How best to tackle Orlando/Disney World? Money saving tips? Any other hints?

Not sure if you've been on there already but The Dibb is a great resource for any potential questions on WDW you may have! thedibb.co.uk/for…php hope that helps. have a great time!!

Don't ignore the Universal Parks just North of your hotel. Every bit as good as Disney

They are nearer to your hotel than the Disney resorts, and also closer together. Probably cheaper than Disney as well.

You can walk between the Universal Islands of Adventure resort and the Universal Studios resort where as the Disney resorts are so spread out it is hard to walk between them.

Had a quick look on Google and it seems you are about 12 miles from the Disney Epcot park but only 3 miles from Universal Studios Islands of Adventure.

Don't underestimate how HUGE the Disney site is. I read a few years ago the Disney site (with all its parks, hotels and golf courses etc) is larger than Manchester.

Note the weather in Orlando in June can be 30 degrees or more. It can be exhausting walking round a park all day, particularly for young children.

I went there in February a few years ago and the weather was hot even then, and we spent a fortune on drinks in the park (and the drinks are not cheap in the parks). Even if you buy a cold drink it is soon warm in 15 minutes with the heat.

And the heat can be a problem if you are in a park a long way from your hotel. This is why I suggested the Universal parks as you can easily get back to your hotel at lunchtime for a break and a snooze, then go back mid afternoon and evening when it will be cooler.

Be aware of how large these resorts are and they will be tiring for your children (tiring for you adults as well).You may have the added expense of hiring a pushchair (however they are useful for carrying your bags, food, drinks etc).

DONT plan to go to a theme park every day. Try and vary it with maybe a water park every couple of days. If you go to a theme park every day you can get "theme park" burn out.

Some may disagree with me but I think 5 and 7 is too young to take children to Orlando from the UK. It is a lot to expect children of that age to walk round a huge park in the heat, and maybe spend a LONG time in a queue for a ride. Also there is a lot of rides they cant get on if they are not tall enough.

One web site says "If this is a once in a lifetime holiday your children should be old enough, 8-9 years old or older, and tall enough, 48″ tall or taller, to fully enjoy Walt Disney World on what may be their only childhood visit".

I am sure others will post and say they took 4 years old or whatever, but I think it is all too much for children of that age.

There are LOADS of sites giving advice of visiting Orlando so just do a search. Lots of useful books as well.

Hope your holiday goes well.

We stayed in this hotel in Jan 20 and it is a great location.

Try to get a kids eat free card, usually can wangle them included with your park tickets if you buy in the UK before hand. Plenty of places in I drive that take it and we saved a packet with our two.

Lyft/uber again are the best bet to get around off I drive. Look for a post in the dibb regarding it there is usually sign up codes etc, so if you use the 2 apps you can get a decent discount. Also we found lyft maybe 10 dollars but uber was 15.next time it was the other way round so worth checking both. The iride trolley is great if you are doing anything on I drive. Couple of dollars each way and runs end to end so if you want to visit anywhere at either end its more cost effective than an uber. Stops right outside the rosen pointe.

Again the dibb is a great resource so sign up over there and read read read.

Stayed there in 2009 and took a taxi from I-Drive to Disney and cost $40, then found out about the bus(es) which I think for a family of 5 was about $12 each way for all of us. You get it from I-Drive and ask for a transfer and get off at Seaworld and get another bus that takes you to the Transportation Centre at Disney and from there you get Disney buses to other Disney parks (free) or the boat/monorail to Magic Kingdom or monorail to Epcot.
Took about 90 minutes from I-Drive to transporation centre and the bus does go through Downtown Disney.
Just remember to tip, tip and tip some more and they are not afraid to ask for it either.

Edit* One of my neighbours was November last year and he said Ubers were $20 each way from I-Drive to Disney (edited)

For eating the hotels etc normally have loads of voucher booklets lying around which get you money off at the local restaurants

Uber was cheap last time i went there use the app called Lfyt similar to Uber but cheaper great discounts on there

Just reading about the drinks in the parks reminded me, they do have water fountains all over however my kids didn’t like the taste of the water. We took some of those juice concentrates so that when filling up water bottles we could squirt a little of that in too.

No problems taking your own food / drink into the parks either

The weather is metanl over there. Plenty of suncream and you will need poncho's. Get them either before you go or at a supermarket there (not from hotel shops or the parks) as you will need them. Thunderstorms every day at roughly the same time and the outdoor rides, outdoor pool at the water parks and hotel pools close.
I'm Scottish and I thought I'd seen rain until I went to Florida.

We found Uber/Lyft the fastest and most economic way to get around.

Use both to check trip prices before ordering- they can vary wildly!

Once you are on Disney property use their transport to park hop if needed- it's free for all guests. (Buses, boats or skyliner)

Take your own food if it saves money. Walmart is great for getting a shop in. Publics does great takeaway chicken/subs etc.

Ice water is free in parks!

When we took our kids we worked in a 'rest day' every 3rd day - visit a water park, Cape Canaveral, or something else. As much as the kids enjoyed their time in the adventure parks they enjoyed the change of pace and the chance to relax.