A little overwhelmed could use a hand with Early Dec Trip Plans

[mreynoldsDisney]

Hello,
Excited to book a trip for our daughters 7th B-day in early Dec of this year.
I will start off by probably offending many here by stating I am not personally a huge fan of vacationing to a theme park destination, for the same money we could go overseas and discover a new country we have never seen ; but this is all about our daughter having a great time ; she is a huge Princess fan.
7 I feel a perfect mix of old enough to enjoy the rides but not too old to "still believe".

We have a week off from jobs planned ; but given the cost which I was a little under prepared for and the iffy weather in beg of Dec. ; I am not sure if a 5 night plan might make more sense.
Originally I was thinking of Orlando saying a day at the park followed by a day of rest at the pool sounded good and in that scenario could do a full week well ; but if the pool is not usable weather wise than I would be bored out of my mind with a day of nothing to do. From MA so Dec in FL if nothing else will be warmer than back home. We normally are pretty active when traveling, so lounging and resting is not usually part of the plan. I also know a 12 hour day walking in a park is tiring.
Been to Orlando a handful of times before, been to some of the parks once or twice. Always as business trips with a day or so free on my own.
My wife has never been and is looking forward to it more than I.
All of us (daughter included) did go to Disneyland Paris for a full day a couple of years back. That was a great day but think my daughter was a little too young then and I really liked the fact we spent 12 hours at Disney but had breakfast and slept in Paris all in the same day! Our daughter did not like the fireworks/light show (was too loud for her) then but just the other day she loved fireworks after a minor league baseball game we went to so am thrilled to have her experience the Disney Magic Kingdom show again.

I do all of the travel planning for the family and usually enjoy it as well as surprising them with the trips. This will be a surprise for our daughter but not my wife.
So wife insisted on her b-day I book dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table as well as a stop beforehand at the Bibbity Boop Boutique which I did.
That I already have booked and paid for. Cost was more than expected as on her b-day I could only get a Royal Table dinner reservation as part of a package that also includes priority firework viewing and dessert after party.
I feel like we will be full from the dinner and not desire to eat dessert at a late hour so quite wasteful but had no choice.
I assume we will buy a dress for her that day at the boutique as well ; so adding in the park tickets this day and it is going to be one really expensive day out!!!
Unfortunately the other days will need to pale in comparison budget wise.

So one day down but still leaves me needing to plan the rest of the time.
First step seems to be deciding on the parks.
Have 1 day in Magic Kingdom planned ; is that enough for that park? Maybe do the Mickey Xmas Parade night the day before her b-day?
The parade seems overpriced for what it is in, not sure if all of the rides are open and worry it will be too late for our daughter so we won't get good value.
Is it better to plan a 2nd full day at Magic Kingdom instead?

Maybe we will do one more Character type high end lunch or dinner during our stay?
Will definitely do a day in Epcot, as it seems like many of the princess meet and greets are there and will enjoy the round the world culture experience section.
Would probably do a water park one day if a different time of year, should I leave a day free in case weather is good or forget about a water park in Dec? Would love for my daughter to see Discovery Cove if it was hot out and you used to get free Sea World Tixs with a DC tix)
I have been to both of the Disney Water Parks as well as Sea World and Discovery Cove personally.
Don't think Hollywood Studios is of much interest to us.
Universal the rides seem a little too old for my daughter?
A little undecided on Animal Kingdom. Never been so a little confused; is it like a zoo, there don't seem to be many rides?
Maybe instead of buying tickets to AK we could book a dinner or lunch at one of the hotels there to see part of the place without a park admission ; if that is allowed?
Maybe we could stay a night or 2 there in a safari view room, that would be really a cool experience I think. Would it be weird to stay there and never even enter the park?

Why do I need Fast Passes? I expect there will be lines so think we are ok waiting with the commoners.

So that brings me to the next question lodging:
I understand their are benefits to staying in a on Disney place and would love to stay at Animal Kingdom's Lodge but the cost is far too great to make that happen for more than 1 night ; possibly 2 for us.
Would it be a terrible plan to stay off site at a place with a nice pool for 3-4 nights, and then stay 1-2 nights at AK lodge to even out the nightly costs? Would rent a car in this scenario and eat off property mostly for the days when staying off site.
Or would you rather choose a cheaper Disney resort for the whole stay.
I just read something about trading for Disney Vacation Points could be a way to get into a Disney resort for less money and adds free parking which could be useful.

