Hello, Summer! I'm happy to provide advice regarding both of your questions! Let's start with your selection of a hotel! While there are
budget-friendly, off-property options available, I always recommend "staying in the magic" by booking a hotel in the
Disney Resorts Collection! My sons enjoyed Disney's Art of Animation Resort! While this resort may feel themed a bit more for younger children, it is budget-friendly and gives you the true feel of visiting the Walt Disney World Resort! There are rooms themed as Cars, The Lion King, Finding Nemo, and The Little Mermaid! Disney's Pop Century Resort is another family and budget-friendly hotel on Disney property. One of the great features of both of these resorts is that they are connected to the Disney Skyliner! This gondola ride through the sky provides convenient transportation to both EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios!
We've been taking our sons (now 15-year-old twins and a12-year-old) to the Walt Disney World Resort for many years! Our sons have grown with the parks! As they have grown, their interests have changed. The "must do" park for our teenage sons is now
Disney's Hollywood Studios! The natural draw at this park is
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge! Being able to climb aboard and take the controls of the Millennium Falcon is a dream come true! Experiencing the 18-minute long Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is nothing less than being in a Star Wars movie starring you and your family! Nostalgia runs strong in our family! My kids love visiting their "childhood friends" at Toy Story Land! No visit to Disney's Hollywood Studios is complete without visiting some of the best thrill rides in all of the Walt Disney World Resort! The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith are "must ride" attractions!
As they've grown up, my sons have found a new appreciation for
Disney's Animal Kingdom Park! They will not leave the Walt Disney World Resort until they have experienced
Avatar Flight of Passage! The kids (and parents) laughed and howled with joy on this wild ride aboard the back of a banshee! In fact, we got off the ride and got back in line to experience it a second time! This park also has other favorites such as Kali River Rapids, Kilimanjaro Safaris, and
Expedition Everest!
While Magic Kingdom Park has been a favorite for as long as we've been visiting, the boys still love the attractions at this park! You've got to experience the Magic Kingdom Park "mountain range" of Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad! Other "must-do" attractions for my sons are Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train!
Hakuna Matata! Jonathan