Any of the Disney resorts would be fine. We are just thrilled to be going.
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Any of the Disney resorts would be fine. We are just thrilled to be going.
[img]smile.gif[/img]
Are you planning to go in 2006? Here are the basic dates for Value Season this year. AAA gives you a 20% disount off the the rack rate on rooms at the Value and Moderate resorts.
Value Resorts
All-Star Movies
All-Star Music
All-Star Sports
Pop Century
Of these...we prefer All Star Movies.
Value Season: January 1 - February 15, August 27 - October 4, November 26 - December 19
Regular Season: April 23 - August 26, October 5 - November 25
Peak Season: February 16 - April 22
Holiday Season: December 20 - December 31
Moderate Resorts
Caribbean Beach
Coronado Springs
Port Orleans
My best friend loves Port Orleans Riverside.
Value Season: January 1 - February 15, August 27 - October 4, November 26 - December 19
Regular Season: April 23 - August 26, October 5 -November 25
Peak Season: February 16 - April 22
Holiday Season: December 20 - December 31
Staying at a Disney hotel is not important, unless you want to spend the money on it. When I was little, on my first trip to DL, we stayed at the DL hotel (this was back when it was actually still nice). I don't remember it at all, and really don't think it's important to have a fun vacation, especially if you're hoping your children will remember it all. In my experience (over the past 20 years, lol), most children aren't going to be paying much attention to the hotel, they want to get home from WDW as late as possible, and get back out there as soon as possible. For the most part, they'll probably sleep and shower, and maybe watch TV while the rest of your party is getting ready. I, personally, don't see the point in spending an extra couple hundred just to be in a Disney hotel (and I'm a HUGE Disney fan), when that money could be spent making the rest of the trip more fun. You could easily stay an extra day or two, by staying at a non-Disney (but still nice) hotel, and using the money on another round of park tickets.
I would definitely recommend going through a travel agency. They often have better deals than you can find other places. My mom and I went to DL last year, and got a really nicely priced package deal.
Summer and Christmas are the most crowded times of the year at both parks, I believe. We normally go around Rodeo Break here, which is mid-February. Most other states don't have the same break periods (and, to my knowledge, none have Rodeo), so it's far less crowded. With kids, especially, you're going to want to go when there's less people: shorter lines, less chance of getting lost, etc. Christmas is fun, though, they change up a lot of the rides with a nice Christmasy theme- it's a small world, and Haunted Mansion, especially.
For WDW, if you want to do everything, you'll probably need about a week. We went to FL in 2000, and were only in WDW for 3 days, we did Epcot (which I highly recommend!) and Magic Kingdom (which I didn't find that great, as it's mostly a condensed DL, and I wish we had done something else). MGM might be worthy of going to, and Animal Kingdom looks fun. If you're going in Nov/Dec, you probably don't need to bother with the water parks. I'd recommend looking on the WDW website, and picking which parks to go to based on how old your daughters are, and what rides and shows everyone will enjoy.
It always sounds corny, but you really, really want to take a lot of pics. I'm always sad that over the years of DL trips, we have hardly any of me posing with the Disney characters. I made up for that on the trip last year, which really embarassed my mom, lol. But, it's always a nice memory of the park, and of how much fun you had. Also, the autograph books are really worth it. I still have mine from when I was little, and it really is the small things, the ones that seem silly and unimportant at the time, that make you remember Disney. Which is what I love so much about Disney, they take the time to put in the LITTLE details, the ones you don't even notice until your fourth or fifth trip, I really think they go as far as possible to make every trip different and worthwhile.
Being only 20, I've never planned my own Disney trip, so I'm not sure how much help I can give, other than, perhaps what might be most enjoyable to your daughters, but feel more than free to PM me if you'd like, I'm a huge, huge Disney fan, and I'm sure there's something I can help with [img]smile.gif[/img] .
If you can go sometime between November 26 - December 19 you would save quite a bit and it is a GREAT time to go as far as the crowds are concerned.