I like the idea of having a car but detest paying for parking. Driving distances never bothers me, even on vacation.
The car leaves open a day trip in the middle of the trip into play ; maybe a day in St. Augustine which is a town I really like but may be so great in early Dec.
The time of year I don't think is terrible popular which is a good thing and flights are cheap. I booked the one day plan mentioned above I knew I needed to 6 months before, trying to decide the rest of it and book those plans within the next month.

We generally are low stress and easy going. Not worried about having fun and my daughter having a great time! I really do not see us again using our vacation time and money (unfortunately we only get time for one family vacation a year) to return to Disney so we have selected this time to be our trip.

Appreciate your time and any advise,
Matt

 

[FoxC63]

1. Include actual dates
2. Pool in winter - book a place that has an indoor pool
3. Google "planning a wdw trip" - there are many great sites to help you plan a daily itinerary like wdwprepschool, easywdw and kennythepirate crowd calendar.
4. The crowd calendar will help you decide which park to visit.
5. Go to each park at rope drop for rides, then use your FP's. easywdw has itineraries to help you plan.
6. wdwprep is more for beginners and provides great tips.
7. Take one day at a time. If you feel overwhelmed, back off and get back in the saddle when you're ready.

 

[mreynoldsDisney]

Thanks for the reply.
Dates are a little flexible but 12/7 - 12/12 if staying only 5 nights works. 12/7 - 12/14 if 7 nights.
I did write down the dates for each park based on the Kenny Crowd Calendar.

Really don't want a mapped out plan for each day, just trying to determine what should be booked in advance, if we need 1 or 2 days for Magic Kingdom itself and in park VS. out of park lodging I guess are my questions in shortened form.
Fairly low stress and not worried about getting to X ride at best time for less lines, etc... Just want to have a good time overall.

 

[FoxC63]

Having an itinerary will help you tremendously even blocking time for rides, meeting characters, dining. Not everyone plans a minute by minute itinerary.

Again, go to the crowd calendar first. It will tell you which park is best when visiting.

1 day here or 1 day there, these sites break it down based on your needs but you need to do your homework. My son & hubby love Epcot and will plan to spend days there where as I love MK. We're not fans of AK and HS with Star Wars opening and FP being restructured is too disappointing. Do you see what just happened? People will post all sorts of advise based on their preference or thoughts. You need to visit the sites I suggested and form your own.

Do you even know what is available at each park?
What interests you, spouse and daughter?
Are you willing to separate? There's no reason why you shouldn't.

 

[Wild4Walt]

Hi Matt,

It sounds like you have a lovely vacation planned. I'll share that the few times I have been to WDW in December ( early December ) the days were still very warm ( low 80s ) but at night it was cooler ( lower 70s ) but it true that you can get a mixed bag when it comes to December weather.

Disney really is a vacation that has so much to do, you would be hard pressed to be bored. Your park plans for MK and Epcot look great. A 3rd park option that we like is AK. We used to consider it a half day park but with the additional of the Pandora area and the River of Lights show we now stay all day. It's part zoo, part educational experience, part awesome rides and shows. HS is also great but you will be there after Star Wars Galaxy Edge is opened and right now a lot of buzz is going around about how crowded that park will be. If you're a Star Wars fan - have at it, but it should be crowded, even in early December.

If you are start the day at park open and stay till park close travelers then 1 day in early December should be enough for the Magic Kingdom. Depending on how in depth you want to get in Epcot, 1 day should be enough there too. Especially with FPs.

Why Fast Past? Well, there are some rides that if you don't you'll spend the better part of an hour and a half in line. Patience is a virtue but that pushed it for me. You can also see so many other great parts of the park that you might miss if you are in line that long. Here are some Fast Passes we traditionally get and why:

MK - Peter Pan - this ride easily gets to an hour wait time even during slow times of the year. It does have a fun que but I'd rather spend my time doing other things.
MK - Winnie the Pooh - for the same reason as above. It quickly gets to the 45 minute to an hour wait if you don't have a Fast Pass.
MK - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - this is still a very popular newish ride. So the time can get up there pretty quickly after rope drop. There is a height restriction on this one so make sure your daughter is tall enough before you choose this one.

Epcot - Frozen Ever After - again, this one is pretty new too and it's a fairly slow loading ride ( I have no idea why ). It's cute and if your daughter is into Anna and Elsa this is a fun one. ( On a side note, there is also an Anna and Elsa Meet and Greet that is a lot of fun ).
Epcot - Test Track - this one is still one of the more favored rides in Epcot and it just gets full fast. There is a single rider line so if you don't mind potentially not being in the same car it's a much quicker option. There is also a height requirements here.
Epcot - Soarin' - also very popular but I have been there twice now when the wait time wasn't terrible. ( about 45 minutes ) . We were there in September ( slow time period ) and June ( busier but not terrible ).

