Vacation Destination Ideas Please

I will probably be going back to work next August (more on that in a
future post) and we have been thinking about going to Disney World in Feb.
because that will be the last chance we will have to go there during the
off-season, and also because dh is not as busy at work that time of year.

I have looked online at the prices for packages at Disney and prices for a
7-night Disney cruise, and the cruise is cheaper! If we go to Disney World we
would like to stay about a week so we can visit several of the parks. If we
take the cruise we would leave from Port Canaveral and would be able to stay
with friends, who live nearby, the night before the cruise and the night after
the cruise returns, which would be very convenient.

Have any of you done a Disney cruise or visited Disney World with children
(ours will be almost 4 when/if we take the trip)? If so then I would
appreciate any tips or advice. Is it worth it to pay extra to stay at a Disney
hotel/resort or is it better to stay off the property? I know both have their
advantages and disadvantages.

What do you all usually do about sleeping arrangements in hotels.....2 joining
rooms or a suite? We have never stayed in a hotel with the girls before.
We've always stayed at a house or condo on vacations.

I am also open to suggestions about other family destinations as long as they
are within a day or less driving distance from us (South Carolina).

TIA,
Andrea
twin girls-Madison & Jordan
3 1/2 yrs. old

Andrea writes:
Have any of you done a Disney cruise or visited Disney World with
children (ours will be almost 4 when/if we take the trip)? If so then
I would appreciate any tips or advice. Is it worth it to pay extra to
stay at a Disney hotel/resort or is it better to stay off the
property? I know both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Coincidentally, I have also been thinking about taking a Disney cruise
in the spring. I don't personally know anyone who has taken one, but
they seem to have quite a good reputation. And they are not very
expensive, if you can avoid the times when schools are typically out of
session (summer, Christmas, spring break).

The prices on the disneycruise.com site seem to be inflated. Searching
for [disney cruise] on Google finds many agents with lower prices.
Travelocity (www.travelocity.com, click on "Book a Cruise" and then
"Disney Cruise Line") seems to have reasonable prices, and a good
interface for comparing all of the different options.

Disney World is quite a different experience. I think I probably won't
try to do that until they are a bit older. (My twins just turned 3.)
It seems to me that it's best for kids in the 6-10 range, but maybe
that's because I first went there when I was 8. On the other hand,
Disney World is definitely something you want to do at a time other than
the standard vacations (when it gets so very crowded), so if this is
your last good opportunity for that, maybe I would do that in your
place.

If you're seriously considering Disney World, you should probably buy
one of the books on getting the most out of the resort, like "Birnbaum's
Walt Disney World 2004" or "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
2004". These books have a lot of information about things like deciding
where to stay, and what to do.

I am also open to suggestions about other family destinations as long
as they are within a day or less driving distance from us (South
Carolina).

We went to Tampa last Christmas, and it was fairly pleasant. We stayed
in a cheap motel on Clearwater Beach, which was nice on the one day that
turned out to be very warm and sunny. And on two of the more moderate
days, we went to Busch Gardens, which was nice, and actually had a lot
of rides and activities suitable for 2 year olds. Maybe even more than
for somewhat older kids. I don't know if we will go back there any time
soon, but that's mostly because my sister lives in Orlando now, and it
makes more sense for us to do things around Orlando than in Tampa.

David desJardins

Andrea writes:
Have any of you done a Disney cruise or visited Disney World with
children (ours will be almost 4 when/if we take the trip)? If so then
I would appreciate any tips or advice. Is it worth it to pay extra to
stay at a Disney hotel/resort or is it better to stay off the
property? I know both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Coincidentally, I have also been thinking about taking a Disney cruise
in the spring. I don't personally know anyone who has taken one, but
they seem to have quite a good reputation. And they are not very
expensive, if you can avoid the times when schools are typically out of
session (summer, Christmas, spring break).

The prices on the disneycruise.com site seem to be inflated. Searching
for [disney cruise] on Google finds many agents with lower prices.
Travelocity (www.travelocity.com, click on "Book a Cruise" and then
"Disney Cruise Line") seems to have reasonable prices, and a good
interface for comparing all of the different options.

Disney World is quite a different experience. I think I probably won't
try to do that until they are a bit older. (My twins just turned 3.)
It seems to me that it's best for kids in the 6-10 range, but maybe
that's because I first went there when I was 8. On the other hand,
Disney World is definitely something you want to do at a time other than
the standard vacations (when it gets so very crowded), so if this is
your last good opportunity for that, maybe I would do that in your
place.

If you're seriously considering Disney World, you should probably buy
one of the books on getting the most out of the resort, like "Birnbaum's
Walt Disney World 2004" or "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World
2004". These books have a lot of information about things like deciding
where to stay, and what to do.

I am also open to suggestions about other family destinations as long
as they are within a day or less driving distance from us (South
Carolina).