My sister and I just returned from Disneyworld. We drove (17 hours) with my DD and her 3 children. Cost wise we had to drive but if you can afford it I'd fly. DH, DD and I have been 3 times previously. We have always stayed off property because we were able to use Marriott points. This trip however we booked thru AAA, stayed on property, and got the meal plan. It was such a great experience and I will have a hard time staying off property again! The meal plan more than paid for itself especially if you plan on doing Character Meals. We figured between the admission tickets and hotel it was like getting the meals for free. I did use many of the tips from the websites listed above (Thanks!) like bringing our own water, Mr. Potato Head, and buting things at the Disney Store before we left. Our girls were really into pin trading and we purchased a big lot on ebay before we went. Three of the five days we were there we didn't spend a penny. Each of the girls got a Disney Gift card from an uncle before they left so they spent that at Downtown Disney. All in all we did it very economically. We've already been to AAA to getr info on Disneyland for next year. They even have an excursion that includes a side trip to The Grove - Can you say AGPLA? Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful trip. Planning is fun too!
If you need a good Disney travel agent and want the AAA discount, I can help ya! I'm an AAA agent and I go to WDW every 4-6 months, so I know my stuff [img]smile.gif[/img] I've booked lots of trips for people on Disboards.
I'm going again in October and staying at the Beach Club and following that with a Disney cruise.
October is a nice time to go- low crowds, nice weather (not too cold to swim), Food and Wine Festival, Mickey's Halloween party!
Stephanie
I'm a local Floridian so I can't give any advice about traveling to WDW. Tons of advice about staying on property and the parks, but not travel. I would suggest checking out the DISBoards. They are great for insider information. November and December are nice, but can be crowded because the snowbirds are down. It depends on when you go. I would never go during the week of Christmas to January 3rd. Way too crowded and you'd have a miserable time. The week of Thanksgiving is also really crowded. October used to be the best time, but since the have the weekend parties then, it can be crowded as well. Our weather in December through February is usually nice, but we can get a few days when the temperatures go down into the '30's and '40's.
<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ August 05, 2006 11:38 PM: Message edited by: MickeyFan ]</font>
HI,
No help at all from me. We've never been. Just wanted to wish you a wonderful trip. [img]graemlins/plane.gif[/img] We had planned to go when DD was 8 and DS was 5, but we decided to make an addition to the family and the "baby" would have been 18 months at trip time. We decided to hold off until he is finished with daily naps & diapers. [img]tongue.gif[/img] He's 2.5 & no where near training or stopping naps.lol. Hannah won't even discuss WDW. She only wants to go to AGP. [img]rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]cool.gif[/img]
The advice you have received here is really good as are the websites posted. E-mail MOM to JILLIAN, she knows her stuff. She's the WDW trip planning Queen. [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]
Bren [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img]
Everyone has given very good advice. I would also recommend the book The Unofficial Guide to Disney World. IMO it is invaluable for a first time trip.
We've made 5 trips to WDW as a family in 7 years. Granted, two of those were connected with speaking engagements for DH, and one was connected with a relative visit in Tampa. I feel I have to justify this, LOL. We really do go other places on vacation! But we just got back from our 5th trip, and are planning to go again in 3 years, a December trip for when my son turns 5. We've done trips in June, July, September, and March. September was the least crowded of those, and coolest.
Definitely fly if you can...don't waste time driving!
Taking a baby is really easy. There are fabulous baby stations in each park, which are clean, quiet, and well-stocked on baby supplies in case you need to buy extras. They also have secluded, private nursing rooms which are a godsend. We took our son when he was 7 months and those Baby Stations were fabulous! We even made a few stops there this time, and he's 21/2. I figure, as long as he needs changing [img]graemlins/sure.gif[/img] we're still allowed in there.
We've stayed on and off property and enjoyed both. The Disney rates are very competitive in the value seasons with off-property hotels. Frankly, having done both, we really like the perks of staying on-property. We've stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Contemporary, and All-Star Movies. We got two rooms at the latter for the price, and that was nice to do.
You can get free pack-n-plays at any Disney resort, and little fridges, too.
Random thoughts...The autograph books are great fun. We put stickers of each character beside their autograph. Pin trading is fun, too, but we had to limit it because my DD would stop to try to trade with everyone she saw! Taking food along to eat breakfast in your room, and lunch on the go, is a great time/money saver. Some meal reservations MUST be made quite far in advance, like the Princess breakfast. Do at least one character meal while you are there; it's such fun.
