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I only go during the slow times while I don't have any kids in school. i would recommend that. I can see where the Grad nights would be a problem with a bunch of High School Seniors, but could schools/parents afford to bring all the kids on ground to the Polynesian?
We visited it last time, very nice place. But as told by my
we are a "wilderness" type of family 
That sucks but it's still well worth it, especially when you eat at the nicer places. One side note don't be fooled into thinking you have to order the kids food off of the kids menu for counter service.
Offsite is definitely cheaper and we all know you are not about cheaper. 2 Bedroom Grand Suite Concierge level Grand Floridian or the suite in Cinderella's castle is more your speed.
Yep. It is a huge resort, built specifically for conferences. The theme is spanish/mexican. The rooms are nice and there are 4 pools, the nicest one has a large Aztec pyramid with a water slide. The grounds are beautiful and it is nice to walk around the large lake. You can also rent boats and bikes.I didn't try any of the restaurants there. It is close to the Animal Kingdom & Disney Studios but a fair distance from Magic Kingdom.Overall we liked it.
Offsite is cheaper. It really comes down to this:Unless you are staying at a Disney Villa or Townhouse you will get more room in a house rented offsite. Many offer private pools, hot tubs, gamerooms, etc. Obviously you won't get room & maid service and if you don't feel like cooking you'll probably need to get in the car. You may get shuttle service to/from the parks but it won't be as convenient as Disney transportation and you will have a longer commute and have to pay for parking while onsite. Since you are off property so you aren't immersed in Disney 24 hours/day (a plus for some people, a minus for others)If you stay at a Disney Resort you don't have to drive a car for the rest of your vacation if you don't want to. If you do drive you will have a shorter commute and you'll get free parking. Resort guests also get Early Entry and Extra Magic hours in different parks on different days and you can have purchases at the parks sent directly to your resort. You are also immersed in Disney 24 hours a day for your entire stay which as I said before is either a plus or minus depending on your point of view.
When we went a little over a year ago we missed almost half of MGM and we spent the whole day there. Between the Car show, the studio backlot tour, Fantasmic & Plays.. Not to mention the time spent in lines to get autographs we just never had a chance to get to:Tower of TerrorRock & Roller CoasterStar WarsIndiana JonesWe've already made up our minds that when we go in 2009 we will get the park hopper pass and add one day to our trip so we can just hop around one day to see what we missed/want to see again.
We went to the Princess & Pirate party two times last year. We really enjoyed it mainly because Magic Kingdom empties out and you can get on all the rides with little or no wait. Also cool to let the kids dress up and let them do the scavenger (sp) hunt.
You should skip the lines for single characters. There are designated areas in each park were you wait in air condition and can see 3-8 characters back to back. Cuts down on time significantly. i understand there maybe a favorite for the little ones, but i really suggest it. Also, for little ones, the character meals is the way to go to distract them while you have a chance to eat.
We stayed for 5 days/6 nights at Wilderness lodge in December 2006.
Most of the times we did jsut that. MGM was our first stop so learned the hard way how much time you waste in lines for autographs. Next time our daughter will be 11 and will just 
at the thought of autographs. 
Thanks. No doubt they'll be dressing up
What drove it up this last time at Disneyland was the food bill. 3 character meals, Rainforest Cafe, ESPNzone (my bar tab), etc. All of the Grand California's eating options were of course high. I think our travel package was reasonable--just shopping and food were high.I just want to make sure when we go we are not saying, "Well, it would be nice to experience that, but we better not," that is why I was toying with the $10,000 number--it better not be any higher.
We got the Passes to the parks, the food package, Airfare and transportation all for under $3,000.
Might want to look into using a travel agent next time to get the best deals available.
It really depends if you want to do a wham bam trip of every park, or really see everything DW has. Pre DVC we used to do a park everyday, visit them, stay in the value resorts and felt like we got the better bang for the buck and did not need to stay as long. We go to the park on the days that have the extended hours for on grounds. We do hop sometimes, but not offten because it seems to be too much moving around or takes up too much time. If there was something we did not get a chance to do we might hop if we like. However, now that we are in the DVC, if we go at the time were the parks are pretty empty and the points are less, we go to a park, next day take a break from the park and go to downtown disney/disney quest. Then go to the park the next day, next day walk the Boardwalk and play professional or kiddie putt-putt (professional golf if you can get away from the kids). Next day a park, following day maybe universal. Next Typhoon Lagoon and end on a park before driving home the next day.That would be 8 days and 8 nights, and I would imagine costing a good amount. I don't know how much since I'm with the DVC. Staying at the vlaue resorts are not bad. It's a holiday-inn with the Disney atmosphere and shuttle. However, I don't think you get the "full" experience. ETA: "Full experience" meaning, there are tons of things to do at the other resorts as well where the value resorts don't. Charater breakfasts, better pools, spas, bars, nicer resturants.
