I can't decide what to do so I'm coming to you all for help

Okay...so my DH has decided we should try a family trip to Orlando..specifically something Disney related at the end of March. I%26#39;ve checked and I know spaces are still available at most of the resorts and hotels, but I%26#39;m at a loss as for what is the best option. I%26#39;ve been watching Hotwire and there are some REALLY insanely low prices on hotels that are listed as Downtown Disney, but then I%26#39;ve read some of the reviews for the hotels in Downtown Disney and am a little apprehensive on that one. We do plan on driving from Indiana instead of flying to cut down and cost and because I have a child who is terrified at the thought of getting into a plane. What do you all recommend? A Disney resort and the Disney dining plan and just do all Disney stuff the whole time, or an outside hotel and maybe just do some Disney stuff 2 days? My husband and children (ages 8 and 4) have never seen the ocean, so I thought throwing in some beach time would be a good idea for them. Thanks for any help or suggestions you can offer!

I can't decide what to do so I'm coming to you all for help

How many days, and what are the ages? Do a trip to the ocean, even if for half a day onyour way home if they never seen one.

Downtown Disney is a really nice area, so don%26#39;t know which hotels you are talking about. But Disney hotels are cheaper than they%26#39;ve ever been with all the deals like buy 4 nights get three free.

I can't decide what to do so I'm coming to you all for help

There is a very nice deal right now for a Disney Resort Holiday. It would make it more cost effective to stick with just Disney, if you can take advantage of the Deal. It is Buy 4 Nights Get 3 Free

www.wdwinfo.com/disneypackages.htm

You could easily go to the Beach for a day, that would be lovely.

If looking at Hotels that say ';close'; to Disney, look a little closer at the Hotel Web Site to be sure just how close. Orlando is a Very Large Area and alot od Hotels use that as a come on.

March is a great time to go for nice weather and low to moderate crowds. I%26#39;m booked for the last week :)

If your family has never been to Disney, I would definitely recommend staying at a Disney resort and planning your trip mostly around the Disney parks and properties. As Partypa says, there are some excellent deals to be found right now, so this is a really good time to visit. There is so much to do on Disney property it can keep you busy the whole time, and your kids are the perfect ages to enjoy it.

I agree, you can easily take a day trip to the beach while you%26#39;re here.

Beach is a must do if you have the time. I live on the East Coast of Florida and it is an easy 45 minute ride. Most people prefer the calmer West Coast Ocean. Either coast would make for a quick trip and great day

We are season pass holders and always try to get the Disney hotels if the price is right. You cannot beat the transportion option after being at the parks all day. Also, it is nice to leave the parks during the day and chill at the pool for a few hours of downtime. Ironically, kids rarely want to leave the pools once they are in them. The value resort rooms are small, so we go for the moderate and above hotels on the property. We have stayed at the value resorts as well, but space wise we prefer the larger rooms.

I am a Hilton and Marriott gold member so we do the offsite hotels as well. Downtown Disney hotels are a crap shoot depending on which one you stay at. We only stay here if we are not doing the parks.

Unless you are at the Hilton, you will not get the free parking. The shuttle busses are a pain if you are staying off site.

Hi indygal!

I would echo what some people have said and stay on site at Disney and do the dining plan. I guess it just depends on how long you are going to be on vacation?

We went for the first time to WDW in 04/07 and stayed at the Polynesian resort. We are going back in May this year and we cannot wait. As far as seeing the ocean, maybe you can rent a car and do this after spending some time at Disney? The beach is beautiful in florida and it sounds like if you can have the best of both worlds why not? Like other posters have said Disney is having the buy 4 nights get 3 free! Again I guess it just depends on how long you can ';get away'; for.

Either way have a wonderful vacation! :D

We are also planning a vacation to Disney and were lost where to begin as I was there 10 years ago and my husband has never been.

Here is what I have learned and what we are doing:

Leaving Thursday night from Wisconsin driving till midnight.

Getting up early and driving to Daytona Beach for Friday night. Spend Saturday relaxing on the beach and Saturday night in Daytona.

Leave for Orlando Sunday morning and then staying in Orlando 3 nights. We will be getting a 4 day magic your way park hopper with the dinning package. For a moderate resort we are looking at $1800.

Then we plan on driving to Clearwater to spend a night before we head home.

Our kids are 6, 4, and 2. We are driving to save money (and airline headaches) also and will drive long hours to get down to Orlando in 2 days (23 hour one way trip). It will be closer for you so you could sneak 4 days in Disney along with some ocean time.

My suggestion is to stay in Disney, get the park hopper, and the dinning package.

Have fun!

We had talked about the 4 days with the 3 free but that would only work in our schedule if we were going to be flying. At this point in time we%26#39;re working with 5 days and 4 nights. I think we probably will do the beach since Cocoa Beach is so close. I do prefer the Gulf to the west side, but that%26#39;s just my personal preference...I don%26#39;t think they%26#39;ll mind either way because seeing the ocean will just be exciting to them.

I am looking into the Disney resorts and have been wandering around disboards.com as well as here. We were looking at a website the other day that had home rentals on it as I thought that might be a good way to go as well to have a little reprieve from Disney but I do know there is a ton of stuff to do and see at Disney and I know the kids will like seeing the Legos at Downtown Disney (I was in Orlando last summer and took pictures of that and my 4 year old talked for days about that Lego dragon *lol*)