1st timer not sure what to expect or do

[daddyof2]

I'm planning to go in early dec. or jan-feb. possibly late sept. in the value season

me,dw,dd 5, ds who will be 3 in July

first budget is a concern(but don’t want to be cheap or worried about how much we spend the whole time)

I bought a AAA membership for this vacation
we live in north east PA. about 1 1/2 hours from Philly
we plan to fly from Philly bec. of the long drive I believe map quest said 16hrs
and flight would be 4hrs and Disney will pick up bags and transport us to hotel(is this as good as it sounds?)

also plane tickets. about 800.for all4? I found 2 round trip travel vouchers for Tran air on ebay (which is the airline Disney quoted us with) will Disney still pick us up if we don’t go through them and any info on vouchers

we were told be AAA that POR-FQ is closer to the action and better than the value ones (the fridge is a good idea for milk in the room) plus the pool has a slide kids would love(but any pool is fun) is upgrading to moderate going to make the stay better? (bang for the buck)

also meal plan good - bad ? figured we would get it just for the simple point food is paid for thus less cash we must carry
DW heard you could use dinner plan to eat with characters
(breakfast w/Cinderella for DD)
also heard you could trade 2 meals for a dinner and a show (is it worth it? how much dose it cost with out it)

the price we got from AAA was 2800 for air,5nites,5tickets (basic no hop no nothing figure our first time would be one full day at each park and the one day to play around in hotel pool and stuff but extra day ticket is 10 bucks so ..) and food price was estimated in sept. value season then we figured about 1,000 spending money for souvenirs and what ever (too much not enough?

added questions
what is included in admission? rides, shows, if not how much are they?
(mainly kiddy rides kids are 5,3 remember) what kind of wait is there in lines

can should we go offsite for bottled water ?

thanks in advance
want to make this as un financally suppressing as possible

 

[daddyof2]

sorry wrong post area

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

early dec. or jan-feb. NICE TIME TO GO, CAN BE COLD, PACK FOR ANY WEATHER, GOOD CROWD LEVELS
possibly late sept. STILL HURRICANE SEASON, GOOD CROWD LEVELS, NICE WARM WEATHER

I bought a AAA membership for this vacation SMART IDEA!!!

we plan to fly from Philly (is this as good as it sounds?) YES, UNLESS YOU NEED A CAR, WHICH YOU SHOULDN'T

also plane tickets. about 800.for all4? NOT GREAT, NOT HORRIBLE, REASONABLE AT LEAST.

I found 2 round trip travel vouchers for Tran air on ebay (which is the airline Disney quoted us with) will Disney still pick us up if we don’t go through them and any info on vouchers NO INFO, SORRY.

Is upgrading to moderate going to make the stay better? (bang for the buck) I THINK SO, SOME LOVE THE VALUES BUT MOD IS WHERE I WOULD STAY.

also meal plan good - bad ? GOOD IN MY EYES.
DW heard you could use dinner plan to eat with characters SHE IS RIGHT

also heard you could trade 2 meals for a dinner and a show (is it worth it? how much dose it cost with out it) LONG SHOWS, YOUNG CHILDREN, 2 TABLE SERVICE CREDITS OR UP TO $50 PER ADULT, NOT GREAT IN MY BOOK, OTHERS LOVE THEM.

We figured about 1,000 spending money for souvenirs and what ever (too much not enough? A LOT BUT NOT UNREASONABLE, YOU MIGHT SPEND LESS BUT IT'S NICE TO HAVE THE CASH WITH YOU.

what is included in admission? rides, shows INCLUDED, JUST NOT THE DINNER SHOWS .
what kind of wait is there in lines? LINES CAN BE LONG, USE FASTPASS, GO EARLY WHEN PARK OPENS FOR SHORTER LINES. yOU ARE TRAVELING VALUE SEASON WHICH HELPS BUT THERE ARE ALWAYS LINES.