AK - Flight of Passage - arguably, the hottest attraction at AK now. This one easily gets to a wait time of 2 hours. It is one of the most amazing rides I have been on though. There is a height restriction.
AK - Expedition Everest - this is a great roller coaster that is a fan favorite. This one also has a single rider line and that does move faster. This also has a height restriction.

A tips for Flight of Passage and Navi River - these lines are long in the morning but we have found that around dusk the crowds thin out some and the wait times go down.

I'd also recommend that you download the My Disney App - you can see wait times daily even if you are not there so it may help you decide what, if any, FP's you want.

You mentioned AKL and it is a beautiful resort and it has a lot of day activities so a few nights there with a split offsite isn't out of the possibilities. There are a few things to consider - Disney now charges for parking if you have a car. We paid 25.00 per night a few weeks ago at YC and I just saw that it increased effective today. Understandably, that may change you're desire to stay on Disney property. If it was me, I'd do a less expensive Disney property for the whole stay. Something in the moderate category, like Caribbean Beach or Port Orleans Riverside. Caribbean Beach will have the Skyliners that will be an additional form of transportation at that resort ( aside from the buses ) and Port Orleans Riverside is a nice location ( short distance to Epcot, Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. ). If you decide you want to rent points make sure you read and understand all the terms before putting in a reservation request. There are quite a few restrictions which for us, made it not worth doing.

I love to plan a 'pool' day no matter what time of year I go - if the weather is nice then spend a few hours at the pool and tool around the resort. If the weather is too cool, then I do some mini golfing ( Disney has 2 mini golf courses ), tour the resorts, go to Disney Springs, etc. Disney Springs so way more than just shopping now - there's the Void ( a virtual reality experience ), there's the Aquaduck type cars near the Boathouse, tons of entertainment ( live music ) and so many restaurants. Yeah and shops. But so great!

This is long but I hoped it helped!

 

[mreynoldsDisney]

Thank you, I did visit the calendar you suggested. That's good info to have. I understand opinions vary and need to educate myself more about each park as I only have a general understanding.

Have the one day already planned for MK ; of course that is on a Worse day per the calendar but is my daughters B-day so is what it is.
Think I am maxed cost wise at 4 park days in total ; even that feels uncomfortable cost wise but I think 3 is probably too little time in the parks.
1 is MK
1 is Epcot
leaves max of 2 more ; my choices are: MK 2nd day, MK just for the Xmas Parade, Discovery Cove/SeaWorld, Animal Kingdom
Think I will leave Hollywood Studios, Universal Studios and the Disney Water Parks out of the discussion but would be willing to listen to arguments for Universal as I have never been.
MK Need to figure out if we should spend 2 days there or the 1 is enough or MK. Having been to Paris Disneyland which I suspect is very similar as our the rides thinking 1 is enough but second guessing that. I went to Disneyland Orlando as a child and believe we only went to MK for 1 day.

Trip mainly about rides my 7 year old will like and experiences for her.
Nothing really is going to move the needle for my own experiences or things to do and think my wife feels the same ; she will want me to take great photos of our daughter enjoying herself ; that will make the wife happy. Having a savannah view room at AK Lodge if you actually get to see animals from your own balcony would probably be the highlight for me personally and think my wife would feel the same but it is expensive so we may not be able to stay there.

 

[mreynoldsDisney]

Hi Matt,

It sounds like you have a lovely vacation planned. I'll share that the few times I have been to WDW in December ( early December ) the days were still very warm ( low 80s ) but at night it was cooler ( lower 70s ) but it true that you can get a mixed bag when it comes to December weather.

Disney really is a vacation that has so much to do, you would be hard pressed to be bored. Your park plans for MK and Epcot look great. A 3rd park option that we like is AK. We used to consider it a half day park but with the additional of the Pandora area and the River of Lights show we now stay all day. It's part zoo, part educational experience, part awesome rides and shows. HS is also great but you will be there after Star Wars Galaxy Edge is opened and right now a lot of buzz is going around about how crowded that park will be. If you're a Star Wars fan - have at it, but it should be crowded, even in early December.

If you are start the day at park open and stay till park close travelers then 1 day in early December should be enough for the Magic Kingdom. Depending on how in depth you want to get in Epcot, 1 day should be enough there too. Especially with FPs.