We've rented a car most times, but this last time used Disney transportation only and it was fine. Depending on which hotel you stay at (the value resorts are farthest from the parks and so buses take longer & are more crowded...hard with a stroller), it's very convenient. Tickets come in many packages and you should do your research about what makes sense for your family. Kids under 3 get in free to the parks. Tickets are more expensive at the gates. You can rent strollers there, but really, taking your own for an infant is FAR better, especially if you will still be using the carseat attachment. Frankly, we took our own stroller this time for my son, because he still naps on the go. The Disney strollers don't recline and are hard plastic things...not for babies.
I'm happy to answer more questions about traveling with kids there...feel free to PM! Hope you can go!
<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ August 05, 2006 03:21 PM: Message edited by: EleanorofAquitane ]</font>
We drove once from Ohio, never again. I would advice staying onsite....no driving and parking AND you never have to leave the magic. We always go in September, not as hot and usually lower crowds. We went in July and it was miserable. December was a little chilly for me. We like to do Blizzard Beach and/or Typhoon Lagoon while we're there. If you only have two kids, you could get by with a value resort. They are clean and neatly themed with a better variety of food in the food courts in my opinion. I agree with the above poster...check out the Disney Boards and you will learn everything you need to know.
Our first trip was last summer, the first week of August. Gosh, was it HOT!! But, was it the trip of a lifetime!!
We stayed at All Stars Movies. Yes, the All Stars is further from the parks but still was Disney property so we could take advantage of on-site perks. They have a food court & we were OK with it. Room was nice too but beds were just full size, not queen.
Fly--unless you have the time to make the drive down in several days to see the sights on the way. If your baby is small enough to be on a lap, yours or hubby's, then you shouldn't need a car seat. However, you will need your stroller so gate check it for the plane. If your child is too large to be on your lap, then she/he'll need a separate seat & then you'd want your carseat. Make sure you fly to the airport with initials MCO because then you'll get bus service to All Stars & to airport when you return home. Plus that airport is closer to the Magic. The airport we used was an hours drive & we had a hard time finding it when we came home.
Someone suggested a book about disneyworld. Good idea & I can't remember the name of the one we bought. Had good tips. Check the library? The tip we found most helpful, other than comfortable shoes in lieu of sandals was bringing Dr Scholls moleskin for tender spots on feet. We forgot to cut it in different size pieces first though, so had to buy a pair of scissors.
Autograph books for characters is a super thing too. Your children will love it. We just had regular ink pens but a marker might be better for the characters in full costume--Mickey, Minnie, Cinderella mice, etc. Because of the handcoverings it's hard for them to write.
One character meal is a must too. Chef Mickey's was super & is also a buffet. Even though my granddaughter was slightly older she put up with going to the Princess Tea with me. Fun for a younger girl, ages 4 thru maybe 10? Winnie the Pooh was at some restaurant at Magic Kingdom. Crystal somethingoranother. Gee, you'd think I wouldn't forget...
One of the other posts about this said they'd help you plan & search prices, if I remember right. A friend of ours is a travel agent & she goes there every year so we went when she did.
Have a good time!
I hear so many of you talk about DisneyWorld and Disneyland and I am in desperate need of trip advice.
We have never gone to Disneyworld as a family. I have been to both Disneys growing up, but since being married and having my own kids we have never been there!!!!!
My husband grew up in a tough family and they never even took him out of the state of Michigan, so he is completely clueless about travel and vacations. I have managed to get him to take us to a few places such as NY,Canada,Chicago, etc.
Now are girls are getting so big and growing up to fast and we really want to take them.
Is it best to fly? Driving for us would take 24 hours. Is it best to stay at Disney hotels? Would you recommend going through a travel agent or buying a package online?
What about traveling with a baby? Do planes charge for a seat for a baby? Hotels? I am sure Disney doesn't and they will just be sleeping most the time in a stroller.
I just want to make sure everything is planned and goes good as it will be our first time going and we are on a tight budget.
About how much do you think we would need to spend for about a week? 3,000, 4,000?? More or less? I am counting hotel, tickets and possibly airfare.
Thank you to all you Disney experts!!!!!!! [img]smile.gif[/img]
Ok, first question...do you know when you are going? If you want to get the best bang for your buck, you'll have to go off-season. My favorite time is the beginning of December.
The one set cost is the park admission...after that, your budget is very flexible, depending on where you stay, eat, etc.