We went to Tampa last Christmas, and it was fairly pleasant. We stayed
in a cheap motel on Clearwater Beach, which was nice on the one day that
turned out to be very warm and sunny. And on two of the more moderate
days, we went to Busch Gardens, which was nice, and actually had a lot
of rides and activities suitable for 2 year olds. Maybe even more than
for somewhat older kids. I don't know if we will go back there any time
soon, but that's mostly because my sister lives in Orlando now, and it
makes more sense for us to do things around Orlando than in Tampa.

David desJardins

Thanks for the tips David. Please let me know what you decide to do about the
cruise and update me if you hear from anyone who has been on one, if you don't
mind.

We have close friends who live in Tampa and have visited them several times
(twice with the girls). We were also pleasantly surprised that Busch Gardens
had tons of age-appropriate things for young kids. Jordan and Madison had a
blast. We went in Feb. and the weather was perfect, and it wasn't crowded at
all.

Thanks Again,
Andrea
twin girls-Madison & Jordan
3 yrs. old

Thanks for the tips David. Please let me know what you decide to do about the
cruise and update me if you hear from anyone who has been on one, if you don't
mind.

We have close friends who live in Tampa and have visited them several times
(twice with the girls). We were also pleasantly surprised that Busch Gardens
had tons of age-appropriate things for young kids. Jordan and Madison had a
blast. We went in Feb. and the weather was perfect, and it wasn't crowded at
all.

Thanks Again,
Andrea
twin girls-Madison & Jordan
3 yrs. old

Andrea --

We went to Orlando when the kids were almost 3 1/2 (the week after
Thanksgiving). We spent one day at Disney, one day at Epcot, some time
kicking around the huge FAO Schwartz there, and some time at the resort,
which was not a Disney resort. Epcot was really a bit beyond them. The
Norway exhibit, e.g., had some scary trolls and a very loud and scary
movie afterward [one of the kids emerged saying "No more TWOLLS! No
more Twolls and no more movies! No, no, no, no, no!"]. They really
loved Disney World, but we didn't get on the Pooh ride, one of the hits
for the younger set, because the line was well over an hour long. We
decided instead to get one of the "fast passes" (or whatever they called
it), but at 11:30 AM, the times they were assigning were already after
6PM.

Anyway, though the kids really loved Disney World, even in late November
the lines were long enough that I heard a lot of whining -- from dh,
that is, not from the kids, who didn't seem to mind a bit. The high
point of the day for them was meeting Mickey and Minnie, which also
involved a 45-minute line, or so my husband reported.

Also bear in mind that at that age, many kids don't know the difference
between Di$ney World and sparser digs: When our nephew was 4 or 5, he
was visiting us and we all went to Storyland, a fairy-tale based theme
park about an hour from here. It is about a twentieth the size of
Disney (or perhaps a fiftieth? hundredth?) though totally geared for
the younger set. His family had been at Disney World a month or two
before. As we were leaving, he said to his mother "Mom, can we come
back here to Disney World again tomorrow?" She commented that they
could have saved a LOT of money had they known that he wouldn't know the
difference between Storyland and Disney World!

My dh hates cruises, but if he didn't and I were in your shoes, I would
definitely lean toward the cruise.

Finally, re hotels, though we sometimes go for a suite, we usually do
just fine in a room with two double beds.

Julie
Mom to Erica & Chris, 07/97



Andrea wrote:

I will probably be going back to work next August (more on that in a
future post) and we have been thinking about going to Disney World in Feb.
because that will be the last chance we will have to go there during the
off-season, and also because dh is not as busy at work that time of year.

I have looked online at the prices for packages at Disney and prices for a
7-night Disney cruise, and the cruise is cheaper! If we go to Disney World we
would like to stay about a week so we can visit several of the parks. If we
take the cruise we would leave from Port Canaveral and would be able to stay
with friends, who live nearby, the night before the cruise and the night after
the cruise returns, which would be very convenient.

Have any of you done a Disney cruise or visited Disney World with children
(ours will be almost 4 when/if we take the trip)? If so then I would
appreciate any tips or advice. Is it worth it to pay extra to stay at a Disney
hotel/resort or is it better to stay off the property? I know both have their
advantages and disadvantages.

What do you all usually do about sleeping arrangements in hotels.....2 joining
rooms or a suite? We have never stayed in a hotel with the girls before.
We've always stayed at a house or condo on vacations.

I am also open to suggestions about other family destinations as long as they
are within a day or less driving distance from us (South Carolina).

