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Where Should I Stay for My First Disney World Trip? Need Expert Suggestions!

In summary, a first timer recommends staying on Disney property to relax and have a fun vacation, but cheaper options are available.
Jules711
Silver Member
1,938
Please help! I'm planning a Disney World trip in the next couple of months (1st timer). I need good suggestions on where to stay. I would prefer to have a suite with 2 bedrooms and another bed in the living area (this is the hard part). It's only 4 people, but that would just make me relax WAY more. I'm not sure if staying on the resort is the best value/idea? I'm at the point of frustration b/c there is a lot of info out there, but no idea who to believe. Some great looking deals out there off resort, but seem a little too good to be true.

Bottom line, I need this to be a relaxing and fun vacation. My dd is excited about princesses and I'm excited about getting out of the cold. I told her that we were going to earn Disney, but really...it's not exactly the time of year I'd like to go so...they are still paying for it with my commission :).

ANY advice is appreciated though if someone just wants to tell me what to do/where to stay, that would be super!

Thank you, thank you, thank you.
 
I'll give you my honest opinion about this.
First I'll give you my "expert" credentials :D
I've been to disney as a "tourist" about 5 or 6 times. I also did Disney's college program 10 years ago. I worked in one of the economy resorts of the time in the food court. Also got engaged in front of cinderalla's castle Feb 14th 2005!:)

If you want a relaxing vacation then I would stay on Disney property, yes you will pay more but there are some cheaper options than the more upscale options. The one I worked in was one of the All Star Resorts which I thought were fun. When I was there it was All Star Movies, Music and Sports I think there may be a fourth now. There are also other "economy hotels" as well. Each building was themed after different movies music and sports. My favorite was the Toy Story one in movies. These ones are very kid friendly. I cannot remember if they have suites though that have what you are looking for. Back in 1999 they were around $70 a night.

If you are bringing or renting a car staying off property might not be too bad. The last time DH and I went (2005 when we got engaged). We stayed off property but did not have a vehicle. There was a bus that took us from the hotel to Disney but only once in the morning and one return trip at night so you were a slave to the schedule. We vowed that next time we would stay on property because you can come and go as you please to all the parks and all that. If we had a car it wouldn't have been so bad but then you also pay parking fees.

I don't know how long you are going but a park hopper pass is also a wise investment as well it will save you in the long run if you want to visit multiple parks and you won't have to spend the whole day in one or the other. I do believe Disney's site also offers some good package deals as well. Good luck and I hope that helped at least a little. Have fun wish we could afford to go too! Didn't even come close to earning it!:( And the house is more important than a vacation right now.
 
We are members of Disney Vacation Club and the villas have 2 bedroom units that are 2 queens in one bedroom, 1 king in the other and a queen sleeper in the living room. You also have a full kitchen and a washer/dryer. We won't stay anywhere else! It is onsite so you get all the benefits of being close to the action. Downside is that the rack rate is really expensive, probably around $300-$400/nt. Our home resort is the Beach Club - that is where we usually stay. I've heard nice things about Saratoga Springs and I think it's a bit less.

If you want to stay offsite (which I don't recommend because you waste TOO MUCH time getting to and from the parks), there are several hotels that cater to families that have the whole suite concept as you described, and they are significantly cheaper.

Here are my go-to websites for research. Pour a cup of coffee and get ready to make your head spin:

MouseSavers.com - Disney Discount Source - Disney World Discounts, Disneyland Discounts, Disney Cruise Discounts
The DIS Discussion Forums - DISboards.com - Powered by vBulletin
Deb's Unofficial Walt Disney World Vacation Information Guide - WDW Planning Guide - Walt Disney World
PassPorter.com - Walt Disney World, Cruise, Disneyland travel guidebooks, tips, planning, articles, photos, and information
Home Page of MousePlanet.com, your resource for all things Disney
MouseOwners.com - The Web's Most Friendly and Reliable Source for Information on the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) (this is a good site if you want to "rent" Vacation Club points from another member... usually gets you cheaper than if you went directly through Disney. I rent out my points when we don't visit enough to use them up.)