can should we go offsite for bottled water ? YOU WON'T HAVE A CAR, NO STORES CLOSE BY.

thanks in advance I HOPE IT HELPS.
want to make this as un financally suppressing as possible ONLY 2 MEALS PER NIGHT ON DINING PLAN, 1 COUNTER SERVICE (FAST FOOD) 1 TABLE SERVICE (SIT DOWN MEAL) AND ONE SNACK (LIMITED CHOICES). yOU NIGHT NEED TO BUY BREAKFAST OR BRING STUFF FOR THE KIDS IN THE ROOM (MY PLAN)


hAVE A GREAT TRIP. BOOK SOON, I WAITED 8 HOURS (FOR A JULY TRIP) TO BOOK AAA AND THE ROOM CLASS I WANTED SOLD OUT WHILE I WAITED.

 

[Servants of Evan]

Let's see if I can help...

I can't help you with Air-Tran voucher questions, but you've got plenty of time to arrange airfare. I would expect to pay around $200 per ticket, that's pretty fair. Yes, you can use Disney's Magical Express (ME) even if Disney isn't the one booking your airfare. After you've booked your hotel reservations you can contact Disney to update them with the ME information (Arrival & Departure). PLEASE NOTE -- You can book the trip yourself with Disney and get the AAA room rate ONLY if you don't want the meal plan as well. If you do want the meal plan, you MUST book through a AAA agent. There are a number of them on this board who really know Disney and can help insure you maximize your investment. PM me if you need help... Staying onsite definately has it's advantages -- not having to negotiate driving on Disney property is a huge plus for our family. As a dad, it's so nice to sit back and leave the navigating and driving up to them -- I'm on vacation!

I would agree with PO-FQ as a very nice hotel choice for you and your family -- the pool is neat. The flip side is that ASMO is usually a hit with the kids. I booked our family into WL and my son wanted to stay at ASMO as soon as he saw the Dalmation and Woody -- you just can't win! You can get a refrigerator in the room at a value for $10 a day, or free if you need to keep medications cold. Candidly in your situation, I would consider staying at a value and try to extend your vacation a day or two (stay longer). Disney is so magical, and five days (IMHO) is just too short -- I'd try my darndest to stretch it to somewhere around seven days... 2 days in the Magic Kingdom, 1 MGM, 1 AK, and 1.5 in EPCOT. This leaves .5 for a mid-vacation break in the pool, etc. With kids that age you can't always "Go, Go, Go!" you need to give them a break -- even at the happiest place on earth.

Regarding the meal plan -- only you know your family best. Will you be content eating counter service for each meal and/or springing for one or two sit-downs -- or would you like to know you've got a sit-down break for dinner each day? I HIGHLY suggest you go to allearsnet.com and check out their selection of Disney menues. Check the prices, what you're likely to order, add the tax & gratuity, etc. Then check the price of the Dining plan. That way you're comparing "apples to apples." Yes, you can use the meal plan for dining with Cindy, but it eats up 2 TS credits. Again, look at the menues and do the math. Depending on what you eat, it may be cheaper to pay for Cindy outright versus taking the 2 TS credit hit on your dinning account.

For admission, all rides and shows within the parks are included. As far as a souvenier budget, you might be a little high -- but again, you know your family best. I'd try to stick with one souvenier per park per child and maybe a neat shirt for Mom & Dad. There's no need to go nuts...

 

[daddyof2]

thanks soo much very helpful have a great day

 

[buzzmom3]

We have started staying at All Starr Movies and really enjoyed it. Great pool, still close to the action and we had no problem with the buses. We had the dining plan for free last year and are paying for it this year. I like having my meals paid for up front and not having to worry about cost. It was also nice to get in out of the heat and have a nice sit down dinner.

