Hi Alison,
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! I assume everyone has joined the dance party to celebrate your trip to the Walt Disney World Resort!
There certainly have been quite a few changes in the last 15 years. When I started planning our first trip with the girls a lot had changed since my last visit, so I started with reading the website - on the website are links with the headings "Places to Stay," "Things to Do," and "Learn About" (towards the bottom of the page). I reviewed the information on
Special Offers,
Vacation Packages, and
Dining Plans. From there, I decided which resort hotel type we preferred (given our budget) and I decided to purchase the Disney Dining Plan. Since we were traveling with grandparents on that first trip, we chose a two-bedroom villa that could sleep eight at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa. With two bathrooms, a kitchen and a washer/dryer, it was perfect for our family. There are other
deluxe and deluxe villa options that could accommodate your family.
Once you have familiarized yourself with the Walt Disney World website, pick a few different date options to price. I always make note of the price with and without a dining plan. Having said that, food can be expensive, so we typically find that a dining plan is a better value for us. It also helps me to estimate how much our food costs are actually going to be.
Alison, once you know your dates, I suggest that you book a vacation package as soon as possible, especially if planning to visit during the winter holiday season!
Magic, memories and Minnie Mouse hugs,
Donyell