Let me know if you have any more specific questions - I can also tell you about attractions, dining, etc once you have your logistics down. How old is your daughter?
 
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I promised my daughter and this will be our first big family trip. She's 6 and really into princesses b/c she IS one. She says every girl is a princess :).

I've heard mixed reviews on the transportation provided by Disney, but some people are just complainers or have bad luck with such things. I know we'll have to be very aware the littlest one in our group. If she's tired and showing it, we won't have fun. She's got great energy, but does tire of walking.

B/c I think we'll be at the hotel quite a bit (since I don't see us at the park 12 hours straight every day), I want enough space for us to breath. My mom is coming (that's the 3rd adult) and we all get along great. The only thing is I need to be able to separate my mom and dd. They have too much fun and would stay up all night giggling (hence the 2nd bedroom needed...I can't trust them to sleep in the same room!). Kids...
 
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Thank you, Joy. My head is already spinning, which is why I'm begging for help here. Should have been my first thought. I'm to the point of total frustration b/c we can't even settle on a date...mostly b/c we are mostly flexible.
 
I love Disney!!! I have been there quite a few times with my family and then with friends later in Highschool/collge. I am still trying to work DH up to going this coming summer!

Anyways...

I can not stress enough STAY ON SITE AT DISNEY!! I have stayed off site and it was awful...traffic getting there...getting lost...cost of renting a car...'losing your car in parking....i could go on.

When you stay on site they have great options for you to choose from, they have great valued (cheap) hotel options all the way up to the really expensive hotels. With kids I would say stay in one of the All Star hotels, they are more kid friendly (i can't remember if there are any with 2 bedroom options) however I can promise you that both the grandma and your daughter will be soooooo tired at the end of the night they won't have ANY energy to stay up and 'giggle' all night!!

Also when you stay on site you buy packages with Disney that include alot of different options for instance when we last went we bought the Dinner Package which included 3 meals/2 snacks for every person for each day that we were there! Also I think they have a package that includes having breakfast with a character! (your daughter could have breakfast with a princess!!! I bet she would love that!!) We loved the dinner package beacuse then our meals were alread paid for and we didn't have to worry about that once we were there...this package you could eat at most restaurants in the park (there is alist you recieve when you purchase this package).

Also another great thing with staying on site...the buses to the parks!!! You don't have to drive, you don't lose your car in the parking lots, you don't have to worry about traffic really, and you just get to sit back and relax! Plus those buses run ALL DAY long, they always have them running so you can go back to your hotel whenever you want!
It was mentioned already but I also greatly recommend the Park Hopper Pass. There is NO WAY I would go to Disney and NOT purchase the Hopper Pass. This was great you could to more than 1 park in 1 day! For instance last time we went we went to Animal Kingdom but to us it was just a giant zoo, which we were not excited about, once we rode the rides we wanted to leave so we got on a bus and went right to Magic Kingdom for the rest of the day! We loved the flexibility of the Hopper Pass!! Get them!!!!

I don't know how old your daughters are but if they are little and you forsee them not being able to walk alot bring a stroller or rent one from the parks. You may think they are too old for a stroller but if you want to enjoy your vacation and see as much as you can...a stroller might be a good idea.

Also this is just something that I do. But I carry a backpack everyday, you never know if it will rain so I always have a light jacket in there. Also I always packed an extra bottle of water, and some snacks to eat throughout the day. granola bars, gummy snacks, crackers and such (nothing that melts). Also great if you buy things during the day (however if you stay on site the stores inside Disney can have your purchases shipped right back to your room!! you don't have to carry them alld ay!!)

Also don't forget to get an 'autograph' book for your daughter so she can get all the Disney Characters autographs!!! I still do this and I am 22!!! Makes a great scrapbook later on when you can put their autograph next to the picture you get with your daughter witht that character!!

Okay I think I have rambled on long enough...I just love Disney!!!

