What Using Travel Agent?

If planning a Walt Disney World vacation is beginning to seem complicated, it is to a certain extent.  You may begin to wonder why you shouldn’t just call your local travel agent.  Well, you can, but the question is, should you?

There isn’t anything a travel agent can do for you that you can’t do for yourself.  They will tell you about their services—book you the best deal, make your ADRS (advance dining reservations), and arrange for your magical express.   They’ll even help you with itinerary planning for your Walt Disney World vacation.

They do not get you better deals than you can get yourself with a little due diligence.  There are many websites (the best of which is www.mousesavers.com) that list all the discount codes available at Walt Disney World for you.

Most travel agencies, if not all, will not change a resort or the dates of your vacation to get you a better deal, which could save you hundreds of dollars.  You would have to tell your travel agent to do that, so you must be aware of what the best deals are at all times anyhow.  And then, you must wait for the travel agency to get your request and have the time to take care of it.  You could be at the front of the line, or 150 people back.  Your travel agent might not even be working; he/she could be out with the flu.  You can’t change your reservation yourself, because your travel agent owns it.

The same thing goes for ADRs.  You are perfectly capable of making them yourself at 180 days +10 out.  You can do that even if a travel agent does, in fact, book your reservation. 

Itinerary planning is the same thing.  As a matter of fact, I believe that is half the fun in planning a Walt Disney World vacation—doing the planning.  While a good travel agent can be an invaluable resource, most are only so-so at planning Walt Disney World vacations.  There are better resources out there, such as The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. 

If you don’t enjoy planning though, or don’t have any time, a travel agent might be the best way to go.  In which case, make sure you pick your travel agent carefully.  You can NOT just use any travel agent when planning a Walt Disney World vacations.  You must use an authorized Disney Vacation Planner!  There are many good ones out there.  Authorized Disney Vacation Planners are travel agencies/agents that have been specifically trained by Walt Disney World to understand their product in a very special way.

Some, that are highly recommended, include The Mouse For Less, Small World Vacations, Magical Vacations, and Mouse Fan Travel.  These, are not by any means, the extend of authorized Disney Vacation Planners. 

For more information on how to pick the right travel agent, see HERE.

So, Which Deluxe Villa Resort?

Deluxe Villa Resorts are part of Walt Disney World’s timeshare program.  You can purchase a share into these (it’s more like pre-payment for your vacations than a typical timeshare), book a DVC (Disney Vacation Club) Resort room, aka Deluxe Villa through Walt Disney World directly, or you can “rent” points from a DVC member.  DVC rooms range from a studio with a kitchenette to a three bedroom with separate living room and a full kitchen.  There are a stacked washer and dryer available in your room.

When staying at a Deluxe Villa as a DVC member/guest, you will receive limited cleaning services.  Your room will be ready at check-in and trash and towel service is provided on day 4, if your stay is 7 days or less.  If your stay is 8 days or more, you will receive a full cleaning service on day 4 and trash and towel service on day 8.  Trash and towel service includes all trash removed and items such as shampoo and coffee filters replaced.  If you are a cash guest, you will receive typical housekeeping services daily.

When you book a DVC room through Walt Disney World, you pay on a cash per night basis, just like any other room.  When you rent points, you are paying the DVC owner $x per point.  Each date of the calendar year requires a certain number of points for that night to book the room.  The number of points varies by season (different from regular room seasons and size of the room).  The DVC owner books your room, just as if they were staying there, except in your name instead of theirs.  Renting points is usually much cheaper than booking through Walt Disney World directly.

At Animal Kingdom Lodge, there are two different DVC resort rooms: Jambo House (the original Animal Kingdom Lodge where deluxe rooms are located) and Kidani Village.  Each building has its own lobby concierge, valet, check-in services, and pool.  As a DVC guest, you are able to enjoy either buildings amenities. 

Bay Lake Towers is located just to the north of Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort’s main building.  It is within walking distance to the Magic Kingdom and is Walt Disney World’s newest DVC resort.  To access Bay Lake Towers, you must be staying there and have a key card.  The theming is ultra-modern.  Bay Lake Towers has a private observation deck where you can watch the fireworks at Magic Kingdom, but you must be staying as a DVC member/guest.   Other amenities are shared with the Contemporary Resort.

The Villas at Wilderness Lodge are located adjacent to Walt Disney World’s Wilderness Lodge in the Magic Kingdom area.  The theme, like Wilderness Lodge, is the forest of National Parks.  Amenities are shared with Wilderness Lodge, but the Villas do have its own, private quiet pool. 

