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Heck, I don't even consider Motel 6 bad places. They're just not fancy. :) But we're all different and that's why we love to have so many people offering opinions here. It gives people many options from diverse perspectives.
I've just never been one to want to spend much extra for lodging. I sleep, shower, and go. As long as it's clean, that's all I need.
I wouldn't buy a car with one road trip in mind. I assume you're going to own the car for years and years; you should choose a car that suits your everyday lifestyle, and if you need something different for one trip, rent it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaitlyn
How old are your brothers?
We took our girls to Col. Williamsburg when they were (I think) 4 and 7. They were a little young, but they enjoyed it. It's kind of surprising that the historical area is sort of "blended in" with modern living arrangements. Some people just wander down the street taking in the old stuff, but most people buy the tickets so they can go into the houses and talk to the costumed guides. You'll start on the end of town with the Governer's mansion (the tour is sort of arranged with that building as a starting point), and you can go into as many or as few buildings as you choose. I can't remember the names of the houses we visited, but we saw what was supposed to be a wealthy lawyer's home (and his gardens, cooking houses, etc. in the backyard), the jail, a couple shops (print shop and gun maker). We ate in one of the old-fashioned taverns, and it was a rip-off. My kids had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and sodas; so much for authentic! The single thing we enjoyed most, though, was the church; it isn't a part of Colonial Williamsburg, but the history in that place was fascinating! Williamsburg has more pancake houses than anywhere else I've ever been. I can't remember where we stayed, so it must not've been memorable, and we've been three times! I love the Pfaltzgraff outlet; I bought so much stoneware to match my pattern, and it was like 80% off the cost at home!
While you're in Willliamsburg, consider visiting Busch Gardens. I love-love-love Disney, but this theme park is better. Great coasters (Darkastle is wonderful) and very clean.
Washington DC is great for kids. The museums are wonderful (and paid by your tax dollars), and the zoo is part of the museum system. Driving is difficult and parking is incredibly expensive, so use the Metro. Expect LOTS of walking if you're going to all the memorials (which, of course, you must!). DC is not really the safest place to visit, so camping is out for that portion of the trip! Plus I don't think there are any campgrounds in the vicinity of the things you'll expect to see. We stayed in a suite at the Residence Inn on Vermont Ave (won it on Priceline, $50/night, which included a full breakfast the next morning -- food is VERY expensive in DC), and we had a kitchen.
Within reason, Disney can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you choose to make it. Onsite is great because you can park your car and use their transportation, which is efficient and faster than your own car (don't underestimate how large Disney is).
I have to agree with AZBuck that the Everglades are a looong way out of your way (are you the only driver?), while lower South Carolina and Georgia offer swamps that are almost as interesting. I'd suggest a stop in Savannah. Most boys would love the ghost tours, and there are so many cool things to see and do: Tybee Island, the Marine Science Center, historical houses, horse-drawn carriages, the Wolf preserve, Pirate tours. You can see hidden tunnels in churches, which runaway slaves used as part of the Underground Railroad as they headed North. The historical district is PACKED in the summer though. If you do not stay in the historical district, it's impossible to get a parking place; not difficult, impossible! If you stay out of town, consider taking a taxi into town to avoid the parking. Literally, we drove around for 45 minutes and NEVER found a place. We camped at the KOA campground once, and it was the second-worst camping experience of my life (Sesquicentennial State Park wins top honors because they had no fire rings, but loads of bees); of course, I might just think that because the police came through in the middle of the night searching tents looking for some criminal who'd run through the place. The second time, we stayed in the Hilton on Bay Street, which was wonderful because we were close enough to walk to everything.
When my husband's company's paying the bill, we stay in some really nice places: 5 star resorts right on the beach, great golf courses, etc. When we're paying the bill ourselves, we choose much more frugally. We LOVE the cabins in the South Carolina state parks, and they're really budget! I've actually never stayed at a Motel 6, but I've stayed at plenty of Day's Inns and Red Roof Inns. I guess they're pretty much the same. I've also stayed in hostels, which are wonderful and have some positives that hotels don't offer!Quote:
Originally Posted by Judy
While I won't spend my own money to pay for fancy furniture and nice bathrooms (why would I pay $$$$ to rent these things for one night?), I will often pay more to stay in a location that's very convenient to the places we plan to visit. Time is money, and if we stay close enough that we don't have to use our car, find parking (maybe pay for parking), etc, then it's money well spent.