Have fun and good Luck with the planning!!!
 
Sorry - I don't mean to overwhelm you with websites - they are just chock full of good info :) I will piggyback off of some of Jessica's comments with own opinion (your mileage may vary and I do not claim to be the ultimate authority... however, we have made 7 WDW trips while the kids were aged ranging from 1 year to most recently 9 & 6, so we've been through all stages).

I can not stress enough STAY ON SITE AT DISNEY!!
ABSOLUTELY
If cost is a factor, try a value or moderate resort with connecting rooms. We have stayed at Port Orleans Riverside, which has beautiful theming.

The Dining plan has become *less* of a great deal over the past few years. It's nice if you like to have your meals prepaid and not worry about it, but it starts to be less of a value if you do not like to plan ahead for all your meals or if you have picky or light eaters.

Also another great thing with staying on site...the buses to the parks!!!
The value and moderate resorts will necessitate taking the bus but if you stay in one of the deluxe resorts, frequently they will be within walking distance of the parks, or faster alternate transportation (like the monorail or one of the boats). The nice thing about those is that you can wheel a stroller right on board if your little one fell asleep in the stroller.

Speaking of which - strollers... you can rent, I think they're up to $10/day or you can bring your own. At age six, we just rented when needed, usually toward the end of the day when legs got tired. I spoiled my kids. I thought that we'd get alot more mileage out of them if they were wheeled around than tiring them out from the get go.

That being said, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of taking a daily break. Going back to your room. Take a nap or a swim (or a swim followed by a nap!) or just chill and watch TV and have a snack - shower and change and then go back out for the evening. EVERYONE needs this kind of mental break when you are dealing with the vastness of the WDW resort. There is just too much and we have tried one too many times to go "kamikaze" only to fail miserably when one of us has a meltdown (including the adults!).

You are going at a pretty good time in the spring as long as you avoid spring break crowds. We usually go in early December when it's decorated for the holidays but not busy yet. I think there are some good deals to be had in the spring so definitely take advantage of those. I wish we could go more often but now our schedule is dictated by school breaks!
 
This is the current deal for WDW:

Now you can purchase a fantastic buy 4, get 7 or buy 5, get 7 vacation package offer valid for stays November 1 - December 24, 2009 and January 3 - March 27, 2010.

Here are the details:

Buy a 4-night/4 day vacation package at a MODERATE, DELUXE or DELUXE VILLA resort, get a 7-night/7-day package. That's 3 FREE hotel nights and 3 extra days on your theme park admission tickets, equivalent to a 43% discount on your room and tickets! You must buy a package that includes at least 4 nights' accommodations at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel plus minimum 4-day Magic Your Way Base Tickets to qualify for the 3 FREE nights and the 3 extra days on your tickets.

Buy a 5-night/5 day vacation package at a VALUE resort, get a 7-night/7-day package. That's 2 FREE hotel nights and 2 extra days on your theme park admission tickets, equivalent to a 29% discount on your room and tickets! You must buy a package that includes at least 5 nights' accommodations at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel plus minimum 5-day Magic Your Way Base Tickets to qualify for the 2 FREE nights and the 2 extra days on your tickets.
 