Meal plan is my best friend.What drove it up this last time at Disneyland was the food bill. 3 character meals, Rainforest Cafe, ESPNzone (my bar tab), etc. All of the Grand California's eating options were of course high. I think our travel package was reasonable--just shopping and food were high.I just want to make sure when we go we are not saying, "Well, it would be nice to experience that, but we better not," that is why I was toying with the $10,000 number--it better not be any higher.We stayed for 5 days/6 nights at Wilderness lodge in December 2006.
We got the Passes to the parks, the food package, Airfare and transportation all for under $3,000.
Might want to look into using a travel agent next time to get the best deals available.
One thing to note about the GF. Their 5-Star restaurant just banned kids under 10 (don't remember the name of the place)
Double Stroller.
We just got back from there Saturday night. The Bibbiti Bobbity was a lot of fun for our two, if you are buying dresses for them, make sure you call ahead & check for sizes, they didn't have the size we needed & our 4 year old only wanted one certain dress.
I need to read this thing from the beginning... in full planning and reaching booking mode for the fall.
OhanaThen, Ohana.Ohana.And follow it up with a nice meal at, Ohana.DynOmite said:
The basic meal plan is one snack, one counter service (fast food type), and one full dining service (sit down meal) per person, per NIGHT of your stay. Each member of your family gets a card & when they use it, they either charge the item(s) to the room or deduct it from the meal plan. Each family member has access to the whole family's meal plan, they are not locked into one snack/counter/meal per day. To maybe explain better, in January, we didn't eat many snacks & we had 12 snack credits left at the end of the week, so my wife bought 12 candy type treats & put them in the suitcase.It sounds like you'll have 7 in your party, right? So if that's the case, each will have 1 full service meal per night (11, right?), which if my math is correct, would be 77 credits ( Holy Crapporkins said:
) On day one, if all 7 of you go to a full service restaurant, you'll give them one Key to the Kingdom card from the party & they will deduct 7 credits (each member does not have to give up their card).You can add more full service meals to the plan, but imo, it isn't necessary & costs more $$$. FYI: Tips are no longer included in the meal plan, so at a full service, you either tip cash or to a credit card. I carried extra cash for tips so that it wouldn't confuse the process.Hope that helps, it's much easier to understand once you're there & using it.ETA: Some of the nicer full service restaurants count for 2 credits on the meal plan, so when you start making reservations, make sure you note that.
Ohana and Coral Reef (blackened catfish) were our favorites when we were there last month.Table service options at the Magic Kingdom are pretty limited. Liberty Tree at lunch (dinner is character buffet) is by far the best. Good pot roast.
Gotta plan one myself in the next 6 months.I thought I was crazy for going in summer 09 with four kids aged 7-14. My wife needs to start doing research on this since it is something she really wants to do, once we're out of debt.porkins said:
The easiest way to do tips (and alcohol) is to charge it to the room using that same "Key to the Kingdom" card. With a party of 7, an 18% tip will be automatically charged.Another good thing to know is that adult and child table service credits are tracked seperately, but counter service credits are combined. That means kids don't have to eat off the kid menus at the counter service places if they don't want to.The basic meal plan is one snack, one counter service (fast food type), and one full dining service (sit down meal) per person, per NIGHT of your stay. Each member of your family gets a card & when they use it, they either charge the item(s) to the room or deduct it from the meal plan. Each family member has access to the whole family's meal plan, they are not locked into one snack/counter/meal per day. To maybe explain better, in January, we didn't eat many snacks & we had 12 snack credits left at the end of the week, so my wife bought 12 candy type treats & put them in the suitcase.It sounds like you'll have 7 in your party, right? So if that's the case, each will have 1 full service meal per night (11, right?), which if my math is correct, would be 77 credits ( Holy Crapporkins said:
You can add more full service meals to the plan, but imo, it isn't necessary & costs more $$$. FYI: Tips are no longer included in the meal plan, so at a full service, you either tip cash or to a credit card. I carried extra cash for tips so that it wouldn't confuse the process.