 

[Sleeping Jedi Beauty]

I agree with idea to switch to a value resort and stay longer. For my money, the hotel is where I sleep and that's about all that I do there. Otherwise, the time will be spent in the parks. The value resorts are themed to appeal to little kids and yours are in the target range. As for the dining plan, I think it's worth it. You get 1 table service meal, 1 counter service meal and 1 snack for every night you stay on property. Most character meals only charge 1 table service voucher per person. You probably could eat cheaper if you did all counter service meals, but that could get real old, real fast. Here's my advice. Stay at a value resort and put what the moderate resort would have cost you towards the dining plan. You'll be able to eat at nicer restaurants for a break, and you'll be able to enjoy the meals as they'll already be paid for. Plus, you can do multiple character meals and your kids sound like they're at a great age for that.

As for the airline, I don't think Disney cares what airline you fly when you go to visit them. I know they offer transportation from Orlando airport to all Disney resorts, including the value ones. They also offer buses to all the parks, so you don't need to rent a car if you don't want to.

 

[daddyof2]

thanks for all the info i think this will be a great vacation and i will learn a lot from all of you thanks again

 

[denman007]

I would seriously consider adding the hopper to your passes otherwise you are very limited. This is very useful if you split your day up or want to catch a parade in 1 park and a show at another the same day.

 

[daddyof2]

thanks for the advice i got a quote for 6 nites 7days @pop with hopper+dinner for 2058 from Instant Impressions Travel Services
is this good?

 

[Lewisc]

thanks for the advice i got a quote for 6 nites 7days @pop with hopper+dinner for 2058 from Instant Impressions Travel Services
is this good?

You said you bought AAA. A AAA TA is the only way to book a AAA discounted room and add the dininng package. Some AAA agencies add extra fees and cancellation fees. MAKE SURE you aren't paying any extra, you don't have to use your local AAA TA.

 

[kcashner]

We are WDW veterans of MANY trips. We've stayed everywhere from the All Stars to Beach Club and Boardwalk and Poly..... Obviously, all of this is personal opinion, and everyone vacations differently.

Especially with little kids, the All Star resorts are fine. THey are not quite as classy an interior as a higher priced resort--for instance, you will have a hanging rod and a "closet area" rather than a formal closet door. DD brought her favorite stuffed animal, and each day "Kitty" was waiting for her in a different place...sometimes on the window sill looking out, sometimes on the bed, etc. The moderate resorts are nice, but I'd save the $ and go for a longer trip at a budget resort. Disney's definition of "budget" is far above the normal in-town definition. THe services are the same--bell man to help with luggage, bus service, etc.

Disney's Magical Express service is currently free. This can be added to any package with an on-site resort stay. You just call Disney when you have your flight information and they send you the package about 3 weeks before your trip.

Whether the dining plan is a good value depends on how you eat. WIth kids, you will enjoy the character dining. Each character breakfast or dinner counds as one TS except the Cinderella Royal Table which counts as 2. The dinner shows are also 2. You get plenty of food in the plan. You can buy a quart of milk or juice at the hotel if you need it. Depending on how you like to eat, you can probably do all your food on the plan...or bring some cereal and buy milk/juice for breakfast at the room. We find the plan works great and is way more food than we can eat in a day. My sis likes to do a sit down breakfast and a sit down dinner...and no counter service....so it doesn't work for her (and she is the skinny one!)

Can't help with plane fare--sorry

You can get bottled water off site, but then you need a way to get off site. We refill the bottles with tap water if the goal is to have something to carry to the parks. There is a grocery not too far from Downtown Disney--you could take a cab. Seems like too much trouble to me.

You can eat much cheaper off site, but again, you need a way to get off site. It is far easier to stay on Disney property and enjoy all the stuff there, but you will spend more this way. No driving, no hassles.

In the parks, essentially all activities are included. THere are a few "extras" like the arcade...but we have never done these. All shows, rides, etc. are included with your admission ticket. In addition, since you are staying at a WDW resort, you have "extra magic hours" at specified parks on certain days. These hours are open only to resort guests and the crowds really thin out.

