Hi Stephanie,
Welcome to planDisney!
Like you, I am always looking for a good deal, especially if it helps us plan a trip to the Walt Disney World® Resort! Even though current ticket specials may not be applicable to the dates you plan to visit, the good news is that new
Special Offers are released throughout the year, so my best advice is to keep an eye on those offers. There are, however, current offers for Disney Resorts Collection hotels that do coincide with the dates of your visit. One
Special Offer for the fall and holiday season, includes an upgrade to tickets with the
Park Hopper® Option. Just remember that the availability of a special offer could be limited, so check availability for your dates as soon as possible!
Although I have stayed at other hotels in the Orlando area, my family only stays at
Disney Resorts Collection hotels now. We love being in the midst of the magic and, the value of money spent is worth it for us because time matters. When I have stayed at other properties, it has taken more time to get to and from the theme parks. When our girls were younger, we enjoyed being able to easily get back to the resort hotel and take an afternoon nap. We could then get back to a theme park to enjoy dinner and see a fireworks show or experience a few more attractions. Plus, if we drive and stay on property,
complimentary self-parking is currently included.
If you plan to stay elsewhere, I urge you to do some more comparison pricing. And, if you are considering another hotel that offers transportation to the parks, consider the details about that transportation - for example, if it only comes once per hour, that would be a concern for me. I also value the amenities at Disney resort hotels. Having access to complimentary
Resort Transportationis fantastic. As a parent, I have also loved the pool safety measures taken at Disney. The lifeguards have been amazing and, when our girls were younger and less confident in the water, they could easily get life jackets to wear at the pool.
Stephanie, I do have one additional suggestion. With the size of your party, I highly recommend
advanced dining reservations. When making those reservations, you may need to split your group into two parties of four. But do make some reservations. So, get that
vacation package booked and then start making those dining reservations. Keep up the
practically perfect planning!
Magic and memories,
Donyell