Disney - Plano,TX

I have always dealt directly with Disney. I check their website and also confirm things with the phone number they have listed. I am not one to go for the discunters because you have to be very careful to read ALL the fine print and know exactly what you are getting. Always remember "you get what you pay for" "If it sounds to good to be true,,,,it probably is"

We have been to Disney at least 7 times, last Spring Break was the last time we went and it was not that bad. We started when daughter was 2 and went about every 2 yrs up until last spring break.

Depending on your children and your budget. ....... Our theory is if we are going to do something, we will do it right. We LOVE the Polynesian and that has been our top choice each time. We have stayed in the regular rooms with plenty of space as well as the Conceirge level (our personal favorite) Many people say Conceirge is too much $$ and granted it is a LOT of $$ upwards of $400/night .....BUT food and drink is always available and you can cut way down on snacks and dinners. They have something out all the time...breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and dessert times with food available. It is right across from MK where you have a great view of the nightly fireworks. Conceirge also has extra perks with all the parks. Last year we took advantage of a semi private (10 people) safari that was right up close and personal with the animals on the safari, a guide and special stops along the way.

Transportation.....we always fly and take a cab from the airport to the hotel last year was $80 each way. Disney does have a shuttle that will take you (FREE) to and from but you have no idea how long it will take you to get to your hotel and where your drop spot will be. It depends on how many people are on the shuttle. We prefer the straight shot one on one cab. We do not rent a car while there, don't need it. We use the monorail and bus system.

Polynesian is on the monorail line and is an EASY stop if you have little ones at MK and you need to run to the room for a nap. You can be back SO fast to the room. The Grand Floridian is a fantastic place and the Contemporary is a good place. The 3 are on the monorail line and easy access to MK.

We have always been to Disney around the Spring Break time or in early August. We've never experienced a huge wait line for anything. Last year, I had 2 14 yr old girls and they never complained with not being able to do something because of a line.

Character dinners, lunch, breakfast are a must. Take an autograph book for the children to get autographs. our favorites are Chef Mickey at the Contemporary...a good buffet that most peole enjoy, the luau (original, not character) is a lot of fun, Pooh breakfast inside MK was fun. The 3:00 parade is a must see as well as nightly fireworks.

Whatever you do, go to enjoy, have patience, and watch those smiling faces of your children.

I have more info from experience if you like. Also, Polynesion has a "camp" for kids so you can get out with hubby for a nice dinner. I don't know ages, etc, we never used it. I can't say enough about Polynesian...I could stay there and go no where else. The Floridian is super nice....country clubbish and classy.

Enjoy!!

On our first few trips to Disney, we used a Travel Agency. They can offer offer you package deals that can save you money and many times they will have specials. They can also offer you different pricing options. We have always stayed at a hotel/condo on-site. I think this is the best option as Disney has transportation to and from all on-site resorts to all themed parks.

Depending on your schedule, my favorite months are the "cooler" months- November thru February . BUT, we homeschool and do not have to worry with a school schedule. Of course, any holiday times will be more crowded than normal.

As for pricing, it can get pricey. While the Polynesian, Contemporary, and Grand Floridian are GREAT, if you are on a budget, there are definitely some other resorts that are still VERY nice. On our first trip, we stayed at the "All-Star" resorts and found them wonderful- especially for kids. This is where a Travel Agent can really help you out.

Finally, there are TONS of books out there for helping you plan things out- rides, dining, parks, etc... If you plan on doing any character dining, you MUST book those reservations 6 months out. 6 months is the earliest you are allowed to book. IF you don't book your dining reservations early, you could get stuck with no reservations or really yucky times. :)

Have fun. I think planning is half the fun. :)
R.

Disney really adds up . I live here in Florida and the best places are the hotels that have the transportation to and from the parks, especially if you have children. I like the Floridian hotel but can never find it cheep. Look on their website and see if they have any deals. Disney was just advertising five day package with all the parks, thats what you want to do. I find the best time to go to Disney is November around thanksgiving and in February, these I find the slowest and not so hot. Good luck!!!

Check out MouseSavers.com for money saving tips. Spend a bit of time surfing the Disney website where you can view resort pricing, photos of resorts, park maps, ride height restrictions, and entertainment. Staying on Disney property gets you transportation to and from all attractions and resorts; plus, you get Extra Magic Hours which will allow Disney resort guests to enter parks 1 hour earlier or stay a few hours later than the general public. The website is offering some deals right now so see if one of those will work for you. We have been in June and July but since we're from Houston it never felt really hot at the parks. If you kids are going to be into the pin trading, get some from Ebay before going. Pins purchased at the parks are from $3.95 and up. You can get a mixed bag of tradeable pins from dealers off Ebay for about $0.75 - $1 per pin. Then you take those and trade-up with the cast members in the park. My son trades for Pirates of the Carribean, my daughter goes after Chip & Dale. Also, on the website they have a Mom's forum which gives great advice on everything Disney. Have Fun!

Stay away from spring break! If you go to the official Disney website they actually list their slowest times and usually offer really cheap deals. Staying on property is the easiest because transportation is convenient. You can also google 'cheap disney world' and you'll get tons of sites that offer deals. If you want to miss hot weather skip May-September. Whatever you do make sure you get to Animal Kingdom and ride Everest! It's awesome! our tall enough kids rode it over and over again. I loved it!