Hiya, Susan! Let's jump right in and cover the basics!
The big three to plan for - Sleeping, Eating, and Theme Park Tickets. Let's tackle those.
Sleeping -
Walt Disney World offers everything from
value resorts, which are the most budget-friendly, to
deluxe villas resorts, which can be pricey, plus options in between. The value resorts, Disney's least expensive rooms, can accommodate up to four guests per room.
Art of Animation, which is in the value category, has family suites for up to six people. Deluxe villas have accommodations for up to 12 guests, and some have full kitchens and washers and dryers. Kinda pricey, but awesome if you want to all stay together. You may ultimately need two rooms.
Eating - Restaurants at Disney offer everything - burgers and fries to decadent, sit-down meals. I consider my budget, then
browse the menus for each location and figure out where my gang would like to go. I try to include a character meal or something special, but even eating only quick service meals, you'll find way more than just burgers and nuggets. You can make dining reservations 60 days in advance.
Tickets - How many days do you want to visit a park, and do you plan to park hop? Those are the two big decisions you'll have to make buying
tickets. I'd encourage you to buy tickets now so you can make your
park reservations. And check out the new
Disney Genie service.
Susan, come on back if I can help you with something more specific! I'm happy to do so!
Anna