Sarah
<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ August 05, 2006 12:52 PM: Message edited by: becnicjamsar ]</font>
Well, we were thinking either November or December.Is the weather good during those times?
My kind of thread! [img]biggrin.gif[/img] I love planning Disney trips and I would love to help you plan yours. Here are two invaluable websites to check out...
www.mousesavers.com and www.DisBoards.com.
I traveled to Disney many times as a child and DH had only been once as a child. We've now taken our kids 4 times in the last three years and have a 2007 trip already planned! It is a wonderful place!
We only have a 12 hour drive so we drive. I would recommend flying since you are that far away. We've never flown so I can't help you with the questions about that.
Staying onsite is a MUST for us! We love using Disney's transportation to get around and we take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours.
We book our trips ourselves. We joined AAA for their discount and it was worth it. We've also rented points from Disney Vacation Club members to stay at the Wilderness Lodge and the Boardwalk. Other times we have stayed at the Value Resorts.
We bought our tickets separately through www.ticketmania.com. Their prices are cheaper using a Mousesavers.com discount then going through Disney.
What time of year are you planning to go? What type of resort are you thinking about? These are two great questions to get you started.
You can PM me or post questions to this thread and I'll try to help you in any way that I can.
I almost forgot...Reservations for dining can be made at 180 days out now. So you need to keep that in mind as you plan. I would highly recommend some nice sit down restaurants so you can take a break in the cool.
We love this site for restaurant info...
www.allearsnet.com
Glenda
<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ August 05, 2006 01:02 PM: Message edited by: MOM to JILLIAN ]</font>
Thank for all your advice everyone. [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]
I would like to pm some of you more on this, but my email is not working right now. My computer got a virus and I believe comcast shut my email down, at least the internet still works. I am going to have my DH fix this for me today hopefully, if he can figure it out [img]wink.gif[/img] .
I would love to hear any more tips and advice.
Thanks so much!!!!
We have taken our kids to many times (I've lost count), mainly because I am a cheapskate and we have been able cut corners and go affordably. My attitude is that I would rather take many vacations on a budget than go only once and really splurge.
We have both driven and flown to Orlando-it kind of depended on how low of an airfare I could find. I'm different than most of the HB members so far, in that I think I prefer driving-I actually find it less stressful. We live in Wisconsin, so it is probably about the same length trip for us as it would be for you. The problem with flying is that if you are planning on doing anything besides Disney (and I personally think it would be a waste to have your kids that close to the ocean and not take them to see it), you will need to rent a car in Orlando, which is another expense. And while flying is undeniably faster, it doesn't save as much time as you might think-we usually flew out of Milwaukee because it was cheaper, so it was 1 1/2 hours to get to the airport, we always arrived about 2 hours early to allow for if the airport/security was backed up, the flight took 3 hours (more if we had a connection, which we always did unless it was a charter airline) then collecting luggage at the airport and picking up the rental car. It usually blew most of one day to travel-at least 8-9 hours.
When we drove down, the kids would go to bed the night before in sweatsuits, we would get up at 2am to take off (my DH loves driving then, with no traffic) and stop for breakfast around 8am when the kids woke up, with a quarter of our trip already made. We took potty breaks every couple of hours to give everyone time to stretch a little and relieve some boredom. I always packed a "goodie bag" of snacks and small toys (I would hit the Toys R Us clearance aisle for a few months before our trip and stock up on cheap little things to keep them busy, books, and usually one nice item, like a new gameboy game, ect.) My kids loved that bag-it was one of their favorite things about the vacation. Every hour or so if they were behaving, they would get something out of it. For the most part, they were very well behaved on our trips.
We own timeshare so we always traded into a resort in Orlando-Homemommie, which place are you staying at. It worked really well (and cheaply) for us, because the units always have a full kitchen, so we didn't have to eat out every meal. We would go grocery shopping and ate our meals in the apartment, except for the days we were in the theme parks. It was really nice to have extra space and made it more of a vacation for my husband and I. The ride down to Florida and back we would stay at an inexpensive hotel just to sleep and I have to say that a family of 5 all in one room is a little too much togetherness for me.
RCI has extra vacation weeks available and I looked online and there were gold crown resorts (the nicest ones) with two bedrooms/2 baths for about $400.00 available for the first 3 weeks in Dec.-if you would be interested, feel free to email me. They aren't on Disney property, but they are all very close.
