To ask where the heck you begin planning a disneyworld trip?

[kewtogetin]

Yes, massive first world problem. We are looking at a trip to Disneyland next year, thought I'd have a quick browse on the Internet, choose a hotel, book some flight etc etc.......
But no, seems it's not the done thing, there are literally 100's of hotels, in 100's of different areas, each with its own theme.
I thought there was just one theme park?! Disneyland?! But no, there are sodding hundreds of them.
How can you even begin to decide where to stay? I need help oh wise mumsnetters. Wisdom, experience and advice will all be humbly received.

Brits guide by Simon veness is a good intro read for beginners. I'd also recommend the dibb.co.uk forum or the UK section of the Dis forum. I'm on both as Dixonsontour.

Check out Sweet Tomatoes buffet restaurants. Fabulous salads, soups, pastas etc which you'll be craving after a few days of American crap food.

I second the Dibb forums, brilliant advice on there :)

Oh, and before you go, consider a mapman map - they are bloomin fantastic!! EVERYTHING is on there - hotels, villas, shops, restaurants, supermarkets, parks - with quick routes on there too.

mapman map here

If you fancy day away from the madness, we drove to Ana Maria Island, which was about 3 hours away and it had a gorgeous beach and a lovely little town. Definitely worth it as a day trip

That mapman map looks great!

I booked hotel, flights and car on expedia with a lot of help from Tripadvisor! Spent months chosing hotels but wasn't disappointed with our choice at the universal end of international drive as it was really central without being right in Disney.
As well as Disney, my DC loved Sea World and the Space coast (Kennedy space station, Cocoa beach area) and I could have happily zapped all things Disney and stayed a month in Clearwater (-amazing beach, Winter the dolphin's aquarium...)
We hired a car to go further afield but if you really just want Disneyness, it's probably not necessary.

De-lurking to say I'm watching this thread with interest!
I've been googling and scouring through threads on the dibb wondering where to start, we will be booking in the next few weeks for next year.
Some good straight forward advice already :) thanks

Please, please don't go to SeaWorld.

If you're ok with a bit of a drive, possibly even a few nights stay away from Orlando, go to Mote Marine aquarium. Or Homasassa springs to see the manatees. Please don't financially support the ill treatment of marine mammals via SeaWorld.

Been there loads with little DS as a single parent.
These are my top tips

1. You don't spend much time in the hotel so money on an expensive one is wasted. We always stay in the ramada gateway which is in Kissimmee and right next to Disney...it's super cheap and just fine. That said we may splash out a bit more this year.....

1. Hire a car

1. Get a hopper ticket for Disney before you go.. Companies like Florida tix do good combo ones, but do a search for Orlando tickets and loads will come up. The Disney hopper covers you unlimited entry for all the parks and the water parks etc..

Xx

The map above is brilliant

the mapman map IS brilliant - and well worth buying in the planning stages - to get an idea of where EVERYTHING is - I've never seen one as good. - we had one , used it 3 times and loaned it out lots too...

I'm going in October for the 27th time, if a lot of you going consider a villa, you aren't on top of each other all the time and the pool first thing in the morning is great for the kids whilst you lounge in your Jammie's, no need to get up and dressed when the kids are moaning to get to the pool. There are loads of fantastic gated communities, we prefer to stay in the Kissimmee area which is about five mins from Disney and there are loads of shops and thins to do there. If you aren't planning on driving then I would probably recommend staying in a hotel on international drive (I-Drive) as the hotels usually provide shuttles to and from the parks. You can still stay elsewhere if you don't plan to drive but I-Drive is about he only place you can actually walk to shops and other entertainment. The Dibb can be overwhelming, it's got so much on it. We don't plan anymore, haven't for years and DS is 11 now. We book flights then accommodation, and regarding tickets, well we just see how we feel when we are there, but that's probably because we have done them so many times. I'm a bit done with Disney as DS is older and past the magic kingdom, although it's DP's first time so he might want to see everything. If you are going to do the parks do universal and islands of adventure, the Harry Potter stuff takes my breath away (big fan!) and take a day for each, you will never get round both in one day if you want to see everything. If you like roller coasters then Busch Gardens in Tampa is the greatest! There is a free bus to and from that leaves from the old town in Kissimmee and we do that every year. Don't plan things for everyday you will be exhausted, sometimes I still get exhausted and the whole family, well DM,DF and DS are in bed by 8pm and it's no fun trailing around a park with sore feet so don't push it - have a ball! Anything I can help with restaurants etc. just pm me!

We did three nights in NYC on the way back from Orlando. It actually worked out cheaper than booking direct Orlando-Heathrow flights (Although the NYC hotel soon wiped that out). You need to check the 'multi city' option on Expedia etc.

No Epcot InYearAdmissions my dd always loves it. You can't do it all so work out what parks you want to do. We go a lot so just do Disney or universal. My dd was 8 last year and adored Harry Potter at universal (it is v impressive) so we are doing universal again not Disney this year. We go slot ad I never use travel agent much cheaper Diy. Also do look at flying indirect , you do immigration at first stop so overall travel time is similar. Direct flights in school hols are nasty. We go October and I aim for £1500 for the 3 of us for flights. Check skyscanner or kayak. Touring plans.com has a great crowd calendar of busyness to assist with when to go eg mid to late August is much quieter than start of school hols. If you get 2 weeks may or October go then. if not late August.

There is no way we will be going to sea world!
So far I'm thinking one week in a Disney hotel, my reasoning is 'when in Rome' and I don't think it will feel as special staying in a generic holiday inn type hotel, although no offence to those who do that. Although I'm still none the wiser over which hotel?? I really don't fancy us sleeping in one room!

Second week, hire a car, stay in a villa but this won't make the park passes any cheaper as most offers seem to be 14 days for the price of 7.
I don't want to go to a park everyday so some nice beach recommendations would be good! The boys love swimming so what are the best waterparks?
Thanks for the book/map tips, I'll definetely be investing in those.

Clearwater or Daytona beach as it's not all that far to drive. Aquatica is pretty good but we prefer typhoon lagoon, I also think aquatica is part of sea world although I'm not sure. Blizzard beach is also quite good but I'm def a typhoon lagoon gal, I love the big wave and am usually making my DS pee his pants as I'm out so deep to ride the wave. I would stay away from Lego land, we went a couple of years ago as we got free tickets, it was absolute pants!! If you do want to give it a go see if there are any free tickets on the tinternet as you will honestly regret paying for them. The only good thing about that park was there was only about100 people there when we went!!!

Most disney hotels are the same two double beds in one room, but I think it's Saratoga springs that you can get a two bed villa type or a treehouse of that's what you fancy. A few family members have been but apart from it being Disney and in a Disney resort they have all said they wouldn't do it again due to price

I went to sea world both times I have been, but after watching the documentary "black fish" there is no way I'd go back

Go to the website: Mousesavers.

Oh that Hilton does look nice charley. Making me rethink my 'it must be a Disney hotel' mantra..... I Guess I'm thinking for the 'full' Disney experience you must stay at one of their hotels? I'm happy to be proved wrong though if anyone has stayed at a Disney hotel and not really found it all that?
A quick search suggests £1.5k for 2 weeks in a nice (but not luxurious) Disney hotel. Obviously park passes and flights on top.