First time to WDW for family of 4..lots of ??'s

[DISmomma]

I have alot of questions so please bear with me. We are military and taking advantage of the military promotion. We would like to go when the Christmas stuff is up, we were thinking sometime between November 29 and Dec 12. We would like it not to be super busy as we have a 2 boys who will be 4 and 16months. Any suggestions on where to stay in the value resorts. I'm thinking about the All-Stars Movie Resort. What is the transit system like? Do you have to wait forever to get a ride? Is it worth upgrading to the "better" rooms? Will the rooms hold a pack and play and a toddler size air mattress? Will 5 days be enough time to enjoy everything that time of year? If we got waterslides added to our tickets, would the parks be open and are they good for ages 4 and 16 months? Would we have to use them in one of the 5 days that are on our park hopper ticket, or can we use them on a totally seperate day? Sorry so many questions, I'm kinda overwhelmed with everything. Any ideas or suggestions anyone has I would really appreciate them!

 

[craz4disney]

We are going to go down on the 27th of November and are leaving on the 5th of Dec. We are staying at all Star movies. I was told by a couple of people that Pop is louder?! I dont know if this is true but like I said thats what we are going by. Also my family stayed at Movies and my nephews loved it. As far as the water parks, I dont know how friendly they are for the little ones. We havent been in quite a while actually we went to RIVER COUNTRY It didnt seem like there was a lot to do for the kids there. As far as paying for the upgraded rooms, we will definately be doing that seeing as how it always seems as though my kids fall asleep everytime on the bus. It is getting harder and harder to carry them back to the room. one is and the other is 4.

 

[George]

I'll answer your questions that I know something about. We're a family of 4 too, and my kids are 5 and 3 so we're not too far removed from your situation.

I have alot of questions so please bear with me. We are military and taking advantage of the military promotion. We would like to go when the Christmas stuff is up, we were thinking sometime between November 29 and Dec 12. We would like it not to be super busy as we have a 2 boys who will be 4 and 16months. Any suggestions on where to stay in the value resorts. I'm thinking about the All-Stars Movie Resort. What is the transit system like?

I've stayed at the values, the moderates, the deluxes and at DVC resorts and haven't noticed a marked difference in transportation quality. One piece of advice. At the end of the day if you're tired and don't want to wait for busses, roughly $15 can get your family a cab ride anywhere on property. We take advantage of this a time or two on each trip.

Do you have to wait forever to get a ride?

The busses should come every 20 minutes. There have been a few times I've waited longer, but there really hasn't been a pattern to it.

Is it worth upgrading to the "better" rooms?

If you're staying at the values, my advice is don't get a room overlooking any of the pools. It's much louder.

Will the rooms hold a pack and play and a toddler size air mattress?

Yep. Just barely. The room will have it's own pack n'play in the closet. You may have to call the front desk if it doesn't have some clean sheets and a blankie with it.

Will 5 days be enough time to enjoy everything that time of year?

Don't worry about enjoying everything. When your kids are little, I think that's the biggest mistake you can make. If you go at their pace and enjoy the things they enjoy, you'll have a blast.

If we got waterslides added to our tickets, would the parks be open and are they good for ages 4 and 16 months?

At 4 and 16 months, I would take advantage of the resort pool(s). They are heavily themed and your little ones will have a blast. The water parks are great, but kids don't get a lot out of them pre-swimming IMO.

Would we have to use them in one of the 5 days that are on our park hopper ticket, or can we use them on a totally seperate day?

You could go to the water park on a separate day if you wanted. If you don't get the no expiration date option, just make sure its within 14 days of the first use (I believe this is the rule. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong here. Lately we've been getting the DVC, AP's).

Sorry so many questions, I'm kinda overwhelmed with everything. Any ideas or suggestions anyone has I would really appreciate them!

 

[Huck]

I have alot of questions so please bear with me. We are military and taking advantage of the military promotion. We would like to go when the Christmas stuff is up, we were thinking sometime between November 29 and Dec 12. We would like it not to be super busy as we have a 2 boys who will be 4 and 16months. Any suggestions on where to stay in the value resorts. I'm thinking about the All-Stars Movie Resort. What is the transit system like? Do you have to wait forever to get a ride? Is it worth upgrading to the "better" rooms? Will the rooms hold a pack and play and a toddler size air mattress? Will 5 days be enough time to enjoy everything that time of year? If we got waterslides added to our tickets, would the parks be open and are they good for ages 4 and 16 months? Would we have to use them in one of the 5 days that are on our park hopper ticket, or can we use them on a totally seperate day? Sorry so many questions, I'm kinda overwhelmed with everything. Any ideas or suggestions anyone has I would really appreciate them!

