Other things to do at Disney World

Did you know there are a lot of things to do at Disney besides visiting theme parks? My kids favorite things to do is spend a day at the resort pool. I always plan one day just to do that. It's a really relaxing day and if we plan to do a nice dinner or a dinner show during the trip this is a good night to plan it. My kids also love minigolf and Disney has two really great courses. Something else thats really fun is a traditional afternoon tea served at the Grand Floridian. Isabelle and I did the tea, it was a really nice way to spend some special time with her. Disney can be relaxing if you don't try to spend every minute in a theme park. Build some down time into your Disney trip for a more enjoyable time!

What time of year should I go?

My family and I just returned from a week at Disney. This was our first time traveling in October, we choose Columbus day week so we would only have to pull Isabelle out of school for 4 days instead of 5 and Tony was able to use an optional holiday for Monday so he also only had to take 4 days off. Next year I am planning a trip for the end of August before the kids go back to school. I have been told that 2nd grade is a tough year to miss days.

So when should you go?

Well if you have kids in school you have to work around that. If you feel comfortable pulling them out for a few days then try to go during the timeframes I will list below. If you want to take advantage of one of the kid's days off from school try to plan it around a 'teacher in service day' or some other day off that is unique to your school. Everyone gets Columbus day off and the crowds reflected that. So if you can be flexible what are the best times to go to Disney?

-October was fantastic weather wise, so far my favorite time of year and the food and wine festival is taking place. So any time in October with the exception of the week before and the week of Columbus day.

-We have also had great luck with all of September. It's quite hot in early September but the lack of crowds make it wonderful there. Be aware though that traveling when crowds are light means the parks don't stay open very late.

- November/early December: After Thanksgiving all the Christmas decorations go up and Disney starts offering their Very Merry Christmas Party which is supposed to be really fun. The crowds are light and the weather is warm but not hot. Don't expect to do much swimming though and bring plenty of sweatshirts, pants and jackets for chilly nights.

- May is also a lovely time to go to Disney. This year dates before the 21st of May were part of Regular season price wise, after the 21st prices went up. The week right before prices go up is your best bet for May, Spring break is over, prices are low and the temperature is perfect. Bring some rain ponchos though, it is rainly season.

If you are considering other dates check Disney's rate charts. The less expensive the rooms the lighter the crowds seems to hold pretty true, so try to plan your trip during value or regular season. Here are the dates for 2009 (note that it does vary slightly depending on your resort level, these are for All Star resorts) You should also know that further promotions are often offered during value and regular season (additional % off or "free dining" are common promotions)

Value- Jan 1-Feb 12 & Aug 9-Oct 1 & Nov 29-Dec 17 (rack rate for all Star room starts at $82)
Regular- April 19-May 21 & October 2-Nov 28 (rack rate for All Star Room starts at $105)
Summer- May 22- Aug 8 (rack rate for All Star Room starts at $115)
Peak- Feb 13-April 18 (rack rate for All Star Room starts at $125)
Holiday- Dec 18 - Dec 30 (rack rate for All Star Room starts at $135)

Wondering what the best time is for your family to go? Ask me a question in the comments section and I will be sure to get back to you!

finding a flight

With prices being higher than usual on airline flights here is what I suggest when trying to book a flight to Orlando. You may have a favorite airline but be open to the possibility of other airlines and other airports. Here in Connecticut we have multiple choices for airports. Usually we like to fly out of Bradley but this time we'll be flying out of White Plains, NY it's the same drive time for us either way (about 45 minutes) if I could have gotten a signifigantly discounted flight I even would have flown out of providence or Long Island. A 2-3 hour drive can be very dooable especially if you use a stay and fly option at a hotel, that usually includes parking of your car for the duration of your trip and a shuttle to the airport. Also try to be flexible with your dates. In my experience a Tuesday travel dates are the least expensive so don't rule out a Tues- Tues trip it could save you some cash! If you are at all in doubt about what/when to book I recommend going with Southwest. If you book with Southwest and the price goes down you can get credit for the difference and you can sell those credits on ebay! Can you believe that! Also Southwest doesn't charge change fees so if your flight price stays the same but another flight the same day goes down you can rebook that new flight at the lower price and get credit for the difference. You can't do that with other airlines. Trust me I know, we're on Jetblue out of White Plains for my trip next week and there is no changing things around.