We're trying to plan a trip to Disney at some point during the time frame of March 29 through April 7 of this year. Can anyone recommend some place nice to stay near Disney? We need a suite (preferably with some type of kitchen and a nice pool) so that Lyla will have her own room. I really want it to be pleasant since I'm pregnant and I think we'll be spending a decent amount of time lounging around the hotel. We're looking on the internet and having a really hard time finding any place that stands out as looking particularly nice but it's hard to tell. I looked at the Disney site and it seems that most of the Disney resorts don't have availability. I guess this is our punishment for being indecisive and procrastinating. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!
Also, does anyone know, if you aren't able to get reservations for any of the special princess activities are there still opportunities to meet the princesses. Lyla will be SO disappointed if she's not able to have some sort of one-on-one interaction with Cinderella but it might be too late to get reservations for dining with the princesses.
Also, in general if you have any recommendations for things that will be good to do with a 3 1/2 year old daughter that would be helpful too. I'm not sure exactly which parks are meant for that age group. We figure we'd want to do some of the parks with rides as well as maybe Sea World, Silver Springs (if it still exists), as well as just relax and have lots of pool time.
Thanks in advance!!!
 | Last year we went and stayed in my parents' time share, which I think also rents out. You would have a kitchen, and separate bedrooms, with a dining room and a nice living room. They have several pools (indoor and outdoor), and it was in Kissimmee, which is close to Disney and the other parks. I think the name of it is Clarion Suites Resort World (they have different sections, Villas, Spas, Oaks, Suites). Their website is www.clarionflorida.com, and their number is 407-997-5000.
I don't have much advice on the princess thing, we called months in advance of when we were going, but we went to a breakfast at Chef Mickey's instead of something at the park that day (Chef Mikey's is in one of the Disney hotels). If you can't get into the princess one, you can easily get into the other character dining. I know there is a good website with hints, let me try to find that. |
| Try this:
www.allears.net
They have tons of great insider hints- it will help you tons!
We didn't do Sea World or Universal, we are going to save that for a future trip. We just did Epcot (may be boring for a 3 1/2 year old, plus its a lot of walking), MGM-Studios (that's a great one for little ones!), and of course the Magic Kingdom. And you are right, she'll have the best time at the hotel pool. Leave a couple of days for just that! Good luck. |
 | We recently rented out a house....4 bedroom, three baths built in pool with a jacuzzi....is that the kind of thing you are looking for? I can tell you the house was beautiful. |
 | tracy wrote on Mar 18, '07  We recently rented out a house....4 bedroom, three baths built in pool with a jacuzzi....is that the kind of thing you are looking for? I can tell you the house was beautiful.  that sounds VERY nice!! |
| tracy wrote on Mar 18, '07 |
| I think they also do a Princess Breakfast (and lunch and dinner) at Epcot in Norway, but then you have to pay to be in the park that day (not so with a resort restaurant). |
| tracy wrote on Mar 18, '07 I think they also do a Princess Breakfast (and lunch and dinner) at Epcot in Norway, but then you have to pay to be in the park that day (not so with a resort restaurant). Actually, I called today and tentatively book reservations at the Princess lunch at Epcot. And, yes, unfortunately, that means we'll have to pay to go to Epcot as well and I'm not sure that I want to go to Epcot. But I figured it was best to get that out of the way and I'll try to follow up on some other options. |
| tracy wrote on Mar 18, '07 I'm guessing that dining at Cinderella's castle in the Magic Kingdom will be close to impossible that week, as I'm sure everyone is there for spring break. But try calling for a reservation at the Grand Floridian resort (you don't have to be a guest of the resort to eat there). They have a restaurant called 1900 Park Fare, and I think they have a breakfast and a dinner with the princesses, that may be easier to get into last-minute. The number for all the character dining is 407-WDW-DINE. Good luck! Thanks. I actually tried both of these options and they were all booked. I guess I can keep calling and hope for a cancellation. |
| Actually, I called today and tentatively book reservations at the Princess lunch at Epcot. And, yes, unfortunately, that means we'll have to pay to go to Epcot as well and I'm not sure that I want to go to Epcot. We went to Epcot for two days last year, and there is actually a lot for kids of Lyla's age. They have a great interactive show featuring Crush from Finding Nemo- definitely check that out. It is in the Living Seas pavilion, which has a huge fish tank with sharks, etc. (it is what I SCUBA dove in last year). She would probably like to see that, plus if it's hot, it has AC and is a great break for the day.
If Lyla is 40 inches tall, Soarin' is a nice ride/show too. Honey I Shrunk the Audience is a funny show too (it is in 3-D).
And if you don't go in the morning, and just go for your lunch, see if you can last into the evening when the Illuminations fireworks show starts- it really is amazing!
Other Epcot things I'd recommend for Lyla's age are the Family Fun Kidcot Stops (you do crafts throughout the World Showcase), Innoventions, and Journey into Imagination.
