Hi Karen!
Thank you for sending in your question to the Walt Disney World Moms Panel!
From Saratoga Springs, you will basically be taking a Disney bus to anywhere you need to go. The one exception is Downtown Disney, as you can take a boat there. Buses run about every twenty minutes to the various theme parks and water parks. To get to another resort, however, you basically have to go to Downtown Disney or a theme park first and then transfer to a bus, boat, or monorail going to the final resort.
With regards to dining, you can do Quick Service (think fast food) or Table Service (think full service). With such a large group it might be easiest to do a lot of Quick Service meals. I think the best Quick Service restaurants are:
- Columbia Harbor House in the Magic Kingdom, followed by Pecos Bill
- Sunshine Seasons in Epcot
- Flame Tree Barbecue in Disney's Animal Kingdom, followed by Yak and Yeti
- Backlot Express and the ABC Commissary in Hollywood Studios (I can't decide which is better)
Also, Epcot has a lot of great Quick Service restaurants in the World Showcase portion of the park. That's another option.
For Table Service restaurants, you definitely want to try to make Advanced Dining Reservations 180 days in advance since you have a large group. They can be made online or by calling (407) WDW-DINE. If you are already within the 180 day window, I suggest going online and seeing what's available.
If you want to see all of the menus yourself, you should visit the independent website AllEars.Net. At All Ears you will find the menu, including prices, for every Table Service and Quick Service restaurant at Walt Disney World. Just click on Walt Disney World at the top of their home page, followed by Dining!
Write back with more questions!