Hope that helps, it's much easier to understand once you're there & using it.
ETA: Some of the nicer full service restaurants count for 2 credits on the meal plan, so when you start making reservations, make sure you note that.
I agree 100%. It's by far our favorite place.... but I'm wondering since it's just the OP and his wife if they'd prefer something a littler quieter.
Yankee, Catching up on your earlier posts I noticed you said Ohana was great and then could check out the fireworks from the beach...what time should I make reservations so I'm done by fireworks time?You also mentioned liking the Italian showcase restaurant. How does it stack up versus good italian places you've eaten in NYC (I think you're from the NY/NJ area)?One more, I also read that you hated Port Orleans Riverside resort....that's where we're staying, what did you dislike?
So exactly what do you remember when you were 4? How about 2 months? Think back to your earliest detailed memories and then plan you trip for your kids at that time. Seriously people...at toddler ager you might as well give your kids some crayons and Dumbo ice cream and they'll be just as happy in the moment and have the same recollection down the road.That said, if you have money to piss away go for it and make yourself proud.We are planing a DisneyWorld trip for Christmas. Me, my wife, my mom, my stepdad, my then 4 year old, and my 2 month old. (The wheels were turning before kid two was conceived.)Got the DVD and pumped, still have to decide on where to stay, etc. My parents are footing the bill in lieu of doing any Christmas at all, so bonus for me.
Went last summer with my 2 1/2 year old nephew(Mikey) and 6 year old nephew(Jason), and they loved it. Two weeks after we got back, we went and saw Ratatioulle. When the castle came on the screen for start of the Disney Logo, the young one stands up, points to the screen and starts saying "Disneyworld"You may not have memories of how you were at that age, but the memories made will last with them for a while, and will definitely last longer than a pack of crayons. Combined that with MY memories of how much fun they had (and they are just my nephews, not my kids), and I think it is well worth it.As to Dynomite, easily the best meal, food-wise, we had was at Jiko, the African restaurant at the Animal Lodge. The best atmosphere was the Sci-Fi Diner in MGM.So exactly what do you remember when you were 4? How about 2 months? Think back to your earliest detailed memories and then plan you trip for your kids at that time. Seriously people...at toddler ager you might as well give your kids some crayons and Dumbo ice cream and they'll be just as happy in the moment and have the same recollection down the road.That said, if you have money to piss away go for it and make yourself proud.We are planing a DisneyWorld trip for Christmas. Me, my wife, my mom, my stepdad, my then 4 year old, and my 2 month old. (The wheels were turning before kid two was conceived.)Got the DVD and pumped, still have to decide on where to stay, etc. My parents are footing the bill in lieu of doing any Christmas at all, so bonus for me.
It's more for my mom. This is more than likely going to be her last Christmas. We want it to be special.So exactly what do you remember when you were 4? How about 2 months? Think back to your earliest detailed memories and then plan you trip for your kids at that time. Seriously people...at toddler ager you might as well give your kids some crayons and Dumbo ice cream and they'll be just as happy in the moment and have the same recollection down the road.That said, if you have money to piss away go for it and make yourself proud.We are planing a DisneyWorld trip for Christmas. Me, my wife, my mom, my stepdad, my then 4 year old, and my 2 month old. (The wheels were turning before kid two was conceived.)Got the DVD and pumped, still have to decide on where to stay, etc. My parents are footing the bill in lieu of doing any Christmas at all, so bonus for me.
1. Wishes starts when it gets dark and is after the Spectromagic Parade. At the moment my brain isn't working but if your meal is starting at the 7pm range you should be ok.2. The Italy pavilion was outstanding and some of the bst food I've ever eaten. Problem is, they left. There is a new restaurant there now. The menu is different. The food is still pretty good but the old place was light years better.3. The bus system for Port Orleans is rather annoying. When we stayed there the bus ran through both Port Oleans hotel grounds so a 10 minute bus trip took 30. They might have changed that by now but I don't remember seeing it. Also, the food court just wasn't that good. In fact, the food at Pop Century was better and cheaper. It's not that the place was bad - nothing there really is. It's just that compared to the other resorts on the grounds, it left some things to be desired.
