We decided on Next Spring/Summer to take our daughter!!!!

[busbyw]

So, now we need help. I would like to visit the Harry Potter World, She is all about the princesses and Tink! So, is that all at one park? I have never been to a Disney resort, ever. My husband went when he was 11. I have always wanted to visit one, but my parents growing up did not have the resources available to take myself and three sisters.

So, here are my questions:
1) When are peak season and non-peak season *not sure what to call that haha*
2) would you recommend first timers staying on the resort?
3) Must See shows! What are they? I'm the kind of person who wants to see EVERYTHING but i know with a 4 1/2 yr old we wont be able to do everything.

Any special suggestions are appreciated!
--MrsB

[WDW Vet]

Harry Potter is located in Universal Islands of Adventure which is a non Disney park. It is still something you can do but needs to be planned into your trip. There are great Princess dining opportunities as well as some character greets in the parks.

Staying onsite vs off site. Pros and cons for each. Most people including myself would recommend onsite but there are some wonderful places to stay off site. The main trade off is being right there having the convenience and paying a premium compared to offsite with larger space and room amenities such as kitchens etc that are cheaper than Disney's least expensive class of resort which is the value class.

If you have the flexibility go in the least expensive time. Spring to Summer is comprised of 3 seasons, regular (least expensive) Summer (middle) and Peak ( most expensive. Currently Disney has 2012 loaded but there seems to be some errors. Generally Peak Season is march and April. Regular Season is May and summer is June till part of August. Rates at a value resort is regular $107, summer $129 and peak $134. There are four classes of Disney resorts, Value, Moderate, Deluxe and Villa. There is information on this site to view as well as Disney's site.

The first thing is when and how long, followed by where and then how. Best thing is come up with a budget and then let's see what we can get for that. Disney runs promotions throughout the year. Currently they are in the early fall of 2011. So for now you book what fits your budget. If Disney runs a free dining deal you will still have the same cost but you get something for nothing. Suppose they offer a room discount. You can spend the same amount of money and move to a different class of resort or stay at your first choice and have your cost go down.

It's a step by step process. As far as shows and attractions you can start your research now. There are plenty of things you don't want to miss out on. And to be honest you may not do it all in one trip. But whatever you do it will be wonderful. It is my favorite place in the whole world.

[catrancher]

Here's a vote for onsite if you can swing it.

There's nothing better in my opinion than being in the middle of the magic!

Even though our children are grown and gone, my DW and I still stay onsite every time we go. It's just so nice to be able to park the car (we drive down) and not see it again for a week. Disney provides the room, the food, the entertainment and the transportation. I switch off my brain and become a kid again.

What we usually do is make our reservations early. Usually about a year in advance. Then we pay a bit at a time over that year and by the time we're ready to go, the trips been paid for.

Tom (... loves being a kid again!)