TIA,
Andrea
twin girls-Madison & Jordan
3 1/2 yrs. old

Andrea --

We went to Orlando when the kids were almost 3 1/2 (the week after
Thanksgiving). We spent one day at Disney, one day at Epcot, some time
kicking around the huge FAO Schwartz there, and some time at the resort,
which was not a Disney resort. Epcot was really a bit beyond them. The
Norway exhibit, e.g., had some scary trolls and a very loud and scary
movie afterward [one of the kids emerged saying "No more TWOLLS! No
more Twolls and no more movies! No, no, no, no, no!"]. They really
loved Disney World, but we didn't get on the Pooh ride, one of the hits
for the younger set, because the line was well over an hour long. We
decided instead to get one of the "fast passes" (or whatever they called
it), but at 11:30 AM, the times they were assigning were already after
6PM.

Anyway, though the kids really loved Disney World, even in late November
the lines were long enough that I heard a lot of whining -- from dh,
that is, not from the kids, who didn't seem to mind a bit. The high
point of the day for them was meeting Mickey and Minnie, which also
involved a 45-minute line, or so my husband reported.

Also bear in mind that at that age, many kids don't know the difference
between Di$ney World and sparser digs: When our nephew was 4 or 5, he
was visiting us and we all went to Storyland, a fairy-tale based theme
park about an hour from here. It is about a twentieth the size of
Disney (or perhaps a fiftieth? hundredth?) though totally geared for
the younger set. His family had been at Disney World a month or two
before. As we were leaving, he said to his mother "Mom, can we come
back here to Disney World again tomorrow?" She commented that they
could have saved a LOT of money had they known that he wouldn't know the
difference between Storyland and Disney World!

My dh hates cruises, but if he didn't and I were in your shoes, I would
definitely lean toward the cruise.

Finally, re hotels, though we sometimes go for a suite, we usually do
just fine in a room with two double beds.

Julie
Mom to Erica & Chris, 07/97



Andrea wrote:

I will probably be going back to work next August (more on that in a
future post) and we have been thinking about going to Disney World in Feb.
because that will be the last chance we will have to go there during the
off-season, and also because dh is not as busy at work that time of year.

I have looked online at the prices for packages at Disney and prices for a
7-night Disney cruise, and the cruise is cheaper! If we go to Disney World we
would like to stay about a week so we can visit several of the parks. If we
take the cruise we would leave from Port Canaveral and would be able to stay
with friends, who live nearby, the night before the cruise and the night after
the cruise returns, which would be very convenient.

Have any of you done a Disney cruise or visited Disney World with children
(ours will be almost 4 when/if we take the trip)? If so then I would
appreciate any tips or advice. Is it worth it to pay extra to stay at a Disney
hotel/resort or is it better to stay off the property? I know both have their
advantages and disadvantages.

What do you all usually do about sleeping arrangements in hotels.....2 joining
rooms or a suite? We have never stayed in a hotel with the girls before.
We've always stayed at a house or condo on vacations.

I am also open to suggestions about other family destinations as long as they
are within a day or less driving distance from us (South Carolina).

TIA,
Andrea
twin girls-Madison & Jordan
3 1/2 yrs. old

Julie-

Dh and I talked tonight and I think we have ruled out DW for all the reasons
you listed. I guess we'll postpone that for when they're older and will
remember and appreciate the experience more. I was wondering if I was being
selfish by leaning towards the cruise, thinking that the kids would like DW
more than the cruise but that I would prefer the cruise. However, I've read
that the cruise line really caters to kids, with activities for them to do and
characters on the ships, so perhaps that would be more fun for the kids than
waiting in long lines for rides.

We're still trying to decide between the cruise and ?????? wherever, so any
more sugestions would be welcomed.

Thanks,
Andrea
twin girls-Jordan & Madison
3 yrs. old

Andrea --

We went to Orlando when the kids were almost 3 1/2 (the week after
Thanksgiving). We spent one day at Disney, one day at Epcot, some time
kicking around the huge FAO Schwartz there, and some time at the resort,
which was not a Disney resort. Epcot was really a bit beyond them. The
Norway exhibit, e.g., had some scary trolls and a very loud and scary
movie afterward [one of the kids emerged saying "No more TWOLLS! No
more Twolls and no more movies! No, no, no, no, no!"]. They really
loved Disney World, but we didn't get on the Pooh ride, one of the hits
for the younger set, because the line was well over an hour long. We
decided instead to get one of the "fast passes" (or whatever they called
it), but at 11:30 AM, the times they were assigning were already after
6PM.

Anyway, though the kids really loved Disney World, even in late November
the lines were long enough that I heard a lot of whining -- from dh,
that is, not from the kids, who didn't seem to mind a bit. The high
point of the day for them was meeting Mickey and Minnie, which also
involved a 45-minute line, or so my husband reported.

Also bear in mind that at that age, many kids don't know the difference
between Di$ney World and sparser digs: When our nephew was 4 or 5, he
was visiting us and we all went to Storyland, a fairy-tale based theme
park about an hour from here. It is about a twentieth the size of
Disney (or perhaps a fiftieth? hundredth?) though totally geared for
the younger set. His family had been at Disney World a month or two
before. As we were leaving, he said to his mother "Mom, can we come
back here to Disney World again tomorrow?" She commented that they
could have saved a LOT of money had they known that he wouldn't know the
difference between Storyland and Disney World!

