JP and I left Birmingham on August 8th around 9am after leaving once, going to WalMart to get some fuel additive only to realize JP didn't have his wallet, going back to the apartment to get the wallet, then finally going inside WalMart to get the fuel additive and then stopping to get gas.
There are many ways to go to Disney World so I let JP decide which way we would go. He decided on the route that would take us through Dothan and Tallahassee before getting on 75S which would take us to Disney World.
I really liked this route. Instead of getting on one road and going non-stop (what you would do if you went through Atlanta) we had to make several turns which I felt broke the trip up and made it seem to go faster. Also, we enjoyed driving through Dothan.
Between Troy and Dothan, there was a WalMart right on our side of the road so, of course, JP had to stop. He needed to get coffee but he also randomly decided he needed a gallon of Milo's Sweet Tea. He had never had sweet tea before so he was quite funny drinking from a gallon jug when we got to stop lights.
For lunch we stopped at Dairy Queen. I have discovered that Dairy Queen is definitely my favorite fast-food place to get a hamburger.
We finally arrived at Disney World around 8pm Eastern Time. The route that Google Maps took us was what must have been an back entrance into Disney World. Every other time I had been, we got to Disney World via International Drive, which is very busy. But this time, we took 429, which was very, very empty. It was kinda cool.
JP and I chose to stay at Disney's All Star Sports hotel.
I really wanted to stay on Disney property. The themes at all of the Disney Resorts are definitely not like anything outside the park. Plus, by staying on Disney property, we got to take advantage of Disney's transportation system. Although some off-property hotels have transportation to the theme parks, I have read that you typically have to wait longer for them, and they do not drop you off as close to the park.
Another thing I like about staying on Disney property is the fact that you get a Key to the World. You use this as your room key, your park tickets, and your credit card.
So once we decided to stay on Disney property, the next step was to decide which resort to stay at. There are 33 resorts and hotels on Disney property, so there are quite a lot of options. There are three categories of hotels: Deluxe, Moderate, and Value. There are also Villas and Campgrounds. Although I would have loved to stay in a Deluxe resort, at $300+ a night I didn't want to spend the money. So, I decided to stay at a Value resort which was about $100 a night.
Although I'm sure the Deluxe resorts are fancier than the Value, considering the fact that you rarely spend time at your resort, the Value resorts are just fine. We chose to stay at the All Star Sports- there is also an All Star Music and an All Star Movies. The All Star Sports is decorated with massive sports related items.
JP and I were placed in the Surfs Up building, which was right next to the pool. Despite at times being a little loud, it was definitely a great location. Not only was it steps from the pool, but it was also the closest building to the bus stop.
I would definitely recommend this hotel because it is on Disney property, well priced, and provided a fine place to sleep at night.
Once we checked in, we bought tickets. There are multiple options for tickets. The more days you purchase, the cheaper per day it is.
Additionally, you can choose to add the Park Hopper option and/or the Water Park Fun and More package. The Park Hopper option allows you to go to multiple parks on the same day without having to buy a new ticket. If you do not have it, if you buy a ticket to Magic Kingdom for the day and decide to go to Epcot at night for the fireworks, you would have to buy a ticket to Epcot too. With the Park Hopper, you would not have to purchase an additional ticket. With the Water Park Fun and More package, admission to water parks is included for the number of days your purchase. You also get entrance into Disney Quest and a few other perks.
JP and I ended up purchasing a 5 day Park Hopper and chose not to do the Water Park option.
