Disney

"Hi, we are also traveling to FL to see grandparents, and were thinking of joining the insanity. We went 3 years ago with a 7, 4 and 6 month old. Here are our thoughts:

The week between Christmas and New Years is the busiest of the year at Disney World. They sometimes close the park by 11:00 a.m. because it is at capacity. It gets busier as you head toward New Years, as most people stay home for Xmas, then head toward the park. Going on Christmas day might be better, but it will still be very busy. Do Magic Kingdom earlier in the week, then head to your other choices. Check out a website like www.mousesavers.com to get the low down on the crowds, as well as your other questions.

Budget & Parking -- There are advantages to staying at a Disney hotel -- they mostly have to do with the ease of going to the park in the am, coming back for a nap, then returning in the late afternoon. (Also, if you stay on property, you get early entry to one designated park per day.) At Christmas week, you are less likely to take a break at the hotel. My personal opinion is that Disney hotels are small, over-priced, with bad food choices. (Can you tell we stayed at a Value resort?) There are plenty of deals on suite hotels (like Residence Inn or SpringHill) in Orlando that offer free breakfast. (Try www.tripadvisor.com for honest reviews.) Most also offer free shuttles to Disney World. If you choose to drive, get there super early, before the parking lots fill up!

Park Hopper & Days -- Our experience is that it was pretty time consuming to move our three kids from one park to another, so we did very little park hopping.

Our plan would be:
Day 1: Magic Kingdom (that's why you're here!)
Day 2: Animal Kingdom (My kids are nuts about animals, plus there is the Lion King and Pocohontas shows)
Day 3: MGM (short day -- for Playhouse Disney and the Belle show

Your 2.5 year old might prefer Magic Kingdom and MGM only.

Stops along the way -- I remember South of the Border as being a landmark when I was a kid. I think it is in SC?

Meal Plan -- I would skip it! One last tip -- call in the afternoon and see if any one has cancelled their character dinner at 1900 Park Faire in the Grand Floridian hotel. For a buffet dinner, it wasn't cheap, but it wasn't horrendous either, and the girls got to see Cinderella, Prince Charming, and the mice up front and personal! We took the monorail from the Magic Kingdom to the hotel."