I would SO VOTE for checking out http://www.tourguidemike.com. It costs about $21 to get full access- but it is SO WORTH it. You can get 'sample itineraries' on what to do and it's a life saver!! Plus, you can look at information about every restaurant, every ride, every venue, every hotel-- you name it. He's a professional tour guide for Disney taking private clients..so this is his life. We went to disney last December, and used his sample itineraries for which rides to go on when, and how to make the most of our time. We NEVER waited more than 5 minutes, got to do the hot rides, and very little waiting. For example- at Magic Kingdom, where alot of rides exist obviously- we hit the Dumbo ride FIRST, then Peter Pan, as he suggested. Literally by the time we got off of Peter Pan- the lines for Dumbo and Peter Pan were wrapping around the rides and just crazy!! And that was when the park first opened at 8am! Anyway, we were able to do and see so much and almost never wait for anything. We learned how to use the FastPass system to our advantage, etc. I jsut printed his sample itineraries and then would X-out any rides we didn't want to see. After the first 1-2 days, you get the hang of it and can adjust it as need be.I liked the site- alot of information, but it saves you having to sort through tons elsewhere. The other thing- be on the look out for times for making your dinner reservations!! His site gives you the dates you can start doing that (some may be now), and you can research your restaurants, etc.I advise you to make the reservations for dinner! (sit-down) And definitely go with at least the Dining Plan that includes 1-sit down and 1-counter service. The counter-service meals can be so-so...sit-down gives you at least alot more decent options that resemble less-fast-food styles. BUT MAKE RESERVATIONS! If you don't, you'll regret it. I know it sounds crazy, but it is essential, and truthfully, alot easier. You won't be wasting an hour waiting for a table during dinner-rush. OR use sit-down for your lunches or special breakfasts (and his site gives the ins/outs of the Princess breakfasts, etc) and use quick-service for your dinner sometimes.Anyway...love his site and will be using it for future WDW trips!
http://www.tourguidemike.comHave fun!
 
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Joy, I've been on many of the websites, except the last one, which had room layouts...love that! Price...not a big issue. I'd rather it be great that stressful (less room can do that sometimes), however, I don't want to pay $1500 per night...yikes! We are planning for peak time really (sometime around Feb 15 or later). Is that spring? It's BIG time winter here. Even March is. I did see the 4 for 7 deal. SEE...I have been looking we have to decide soon (since I think it's through 12/20).

Strollers are big enough for 6 year olds that are tall as a 7 yr old? It's usually the legs, not the body that are the problem. I think I will LOVE that if it's doable.

The autograph book...duh! Thank you. I'd read that but now have it started on my desktop post it :). I'm taking notes!

Break...another duh. I can see us thinking it and not doing it, but now I know it's necessary :)

Thank you. So value resorts or Port Orleans Riverside are the suggestions for where so far? I'd actually looked at the Saratoga Resort Treehouse room. It's a little crazy, but 3 bedrooms! Just not sure if it's nice or not and that what I'm looking for too. Disney actually doesn't have the best site to find out what the rooms actually look like. A few pics for what seems to be a big resort seems lacking.
 
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the treehouse villas are new so there isn't as much info on them. If you look around MouseOwners, you can find people will to rent their points, sometimes cheaply because we *have* to use up our points or bank them, and if you miss your banking deadline, you basically have to use them up before the end of the use year. If you find someone who needs to unload their points in the next couple of months, you might score a good deal. A good price is around $10 per point. A 2 bedroom villa will run around 30 points per night ($300ish) Sun-Thurs. Count on double that for weekends, so we always plan our trips Sun-Thurs nights.

Stroller info & pics: Disney World Strollers and Stroller Rentals

If you are wanting a villa, I have stayed at and love the Wilderness Lodge villas and the Beach Club villas. Beach Club you can walk to epcot, and Wilderness lodge is on the monorail route to the Magic Kingdom, as well as a boat ride away.

Oh, there are also cabins at the Fort Wilderness campground that might work for your family.

I do have lots of opinions on dining, restaurants, character meals, etc... depending on what you want to do and how much you want to pay. Princess meals - there is Cinderella's Royal Table inside the castle at MK and the Princess breakfast in the Norway pavilion at Epcot. I like the Norway one, but Cinderella is not there, only the other princesses. We've done every character meal there is, so I can give you a review on any of them. Eaten at half of the sit-down places inside the parks. All the menus are actually on the Allearsnet site and are very handy. The meal plan seems to get less and less appealing each year because they charge more or charge the same but take away the benefits, so you need to weigh if you will really get your money's worth.

(Can you tell I can just go on and on about Disney??)
 
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Have you used the hard plastic strollers? Seems that would work for a 6 yr old. Are they as uncomfy as the look? Kids are different though with comfort sometimes.
 
