Hello friends! We’re back today with our first updated installment to this series, and it was a long-overdue, much needed addition. If you missed out on our (re) introductory post, click here! (It explains the series a bit more and you just might be humored if you’re looking for a Disney fix.)
This post is chock-full of great information, thanks to you awesome readers and fabulous friends. So if you don’t have time now, bookmark it for later. We know it’s a lot of info at once. Otherwise, sit back, relax and pull up a cup of warm whatever so we can get down to brass tax!
Why this series?
Planning a trip to the most magical place on earth can feel a little, well, un-magical if not completely overwhelming. There can be some pressure and high expectations your first {and subsequent} times when you’re dropping money on a family vacay. If you’re hoping to plan a trip in the near future you’ve come to the right place, and we hope that this series helps alleviate concerns and assists in your planning so you can actually do what a vacation is intended to do… relax.
Well, I think we all know It’s not the same kind of relaxing as say, The Bahamas… but it can be fun if you have a bit of a grasp on how it all works. So without further ado:
Today’s topic: when to go, where to stay, + how long – Walt Disney World.
Which package did you purchase?
We’ve received this question often, and think it’s kind of a moot point. Why? Disney’s offers change all the time, and each experience will be different for everyone, depending on each family’s needs, budget and deals available. There are pros and cons to every decision you make, so we decided to tackle this series with a well-rounded approach. We in no way claim to be experts, but we hope that this will shed a little light on the potentially overwhelming, abstract-largeness of it all. From our close friends to comments from helpful readers, here we go!
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When?
This is a popular question. And it’s probably two-fold. A. When should I take my children {the best ages} Otherwise known as how young is too young? and B. When is the best time?
We personally believe that every time with Disney has it’s own experience. That’s the magic of it all. No matter what the age. So even if you start when they’re a few months old or you’re taking them when they’re 21, your children are never too young… or too old for Disney.
For instance, we try to go every few years, and I got a little misty-eyed nostalgic at the end of this trip, realizing they’ll be older the next time we take on Disney. Even though I wasn’t prepared for it this time, they might not be so into the characters the next time around. But we were grateful we were a part of the excitement. I feel like these moments are so fleeting and I was so grateful to soak it all in. On the flip side, Malone will be tall enough to conquer Space Mountain when he wants, and we won’t have to deal with a fit-pitching four year old crying all the way back to ride Buzz Lightyear while he waits on his sister. So each time is different… and thus the magic. We say go for it. Just have your expectations proportionately appropriate to the age of your child. ;}
Stephanie said: We love Disney! The first time we took our kids they were 15 months and a little over 2 (13 months apart). Everyone was telling us to wait until they were older, but we were very glad that we took them when we did and couldn’t wait to go again. The kids loved it. I loved seeing the magic in their eyes. We let them nap when they wanted to, while they napped we would watch a show or chill with a treat…
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What time of year?
Us: There is no magical time for Disney. If you go against the school schedule, you still have to consider international visitors, conventions, holidays… There will always be crowds. Always. We thought we’d ‘studied up’ this time and broken down the system. The joke was on us. Apparently one of the busiest times are the week after the super bowl, and coinciding with that was a convention. We were invaded by high school cheerleaders. It happens. So whenever your budget and schedule allows, we say go for it. It will always be crazy – Though we did notice the obvious trend on both of our trips – a lower amount of people on Tuesday – Thursday, with it picking up on the other days.
Jillina said:
In the Winter: January to early march would be my choice time to visit but there’s usually school and work conflicts for us personally.
In the Spring: Expect great weather during day and cooler nights. But wait times can be high, especially if your spring break time overlaps many others. You also have early park closing in May, as WDW hosts senior night at various parks.
In the Summer: It’s hot. Expect afternoon thunderstorms along with high crowds. However, these months also seem to bring the best on-property room discounts, as many people seem to stay stay off-property at this time.
In the Fall: Cooler weather, with a food and wine festival along with a high international crowd. You also have park closing early at MK for mickeys Boo To You Halloween party on some nights. Fall is typically when wdw promotes the free dining plan promotion.
Just a tip for the winter months (From us): Be prepared for a wild variety of weather. The first day we had rain and it was freezing and suckered into buying ponchos like nerdy novices. Then we were lost in the golf cart at 10:00 at night with exhausted children. Like a dummy, I had no coat. The next day, it was 80 degrees and we were all sunburned. I felt like I packed a million things and was prepared for nothing. So be ready for anything and everything. I considered it a personal challenge to outfit us all appropriately each day – it was like a game to see what I could be ready for.
