Disney Help Needed,Please.....

[rasputinkitty]

We are thinking of braving Disney:) We would like to spend about five full days there-to include a weekend-sometime in June right before school lets out.
We are looking for a bare bones hotel room-after all, the idea is not to hang out in the room but to hang out in the park. We are also interested in decently-priced restaraunts.
Can anyone recommend anything about enjoying Disney for the first time and on a budget?

[Momof3Labs]

Try searching this board for other Disney topics. And try www.mousesavers.com for hotel deals, www.allearsnet.com for condo rental deals (often cheaper than hotels, and you can cook there to save $$), and www.disboards.com for other great info.

Hope that you like HOT, though, as it will be VERY hot in early June!!

[daniele_ut]

We went in early June 2 years ago thinking that the park would be less crowded because school was still in session, but that was not the case at all. It was packed and HOT, and the weekend was much worse as far as the crowds. We were in FL for 8 days and spent 5 days in the parks. The second weekend was a Star Wars weekend that drew big crowds.

Honestly, I won't try Disney again in the heat of the summer. I was pregnant and it was just TOO hot. I would recommend staying at a value resort on the property if you are looking for bare bones rooms. The All-Star Music and Sports resorts are 2 of them. They have food courts there instead of a traditional restaurant. We have a timeshare, so for the first time, we stayed off property in a 3 bedroom condo and had breakfast before we left the condo, lunch was packed and we ate dinner out nearly every night. The disadvantage to staying off property was the drive back there if we wanted to take a break and swim.

I found www.allearsnet.com to be a great resource for planning.

[tarabenet]

The one biggest thing I can suggest is that you get a copy of "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World". Seriously. You'll get so much more out of your vacation. Tons of ideas for saving money in that book, too!

My other big push would be to stay on property. Stay at a value resort, no problem. But having trasportation is worth untold fortunes as far as I'm concerned. When everyone is tired and bordering on cranky, you just get on the bus -- they run all the time -- and collapse. Plus the kids will be thrilled beyond what you expect with the theming throughout the resort, and so will you. And depending on the kids' ages, you may find that a midday return to the hotel for a swim and a nap really helps maximize what you get out of your time in the parks.

I'm envious. DH and I have loved both our trips there and are trying to plot a time when we can go again, but without the kids this time!

[kristy]

I've been to Disney twice - with dh on business. We stayed at the Carribean resort and Port Orleans resort. I think they rate well in overall value. I've also heard good things about Wilderness resort.

The rooms we stayed in were fairly basic but we had the benefit of being in a Disney property. The staff was wonderful, the grounds were beautiful and there was a ton to do where we were staying (for no additional $). We used park hopper passes to visit theme parks.

There are also hotels just outside of Disney. You can try doing a mapquest to get a feel for where they are.

Hope you have a wonderful vacation! I'm jealous!

[kimbe]

Ditto at staying on Disney Property!!!! If you go when there is a good deal going on (check out the sites listed by pp to find them), they can be very affordable. (Check out the All-star resorts first.) Stay at Disney will allow you to use their bus service. Busses run from your resort to each one of the parks as well as other areas every 15-20 minutes. This is great when you want to head back to the hotel room for a nap or just to rejuv a little. (Esp. if you are going in June.) There are also lots of themed pools and other really cool things to do at your resort. I understand that you want to hang out in the parks, but it will get very overwhelming. Even DH and I would take breaks when we went alone! :) Have fun planning!

P.S. My favorite place to eat is at Chef Mickey's -- it is a GREAT character meal buffet! ;)

Kim