Why Fast Past? Well, there are some rides that if you don't you'll spend the better part of an hour and a half in line. Patience is a virtue but that pushed it for me. You can also see so many other great parts of the park that you might miss if you are in line that long. Here are some Fast Passes we traditionally get and why:

MK - Peter Pan - this ride easily gets to an hour wait time even during slow times of the year. It does have a fun que but I'd rather spend my time doing other things.
MK - Winnie the Pooh - for the same reason as above. It quickly gets to the 45 minute to an hour wait if you don't have a Fast Pass.
MK - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - this is still a very popular newish ride. So the time can get up there pretty quickly after rope drop. There is a height restriction on this one so make sure your daughter is tall enough before you choose this one.

Epcot - Frozen Ever After - again, this one is pretty new too and it's a fairly slow loading ride ( I have no idea why ). It's cute and if your daughter is into Anna and Elsa this is a fun one. ( On a side note, there is also an Anna and Elsa Meet and Greet that is a lot of fun ).
Epcot - Test Track - this one is still one of the more favored rides in Epcot and it just gets full fast. There is a single rider line so if you don't mind potentially not being in the same car it's a much quicker option. There is also a height requirements here.
Epcot - Soarin' - also very popular but I have been there twice now when the wait time wasn't terrible. ( about 45 minutes ) . We were there in September ( slow time period ) and June ( busier but not terrible ).

AK - Flight of Passage - arguably, the hottest attraction at AK now. This one easily gets to a wait time of 2 hours. It is one of the most amazing rides I have been on though. There is a height restriction.
AK - Expedition Everest - this is a great roller coaster that is a fan favorite. This one also has a single rider line and that does move faster. This also has a height restriction.

A tips for Flight of Passage and Navi River - these lines are long in the morning but we have found that around dusk the crowds thin out some and the wait times go down.

I'd also recommend that you download the My Disney App - you can see wait times daily even if you are not there so it may help you decide what, if any, FP's you want.

You mentioned AKL and it is a beautiful resort and it has a lot of day activities so a few nights there with a split offsite isn't out of the possibilities. There are a few things to consider - Disney now charges for parking if you have a car. We paid 25.00 per night a few weeks ago at YC and I just saw that it increased effective today. Understandably, that may change you're desire to stay on Disney property. If it was me, I'd do a less expensive Disney property for the whole stay. Something in the moderate category, like Caribbean Beach or Port Orleans Riverside. Caribbean Beach will have the Skyliners that will be an additional form of transportation at that resort ( aside from the buses ) and Port Orleans Riverside is a nice location ( short distance to Epcot, Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. ). If you decide you want to rent points make sure you read and understand all the terms before putting in a reservation request. There are quite a few restrictions which for us, made it not worth doing.

I love to plan a 'pool' day no matter what time of year I go - if the weather is nice then spend a few hours at the pool and tool around the resort. If the weather is too cool, then I do some mini golfing ( Disney has 2 mini golf courses ), tour the resorts, go to Disney Springs, etc. Disney Springs so way more than just shopping now - there's the Void ( a virtual reality experience ), there's the Aquaduck type cars near the Boathouse, tons of entertainment ( live music ) and so many restaurants. Yeah and shops. But so great!

This is long but I hoped it helped!

Very helpful Walt!
I hope I get as nice weather as you have experienced!
As I think more about what my wife would enjoy I think 1 day at AK park makes sense.

So could do just the 1 day at MK, 1 at Epcot, 1 at AK which is at least 3 of my 4 solved.
I feel closer already and going to try and map things out.
If I can tackle the DVC point rental aspect I might be able to afford the AK lodge easier and I do like the fact they have kids activities there making a full day with no park more viable if staying there I think.

 

[`OhanaHare]

Just FYI: Staying at AKL is great, but it's not getting you views or experiences from AK park by staying there, it's not connected. AKL does have it's own savannahs though and activities, but many of the deluxe resorts have activities.

You seemed confused on that part so just wanted to kindly clear that up.

 

[mreynoldsDisney]

Thank you, I didn’t know the Savannah at the lodge(s) are separate from the main park. My current plan if staying on site is to try using dvc points for a 5 night stay AK ; and just to visit 3 parks during our time
The points seems to cut the lodging costs in half and puts it more into budget range if I limit to 5 nights and 3 parks

Likely 1 day each at MK, Epcot and AK with a rest day in the middle. No rental car and just use Disney’s transportation
Worried about how much food will cost us in that scenerio but think it works well otherwise

Probably booking the airfare next so once I do that I kind of boxes me in on options.

