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Old 11-02-2012, 07:01 PM   #1
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Disney World here we come..

OK, decided with the wifey we're doing Disney this summer with our two girls (10 & 7). We were just looking around for the best possible package for a 4-6 day stay/park pass along with lodging close by. I though it would be cheaper (lodging wise) to carry down the TT and stay at a campground close by but so far hotel cost is very competitive if not cheaper that what the CG cost would be and would take the added fuel/TT expense out of the overall cost. Any advise/reccomendations on where to stay at either a CG or hotel by those who have been recently? At this point staying at a hotel is fine with me since we will be there just to sleep. We are trying to go either in the begining of June or towards the end of Aug just before the kids go back to school so I know it going to be hot out reguardless but looking to find a decent/cheap place to stay. We will check with AAA on their packages next week and what they reccomend but just thought that I would ask around here to see who has been and where they stayed. Thanks!!
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Old 11-02-2012, 07:16 PM   #2
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check out "Art of Animation". New value resort that looks awesome. We went in January and stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort. We have been in the past and stayed at coronado springs, Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter, and Beach Club Resort. All great experiences. Beach club was the best location but it's a deluxe resort so its expensive, so we tend to stay at moderate resorts now. Next time i think we will try art of animation.
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Old 11-02-2012, 08:55 PM   #3
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As a former travel agent, keep in mind the cost of food. It adds up in Disney's "Mousetrap!" The dining plan option has been worth the extra cost, although I haven't checked in awhile. The first time we took our 2 boys', we spent $1300 on food for a 7 night stay and they were young and barely ate! I couldn't imagine taking them now at ages 14 & 16 without some meal plan in place. I have been 15 times since 1990 and most of those visits have been enjoyed in the Swan or Dolphin hotels. Expensive, but in a great location. Walking/tram/boat ride to Epcot and MGM.
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Old 11-02-2012, 09:35 PM   #4
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I have stayed at either the Swan or Dolphin for a week every year the past 6 years on business. I can say the hotel seems to be getting rather worn. Also the rooms are rather small for a family of 4. Before that we stayed at the JW Marriott, off property and little far...but excellent resort.

DW and I taking our kids (7, 4, infnt) to Disney World on family trip next month, we really wanted space and an ability to prepare light meals opposed to eating out everything. We are staying off property, but got a great deal on 2 bedroom suite w/ living room and full kitchen at Sheraton Vistana Resort Villas. We have had family stay here and they raved about it. If you can stand staying off property you may want to check I out. Oh, I was able to get far better rates by calling direct opposed to the Internet.

If you are a Costco member, they have good packages too.
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Old 11-02-2012, 09:37 PM   #5
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I have stayed at either the Swan or Dolphin for a week every year the past 6 years on business. I can say the hotel seems to be getting rather worn. Also the rooms are rather small for a family of 4. Before that we stayed at the JW Marriott, off property and little far...but excellent resort.

DW and I taking our kids (7, 4, infnt) to Disney World on family trip next month, we really wanted space and an ability to prepare light meals opposed to eating out everything. We are staying off property, but got a great deal on 2 bedroom suite w/ living room and full kitchen at Sheraton Vistana Resort Villas. We have had family stay here and they raved about it. If you can stand staying off property you may want to check I out. Oh, I was able to get far better rates by calling direct opposed to the Internet.

If you are a Costco member, they have good packages too.
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Old 11-03-2012, 07:51 AM   #6
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We are going to Art of Animation resort next month (Dec. 1-8). I will report back how that is.
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Old 11-03-2012, 08:09 AM   #7
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Thanks for the advise and keep 'em coming. Yes, we are Costco members and didnt even think about checking with them (we're actually going shopping there later today). thanks again everyone.
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Old 11-03-2012, 12:59 PM   #8
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We went with our son, DIL and most importantly our g'son this May. Stayed in the Jambo House and purchased one of the dining plans. We, and again most importantly our g'son, had a wonderful time. The Jambo is a bit on the 'new' side which was nice (but be sure to take a large-ish stack of $$$) and the dining plan was for certain a plus. Best way for me to describe the dining plan is like a voucher system. Your dining card is loaded with x number of snack, b'fast, lunch and dinner 'tokens'. You can eat at higher end restaurants for 2 'tokens'. The most popular resturants will take reservations many months in advance which I'd recommend doing unless you don't mind eating burgers n dogs.
Transportation to the Magic Kingdom was via bus which worked OK, not great but OK. Riding the monorail or ferry to the older hotels has my vote (I'm nostalgic - that's my excuse and I'm stickin to it).
We totaly loved this trip which was only our third and very special since all our immediate family was there (did I mention our g'son?)
Keep in mind that the Mouse loves $$ but in exchange for a fair bit of it he will show you an awesome time.
The world is big and life is short, keep moving.
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Old 11-03-2012, 07:49 PM   #9
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We've stayed at All Star Music, All Star Sports, Port Orleans, Coronada Springs, Fort Wilderness and scheduled to make our first long trip in the TT to Fort Wilderness Campground in March 2013.

