Large family booking options

[theyoungs07]

I have what most would call a large family, 5 young children DS6, DS5, DD3, DD2, DS2mo and I'm planning a trip for early December of this year. We were thinking Feb 2009, but the weather is even more unpredictable in Feb than Dec in IL and we're driving. This is our first trip with kids, we visited in 2000 on our honeymoon.

I know that if I booked everything myself I'd micro-manage it to a grinding halt and I'd let it consume all of my remaining energy so I'd like to use a travel agent. I've read great things about MJ on this board and think that I would probably gain some benefits by using them, but my problem is that I think the AAA parking is almost a requirement. We're going to stay at the FW cabins so we'll probably take the boat to MK, but we'll drive to the rest from what it sounds like. I'm concerned about having to fold/unfold a stroller full of supplies and kids for the tram...etc, that could lead to disaster.

Does anyone have experience using AAA to personalize your trip or do they just set up the basic reservations and leave the rest up to you? Do they make ADR's? Do they have the knowledge to make suggestions? My assumption is that even if they did they wouldn't compare to the customer service of MJ, but maybe I'm wrong.

I've read around the boards that sometimes the AAA parking isn't that great because the trams don't run to it, but I'd rather walk a couple hundred more yards than have to unpack/repack everything. Does anyone know if there are maps of the parking lots that show where the AAA parking is with regard to the gates and the standard parking?

Thank you for all of your help!

[yjgirl715]

I can help you on some of your questions. I booked my trip last year thru AAA and they were nice, but were not very informative about Disney related questions. They only were able to book our room reservations and our flight- but did not look for ANY discounts at all. I had even asked if there would be any and the person I dealt with said no. This next trip I am booking with MJ and have already learned of a few that were given out in the past. I would think you would still be able to get the AAA parking with MJ since I was able to get my room-only discont with Mj. AAA did not book any adr's for me and when I aksed about a boat ride to see the fireworks she told me there was none. I believe you will get much much better information from Mj which can be priceless. Again I could have had a AAA agent that was new or had never been to Disney. Good luck and I hope I have answered some questions for you.

[teambricker04]

I have not booked with either, but my sister just booked a trip through MJ and still got her AAA discounts. Personally, from what I hear on Intercot, I would book with MJ.

I know what you mean about the stroller! Our last stay was at FW and we chose to have a car so we didn't have to do the internal buses as well as the park buses with a double stroller. We loved the ease of having our own car.... especially in meltdown situations!

FYI... If you do drive to MK there is a drop off zone by the TC. My DH would drop us off there and then park and by the time he walked through the lot, we were already to go. It worked out perfectly.

[KAT1811]

:welcome: To Intercot! :welcome: I think you are going to like it here!

I would still speak with someone from MJ before you go with AAA. I have not heard too many positive reviews about their travel planning in regards to WDW. Although I'm not too sure about AAA or parking but I do know about traveling with young children. We have three DDs and are looking to try for #4 in the fall of this year. On our last trip our children were 10, 2 & 10 months. I had a lot of experience with loading and unloading a stroller and children on the busses. I would highly recommend taking the boat to the MK and the monerail to Epcot. You would have to take the boat to the MK and then hop onto the monerail from there. On both modes of transportation you do not have to unpack and fold the stroller just wheel the child filled stroller onto each of them. Plus you see more and it's more fun for the kids than riding in the car. Lets face it how often do you get to ride a monerail?

Personally I would still use the WDW transporation rather than drive my own car but that is just me. I rather let someone else do the driving and not have to worry but with you in FW with the bus and then the tram I can see your concern.

Good luck and have a great vacation. Hopefully we will soon be navigating the world with 4 children. Big families are fabulous!!! Who knows maybe we'll be toting five children!

I would also ask as many questions here as you can, you'll be amazed at the tips and tricks you can learn from fellow Intercoters! Especially when traveling with young children. Between everone on here we have done it all!

P.S. - A never leave home item with an infant (at least for us) is a Baby Bjourn (or similar) carrier!