 

[mreynoldsDisney]

Hi Matt,

It sounds like you have a lovely vacation planned. I'll share that the few times I have been to WDW in December ( early December ) the days were still very warm ( low 80s ) but at night it was cooler ( lower 70s ) but it true that you can get a mixed bag when it comes to December weather.

Disney really is a vacation that has so much to do, you would be hard pressed to be bored. Your park plans for MK and Epcot look great. A 3rd park option that we like is AK. We used to consider it a half day park but with the additional of the Pandora area and the River of Lights show we now stay all day. It's part zoo, part educational experience, part awesome rides and shows. HS is also great but you will be there after Star Wars Galaxy Edge is opened and right now a lot of buzz is going around about how crowded that park will be. If you're a Star Wars fan - have at it, but it should be crowded, even in early December.

If you are start the day at park open and stay till park close travelers then 1 day in early December should be enough for the Magic Kingdom. Depending on how in depth you want to get in Epcot, 1 day should be enough there too. Especially with FPs.

Why Fast Past? Well, there are some rides that if you don't you'll spend the better part of an hour and a half in line. Patience is a virtue but that pushed it for me. You can also see so many other great parts of the park that you might miss if you are in line that long. Here are some Fast Passes we traditionally get and why:

MK - Peter Pan - this ride easily gets to an hour wait time even during slow times of the year. It does have a fun que but I'd rather spend my time doing other things.
MK - Winnie the Pooh - for the same reason as above. It quickly gets to the 45 minute to an hour wait if you don't have a Fast Pass.
MK - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - this is still a very popular newish ride. So the time can get up there pretty quickly after rope drop. There is a height restriction on this one so make sure your daughter is tall enough before you choose this one.

Epcot - Frozen Ever After - again, this one is pretty new too and it's a fairly slow loading ride ( I have no idea why ). It's cute and if your daughter is into Anna and Elsa this is a fun one. ( On a side note, there is also an Anna and Elsa Meet and Greet that is a lot of fun ).
Epcot - Test Track - this one is still one of the more favored rides in Epcot and it just gets full fast. There is a single rider line so if you don't mind potentially not being in the same car it's a much quicker option. There is also a height requirements here.
Epcot - Soarin' - also very popular but I have been there twice now when the wait time wasn't terrible. ( about 45 minutes ) . We were there in September ( slow time period ) and June ( busier but not terrible ).

AK - Flight of Passage - arguably, the hottest attraction at AK now. This one easily gets to a wait time of 2 hours. It is one of the most amazing rides I have been on though. There is a height restriction.
AK - Expedition Everest - this is a great roller coaster that is a fan favorite. This one also has a single rider line and that does move faster. This also has a height restriction.

A tips for Flight of Passage and Navi River - these lines are long in the morning but we have found that around dusk the crowds thin out some and the wait times go down.

I'd also recommend that you download the My Disney App - you can see wait times daily even if you are not there so it may help you decide what, if any, FP's you want.

You mentioned AKL and it is a beautiful resort and it has a lot of day activities so a few nights there with a split offsite isn't out of the possibilities. There are a few things to consider - Disney now charges for parking if you have a car. We paid 25.00 per night a few weeks ago at YC and I just saw that it increased effective today. Understandably, that may change you're desire to stay on Disney property. If it was me, I'd do a less expensive Disney property for the whole stay. Something in the moderate category, like Caribbean Beach or Port Orleans Riverside. Caribbean Beach will have the Skyliners that will be an additional form of transportation at that resort ( aside from the buses ) and Port Orleans Riverside is a nice location ( short distance to Epcot, Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. ). If you decide you want to rent points make sure you read and understand all the terms before putting in a reservation request. There are quite a few restrictions which for us, made it not worth doing.

I love to plan a 'pool' day no matter what time of year I go - if the weather is nice then spend a few hours at the pool and tool around the resort. If the weather is too cool, then I do some mini golfing ( Disney has 2 mini golf courses ), tour the resorts, go to Disney Springs, etc. Disney Springs so way more than just shopping now - there's the Void ( a virtual reality experience ), there's the Aquaduck type cars near the Boathouse, tons of entertainment ( live music ) and so many restaurants. Yeah and shops. But so great!

This is long but I hoped it helped!