We love January and February at WDW--lower prices, fewer people, etc. However, it can get cold. Be sure that you each have at least one outfit for 40 degree weather. We've had trips where it was 80 every day, but also 2 occasions were we were actually cold. THe first time, I learned....I spent a small fortune on warm clothes for everyone! September is wonderful!!!! Warm but not horribly hot, and no crowds.

The lines are not terrible. THere is a sign at the entrance to the line telling you what the approximate wait is for that ride--you decide if it is worth the time. Some lines can be silly, but not usually off season. The signs are usually accurate--your wait is maybe 5 minutes less than they predict. You can also do a "fast pass" for some attractions--you get a free ticket that allows you to come back at a specified time and bypass most of the line. These are only available at some of the more popular attractions.

$1000 for souveniers seems like a lot to me...but every family is different.

 

[formernyer]

Just about everything has already been answered for you already, but I'll add my 2 cents.

HOTEL - Most little kids will actually PREFER any one of the four value hotels to a mod. They're decorated for the kids, as opposed to being fancy and romantic. They'd like the pools at the mods better, but you most likely won't be spending too much time at the hotel anyway. And it's not like the pools at the Value hotels are horrible...they're still fancy and "cool" in the eyes of little kids. You'll save hundreds by staying in a Value hotel. You could extend the trip 2-3 days with that much savings (since the MYW tickets don't go up much per day after the first 4 days). Alternatively, if the budget is tight you can just save the money and keep the shorter trip.

MEALS - If you are staying in Disney and haven't rented a car, there's really no economical way to eat that will give you better value than the DDP. If you had a car, you could bring sandwiches and snacks into the park, then go to DTD for dinner and eat fast food. Since you'll be in the park with no car, you might as well spring for the DDP. It would cost you almost as much to feed your family all CS meals OOP, and at least with the DDP you also get the option of TS meals, character meals, and some snacks.

WATER - My recommendation is to buy each family member one of those water bottles with the insulated neoprene covers and neck straps. They usually come with a removable insert that you can freeze and it keeps the water cold even longer (if you won't have a mini-fridge in the room just put it in a bucket of ice from the hotel dispenser). It's a lot easier to carry these bottles around on your neck then it would be to carry a regular bottle in your hands. The kids also think they are "cool" and you won't have to worry about buying water offsite or wasting $2.50 (or one snack credit) on water at the parks. The park will refill your bottles with ice water at no charge (from the tap). If you are really picky about the flavor of your water, you can pay a little more and get the kind of water bottle that comes with the built-in filter. I got the standard bottles (neoprene with strap but no filter) in WalMart for $2.86 each.

SOUVENIERS - I personally think your budget is ridiculously high and I think you can cut that cost very easily and still have gifts for the kids. One recommendation (which requires advance planning) is to stock up on some Disney items BEFORE you leave on the trip. Pack them away without your kids seeing. Then surprise them with these items while you are at the park, rather than purchasing at the gift shop. Another advantage to this is that you can purchase items that you know will actually get use, rather than the crap that your kids might beg for in the shops.

Another option (one that I plan to use with my kids next week) is to allow them to "look" in the gift shops to decide what they want, but not make the purchases yet. On the last day of the trip we're going to go to the big souvenier shop in DTD and get a few things. I think this is the most economical way to do it for a few reasons: (1) Prices in the DTD shop are a little lower, (2) DTD has sale/clearance items and on-site shops generally don't, (3) AAA card gets 10% off all purchases in the DTD shop, (4) I can let them each pick out like 3 things in the DTD shop and they'll think they're getting a lot, but overall it would be less than buying even just one item in each of the 4 parks. I already told my kids that we'd do this so that they have all week to decide what they "really" want. They're excited about it.

