Hi Kristin,
Thanks for joining us here at the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your question! We are so glad you stopped by.
Shades of Green is such a fantastic resort. I've stayed there several times over the years and just love it. It's close proximity to the Magic Kingdom, plus fantastic golf courses right on site make it just amazing. Although you can't enjoy the Disney Dining Plan while staying at Shades of Green, there are a few other tricks you can do to stay on budget while you're visiting the Walt Disney World Resort.
My favorite tip is to use Disney Gift Cards to stay on budget for meals and souvenirs. I often purchase these at a small discount at my local warehouse club, which saves me a few dollars. I worry less about meals since I've already budgeted for them. We regularly do this for our family of six and it makes the trip so much more relaxed.
Since you're staying at Shades of Green, if you're a military family, booking using Disney's
Military Resort Hotel Rates can often be just as affordable as Shades of Green with many of the same benefits, plus a few more such as Disney's Magical Express, which picks you up at the Orlando International Airport and delivers you straight to your resort for free. This would also allow you to use the
Disney Dining Plan during your stay.
If you're not a military family, give the
Special Offers page a try. There are often some pretty fantastic deals on resorts there, which would also give you the freedom of using the Disney Dining Plan.
Kristin, please come back and visit us again with any additional planning questions. I hope you have a magical first visit!
Best Wishes,
Amy S.