I’ve learned a few things when booking with Disney over the years. The first thing I’d say is that I almost always just use the Disney Website to book. I’ve learned that Disney’s prices are Disney’s prices and people do not really offer much discount so I usually just book with Disney. I do use a travel agent for Disney cruises and I can post about her later. She’s awesome!
{Sidenote: Disney pajamas are always a plus, ha! Gap Kids has a great partnership with Disney and their clothes are always ON POINT!}
Disneyworld.com is the site to use when you book a Disney trip. We always stay on site, and I purchase the dining plans. I know that people have their opinions about whether or not dining plans are worth it, but it certainly makes it much easier once you are there. One thing I love about Disney is they allow you to ‘pay out’ your trips through their site. I would NEVER advise anyone to purchase a vacation you cannot afford! I do know that sometimes it’s nice to be able to pay on things slowly, and that’s why Disney is convenient. You can put a deposit down that is fully refundable up to a certain point, and pay on your trip without interest. You pay Disney directly and it makes it easier on families so you do not have to drop a fat check on a trip you aren’t taking for another 10 months.
My first advice to offer is – BOOK EARLY. I’m a planner so that comes easy, but with Disney, it’s usually pretty important. If you want to stay at one of the ‘nicer’ resorts, prices do not drop as time goes by. They are in high demand, and the higher the demand, the higher the price. Disney has tier resorts from moderate to luxury, and those are priced accordingly. If you stay at any Disney property you get free transportation to the park, you can book your FastPasses 60 days in advance, and many of the airlines also offer hotel check-in so you don’t have to lug your bags around the airport with tired kiddos post-trip! You can also take advantage of Disney’s Magic Hours when you stay at one of their resorts.
Disney does just about everything right, but here are a few of the resorts we’ve visited over the years, whether it was a short trip, a meal, or a long stay:
1. Port Orleans – This is a more moderately priced hotel with onsite restaurants and pretty easy access to the parks. You can even take a boat ride! Most of the parks you’ll visit will be visited via Disney bus If you’re looking for a cheaper way to do Disney, Port Orleans is still a great option.
2. Wilderness Lodge – I have to admit, we LOVED wilderness lodge. We stayed here last year over Thanksgiving so they were decorating for Christmas. We love the Lord, we love Christmas, we love Disney. That, my friends, was a FUN trip. It’s close to Magic Kingdom and offers villas for larger families. These villas are beautiful! They’re called Copper Creek Villas….if you can pull it off you won’t be disappointed! You can take a boat or bus to the parks from Wilderness Lodge.
3. Polynesian Resort – You knew we had to give this one a try, right?! It’s a Hawaiian themed resort with it’s own Dole Whip stand (google it). The Polynesian is right across the bay from Magic Kingdom and you can watch fireworks each night by their beach. You can take the boat to Magic Kingdom, but the best part of the Polynesian….the monorail stops there. The monorail resorts cost a little more, but once you’ve ridden the monorail… you’ll know why. It’s so convenient to just walk to your lobby, get on the monorail, and end up at whatever park you’re wanting without bus rides or walking!
We stayed at the Polynesian with my daughter and two nieces a few years back and had such a blast with them! We normally buy a lot of Disney things (shirts, dolls, etc) before we travel. Each night Amy will put together a small gift for the kids and place it by the door. In the morning, they can’t wait to wake up to see what Tinkerbell brought them for the day. It’s a really cool way to add a little magic, and also save a little cash by buying things at home! It doesn’t take up a little space in your luggage, but when your daughter/son wakes up the first morning and really believes Tinkerbell, Tiana, or the Black Panther showed up while they were sleeping to bring gifts….goodness it’s fun!
4. The Grand Floridian – I have to admit, we only stayed here one or two nights. I can’t remember because it went by far too fast. This is also a monorail resort, and it is gorgeous! It is an old English style resort with Mary Poppins’ style all over the place. It’s a pretty penny, but if you can pull it off… it’s SO nice!
5. Animal Kingdom – If you watch for deals, sometimes you can get great deals on the Animal Kingdom. Some people don’t like to stay at this resort because it is a pretty good distance from parks outside of Animal Kingdom. However, when is the last time you woke up to a giraffe right outside of your hotel window? Disney magic I tell ya! We loved the Animal Kingdom for more reasons than just one. We stayed here on our first trip with Joelle, and she had come home from Africa recently. It was so cool to see her eyes light up with all of the pictures, drums, animals, and culture! Even if you don’t stay here, take a visit to the lobby and eat at Boma. It’s really cool!
Our friends have stayed at other hotels like Pop Century, the Cabins at Ft. Wilderness, the All Star Resort, and Art of Animation. Each place has special things to enjoy.
I’d also say, consider doing a meal plan and purchasing your tickets to the parks all in one trip. It really does save money, and allows you the ability to have everything online. Disney World also combines everything into one wristband for each family member. That wristband is your credit card (if you want), room key, and FastPass…so convenient! It also has a pin number in case you misplace it, don’t worry!
That’s it! Those are the places we love to stay/visit in Orlando!
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