Kristy said: This was our first time taking our family of four. Since we have preschoolers, we wanted to go during a time that lots of big kids would be occupied with school. We were originally planning an October trip, but when Disney advertised their free dining plan in May for the month of September, we easily changed our dates. We were excited about maximizing character meals and good food, and since it was our first trip as a family, it gave us room to make some mistakes with minimal risk– It was free! I don’t have anything to compare it to as far as crowds go, but we were not overwhelmed at all. Utilizing our magic bands and fast passes, we didn’t have to wait longer than 30 minutes for anything we wanted to do.
Stephanie said: …Our first trip was in the August heat and if you can avoid it, do. Our second trip was in June and while others were complaining of the heat, we were comparing it to horrible August, so it was not too bad to us.
Andrea said: We have done Disney at three major peak times…Spring Break, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s. The crowds were enormous and one day over Spring Break they even had a “Level 1” shut down which meant that they were not selling any more ‘day tickets’. We learned quickly how to manage the crowds and get a lot done. Our main bit of advice…GET TO THE PARKS EARLY!!! As in when they open! The opening to Magic Kingdom is truly magical. When you stay on the property, you can take advantage of the Magic Hours (extra hours in the park for guests staying on site).
Cristin said: We went in September. It was very hot and the crowds were moderate. We never really waited longer than 30 minutes for a ride, which is a win in my book. We were able to eat at all of the restaurants that we wanted to and we were able to see every character we wanted. We were also able to get attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (tickets are extra) and see all of the Halloween decor which I loved. A few nights in September and October they even do a special fireworks show in front of the castle which is a Halloween theme and has awesome fireworks to go with it. The fireworks actually span the entire length of the Magic Kingdom, which only happens during those specific nights for the Halloween show and the Fourth of July show. Overall, I would say my biggest complaint was just the heat. Other than that it was a nice time to be there.
See how we did our t-shirts, here
So, how long?
All of this depends on how old your children are, and what you want to do. How often do you make this your destination? How far away do you live? What do you want out of your trip? Locals, obviously, will view this completely differently than someone who lives in Saskatchewan. So here’s a few takes:
Us: (With both trips, younger children) At least 6 days. But no longer than 7. We have three young children, and the prices don’t change much after those six days. We know not everyone’s schedule will allow this, but we found it a great amount of time for us. Also since the crowds in the parks can be a little unpredictable, it’s good to take it easy and that way you can see some of your favorite things more than once. Want to wait in line to meet a character? You have time for that. Need to go back and take a nap? There is no pressure. You can’t possibly see everything, anyway. Our first trip we stayed for 6 and it was perfect. But this time we went all hardcore, and were in the parks for 8. It was a mixture of magical madness, and we can easily say that by the end, we were over it. The kids were melting, our feet were falling off, but we had an absolute blast. We also know our limits and after a while, the real world calls.
Kristy: (Friend + Mother of two young children) We stayed for 4. It was all we could handle. But I think six would be ideal.
Cristin: (Friend + Mother of two young children) We stayed for 7. Seven might have been a tad too long.
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To hop or not to hop? Of course, park hopper is always up for question when deciding to book your tickets. We weren’t sure where to include this one but at the beginning of the series, because it will determine your purchase and what you decide to do. We say if you can, especially if you don’t visit Disney often… do it. There’s nothing better than being able to go to Epcot if The Magic Kingdom is completely bombarded with a crazy crowd or conference, or switching to The Magic Kingdom for dinner and fireworks after a day at Hollywood Studios. It’s great fun to mix it up, and we say if you can, do it.
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Where?
Cristin Breaks it down: For younger children, in my humble opinion, staying inside Disney World is the way to go. Yes, it is more expensive. However, there are so many perks to staying on site that make it worth your while. From the Magic Express to the unmatched customer service and transportation options, I feel that you truly get what you pay for.
That being said, here is a quick breakdown of the hotel categories within Disney World:
Value Resorts : Most basic yet affordable hotels within DW
Moderate Resorts: One step up from the value resorts. Affordable and pretty basic hotel.
Deluxe Resorts: Very nice yet good bit more expensive hotel option.