First, thank you all for your service!
Now: Movies is nice, so is Pop (they are the newer of the values and they had the advantage of a few of the bugs being worked out of the layout from Music and Sports). I tend to favor Pop, but I'm not sure why.:shrug:

The pricier hotels are much nicer atmospheres, but worth is a personal opinion. We've been several times with infants and we usually try to stick as closely as we can to our home sleep schedule which means bedtime by 8 o'clock. For that reason, when we could, we tried to stay at least part of our trip in a deluxe room with a balcony. Send the kids to bed and sit on the balcony wiht a bottle of wine (beats going to sleep ourselves)! Did you know that it's remarkably easy to change hotels during your stay? Simply keep your bags packed (or repack them if you like) and drop them off at bell services on the morning you check out of your first hotel. They'll show up at your new hotel by the afternoon and you just claim them when you check in! Enjoy your day in the parks and let Disney do the work! This often allows us to enjoy a deluxe resort without totally blowing our budget.
I'm sure a pack and play and an airmattress could be done, but it would be really tight. Port Orleans Riverside actually has pull-out trundle beds in some of its rooms which would obviate the need for an air mattress.

Five days will get you a great trip, but you couldn't even do everything there is if you had 2 weeks! Pick out your "must do's" and be sure to hit them all and otherwise jsut let the trip happen. There is so much going on there that you probably are unaware of that you'll have a great time whether you do everything or not. This is what our family calls "letting the magic happen"! And it does. Every time!

Taking the previous into account, unless you are waterpark enthusiasts, I wouldn't waste one of five days on the waterparks. The youngest will get very little out of it and unless the 4 year old is a great swimmer, he probably won't either. If you consider spending a night or two at a deluxe or moderate, each of those hotel's pools has a waterslide. Yacht and Beach's pool area is legendary; like a waterpark itself.

Sorry this post is so lengthy, but I hope it helps!:wave:
Please feel free to PM me if you have other questions. We've done the Disney thing with our kids (now 6, 4 and 2) dozens of times since the first was born so we've learned from our mistakes! Travel sane!

Oh, yeah: Travel system...
Busses are reliable but not always speedy. Most of the time one will come within 10 or 15 minutes, but if you are prepared to wait, it doesn't seem as bad when it takes 20 for a bus to come.

Also, you should seriously consider bringing strollers as the kids will get tired and stroller rental is astronomical nowadays.

 

[Huck]

sorry, duplicate post

 

[HITCH KING]

I have alot of questions so please bear with me. We are military and taking advantage of the military promotion. We would like to go when the Christmas stuff is up, we were thinking sometime between November 29 and Dec 12. We would like it not to be super busy as we have a 2 boys who will be 4 and 16months. Any suggestions on where to stay in the value resorts. I'm thinking about the All-Stars Movie Resort. What is the transit system like? Do you have to wait forever to get a ride? Is it worth upgrading to the "better" rooms? Will the rooms hold a pack and play and a toddler size air mattress? Will 5 days be enough time to enjoy everything that time of year? If we got waterslides added to our tickets, would the parks be open and are they good for ages 4 and 16 months? Would we have to use them in one of the 5 days that are on our park hopper ticket, or can we use them on a totally seperate day? Sorry so many questions, I'm kinda overwhelmed with everything. Any ideas or suggestions anyone has I would really appreciate them!

First a big thank you to your husband and yourself for being in the military.

You do know that there is a hotel set up for the military. They offer discount for military families. http://www.shadesofgreen.org/home.html I would checks the rate and avaibility. I am a father of 3 kids ages 9,7, and 17 months. We have gone to WDW for the 9 years in a row. We have stayed at all the all stars. What are you looking to do in the 5 days? I think the water parks would be to cold for Nov-Dec time frame. The buses are great for first time tripers. there are plenty to go around. No Sweat. I like my own vehicle just me like to go and come as I please. Buses run all day long and go everywhere. The dates that you picked are right before the Christmas rush so the lines should not be to crazy. Anywhere from 10-60 minutes. The decorations are hung so it is a beatiful. My cousin was they this Dec.I do not think that water park option would be in your best intrest unless that day does not expire. Not expiring tickets can be use it in the future. As far as park hopping i do not think that you will be able to hop, between the lines and the kids being on senorary OVERLOAD!!. Takign pictures of the charchters. Second time you get to go back you can hop. You will spend at least the whole day at MK. One full day at AK, A full day at Epcot and 1/2 to 1 day at Hollywood. The 5th day back to MK to do the ride that you liked again. AS hotels go You can check out the floor plan on the web site. Don't think it is worth staying at the better hotels since the kids are to small to remember things like the bunk beds at animal kindom. Stick to the value resorts you will only be sleeping there.You will be able to re-arrange the furniture to make the room that you need. We have placed the Packnplay outside the bathroom in the alcove. We have slid the bed over to the other wall to make room for a air mattress. Normally we do not have housekeeping clean the room and call housekeeping for towels when we get back after the park. Do not stress over the trip. There is nothing better than seeing the joy in the kids eyes for the first time. On side a side note. Get the kids from front desk "My first Time" buttons. Also if you dont mind waiting for the front car of the mono-rail it is cool. May take 2-3 monorails but a family of 4 people can sit in the front. Kids will get a jr pilot license. Take plenty of pictures and video.