Walt Disney World’s Beach Club Villas are located adjacent to the Beach and Yacht Club Resorts in the Epcot area.  You are within walking distance of both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  When staying at the Beach Club Villas, you are meant to feel as though you have an ocean front home.  The Beach Club Villas shares its amenities with the Beach and Yacht Club Resorts, but does also have its own, private quiet pool. 

Also located in the Epcot area, within walking distance to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios is Walt Disney Worlds’ Boardwalk Villas.  The Boardwalk Villas, just like Boardwalk Inn, are themed to Atlantic City at the turn of the century.   The Boardwalk Villas are separate wing of rooms at the Boardwalk Inn.  Amenities are shared equally between the Boardwalk Inn and the Boardwalk Villas.  You may have long walks to the elevators (as there are very few of them), and hallways are quite narrow, which may present a problem for families with strollers.

Old Key West is a dedicated DVC Resort (Deluxe Villas), and the first DVC Resort ever built.  Old Key West is themed after the Florida Keys in the style of Hemingway Romance.  It is an Epcot Resort, but not within walking distance.  All transportation is by bus.  If you have a car, parking is in front of your villa.  Old Key West has four pools, volleyball, basketball, tennis, golf, boating, playgrounds and a fitness center.  There is no kids club there.  Old Key West has among the largest rooms of all the DVC Resorts.

Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa is the last of Walt Disney World’s Deluxe Villas/DVC Resorts.  Saratoga Springs is a dedicated DVC Resort and has two areas—the treehouses and the regular rooms which include: The Springs, The Paddock, Congress Park, The Carousel, and The Grandstand .  The theme is meant to feel like upstate New York in the 1800s at Saratoga Springs, centering around spas and horse racing.  Most visitors don’t notice any “theme” at all.  Amenities abound, including four pools, golf, a spa and two playgrounds.  Most transportation is by bus, but you may walk or catch a ferry to Downtown Disney.

The Treehouse Villas are three bedrooms and are the old Treehouses remodeled.  The Treehouse Villas are elevate 10 feet off the ground, have a deck just outside your door and have every modern feature, including granite countertops that you would expect to find at a Walt Disney World DVC Resort.  The Treehouse Villas have a dedicated pool.  There are four handicapped accessible Treehouses with a ramp instead of stairs.  There is an internal bus system that will take you to the Treehouse area to the main transportation areas.

So, which Deluxe Resort is best for you?

Certain things are exactly the same at all Deluxe Resorts at Walt Disney World.  You have access, for an extra charge per every 24 hours, to high speed Internet service.  Each Deluxe Resort offers suite options (at a premium price) and concierge services (suite not necessary).  Concierge services offer itinerary planning and limited food service throughout the day.  Deluxe resorts have amazing theming where no stone is left unturned, and most rooms sleep five, plus a child under the age of 3.  The rooms are larger by far than value or moderate resorts at Walt Disney World.  There is a variety of dining—upscale sit-down, moderate sit-down, counter service, room service and bars (pool and traditional).  There is no doubt about it, the best resorts at Walt Disney World are the deluxe resorts.

Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is located adjacent to the Animal Kingdom theme park.  The theme of the resort is followed throughout the property both inside and outside the resort.  You are meant to feel as though you are in a South African Village, and you do, in fact, feel transported to Africa.  Outside the resort the gardens resemble what you would find in an Africa village.  The Resort itself is made of darker wood, extensively carved, and is of Kraal African village design.  The bedspreads, curtains, and carpeting are reminiscent of an African Hotel.  The rooms are the smallest of the deluxe resort rooms at 344 square feet.

There are different “Savannahs” filled with animals you would find on an Africa Savannah.  Even if you do not have a Savannah view room, you will find plenty of look-out areas to see and enjoy the animals.  The resort offers plenty of activities for you to check-out the culture and keep yourself entertained.  Some of the best restaurants in all of Walt Disney World are located at Animal Kingdom Lodge.  This resort also sports a kids club for kids ages 4-12 (and potty-trained) to hang-out (for an additional charge) from 4 PM to midnight.  Animal Kingdom Lodge has a dedicated bus system.

Walt Disney World’s Beach Club and Yacht Club Resorts are located in the Epcot Area on Disney’s Boardwalk.  The Beach Club and Yacht Club are sister resorts, connected in the middle by Stormalong Bay, a large pool and splash park complete with water slide, sandy bottom, whirlpools, and water currents.  Each resort shares transportation and is within walking distance to both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  The Yacht Club has a kids club available for potty-trained children ages 4- 12 for an additional charge.  Being on the Boardwalk, there are plenty of restaurants, nightlife, and water activities available.