Deluxe Villas: Very nice condo-like hotel option within DW.
Value resorts: I’ve stayed in a couple of the value resorts in DW (All-Star Sports and All-Star Music) and these resorts can be described as a large fun, affordable hotel with all rooms opening up to the outside. The rooms are all spread out in separate buildings, some buildings being closer to the main lobby and others being closer to the pool, etc. Each of the value resorts have their own large food court located on site where you can find a variety of foods for breakfast, lunch, snacks, or dinner which is very convenient. If you’re on a tight budget but want the true Disney experience, stay at one of these resorts.
Moderate resorts: In my opinion are not much of an upgrade from the value resorts. I’ve stayed at the Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach Resort. True, you get a little bit of a larger room and possibly a larger bathroom, but the overall feel and layout is almost exactly like a value resort. Instead of a food court, however, there is a sit down restaurant, on site. Again, this is just my opinion, but I still prefer to have a food court with a wider variety of options… especially if kids are involved. The value resorts have a more fun themed approach and the moderate resorts are a little more “growny,” but all in all, I don’t think that it’s worth it to pay the extra when deciding between a value or moderate resort. Save your money here to eat at California Grille one night : )
Deluxe resorts: These resorts are without a doubt, more expensive, but are also without a doubt, way more luxurious. I have had the honor of staying at the Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Boardwalk Inn, Yacht Club, and Beach Club. The hotel rooms are all larger and nicer, with more amenities. You will find multiple restaurants on site and possibly a coffee shop or ice cream shop as well. These hotels are very conveniently located to the parks as well and have more transportation options (such as riding a boat to a park, walking to a park, or better yet- riding the monorail to a park). If it works with your budget, STAY IN A DELUXE RESORT OR VILLA. If it does not work with your budget, go value resort!
Us: We’ve stayed at The Contemporary and loved it. Pros: awesome monorail quick access to the parks and easy to come back for naps. Cons: One room. Smushed at night when the kids crashed, so we were kicked out on the balcony eating cupcakes. A restaurant below, to easily access anything we needed. Clearly, we didn’t mind the cupcakes too much.
This time: Ft Wilderness Campgrounds in a cabin. Some of our closest friends loved it {See Andrea’s great description below}. Being completely honest: We didn’t really care for it at all, and will probably never do it again. I know. Total Debbie Downers, but it goes to prove my point that everyone is different. The kids loved the bunk beds, and we loved having a kitchen. The atmosphere was super fun. I think a lot of it was the weather: freezing rain + amenities (golf carts + a boat + getting lost at 10:00 at night repeatedly because things were marked poorly in said freezing rain)… Apparently we’re directionally challenged, and I think we were super spoiled from doing the Contemporary the first time. We just felt like for what we paid, the convenience factor wasn’t what we really expected (It was about 30-45 minutes of travel time, and wasn’t worth going back to the rooms for naps). We would rather have dropped (a little more) money to do it like we preferred, or stayed off property completely. When the kids are tired, it’s hard to gauge how long it will take to get back to your room, so take that into consideration, along with the time of year. Let me be clear and say that we still had an absolute blast. ;} Even getting lost in the golf cart is something to laugh at for years to come. Sometimes you have to try something you don’t really care for, to know better next time.
Jillina: Wdw rates will shoot through the roof around Christmas, 4th of July, Easter so the price to stay on site may not be worth it to you.
We change where we stay depending upon the trip and budget. If we are celebrating a birthday or special occasion, the Polynesian is a beautiful splurge. You really feel like you’ve gone to a tropical island.
If we are also visiting other Orlando parks, my husband has work events that overlap our vacation, or we want to save lodging costs staying off property has also worked well for us. There are several resorts in the Orlando area that are beautiful and very affordable. The con or pro depending on your outlook, is stepping outside the Disney bubble. Don’t forget to factor in your budget the cost of cost of parking at the parks each day. If you have a large family or group going (anything over 5 people) renting a house on vrbo is a great option to look at. Some houses have kids bedrooms decorated with disney characters that my kids absolutely love.
One money saving tip: when making hotel plans, plan to stay at an off site, or cheaper hotel the night your arrive in Orlando if you choose to drive. When you get up and moving the next morning, simply drive to your Disney hotel and check in. You may check in any time, however your room may not be ready. You can leave bags in your car or store them with the bell service. However you will receive your magic bands, (your park tickets/room key/dining plan) and can begin taking advantage of Disney transportation, and enjoying the parks.
