Hi Christina!
Getting a good deal and making sure everyone has fun - now that's my idea of a perfect vacation!
Generally you will see the best pricing and special offers during non-peak times. For December that time usually is the first two weeks or so. An excellent way to ensure you don't miss out on a
Special Offers at Walt Disney World is to bookmark this link and to check periodically for new offers.
I also have quite an age range between my oldest and youngest child (10 years). I have found that with the
Rider Switch service, everyone who wants to ride will get a chance. You might find that your older child quite enjoys this service, I know my children certainly do. I am usually the person who stays with our 4 year old while the rest of the family rides. Then when it's my turn to ride, the coolest feature of the Rider Switch service is that the second party waiting to ride gets to take another person on the ride with them. In your case your 13 year old can ride a second time with you. Take a moment to read through the details of the Rider Switch service and you will see what a Disney Difference it is!
And finally, my last advice is to not shy away from taking your 13 year old along with you to something he/she wouldn't normally ask to do. My oldest son once wanted to go ride Space Mountain (again) while I took the younger kids to Enchanted Tales With Belle. I am so glad that I asked him to join us because without giving too much away, I can simply say that I have some of my favorite photos of him there.
Have a
MAGICAL vacation Christina!
Blessings,
Brenda ºOº