The Beach Club is designed to follow the seaside of New England near the turn of the century (20^th not the 21^st).  The seashore theme is clear throughout the resort.  The Yacht Club is fashioned after seaside hotels of the turn of the century.  There are hardwood floors, brass accents to give a strong nautical feel.  The Beach Club would be considered more relaxed, while the Yacht Club has more formal feel.  Each has rooms that average 381 square feet.

Walt Disney World’s Boardwalk Inn is located in the Epcot Area, directly across Crescent Lake from the Beach Club and Yacht Club resorts, and is within walking distance of both Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios.  If you choose to stay at the Boardwalk Inn, you would be within walking distance of both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  The Boardwalk is themed to take you back to Atlantic City in the 1940s. 

The Boardwalk uses the entire Boardwalk as its amenities, as far as dining goes.  It does also have a bar/lounge area that serves breakfast.  The hallways are narrow (not good for a stroller) and the resort is spread out.  The Boardwalk Inn also has DVC (Disney Vacation Club) Villas on one portion.  It is subtly and tastefully decorated, and has a unique gingerbread display of a life-sized carousal during the Christmas season.  The Boardwalk Inn also has business/conference facilities.

Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort is located in the Magic Kingdom Area on the monorail, and is also within a 5 minute walk to the Magic Kingdom.  The Contemporary Resort is meant to be themed as a futuristic look at modernism.  In reality, it looks like a fairly campy version of a 70s sci-fi movie.  The dining is good; having the ever popular Chef Mickey’s located on the ground floor and the Californian Grill on the 15th floor.  This is the one monorail resort where the monorail actually runs through the resort—reason enough to stay there!   The Cotemporary Resort has some of the largest rooms of all the deluxe resorts.

Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian is located in the Magic Kingdom Area on the monorail and is considered the flagship resort.  The Grand Floridian is themed in Victorian Age style and has a total of 6 buildings.  The building with the main lobby is concierge rooms only.  If you are attending or having a wedding at Walt Disney World, it is most likely going to be at the Grand Floridian Resort.  There are two pools, a spa and Walt Disney World’s only adult-only restaurant: Victoria and Alberts.  Many people will describe the Grand Floridian as stuffy, but you will find many children staying there.

Walt Disney World’s Polynesian Resort is located in the Magic Kingdom Area on the monorail.  With a little ingenuity, you can take the monorail directly to the Magic Kingdom (from the resort) or to Epcot (by first walking to the Ticket and Transportation Center).  There are two pools—the Volcano Pool and the Quiet Pool.  There is plenty for children to do, including the Neverland Kids Club.  The Spirit of Aloha dinner show also takes place at the Polynesian Resort.

The theme is to make you feel as though you are in the Polynesian Islands.  There are several 2 or 3-story longhouses that resort rooms are located in.  The Polynesian Resort is a huge favorite among guests.  At 409 square feet for an average room, you will find yourself with plenty of space.

Walt Disney World’s Wilderness Lodge is located in the Magic Kingdom Area, but not on the monorail.  There is a boat that will take you directly to the Magic Kingdom, but you will need to take busses to all other theme parks.  Being in the Wilderness Lodge is meant to feel as though you are close to the national parks; there is even a geyser that you can see go off frequently. 

Amenities abound at the Wilderness Lodge.  There is some of the most unique dining, Roaring Forks Café, plenty for children to do, a playground with a beach (swimming not allowed).  You can rent a bike, hike on over to Fort Wilderness to partake in the amenities over there, or sit by the pool all day.  There is also a Kids Club, Cub Den, at Wilderness Lodge.

So, which Walt Disney World Moderate Resort?

So for Walt Disney World Vacation, you want something a bit nicer than a value resort, but still want something a little more affordable or with a bit better theming.  A moderate resort is for you! 

Where the value resort theming is in your face, larger than life, moderates offer a more gentle approach in their four resorts.  The Caribbean Beach Resort is 340 square feet, while the other three are all 314 square feet.  Each resort has a dorm-sized, complementary refrigerator and a coffee maker.  Guest rooms open to the outside; there are no interior hallways.  High speed Internet access is available at an extra charge per every 24 hours of use.