My son is 4, has been there at least 5 times and could be a tour guide for the parks and the hotels we've stayed in. He remembers everything. He still remembers the table we sat at in Peter Pan's food court where you get to see Small World through the window.Every kid is different, as is every family. We love the place.So exactly what do you remember when you were 4? How about 2 months? Think back to your earliest detailed memories and then plan you trip for your kids at that time. Seriously people...at toddler ager you might as well give your kids some crayons and Dumbo ice cream and they'll be just as happy in the moment and have the same recollection down the road.That said, if you have money to piss away go for it and make yourself proud.We are planing a DisneyWorld trip for Christmas. Me, my wife, my mom, my stepdad, my then 4 year old, and my 2 month old. (The wheels were turning before kid two was conceived.)Got the DVD and pumped, still have to decide on where to stay, etc. My parents are footing the bill in lieu of doing any Christmas at all, so bonus for me.
4 year old is an awesome age for WDW. Especially now with Mickey & the gang and Pooh & the gang making a strong comeback on Playhouse Disney.... on shows geared for the preschoolers. They are easily recognizable characters that the kids are thrilled to see and interact with. Who cares if they remember it when they are 18? As long as they enjoyed themselves at the time. Sure they can't do any of the thrill rides, but if you are going to Disney for the thrill rides, then you are doing it wrong.I'll agree that the 2 month old will get absolutely nothing out of it, but you can't make the 4 year old wait until the baby is old enough. Go again when the baby is 3 or 4. The older kid will be 8 (still at child prices) and have a whole different experience than he did when he was 4. That's the beauty of Disney, they offer something for every age. imo, the best approach is just to go more often for less time. Financially, it'll work out the same in the long run but it's easier to handle over time rather than all at once. Don't kill your family by doing everything possible while spending an ungodly amount of money or waiting until they are the exact perfect age then never going back because it was exhausting or cost too much.So exactly what do you remember when you were 4? How about 2 months? Think back to your earliest detailed memories and then plan you trip for your kids at that time. Seriously people...at toddler ager you might as well give your kids some crayons and Dumbo ice cream and they'll be just as happy in the moment and have the same recollection down the road.That said, if you have money to piss away go for it and make yourself proud.
This is great advice if your plans accomodate it. We know we are going back every year, sometimes twice a year, so we have never forced ourselves to get "everything" in. We've gone for a week and never made it to Disney Studios for example. If you try to crush everything the place has to offer for a fmialy into 7 days you will end up maing it feel more like work and less like vacation.Obviously, that isn't a choice some have, but if you can it's the best way to do it.4 year old is an awesome age for WDW. Especially now with Mickey & the gang and Pooh & the gang making a strong comeback on Playhouse Disney.... on shows geared for the preschoolers. They are easily recognizable characters that the kids are thrilled to see and interact with. Who cares if they remember it when they are 18? As long as they enjoyed themselves at the time. Sure they can't do any of the thrill rides, but if you are going to Disney for the thrill rides, then you are doing it wrong.I'll agree that the 2 month old will get absolutely nothing out of it, but you can't make the 4 year old wait until the baby is old enough. Go again when the baby is 3 or 4. The older kid will be 8 (still at child prices) and have a whole different experience than he did when he was 4. That's the beauty of Disney, they offer something for every age.So exactly what do you remember when you were 4? How about 2 months? Think back to your earliest detailed memories and then plan you trip for your kids at that time. Seriously people...at toddler ager you might as well give your kids some crayons and Dumbo ice cream and they'll be just as happy in the moment and have the same recollection down the road.That said, if you have money to piss away go for it and make yourself proud.
We are planing a DisneyWorld trip for Christmas. Me, my wife, my mom, my stepdad, my then 4 year old, and my 2 month old. (The wheels were turning before kid two was conceived.)
Got the DVD and pumped, still have to decide on where to stay, etc. My parents are footing the bill in lieu of doing any Christmas at all, so bonus for me.
imo, the best approach is just to go more often for less time. Financially, it'll work out the same in the long run but it's easier to handle over time rather than all at once. Don't kill your family by doing everything possible while spending an ungodly amount of money or waiting until they are the exact perfect age then never going back because it was exhausting or cost too much.
