OT-Vacations

[christyg]

Hi ladies! I have an off topic question for you. Carrie, if this isn't ok, just delete.

I'm sure that a lot of you do this in January, but I am trying to plan our vacation days for this year. We live in Texas. We are thinking about possibly taking our kids (will be ages 8 and 6 by then) to Disney World in Orlando. I have never been. My husband has been once when he was around 5 (though, he was sick with a fever the entire time he was there, so he probably didn't have that much fun ).

I am really on the fence about going.

So, my question to you is: Did you take your kiddos?
If yes, was it worth the money?
If no, what were your reasons for not going?

It is just sooo expensive! I feel a bit guilty even thinking about spending that much money on something like that. I just keep thinking that we could spend half the money and go somewhere more meaningful (think Washington D.C, the Grand Canyon, etc.). I'm not really a big fan of all of the character stuff, either. But, like everyone else's kiddos, mine are.

Just wanted to get some honest opinions on this.

Thanks!

Christy

[inHistiming]

Well......my husband and I have always joked that Disney World is NOT "the happiest place on earth" as touted. We always had way more fun when we went without our children. However, I really think it depends on several things to make it "worth it" or not.

It is expensive and I would suggest taking meals and snacks and going back to your car or hotel to eat those the majority of the time to save money....Animal Kingdom is a great park and I highly recommend it. We had a ton of fun with everyone there. Magic Kingdom is fun but it really depends on what sort of things your dc like....and you as parents in charge of the children will likely miss out on things you want to do b/c your children can't or won't do it....unless you ride separately. Taking 1 or 2 other adults along would be ideal. If you go in the summer, expect very long lines and it will be hot and humid....you'll need to stay hydrated, drink lots of fluids, and wear sunscreen. Take some rain gear as afternoon thunderstorms do often pop up. Epcot is fun, too, but again may depend on your or dc interests.

I think the main thing will be to know what to expect and not to get too wrapped up in it being the 'perfect' vacation.....which is how we should be in everything anyway (speaking to myself here!). If you can do that, I think it will be super fun for all of you. HTH

[ktwensel]

Christy,

I'll just add my two cents worth - I love Disney! We have gone to Disney twice. Once on our honeymoon and once when our kids were 7 and 9. The ages of our kids were perfect of the kids. They were old enough where we didn't have to use a stroller (I would NEVER do that there!!), and the wonder of Disney was exciting for them.

First let me say - Disney is not your typical vacation. It requires alot of planning to get the most savings. We checked the internet for many Disney discussion boards offering tips and I have to say, it was worth it. We stay at a Disney resort - it is easier as far as transportation and convenience. If you stay at a value resort it is just about the same price as staying off the property. If you stay off the propery, you have to manuver through traffic and pay to park. We usually pack something to eat in the morning (oatmeal, granola bars, etc.). You can get a fridge for your room. If you are flying you can box non-perishable food and send it to your hotel and they will keep it there for your arrival. We usually purchased a late lunch - but before the dinner times start. Lunches are cheaper and the portions in Disney are adequate. Then we ate a snack in our room. Being that we drove, we carried things with us. Water, water, water!!! Since we drove, we carried our own. Orlando water is kind of yucky, but you can doctor it up with ice tea or lemonade packets for your water bottles. We also purchases a lanyard with an ID holder to put our tickets in - make sure they don't fall out. (Don't purchase them in Disney - too expensive. We got ours at Walmart or Staples.) Another thing that we will purchase before we go is a bottle mister with a fan. They are very expensive there and there were several times we really wanted them. Depending on the attention span of your kids, we thought of things we could carry with us that would pass the time while we waited in line. We've taken small bottles of bubbles, pipe cleaners they can make things out of, and a small dry erase board for hangman or tic-tac-toe. My DH usually carries a backpack when we are on vacation, so those things go in there. Also, a lanyard to carry water bottles is wonderful. The kids had to carry there own. Take advantage of the times when you can enter the park before the public if you stay on site. Make sure you are at the bus early though. Everyone takes advantage to this! When you enter the park, have a plan in mind. Get your Fast Passes first! They run out early.

I won't continue to babble. There are many "tricks of the trade" and I just starting writing them as they came to mind. I hope it makes sense. If you need any further help - I would be happy to answer any questions that I can.

Oh, I just remembered. If you book through Disney, you can make payments!!

We really think it is a great place to go - with a little understanding, preparation, and realistic expectations. My kids loved it and still talk about it 2 years later.

[tjswaine]

Hi Christy,

Our family has been to Disney several times. Our most recent trip was last fall. We rented a large home about 5 mins. outside of Disney and shared it with several families for three weeks. That is our preferred method of accommodation, but many families love staying "on-site". I would encourage you to think about what you want from your vacation.
Our reasons for staying off-site are:
*we prefer having our own bedrooms just like at home
*the private pool/hot tub
*we are able to eat many meals at home
*we want to do more than Disney and want our own transportation
*we want to shop at more than Disney stores
*we want to eat at more than Disney restaurants

I'm sure many others could give you reasons for their wanting to stay on-site! To each their own, I say. Enjoy planning your vacation. If I can answer any specific questions, feel free to PM me.

[inHistiming]

We've never stayed off-site...just at the resorts or we drove the 1.5 hour to and from the day we went. It is very convenient to be able to use the bus/monorail, etc. And I was really just kidding about it being more fun without the kids. You just have to plan more, of course, if you are going with the family vs. a couple. I think if you can budget the money and make good plans ahead of time, it would be great fun!

[pjdobro]

We've been several times before we had children and four times since we've had children. We really enjoy a trip to Disney World. Disney is a different vacation. It's not the sort of vacation that you come home rested. It takes a lot of planning ahead of time if you want to make the most of it, but I have found the planning to be a lot of fun. I highly recommend The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. I have read many of the guides on Disney and I feel this is the best. They also maintain a website http://www.touringplans.com. Another great website is http://www.mousesavers.com. It's been 2 years now since we last went and we've been discussing the possibility of going again. If we do go this year, we'll probably go with Carolina Homeschoolers. We went with them a little over 2 years ago and were able to take part in one of the Disney Education programs which we found really fun and educational. We're looking forward to getting to try out some of the other classes in the fall. If you are interested in going with the Carolina Homeschoolers, check out this page: http://www.carolinahomeschooler.com/travelwdw.htm It's a lot less expensive to go with the group, you get special classes, and you aren't tied to the group for anything except the classes. This is a great way to get a little more out of a Disney vacation. There are so many tips that I could share, but I think the most important one is choose when you go very carefully. I've been in January/February, April/May, September, and December. The time of year will greatly affect the crowds and the weather you experience. I would never go in the summer or around Christmas or Spring Break. The crowds would be too much for me to handle then and anytime past early May until late September is too hot and humid for me as well. I'm looking forward to a November trip since the weather should be nice, the crowds small, and the Christmas decorations should be up. The Osborne lights at the Studios for the Christmas season is a wonderful thing to see and just about makes the trip worthwhile on its own. I would be glad to answer any questions I can or share more ideas/pictures, etc. if you would find that helpful just PM me.

[christyg]

Thanks, ladies, for all of the good tips and advice! So, it looks like most agree that it's a good trip to make.

Have a good evening!

Christy