Also for checking out: In order to save money one year, we checked out of our room at bay lake tower in the morning but stayed at magic kingdom all day. At the end of the night we walked back to the hotel where our car was waiting and drove to an offsite, cheaper, hotel that was near downtown Disney. This allowed us to enjoy downtown Disney and then start the drive home, while also saving money.
{We also recently learned about resale timeshare rentals. A great way to stay at a Disney resort for up to 50% off the retail price.”}
Kristy: To get the full benefit of the free dining plan, we needed to stay at a moderate resort or better, so we chose Port Orleans Riverside with Royal Room upgrade so that the girls got to be in a princess suite. It was great for us–fun pools, good restaurants, easy access, and Princess Heaven. Bus lines were minimal (we flew in) and manageable, and we didn’t have to combine with any other resorts to get into the park.
Carrie: Hotel favorite for our family which isnt as expensive is Port Orleans. Riverside for older kids and French Quarter for younger kids. This twin resort has great pools, with slides. The Riverside has a live nightly piano player in the lobby who is super fun and Disney friendly. Port Orleans has the rentable boats, bikes and a boat ride to Downtown Disney. In addition, they have a fishing hut where you can rent poles and spend a lazy afternoon fishing. This is also one of the few hotels that you can fit 5 people in. They offer trundle beds in some of their rooms for the youngest child.
Andrea: Last year we took our two children, then ages 6 and 3, and stayed at Bay Lake Towers over Spring Break. We had a 2 bedroom suite facing the Magic Kingdom. The suite had a large living room and kitchen, two balconies, three bathrooms, and laundry in the unit. If you stay at Bay Lake, a view of the Magic Kingdom is a must in our book. It is worth it! This was by far the most luxurious resort we have visited. We loved this resort! The only hiccup we had was when we arrived. They were very busy and did not get our luggage to us for a couple of hours. I would suggest just lugging all of your things up to your suite yourself. The pool was great and it was fun being right on the lake. As a guest at Bay Lake Towers, you can also use the pool at the Contemporary. From Bay Lake Towers, you can actually walk to MK…it’s less than a 10 minute walk. If you don’t walk, you could take the Monorail, but you have to walk over to the Contemporary to catch it. From the Contemporary, the monorail makes three stops before reading MK. If we weren’t too tired, we just walked. Coming home from MK was easy, though, on the Monorail. The Contemporary is the first stop coming back.
This past November, we took the children again, ages 4 and almost 7 this time. We stayed in a cabin at Ft. Wilderness. Don’t get this confused with Wilderness Lodge. Wilderness Lodge is a separate resort. Ft. Wilderness is several hundred acres of forest. The resort includes campsites, RV sites, and cabins. We loved the cabins. We enjoyed being able to park our car right at our cabin. It made for easy car trips to Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. We enjoy staying at places that aren’t just a hotel room. We like our space. We like being able to put the kids to bed and then stay up and plan for the next day or just relax without worrying about bothering the children. The cabins at Ft. Wilderness all have one bedroom at the back of the cabin with a double bed and a set of bunk beds. The bathroom is in the middle and the living room/kitchen is at the front. The living room has a pull-down Murphy bed. The living room also has a fun child-sized table and chairs, perfect for the kids sorting through their Disney loot! The cabins have a deck with a picnic table and a grill. We found ourselves eating breakfast outside most days and sometimes lunch if we were back. The kids were able to go outside and run around. We realized after we got there that renting a golf cart on site is an absolute MUST! This place is huge. A lot of the cabins are at the back of the resort which makes traveling to the water (how you get to Magic Kingdom) longer. There are good on-site buses that run frequently, but it was SO much easier to have a golf cart to get around. At nearly $60 a day it is a lot, but worth it. We joined Chip and Dale twice while we were there for their sing along and s’mores roasting. Even our almost 7-year-old boy loved it! Traveling to MK from Ft. Wilderness is by boat. It is about a 15 minute boat ride, sometimes less. We loved the boat rides. The crew often handed out stickers to the kids and it was nice to take in the scenery on the way to the hustle and bustle of MK. You can easily catch a bus from the resort to Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, or Downtown Disney. We found it easiest to drive to Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, since our car was right at our cabin.