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They are like the ones you see at the zoos usually. We didn't use them for my 5 yr old (it's amazing how much energy they have when it's THEIR fun stuff :).) But we also made a POINT of taking break at the resort for naps, so never had the "meltdowns". (we'd break from about 1pm as our target to leave the park (which we went to at park opening - depending on crowd level- that's the highly recommended way!) and then we'd return about 5-5:30pm before our dinner reservation and spend the evening- usually till they closed out with fireworks.
 
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In 2005 we did the Princess Breakfast at Magic Kingdom. I loved it as much as the girls did. We did an 8:00 seating and were able to go into the park early. I have amazing pictures of my husband & 2 daughters in front of Cinderella's castle with NO ONE ELSE in the pictures. Not even people milling about in the background. Same thing on Main Street. It was absolutely amazing. Each of the princesses come to your table, take pictures, sign things & just visit with everyone. The food was incredible & well worth the price. Though this is one that you need to book the full 90 days ahead of time. I got up at 6:00 a.m. 90 days before we planned to be there so that I could get the date that I wanted. I tried calling back 45 minutes later (just for fun) and it was already sold out. SO - if you want character meals, you may want to know which one is super popular & sells out quickly. I remember doing the alarm on May 9 @ 5:45 so that I was awake. Had the disney dining number ready to go, even dialed it once so that I just had to re-dial. :) I wanted that date!
 
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Jules711 said:
Have you used the hard plastic strollers? Seems that would work for a 6 yr old. Are they as uncomfy as the look? Kids are different though with comfort sometimes.

My kids were pretty excited to just have a place to sit and be strolled instead of using their legs! At age 6, it isn't like they're going to be reclining and sleeping in the strollers. Maybe at night if you go out late, but throw a blanket or sweatshirt against your head and you can lean against the side and snooze. However, that does leave the huge HEAVY problem of having to lift the sleeping child when you exit the park, carry them all the way to the bus stop and wait for a bus... ugh don't miss those days!
 
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crystalscookingnow said:
In 2005 we did the Princess Breakfast at Magic Kingdom. I loved it as much as the girls did. We did an 8:00 seating and were able to go into the park early. I have amazing pictures of my husband & 2 daughters in front of Cinderella's castle with NO ONE ELSE in the pictures. Not even people milling about in the background. Same thing on Main Street. It was absolutely amazing. Each of the princesses come to your table, take pictures, sign things & just visit with everyone. The food was incredible & well worth the price. Though this is one that you need to book the full 90 days ahead of time. I got up at 6:00 a.m. 90 days before we planned to be there so that I could get the date that I wanted. I tried calling back 45 minutes later (just for fun) and it was already sold out. SO - if you want character meals, you may want to know which one is super popular & sells out quickly. I remember doing the alarm on May 9 @ 5:45 so that I was awake. Had the disney dining number ready to go, even dialed it once so that I just had to re-dial. :) I wanted that date!

They do this a little differently now. It's prepaid and the photos are included. It makes it way more expensive so there is less trouble in securing a reservation, though it is still popular. If you are flexible with your date/time, it makes it easier to pop in there if they have a cancellation but you have to call alot.
 
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Thank you so much for the input! I finally booked our stay after a few delays. Joy...you said you had suggestions so here goes...the main focus is my 6yr old daughter. She loves princesses, especially Aurora (Sleeping Beauty). It'll be my mom's birthday when we are there too so it'd be fun to celebrate that with her. I'm sure my hubby would appreciate something not princessy :). I think it would be fun to do a princess dining something if that's the best way for her to really see the princesses.Not sure about getting the park hopper? Didn't yet. Meal plan? Not super picky eaters, but may be hungry at different times or not super hungry or whatever, plus will be able to eat in our room (having kitchen) so not worth it?Any do not miss things for a 6yr old princess? Or do not do?I'm sure that we can figure things out, but it's nice to have some input from real people (never know with online reviews). Thanks!!
 
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Where are you staying?
 
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ooo where did you decide to stay at???
 