Walt Disney World’s Port Orleans French Quarter is theme to appear as though you are visiting New Orleans during Mardi Gras.  It is quite and everything is centrally located for an intimate feel.  Those who have been to New Orleans’ French Quarter will find this resort falls short of the real thing, but can enjoy the beauty of it regardless.    

There is also Walt Disney World’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort (formerly known as Dixie Landings).  This resort is meant to transport you more to the Bayou Country of Louisiana than into New Orleans.  The grounds are meticulously maintained and do a wonderful job of capturing the feeling of the Mississippi River with the Sassagoula River.  There are both plantation-style homes and rustic, backwoods cabins known as Magnolia Bend and the Alligator Bayou respectively.  Each will give you the feel of the south you are looking for.

Coronado Springs is not only one of Walt Disney World’s moderate resort, but a convention resort at the same time.  Here you can find a full-service business center and two ball rooms.  Coronado Springs is large and spread out.  The theme is American Southwest.  There are casitas that represent the Urban Southwest; this tends to focus on the convention aspects of the resort.  There is also the ranchos that are meant to represent pueblo villas in the Rural Southwest.  Lastly there is the Cabanas that is focused on the coastal regions of Mexico.  All three areas are surrounded by fountains and beautiful gardens and sit around a 15-acre lake.

Walt Disney World's Caribbean Beach Resort is themed after the Caribbean and is considered an Epcot Area Resort.  The buildings sectioned off into six villages: Barbados, Martinique, Aruba, Jamaica, Trinidad North, and Trinidad South.  Each area has its own pool and beach.  Caribbean Beach also has a limited amount of elaborately themed Pirate rooms, including pirate ship beds.  If you have small children, especially boys, this is a treat not to be missed!

My opinion is that if you are looking for romance, go for Port Orleans French Quarter.  If you are a larger family try Port Orleans Riverside in the Alligator Bayou.  For a unique experience, book a pirate room at Caribbean Beach.

So, Which Walt Disney World Value Resort?

OK, so you have decided that you think a value resort for your Walt Disney World vacation is where you want to stay.  The values are pretty even-keel when it comes to choosing.  They are all clean, but very basic.  The differences are minor. 

Each room is 260 square feet in size, except the Family Suites which is almost double.  Each has one small closet and not a lot of extra storage space.  You will have a TV and no coffee maker or fridge.  You can rent a dorm-size fridge for an extra cost.  High speed Internet access is available for an extra charge per every 24 hours. 

Walt Disney World’s All-Star Sports represents five different sports commonly participated in the USA.  There is Homerun Hotel to represent baseball.  Near that building you will find giant scoreboards, bats, balls and cups of Coke.  You then have Surfs Up! With giant surfboards and lifeguard stands.  There is Center Court which is theme with giant cans of tennis balls and tennis rackets.  Oversized footballs and helmets represent the Touchdown! Building.  And, lastly is Hoops Hotel with super-sized whistles, megaphones that give new meaning to the word “mega.”

Walt Disney World’s All-Star Movies depict Walt Disney Movies, just as the name would suggest.  The icons surrounding the buildings will feature characters from the movies most of the time.  You have the Toy Story building, 101 Dalmatians building, Mighty Ducks building, Herbie: The Love Bug building, and Fantasia (original and 2000) building.  Rather than focusing on characters, the Mighty Duck building tends to focus on hockey and the Fantasia building focus on items, such as broomsticks, from the movie.

Walt Disney World’s All-Star Music has giant music icons that focus on rock, country, jazz, Broadway and calypso music.  You will find giant cowboy boots, guitars, drums, jukeboxes, horn playing musicians, maracas, fiddles, banjos and other instruments as representation of the music for the décor.  The Family Suites are located in the jazz and calypso buildings.

The above three Walt Disney World Value Resorts share a bus system.  Busses arrive every 5-10 minutes to take you to the parks, but sometimes they are so full, you will wait over an hour to find a bus that you can ride.  Busses stop first at All-Star Sports, then All-Star Music, and finally at All-Star Movies.  If it is a busier time of year, you may want to stay at All-Star Sports to have a better chance of getting to the parks early.  Of course, you will be dropped off last at the end of the day.  If crowds dictate, dedicated busses will serve each resort.  Each of the All-Star value resorts has two pools.