My dh hates cruises, but if he didn't and I were in your shoes, I would
definitely lean toward the cruise.

Finally, re hotels, though we sometimes go for a suite, we usually do
just fine in a room with two double beds.

Julie
Mom to Erica & Chris, 07/97

Julie-

Dh and I talked tonight and I think we have ruled out DW for all the reasons
you listed. I guess we'll postpone that for when they're older and will
remember and appreciate the experience more. I was wondering if I was being
selfish by leaning towards the cruise, thinking that the kids would like DW
more than the cruise but that I would prefer the cruise. However, I've read
that the cruise line really caters to kids, with activities for them to do and
characters on the ships, so perhaps that would be more fun for the kids than
waiting in long lines for rides.

We're still trying to decide between the cruise and ?????? wherever, so any
more sugestions would be welcomed.

Thanks,
Andrea
twin girls-Jordan & Madison
3 yrs. old

Andrea --

We went to Orlando when the kids were almost 3 1/2 (the week after
Thanksgiving). We spent one day at Disney, one day at Epcot, some time
kicking around the huge FAO Schwartz there, and some time at the resort,
which was not a Disney resort. Epcot was really a bit beyond them. The
Norway exhibit, e.g., had some scary trolls and a very loud and scary
movie afterward [one of the kids emerged saying "No more TWOLLS! No
more Twolls and no more movies! No, no, no, no, no!"]. They really
loved Disney World, but we didn't get on the Pooh ride, one of the hits
for the younger set, because the line was well over an hour long. We
decided instead to get one of the "fast passes" (or whatever they called
it), but at 11:30 AM, the times they were assigning were already after
6PM.

Anyway, though the kids really loved Disney World, even in late November
the lines were long enough that I heard a lot of whining -- from dh,
that is, not from the kids, who didn't seem to mind a bit. The high
point of the day for them was meeting Mickey and Minnie, which also
involved a 45-minute line, or so my husband reported.

Also bear in mind that at that age, many kids don't know the difference
between Di$ney World and sparser digs: When our nephew was 4 or 5, he
was visiting us and we all went to Storyland, a fairy-tale based theme
park about an hour from here. It is about a twentieth the size of
Disney (or perhaps a fiftieth? hundredth?) though totally geared for
the younger set. His family had been at Disney World a month or two
before. As we were leaving, he said to his mother "Mom, can we come
back here to Disney World again tomorrow?" She commented that they
could have saved a LOT of money had they known that he wouldn't know the
difference between Storyland and Disney World!

My dh hates cruises, but if he didn't and I were in your shoes, I would
definitely lean toward the cruise.

Finally, re hotels, though we sometimes go for a suite, we usually do
just fine in a room with two double beds.

Julie
Mom to Erica & Chris, 07/97

We did Disney World a few years back. We stayed at the Dolphin Resort. Our
package included free admission every day to all of the DW parks. The most
popular with us was Epcott Centre.

It's very convenient to stay at the resorts, but you'll pay an awful lot
more than staying at a hotel near the park. I do not recommend the Dolphin
to anyone. Someone entered our room while we were out one day, must have
been a staff member (maid) because they had a key, accessed our safe in the
closet and stole all of our cash, watches, some jewellery. They didn't
touch the passports or traveller's cheques thankfully. The hotel denied
any involvement and the rest is a long story


"Andrea" wrote in message
...
I will probably be going back to work next August (more on that in a
future post) and we have been thinking about going to Disney World in Feb.
because that will be the last chance we will have to go there during the
off-season, and also because dh is not as busy at work that time of year.

I have looked online at the prices for packages at Disney and prices for a
7-night Disney cruise, and the cruise is cheaper! If we go to Disney
World we
would like to stay about a week so we can visit several of the parks. If
we
take the cruise we would leave from Port Canaveral and would be able to
stay
with friends, who live nearby, the night before the cruise and the night
after
the cruise returns, which would be very convenient.

Have any of you done a Disney cruise or visited Disney World with children
(ours will be almost 4 when/if we take the trip)? If so then I would
appreciate any tips or advice. Is it worth it to pay extra to stay at a
Disney
hotel/resort or is it better to stay off the property? I know both have
their
advantages and disadvantages.

What do you all usually do about sleeping arrangements in hotels.....2
joining
rooms or a suite? We have never stayed in a hotel with the girls before.
We've always stayed at a house or condo on vacations.

I am also open to suggestions about other family destinations as long as
they
are within a day or less driving distance from us (South Carolina).

TIA,
Andrea
twin girls-Madison & Jordan
3 1/2 yrs. old