Karen: Here’s my two cents: we stayed at Port Orleans (in the “moderate” category), and got two adjoining rooms. It was cheaper than staying in a larger resort with a suite. We could get the kids to bed early when they were tired, and we could stay up and watch movies.
Stephanie: …Each time we have gone we rented a house with a private pool 15 minute drive from Disney. The price for a week was cheaper than most hotels, so this saved a lot of money, plus you have a washer and dryer and all the other home things available which is nice when you have young kids. We would love to stay on site one day, but that will depend if our budget allows. We highly recommend rental homes and check for them over hotels in other vacation destinations. Each time we went we had a 6 bedroom home, the second time we went with friends and split the cost, which made it even cheaper.
Cristin: The most recent time we went to Disney we decided to save up for a couple of years and do it big. And we wanted to try out the newer Bay Lake Tower which is a fairly recent addition to the Contemporary Resort. Bay Lake Tower is considered a Deluxe Villa which means the units have multi-bedrooms and a full kitchen or kitchenette. We had a Deluxe Studio which consisted of a spacious full kitchen (including a microwave, oven, and full size refrigerator), a den type sitting area which included a queen size pull out sofa, a bathroom off of the kitchen and den area, and then a separate good size bedroom with a king bed and separate large bathroom which had a large soaking tub and shower. The room was nice and clean and a good size for our group (me, my husband, my 3 year old daughter, my 1 year old daughter, and my sister…. aka Best Helper Ever on the trip!!!!). The hotel is a short walk over from the Contemporary which means you have access to the monorail which is a huge plus. But for me the biggest plus was that you can literally walk from the hotel over to the magic Kingdom in less than 10 minutes. Which we did every day.
The monorail is GREAT when you have little ones in tow. It’s a much quicker route to get to and from the Magic Kingdom and Epcot from your hotel than a shuttle bus or boat. However I will say that we still found the biggest pro to staying in a Deluxe Resort that had monorail access was the fact that we could literally walk to one of the parks. And since the Contemporary is the closest to the Magic Kingdom, and the Magic Kingdom is where we spent the majority of our time, it worked out perfectly for us and was ultimately worth the extra money to pay for the nicer hotel. We had several break down moments with our 1 year old and one of the adults could quickly walk her back to the hotel for a nice break.
Bay Lake Tower is considered a Deluxe Villa which means the units have multi-bedrooms and a full kitchen or kitchenette. We decided to go that route and purchase some groceries ahead of time to be delivered to our room. There are several companies in the Orlando area that provide the grocery delivery service and can really save you money if you have younger children. We purchased bottled waters, milk, orange juice, fresh fruit, and other breakfast items since our Dining plan only had one quick service and sit down meal which we used for lunch and dinner inside the parks. Drinks and food inside the park or hotels can add up quickly, so ordering groceries ahead of time did save us money. We did research online ahead of time to find a company that we felt comfortable with and ended up going with GardenGrocer.com. Their website was easy to use and the customer service was great. You don’t even have to be present at the hotel for the food delivery. The hotel can hold your groceries (even cold ones) for you until you are back at the hotel and then a hotel employee will deliver them to your room. We had no complaints! They even had a great organic selection to choose from!
A bit on staying off property… and on:
Lauren: We stayed at the Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort. We got a very good rate for a 2 bedroom condo with a full kitchen. We went this route because we got an annual pass this year and went to Disney 3 times. 2 of those trips, we stayed at the Wyndham and the other we stayed at Art of Animation. We have 3 children ages 3, 1, and 1 (twins), so we chose this option to have more space and be able to cook meals for them to save money and afford to go 3 times in a year. It would also have been difficult to get 3 children this small on and off Disney transportation with one adult managing the children and the other adult folding up and carrying 2 strollers – a single and a double. We decided we needed our car to make this easier. A car is also very handy to have when you leave the park late and your children (and you) are exhausted. The Wyndham is technically the only resort within Disney property lines that is not owned by Disney. It is closer than several Disney hotels, so we were back to our room within about 10 minutes of leaving the park each day. We also got free parking with the annual pass, so driving to the park made sense for us.