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Sorry... I just found this thread. I've planned our annual family Disney trips for the past 5 years. My hubby went to college just outside of Disney World (would go to EPCOT for dinner during the week!) and we used to live in FL. I've helped many families here in Wichita go to WDW (Walt Disney World) very affordably; I even email a Trip Packing List. And yes, I'm very familiar with FL's weather too! I've become the Disney Travel Agent amongst my friends here!

We prefer to stay on property; easy transportation buses, Extra Magic Hours because we're on property (you can find out which parks are open early or open late for on-property hotel-stayers on Disney's website), Disney employees aims to please vs. losing your car in the enormous parking lot, waiting in a deadlock to drive on to property and being too tired to "drive back to the hotel" (LEAVE THE DRIVING TO DISNEY!)
We also have taken advantage of Disney's Magical Express transportation from the airport to the resort and back to the airport when our vacation is over. No rental car to worry about!

Traditionally, we stay at one of the All-Star Resorts, although our favorite is the Pop Century Value Resort. As far as staying up giggling all night... after a day (even with a quick break back to the hotel in midday) at the parks, we're exhausted. We usually "pour" our daughters, ages 6 and almost 4, into bed upon entering the hotel room.

Park Hopper Passes (as well as taking advantage of the park's Fast Pass Program) is a MUST!

We don't have picky eaters either, however, when our girls are tired they eat differently. The past two years, we've used the Snack Meal Plan. They have kid-friendly options and for some weird reason... we always have food credit remaining when we leave! Which we usually try to use up on our last day as we head to the airport, grabbing bananas, apples, crackers, etc to keep the girls fed and happy.

You are definitely going to want to visit the Mickey's Toontown area in the back of the Magic Kingdom. Your daughter can get photos and signatures with her Princesses and the Fairies, too! Signature books... I've always created at home with my daughters' help. Go to your local craft store, buy a 5 x 8 size spiral-bound scrapbook with 20 or more pages MINIMUM. Decorate the covers with favorite Disney stickers and buy a "fancy" pen or favorite color "Sharpie". THIS IS FREE!

You may want to also look into not only the Character Breakfast at Cinderella's Castle, but also book your reservation NOW to have your daughter visit one of the "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutiques". Buy your daughter's favorite princess dress/costume online at DisneyStore.com well in advance (cheaper and nicer). You can even keep it a secret for a special surprise! That's what we did last summer; their first trip to BBB! Don't bother with the coordinating shoes; buy a pair of sneakers and decorate them with glitter glue and sequins!

I could go on for days... I've helped many young families enjoy Disney. Feel free to PM me or email me directly, [email protected].

All of our family lives in FL still, so that is where we go for our annual family reunion. But instead of "did we spend equal time with every family member?", since they all have discount annual passes, they come to us and we don't have to worry about getting on the roads (no rental car!) and they can leave when they're done. It's been divine!

We thought we'd never visit Disney again after moving out of FL; extremely depressing! Glad we decided to make an annual trip out of it after moving to the midwest.
 
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OH, and in regards to strollers, we now only take an umbrella stroller for each of the girls. Disney raised the price on their strollers 2 years ago and we felt it was getting too high ($$). Gate check the umbrella strollers and you can use them in the airport too, if she's too tired when you leave.
 
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I'm going to go against the tide and recommend you really think about Park Hoppers before you get them. Our first trip with our kids was when they were almost 4 and 6. We went in late Oct. The weather was great. Many people recommend the break in the middle of the day b/c they're going when it's a lot hotter. Look at the crowd level predictors on some of the sites Joy gave you. We didn't have high crowd levels so were able to get a lot done without needing a break. We spent the day at one park and didn't need to hop. You can always add the hop option after you get there and find that you want to visit more than one park in a day, which people who are on property do to take advantage of EMH. We were off property so the logistics were a little different. There is so much to do in each park that it was a good, full day for us.