Lastly, you have Walt Disney World’s Pop Century resort in the value category.  Pop Century resort is the newest resort, not located close to the other three value resorts at Walt Disney World, and has its own dedicated bus system.  Pop Century has three pools, versus two, but is a larger resort.  Otherwise, Pop Century is pretty much the same as the previous value resorts.  The icons around Pop Century represent 20^th century pop culture—such as, bowling pins, Lady and The Tramp, yo-yos, big wheels, Mickey Mouse phone, play dough, Baloo, Foosball and Twister.

Step One To Picking An Onsite Resort

So, you’ve decided to stay onsite…  Which Walt Disney World Resort should you stay at?  That is a very complicated question.  Walt Disney World has various levels of resorts with various themes.  There are the value resorts, the moderate resorts, the deluxe resorts, the deluxe villa resorts, and the campgrounds.

The Walt Disney World value resorts consist of: The Pop Century, All-Star Movies, All-Star Music, and All-Star Sports.  Additionally, the All-Star Music Resort has both regular rooms and suites.

The Walt Disney World moderate resorts consist of: Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter, Caribbean Beach, and Coronado Springs.

The Walt Disney World deluxe resorts consist of: Animal Kingdom Lodge, The Contemporary, The Grand Floridian, The Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge, Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Boardwalk Inn. 

The Walt Disney World deluxe villa resorts, aka Disney Vacation Club Resorts, consist of: Old Key West, Bay Lake Towers (at The Contemporary), Boardwalk Villas, Beach Club Villas, Villas at Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Villas, Kidani Village (at Animal Kingdom Lodge), Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, and Tree House Villas (at Saratoga Springs).

The Walt Disney World campgrounds have tent and RV campsites and cabins for rent.  The Cabins are considered a moderate resort, although their pricing does not fall in line with the moderate pricing, which is why I list it separately with the campgrounds.

To further confuse matters, there is also located on Walt Disney World property off the boardwalk, The Swan and Dolphin Hotels.  They are considered Deluxe Resorts, but are not owned or operated by Walt Disney World.  The Swan and Dolphin hotels do not receive any Walt Disney World perks.

There are certain things you can count on just based on a resorts category.  The value resorts at Walt Disney World are pretty basic.  The layout is similar to a Motel-8 design.  The theming is bare.  It consists of a bedspread, one picture/poster on the wall and a lamp.  The closets are small and there is almost no additional storage space.  They are a tight squeeze and hold a maximum of four people, plus a baby under the age of 3.  The value resorts have no frills—a refrigerator must be requested and then is provided if available for an extra charge.  The suites at the All-Star Music Resort are two rooms, modified.    Value resorts offer a food court and no sit-down restaurants or room service.  Each room opens to the outside.  The suites, which will fit 6 people plus an infant under the age of 3, will give you a separate bedroom and a sitting area (with a pull-out couch) and a kitchenette.  There are also two bathrooms in a suite

Moderate resorts at Walt Disney World are slightly larger.  Just slightly.  Most of them also only sleep four, plus a child under the age of 3.  The exception is some rooms in Port Orleans Riverside have a small trundle and can sleep a small/young child making its room occupancy 5, plus a child under the age of 3.  While still dorm room size, all rooms come with a complementary refrigerator.  Theming is a little more detailed, especially for certain rooms in the Caribbean Resort.  There is a food court, sit-down restaurants, and pizza delivery service.  Doors still open to the outside; no interior hallways.

Deluxe Resorts at Walt Disney World are much larger.  The rooms are considerably larger, have interior hallways, have room service, full service restaurant(s)—causal and fine, bars, complementary refrigerators, intense theming, and most sleep 5 plus an infant under the age of 3.  There are also pricier suites and concierge level.

Walt Disney World campgrounds have camping spots for both tents and RVs.  The rest stations are quite nice, the laundry services plentiful, and there are full service restaurants onsite.  Preferred sites have cable.  You can also rent cabins, which sleep up to 6 people, plus a child under the age of 6.  You get a full kitchen that is fully stocked (minus food), an eating area at a full table, a living area, a bedroom, one bathroom, plenty of cabinet storage, a small closet, a private parking spot, a large deck with  a grill and picnic table, and lots of privacy.

Lastly there is the Walt Disney World Deluxe Villas, which are also Disney Vacation Club (DVC) residents.  You may either rent points from a DVC member or book directly through Walt Disney World (much pricier than renting).  The Villas come with a full kitchen (stocked, minus the food), a living area, and one to three bedrooms.  Theming is over-the-top, and will match Deluxe Resort rooms, if available at that resort.

Which category you pick depends on your needs and your budget.  But once you decide on a category, you can pick a specific resort.

Offsite for me!

