Disney Planning Thread

[smallpotato]

Since it seems like there are a bunch of us either planning trips or recently taken trips, I'm starting a thread . I love planning trips, and planning a Disney trip is the best. I know some don't like having to plan everything so far out, but I love it. I'll put some questions so we can trade ideas and tips.

1. Have you been to Disney World (or Disneyland for the West Coasters)? Have you been with kids?

2. If you have been before, where did you stay?

3. What is your favorite time of year to visit?

4. What is your favorite ride?

5. What are your favorite restaurants?

[smallpotato]

1. Have you been to Disney World (or Disneyland for the West Coasters)? Have you been with kids?
I have been to both. I used to visit family in CA every summer, and it always included a trip to Disneyland. MH and I went in 2011, and it was the first time I had been since high school.
I've been to Disney World 5 times, and am currently planning the sixth trip. We went to WDW for our honeymoon in 2008. We went for a babymoon in 2012 with friends from college and their kids. We took N in 2012 for his first visit.

2. If you have been before, where did you stay?
Port Orleans - Riverside (known as Dixie Landings in 1997), Caribbean Beach Resort (1999), Saratoga Springs (2008), Wilderness Lodge (2012), Pop Century (2014). The first two trips were with my dance studio. We were gifted DVC points by MH's best man and his wife for our honeymoon, and stayed with them on the 2012 trip. We're probably going to stay at one of the Port Orleans hotels this time.

3. What is your favorite time of year to visit?
Our honeymoon in November was a fantastic time to go. The weather was beautiful (only hit 90 one day), the parks weren't too crowded, and everything was decorated for Christmas. Now, the Food and Wine Festival lasts longer into November, so we'll be able to do that next time. We went during Food and Wine in 2014 and it was also fantastic.

4. What is your favorite ride?
Space Mountain and Soarin'. I also love the Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland.

5. What are your favorite restaurants?
Tusker House, Chef Mickey's, Be Our Guest, Flame Tree BBQ, Le Cellier

[sanibel21]

I love Disney


1. Have you been to Disney World (or Disneyland for the West Coasters)? Have you been with kids?
Disneyworld multiple times prior to kids

2. If you have been before, where did you stay?
Carribean beach resort, whatever the inexpensive world of music or world of sports one, and my mom's timeshare outside the park.

3. What is your favorite time of year to visit?
May, decent weather, not too hot, no school vacation or holiday craziness

4. What is your favorite ride?
Space mountain and splash mountain

5. What are your favorite restaurants?
I don't even remember going to any restaurants per se. We usually grabbed burgers and sandwiches. I'll try to remember.

[danizee]

We went to Disney world when my oldest was 1 (dec 2015) and we went to Disneyland just two months ago with both kiddos.

DW- we stayed at The Avanti, super cheap It had a cute outdoor pool/water park and bar.
DL we stayed at Howard Johnson , it was really nice. Free parking which is something you really need to verify before. Some of the hotels charge as much as $30 a day in parking. They also had a really neat outdoor water park.

3. For both parks I think timing can be hit or miss. For DW we went the first week of December and it was awesome. There were very few crowds and most rides were walk on or short waits.
We went to DL the last few days of January/beginning of feb and it should have been basically empty. However we had had twos eels worth of rain before the trip and the weather happened to be beautiful when we went so in thinking it was packed with a lot of locals. It was so crowded it almost wasn't enjoyable. Toddler did not like waiting in lines and the baby got overstimulated.

We are planning another Disney world trip in December and I'm hoping to go see world of avatar too!

[sanibel21]

I forgot rockin roller coaster!!!
And tower of terror! Omg I wanna go Now!

[Deleted]

1. Have you been to Disney World (or Disneyland for the West Coasters)? Have you been with kids? I went every year 3 years in a row to Disney World. Never went with kids. I was 12-15.

2. If you have been before, where did you stay? We usually rent timeshares outside the park. On our last trip, my parents BOUGHT a timeshare. I've heard amazing things about staying on the resort though.

3. What is your favorite time of year to visit? I've been at Christmas, in the spring and in the summer. I loved Christmas, it was amazing.

4. What is your favorite ride? I don't think it's going anymore but I loved Tower of Terror. I'm into scary rides though.

5. What are your favorite restaurants? Sci-Fi Dine-In and 50's Prime Time.

[ksyknelvr73]

I took DS1 to Disneyworld last January (2016) and the weather was perfect. We only got to do Magic Kingdom and he really enjoyed Space Mountain and this other one that was a roller coaster type but I can't remember the name. We ended up eating at T-Rex Cafe (the kid is soooooo into dinosaurs) and Rainforest Cafe so that is my limited experience - we enjoyed both places!

I hope to take each kid at some point, DS was almost 5 when we went and that was a good age so I intend to wait for that for my other kiddos as well.

[macaronmama]

1. Have you been to Disney World (or Disneyland for the West Coasters)? Have you been with kids? DH and I have been three times since we were married. Not with kids, no. Hoping to go either this October when DS is 1 or next May (2018).

2. If you have been before, where did you stay? The first time we ever went we stayed off the campus. Second time, we stayed at the French Quarter and it was nice. We were there in April 2014 and the flowers were gorgeous. It was fun to take the boats down to Disney Spring. We LOVED the convenience of the Magic Me bands. When we went last time (Oct 15), we stayed at the Dolphin Hotel, but turns out we couldn't use the MM bands because they aren't technically Disney? So, it was nice, but not doing that again.

3. What is your favorite time of year to visit? Spring and fall - love the fests at Epcot.

4. What is your favorite ride? Soaring in Epcot and the Little Mermaid in Magic Kingdom.

5. What are your favorite restaurants? Love Hacienda de San Angel in Mexico in Epcot. That's the one outside looking over the lake, not the one inside the temple.