Wanting to go to Disney world??

Question

I want to know where is a great place to stay with a 6 yr old and a 3 year old? I was thinking about All star movie resourt? what is it like? and is it cheeper to by meal tickets or to pay for the meals myself? and i know that you can spend a ton of money but how much is a reasonable amount to take to spend?

Answer 1

For younger kids I definitely think that the All Star Movies would be a lot of fun. Seeing the huge icons is a big hit for the younger ones. Another suggestion would be Pop Century. They do have the huge icons, but it is things like yo-yos, rubiks cubes, bowling pins, etc. Basically they cover key aspects from each decade. It is a really cute hotel and the parents usually enjoy it as muchas the kids. The reason I recommend Pop is because it is a newer hotel and the transporation is a little better because it has its own bus. Otherwise, at the All Stars, you have to share with all three, which can be a little annoying.

The great thing about the value resorts is that you get all the benefits of staying onsite, the great service, etc. but you pay a much lower rate. The resorts are really nice and great for someone just wanting a place to sleep at night, without all the extras of a moderate or deluxe resort.

Is the dining plan worth it? Absolutely. The dining plan is a great deal and saves most people 40% or more on their dining. I'm not sure of your children's ages, if they are 10 and up the price of the dining may be a little high for you, but you should still save money. If your kids are under 10 they are only paying $11 a day.

On the dining plan, if you use it properly, you will be able to eat at some of the nicest restuarants at Disney and get a ton of food at each place. The only thing that isn't included is alcohol. When I use the plan I usually spend more than the cost of my plan just on my table-service meal, meaning my counter-service and snack are all free for the day, plus I save a little on my main meal and the 19% tip is included.

I could go on and on about the dining plan. It is the first plan Disney has offerred that is affordable to most everyone and is well worth it. I never go without the dining plan, I like it a lot.

You can go to Disney and spend less money on dining, but you won't be able to get nearly as nice of meals as you can on the plan. If you want to eat mainly hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken nuggets, you won't spend as much on your food (except for kids) but you will almost pay as much as you would for the dining plan and the meals aren't nearly as nice.

I've included a link to one of the best sites I have found so far in regards to the dining plan. A lot of info and it helps you plan out your meals a little better. As well as a site that offers lots of great info on dining, and Disney in general.


I'm not sure how much your 3 year old will eat, but they would have to pay for their tickets and dining. Disney cuts off the free food and tickets at 2. The dining for them is only $10.99, so I still think it would be worth it, but just wanted to make sure you knew. I still think that the dining plan is well worth it.

As far as how much spending money, it will depend a lot of what you all include in your package. If you get your room, dining, tickets and all the transporation covered, that is pretty much the main money you will be spending. The only thing else you would need is a little extra just in case (maybe some for gas if you have your own car) as well as some money for souvenirs. So, it will depend a lot of how much you will be buying. A few hundred should cover you. It also depends on how long you will be going. Now, if you decide not to do the dining plan, or stay offsite, you will need much more. For dining I would say at least $100 a day, for inexpensive meals and more for nicer meals. Tickets would be several hundred, at least $500. Then you would need spending money and things like that. I wouldn't go with less than $1000 and a few credit cards if I didn't have dining and tickets included, even without dining I would bring at least $1000. It will be different for each situation, just estimate how much you will spend for each thing (I would estimate high) and bring that much along, a credit card is a good idea as well.


Hope this helps!

Answer 2

I think you are making a very wise decision to stay on property, especially with kids the ages of yours. There are so many perks that Disney offers for their resort guests it is worth it, but the transportation alone is a great reason, especially when taking little ones. I took my kids with the rest of my family on a big family trip (they were 5 and 1 at the time) and just being able to use the bus service to and from the parks was the best.

Having said all of that, I really think that the All-Star Movies is the perfect choice. Not only is it a value resort and not as expensive, but the All-Star's in general (especially Movies) and Pop Century are pretty much geared towards families, especially the younger kids. Each wing of the resort is done up as a different Disney movie. We have stayed in the Fantasia wing as well as the 101 Dalmations wing. My kids loved it. A huge pool and a food court with so many different choices is key. Your kids will love it.

I have personally never done the meal plan, however from most of the people I know that have they do think it is a real money saver. One of the biggest expenses you have when going to Disney is food, so to be able to have a meal plan like the one Disney offers is a great choice. I would definitely recommend it.

I don't know what to say when you ask about a reasonable amount to take. It depends on what your definintion of reasonable is. We usually take about $1000 in travelers checks, about $500 cash. Then we always have an emergency credit card or store in the checking account just in case. Last visit we spent about $1800 total, but we did not have the dining plan so food was in that total. You will have to figure out what you think is reasonable. It also depends on how often you go. If you are not going again for another 5 years you may want to take a little more, if you are going next year or in two, a little less. I think that $1000-$1500 with the meal plan and $1500-$2000 without the dining plan is enough, but make sure to have a backup plan just in case you find something that is a "must have" and it is on the expensive side (like my wife did this past trip!)

Hope this helps. If you want more info, I suggest two different sites. First, check out the disboards. The disboards is a message board website all about going to Disney. You can ask questions, get trip reports, dining reviews, resort reviews, personal opinions, tips and tricks for avoiding crowds and much more from people who love to go to Disney. Also, allears.net is a good source of info on what is going on at WDW.

Answer 3

We have stayed at the All Star Movie Resort in the Fantasia section( close to transport and dinning Hall). It is fine, not ritzy, but fine. We always purchase the dinning plan and call well ahead to plan our meals. Your children will love the character meals: breakfast, and dinners. You can get some in the parks and others at resorts. My children loved getting to eat and wait for the characters to come by and get autographs. some of their favorites at this age were: Crystal Place in Magic Kingdom with Winnie the Pooh and friends. Cinderella Castle breakfast in side the castle, with all the princesses, Donald's Restrauntasaurs in Animal Kingdom and Chef Mickeys in the Contemporary. Each time we have gone, we keep our meal receipts and add them up at the end of the visit. We have saved a small fortune. Also by having preferred seating you get the meals you want and do not have to go from place to place waiting in lines and looking for a place to eat.

Have a GREAT Time.

Answer 4

I went there last year. GET THE MEAL PLAN. Meals for 4 people can cost around $50 for one fast food meal. If you do the meal, you get a walk up mael (fat food usally) and a sit down meal (like a table service meal). For the resort you can stay at Pop, Music, Movies, or Sports. The music is great. It has 2 pools and speically themed rooms. It is a great place to stay.

Answer 5

We actually stayed at the Hampton Inn-Lake Buena Vista. It was across the street from one of the entrances to Walt Disney World, they had a shuttle to the parks or it was a short drive. It was ALOT cheaper than sleeping in the park and they had a nice clean swimming pool and nice clean rooms with refrigerators in them. we came here after getting a really yucky room in another hotel and we were really happy with the Hampton Inn. We didnt get meal tickets, but saw alot of people using them. One family next to us was just getting extra plates for their kids to eat off of and using the meal ticket that way. (dont know if that would be allowed in every place or not) but it seemed silly to pay for a ticket for a small child who would hardly eat anything anyway. good luck and have fun!!! btw.. if you go to sea world dont miss the Dolphin Nursery tour.. it was awesome!!