Seeking Good Tips for Disney World

We just got back from Disney this week, and we stayed at the Yacht Club on the Club Level. Stay on property if you can. There are some great perks to staying on the property. Have fun!

Go buy/check out "The Unofficial Guide to Disney World for Families". It's a great book--very helpful. Also check out www.mousesavers.com. have fun!

We just got back from there and we loved it so you'll have a great time! We didn't stay at the resorts, but we did take our own water bottles and we bought snack foods. As someone else suggested, buy sandwich type items for lunches and whatever you can for dinners. The cheapest food places will run you $6+ per meal without a drink and it adds up quickly! The PhotoPass is great as far as sending pics to friends and family, but the 5X7s are $12 a piece! You'd have better luck doing that to email but don't rely on buying them. We also went back to our resort around lunchtime to eat, rest and relax during the hottest time of day and we all napped. That way we were refreshed when we went back. Magic Kingdom is open until midnight most nights, and after the fireworks is the best time to enjoy rides you missed. Just in case you didn't know, Disney has a Rider Switch program for those rides that your 3yr old can't ride. You go to the FastPass return lane and get a rider switch pass. That way, when one of you takes the other daughter on a ride, the other stay with the toddler. Then, when they get off the ride, you get to go! My daughter loved it because she got to ride most rides twice. :)

Have a great trip!

We have 2 boys and we stayed at the All Star Sports hotel for 2 nights. It worked just fine and only cost $250 total. The room is a bit small, but you really aren't in there very much. You can request a small refrigerator and it has a shuttle service and a food court right on the site. Since you have girls you may prefer the Music or Movies resort over the sports one. Buy plastic cups at the food court. We bought 3 and it cost $40, but you can refill it with soda, coffee or tea as much as you want so we felt it was worth it (I think each drink you buy is $3.50). Try to pack snacks and juice boxes in a backpack to take with you to the park as snacks are pricey and they may make your wait in the lines more pleasant. Take advantage of the fast passes. It is easy to use. FInd the kiosk, insert your park ticket and a ticket will pop out telling you when to return. When you return to the ride you hop in the fast pass line which is usually MUCH shorter and there you go. Make a plan of what you want to see at the MK because you will get there and be completely overwhelmed. I found the book "Disney with Kids 2008" to be very helpful. It gives you all kinds of money saving tips and guides you on what attractions are appropriate for what age children. Since there is a significant age gap between your girls you and your husband may want to split up for a while so each of your girls can see/do the most. Texting is helpful to communicate if you do split up. My husband and I did this and it worked well although I would have preferred to experience it all together. Since we only had 1 day at MK, like you, you just won't see as much if you stick together because the lines can take an hour or more sometimes. Do the photo pass too. That way you can get a few shots with your entire family. Then when you get home you can view the pics and order a couple for a souvenir. Most importantly, remember to have fun and try not to stress out too much while you're there. hd

My husband use to work at WDW, so here is a great big value resort tip!!!!! Pop Century is the only value resort that does not take any large group reservations!! That means no cheerleader groups, no little league football groups, etc... That can make a huge difference in your sleep! Go for POP!
To save money, pack some easy breakfast foods and eat before you hit the parks. You can also bring food into the park. We usually bring a few snacks for a long line wait, but eat lunch/diner at the parks. A great web site to help you plan is www.wdwinfo.com. It has restaurant menues and prices and pretty much any other info you need. A book I would suggest is the Disney Passporter. You can find it at any book store and sometimes at half price books. Have a great time! If you have any other questions, please feel free to email me.
S.

We stayed for 4 nights at the All-Star Movie motel and had a great time. Actually, it was hard to get our boys out of the hotel pool to go to the park! They do a good job of keeping it clean and the staff are very helpful.
Have fun!

I will be staying at a value resort in a couple of weeks. I was told any of the value resorts are nice. Rooms are not big, but the overall experience is suppose to be just as "Disney" as any of the more costly hotels on grounds. We are staying at the All Stars Sports as it came recommended for my son. I hear the Movie resort fills up quickly during busy months.

We stayed at the Sports or Music one, I can't remember. They are all good! If you are going to spend the day in the park, the room is just a place to sleep and they are great. I'd suggest getting the dining pass. You pay for it when you book for your room. It includes something like two counter meals, 1 sit down meal, and 2 snacks per person, per day. We kept track of what we would have spent if we'd paid cash and not got the dining pass and found it was WELL worth it! Plus, you feel a little better about getting those snacks when you know you need to use it anyway.

Hi S.

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Have fun clicking and have a great trip!

Hello S.,

we went there a couple of years ago and I took w/ me a small one burner electrical stove I purchased at walgreens. it saved us a ton of money in food. (of course I made sure it was completely cooled off before I put it away in a drawer) I took a small pot and a couple of bowls + some dispossable spoons with us. I used mainly to make malt-o-meal/ oatmeal for breakfast and sometimes even for dinner. buy milk and cereal at walmart and also your snacks and fruits. if you don't want to pay for a refridgerator, buy one of those dispossable coolers so you can keep your drinks, cheese, etc in there. we ate out ONE meal per day. usually lunch because we were at the park. we were there less than a week but saved at least $200 by buying the "light" meals from walmart.

by the way, if there is a medical need (needing to keep meds in the fridge /for diabetes, etc. the fridge may even be complementary. make sure to mention it.