Also just adding to this thread, I was under the impression fast passes cost extra and given how costly the daily tix are I didn’t want to pay more to skip some lines.
I understand now they are free if booking tix in advance so the logic of them and planning around them makes much more sense to me.
Also understand if I stay on park I can sign up for things 30 days earlier than if not on park

 

[`OhanaHare]

Thank you, I didn’t know the Savannah at the lodge(s) are separate from the main park. My current plan if staying on site is to try using dvc points for a 5 night stay AK ; and just to visit 3 parks during our time
The points seems to cut the lodging costs in half and puts it more into budget range if I limit to 5 nights and 3 parks

Likely 1 day each at MK, Epcot and AK with a rest day in the middle. No rental car and just use Disney’s transportation
Worried about how much food will cost us in that scenerio but think it works well otherwise

Probably booking the airfare next so once I do that I kind of boxes me in on options.

I would make sure you have the dates locked in with DVC esp if you are renting before you book flights you can't change.

 

[mreynoldsDisney]

I would make sure you have the dates locked in with DVC esp if you are renting before you book flights you can't change.

Yeah good point!
Mentally I have the dates locked in now though which really helps me on the planning side
Will wait to book the flight though; I know you mentioned too many restrictions with the dvc ; was it the not cancellable aspect or something different (no housekeeping, etc...)

 

[`OhanaHare]

Yeah good point!
Mentally I have the dates locked in now though which really helps me on the planning side
Will wait to book the flight though; I know you mentioned too many restrictions with the dvc ; was it the not cancellable aspect or something different (no housekeeping, etc...)

That wasn't me. I personally love DVC.

 

[FoxC63]

Also just adding to this thread, I was under the impression fast passes cost extra and given how costly the daily tix are I didn’t want to pay more to skip some lines.
I understand now they are free if booking tix in advance so the logic of them and planning around them makes much more sense to me.
Also understand if I stay on park I can sign up for things 30 days earlier than if not on park

Yep, I think you're getting it. You are allowed to book 3 fastpasses per day.

• For offsite guests staying at non partner hotels you get to book 30 days in advance.
• For onsite guests or guests staying at partner hotels 60 days in advance.

After you tap your band on your 3rd FP, you can book a 4th. Tap and ride then book a 5th and so on.

I'm just going to break things down to help give you time to digest it. Read at your own pace.

 

[FoxC63]

Where to Stay and Looking at ALL your options:
A lot has changed regarding WDW partner hotels, some of which are Deluxe and cost way less than WDW Deluxe, it's worth looking into plus you're eligible for Extra Magic Hours, book advance dining and dinner show reservations 160 days in advance for all restaurants across the Walt Disney World Resort and 60 day booking window for FastPass+

Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels:

• B Resort & Spa – the resort opened in June 2014 with 394 newly renovated guest rooms, the full-service B Indulged AVEDA Spa, and features American Kitchen Bar & Grill
• Best Western Lake Buena Vista – the 18-story, 325-room resort overlooks scenic Lake Buena Vista and the Walt Disney World Resort, and offers two restaurants, a lounge, and wireless internet
• DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando – the hotel features 229 suites, and is the only all-suite resort hotel in the Disney Springs Resort Area
• Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace –the 27-acre, newly renovated hotel features a redesigned pool area with four pools, seven restaurants and lounges, spa, and a Character Breakfast every Sunday
• Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista – the closest hotel to Disney Springs, the resort offers two pools, a Disney Character Breakfast each Sunday, seven restaurants and lounges (including Benihana Steakhouse), and 24-hour fitness center
• Holiday Inn Orlando – featuring modern Florida décor, a beach entry swimming pool, and complimentary Wi-Fi in all guest rooms and public areas
• Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista – featuring a Disney Character Breakfast 3 days a week, 394 guest rooms, six dining options, and the Oasis Aquatic Pool Playground with interactive water features.

Direct Link: Disney Springs Resort Hotels

Bonnet Creek Hotels:

• Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
• Waldorf Astoria Orlando

Some people sign up for new credit cards for the sign up bonuses, spend X amount within 3-4 months. Disney Visa no fee has them between $200-$250, once signed up you can refer your spouse and earn a referral bonus. She then would earn $200-$250 when she meet the spending requirement.

DVC
Renting points from Dave's Vacation Rentals can save too, but you really need to get insurance that covers EVERYTHING. So no matter what happens you and your family are covered and that cost needs to be factored in when comparing prices.

Costco, Sam's AAA are a few more ways to save. Hotels above can be had for less when using Priceline Express Deals and Cash Back Portals like Ebates and Retailmenot.

