Heading to Disney for Mother's Day

My daughter invited me to join her and my 5 yr old grandson in Disney World over a long Mother's Day weekend.
I believe she is getting two free park tickets from a friend who works for Disney. Otherwise, anyone know some good sites to find deals for our trip? I do belong to AAA and AARP.

I just found out this morning so I haven't had time to start looking since I'm "working".
Thanks in advance!

There's a whole internet board devoted to Disney. Collectively referred to as the "DisBoards." I'd start there. They have forums (forae?) for lodging, meals, tickets, and pretty much everything else you can think of. If there are any kinds of deals (and there always are), that's the place to find them.

Sounds like a great trip!

I hated Disney, so i'm likely not a good source!

I think Disney is Deek's favorite vacation destination

I haven't been there since 1990, and it was a bad trip.
As a grandma, I've found I am game for most anything for my grandsons!

Here is a very informative site:

http://allears.net/index.html

I'm not sure they'll have a lot of info on "deals" because deals are scarce at Disney. You might try Groupon for dining deals outside of the park.

Watch out for the places promoting discount WDW tickets, because many of them are timeshare tour traps.

TripAdvisor also has a ton of Disney info, and not too long ago they added a Disney forum as a subset of the Orlando forum.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g1954828-i20534-Disney_World_Florida.html

In contrast to H O'G, I love WDW.

edit to add:

Here's the crowd calendar and event calendar for May. Mom's Day weekend looks to be busy.

http://www.undercovertourist.com/plannin...y-opening-hours

MBH - it is possible my distaste stemmed form a couple of issues:

1. Tickets could not be upgraded to a "park-hopper" without paying an additional $80 per person fee, which was not disclosed when we bought the tickets, because we would have paid the extra $10 at that point to do it, instead of later when we'd had enough of one park.
2. Son and nephew were 12/13 when we went, so a little too old for Disney characters
3. 90% of the rides are meant for kids under 10, and no rides geared to us big kids (i love coasters)
4. It is expensive as hades...and waiting 2-3 hours for each ride is silly
5. Park was at capacity each day, meaning long lines for everything...45 minutes in line for a burger was nuts
6. It is expensive as hades...

You must have missed the memo: It's the Happiest Place on Earth!

You also forgot to add:

7. It's the most hot and humid place on Earth.

But I still like it. It's sounds like you never got out of the Magic Kingdom. Hollywood Studios (especially on Star Wars Weekends) and Epcot may have suited 12/13 years olds better.

we did magic kingdom and hollywood...but had knocked out hollywood by 3 and wanted to go to epcot or animal...only to be told we could only go back to magic...

Disney: All of those little evil children...

for Deek

http://www.drinkingatdisney.com/

Our Rules for Drinking at Disney

1. Have Fun
2. Try not to hurt yourself
3. Stay in control
4. Don't frighten the children

For you 2 of 4 is not bad?

Which 2?

1 and 2

Yes, but then there's this:
Disney stock price 1/2/2009 = $22.76
Disney stock price today = $56.63
The stockholders thank you.

My wife and I went to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival a few years ago and drank our way around the world. Besides the usual countries at Epcot, many more set up small pavilions. It was hard work, but we survived.

I'm taking my monsters to Disney later this summer. Guess I should start planning soon.

Step 1. ensure deek will not be in the park at the same time

ahhhhh, Orlando in late summer is always a treat

Have no fear. Deek will never ever ever go to Disney again.

Coward.

If possible have lunch or dinner at the Whispering Pines Cafe located in the Wlderness Lodge Hotel...we had a blast there and the food was really good.

My Brain Hurts gave you some great links, NotDoneYet. You can make dining reservations at 180 days out. So if you want to dine make those reservations now. We are going later this year and already the more popular dining options are full.

Go to www.waltdisneyworld.com and sign up for a “My Disney Experience” account. It has a ton of neat features for when you are at the park, and you can create an itinerary and make reservations now. Go here to find a list of activities that are age appropriate - https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/

Buy your park tickets in April - they traditionally go up in May. We are NOT doing the park hopper option, sorry happy. It adds $57/per ticket/day.

Also, go to www.touringplans.com it has a great crowd calendar, wait times for rides, ticket calculators, and dining menus for Disney locations.

It was so icky, and sticky and noisy... Blech

We have done Disney World a bunch of times and we love it.

However, this year I'm taking my daughter to Disneyland (CA)--over the fourth of July

Anybody have any suggestions for CA instead of FL?? I went to Disneyland as a child and remember only a little bit.

The traffic in and around Los Angles has increased since the 1950's

Try to find a place to stay that is close.

We stayed at a motel just outside of the park, if I recall correctly. That would have been about 1967. Things may have changed since then.

Whenever we go, I try to stay in one of the park hotels. It may cost a little more, but they offer busing to and from all the parks and Downtown Disney. That saves on the parking cost. also, they drop off and pickup right at the front gate - no walking or taking a shuttle to your car. A lot of the resort hotels also offer character breakfast/dinners. If the little one is into the characters, you could try this. It beats standing in line to meet the characters. If there is one ride you have your heart set on, get a Fastpass for it. It will give you a time you can return and get on the ride, usually in less than 15 minutes. Disney is pretty good about allowing you to bring snacks in. We usually carry a backpack with snacks, just check ahead of time what you can bring. Try to mix indoor activities with the outside ones, to give yourself time to cool down. There's a lot more, but you can find all that on the websites previously mentioned. Just have fun.

That will probably be one of the busiest times of the year. Definitely use the PastPass system and read up on all the websites that others have listed. How old is your daughter? Do you know where you're staying? I would make reservations asap.

Yeah we know it's the busiest time of year, but we are going with friends to Irish Dancing National competition that week. Staying in one of competition hotels ((The Marriott)) I think.
So that part is already done We are part of the cheerleading crowd. We went with them 4 years ago when the competition was at Disney World--so have to go again.

Daughter is 8 yr--she is excited becuase she can see Sleeping Beauty's castle (her favorite) instead of Cinderella's castle.

will your boss keep your job open for you?

I think 8 is the perfect age for Disneyland. They can walk by themselves and carry their own stuff, and I don't get hit in the ankles with the stroller.

Sorry simple math, step in front of the stroller get hit in the ankle.

Ps do not look back for an apology or I may tell you that it is your own fault.

That was my last trip to disney with a 3yr old in a stroller.

And do not be the security personel who will tell you to park the stroller in a area that is to small to fit said stroller even if it was not occupied by 4 people. I have been know question the mental ability of said security person.

I had forgotten that The last time we were there, we had the stroller--this will be the first time (since my honeymoon) that I won't have worry about stroller parking

She loves getting autographs from the characters. Last time we spent so much time in lines waiting to see someone and get them to sign the book--but she never complained and loved every minute and couldn't wait to go find the next one.


As far as I know I will still have a job when I get back

On the other hand, the stroller was great for carrying everything and leaving it conveniently nearby.