What are your favorite Disney vacation planning sites?

[jess_g]

We are going in either December or April and I am trying to figure out which websites have good tips about when to stay and where to stay and what to do, etc. Can anyone point me to some realiable sites to start looking? I am realy new to all this Disney stuff.

Thanks,

Jessica.

[Momof3Labs]

www.disboards.com

www.mousesavers.com

www.allearsnet.com

The Unofficial Guide is a really good book; I'd definitely recommend that for some organized reading for a Disney newbie.

[AddiesMom]

I second the Unofficial Guide, you can also get it at most libraries if you want to look before buying. Note-if it is not the 2007 version most of the stuff about making Advance Dinner Reservations (ADR) is incorrect, says 90 days but is actually 180. You typically need an ADR for Character Dining, etc. Most everything else in the 2006 version is correct.

Birnbaums Book is OK for first timers, but it is an 'Official' Disney Guide and is gives no opinions on what is not good or a waste of time. Get it from the library and read it in one day!

Also, get on some of the Message Boards. INTERCOT (I lurk but don't post there) and Mousehousemagic (nice small group that loves to give advice to 1st timers) are good. On some of the other boards the Disney fans are 'way over the top' and are VERY intimidating to newcomers, and this is coming from someone who goes to WDW every year!

Allears.net is really good for listing menus for all the restaurants if you want to make ADR's.

Most important- Order the free Disney planning video. My DD LOVES it and I do too! Just got mine in one week after ordering.
https://secure.disney.go.com/disneyp...rer=wdw&scbr=1

EDIT- If you go in Dec what week? If Christmas it gets mobbed, sometimes park hits capacity and closed to people staying off property. Early Dec is nice, light crowds and decorated for Christmas.

[jess_g]

Thanks we are thinking first week of December or maybe the last week of November (after Thanksgiving). My daughter does not want to miss shcool though so thats why we are thinking that the kids April break might be the best time to go for us.

Thanks for the help, I know nothing about Florida or Disney. I have the Unofficial guidebooks and they are great.

Our other issues is where to stay. We want to stay onsite (I think) but we have 5 people (2 adults and 3 kids) so can't stay at a value resort. This has proven to be very confusing for me as we are trying not to rent a car, but just may have to stay offsite and rent one.

Jessica.

[Momof3Labs]

Note that it is VERY busy in the parks over spring break!! Lots of waiting in lines. Early December is very light - you'll walk on most rides with little or no wait.

How old are your kids? If one is under 3yo, they don't count towards room capacity and you could stay at a value resort.

You can stay onsite at a moderate resort (Port Orleans with a trundle bed) even if all 3 kids are over 3yo. Or check to see if you are eligible for a discount at the Dolphin, which is as nice as a deluxe resort but cheap as a moderate (with a discount) - see the pinned topics at www.disboards.com for info on that discount.

[klwa]

There's always the family suites at All Star Music (I think), which is a value, although, being suites, they'll run a bit more. In the moderate range, I know I've found that Port Orleans Riverside - Alligator Bayou has room for 5, if one is young enough to sleep on the trundle bed. There's also the cabins at Fort Wilderness, which will sleep 6. (Can you tell I've been looking into this? We're going down with a crew of 10 total in January.)

I second the idea of looking at allearsnet.com for reviews on the resorts & dining choices. They're definately helping me with our decisions.

[AddiesMom]

I second that April vacation is busy, I won't do it again. Another week that is mobbed is President's Day since New England schools have that week off. I personally like the slow time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, did it in 2004. The park is all decorated for Christmas and there are a lot of extras... Candlelight Processional in Epcot, Osbourne Family Lights in MGM, etc.

Also, like PP said look into Port Orleans and All Star Suites if all kids are 3 and over, there you can have 5 people.

[SASM]

We went the week after Thanksgiving. It was great. We didn't use a website but we did use an AWESOME book! It is called the Unofficial Guide to WDW 2007. It was such an amazing reference. We even brought it with us on the trip. They might be coming up with another edition soon ~ might be worth looking into. We bought ours from half.com for a GREAT price ~ brand new. I still look at it every now and then ~ a girl can dream. :) Have fun with your planning. Sorry for any typos.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/boo...71790327&itm=1

ETA: We also ordered the free Disney trip planning DVD from the WDW website. It was not really useful for us b/c we were staying at the conference center hotel BUT it was great to show the kids to get them "familiar" with the attractyions, etc. We waited to show them the DVD until a few days before we left or they'd drive us NUTS! This is also a fun DVD to watch and DREAM. :) I was getting all teary eyes when I'd watch it, and I wasn't even pregnant then. :)