I am a huge Disney fan and I do actually think alot of the advice you are offering is very helpful. There probably isnt a vacation that warrants pre-planning more than a Disney one. That said, it just feels a bit odd that so much space is dedicated to a for profit business like Disney. It feels a bit like an infomercial.

In the old days of media, we might see a travel column that covers all sorts of alternatives by reporters with no vested interest. I guess this is the internet age we live in.

Hi Doug. I just want to clarify that I am not affiliated with Disney in any way. Nor am I a "reporter". I am a travel professional with a local full-service travel agency called Ginger's Getaways where I am the Disney specialist. The Patch has reporters who write unbiased articles, but I am not one of them. I write blogs, which are akin to editorials. Anybody can blog for The Patch, and we do not get paid for blogging, so it's not as if The Patch is "dedicating space" to Disney. Many other people blog weekly about their own "vested interests", from finances to cooking to education. Since Disney is what I do for a living, it's what I know, so I naturally choose to blog about it once a week.

I'm so glad that you find my advice helpful. That's my entire goal! Disney World is a very popular vacation destination, and I'm simply trying to help people get the most out of their vacations by sharing my expertise for free. Thank you so much for your comments AND for reading! Have a great evening!

By the way, if you are interested in other travel alternatives, Ginger (the owner of our company) writes a weekly travel blog for The Patch as well.

Fair enough...The reality is that the Patch is really just a blog site and probably should not be compared to a newspaper from a journalistic perspective. It does offer alot of useful local information in a market that is no longer covered by newspapers.

To include at least one Disney comment, my favorite place to stay is the Boardwalk area. It has its own little lake and nightlife (ESPN) and is walking distance to the back entrance of Epcot

That is helpful. I do believe the Patch fills a gap that the local media abandoned some time ago. The Eccentric papers used to do a good job before shutting down the Rochester edition. The Oakland Press has become a joke. They have gone bankrupt twice in the last 5 years and have cut their staff down to nothing. They basically reprint AP and UPI stories with a few columnists. No local reporting.

I do find myself looking here for whats going on in the local community.

So, how about we try to get back to the topic at hand--hotels in the Disney World area. Would anyone like to share their favorite place to stay when visiting Disney World? My personal favorite hotel is Disney's Beach Club Resort (a deluxe resort) due to its open, airy vibe and proximity to Epcot. I'm also looking forward to staying at the Coronado Springs (a moderate resort) in May.

I've stayed both on-site and off-site and I prefer staying on-site. Being in the midst of all things Disney is a major plus for us as is the free shuttle. We parked our car on Day 1 and didn't use it again until we left at the end of the vacation. Our most recent stay was at the Pop Century resort, which we thoroughly enjoyed. I plan on continuing to stay on-site until our children are older and want to venture off Disney property.

Meredith, as we have 5-7 people and do not want the hassle of converting tables and couches into beds, I believe we will be staying offsite at one of the nearby houses. Many advertise their short drive to Disney, but I imagine as with Detroit traffic, not all directions are the same at rush hour. Do you have any guidance on if staying to the north, south, east, or west of Disney will provide the easiest commute?

We have been members of the Disney Vacation Club since 1994 and have used it for Disney World, Disneyland and the Disney Cruise line over the years. If you are a big Disney fan it is worth the investment. There are many extra perks with the membership that add to the savings of the on site one, two and three bedroom condos that are available. And for your readers that are not familiar with Disney you should point out that the Vero Beach Resort is nowhere near Disney World.

Hi Andrew! My aunt and uncle are also DVC members and they love it. And I think that the DVC is a great option, for the right demographic. Since the mid-90s, membership prices have really increased. Right now, to purchase 160 points, the purchase price is $21,600, closing costs are $267.90, and annual fees are $869.70. For the DVC to be worthwhile, a potential member must commit to a yearly Disney vacation every year for decades. With all of the new Disney vacation options worldwide, this is certainly possible. However, another consideration is accommodation needs and preferences. I think for big families (who plan to stay in a villa every year), the DVC is definitely a long-term money-saver. For smaller families who are content to stay in a regular room at a Disney resort, the numbers simply don't add up. For people who only want to rent a villa occasionally, renting points from a DVC member may work better for them.

As far as the Vero Beach Resort is concerned, you're right. The Vero Beach resort is about 90 minutes from Disney World, right on the Atlantic Ocean. Last time that we visited Disney World, we spent the last two days of our vacation at Vero Beach, and it was a wonderful way to wind down before returning to reality. I mentioned Vero Beach simply because this is the only Disney resort at which we've rented a villa. However, I've toured several villas on Disney World property, and they're all very similar in terms of size and amenities. Sorry for the confusion!

Hi MRS,

I'd like to clarify a few points you made. You are right that you don't have to purchase 160 points (you CAN purchase as little as 100), but 160 is the number of points that the average DVC member purchases. For the sake of space, I chose to quote prices for the average number. Also, keep in mind that prices increase every year, so what you paid two years ago is NOT what people would pay today.

Also, you are right that you don't have to stay at the same resort each year. As I said in my previous comment, "with all of the new Disney vacation options worldwide [taking a different Disney vacation each year with your points] is certainly possible." Keep in mind, however, that each vacation option requires a different number of points, so you may have to forego a yearly vacation one year to save enough points for a cruise, higher-end resort, etc. Also, when I stated that the DVC is not always a good option for a family of four, I referred to a family of four who is content to stay in a value or moderate resort room (as opposed to a deluxe room or villa).

Also, keep in mind that these prices include lodging only. So it's important that every potential DVC member crunch some serious numbers.

I'm so glad that you're happy with DVC. Many people are. I've included a link directly to the Disney Vacation Club website where I got my pricing information for 2012. http://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/about/cost/.

Thanks for you comments!

So. Let me get this straight. People are grumbling because a nice person is giving free advice about how to have a better experience at what is arguably the most expensive vacation many will ever take?

Please.

Having read many online sites, and many print newspapers, I like the freedom the web gives to readers and writers. Don't want to read it? No clicky. Like it? Woot! Free cool article!

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I truly appreciate it.

Just one more clarification regarding DVC points. You do NOT have to take a "Disney" vacation every year. DVC members can make trades with RCI and there are endless options available. Using our DVC points, we have taken many non-Disney vacations, including stays in San Diego, Big Bear Lake (CA), Washington, D.C., many different cities in Florida, Missouri, Hawaii and Colorado.

Absolutely. These exchanges are done through a third party broker, not through Disney. They are limited in availability, of course. As with Disney destinations, these non-Disney options "cost" different numbers of points, depending on factors like availability, destination popularity, accommodation class and size, and time of year.

I am not opposed to the DVC in any way. My husband and I have personally been considering a DVC membership. I think that's it's a great option for some people, especially if they know how to use it to the fullest extent and get the most "bang for their buck."