Pros of being off property: • Cheaper given how much space you have, which is a lot more space compared to a hotel room • washer and dryer in the room • close proximity to parks if driving • easy to transport small children • fully stocked kitchen
Cons of being off property: • No magic bands • No Disney transportation• No extra magic hours • If flying to Orlando, no Disney’s Magical Express, so you’d need a taxi • No “perks” like that Disney will send the items you purchase to your room for you so you don’t have to carry them around the park all day• Shuttle was offered at our resort, but it didn’t run very often, so we didn’t see it as a viable option for our family who is never ready to go in anyone else’s time frame, but our own
We personally prefer to stay at Art of Animation. We stayed in the Little Mermaid room and had the BEST experience. We stay on property any time we can. We like to call it the “Disney bubble” b/c you truly feel like you are in a bubble when you are either in a Disney hotel, Disney park or Disney transportation. We LOVE being in the “Disney bubble” and it is our biggest reason for staying on property despite the higher cost…Oh and the magic bands…we got them one trip and then the next trip we stayed off property again and we REALLY wanted our bands back!!!
Jillina: There are so many amazing hotels in Orlando at every price point and so to help stay on budget one year, we decided to stay off site. Even with renting a car instead of taking the Disney Magical Express from the airport, we were going to be save quite a bit of money. We stayed at a really nice hotel that was within a 5 min drive of The Magic Kingdom. At the time of this visit I was 34 weeks pregnant with our 3rd child, we had an 18 month old, and a (barely) 4 year old.
While our hotel was a short car ride away from The Magic Kingdom, we did not factor in the time to park, board the shuttle to the ticket and transportation station, ride the monorail to Magic Kingdom and then start our day. We tried on that first day to take the kids back to the hotel for a nap, but by the time we got to the car and unloaded them at the hotel, they were both awake from their power naps and ready to go. Meanwhile, my swollen feet were just getting ready to sit in some cool air conditioning. For the rest of the week, I would take the stroller and sit in various restaurants at the park we were visiting that day while my son cat napped.
We also really missed the extra magic hours. It was very hard to explain to our 4 year old, why we were leaving when so many other people were staying. We’re those people who let the kids take a nap during the heat of the day, then go back and close the park down with less crowds…and more importantly, less summer heat.
Was it ideal? No. Did we save money? Yes.
Was it as magical as staying on site? No.
We decided that while our kids are young and need naps, strollers, backpacks and the whole nine yards… we would spend the extra money and stay on site. With all of these trips under our belts, we’ve found that, for us, it’s worth saving up, and going all out.
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Shew! That’s a lot of information, guys! We just wanted it all in one place for you! We hope you can read a few of these experiences to help with your choices. As you can see, it all depends on what you want for your family at the time. You should definitely try what works best for you and your family when planning a trip. Everything will have its pros and cons, and every trip will be different. We hope this helps shed a little light.
Next up in the series: Food for thought: Where to eat, what not to miss and how to do it. So stay tuned! If you have any specific questions for this upcoming post, be sure to ask them below! And because you guys are so great, we’d love to hear your two cents on any of these topics! What are your favorite (or not) experiences?
normaleverydaylife says
Great information! We put off going to Disney with our five kids until the oldest was 15 and the youngest two were 7. It’s expensive to take a big family to Disney, but we stayed off property on hotel points to cut the cost. Park Hopper passes were worth it and planning out each day in advance made our seven days at the parks the best vacation we’ve ever had. We had a blast!
Catherine says
We are planning on going this year sometime so am thrilled you are listing all this information!
Laura says
I just walked in the door a few minutes ago from a trip to Disney/the beach with my sister and her family. Being the extra helper is the way to go. You don’t have to plan anything! The Magic Band were a big help. We found that we really liked eating at a place in MK in Liberty Square called Columbia Harbour House. The Salmon and steamed broccoli were a refreshing option after one too meals of pizza, burgers and fries. It offered great kid friendly options, too. We went back on our 2nd day at MK. We did a quick service meal plan that included two meals and a snack for each day. Which was more food than we really needed we did breakfast on our own by packing some groceries. While I didn’t stick to my diet all the time, I loved seeing that Disney made it very easy to eat healthy choices all the time. And I saw several places where they said to let them know if you had dietary needs.
One piece of advice is to take note of restaurant closing times. We had places we would pick to eat in a couple parks only to realize they closed earlier. The Disney App was a HUGE help to us in picking places to eat. Being able to view the menu, hours and location on a map were great pluses. The last time (and only) time I was at Disney was when I was 5, so it was fun to see Disney through the eyes of my 5yo niece and nephew. That first trip left me with the memory of dropping my Mickey Mouse shaped ice-cream. Don’t worry, I redeemed that moment on this last trip!