DIS Links:
I Love Credit Cards
Disney Gift Card Deals
Priceline Express Deals

 

[FoxC63]

We're staying at Wilderness Lodge which is a deluxe. I went through a travel agency to save 40% off Disney's rack rates. It even beat their best summer offer and I paid with Disney Gift Cards I bought at 14% off, room only, 4 night stay. I used my husbands Visa referral earned $250 for the purchase of our gift cards.

 

[FoxC63]

Magic Kingdom has a really fun no hassle freebie card game you might enjoy called Sorcerer of the Magic Kingdom. Here's what the cards look like...

When you enter the Magic Kingdom, head on over to the Firehouse on your left and the cast member inside will encourage everyone in your party to scan your bands (even members who aren't planning on playing). The CM will give each of you a pack of cards and explain how to play. Each member of your family is entitled to one pack of cards per day. Here's a fun video!

These cards are highly collectible, people trade their duplicates here on the DIS.

 

[FoxC63]

Magic Kingdom is a park you can get lost in. There's so much to see. I recommend at least two full days and even then you won't fully absorb it but you'll have an awesome time. Split the park in half. One day do the right side of the park Tomorrowland, Fantasyland then on the second day do Liberty Square, Frontierland and Adventureland.

In the morning do all the priority rides, meet some characters get a bite to eat then return later in the evening go on rides that aren't major hitters, visit the shops try a cool snack while watching the parade or fireworks. When you return to MK for day 2, focus on the left side of the line.

You get to spend quality time with your family at a leisure pace. Same goes for Epcot, it's a two day event. I think most can do it in one but you'll be rushing it and that's not a vacation.

 

[Nancyg56]

Hi! Disney in December is my favorite time to visit. WE are from CT so we are used to the cold, but I should warn you that the cold in WDW is a tad different than it is here. It's a damp cold, so I suggest you embrace that it may get chilly and plan for some pretty cool disney hats.

I always think a few more days is better than less. December in WDW is pretty darn gorgeous and you can lose yourself in the Holiday decoration and events. The resorts are gorgeous. WHne my DGD was younger we could spend hours resort hopping, whole she and my DSIL looked for hidden mickeys.

Fort Wilderness is so much fun. We joined a wagon ride around the Fort to check out the decorated campsites. Guests go overboard decorating their sites for Christmas.

I know planning is overwhelming, but it can be done. I think if you joint touringplans.com and start fooling around on the trip planner side you will benefit. Even if you do not use an itinerary, we do not, planning them on that site will help you to understand how long it can take to go from one attraction to another, and so you will become familiar with the layout of each park befoe you arrive.

 

[Pluto777]

Hello,
Excited to book a trip for our daughters 7th B-day in early Dec of this year.
I will start off by probably offending many here by stating I am not personally a huge fan of vacationing to a theme park destination, for the same money we could go overseas and discover a new country we have never seen ; but this is all about our daughter having a great time ; she is a huge Princess fan.
7 I feel a perfect mix of old enough to enjoy the rides but not too old to "still believe".

We have a week off from jobs planned ; but given the cost which I was a little under prepared for and the iffy weather in beg of Dec. ; I am not sure if a 5 night plan might make more sense.
Originally I was thinking of Orlando saying a day at the park followed by a day of rest at the pool sounded good and in that scenario could do a full week well ; but if the pool is not usable weather wise than I would be bored out of my mind with a day of nothing to do. From MA so Dec in FL if nothing else will be warmer than back home. We normally are pretty active when traveling, so lounging and resting is not usually part of the plan. I also know a 12 hour day walking in a park is tiring.
Been to Orlando a handful of times before, been to some of the parks once or twice. Always as business trips with a day or so free on my own.
My wife has never been and is looking forward to it more than I.
All of us (daughter included) did go to Disneyland Paris for a full day a couple of years back. That was a great day but think my daughter was a little too young then and I really liked the fact we spent 12 hours at Disney but had breakfast and slept in Paris all in the same day! Our daughter did not like the fireworks/light show (was too loud for her) then but just the other day she loved fireworks after a minor league baseball game we went to so am thrilled to have her experience the Disney Magic Kingdom show again.

I do all of the travel planning for the family and usually enjoy it as well as surprising them with the trips. This will be a surprise for our daughter but not my wife.
So wife insisted on her b-day I book dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table as well as a stop beforehand at the Bibbity Boop Boutique which I did.
That I already have booked and paid for. Cost was more than expected as on her b-day I could only get a Royal Table dinner reservation as part of a package that also includes priority firework viewing and dessert after party.
I feel like we will be full from the dinner and not desire to eat dessert at a late hour so quite wasteful but had no choice.
I assume we will buy a dress for her that day at the boutique as well ; so adding in the park tickets this day and it is going to be one really expensive day out!!!
Unfortunately the other days will need to pale in comparison budget wise.

