DisneyWorld Moderate vs Deluxe resorts--Overwhelmed with All the Information

Hi...anytime in the summer is generally hot. However, you have so much fun that you almost forget the hot. I went there 10 years or so ago and I remember it being hot but not dreadful. It rains often in that part of Florida and June is generally from what I've been told one of their wettest months. I'm going in August with my son(not the month I would prefer, just had to be). My friend who did live there until recently told me that it is miserable in July and August. As for the hotels...we are staying in the value resorts and they are not suppose to be that big of a room. They are however suppose to be clean and work decently for the amount of time you actually spend in the rooms. Or at least this is what I was told by one of my friends. My son is 6 and we can't wait to go...we have 16 more days! :-) Today I was told that the Polenisian(sp) is suppose to be wonderful. You might want to check into that hotel. It is a little bit more pricey but might offer you what you are looking for.

K.,
I am a travel agent and a stay at home grandmother of 10 wonderful grandkids. I work as a home based agent so I can help their parents when they get sick so they don't have to miss work Anyway Disney is the most important vacation besides your honeymoon that you will take. It is pretty easy though. The value resorts are great if you don't expect them to be luxerious. They are a nice product for the money. Kids your age will love the All-Star Movies. You can move up to a Moderate resort. Whatever you do make sure you include the dining plan. It is the best value of your money. June is hot and crowded so if you can go Spring or Fall it would be better. Please feel free to call or email me. You can use a travel agent and it is no cost to you and I book lots of Disney.
N. Cox
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Hi K.

What a great thing to do! I myself am taking my son to Disneyworld in August! I am a Leisure Travel Consultant for WorldVentures and I have the answer for you!

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Have fun!

Hi K.,
If you can afford it, the deluxe resorts offer a lot of room- but even better, if you can do a Suite, then not only do you get a separate bedroom and livingroom, but you get a FULLY equiped kitchen, a washer and drier, AND a hot tub in your room! It is so nice if you plan to spend time in your room and the hot tub is great after a long day of walking.
June will be quite warm (and wet) AND it will be crowded. Check out this site for more info regarding crowd expectations:
http://travelwithkids.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi...

I suggest purchasing a book about Disney World (there are a ton available) and making a plan on which park to visit on what day, where to eat (and make those reservations EXACTLY 6 months ahead of time), what to see at each park, etc... There are some great KID books for your children to decide what they want to ride.

I have found that hitting the parks early, taking a break in the afternoon, and then heading back to the park in the evening works out nicely. AND, at your deluxe resorts, you can even leave your children at the "kid's clubhouse" and you can get a night out by yourself.

As for which deluxe resort, I personally LOVE the Wilderness Lodge. It is close to Magic Kindgom (you can get there by boat or bus), it sits on the lake and there is a light show parade on the lake every night. It has a rustic feel, and just has a slower pace atmosphere to it (which is nice after being at the parks).

Other than that, comfy shoes and lots of water are my best recommendations. Enjoy.
R. B.
Disney Vacation Member (Disney Freak)

You've gotten a lot of help. The main issue is what your budget allows. Any Disney hotel is worth doing. The Value resorts have smaller rooms, about the size of an average Holiday Inn room and no slides at the pools, but the prices are much better. There are lots of photo spots throughout the property and younger kids love it. You get the same Disney quality cleanliness and service. The food courts at the value resorts is cheaper and gives you better options for smaller kids. When you go up to the high price resorts, you pay more for everything. We go often, so we always try to save money. The moderate resorts are better if you need a little bigger room and the pools have a slide which is fun. The slides close at 8pm, so remember that if you plan to go for a late night swim.The Carribean Beach is great, but we like the Port Orleans Riverside because it has a boat to Downtown Disney. You can actually spend a day out of the parks and have a great time too. The Downtown has a great lego store where we've spent lots of time. When the kids were young, we used to buy them a new lego set and that gave us relaxing time in the room to shower and get ready without hearing complaints. The higher price hotels don't have a food court. Most of your meals have to be at a restaurant. They do have a small snack bar. A good place to find discounts is www.mousesavers.com. The best suggestion that I give people is to relax and have fun. There is so much to do that if you try to do it all, you'll feel exhausted and not want to go back. Be flexable and don't worry if your plans don't go as you expected. Whatever you do will be awesome and fun and if you relax while you do it, you'll want to go back again. It is a once in a lifetime trip but it doesn't have to be done only once. Have fun!

Hello K.,
My family of four just got back from DisneyWorld. My son had just turned 7 and my daughter had also just turned 4. First of all,the first week of June is "Gay" week, so you might want to consider that in your planning. We were there the second week of June. It was hot and miserable, but we were well prepared. Think of our Texas heat plus add humidity.