I'm planning a bit differently for the PC trip in June when breaks will be a must and now that we've been, I bet we'll take advantage of hopping. I hope to do BBB for my daughter. Didn't do it last time. We did the princess breakfast at Norway and thought it was great. Am holding myself back from full-fledged planning until after Christmas. I've already started looking at EMHs and trying to figure out how many days to extend our stay.
 
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  • #23
I don't know if an umbrella stroller could possibly work with my dd. She has crazy long legs.

What are EMHs?

That's a smart idea on the autograph books (to make one). She LOVES to draw so she may enjoy decorating it (whichout maybe knowing why). Maybe I'll have her just draw each princess and I'll cut it out and put it on a page :).

She has a cinderella & aurora dress, though not disney. She definitely wants to wear the aurora dress, which she'd wear anywhere. It's just a little warmer with long sleeves.

Oh...decided on the Treehouse at Saratoga Springs. A little crazy (esp since it's newer and less info out there), but my peace of mind has gotten more valuable since there will be enough space. I'm curious to see if my dd really DOES get exhausted...I've seen it VERY few times. She has energy (good energy) that surprises other parents. My mom is a night owl. I think it will be great. I'm excited that it's finally "done". Everything else is "easy". Thanks for the advice. I really want it to be magical :) for my dd. My mom will also be celebrating her birthday there.

Advice on traveling with kids is great too. She's never been on a plane and did I mention the energy? She has a SUPER attention span so coloring, games, etc will help, but still...not running around may be tough. That and snacks will help.
 
  • #24
Aurora is not at Cinderella Castle, but she does usually appear at the Norway princess breakfast, so that is the one I'd recommend you focus on.

Saratoga Springs is close to Downtown Disney and will be closer to Epcot and MGM than the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. You can NOT park hop... just means you have to head back to the same park if you take a break during the day.

EMH is Extra Magic Hour. The park opens to *resort-only* guests either before (1 hour) or after (2-3 hours) regular park hours. It's a nice way to see more without as much in the way of crowds. If you do not park hop, you will want to plan your day so that you go to the same park that EMH is available, so you can use that same day admission. I have an excel spreadsheet where I lay out all my plans so that I can view park hours, planned parks to visit and any of the events we want to see... I can email it to you if you want :) I have them from our last few trips. I am a bit obsessed and OCD about planning.

Make sure your mom goes to the customer relations window at whatever park you visit on her birthday. They will give her a "It's my birthday" pin to wear and you *may* get a few cute perks like an extra fastpass or they'll sing to her or pick her for a parade, etc.

My DD sat in a MacLaren umbrella stroller on our trip in Dec 2006 - she was 4 1/2 at the time and a little tall for her age and she was pushing it. I don't think 6 year olds will fit well in most umbrellas, unless they're super petite. How are her legs and endurance? You may find she can do well for the first couple of days. Mine always do, but their legs are super worn out tired as the week goes on. You are pounding hard pavement the entire time. A little children's motrin can help with the aches. I know it does for us adults!

What dates are you traveling?
 
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we'll be going in February. Her legs...hmmm...mixture. She can run around until you are exhausted just watching her and get extremely tired very quickly of walking. I think she'll be fine b/c she won't be bored. She's a princess, but tough, I think/hope.
 
  • #26
You can find Aurora for pictures and signatures at the Magic Kingdom's Toontown in the back of the park... in the "Toontown Hall of Fame".

Regarding keeping your DD busy on the plane, I packed each of my girls a mini plastic briefcase filled with crayons, activity books and blank paper. They each decorated their briefcases, ready for the events ahead. Snacks were a definite must!

We've gone in mid-December as well as late May; we always have a great time.

Your resort will have the Happy Birthday buttons for your mom too. Simply ask! You can also pick up 1st Visit buttons!
 
  • #27
Joy- I'm so glad to see I'm not the only one who fully plans our Disney trip based on Extra Magic Hours, etc... I use spreadsheets for outfit planning and when to visit which park... I'll have to share with my DH that I'm not alone!