We like staying at a Disney property to take advantage of early admission to the parks and using Disney transportation from the hotel to the various parks (no driving after a long day in the park and no parking fees).
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Old 11-03-2012, 08:03 PM   #10
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We are heading to Disney's Fort Wilderness the Sunday after Thanksgiving for a week.

Hope the weather is cool and the crowds are small !!!!!
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Old 11-04-2012, 09:27 AM   #11
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We stayed at the Dolphin. It is on Disney property, close to Epcot and Disney Studios, and enjoys the extended hours and early entry that other Disney resorts do. It is a very good place to stay, but it is NOT a Disney-owned property and therefore you CANNOT get the meal plan if you are staying at the Swan or Dolphin.

I would agree with other posters here that the meal plan is a very good deal, if you use it correctly. Also, be sure to make reservations for where you want to eat LONG BEFORE you travel down to Florida. Otherwise you will find that they are filled up and you may only get to eat at odd hours, if at all. We intentionally wanted to eat at some higher end restaurants, so we knew we would pay a lot...especially since we were staying at the Dolphin and couldn't get the meal plan package. We enjoyed most of them, but unless you really appreciate French food, I would stay away from the French restaurant at Epcot. We had never eaten French food before so we wanted to try it. We paid well over $200 for 3 people to eat (and I use that term loosely, since none of us finished our meals). I am a person who will generally eat anything, but I just couldn't handle this Frech food. The meals were generally terrible (again, I had no experience with French cooking) and portions were sized for a 3 year old. The dessert was very good however. If you want to try a bit of France, then I suggest just ordering the dessert. Again, this is just me. I learned (after spending well over $200) that none of my family likes French food. We did enjoy all the other countries that we at at. The Norway restaurant was especially excellent for food, and the service was pleasant and prompt.

In a previous trip, we stayed at the Animal Kingdom lodge. This was a higher end resort and therefore pricier, but well worth the money, in my opinion. A great African motif, some African food on the menu, and you can't put a value on waking up, going out on your balcony and seeing giraffes, wildebeest, etc. right outside your hotel room balcony! Our kids loved it!
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Old 11-05-2012, 07:33 PM   #12
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We have stayed a couple of times at Ft. Wilderness and have really enjoyed it. If you stay at an outside CG, you will pay the difference in parking fees and it won't be nearly as convenient.
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Old 11-05-2012, 08:34 PM   #13
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If the question is wheter to stay on property or off then I would say that the CG is probaly going to give you the most bang for your buck on property. The hotel rooms can be tight and you will need to buy all your meals which can add up. If you have not been in a while you are going to burn out at some point due to heat, lines and excitement. If you don't have a room with your own kitchen it's going to mean less options for a down day. If you go up to a larger room with a kitchen then the CG is much cheaper.

Parking is $14.00 a day for drive ins and you do not get magic hours which are a benefit when it's crowded.

Staying on property gives you the magic hours and transportion to all the areas which can be good and bad. Some condos have free transportion to the parks which can be beneficial. Another option is to go onto Redweek.com and see if there is a rental property to be had for the week. You will find several hundred to choose from and it will save you tons. Just do some research on the property before you rent. There are Disney properties within the network that owners rent for the week and you get the same amenities plus a free shuttle from the airport if you fly in.
Depending on what your taste and size is they should range from $400.00 to $3000.00 for a week.
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Old 11-06-2012, 09:23 PM   #14
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We have stayed at Disney World many times. And each time, we go to Fort Wilderness. We rent one of ther Wilderness Homes. Before we check in, we stop at a local grocery store outside the park and buy what we think we will need for breakfast, lunch and snacks. We also will cook a couple of meals for supper. Plus since they have every day maid service, they clean up the mess! This has helped a lot on the food bill!

BTW, One of the best dining experiences we had at Epcot was at the Japanese Pavillion steak house...... Fantastic!

We are making plans to go again in March when the kids are on their spring break.
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Old 11-06-2012, 09:40 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by Quantum View Post
We are going to Art of Animation resort next month (Dec. 1-8). I will report back how that is.
Can't wait to hear about your experience @ Art of Animation!

The meal plan is definitely worth it. We also had our daughter (she was 2 at the time) with us. She was not eligible for the meal plan because she was free but if you use the plan right and get as much as your allowed with it, we had more food than we needed and paid minimal on food for her.
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