After doing tons of research, we decided to stay at the Disney Dolphin Hotel. They offer discounts for anyone in the military, nursing, police,firefighting and teaching field (179.00 per night). The Dolphin Hotel is very nice with all the amenities and we could not beat the price. We used Happy Limos (Mousesavers recommendation for a private luxury sudan pickup to and from the airport) It was cheaper for us to do this than the Mears Shuttle, plus they stop at an Alberton's on the way so you can buy snacks, bottled water, sunscreen etc.. It was wonderful and they were on time each way. Our car each way was a suburban and mousesavers has a code to give you an additional discount.

When we arrived at the hotel we found out due to full occupancy they switched us to their sister hotel the Swan which was right next door. It was an upgrade (2 queen heavenly beds vs 2 double heavenly beds) and yes the beds were oh so heavenly. The room also included a mini-fridge, plasma tv, bath and body toiletries. We were very impressed. Our hotel was very quiet and we never heard any of our neighbors.The Dolphin and Swan are located on Disney property and they get all the perks (free Disney ferry boat shuttles to EPcot and Disney Hollywood and Free Disney Shuttles to all the parks including downtown Disney) and Magic hours. They are not included in the Disney Dining Plan. Please go online to their website to check out the pools. Best of all, they have a Dolphin kid's camp where you can have two hours of free childcare which also includes dinner for the kids, if you eat at one of their hotel restaraunts. My husband and I ate at Todd English's Blue Zoo and it was one of the best meals I have ever eaten. With the high prices of food at any of the Disney parks and properties, this is an unbelievable great deal. When we picked up the kids, they did not want to leave because they were having so much fun.

I have tons of money saving tips and things you will definitely need to bring should you decide to move forward with a June Disney trip. Please feel free to email me and I would be happy to tell you what worked for us.

B.

We were regular Disney visitors when our daughter was younger. She is 13 now and I think we might be going back next year for one last hurrah. It is our preference to stay within the monorail line at a deluxe resort. We LOVE the Polynesian. I could stay at that hotel and never even to go a park.

If you have little ones, the Polynesian, Grand Floridian and Contemorary are especially nice because they are on the monorail line. Just walk upstairs and hop on. The Polynesian and Grand Floridian have a boat taxi that runs to and from Magic Kingdom. Very convenient. This is great if you have a napper, forget something in your room, take packages back to your room or just want a break. Your view is Magic Kingdom and you see the nightly fireworks show. Polynesian and Grand Floridian have nice beaches.

You do pay a premium for these hotels but it is worth it to us. We actually stayed in the Concierge area at the Polynesian. Pricey....YES (upwards of $500/room/night), however, they had light foods for breakfast, light mid day snacks/drinks, early afternoon happy hour/light snacks, and later night desserts. GREAT service.

We also bought passes when we checked into the hotel that were good for any park and expired at midnight on the day of checkout. The valets will hold luggage for you after your checkout.

We have always booked about a year in advance. You get a better selection of rooms that way. We fly from DFW to Orlando and take a cab to the hotel. The fare was less than $50. You get a straight shot to and from the hotel without having to share a shuttle, wait around, going to and from other hotels for pickup and dropoff.

Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary is a great buffet place where the characters greet children. The Polynesian has a Character breakfast that is a lot of fun. The Polynesian has a great luau as well as a character luau. We always did the regular luau. When we first went there the luau was very authentic (better than one we attended in Hawaii!!) It is now more commercial. You need to book these events in advance when you book your room.

I made all reservations myself with a Disney rep at the phone number advertised. I made the air travel arrangements as well. My husband is in sales and travels weekly so I am accustomed to managing and dealing with airlines and hotels because I manage all of his travel.

Just pack plenty of patience! Have fun.

tf

Hi K.,

We are totally obsessed with Disney World and love to talk about it every chance we get!

We are spoiled and like to stay near Epcot (Swan, Dolphin, Boardwalk, Beach Club). The hotels are beautiful with great service and gorgeous pools and restaurants/grills/shopping. We also like to be near Epcot because it's within walking distance, which saves time (and gives you more time to enjoy Disney World).

The Magical Express service is awesome and truly enhances your vacation experience.

Have a wonderful time!

L.
(Working mom of a 7 year old girl and a wife to a hard working husband)

If you are willing to trade being able to walk right into the park from your hotel, I highly recommend staying at the "cabins" in the Wilderness Resort area. We did this last May for my son's 9th birthday. I took him and his best friend and it was perfect for us. The cabins are spacious with a kitchen, bedroom with bunk beds and a queen and there is also a living room with a fold-out I think. I like to make breakfast and to have the extra space so the adventure of riding the boat to the park or taking a bus each day was well worth the trade off of being in a hotel right next to the park. We were there over Memorial Day and that was a great time to be there so June should be good - bring lots of sun screen! There is a small store in the Wilderness Resort where you can get breakfast essentials and if you don't want to cook you can go to the buffet that they have. We went one morning and it is great but lots of food and $$s for kids who are happy with toast and eggs...You will have so much fun! Make sure you spend at least a half day at the Animal Kingdom. Some told me not to bother, but we had the best time there - fun Safari ride and kid activities. Good for afternoon and into the night one of your days. I picked a park to start each day and if we were up to it, we went to another one late afternoon. We spent one day out of five not going to a park and stayed around the wilderness resort and took the shuttle to the town shopping area and ate dinner. The boys were ready for this break by the 3rd or 4th day. If I didn't stay in the Wilderness Resort, I would stay at one of the hotels closest to the park. Do not stay outside the Disney Resorts unless you have no choice. The convenience of shuttle transportation makes it much more relaxing and also gets you extra time each evening in one of the parks. Have Fun!