So, you’ve decided to stay offsite…  How do you find the right offsite hotel for you?  Believe it or not, picking an offsite hotel is harder than picking an onsite resort at Walt Disney World.

I like to narrow things down by location.  Just like buying a house, deciding where to stay while on your Walt Disney World vacation, is all about location, location, location.  You don’t want to fall in love with a hotel that doesn’t meet this number one, most important requirement.  And don’t be fooled by x miles to Walt Disney World.  Walt Disney World is HUGE.  Some offsite hotels are closer to the parks than onsite resorts.  And being located near one theme park doesn’t mean you’ll be close to any of the other theme parks.  So, find out by searching online or calling the hotel directly (not the toll free number) and asking, “How long does it take to get to Walt Disney World?” and “Which theme park is that specifically?”  You won’t be sorry.

Step two is to ask about their prices, or search around online for a good deal.  Don’t forget tax rate; there are two different tax rates in the Walt Disney World area.  Ask about any parking fees.  Ask about any transportation fees to the park, or airport, if available.  Find out about any resort fees.  Are there any perks/benefits to staying there versus another hotel, i.e., free breakfast/food vouchers, etc?

If your location is met and you are still in price range, go ahead and ask about transportation.  Specifics.  Not only do they have it, but to which theme parks?  Check cost if you didn’t before in the above step.  Find out the start time, the end time, and how often it runs.  How many people do they take at once; are you going to get stuck waiting for an extra shuttle for two hours?

How many people can you fit in one room/house/condo?  What amenities and dining are available?  Operation hours? 

If you find all your questions to have acceptable answers for your needs, go online and search for reviews.  Use any and every source available.  Trip Advisor, Hot Wire, Expedia, DisBoards, All Ears, etc.  Leave no stone unturned.  While staying offsite might not ruin your trip, picking the wrong offsite resort for you Walt Disney World vacation can!

Onsite or Offsite--Part Two

But there is more to deciding onsite or offsite than what benefits a Walt Disney World Resort may offer.  Cost plays an important factor in deciding where to stay.

Most Walt Disney World Resorts sleep only four to five people.  There are exceptions, but most of those are in a much higher cost bracket.  If you desire to stay in a more affordable resort for families of five or more, you may prefer to stay offsite.  Even if there are only two people in your travel party, you can often find accommodations outside of Walt Disney World to be more spacious, more luxurious, and less expensive than the Walt Disney World Resorts.

Of course, make sure when you are comparing costs, you are comparing apples to apples.  While it does not apply to all offsite hotels, many charge for parking.   There are no parking fees at any Walt Disney World Resort or theme parks for onsite guests.  Other hotels will charge a daily resort fee.  Some hotels charge both.  And while you are paying a lower per night fee, don’t forget to add in the cost to park at the Walt Disney World theme parks every day you’ll be there. 

But there are hidden cost savings to offsite hotels v. Walt Disney World Resorts.  Food being a major one.  Many offsite hotels include free breakfast during your hotel stay.  Some hotels will even include vouchers to help offset other meals eaten at the hotel.  Many offsite hotels offer kitchenettes.  This helps for snacks and inexpensive meals that can be tossed into the microwave (or for saving leftovers).  Walt Disney World Resorts do have refrigerators in most of their resort rooms (for a charge at value resorts), but they do not offer microwaves except in a few rooms.  Additionally, staying offsite almost encourages you to eat offsite.  Restaurants not on Walt Disney World property are considerably cheaper than restaurants on Walt Disney World property.

It’s important to make sure you when comparing prices you are looking only at the complete bottom line. 

Beyond cost, you might want to consider service.  Walt Disney World is known for their outstanding service, although many argue in recent years it has begun to slip.  That does not mean that offsite hotels are lacking in service.  It is my opinion, since they are both pulling from the same worker pool, that offsite hotels can also offer as impeccable service as any Walt Disney World Resort.  There are little extra touches that Walt Disney World will offer that offsite hotels do not.  That could be a birthday card signed by the characters, help with making advanced dining reservations, or a little special something extra if they hear you are ill on your vacation. 

Walt Disney World Resorts also offer incredible theming to their resorts—some more than others.  You will often feel transported when you walk through the doors of a Walt Disney World Resort.  You do not feel as though you are in Disney, but somewhere in Africa, or the Northwest Pacific, or a tropical island.  The resorts go out of their way that you can have a wonderful, enjoyable time without even stepping foot into a theme park (blasphemous!). 