[Janmac]

If you're staying on property there is no charge for parking at the parks but perhaps that's not your reason for thinking of AAA. I'm not sure if AAA has a separate parking area. Perhaps someone will be along that knows that. If you belong to AAA, you can still use MJ to book your trip, as they have no charge.

If your little ones are early risers, I recommend leaving your resort about 45 minutes before the park's opening - you can find the times at the Info Central tab above. You may arrive early enough that you can skip the parking trams altogether, because you'll be at the front of the parking lot.

Most park openings are 9 am which would mean leaving your resort room about 8:15. This gives you time to get in your vehicle, find the park (we always get lost), get a parking spot, and then unload. With little ones, in December, I'd recommend avoiding the parks with Extra Magic Hours (EMH) in the morning.

I highly recommend Magical Journeys. I too was a microplanner at one time and still spend far too much time planning but at least now it's the fun stuff. MJ lets you know when a discount is available and helps with all sorts of questions! Lots of patience. :blush:

MJ does not do the ADRs which is one of the fun things I don't mind doing.

MJ can help you with your lodging decsions. I'm thinking that you might want to consider the family suites at the value resorts. An MJ agent can help you figure which will be the better way to go. Besides the AAA discount, there are other discounts available, some having to do with how popular a resort is and how underbooked it is. MJ can help figure this out. Some of these discounts are better than AAA.

As well your MJ agent can perhaps help with what is a better time to book. We have usually gone in December because of the lower crowd numbers. Our last December trip was something else. We left a day early to beat an ice storm heading in east, which dogged us all the way to Georgia. And at Disney we had some of the coldest weather - what happened to global warming?!?! - we've ever had. It would have been comical if we weren't all shivering. EVERYone had on obviously all the warm clothes they had with them. I even saw some guests with sweatshirts tied on their heads.

Bottom line is, since you're driving, if you do book in December, bring all your little one's jackets and hats and mitts, just in case.

Jan

[theyoungs07]

Thanks for the responses so far...this really is a great community!

AAA has diamond parking, which is supposedly right next to the HC parking spots. This sounds very attractive to someone who has to corral/cart lots of young'ns but I don't know if it's worth going through AAA.

If I go through MJ, the only AAA discount I can get is the room only...right? I'm inclined towards the Dining plan because I don't think I could feed my kids for less than $10 a day so it makes sense. If I try to use AAA through MJ I won't be able to book a package would I?

I'm leaning towards FW because it seems like it'll be closer to a home away from home which I think will benefit my little ones in winding down ...which I see as key to everyone's happiness. I think the family suites look good as well but just not as good as having a yard/van parked right outside/picnic table...etc.

I think we will avoid the EMH parks, I'm not planning on running a marathon with the little ones, I just want to get them there for the experience and some memories. I assumed that early December (1st or 2nd week) was slow enough that it wouldn't matter as much whether we go at EMH or not.

Another side question...can you use all of your table service meals for character meals? I'm guessing that is the only way I'm going to keep them seated that long on a vacation ;)

[KAT1811]

You can use your table service credits on any participating dining plan restaurant, character meals included.

You might want to check out the camp fire movies in FW. When the little ones head off to bed and the older two are still ready to go a little wind down time might be nice in front of the camp fire making smores and watching a Disney movie.

[ldc12377]

Thanks for the responses so far...this really is a great community!

AAA has diamond parking, which is supposedly right next to the HC parking spots. This sounds very attractive to someone who has to corral/cart lots of young'ns but I don't know if it's worth going through AAA.

If I go through MJ, the only AAA discount I can get is the room only...right? I'm inclined towards the Dining plan because I don't think I could feed my kids for less than $10 a day so it makes sense. If I try to use AAA through MJ I won't be able to book a package would I?

I'm leaning towards FW because it seems like it'll be closer to a home away from home which I think will benefit my little ones in winding down ...which I see as key to everyone's happiness. I think the family suites look good as well but just not as good as having a yard/van parked right outside/picnic table...etc.