Jules711- I'm not sure what size the bathrooms/countertops are at Saratoga, but the best piece of advice I read was to bring an over the door shoe organizer to store toiletries during our vaca. I packed in ziploc bags and unpacked into the organizer; it made it a lot easier to find everything once we were there! I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it previously! I'm also trying to figure out how to shrink the file size of my six year old dressed at BBB as Aurora. She wanted the Princess-look...
 
  • #28
Here's my oldest... with Aurora at Toontown last May
 

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  • #29
too cute! I heard there is a character finder too so you know where they are each day. I just know my dd was mesmerized by a girl that played Cinderella in a local play. She wasn't dressed in the typical blue dress since it really was a VERY small, but nicely done play. I can't imagine what she'll do at WDW!! I'm excited :).
 
  • #30
I don't have time to read everyone's advice tonight, but when we went we stayed at the Grovener (sp?). It was in Downtown Disney area. It worked out GREAT for us for a lot less money. We went for dinner at Rain Forest Cafe and took the kids to the shops the night we arrived. We told them they would not be shopping while we were in the parks - we want to enjoy the attractions.

We stayed on the ground level - far enough away from the pool not to hear the noise, but we could walk to it easily. Our room was not a suite though. Others in the hotel complained that they had to wait forever for an elevator to get down - one thing to think about. Everyone tries to leave at the same time in the morning.

We took the bus to the parks and arrived before they opened. I packed breakfast for us to save time (and money) - breakfast bars, orange juice, bananna, etc.

If you go the the Magic Kingdom take a left to the frontier area - don't walk down Main Street - that's where everyone goes! We got through the entire park in one day and even had dinner in the castle! We hit frontier area, then Small World, got a fast pass for Peter Pans Flight. Then headed toward Tomorrow Land got a fast pass for Space Mt. Had lunch at the restaurant there. Then it was time to head to Main St. for the parade. We watched the fireworks from the front of the castle and then had the late dinner. It was awesome! We then hit Toon Town area which had nobody in the area since it was late for little ones. We then took the train to the front of the park and didn't have to walk all that way:)!

I would recommend a day at the hotel between park days - if you do more then one. My kids were really tired. A day at the hotel/pool would have bee a better idea.

This is a fast version of our trip since I'm crunched for time, but I hope it gives you some ideas. I HIGHLY recommend the book "The Unauthorized Guide to Disney World." It really helped me on our first trip. Some of the tips I gave you here my husband got from a friend at work who goes to Disney every year.

Good Luck.
 

1. What are the best accommodations for a first-time Disney World trip?

The best accommodations for a first-time Disney World trip will depend on personal preferences and budget. Some popular options include Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney's Contemporary Resort. These resorts offer a variety of room options and amenities, including suites with multiple bedrooms.

2. Is it better to stay on the Disney World resort or off the resort?

Staying on the Disney World resort has its advantages, such as complimentary transportation to and from the parks, access to extra magic hours, and the convenience of being close to the parks. However, off-resort accommodations may offer more affordable options and may also include perks like free breakfast or shuttle service to the parks. Consider your budget and preferences when deciding where to stay.

3. What should I look for in a suite for a family of four?

When looking for a suite for a family of four, consider the size of the living area, the number of bedrooms, and the amenities included. It may also be helpful to look for a suite that includes a kitchenette or full kitchen, as this can save money on meals. Additionally, check for any special offers or discounts that may make the suite more affordable.

4. Are there any deals that seem too good to be true?

It's important to be cautious when booking accommodations that seem too good to be true. While there may be legitimate deals, it's always a good idea to read reviews and do some research on the company or property before booking. If something seems too good to be true, it's best to err on the side of caution.

5. How can I ensure a relaxing and fun vacation for my family?

To ensure a relaxing and fun vacation, consider planning ahead and making a schedule for each day of your trip. This can help make sure you don't miss out on any must-see attractions and allow for some downtime to relax. Additionally, consider purchasing park hopper tickets to have the flexibility to visit multiple parks in one day. And don't forget to take advantage of Disney's FastPass+ system to minimize wait times for popular attractions.

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