Anyone want to play Disney travel planner??

[jgenie]

We're just starting to plan a trip to WDW for some time between the last week of Jan to the 2nd week of Feb. We'll be staying for 7 days. My boys will be 5 and 3 at the time we go. There will be 3 adults and 2 kids for the entire trip. For part of the trip there will be an additional adult.

- I had planned on staying at a Deluxe hotel for ease of getting back to the room for naps but will be traveling with extended family and want to stay within their budget. I'm guessing with 3 or 4 adults to 2 kids we should be ok getting to and from the parks from one of the value or moderate resorts. Is that right? Can we get connecting rooms at all the hotels or only some? Is it guaranteed? Any recs for value / moderate hotels?

- We're already within the 180 days for reservations for meals but I don't think we're going to do the dining plan. I was thinking of doing breakfast at the Crystal Palace as our one character meal. Is there a day or time that we should try to get a reservation for? Is there another character meal that we shouldn't miss? My DC don't watch much TV. They have seen Cars and know the characters from Toy Story and Pooh from books as well as Mickey and Minnie.

I know I have more questions but can't remember them now. TIA for any help you can give.

[Jupiter]

Ok as long as you are in any hotel in Disney you will have bus transportation. Mousesaver.com is a great resource, there are others but that one springs to mind. The busses will take you to other hotels, Disney Parks and Disney downtown.

I highly recommend even the quick service meal plan. It's 2 meals and 1 snack a day (each meal includes a meal, a drink and dessert). Way more food than you will need but so much easier. There are quick serve restaurants in every hotel (I love the one in pop century) and you don't have to stay in that hotel to eat there. Also snacks can be purchased in parks and Disney downtown. If you are staying for 7 days and 6 nights you get 12 meals and 6 snacks per person but they can be used any day in any combination. Each person on the reservation is required to purchase. (hope that makes sense).

My DH and I went from one hotel to another for different meals. Quick serve does not need reservations.

I definately recommend the Crystal Palace (the kids will love it). I can suggest some restaurants depending on what you like.

Also when you make reservations at the hotel and any restaurants tell them it's your kids first visit (or anything special). You will get pins and many restaurants give you something special.

Ok ill stop there, don't mean to ramble, any questions I will try to help.

[Jupiter]

http://allears.net/pl/kids5_11.htm

This page may also be helpful, there are additional links on the left side.

[TwinFoxes]

I would check out a crowd calendar, and plan my Crystal Palace breakfast for a day when MK is expected to have a low crowd level. As for other character meals, Chef Mickey's is a great place to see the Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto. Lots of good interaction there.

Connecting rooms are not guaranteed. Everyone wants connecting rooms. I believe all the WDW resorts have them. There are family suites at the All-Star Music resort. I've never stayed in them, but I think people on this board have, maybe they can chime in. I don't think getting to the parks if you're staying at a moderate is especially harder than at a deluxe, unless you happen to be staying at a deluxe on the monorail line, or a deluxe at one of the Boardwalk hotels. But maybe that's what you meant? You can't beat the monorail line, or Boardwalk hotels for convenience.

[candaceb]

The new Art of Animation resort also has family suites:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/art-of-animation-resort/

[jgenie]

Thanks for all the replies - it such a daunting task to plan a trip. I had originally planned to stay at a monorail hotel but I know the rooms are expensive and I want my extended family to be able to afford to go with us. DH & I went 10+ years ago but he booked the trip. CandaceB thanks for the link for Art of Animation - they have a CArs Suite!! DS1 is nuts for Cars right now so that would be right up his alley. Anyone know how long it takes to get to MK from ARt of Animation? Animal Kingdom? Epcot? I plan to head over to disboards but it's so overwhelming!!

[klwa]

I would check out a crowd calendar, and plan my Crystal Palace breakfast for a day when MK is expected to have a low crowd level. As for other character meals, Chef Mickey's is a great place to see the Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto. Lots of good interaction there.

Connecting rooms are not guaranteed. Everyone wants connecting rooms. I believe all the WDW resorts have them. There are family suites at the All-Star Music resort. I've never stayed in them, but I think people on this board have, maybe they can chime in. I don't think getting to the parks if you're staying at a moderate is especially harder than at a deluxe, unless you happen to be staying at a deluxe on the monorail line, or a deluxe at one of the Boardwalk hotels. But maybe that's what you meant? You can't beat the monorail line, or Boardwalk hotels for convenience.

We stayed in the family suites at ASMu last time. Really worked well for our family of 4, so we had room to shut the door & let the kids try to sleep while we were up. They fit 6, but depending on sleeping arrangements, it might be tight to really get 6 big people in. The layout between ASMu & Art of Animation is a bit different. ASMu has a queen sized bed in the bed room, a full sized foldout couch, a twin size fold out chair, and a slightly smaller than twin sized ottoman. So, fitting the 5 people who will be there the most might work okay, but adding the 6th person might be tight unless one of the children will sleep with an adult on the pull out couch. (We never pulled out the ottoman, but I've heard it's too short for an adult.) AoA has 3 sleeping areas, with a queen sized bed in the bedroom, a fold out couch, and a murphy bed/table. Probably, if you're wanting to all get in the same suite, the ASMu would work better. Also, at ASMu, if your core family wanted to get a suite & have the other 1-2 get a seperate room with 2 full beds, they can be in the same building. At AoA, the suites are in three locations, and the single rooms are in a different section of the resort.


Oh, and for crowd calendars, one of the ones mentioned a lot now is www.easywdw.com

[jgenie]

I'm thinking I would be able to plan better if I bought a book. S there one than stands out? Unofficial guide to WDW? TIA

[TwinFoxes]

Definitely the Unofficial Guide. Some prefer the "with kids" version.

[Jupiter]

Birnbaum guides was a great book my first time. It's an official guide and had some coupons in it.

[minnie-zb]

I really like the Passporter's Walt Disney World Book. They also have a forum which is great for help -- it is a friendly forum and not overwhelming. It's a little bit like a workbook and there's spaces for entering information and keeping track of your planning.

http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/index.php

[TwinFoxes]

Birnbaum guides was a great book my first time. It's an official guide and had some coupons in it.

I think Birnbaum is cool to look at. But since it is the official guide there is no critical eye. All food is delicious, all attractions are worth the wait, etc.