Orlando virgins - this Aug with kids (4&9) & gransparents - best place to stay? Book as a package deal or seperately? Please help, too much choice!

[Urbanvoltaire]

Hi all,

We've made a plan of going to Orlando this August for a week with PILs who are really up for it! I've been charged with booking it all which has given me the following Qs:

stay in a villa or a hotel-complex?
location - in Disney itself or outside e.g. on International Drive?
will we need to hire a car?
resort tickets? book in advance, which ones (we'll have 6 days) and can they be bought on the cheap?

Thanks in advance, I'm nervous that it all goes pear-shaped due to my lack of research!

Forgot to add, we'll be flying from London........

We stayed in International drive when DCs were 14 and 11 then in Universal when they were 18 and 15. Both worked well for us but might not be ideal with younger children, especially if they go to bed earlier than adults.

Have had friends with younger ones who all seem to have had villas.

Good luck

villa, then if the PILs (don't know how old they are) are finding it too much (it will be hot and busy) they can stay by the pool for the day/afternoon.

I can highly recommend Loyalty Homes, a company bases a few miles from Disney which only rent luxury holiday homes with pools all within 4 miles of Disney. It is run by an english lady called Yvonne who maintains very high standards. www.loyaltyusa.com

Are you seriously only going for 1 week? A long way to go for just a week.

You do need a car really unless you are staying on site at a Disney hotel and can use their transport.

No shortage of places to get tickets. Have a look at Kissimmee Guest Services which are based in Celebration very close to Disney. You can book tickets in advance and pick up on your first day there (they open at 8am and we have picked up tickets from them first thing then gone straight to a park).

I really would re-think only staying for a week as you will we worn out if you try to cram all the parks into 6 days, even 10 days would give you a bit more of a relaxing holiday

Thanks mumoverseas - can I ask are villas bookable from e.g. a Sunday to a Sunday? Flights are better when we depart on a Sun.....

Also, I have a 4 year old and am wondering how deep the pools tend to be in the villas, I'm asking as he can't swim and I'm thinking I'd be holding him in the water, whereas in some resorts they have wade-in pools with a very shallow end

I think this is an ambitious plan for six days. Jet lag will probably wipe out the first couple of days and it will be very hot and humid in August. If you do go, it might be better to stay at one of the walt disney world resort hotels so the travelling back and forth isnt too arduous - all have several pools and different room configurations but they are not cheap of course! Villa much cheaper but more travelling and parking costs at the main disney parks. Many of the better restaurants need to be booked well in advance, as do 'character' meals for the children.
The park tickets can be pre-purchased in the Uk - look at website www.thedibb.co.uk for loads of info and current prices from all of the major companies including Disney themselves.
Good luck - i've been planning our 2012 trip for the past couple of months and still panicking I hav'nt covered enough ground, so I take my hat off to you going at the 'last minute'!

Urbanvoltaire villas can be booked from any day and for a minimum of 3 days subject to availability. Just bear in mind that August is peak time so they will be booked quite a long time in advance. Why not do a search on the Loyalty website on the dates you want and see what they have.

Our villa (they manage my home) has a shallow end with steps down into it going down to around 6ft. My 4 year old has no problems in it at all and in fact all of mine (eldest 18) have been swimming in it since they were babies/toddlers.

Agree with icancancan about booking certain things in advance. We last went in Oct/Nov and booked the Cinderella breakfast at Crystal palace (magic kingdom) around 5 months in advance (you can book up to 6 months in advance)