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kboyle
12-07-2007, 12:21 AM
We are planning on going with my parents next Nov and I want to start planning now.

What do I need to know?

What sites will be useful?

I plan on getting the Unofficial DIsney Guide, any other guides helpful?

Are we better of with 2 rooms (me, dh, 3 kiddos & my parents) or try and stay in a suite?

Thanks Disney Mamas!!

dotgirl
12-07-2007, 08:39 PM
I have a number of thoughts, having taken lots of trips to both Disneyland and Disney World, but I didn't see which park you're going to?

kboyle
12-07-2007, 09:11 PM
oops, we are going to Disney World :)

dotgirl
12-09-2007, 08:24 PM
Ok!

Well, first off, this is a good site - http://www.mousesavers.com/

The other suggestions I would make are:
If you can afford it, stay at one of the resorts that is on the monorail line - so the Polynesian, Contemporary, or Grand Floridian (the Contemporary is the least expensive of the three). We stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge back in 2005, and while it was nice, dealing with the shuttle was awful - just lots of waiting, and a really long ride. Same goes for when we stayed at Port Orleans.

Wikipedia has more information about the monorail loop - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_World_Monorail_System

The other suggestion I would make is this - get up as early as your kids will let you and get to one of the parks. Stay until about 1pm, and then head back to your hotel to relax for a couple of hours - we usually did about 3 hours. Your kids can nap, play in the pool, watch tv, whatever - but it's definitely important to have a mid-afternoon break. Around 4, head back out to a park - you'll be rested and refreshed. We usually do this on all of our trips - the one day we didn't, everyone was miserable by 5pm.

Rooms - We've never done the suite thing. We usually do us and DD & DS in one room with 2 queens and a pullout sofa (or 2 queens and bunkbeds), while DH's parents stay in their own room. I'm not sure what makes more financial sense, though.

Also, given the ages of your children, I would make sure you bring your own stroller. It will be invaluable, especially since the parks occasionally run out of strollers - and that would not be fun! Also, if you want to do Downtown Disney, it's nice.

I'm not sure about the meal plan stuff - I hear it's a good deal, but since DH works for Disney, we do better just using his discount at all the restaurants.

And if you're interested, there are a couple of places that provide in room babysitting - not sure what your comfort level is with that, but we used it on our 2005 trip - it was nice to have a dinner away from DD & DH. I recall it being about $10 an hour, and we were gone about 3 hours.

If you think of any other specific questions, post! There are other posters who are much more experienced with Disney trips than I!

klwa
12-14-2007, 07:45 AM
2 more sites that may help

www.disboards.com
www.allearsnet.com

Neatfreak
12-14-2007, 07:52 AM
We stayed in a suite at WDW this past March, and while it cost more than what we hoped, we're glad we did. Having a washing machine and a refridgerator in our room was fantastic. And there were only the three of us!

kboyle
12-14-2007, 09:58 AM
thanks Penny, i will definately keep all those points in mind. yeah...a mid day break will definitely be needed! just thinking and planning this trip already has me worn out & stressed! :47:

laura, which hotel did you stay at with the suite?

Neatfreak
12-14-2007, 10:12 AM
We were at the Boardwalk Inn & Villas (we booked so late that we were either staying there or at the campground!). We really liked the location - we could walk to MGM, which is where we headed when DD was napping in her stroller! But yeah, way more money than I had budgeted.

Davids-Coco
12-14-2007, 11:39 AM
Well, you may want to check out the dis boards too. There is an overload of info there. Its all one word. They know more about last minute than I do. ;)

jamsmu
01-29-2008, 11:57 PM
We were at the Boardwalk Inn & Villas (we booked so late that we were either staying there or at the campground!). We really liked the location - we could walk to MGM, which is where we headed when DD was napping in her stroller! But yeah, way more money than I had budgeted.
Laura, Can you share more about Boardwalk? We're going for the first time with C and W--they'll be just 5 and just 3. Is it worth the extra $$ over a suite at ASMu? TIA

Kyras mom
01-30-2008, 02:41 AM
Hi! We're going to Disneyland in May for a multi-day visit. Great websites to check out:

www.disboards.com
www.mouseplantet.com

Have fun!

Momof3Labs
01-30-2008, 11:33 AM
Laura, Can you share more about Boardwalk? We're going for the first time with C and W--they'll be just 5 and just 3. Is it worth the extra $$ over a suite at ASMu? TIA

We haven't stayed at BW, but we've stayed across the lagoon at Beach Club. I loved the location because it was easy to walk to either Epcot or MGM in the evening (after our afternoon break) without taking the time to wait for a bus, ride the bus, and repeat the whole process at the end of the evening. There are plenty of food options for dinner close by (especially at Epcot). Even if you rent a car and drive between ASMu and the parks, it still doesn't hold a candle to the convenience of walking back to your resort at the end of the day. Makes fireworks viewing at MGM (sorry, Disney Hollywood Studios now) and Epcot much easier when you don't have to wait in the long bus lines to get back to your resort.

You can also take a boat from Boardwalk to MGM and Epcot, I believe, but it is a nice walk.

Consider food options at the resort too - ASMu only offers a food court, I believe. Not that you'll be sitting down to eat dinner every night, but a couple of nights we'd put DS1 to bed and I'd send DH over to Epcot to grab a counter service dinner or snack for us. The pool is so much nicer too.

You can see pics of the resorts at www.allearsnet.com - big difference in the rooms, too, IMO!

If it is in your budget, I think that you'll appreciate the convenience and richer atmosphere (plus nicer amenities) of a deluxe resort!

spanannie
01-30-2008, 11:26 PM
In planning our upcoming trip, we found that booking 2 rooms was cheaper than a suite. We wanted space from the kids, so they could sleep and we could be up. The kids will be in one room, and we'll be in another. Plus, the suites are hard to come by.

We did stay in a suite (which was more like a condo) at Villas @ Wilderness Lodge. It was VERY nice and the prices weren't bad, in my opinion. They also offer 2 bedroom suites, but I don't know what those run.

I'd highly recommend http://www.tourguidemike.com
We went to WDW last March, during Spring Break, and, with following his tour plans, never waited in a line. It was great!

Oh, I know the planning is exhausting. Thank goodness I got the meal planning figured out early this time. It is a real ordeal planning what day to do what are where to eat.

Happy planning!

ETA: TourGuideMike does have an annual fee (something like $20), but I think it was worth every penny. It was far more helpful than any book I read.

kboyle
02-05-2008, 08:49 PM
thanks mamas, i think tourguidemike sounds great, i'll have to check that out :)

annie, were you able to get adjoining rooms? that was my plan, but i wanted adjoining and i'm not sure if all hotels have that.

Momof3Labs
02-05-2008, 11:43 PM
thanks mamas, i think tourguidemike sounds great, i'll have to check that out :)

annie, were you able to get adjoining rooms? that was my plan, but i wanted adjoining and i'm not sure if all hotels have that.

You actually want connecting rooms (with the door in between). Disney does NOT guarantee connecting rooms; it is only a request. If you book two rooms, you do run the risk that they will be a few rooms apart, and you will be sleeping in a different room than your spouse for your trip.

beachmoms
02-07-2008, 01:24 AM
I highly recommend this website www.intercot.com it is awesome and I think provides more info than all the other sites put together. Have fun!