Best time to visit:
I have been to Disney during the months of February, April, May, June, September, October, November and December. So I have had plenty of experience with different months.
My all time favorite time to visit WDW is October. We generally go mid Oct. Why October? Well there are many reasons we consider this the best time to go. First weather is perfect! It's not boiling hot like in the summer months. It's a very comfortable temperature and there isn't that much rain. The crowds are a lot lower (except over Columbus day weekend). The cost for resorts is generally lower as this is not considered high season. And my biggest reason is Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom! If you ever visit in September or October I strongly recommend purchasing tickets to this event! Eventually I will post more information on this event, but it has Disney's best fireworks show Hallowishes in my opinion (and most Disney addicts). September is also a great time to go, although it is still a little hot compared to Oct.
November and December are also decent times to go as Disney will have all of it's Christmas decorations up and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. The castle is just STUNNING and a must see during the Christmas holiday season. Also in Hollywood Studios the Osborne Spectacle of dancing lights is amazing. Crowds are also low during this time. However it can get rather cold during these months even though it is Florida. During the Christmas and New Years weeks the crowds are at their highest and some days the parks even reach capacity.
I enjoyed going in April and May. The crowds can be higher as well as the temperatures. I plan to go in March of next year. The great thing about March and April if you live in Canada, like I do these months help you escape winter! There isn't a whole lot going on for special events other than the Food and Wine festival at Epcot. May does have Star Wars weekend which is a great experience for Star Wars fans! I have attended this several times and loved it!
I would avoid February because if you are traveling from anywhere in Canada or the northern United States there is a lot of travel delays and cancelled flights, which can make travel a complete nightmare. At this time of year Florida can also get pretty cold. It is the cheapest time to visit and the crowds are low. I also would avoid the summer months unless you like uncomfortably unbearable heat, high room rates and big crowds.
Where to stay:
Florida has a lot of beautiful resorts and hotel accommodations to pick for your stay in Orlando. Where to stay really depends on the type of vacation you plan on taking. In general I will normally recommend staying on site at Disney but this really depends.
If you are planning on visiting the parks frequently then you should stay on site. There is a huge convenience factor with staying onsite and with all of the options Disney has for resorts it can work out to being around the same as staying off site of only slightly more. If you stay on Disney will pick you up at the airport and take you back at the end of your stay (big savings). There is also buses to take you everywhere on the WDW resort for free. If you stay off site some hotels do offer a shuttle, but they generally are not as convenient or frequent as Disney's. Or you need to rent a car and pay for parking which is $17/day. So those costs can add up quickly. Disney also has many other benefits I will discuss in a later post.
Disney also offers different levels to meet all needs and almost always has either a room discount or free dining. They have their base resorts called value. These are very family friendly, the most "Disney" themed buildings and pool areas and the most inexpensive option (generally around $90-$100/night). If you are looking for the cheapest option while still getting the Disney experience this is your best option.
The next level up would be Disney's moderate resorts. This is in the middle and offers a little bit more lavish grounds and less "Disney" themed grounds and pools. My favorite of the Moderates is Coronado Springs! Adults will really appreciate these resorts. If you aren't looking for the cheapest option but want a beautiful resort but still at an affordable price, I suggest a moderate (generally around $150-$200/night).
The top level would be the deluxe resort category (deluxe villas for DVC members). These resorts are for those who want some luxury. They have lavish lobbies and all the rooms are accessed from indoor corridors as opposed to outdoors. My favorite is definitely Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge! This resort is just stunning from the moment you enter the lobby. Many of the rooms overlook a Savanna with animals such as Zebras and Giraffes. There really is nothing like it. If price is not a concern and you want a truly amazing stay, I recommend a deluxe(about $350-$500/night)! I do warn you though once you stay at one of these resorts, it is very difficult to stay anywhere else!
Now on the flip side if you are just looking for a vacation to relax at a resort and only visit the parks once or twice staying off site may be a better option for you. The Disney resorts are still great choices for this option as well! But if you are going to be renting a car either way and just visiting the parks once or twice staying offsite is probably going to be a cheaper more practical option for you. There are many resorts or house rentals available in the Orlando area at great prices. Also if you are traveling with a lot of people this will be cheaper as well.
Planning your days:
Don't expect to see and do everything in one trip. The Disney World Resort is huge (the size of San Francisco). You will never see everything the first time around so planning is key. I suggest making a list of priority rides and attractions and once you have seen those go from there. Make sure to take advantage of Disney's Fast Pass+ program. This allows you to book times in advance for high demand attractions and skip the lines. The late night shows like the fireworks at Magic Kingdom and Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios are must sees, so make sure to stick around for those and find a spot early.
Dining:
There is plenty of options for dining at WDW. I am not going to get into details on specific food places yet. But there are some very affordable options at Disney's quick service locations in the parks. There is also some great restaurants to enjoy some delicious meals. I often find myself craving certain Disney food and getting excited for my next trip for the food! There is some great choices for some character buffets, this can be a little pricey but are very worth it and if you can afford to splurge for at least one I suggest it especially with children. Obviously dining off site or staying in places with kitchens and making your own meals is the cheapest option available.
Contrary to what you see in pictures and on tv, you will not often see characters just walking around the park. Characters are found in parades, stage shows and character breakfasts, otherwise to meet them you need to wait in line. Characters are basically an attraction on their own at WDW, some with very long waits. Keep an eye out throughout the day for the wait times as sometimes they will drop. Set a priority for who you want to meet. If you are planning to meet Anna and Elsa from frozen I STRONGLY recommend using Fast Pass+ to reserve a time as currently the wait time for them can be as high as 4 hours! I wouldn't waste this on any of the other characters though because usually they aren't too bad. If you want to meet the princesses without the long waits I would recommend breakfast reservations at Akershus in Epcot where they come around to your table. Character buffets like this is a great alternative to avoid the long lines if it is within your budget. If you are looking to meet Mickey Mouse I would recommend either Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary Resort or Donald's Safari Breakfast at Animal Kingdom.
Hopefully these basic tips are helpful, this is really only scratching the surface but I don't want to give information overload in just one post :)
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