Type of Pass

We have always paid the extra for the park hopper pass. This allows you to go to more than one park a day. Since we are there for usually 5-7 days, this gives us the freedom to eat in one park, but spend time in another on any given day. This will also help free you up for your restaurant options instead of limiting you to the restaurants in one park on each day.

DVC - Disney Vacation Club

In October of 2010 we tested out the renting of points from a Disney Vacation Club member. The Vacation Club members have home resorts that are typically the luxury resorts. When they do not use all of their points for the year they rent them on a Disney Discussion Forum board. The benefit is you can get into a luxury resort for around the cost of a Moderate. The downside is you are not going through Disney, but instead an individual. We have heard great things and will update this fall after we experience how it works.

In October, 2010, we stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge – Kidani Village. The resort was beautiful, and we had a safari view so we got to see lots of animals outside our balcony. The kids loved checking off all the animals they saw. We stayed in a studio room which worked out well for us. Going through disboards.com to find a DVC member was easy and the transaction was smooth. We ended up getting the room for the same cost as a value resort for the week, so that was a huge benefit. The pool and splash park were fantastic so take some time to visit them if you stay here. The downside to Kidani was the long walks from room to bus stop. It was about a 5-10 minute walk. We had a lot of transportation problems this time with the buses that we had never experienced before. Also, after the Kidani pick up the bus will also stop at Jambo House, the main lodge for another pick up, so transportation to the parks are slow, except Animal Kingdom. One day it took us 45 minutes to get to Magic Kingdom. While we liked the experience of Kidani, we won’t stay there again. It is just too far from most parks, and there are so many other good options. We will do the DVC rental again and may try for Wilderness Lodge or Beach and Yacht Club next time.

Coronado Springs

Coronado Springs is a very pretty resort in the Moderate Resort level. It's main function is as a business retreat. When you see the "convention goers" on your bus, they are normally staying at Coronado Springs. The resort is very spread out. That's code for "make sure you get a room near a bus stop". The resort is huge and has 4 bus stops as a result.

All Star Resorts

We have stayed at the All Star Resorts (Value Resort), which is the cheapest you can find besides the campground. The reason we do this is because we are almost ALWAYS in the parks. Literally we wake up and head out, and then when we come back at midnight we are so exhausted we fall right to sleep. So, being the frugal people we are, we don’t spend the extra on a more expensive resort. You still get themed pools, themed rooms, etc. It's just there is no extravagance. So. . . if you are looking for a no-frills place to stay, on site while on a budget, this could be the place for you!

If you have young children that are in to Toy Story though, I would recommend you stay at the All Star Movies (at least once) and request to be in the Toy Story section. It really is very neat for huge fans of the movie, and you’ll get some priceless pictures! One downside to the All Star Resorts is the amount of people that stay in the value resorts. The result is long lines for the buses to leave for the parks and return from the parks, and at times at night nowhere to sit on your ride back. Some people will give up their seat if you are holding a kid but not everyone will and you may be holding them for a 10-minute ride back to the hotel. The pools at the resorts are nice and large, but I would suggest checking the sites before you book to make sure no renovations or maintenance is scheduled for the pool area for the resort you are choosing and the time you will be there. While you don’t spend much time at the hotel, you want the pool to be an option.

Welcome!

Well, we will just come right out and say it . . . we are "those people". The "Disney Freaks". The ones where if they don't go every year, they feel like they are having trouble breathing. That's us! We aren't ashamed! We are proud to admit it! Over the years, many people have asked us for advice, help planning their vacations, little tips/tricks that others may not know. At first, we just emailed everyone individually. Then, we started compiling a word document that we would email out upon request. Now, we feel that a blog might be our best bet. This way, you all can search for the topics that interest you the most, and go from their on your own. Please feel free to leave comments/questions! We will answer!