First Time at Disney World? Everything I Wish I Knew Before My First Trip as an Adult

“I don’t even know where to begin.” “We haven’t gone to Disney because I can’t even start thinking about planning a trip!” These are things I often hear from many of my friends and those who want to take their children to Disney World but feel stressed at the idea. Sometimes it’s about money. “It’s just too expensive!” Other times money is not the problem- it is simply overwhelm. Walt Disney World has become the most amazing, magical place on Earth, and yet to some, it’s more of an illusive idea, almost a secret society of just simply not knowing what it has to offer or how to get there. So, here’s a simple start, for those of you who don’t know where to start. And if you’re like me, you just need a list. So here’s my list of what I wish I knew before going on that first trip as an adult.

1. The Deluxe Resorts have a lot to offer, but so do the Budget Resorts, and they really are much more family friendly.
2. There is just as much magic in staying at an All Star Resort.
3. Staying off property can be helpful in minimizing cost, but only if you plan to make all or most of your own food by use of a kitchen, otherwise All Star Resorts are actually cheaper.
4. The benefits of booking room and tickets together through the Disney website are immense. It might be tempting to do them separately, but you get the best deals by booking all at once, and you can make payments on the trip until the balance is due.
5. Don’t forget to factor in food. Some people like the food plans because it helps them avoid the surprise of what food will actually cost. Either is ok. It is just a matter of preference.
6. The resorts have a lot of FREE activities for kids, yes that’s right, FREE!! Booking just a day or two at the actual parks can help save money, while not sacrificing the magic. Kids love the pools, the movie nights, visiting different hotels, and just simply walking around, being in the magic.
7. Planning too much and trying to get it all in can backfire, especially with children who tire easily. Plan less, which is often more affordable, and then take some extra relax or pool time.
8. However you do it- whether it is all out, or on a budget- anyone going to Disney World is going to have a good time!! Don’t feel guilty about not being able to do it all. No one can!!

Best Hotels For Kids

Planning a trip with kids?  At this point, my kids think they’re Disney princesses.  We’ve stayed everywhere from All Star Resorts and Moderate Hotels to Deluxe Accommodations.  Below are my recommendations for the BEST Hotels to stay at with kids and why.

#1 All Star Music Resort- Family Suite

This hotel experience and theming is my favorite of all the All Star Resorts.  For those of you new to the Disney experience, these budget-friendly hotels can sometimes get a bad reputation.  This is because people envision overly crowded spaces with limited activities and small hotel rooms.  In our experience staying at this hotel, that has not been the case.  While we have stayed in both the standard room and the family suites, we do prefer the family suite over the standard room because of the two bathrooms and small kitchenette.  These are an extra cost, but still less expensive then Deluxe Resorts, and allow the opportunity to get groceries and make simple meals with the use of a microwave.  The refrigerator also allows for the purchase of water bottles that can be kept cold.  Even the regular rooms, however, are very nice, and much preferred to any of the other resorts because of the affordability.  

The All Star Music Resort can be busy in specific areas, but not usually in parking lots, near hotel rooms, or even in the pools.  The rooms are enough Disney theming for them to feel like you are at Disney World, but not overly themed where you feel overwhelmed by the color or characters within each room, or even outside.  To compare, we have stayed at Art of Animation, and while we did enjoy the mermaid theme rooms, those rooms are very small and for those quickly overstimulated, it was a lot to take in.  The hotel itself is also incredibly busy, something we do NOT find with All Star Music.  Deluxe Resorts tend to be busier in the main areas also. 

Pools at All Star Music were also not very busy and offered many activities for kids to participate. The Calypso Pool is our favorite.

#2 Port Orleans Riverside

We absolutely LOVED this resort!  While we stayed in a Princess Themed Room, there are also options for those who prefer a less busy looking feel.  The royal rooms have fireworks over the beds, which is a nice added touch for little kids.  It makes the room feel so magical.  Coming back from the parks felt more relaxing at this particular resort.  This one felt the least busy to me, and that gave us some time to wind down after a busy day.  The main hub of the resort even felt relaxing with a Southern Charm.  The best part of this resort was the Main Pool: Ol’ Man Island.  The pool has a slide and isn’t too busy.  There are also additional pools that are quieter, as well.

#3 Contemporary

If you’re looking for a Deluxe Resort that offers easy monorail access, The Contemporary is the best!  We have stayed at The Polynesian, as well, but prefer The Contemporary.  This hotel offers Character Dining at Chef Mickey’s directly in the hotel, but the ease of transportation with kids makes it the absolute best place to stay, especially if you want to visit The Magic Kingdom.  Staying at a monorail hotel makes going to Magic Kingdom easier because you can go directly from the hotel to Park without having to take a bus, which can sometimes be time consuming.  The monorail is also a fun experience in itself.  

One way to save money while staying at The Contemporary is to book a room not in the main building.  You will have to walk a little farther from the monorail to your hotel room, but a lot of the time these rooms still offer nice views of the monorail or fireworks from a side view.  Additionally, if you want to save some money, but want to the ease of visiting Magic Kingdom, hotel hopping is the way to go.  We often start our stay with a budget resort, such as All Star Music, and then spend just two nights at The Contemporary. 

Comparing The Contemporary and The Polynesian: We prefer The Contemporary because it is slightly less busy than The Polynesian.  The pool at The Polynesian was incredibly busy with little room to actually swim.  Although we love the Character Dining at the Polynesian: Ohana, we just can’t go to Disney World without stopping in at Chef Mickey’s.  As one of the first character dining experiences, they really have perfected the experience.