We stayed with our daughter and nanny at Old Key West resort. it's one of the hotels that actually have a full kitchen with oven, fridge, microwave and was very affordable. well worth it with kids b/c of the kitchen. have fun!! I'm jealous!

Hi K.,

I agree that June, July and August is the months with the longest lines, very hot (dreadfully hot) and wettest. If you go, go during Oct, Nov or Dec. Be sure to take a mini umbrella....it does sprinkle in the morning. Also bring your sunscreen. We stayed at the All Star Movies...great place for kids. There will be buses to take you everywhere for free. Be sure to get a "hopper" pass so your family can hop from park to park...great investment. And with kids, I say save Majic Kingdom for last because the kids will never want to go to the other parks after seeing Magic Kingdom. :) Go to the parks early in the morning when they first open...Amimal Kingdom's animals are out early and feeding but as the day heats up, they are sleeping. Be sure to go on the Kilimanjaro Safaris at 9am. Lots of shows and attractions to see. Have fun! It truely is a magical experience. One last tip, take your own water bottle and fill the bottle up at the water stations....because bottle water is expensive.

K., I just got back from Disneyland and had collected a LOT of information and spoke to a lot of people before making our decisions... we first inteneded to go to Disneyworld in Fla... but warnings of the summer heat and massive crowds drove us to look to Cali, where the temp is only in the 70's or low 80's each day, the park is smaller (but still oh so magical), and the flight is only an extra 20 minutes or so more than going to Fla. However, the one name that kept coming up in the resorts to stay at in Fla. was the Carribbean Beach resort... I hear that for the money, that one is the best. Unlike some of the other nicer resorts, like the Swan, all of the Disney perks are honored there, like the luggage arrival service. If we had gone that way, that is where we would have stayed.
For Disneyland, we actually ended up staying at a beach resort, and our drive from the beautiful coastal beaches of Orange County, CA to Disney was less than 30 minutes!! We ended up getting more bang for our buck-- a beach and a Disney vacation. The weather was perfect, the crowds weren't overwhelming, and wow, it was a wonderful experience.
Good luck!!

We just got back from our 1st trip to Disney last week. What a fabulous time!

We stayed at the Yacht Club on the club level where there was a food room for snacks & alcohol all day & a concierge to make all our plans and reservations. It was a great room, too. It's pricier, but it was so more relaxing letting someone else do all the plans for you. My DH was not on board at all for the club level, & he complained about the price up until we entered the park. Literally, after the first day we were there, he told me, "I'm so glad that we're staying on the club level." He loved it!!!

It was hot, but so is any park during the summer. After growing up going to Astroworld my entire life, the Disney lines were no problem. They went really quickly, & you can fast pass the ones that don't. It did start raining every afternoon when we left, so I think next time we'll go early summer. I just made my son (who is 4) drink lots of water, wear a hat & sunglasses, use the water bottle with a fan, & I put a fan on his stroller. The adults were more uncomfortable than he was!

I was overwhelmed with planning this for a year, too, but I feel better now that I've been once. It will get better for you, too. Have fun!!!!1

If you want a lot of room in your hotel, I would suggest looking for a rental timeshare/condo for the week. They are wonderful! You will have lots more room, a kitchen, and a washer/dryer set. There are several in Orlando. We have one at Orange Lake (but, there are others less expensive).

You will have to pay parking to get in to Disney, if you lodge off-property (something to consider). I think it's around $11 a day?

The first of June will probably be quite warm and possibly rainy. Be sure to take sun hats, sunscreen, and those cheap plastic disposable rain jackets. The middle of the day will be the hottest; so you could plan to just go out in the early AM and in the evening.

Best places to visit at Disney - Animal Kingdom (AM - Be sure to ride the Safari first) and Magic Kingdon (PM - the night parade and fireworks are fantastic)... Of course there are many more rides, I can not list them all.

We stayed off site at a Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in Buena-something... it had Kid Suites and it was great, affordable, and the kids ate free. We did go view a timeshare while we were in Florida to get a $300 discount on our Disney tickets. It was really easy... as long as you're good at sayign "no".

When my husband and I went a few years ago, we stayed at the All Star Sports, which is one of the more economical ones. It had two double beds and a big room. They also have a huge resort like pool, that was heated (we went in Dec). They also have a food court where it was pricey, but convenient, and then we took the Disney bus to each park. Waiting the bus to there and back was a real drag some days, so if we were to go again I would stay closer with the monorail, esp now that we have a baby. Either way, the kids don't rememeber the "bad" stuff, so you'll have a great time regardless of where you stay. :)