And sometimes we split our stay between a really cheap location and a more expensive/convenient location.
Yep, you have to look at ALL the benefits of staying onsite at Disney. In this case, it's not all about a bed and a shower -- the early entry mornings, the transportation, and the extra hours in the evenings (do they still do that?) are worth a great deal!Quote:
Originally Posted by Judy
We've never been to Universal, but we're going in July! And since we're talking about budgets, I'll throw in that I have two free hotel nights from last summer's Docker's Father's Day promotion (I'm paying for two additional nights), and I have two free Universal tickets from MyCokeRewards (since we're a family of four, I'll have to buy two more tickets), and I have Disney tickets left over from a previous trip.
I wish I could tag along. I love theme parks. I would love to work at a Disney or Universal or 6 Flags, whatever. I could live on Main Street USA. :)
Enjoy!
I'm definitely feeling a LOT more informed. Now, I just have to consider all of my options and figure out a plan.
My brothers are 10 and 12. I took them to the Disney website and they really seemed to want to stay at the All Star Resort. I can definitely fit it in my budget, and I think it will be great to take advantage of their transportation and parking. As for Williamsburg, we're all really excited. We were there once a long time ago and remember loving it. Maybe we'll make our way to Yorktown as well. We have also been to Busch Gardens, and that would be great, but it might be adding a bit too much to our budget. We've also decided to cut Washington D.C. off the list. It will put a big unnecessary strain on our budget that we don't need. Besides, we were there not too long ago.
As for bringing a friend, I'll definitely be considering that. It would be nice to have an extra driver and kid-wrangler. I'll just have to find someone crazy enough to do it. Gah!
Thanks everyone for all the great advice. And don't be shy, keep it coming!
Ahhh.....Disney. Now you're talking about my absolute area of expertise!! :))
We just returned from a two week trip to Coronado Springs, but have stayed at All-Star Movies, Caribbean Beach Resort, and Fort Wilderness on previous trips.
First recommendation, and this is one that you absolutely cannot miss: Go and read all you can at another message board dedicated to Disney: Disboards. IMO, it's the absolute end-all-be-all of Disney information.
Second, consider purchasing The Unofficial Guide to Disney World (2008 edition)
Third, exactly when are you planning to go? If you can push the Disney portion of your trip to the end of August, you might be able to coincide with the time that they begin offering the dining plan for free! More details on that at Disboards.com. Just search for "free dining."
4. One of the best tips that I've ever received and that I give to everyone is this: When you're staying on Disney property, AVOID the extra magic hours parks at all costs. They are invariably the most crowded parks on those days, and your experiences at other parks will be far superior. In September, we did this (again), and couldn't believe the crowd differentials.
5. If you're going in July, it's gonna be unbelievably busy no matter what. Lines for headline attractions can easily top 90 minutes at that time of year. At Touring Plans.com , you can subscribe to a service (very cheap) that will allow you to plan your trip right down to the last detail so that you can maximize your time spent enjoying the things you want to see while minimizing your waits in line. It sort of goes against the laid back style of most true "road trips," but effectively planning your Disney portion of the vacation will make things significantly more pleasurable for you! Not planning can leave you feeling very overwhelmed by the place!
Enjoy......and please don't hesitate to PM me either here or over on Disboards (same user name there!). I could talk Disney all day long.......
Oh yeah, one other thing....
The All-Stars are great. You can't go wrong with any of them.
But I'd really recommend that you look closely at Pop Century, another value priced resort. The reason is simple. All three of the All-Star Resorts share bus service. Pop Century has their own dedicated buses. Although Pop is a huge resort, it can make a pretty significant difference, particularly at the end of the day when the Parks are all closing.
It's not just a matter of convenience -- it's a saftey issue. You really shouldn't drive all that far yourself. A relief driver is a necessity!Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaitlyn
I'd agree with this . . . with a twist. Go to the early entry park to take advantage of the benefits . . . then hop over to another park around 10:00 when it gets busy. This gives you the best of both worlds.Quote:
Originally Posted by metsno1
There's really no time when Disney's not crowded. If you go during the summer, it takes effort to avoid the crowds; however, if you go during the "off season" -- well, there's really not an off season anymore -- they close the parks early and don't run as many parades, so you're gettting fewer hours at Disney. It just depends upon which way you want to do it.