Disney Bound!

   After years of begging, we are finally planning a Disney World trip. I'll be honest, it has never been a dream of mine to go to Disney. I don't like long lines or crowds which I'm told there will be lots of both there. When we lived in Arkansas the kids would only mention Disney if they saw a commercial for it so it didn't come up as often. Now that we live so close to Florida, pretty much majority of the kids in their classes have been numerous times and talk about it A LOT!! So, for the past three years it is all we have heard about. "Spring break is coming up kids. What do y'all want to do over the break?"  "DISNEY!!!!"  "Fall break is just a few weeks away kids, anything fun you want to do?"  "DISNEY!!!"   You get the idea. So we decided this year to for all of their birthdays (because they all have a birthday in June!) to make our summer vacation a trip to Disney World. They were all very excited.
   I have figured out very quickly though that I am not prepared to plan for a Disney trip. We have always been partial planners leaning more to the "fly by the seat of our pants" vacation planners. It has been explained to me by several people we know that planning is key when it comes to a Disney trip. I honestly don't know if I can pull it off. Every time I think I have it under control someone tells me some new pitfall to avoid when planning this trip. Just last Sunday at church a friend told us we better start making our dinner reservations now. WHAT??!!  She explained how they book up early and oh, it's a good idea to plan the restaurant you want to eat at with the park you visit so that you are in the same park you plan to eat dinner. I exhaled very dramatically. I am really starting to feel overwhelmed. I need help.
   Considering the enormous challenge that this trip is presenting, I have been attempting to drain every person I know that has been, of all valuable information they could possibly provide me with. I even have my daughter (because she is the only one that was willing to harass people like me! lol!) questioning her friends for information on things like the best parks, restaurants, or places to avoid. I am hoping to have a pile of information to help me pin down exactly what we will and will not be doing. This trip will be coming complete with an itinerary, something the Bellingraths are just not used to using.
   Several people have told me that the first trip to Disney is a learning experience and the rest are much smoother. THE REST?! Let's get through this first one, because right now "the rest" are looking like fairy tale dreams that will never actually come true!
   So, if you have any useful Disney tips like what parks to avoid and which ones are the best, who has the best food and when the lines are the smallest, and of course, the best way to save money, send them my way. I can use any information you have available.
Now, what am I doing on here? I have reservations to book and schedules to make, because come good planning or not, we are Disney bound!