Walt Disney World is also known for their pools.  I, personally, do not feel as though their pools offer anything particularly exciting.  In most cases, they are not plain cement rectangles, but there isn’t anything spectacular either.  There is no exciting water park, but most have a slide and a pool bar.  The pools will keep the kiddos (and you) entertained plenty.  Offsite hotel pools can rival those.  A few of the offsite hotels even have indoor pools so that the weather doesn’t matter.  Pretty important during those frequent summer rain showers Florida has.

Whether you choose to stay onsite at a Walt Disney World Resort, or offsite at a hotel near Disney, you will have enjoyable vacation.

Onsite or Offsite--Part One

Before you call Walt Disney World and book your vacation, you need to first decide if you even want to stay onsite, or if you would prefer to stay offsite.  How to decide?

First, set aside the notion that you are doomed to have a bad trip if you stay offsite.  Or that the only way to enjoy the magic is to stay onsite.  This simply is not true.  Repeat: not true.  However, there are benefits of staying onsite while on a Walt Disney World vacation that cannot be denied. 

·    Walt Disney World touts complementary resort transportation as a benefit to guests staying onsite at one of their resorts.  This is a bit misleading though.  You are not carded as a resort guest or not when using transportation at Walt Disney World.  Any guest may use the busses, monorail or boat system free of charge.

·    By staying onsite, you can get packages delivered directly to your hotel.  Note: this is only a minor benefit.  Packages are not guaranteed to be delivered until 3 PM the next day.  If it is something you want sooner, or you are leaving Walt Disney World the next day, this benefit is completely useless.  Additionally, packages are not delivered to your room, but to the gift shop of your resort, which might not even be in the same building as your room.  Plus, anyone can have packages delivered to the front of the park for pick up at the end of the day.  I would not allow this benefit to determine onsite or offsite.

·    Another benefit to staying onsite is Magical Express.  This is where Walt Disney World will pick you up from the airport and deliver your luggage to your resort.  This is a free benefit.  If you are not driving, this may save you some money if you decide to stay onsite.  Note: You luggage isn’t delivered immediately, even though you are.  It might be up to three hours before your luggage arrives at the resort.  You will need to take anything you might want (a change of clothes, bathing suit, etc), along with any valuables, with you in a carry-on.  Once your luggage is delivered to your resort, you will receive notification and you may call to have it delivered to your room as soon as you are in your room.  Be sure to tip whoever handles your bags for you. 

This benefit might not matter to you if you are not flying into the Orlando International Airport.  Or if you plan on renting a car.  You also need to be aware that if you take Magical Express from your Walt Disney World Resort to the airport on your way home, you do have to leave several hours earlier than if you arrange your own transportation.  It is also possible to receive a good deal on transportation from the airport to your hotel, although not free (unless offered by your hotel).  Walt Disney World Resorts can, however, check you into your flight for certain airlines directly at the resort before your departure for the airport.

·    One very real benefit to guests staying onsite at a Walt Disney World Resort is the Disney Dining Plan.  While the Disney Dining Plan may or may not be worth it to you, you only have the option if you book a package as an onsite guest at a Walt Disney World Resort.  When closely evaluating the Walt Disney World Dining Plans, you may decide that is not a benefit you would want to participate in.

·         If you do drive or rent a car for your Walt Disney World vacation, parking is free for onsite resort guests.  Day guests, on the other hand, must pay for parking each day.  Parking fees are daily, not per park.  Of course, if you are an annual pass holder, there are no parking fees for you.

·    The most important benefit of staying onsite at Walt Disney World is the Extra Magic Hours benefit.  This is where on certain days you get to either get into one of the four theme parks, as determined by Walt Disney World, one hour early or stay at one of the four theme parks, as determined by Walt Disney World, three hours late.  Occasionally, a different park will be available both in the morning and the evening giving you lots of extended park time.  You must be a guest of a Walt Disney World Resort to take advantage of this perk, with the exception of The Downtown Disney World Hilton Hotel. 

For this benefit to matter, you do need to use it.  If you are not an early riser or stay up late, this Walt Disney World Resort benefit isn’t much use to you.  Also, extra park time might mean a lot during the busier times of year, but during some of the slower times of year it has minimally impact on your vacation. 

