help in planning family trip?!!

[mbb]

Hi everyone! Just looking for some advice on planning a trip to WDW sometime next April-May2004, hoping for a two week stay...travelling with four adults and three kids under five...we had traveled last Sept with just our two boys and stayed at AllStarsfor a week and then transferred to POLYfor a week and had a ...well, you all know!! Should we think about driving (from Nova Scotia)? Staying at FW Cabins? Rent two rooms at All Stars? Check on renting points at BCV or WLV?? We are really unsure, and this will be the other family's first time to WDW with their son...cost is somewhat a factor, and any suggestions would be most appreciated !!

 

[nhmomx2]

You are a brave soul to even consider driving with that many little ones - lol! I've driven 7 times from MA and I swear I'll never do it again - and I HATE to fly!!

As for opinions on lodging...I'd try to rent some points from a DVC member and stay in a 2Bdrm. You'll have plenty of sleeping space, two bathrooms, a full kitchen, and room to roam!

Just my two cents...have a great trip!!!

 

[lilsonicfan]

i know everyone wants to stay onsite and having never done it, i guess i can't knock it either but i stayed in a villa off of 192 and i thought it was just amazing. we had a private pool, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen, two living rooms, and a laundry room. The whole thing cost us $700 for 8 nights, including taxes. I know others have had even better deals through skyauctions or some such site. I went through www.orlandovillas.com to find our house (it's rental by owner, not by management company). The drive to WDW was about 5 minutes, and we were less than two minutes away from a grocery store and restaurants. We saved a lot by being able to have the occasional dinner in (and the dishwasher saved me from doing any dishes!) and it was just soooo relaxing to come home to a house instead of a cramped hotel room....

maybe one day i'll make it back to try out on-site!

 

[hockey mom]

I would go with 2 rooms at an All star or consider HIFS. I got the Entertainment rate for April 2004 for $102/night. This hotel is very close to the parks and is totally geared to kids. The free buffet breakfast every morning also really helps to cut down the budget. I have also rented points on DVC but the problem here is the points double on weekend nights making it a bit pricier.

 

[Mortlives]

If you're driving down and cost is a factor, don't forget it's also possible to camp at FW (see the camping board here), thus reducing costs even further. You might save enough to make all the extra things you might want to do possible without any stress. Maybe even a couple of nights back at the Poly.

Ciao,
Mort.