A little help needed for a 3 generation trip!

[bsmartin2000]

I am hoping to be able to take my mother (77)my daughter (37) and myself(57) on a trip to the Flower and Garden show next year. I will be saving to pay for this trip myself. We need to stay on-site because none of us would be able to drive. Any ideas on where to stay? Would you do the dining plan? Any tips would be great help! Any ideas on saving expenses while thete? Thanks for helping.

 

[Dreaming of Disney World]

It sounds like you're on a budget, so I'd stay at one of the value resorts. We've stayed at Pop Century and All Star Music and enjoyed them both. Both have bus transportation, but Pop also has the skyliner and usually costs a little more. We've gotten free dining (the middle plan) and loved it, but I don't know if I'd pay for it since it is expensive. Would you be doing a lot of expensive meals? If so, get the dining plan, if not, don't. My money saving tip is to bring your own reusable stainless steel water bottles. Buying bottled water at the park is so expensive. We fill ours with ice and water from the hotel in the morning each day and refill at water fountains in the park as needed. You can also bring in your own snacks to the parks as well. At the start of our stay we get an amazon now delivery with some snacks.

 

[belledream]

I agree, I would not do the DDP unless it were part of a promotion (which we’ll have to wait and see what kind of promotions Disney offers in the aftermath of all this)... it’s a lot of food/drink and you’d have to work really hard to maximize it at full price. At Pop, you can take the Skyliner to Epcot, but again, depending on promotions and your budget, if there’s a deep room discount, maybe you could upgrade to a moderate resort, or even a deluxe in the Epcot resort area so you can walk or boat to Epcot since F&G is the main highlight of your trip.

In this situation, I’d save money on food and focus on lodging. I went on a few trips with my parents and grandparents and we always shared big meals and enjoyed more quiet time at resorts together.

 

[yensid67]

I know you want to stay on property because of not having a car, but let me show you a CHEAPER hotel just outside the Hotel Plaza Blvd gate...

CLARION LAKE BUENA VISTA( clarionlbv.com) is a nice place and double rooms go for around $50-$60/night OR $75/night with HOT BREAKFAST BUFFET (undercovertourist.com and search for tix, and hotel for cheapest price!)
They have a shuttle that goes to ALL Parks...but it so close a TAXI ride to Disney Springs SHOULD BE cheap! OR if everyone is fit enough to walk its close enough to get in some exercise to Disney Springs.

Just wanted to throw that out there for your info!°O°

 

[Pooh'sBuddy]

Research menus to estimate how much you'll spend on food and where you may eat. Either stop off at a grocery store when you get to Orlando (if it's logistically feasible) or have snacks and light breakfast (and a case of water if you don't take reusable water bottles) delivered to your hotel/resort.

 

[Minnie1986]

Personally, I’m always willing to stay at a lower level resort and get the dining plan, but it makes the most fiscal sense for the people I go with and myself. We love to do one big ticket meal per day and just snack through the rest. We also like to use it for drinks (now that you can). We tend not spend much time at the resorts, so it’s never really made a difference which tier resort I stayed in. It comes down to priorities, if you’re looking to lounge/spend time at the resort, I’d say skip the dining plan. If you’re like me, I’d say choose an All Star or even Pop and get the dining plan.

getting grocery delivered is always a good idea regardless. I have chronic nausea so keeping ginger ale in my house/hotel is a must. Also, the reusable bottles for water are also a must do. Have fun!

 

[DVCakaCarlF]

If you intend to spend a decent amount of time at EPCOT for the festival, you need to stay at either Beach Club, Yacht Club, or the Boardwalk. Those resorts are literally walking distance, 5-10 min, or a boat ride away if you don’t feel like walking. I presume your Mom may not care to walk as much, and, if using a wheel chair or walker, can easily board the boats without any need to stand up or fold the equipment. The boats there are level with the dock.

Even though these resorts are more expensive, you’ll get your monies worth out of both increased time at the park and ease of access.