I think we will avoid the EMH parks, I'm not planning on running a marathon with the little ones, I just want to get them there for the experience and some memories. I assumed that early December (1st or 2nd week) was slow enough that it wouldn't matter as much whether we go at EMH or not.

Another side question...can you use all of your table service meals for character meals? I'm guessing that is the only way I'm going to keep them seated that long on a vacation ;)

AAA does have a different parking area available for members who book through them. I'm not sure if they are better than the regular parking areas, I just know that they are there and or for those who book a package through them.

If you go through MJ, you can still book your package with dining and all with your AAA discount. No matter if you book through MJ or AAA, the AAA discount is only applied toward the room portion. I've never used MJ but my AAA agent was willing and able to make my ADR's if I wanted her to but I like doing it myself. That may be one thing that could help you decide between the two. A previous post said that MJ doesn't make ADRs. If you are interested in someone doing that, you might check with your AAA agent and see if they will do it. Another post said their AAA agent won't make them but mine would so maybe it depends on your agent.:confused:

Something you might want to consider if you decide to go with the dining plan. You can use all your table service on character meals but I recommend that you find character meals that service the food family-style. Thaa means they will bring large platters of food to your able like you would at home and you fill each person's plate yourself. With little ones, it is soooo much easier than buffets. Our family includes DS9, DD7, and DS2 and family-style restaurants just work out so great for us. Some of them are Liberty Tree Tavern, Garden Grill, Princess Breakfast at Norway. I can't think if any other right now but someone else might think of ones I could have missed. Just a little tiip from one parent to another.

[Wayne]

I have not used MJ, but I can tell you that AAA is hit or miss depending upon the agent...and I can guarantee that AAA WILL NOT keep checking to give you any discounts that may come out after your booking.

All of the parks have passenger drop-off/pickup areas which, in my opinion, are much better than the AAA diamond parking.

[Janmac]

We have had AAA forever and sometimes it's the best discounts and sometimes not. Our MJ agent can and has booked us room only to get the AAA discount but often another discount will come along which is a better value. Then our MJ agent switches us, IF we want to switch.

The MJ agents know their Disney stuff. Another good thing is that they work through e-mail, so your agent will be available when it is convenient for you. If a phone call seems necessary, then she will ask by e-mail when is a good time to phone.

The Wilderness Homes are good for space for young kids to wind down. There is a nice sized deck outside, which would be good for your older kids. Not sure how adventurous the 2 yo would be - I don't recall the deck railings being very low. On our last trip, before the weather turned cold, we enjoyed a supper (take-out from Earl of Sandwich) on the deck at the picnic table.

During the value times you can certainly avoid the EMH parks. The EMH wouldn't likely help with the kind of touring your family will be doing for awhile, anyway. Our last couple of trips we have noticed that the secret is out and crowd levels are increasing during early December. On our upcoming trip we are trying September (and hoping for free dining :D). However, early December is still way better than early June. :thumbsup:

The passenger drop off area might be a great idea.

If you are a micromanager, you can have a lot of fun with your meal planning. I prefer using a chart, tho some use a spreadsheet. The Info Central area has menus with entree selections and prices. We prefer table service meals and used to eat 3 per day but with the dining plan we are learning to have one counter service.

I pick out the restaurants, select some possible entrees and prices, or use the buffet price, and then figure costs. If we have 7 table service meals available, we will use the dining plan on the seven highest priced table service meals and pay out of pocket for the rest. Many times we'll use the table service on a character breakfast and use an extra counter service (always seems to be extra CSs) for a supper.

Another way you can plan (excessively!) is to figure out some Christmas decorations to bring with you for your Wilderness Home. There are lots and lots of decorations especially at Fort Wilderness. You may want to drive around a loop or two each evening to check out the enormous displays that some campers set up.

It sounds as tho you've got a good handle on the planning. Intercot really is a great community with lots of info and friendly folks.

Jan