Oh, and since you'll be pregnant- keep in mind that mothers-to-be are welcome to rest in the rocking chairs inside Baby Services at each park.
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 | tina wrote on Mar 19, '07 The house sounds like a great idea! But, why are you looking to go there during Spring Break? Spring Break in on now, probably through April 14th. The parks will be crowded and flying/hotels will be very expensive. I know of great accommodations in Boca! Only three hours from Orlando! |
 | It's been a while since the last time I took the kids there, but they also liked the Animal Kingdom, if Lyla is into animals. |
| tracy wrote on Mar 19, '07 It's been a while since the last time I took the kids there, but they also liked the Animal Kingdom, if Lyla is into animals. You mean a separate park called "animal kingdom"? |
| tracy wrote on Mar 19, '07 The house sounds like a great idea! But, why are you looking to go there during Spring Break? Spring Break in on now, probably through April 14th. The parks will be crowded and flying/hotels will be very expensive. Unfortunately, now that Lyla is in school we will be forced to vacation with the masses and pay the more expensive prices. |
| tracy wrote on Mar 19, '07 They have a hotel too, in which apparently some of the rooms overlook the animal areas - I heard a guy on the radio talking about sitting on his balcony looking at giraffes. wow, that would be really cool! |
| You mean a separate park called "animal kingdom"? Yes, under the Disney umbrella in Orlando, there is:
Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Animal Kingdom
Disney MGM Studios
Typhoon Lagoon water park
Blizzard Beach water park
Downtown Disney
The one good thing is you can get a combo-ticket for the week, that is good at all the different parks. You can even do more than one in a day if you want. The tickets get cheaper (per day) the more days you buy.
Then you have Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld, Discovery Cove. We are saving those for a future trip when the kids are older.
To keep it all straight, and to help navigate the best stuff, we bought a book by Kim Wright Wiley, called Walt Disney World with Kids. She puts one out every year, so I would pick that up at the bookstore now, it will help you decide what to do and what to skip. It was especially helpful to us with the height requirements, so we knew what to skip so the kids didn't get there and get disappointed that they couldn't ride it. |
 | Traci,
I know Disney property pretty well but unfortunately I can't help you much with staying off property. We are actually heading down to our timeshare (which in on Disney property) this week. It will actually be Zachary's 7th visit and he is not even 5 yet (spoiled child)!!!!
You can see pretty much any character outside of eating with the them. The Princesses (Snow White, Cinderalla, and Sleeping Beauty) can all be found in Toon Town which is in Magic Kingdom. I would definitely recommend going to Magic Kingdom and in particular FantasyLand (this is where rides such as Pooh's, Snow White, and Dumbo are at). MGM is a great place to see the more recent characters such as Buzz, Woody, etc. They have some good attractions for the little ones but not too much. Animal Kingdom has all the animals to see which the kids love. There are not many "rides" that the kids go on but they do enjoy the Safari where you see elephants, giraffes, etc. The least exciting Disney park for the kids is Epcot. But it is actually one of our favorites as it has all the great resturants and is the most relaxing.
We never go off Disney property so I can't help you much there. If you would like more details, please let me know, I'd be happy to give you my 2 cents.
By the way, I haven't been good about updating my Multiply but #3 arrived February 12th and was born July 11th. We are adjusting to being outnumbered :-)
-Sue |
 | in addition to Toon Town for the princesses (where the lines can be a little long, but are basically handles like a ride or a show... organized lines overseen by castmembers, one family at a time, instead of the slightly more chaotic on-the-street meetings, and you actually get a little family-private interaction),
you can also usually bump into several around appropriate countries in Epcot. (Belle in France, Mary Poppins or Alice in England... Jasmine in Morocco... etc... Ariel also has her own designated grotto somewhere)... Usually the maps have times listed (and iff all else fails, ask a trash-person.)
Speaking of trahspeople, here's a hint: those Disney people walking lazily around the main areas of the park, sweeping napkins off the ground as soon as they drop -- aren't trash people. that's just a secondary task... their primary job is to just have all the answers, and help out and chat with people...basically help ensure everone has a magical time.... and they are way underused... sometimes you even get an extra special magical experience out of asking a simple question! If Lyla has a specific princess she's dying to meet, find one of them as soon as you get into the park... they should know (or be able to find out) the best place and time to find them that day.
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| oh, and even if Disney says they're booked, give them a call anyway if you're interest in staying on property (and while it can cost a little more, it's usually well worth it.) The website is machine driven - machine's can't be flexible. Disney staff usually go out of their way to try to be helpful and can sometimes find things the machines don't think exist..