There are some other ways to get the kids souveniers inexpensively. Some of the CS meal locations serve the kids meals in Disney Buckets, tins, etc. You can always ask for the meals without the souvenier and they'll deduct $1.50 off the cost, but I actually think it's a good way to get the kids a souvenier for $1.50. In the gift shops they'd purchase similar crap, but it would cost a lot more than $1.50. Another cheap souvenier (assuming your kids drink at the hotels) is to purchase the refillable mugs for $11.99. You get free refills for your entire stay and the mug is a great souvenier for the kids. Most of the hotels refill with only soda, lemonade, coffee, or hot chocolate, but I've heard that some of them have powerade and POP will refill with slushies!

PARKHOPPER - I personally think it's a waste of money. It would cost you about $180 additional for it. My recommendation is to just do one park each day. Pick the parks wisely...in other words, choose the park with extended hours for a particular day and just visit that park. I'll be there for 4 days next week. On my first day, MK is open three hours late. On my second day, MGM is open three hours late. On my third day, Epcot opens an hour early. On my last day, AK is open three hours late. I used this schedule to determine which park to do on which day and it saved me $120 (family of three).

 

[HayGan]

I would add that if you are planning on going to WDW the first week of December definately do not stay at a value resort. That is POP Warner week and theose resorts will be at max capacity. We didn't have any problems with them in the parks but I have heard lots of complaints from people who stayed at those resorts during that time. I would defiantely recommend the mods if you are going that week.

I would suggest booking the package thru AAA without air. Phila is a somewhat competitive market in terms of airfare and you can most likely get lower airfare on your own. Yes, you can get Magical Express if you don't book airfare through Disney/AAA. Magical Express is for anyone staying on Disney property irregardless of their airline/method of booking.

I would defiantley go with the dining plan package as the plan can save a ton of money if you are planning on doing character meals. We had it last year and have it added to our package this year.

If you have the dining plan, I think that $1,000 is a bit much for other things. We spent less much less than that for one week and we didn't deny ourselves anything.

I have to say that your quotes sounds high for 5 nights. We stayed at the Poly for 4 nights last December, had the dining plan and got 10 day MYW tickets for $2100. Get quotes without the air and insurance included.

Feel free to ask many questions! We were all in your position at one time and have learned so much for everyone around here!

 

[daddyof2]

I really appreciate all the input, advice, help

I am not familier with POP Warner week?

 

[HayGan]

I really appreciate all the input, advice, help

I am not familier with POP Warner week?

Pop Warner is a youth football and cheerleading league. They have their national championships at WDW the first week of December each year. They fill up the value resorts. Alot of people complain about them at the resorts. We didn't have any problems with them at our resort (Poly) or in the parks. We are going the same week this year because the crowds are so low and it is just a wonderful time to go!

 

[HaleyB]

So far you are getting all good info here. I agree a 7 day stay is a much better idea. I don't know if the hopper is worth the price any more (about $50 a ticket) but it partly depends on when you go. If the parks close fairly early, you really don't need to hop. It takes up a good chunk of time. On the other hand if you plan to go back to your room for naps hopping might make sense.

I would join www.tourguidemike.com for the $21 it is well worth it. Lots of good info on rides and how to avoid them, plus tons of planning info. It is an online guide book with really dead on crowd information. Going to the right (lowest crowd) park on the right day is key to a good trip.

Learn about the child swap, in case you want to ride some of the bigger rides that the kids are too young or short to go on. Two adults can ride with only one waiting in line, the other waits with the kids (in an area they can move around for the most part) then you swap and the waiting parent goes right onto the ride with almost no waiting. If your older child wants to ride something the younger does not this will alllw them to ride twice in a row (once with each of you).

If you go in early Dec then the Mod is well worth it, to avoid the POP crowds although I thought they only stayed at the All Stars and not the Pop Century.

I totally disagree that a Mod is "closer to the action" that sounds like an upsell line from someone that does not know Disney very well. I have stayed at all levels of resorts and I prefer the Values to the Mods because they are so much a better value for your $. The Deluxe Resorts I like, but can not afford too often , but I just don't find the Mods offer enough for the price jump. It is also easier to feed kids in the Value food courts, IMO.