I would also recommend going to Sea World-I think our kids actually liked it better than Disney. The last time we went to Florida, we went to Discovery Cove, and that was our absolute favorite place we have ever gone in Orlando. It's pricy (249.00 w/dolphin experience/149.00 w/o) but that includes breakfast, awesome lunch, all the snacks ect you and and parking, and you get a pass for 1 week to Sea World, so if you were planning on going to Sea World anyway, it's pretty reasonable. I just got a brochure from them with 50.00 off per person that's good through 12/17. Email if you want any info.
We like to go to the Blue Springs State Park, which is about an hour north of Orlando. It is a Manatee refuge, and in the winter you can see them in their natural habitat. It's really wonderful, and something I think our children should experience, since the manatee are so endangered and may not be around for our next generations. We usually have a picnic lunch in the park.
I always buy boxes of Capri Sun drink packs and stick them overnight in the freezer and then take them into the theme parks with us-your diaper bag with be great for that-along with peanut butter crackers, ect. By the time we have been in the park a while, they have thawed out enough to drink so that we didn't have to pay 4.00 every hour for sodas. They actually stayed cold into the mid/late afternoon.
If you do decide to fly, sign up with travelocity and put in a request for them to notify you if the flights you are looking for go on sale. You can put in the price you would be interested in paying. Also, check out travelzoo and sign up for their newsletter. Once a week they email with new deals, and you might find something that would work for you.
I'll be anxious to hear about your upcoming trip. Vacations make wonderful family memories.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">we are staying at West Gate Town Center http://westgatevacations.com/flash.cfm?newwindow=tcQuote:
Homemommie, which place are you staying at
I would love to hear some of your tips!
Oooh what a great thread!! We are planning a Disney trip for May ourselves! So I am anxious to look through all of the sites that have been recommended!
We are staying a time share resort though so the Disney resorts wont work for us, however I'm quite anxious to find out how we can stretch our dollar to get the most in for our trip.
Glenda and Mandasmom, I pmd you!!! [img]smile.gif[/img]
I also emailed you Stephanie. [img]smile.gif[/img]
I just want to thank Cassieandnicolesmom for starting this thread.
DD is turning 8 this year and I am hoping to plan a tripi to take her to Disney next yer when she turns 9. She has been about 3 years ago but we had to cut the trip short due to my dad having a heart attack. DD has talked about going back ever since.
My company is sending me to Anaheim for work in March and I hope to take DD and DH to she can expereince Disneyland but I really want to take her to Disneyworld. Plus I have not been since I was 10!
Thanks for the tips.
Lara
Homemommie-we stayed at Westgate the first trip that we stayed in Orlando. Some trips we traded to resorts on a beach, and just drove in to the theme parks for a day or two. We've been to all the parks by now, so a couple days of them is enough for me! It's been over 10 years since we stayed at Westgate, but it was very nice. I don't know if you are owners there or if you traded in, but if you don't actually own there, my only caution would be that they are very agressive about wanting you to take a tour-don't let them trick you into it. They kept calling and saying we needed to come to the office to pre-check out to make leaving easier, and I found out from people by the pool that all it really was was a 2 hour time share presentation for their resort. [img]mad.gif[/img]
Don't let them take advantage of you, or if you do listen to them, make sure they are going to compensate you with free attraction tickets first.
I know AGTeacher worked for Disney-maybe she has ideas on how to save money on admission tickets. I think it used to be if you prebought your tickets at a Disney store, you got them at a discount.
From what I have read I think AGTeacher only worked for the Disney Store and that was a few years back. There are people I read on the board like AngieBelle who actually work at WDW so they might be a better bet for information. No offense to AGTeacher meant. [img]smile.gif[/img] There are also people on the DISBoards who work at WDW so you can get some great inside information there as well. Since we go so often, we have perfected "Disney on a Dime" so I understand about your needing to saving money there. The Mouse can quickly take all your money if you don't know what your doing. [img]eek.gif[/img]
Definately spend some time reading your way through Disboards. You will become an expert in no time and learn lots about everything Disneyworld.
I had a great travel agent (online) for our last trip in May/June. She had lots of info and was helpful in getting us the resort we wanted, dining reservations, etc. Since there isn't a charge for this service, I would recommend getting an agent to help you along. Our agent also included a free membership to the Tour Guide Mike's website, which was an invaluable resource in regards to planning our initerary and such.