Personally, one of the favorites was the Villas at Disney Institute. Very quiet, tons of shared resort amenities, and 6 of us shared a 2-bedroom 2-story condo with a kitchen for a decent price (and saved a ton my making our own breakfasts and after-park snacks). And the transportation system that runs between all the Disney-owned stuff is excellent.... and free. Once you get off property, the shuttles get less reliable and/or less convenient. (and driving is just plain annoying. the roads are well done, the signage is great, but too many people just don't have a clue where they are going!) |
| tracy wrote on Mar 20, '07 Speaking of trahspeople, here's a hint: those Disney people walking lazily around the main areas of the park, sweeping napkins off the ground as soon as they drop -- aren't trash people. that's just a secondary task... their primary job is to just have all the answers, and help out and chat with people...basically help ensure everone has a magical time.... and they are way underused... sometimes you even get an extra special magical experience out of asking a simple question! thanks so much for all of the tips! i'll remember this while we're there! |
| dave wrote on Mar 20, '07 Any suggestions on the best place to buy tickets? |
| Do you mean Disney tickets? I was scared to buy them from a shack that offered discounted tickets. You guys used to live in Florida- you probably have a better feel for that. We bought our week-o-tickets at our timeshare place. |
 | katallen wrote on Mar 21, '07, edited on Mar 21, '07 Hi, I saw your post and thought that I could share some insight. We have 4 kids and definately need a suite when we travel. We just booked our suite (once again) at the Nickelodeon Hotel. Definately a great atmosphere - everything that you need. They offer two or three bdrm suites. We just booked our 2 bdrm for $179/night and that is the cheapest we have ever paid to stay there. This will be our fifth visit to the Nick Hotel and I don't think our kids will ever stay anywhere else again.
As Disney regulars, my kids could probably lead you through every park. However, the Magic Kingdom is best suited for the kids. We went to Sea World in Oct - and we were not impressed!! The kids were bored and only wanted to be at the hotel. After The Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom rates #2. There, they have enough things for the kids to enjoy that you will stay busy all day and y'all will be able to see characters there as well. My oldest is (soon to be) 8 and my youngest is 1 1/2. We are actually going to the Nick hotel (4/14-4/18) for my daughter's 4th B-Day. That is all she wanted - if that tells you anything about it. If your daughter likes Dora, there is plenty of character dining at the hotel too. All of the nick characters are there. Rugrats, Blue, spongebob, ect.
You should check out their web site. All of their suites are designed for kids and the hotel itself offers transportation to all of the parks - like the disney resorts. Honestly, there is so much to do at the hotel that this time we are only going to the park one day and spending the rest of our time at the hotel. |
| tracy wrote on Mar 21, '07 Hi, I saw your post and thought that I could share some insight. We have 4 kids and definately need a suite when we travel. We just booked our suite (once again) at the Nickelodeon Hotel. Definately a great atmosphere - everything that you need. They offer two or three bdrm suites. We just booked our 2 bdrm for $179/night and that is the cheapest we have ever paid to stay there. Thanks for your response! How long ago did you book your reservation? I just went to the site and it didn't seem there was anything less than $324.00 a night. This sounds great for kids though. Do they have kitchens in them too? |
| tracy wrote on Mar 21, '07 Do you mean Disney tickets? I was scared to buy them from a shack that offered discounted tickets. You guys used to live in Florida- you probably have a better feel for that. We bought our week-o-tickets at our timeshare place. Yes, he means tickets to the different parks. I guess he looked somewhere and it was going to be $600 for 3 days of tickets! Ouch! Wondering if we can do better. Unfortunately, since we're not Florida residents I don't think we can get any discount rates.
I'll let Dave respond more though when he sees this message as I'm not sure exactly where he looked. |
| Oh yes, you guys are going to pay through the nose for those tickets, that's just a fact that we had to accept as well. I think they start at $60 per day, and go down the more days you buy. That is why we focused on the disney parks this time, and next time we will so sea world and islands of adventure, etc. |
| tracy wrote on Mar 21, '07 Hopefully, we'll be better organized next trip!! I can't believe we're leaving next Thursday!!! I had to quickly order and fedex a maternity bathing suit to myself last night! I just really wanted to get this in before the baby was born since we won't want to travel over the summer and also I couldn't bear hanging out at home for 2 full weeks of spring vacation. |
 | Wow, I did not realize you were going next week. The time is just flying. I also did not know that Lyla has 2 weeks off for spring break. We only get one! Sounds like fun, though. Have you been there since we went when you were little? |
| tracy wrote on Mar 21, '07 Sounds like fun, though. Have you been there since we went when you were little? Dave and I went once when we lived in FL. We just went to one of the parks for one day. |
| katallen wrote on Mar 21, '07, edited on Mar 21, '07 We actually booked our room only 3 days ago. If you do an advance purchase - pay for entire stay upon booking, the rate is currently 207.00/ night. The 207.00 is, of course, before the $20.00/night suite charge and before taxes. Their idea of a kitchen is a small fridge, micro, and sink. We also got the FL resident discount.
The price may be more on the dates that you are looking for! Good Luck! |
| tracy wrote on Mar 21, '07 The price may be more on the dates that you are looking for! Good Luck! Thanks! Yeah, I think the problem is that we're going right in the middle of spring break. |
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