Dawn says
I’ve taken my family to WDW three different times of the year and stayed at three different places and each experience has had its pros and cons but of course, mostly pros b/c after all, you’re at THE WORLD. I have 3 boys and the youngest was 9 when we took our first trip so I can’t speak to braving it with babies or toddlers but I obviously can speak to traveling with teen/preteen boys, your parents and a 20 something brother.
Our 1st trip was in 2012, the last week of Feb. and that was the absolute best as far as crowds and weather go. We stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge in a 1 br villa and love, love, loved it. The resort is beautiful, and relaxing and has a nice variety of places to eat. We didn’t spring for the savannah view room but we still saw animals just outside our room every day. I think it was some sort of holding area for the animals but it was still pretty and green. The weather was warm enough to swim but the water was still a little chilly. Wait times at the parks were practically non existent. We never waited longer than 15-20 minutes for anything except for one or two things.
Our second trip was in Dec. of 2012 and we stayed at Wilderness Lodge Villas in a 2 br with my parents and brother. We were there from Dec. 21-27. This resort was equally as lovely as the Animal Kingdom. Great pools, movies on the beach. Transportation options were great too. A boat ride to Magic Kingdom and buses to everything else. I was worried that the parks would be jam packed and miserable the entire time we were there but I was pleasantly surprised. Let me say though, we are early risers and would be at the parks within 30-45 minutes of them opening most days and that was a huge help in avoiding crowds, which seemed to slowly build around lunch time but never felt overwhelming. The busiest day we experienced was Christmas Day but not until the afternoon Christmas parade was about to begin, around 2 pm. There is so much to do and see at Christmas. Waking up at Disney on Christmas morning was unforgettable. I could go on and on…
Our most recent trip was this past October and we stayed at the Beach Club Resort. This time we decided to get a regular room for my family of five and while there obviously wasn’t as much space as you would have in a villa, we weren’t uncomfortable. The pool area at Beach/Yacht club is unmatched and being there in Oct. meant that it was still warm enough to take full advantage of it. We really loved the location of this resort. A five minute walk into the World Showcase entrance of Epcot and a 10 minute walk or boat ride to Hollywood Studios meant that we only had to use the buses for Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom or Downtown Disney. While there in October, the fall decor at Magic Kingdom was really festive and Epcot had the Food and Wine Festival going on, which had some yummy food. We also attended the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party-loads of fun.
I don’t think that there is a wrong time to go to Disney, though I’m not sure I would brave it in August. (Can you say hot?) You really just have to go when it works for your family. The first trip is the hardest one to plan for but doing your research really does pay off.
Melissa says
any updated advice on the rider pass mixed with fass passes?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Melissa! I’m afraid that’s a post all it’s own and coming up in the series- though I’m sure by the time we write it, it will have changed again… ;} I just filled out a survey and since they were at the beginning phases they’re already rethinking the only three per park total per day thing. It’s not like it used to be but the bands (if you stay on property) made it easier.
Molly says
Some of the info in outdated…as Disney seems to be changing everything monthly these days:)! No more boat rentals at POR (Port Orleans Riverside). Downtown (the future Disney Springs) is under renovation which has made parking VERY difficult for the foreseeable future. Poly’s pools are going to be closed for a year, during their DVC construction. Magic bands are coming to off-site guests (if you buy advance park tickets). POR no longer has trundle beds, they now have a small murphy bed for the rooms that hold 5 people. Murphy beds are only recommended for kids under the age of 9. And, with the roll-out of the “My Disney Experience” app and Fastpass +, it has become MUCH more difficult to fly by the seat of your pants on a Disney vacation. Dining reservations and fastpass reservations need to be planned sometimes months in advance to ensure that you’ll be able to get what you want. Also, if you purchase the park hopper ticket you still only get fastpass reservations for 1 park. For example, if you have a hopper and plan to begin at MK and then head to Ecopt for the end of the day you cannot (at this time) make fastpass reservations for both parks, you must select one. I usually recommend getting to the parks early to do popular rides and saving your fastpasses for the afternoon/evening when crowds volumes are highest. Keep in mind that with the rollout/testing of magic bands etc. this could (and very well may :)) change again soon!