it needs an overhaul.
 
Thank you for all of the information so far. Here are some replies to questions and suggestions posted so far:
  • We will most likely stay on site, I just wanted to understand the pros and cons
  • We are looking at the last two weeks of September or possibly sometime in October
  • I like the idea of splitting up the craziness with a day at the pool or at least a 1/2 day
  • For the Moderate packages, I've had a few people recommend Port Orleans Resort French Quarter. We probably won't go Deluxe this time around
  • Still undecided on the whole meal plan thing. Is it a cost savings or just convenience? I don't understand why you wouldn't just buy as you go. I'm sure I'll figure it out as I read disboards and mousesavers message boards.
Thanks again for all the info...keep it coming!
 
I've taken my family 3 times now. I stayed off property once for a trip in June when my kids were 3, 5, and 7. Horrible experience for me and I said I'd never go back. The other two times were both the week after thanksgiving and we stayed on property at the Yacht Club. One time we had the meal plan. The last time we did not. We absolutely loved the 2nd two trips. There's my background.

- Number one piece of advice, GO DURING SLOW TIMES!! Never in the summer. Never around Christmas or spring break. Fall is a great time to go. If you want the Christmas feel (which is pretty cool at Disney) go the week after Thanksgiving. We just pull the kids out of school and enjoy the trip. That week is notoriously slower than most other times. By the way, just because it's slower doesn't mean it won't still be busy. It's always busy, just to varying degrees.

- Make reservations for restaurants a good 6 months in advance. Sounds crazy but to truly get the most out of a Disney trip, that's the level of planning it takes.

- staying on site is best. Not the cheapest by any stretch, but the best. Disney has 3 tiers of property. You can have a great time at any of them. The top tier are at more desirable locations with respect to the parks and have better pools. If you go top tier, I would recommend the yacht club or beach club. Best pool at Disney. He budget resorts are still great though.

- Take a day off (or 2) from the parks and relax by the pool. Our kids love those days just as much. It'll help your sanity.

I'm sure I've got a lot more tips and if I think of them I'll post.

This dude nailed it. I was there over the New Year as my daughter cheered in the Citrus Bowl. The crowds were beyond comprehension. As MD said, plan fast passes as far out as possible and make reservations for meals as well. Stay as close to the Disney campus as possible. They had the athletes away from everything which made things kind of a pain. If you want to go grab a beer or something to eat off of the resort, you are basically SOL. The most fun I had was lounging by the pool with Mrs. Jelly and little Jelly. The Disney thing is not for me.

OP, since you have fairly young kids I would recommend trying to have some groceries in your room. Eating there can be a total pain in the ass. Have some snack foods and maybe some things for simple lunches. It was a life saver for us...I mean them. Alcohol was the life saver for me.

Which brings me to the most important part...Epcot and AK were great because we had a drink in our hand the entire time!
 
Thank you for all of the information so far. Here are some replies to questions and suggestions posted so far:
  • We will most likely stay on site, I just wanted to understand the pros and cons
  • We are looking at the last two weeks of September or possibly sometime in October
  • I like the idea of splitting up the craziness with a day at the pool or at least a 1/2 day
  • For the Moderate packages, I've had a few people recommend Port Orleans Resort French Quarter. We probably won't go Deluxe this time around
  • Still undecided on the whole meal plan thing. Is it a cost savings or just convenience? I don't understand why you wouldn't just buy as you go. I'm sure I'll figure it out as I read disboards and mousesavers message boards.
Thanks again for all the info...keep it coming!

The only other thing I'd suggest is that there's a lot more to see in Florida besides the phony parks. You mentioned alligators, there's a pretty big alligator attraction in Kissimmee (a short drive from the Disney compound). But even that ignores the natural things to see and do here. Crystal clear springs, wonderful state parks, beaches and trails, amazing botanical gardens, unbelievable tropical birds, world-class fishing and golf, and ecosystems found nowhere else in the world.

Two weeks is a long time. I'd suggest a few day trips out of Disney's grasp. ESPECIALLY for food. There are many great restaurants in the area. Don't give all your meal money to the Mouse.

But back to parks, there's also the new LegoLand between Orlando and Tampa (former site of the Cypress Gardens park). Your kids are the perfect age for a day there.
 
Two weeks is a long time. I'd suggest a few day trips out of Disney's grasp. ESPECIALLY for food. There are many great restaurants in the area. Don't give all your meal money to the Mouse.

We are going for 7 days, we just haven't narrowed it down to which week yet. Those were just the weeks we were looking at.
 
Don't go in the summer. Pull them out of school and go in the fall. Temperature is nicer and still crowded but nothing compared to when school is out.

I would stay on resort. We've done both and it's easier to get around stay late hours at certain parks.

We are doing our first Disney cruise. Any advice there? 7 day Caribbean cruise. I was outvoted by family for Disney over RC.
 
Don't go in the summer. Pull them out of school and go in the fall. Temperature is nicer and still crowded but nothing compared to when school is out.