Good luck and have fun! ~C.~

Hi,
My husband & I just took our two girls (ages 2 & 5) to Disney back in May. We stayed at the Pop Century Resort inside the park and we loved it! The rates were very good and it is so kid friendly & family-fun oriented. The Resort is "years themed" with the 50's through the 90's. Not sure how soon you are planning to go, but the Resorts book up pretty quick. If you do choose the Pop Century, ask for a room closest to the bus pickup, as this is much more convenient with little ones (50's or 60's sections are closest). The only downfall about Pop Century is that it is one of the furthest away from the parks, this is because it is the most recently built ones. But, the buses run on a reg. basis, so there is no problem getting to the parks in a timely manner. There is an awesome food court and gift shop inside and the pool area is very nice... check out the Pop Century Resort on the Disney website. Also, don't know if you are members of AAA, but they give awesome incintives/discounts...hope this helps. Have a great trip!

Make sure you get the "Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World". It will help you get the most value and fun out of the park.
D.

You can't go wrong staying at any of the Disney Values, in my opinion. Have fun!

S.

The Pop Century resort is absolutely wonderful. I can't say enough good things about it.

Other money saving tips:
* Take water bottles with you and refill them from the water fountains in the park, rather than buying drinks.
* If you are driving, take a stroller rather than renting one. Your 3-year old is going to get tired of all the walking and want a ride or to be carried. We picked up an old stroller at Goodwill for $5, that way we didn't care what happened to it. Then, we gave it to someone else when we left and didn't have to bring it back home.
* Make rules about souvenir shopping. We focused on the smashed pennies (small, cheap, and fun). My kids each got to pick one big thing at the end of the trip. This kept them from getting something and then wanting something else. We also avoided shopping in the parks and went to Downtown Disney on the last day -- no park ticket required to go there.
* Plan for meals at off times. Keep extra snacks in your bag, and in your hotel room. With this, we ate only two meals a day at the parks. Don't feel like you need to stick to traditional eating times like you do at home. The meals are big.
* Don't take a regular bag to the park -- it gets really heavy. Pack a "throw away" bag with your disposable water bottles, plain change of clothes for the kids, diapers if needed, etc. That's not a desirable bag to steal, plus if it does get taken, you're not at a loss -- and you don't have to pay for a locker.

Have a great time! You don't have to break the bank to have a good time at Disney.

If you can go in September (during their low season), you'll be the best values, and better yet ... no lines! All of the value resorts are about the same. The rooms are nice ... after all, it's just a place to sleep. Each of the resorts has at least one food court as well as a restaurant, at least two pools, and play area. Riding the bus from the resort to the parks was not a problem for us.

Good luck!

S.,
All the value resorts are fine. I usually send my clients to Pop Century or All Star Movies. Make sure you book your reservations ahead and also go for one of the Princess dining spots. It is pricey but your girls will never forget it.You can go to the Disney Store in Grapevine Mills and get Disney Dollars to spend in the Parks. They have character pictures on them.
I am a stay at home Grandmother to 10 wonderful grandchildren and being a travel agent gives me the flexability to help out with them.
N. Cox

If you stay at a value, All Star Movies is a good one....it has larger than life statues of the Disney Movie characters. We have stayed at Value, Moderate, and Deluxe at WDW & DL. With the deluxe the monorail takes you where you are going. With moderate and value, the buses are the transportation. Allow plenty of time for the buses with the value resort....they are the furthest out from the parks. Your kids will like the Movies resort. What is your plan for visiting the parks?

Our favorite value resort is the Pop Century. It's a lot of fun and the rooms are bigger than the All-Stars. You can bring food and drinks into the park, so that will save you money. Also, you have their free transportation from the resorts to the parks so you can go back to the room. Email me if you want any more info. We LOVE Disney. It's our favorite vacation spot.

Hi S.,

We went to Disney World a couple of years ago and stayed at the Carribean Resort, which was very comfortable. We were on an extremely tight budget, too. The good news is that since you're driving, you can buy food at a grocery store and not be held hostage to buying all your meals in the parks, which adds up incredibly fast.

We had a refrigerator in our room, so we bought various items that we could eat for breakfast before we left, like milk, mini-cereal boxes, yogurt, fruit, muffins, etc. We also stocked up on bottled water. Each day we'd have breakfast in our room, then pack a little backpack with water bottles (which we'd refill at the park's water fountains) and fruit and snacks (cheese, nuts, Nutigrain bars, etc.). By doing this, we were able to buy only one meal at one of the less expensive venues in the park each day (ran about $30 for a famiy of four).

By the end of our trip my son started to figure out that he was only getting two "real" meals a day, but since he always had snacks handy he didn't really care. I'd also recommend renting a locker to store the things you don't want to carry all day. They're right at the entrance to each park.

Hope this helps, and that you have a fantastic time!

God bless!

D. B.

I also recommend the Ultimate Guide to Walt Disney World. The website is touringplans.com. It gives you plans for what rides to see in what order to get the most out of your day. Since you are only going for 1 day, it might help you see more and wait in line less. We are going to Disney in 2 weeks and are staying at the Pop Century this time. I'm glad to hear so many good things about it! You won't see everything but that's ok. Make sure to keep it fun and not let the kids get too worn out. A midday rest is a good idea. Good luck!

Hi S.,
If you are wanting to stay at Disney World, then the All Star Movies is a GREAT place! You still get all the perks of staying on site (transportation to the parks via a bus system, GREAT pools, wonderful atmosphere, early and/or late entrance to come parks, etc...). The All Star Movies resort has HUGE, and I mean HUGE, characaters from various Disney Movies. It is really fun! Great picture opportunities!
BUT, it is all very spread out. I would request a room as close to the lobby as possible. They will say that they can't guarantee anything, but I have found that if I am super nice, and tell them this is our (your) first trip, etc... then you have a greater chance of getting closer.
I'm so excited for you and your family. Have fun!!! IF you can schedule it, you can check the park schedule and try to visit on a day where Magic Kingdom opens early for those people staying on-site. It will make your day so much nicer. Also, make sure to take advantage of the FAST Pass system.
R. B. :)