Also, if you do intend to go for the festival, you’ll likely eat more at the booths and stands before you make it into the restaurants three times a day. I would take a room discount over DDP any day.

 

[bsmartin2000]

If you intend to spend a decent amount of time at EPCOT for the festival, you need to stay at either Beach Club, Yacht Club, or the Boardwalk. Those resorts are literally walking distance, 5-10 min, or a boat ride away if you don’t feel like walking. I presume your Mom may not care to walk as much, and, if using a wheel chair or walker, can easily board the boats without any need to stand up or fold the equipment. The boats there are level with the dock.

Even though these resorts are more expensive, you’ll get your monies worth out of both increased time at the park and ease of access.

Also, if you do intend to go for the festival, you’ll likely eat more at the booths and stands before you make it into the restaurants three times a day. I would take a room discount over DDP any day.

My mother walks 2 miles every day. She runs circles around me. Thanks for the idea about resorts.

 

[RememberWhen]

My mother walks 2 miles every day. She runs circles around me. Thanks for the idea about resorts.

You can also look at the Swan and Dolphin. Not Disney resorts, but on property in the Epcot Resort area.
Though with the skyliner, those resorts would also have relatively easy access to Epcot at a much cheaper rate.
And just for information, we usually average about 5-6 miles a day at Disney. Some days as high as 10.

 

[Minnie1986]

You can also look at the Swan and Dolphin. Not Disney resorts, but on property in the Epcot Resort area.
Though with the skyliner, those resorts would also have relatively easy access to Epcot at a much cheaper rate.
And just for information, we usually average about 5-6 miles a day at Disney. Some days as high as 10.

This is so true! I wore a step tracker (my Apple Watch) to Disneyland for the first time in February and we walked a total of 11 miles in one day. No wonder my feet were killing me by the time I got back to the hotel.

 

[unmitigated disaster]

There's nothing wrong with the All-Stars in my opinion. The bus service was good, the room was clean and the soundproofing is quite good. My pick - even with its ugly giant statues - is Sports. If they share a bus you're first on and first off.

 

[Minnie1986]

There's nothing wrong with the All-Stars in my opinion. The bus service was good, the room was clean and the soundproofing is quite good. My pick - even with its ugly giant statues - is Sports. If they share a bus you're first on and first off.

couldn't agree more about the all stars.

 

[Shouldigo12]

I am hoping to be able to take my mother (77)my daughter (37) and myself(57) on a trip to the Flower and Garden show next year. I will be saving to pay for this trip myself. We need to stay on-site because none of us would be able to drive. Any ideas on where to stay? Would you do the dining plan? Any tips would be great help! Any ideas on saving expenses while thete? Thanks for helping.

1. What's your budget?
2. What parks are you the most interested in visiting?
3. What's the most important features of a hotel to you: the theming, the pool, the view, being quiet, transportation options?

 

[bsmartin2000]

1. What's your budget?
2. What parks are you the most interested in visiting?
3. What's the most important features of a hotel to you: the theming, the pool, the view, being quiet, transportation options?

We don't plan on spending much time in the room. Epcot will be where we will spend the most time.

 

[Shouldigo12]

We don't plan on spending much time in the room. Epcot will be where we will spend the most time.

The Caribbean resort is a moderate level (so not the cheapest, but won't bust your wallet) resort close to Epcot. It's also one of the resorts that had the skyliner.

 

[Worldlover71]

For three adults, you may find the value resort rooms a bit small, even if you don't plan to spend much time in the room. The larger rooms and nicer theming at the moderate resorts might work better for you. The added expense is worth it to me because of the Magical Express from the airport and the regular transportation from the resorts to the parks (and the hot tub at the end of a long day!)

If you plan on having at least one sit down meal per day, you should do the math on whether the DDP is worth the money. Sometimes it is worth it but usually not (definitely not if you only do quick service or festival booths.) For example, my mother, who is over 70, has a small appetite and the plan provides for far more food than she wants.