I would stay on resort. We've done both and it's easier to get around stay late hours at certain parks.

We are doing our first Disney cruise. Any advice there? 7 day Caribbean cruise. I was outvoted by family for Disney over RC.

Everything is taken care of on a cruise, except booze. Our bar tab was more than the cost of everything else.
 
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Who is the soulless ginger in your avatar?

Ginger? really ???

I really like how 'some folk' can use degradation against some other groups of people, however if you were to try that in front of 'some folk', they'd have a whusssy fit.

Carry on..........
 
Ginger? really ???

I really like how 'some folk' can use degradation against some other groups of people, however if you were to try that in front of 'some folk', they'd have a whusssy fit.

Carry on..........

It's not bad if you're doing it to whitey.
 
We are going for 7 days, we just haven't narrowed it down to which week yet. Those were just the weeks we were looking at.
We are going for 7 days, we just haven't narrowed it down to which week yet. Those were just the weeks we were looking at.

This is the most important decision to make. Find a time where numbers are low and put that above all else if Disney is the main factor. If your kids are stuck in lines all the time it won't be enjoyable for anyone.

OTOH...if your life is miserable and you are thinking of swallowing lead or drinking antifreeze, may I suggest Magic Kingdom on NYE?
 
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I've taken my family 3 times now. I stayed off property once for a trip in June when my kids were 3, 5, and 7. Horrible experience for me and I said I'd never go back. The other two times were both the week after thanksgiving and we stayed on property at the Yacht Club. One time we had the meal plan. The last time we did not. We absolutely loved the 2nd two trips. There's my background.

- Number one piece of advice, GO DURING SLOW TIMES!! Never in the summer. Never around Christmas or spring break. Fall is a great time to go. If you want the Christmas feel (which is pretty cool at Disney) go the week after Thanksgiving. We just pull the kids out of school and enjoy the trip. That week is notoriously slower than most other times. By the way, just because it's slower doesn't mean it won't still be busy. It's always busy, just to varying degrees.

- Make reservations for restaurants a good 6 months in advance. Sounds crazy but to truly get the most out of a Disney trip, that's the level of planning it takes.

- staying on site is best. Not the cheapest by any stretch, but the best. Disney has 3 tiers of property. You can have a great time at any of them. The top tier are at more desirable locations with respect to the parks and have better pools. If you go top tier, I would recommend the yacht club or beach club. Best pool at Disney. He budget resorts are still great though.

- Take a day off (or 2) from the parks and relax by the pool. Our kids love those days just as much. It'll help your sanity.

I'm sure I've got a lot more tips and if I think of them I'll post.

3 times?

Guuuud Laaawd.
 
3 times because as a family we love it. As long as you plan well it's a great time. Sometimes it's enjoyable watching the non planners struggle there while you have a great time because you did your research.

We were going every other year till a surprise baby derailed our life plans. Now we'll wait an extra year or two before going back. We enjoy it because we don't stress out about doing everything. We go with the flow and do the stuff we want to do. My favorite times are actually just sitting by the pool watching the kids have fun. Can't stress pool days enough.

Most people think of Epcot as a park to skip. Don't. It's got the best variety of restaurants and the fireworks at night are great. Plus, if beer and wine are your things, that's the place to be. We stay within a 5 minute walk of Epcot (Yacht club). We will often do a park during the day then walk around Epcot at night (requires the park hopper though).

One more thing, look into pin trading. My kids LOVE it and my wife and I found ourselves doing it often each stay. He pins at Disney are pricey. Just get in eBay and buy a bunch of used pins for trading. Basically you can go up to any Disney employee that has pins and trade one of yours for whatever one of theirs you want. You'll find yourself always looking for people to trade pins with. It's free as long as you have the pins. 50 used pins on eBay will run about 26 bucks. Sounds kind of dumb but I guarantee your kids will love it and it's something to do while waiting on a ride or for a restaurant. Seriously, look into it and try it.
 
We went to FLA 2 years ago the first or second week of November which we were told was the best time to go. I agree that it probably was as it was after the Wine event and before the Thanksgiving rush, but we still got the Christmas time events and decorations which was cool. The lines were also short. We have 7 and 5 year old boys so we were able to bypass all the girly stuff which was a huge relief as those were the longest waits every day.

We ended up using marriott points to stay in a hotel on the beach on Treasure Island (Gulf side) for a few nights before we went to Disney. At Disney we stayed for free at a property that was on the Disney grounds. It was a bummer though because we didn't have a fridge like they told us we would. And we had a ton of groceries for snacks and lunch at the parks.

Like others have stated get the fast pass selections made 30 days in advance on the busiest rides. Usually the roller coasters, and after you ride set up the next ones ASAP on your phone app.

We skipped Animal Kingdom as we have Omaha zoo passes and we were there for Disney, not animals. Epcot may have been a little old for my boys although they loved the car builder thing. Other than that they werent impressed.
 
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