So one day down but still leaves me needing to plan the rest of the time.
First step seems to be deciding on the parks.
Have 1 day in Magic Kingdom planned ; is that enough for that park? Maybe do the Mickey Xmas Parade night the day before her b-day?
The parade seems overpriced for what it is in, not sure if all of the rides are open and worry it will be too late for our daughter so we won't get good value.
Is it better to plan a 2nd full day at Magic Kingdom instead?

Maybe we will do one more Character type high end lunch or dinner during our stay?
Will definitely do a day in Epcot, as it seems like many of the princess meet and greets are there and will enjoy the round the world culture experience section.
Would probably do a water park one day if a different time of year, should I leave a day free in case weather is good or forget about a water park in Dec? Would love for my daughter to see Discovery Cove if it was hot out and you used to get free Sea World Tixs with a DC tix)
I have been to both of the Disney Water Parks as well as Sea World and Discovery Cove personally.
Don't think Hollywood Studios is of much interest to us.
Universal the rides seem a little too old for my daughter?
A little undecided on Animal Kingdom. Never been so a little confused; is it like a zoo, there don't seem to be many rides?
Maybe instead of buying tickets to AK we could book a dinner or lunch at one of the hotels there to see part of the place without a park admission ; if that is allowed?
Maybe we could stay a night or 2 there in a safari view room, that would be really a cool experience I think. Would it be weird to stay there and never even enter the park?

Why do I need Fast Passes? I expect there will be lines so think we are ok waiting with the commoners.

So that brings me to the next question lodging:
I understand their are benefits to staying in a on Disney place and would love to stay at Animal Kingdom's Lodge but the cost is far too great to make that happen for more than 1 night ; possibly 2 for us.
Would it be a terrible plan to stay off site at a place with a nice pool for 3-4 nights, and then stay 1-2 nights at AK lodge to even out the nightly costs? Would rent a car in this scenario and eat off property mostly for the days when staying off site.
Or would you rather choose a cheaper Disney resort for the whole stay.
I just read something about trading for Disney Vacation Points could be a way to get into a Disney resort for less money and adds free parking which could be useful.

I like the idea of having a car but detest paying for parking. Driving distances never bothers me, even on vacation.
The car leaves open a day trip in the middle of the trip into play ; maybe a day in St. Augustine which is a town I really like but may be so great in early Dec.
The time of year I don't think is terrible popular which is a good thing and flights are cheap. I booked the one day plan mentioned above I knew I needed to 6 months before, trying to decide the rest of it and book those plans within the next month.

We generally are low stress and easy going. Not worried about having fun and my daughter having a great time! I really do not see us again using our vacation time and money (unfortunately we only get time for one family vacation a year) to return to Disney so we have selected this time to be our trip.

Appreciate your time and any advise,
Matt

Wow, wait till you read these boards - there is SO much information I can certainly understand feeling overwhelmed. You can ask me here or DM if you have specific questions. I would say generally speaking that WDW is probably much larger than you probably think and there is a LOT to see and do. Bear in mind there are 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, numerous onsite resorts from 'value', 'moderate' & 'Deluxe' as well as Disney Springs and the semi-offsite hotels in the Disney Springs area as well as Swan & Dolphin (which is next to Crescent Lake) and other Bonnet Creek area hotels that fit different budgets as well as completely offsite hotels you can drive, bus ride or taxi to & from. It's not difficult to spend a lot of time (& money ; ) in and around WDW.

"....Maybe instead of buying tickets to AK we could book a dinner or lunch at one of the hotels there to see part of the place without a park admission ; if that is allowed?..."

BTW, please be aware that based on your above Question about an "AK" restaurant I want to clarify (unless I misunderstood you), Animal Kingdom Lodge is a large resort hotel (containing Kidani & Jambo sections) but it is NOT a theme park. Animal Kingdom PARK is one of the 4 theme parks along with EPCOT, Magic Kingdom & Hollywood Studios. The resort of Animal Kingdom LODGE is close by, but entering the AKL resort (and any restaurant there) does NOT get you admission into the park; that is a separate paid admission. In fact please bear in mind that if you make a reservation for a restaurant inside any of the 4 theme parks you will have to pay separately for admission to whichever park that is contained in. I would hate for you to be confused, make a reservation at some restaurant inside a theme park and find this out when you got to the gate of whatever park it is in!