Of course we fly (from Oregon!) and I would highly recommend staying onsite. There is defintely something to be said for experiencing the Disney magic 24/7. Besides, it's nice to have a vacation from driving as well, since you can use the Disney tranportation to get anywhere on property. Also, it has been mentioned before, but you can really get a great deal if you go when there is free dining involved. And it is not a skimpy plan either. We ate way more than we normally would have! It was nice to eat like Kings and not have to worry about the price.
Have a great trip!
<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ August 07, 2006 03:48 PM: Message edited by: littlele ]</font>
WDW is one of my favorite subjects!
I work for The Disney Store, so I like to think I know something about Disney.
If you are flying I would stay on site. You do not have to rent a car(unless you are planning to go places other than WDW) You do not have to pay for parking at the parks, you can ride the buses. The buses are great! they drop you off right up front and you don't have to try and find your car after a day full of rides.
The disboards are a great resource for information! I go there everyday to find info and just read about what others are talking about.
My daughter and I are going Sept 30 thru Oct 8. We are staying on site at POP Century, and we go a deal that includes FREE dining!!
We found out about the free dining on the disboards.
Look around, you can find lots of deals and codes and WDW runs specials all the time!
Good Luck! PM me if you have any questions I can answer
Aryn
We've been to Disney World 4 times, and are planning our 5th and 6th trips now. I think it's great to get advice from other people, but you need to decide what type of vacation you want. The way we vacation is to save as much money as we can on accommodations and airfare, but once we are there, we are going to spend money. We don't have to have the nicest hotel, but we do have to stay on Disney property. Simply because our vacations are all about Disney.
If you must have two bedrooms or a kitchen or super nice rooms, but don't want to spend the money that Disney charges, then you want to stay off property. If you are wanting to have a total Disney experience, then you need to stay on property. To me, I don't ever see myself staying off of property. First of all, we just recently purchased Disney Vacation Club. But, secondly, I love staying on-site. Why ruin a good thing.
We have gone in December and love it. It wasn't too busy,and it's beautiful at Christmas time. While a travel agent might save you money over just calling yourself, if you do research, you will do better than a travel agent, unless they specialize in Disney. I definitely recommend the Disboards. I think that you will find that most of us who love Disney love it for more reasons than just the theme park. We love the magic and history behind it. I think if you plan the trip yourself over having a travel agent do it, you will discover some of that yourself.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's definitely true from my POV. Half the fun of a vacation for me is research. I tend to be obsessive over anything I get involved in (which is how I found HB, LOL), but that enriches the experience for me. Not everyone has the time or inclination to do that kind of research, though, so travel agents do have their place.Quote:
Originally posted by Madi100:
I think that you will find that most of us who love Disney love it for more reasons than just the theme park. We love the magic and history behind it. I think if you plan the trip yourself over having a travel agent do it, you will discover some of that yourself.
<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ August 08, 2006 09:51 AM: Message edited by: EleanorofAquitane ]</font>
Another recommendation for the disboard and mousesavers here. We're planning to go in 40 days (not that I'm counting or anything [img]wink.gif[/img] ) and those message boards are a wealth of information. There is an entire thread about transportation, although personally you couldn't pay me to travel by car with a baby from Michigan to Disney World. Just sayin'
If you're going in November or December, there are lots of goings on, including Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party in the Magic Kingdom and a Candlelight Processional at Epcot. The disboard already has me wanting to go at Christmas for my next trip. The MGM Studios also have the Osborne Christmas lights.
I've stayed onsite, offsite and with relatives in Orlando and I definitely recommend staying onsite if you have small children. It makes it easier to go back to your hotel for an afternoon break. (I've gone to Disneyland, too, and there I wouldn't bother with a Disney hotel.)
Also, check out the Travel Channel. They do a lot of features on Disney hotels and parks. You can get a schedule at travelchannel.com and keyword Disney.
Disney World is so much fun. It's almost as much fun to plan the trip as to actually go.
www.allearsnet.com is an excellent website. It has reviews, menus, and anything else you can think of for Disney World.
I go to the site whenever I get the Disney bug...can't go because of lack of money atm, and the girls are still in diapers.