·    Lastly, a benefit for Walt Disney World Resort onsite guests, is during those crowded times of the year, you are able to gain access to the theme parks when offsite guests would be denied.  This is only during times when parks start to reach capacity though, and you have to ask yourself, do you really want to be at a theme park, onsite or offsite resort guest, that is at or even near capacity?  It might be much more to your advantage to choose a different Walt Disney World theme park or take advantage of activities that the resorts or your offsite hotel have to offer on those days.  Of course, if you must be there on days where the theme parks are near capacity, such as Christmas or New Years Eve, just be sure to arrive at the park early, preferably prior to opening, and you’ll be sure to get in anyhow.

When do YOU want to go?

So, you’ve decided to visit Walt Disney World.  Now what?  The first thing you must decide is when you want to go.  Walt Disney World is a 365 day/year vacation destination.

There are a lot of things you must ask yourself.  What are your priorities? 

·         Do you need to go when the kids are out of school?

·         Is it most important to avoid crowds?

·         Is pleasant weather your highest priority?

·         Do you want to visit during the least expensive time?

·         Do you want to take advantage of special events?

·         Are there special events you want to avoid?

None of these things are mutually exclusive, but they will help you narrow down the best time for your trip.  Some times are better for deciding your trip than others.  Let’s take a look at these various aspects that can help you decide when the best time for your trip is.

Vacation Schedules

You know your children’s vacation schedule, but do you know the vacation schedules of children across the country?  Sometimes we forget that different school districts have different plans.  Some states have fall breaks in addition to spring break.  Spring breaks also vary; almost any week in March or April is someone’s spring break.  Then there is “Jersey Week.”  Generally, near Veterans Day in November, New Jersey teachers have a conference.  Many parents take advantage of this to take their kids to Walt Disney World during the off season.

Crowds

Crowd levels vary through the year at Walt Disney World.  Obviously, times when numerous children are out of school will increase crowd levels.  Summer and Christmas is much more crowded than spring break, as spring breaks vary, but summer vacation is fairly stable.  When adults tend to also have time off, like 4^th of July, crowd levels go up even further.    Thanksgiving week, Memorial Day weekend, Presidents Day weekend and Easter week are also extremely crowded. 

March has fewer spring breaks than April, typically.  And, August seems to be a lower attendance summer month, along with the first week or two in June, at Walt Disney World.  Take that with a grain of salt though.  Sometimes the difference between 18,000 and 21,000 just isn’t that noticeable.

The lowest crowds at Walt Disney World can be found most of November (except Thanksgiving week) and the first part of December.  You will also have fewer people there in September (prime hurricane season and school just started) and October.  Mid January to Presidents Day weekend in February are also low times.  Just beware: When the crowds are lower, more rides are refurbished, so you might miss out on something you just must absolutely do.

Weather

Some months are better for weather than others for visiting Walt Disney World.  October is quite pleasant.  The first few weeks of May start to have the heat turn up.  But July and August are amongst the most sweltering.  And don’t think just because you live in the south or a high humidity area, you can handle it.  There is something different about Florida.  January and February can be mighty pleasant or downright cold.  September is also quite hot, or fairly pleasant.  But always keep in mind that August and September are the prime time for hurricane season, although hurricane season is June through November.  March and April are absolutely beautiful.  Of course, any week, especially for areas located near water can have an anomaly when it comes to weather.  I’ve been to Walt Disney World at Christmas time wearing shorts and both in March October dressed in a winter jacket.

Seasons

No, not spring, summer, fall, and winter.  That would be too easy for Walt Disney World.  Disney has its own special season when it comes to pricing resort rooms, and other hotels in the Disney World area follow closely.  As a rule of thumb, the more crowded, the more expensive.  Ironic, huh?  To make matters even more confusing, different resorts have different seasons at different times.  The best thing to do is to go to http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/, click on your resort and then compare resorts to start finding which season your dates fall under. 

Special Events

There is always something going on at Walt Disney World.  In March there is ESPN weekend.  In March through May there is Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival.  In May and June there is Star Wars Weekends.  In September and October there is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.   In September through November there is the Food and Wine Festival.  In November and December there is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Osborne Family of Lights, and The Candlelight Processional.  Don’t worry; Walt Disney World is a large place and spreads out its events.  Differences in crowds can be planned for, or are not noticeable at all.

Additionally, there are other groups that hold events at Walt Disney World.  These events include Cheerleading competitions, Pop Warner Week, Gay Days (this is easily avoided if you might take issue with it), Grad Nights, the taping of ABC’s Christmas Parade, and the Brazilian Tour Groups that come during the summer.

All of these things can affect when you want to plan your Walt Disney World trip.  I will go more in-depth later on many of these topics.