Originally Posted by
anaggie
Rented a car from the airport and just keep it with us throughout the stay. We will buy some food for the room at a grocery store and then eat breakfast in the CLUB when offered.
Lunch will be at the park or restaurants around us. Dinner will be outside around the Orlando area as I would like to get away from the hotel crowd and eat different type of food if possible.
Other than that, I thank everyone for all the wornderful advice and lets keep this thread open for info for other first timers.
Smart move on the car with a 5 year old. Although another poster suggested using the Disney buses to get around, they are far slower than driving, parking, and tramming to the entrance of the parks, and especially slower if you do downtown Disney. 5 yr olds have a way of crashing and burning in a hurry at Disney, and an hour commute by crowded bus at the end of the day can be painful.
For your grocery shopping, skip Goodings and go a mile farther down the road to Winn Dixie.
Originally Posted by
happymommy
I've stayed twice Club Level at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and even their evening snacks filled us up so much it was dinner! They are appetizers from Jiko (at least they were) and Boma - and they have beer and wine all day - when it's not out you can just ask for it and they'll bring it to you. And their espresso machine is great!!
I also wouldn't waste evening time leaving the Disney area - I'd enjoy the ambiance and dine in Disney. That is part of the whole experience IMHO. It doesn't have to be expensive or fancy - my kids love having a hot dog at the Boardwalk and watching the entertainers. Or grabbing a snack at Epcot and walking around.
We also always add park-hopping. And - I always brought our own stroller. Trust me on this one. You'll want it. It wasn't too big a deal to fold it up for the bus rides.
I agree with the comment on not leaving the property for dinner. Orlando proper is a solid 30-45 mins away, twice that during rush hour. All of the closer Kissimmee and Lake Buena Vista off property restaurants are chains, giving you the same food quality, crowds, and noise as the onsite ones.
If you want something more sedate for dinner, some of the hotel restaurants, while often still bustling, will be your best bet. Some suggestions would include the Yachtman's Steak House, Citrico's, Narcoosee's, and that 1st floor resto at the Contemporary (I forget the name -- it will always be the Fiesta Fun Center to me). You'll save time that can be spent wandering around, getting ice cream, checking out shops, and the like as opposed to sitting in traffic. And I can't overemphasize the ability to beat a hasty retreat back to home base once the kid is exhausted.