Hi Vanessa,
Thanks for bringing your question to the Mom's Panel! Your first visit will be so special. I will do my best to get you started.
I'm not sure if you have any dates in mind, or the number of days of your trip, but that is a good place to start. Start by envisioning what kind of a holiday you would like - action packed or leisurely. Ask yourself what you would like to see: all four theme parks? How many days at each? Do you want to visit more than one park on any one day? One or both water parks? Any special tours or dining experiences? All these questions will help you decide how many days of passes you need, if you need 'hopper passes' or the less expensive 'base ticket'. Check out the official Disney website (
www.disneyworld.com), or take some Disney planning books out of the library (there are so many!) and see all the great things that are available.
Next, decide on a resort. There are three price levels of hotel: Deluxe, Moderate and Value. Since you mentioned you would like a value package, check out the Pop Century hotel or the All Star resorts (there are 3). Our teens have enjoyed them all, there are no bad choices here.
Consider too if you would like to include the
Disney Dining Plan option. There are several options available - read the details to see if one of these suit your family.
Finally, keep you eyes on the
'special offers' page. Depending on your travel dates, you may be able to save considerably with a current special!
Vanessa, enjoy the planning - and please let me know if you have any more questions!