Carrie:
It sounds like you're on a budget, so I'd choose your vacation dates
around Disney's Value Season (late August - September; November - mid
December; January - February) when resort rooms cost considerably less
than they do during the summer months and peak times around the
holidays.
Once you've got your dates, the next big step is deciding on a resort.
The least expensive way to go for your party of 8 is actually a
campsite at Fort Wilderness, but my hunch is that two rooms at one of
the Value Resorts may be what you're looking for. Based on the ages of
the kids in your party, I'd go with All-Star Movies with icons that
will be recognizable and loved no matter their ages. I'd recommend
making your reservations as early as possible so that you have better
chances of getting a request for adjoining rooms.
In addition, there are several special offers that Disney is running right now that you may want to consider:
For savings on your resort
and tickets, check out their Buy 5 Get 2 Days Free at a Value Resort by clicking
here.
And you might want to consider giving a day of volunteer service as a
group prior to your trip and taking Disney up on their offer of a free
park ticket by checking out the details
here.
Wishing y'all a magical vacation!
Whitney