Gloria,
I have 2 daughters, ages 11 and 12. I live in CT. We went to Disney October 2007, stayed 5 nights at the All Star Music Resort. Prior to this trip, I haven't been there for almost 20 years and a lot has changed.
I can give you lots of advise, but the more I know the better advise I can offer.
You mentioned you've researched some options. Did you get a free Disney planning kit? Have you talked to a travel agent? What types of things are you considering and what have you ruled out?
Are you driving or flying? Do you know how many days will you be there? If flying, are you renting a car? Are you on strick budget or a 5 start luxury budget? What's your sons favorite Disney movies and charaters? Have you or your husband ever been to Disney before? How long ago?
Disney World can be very overwhelming for both parents and kids. All the constant bright colors and loud noises, can be an overload on the senses. My most important piece of advise - Remember to plan some down time and don't try to do it all - by doing research and planning in advance you can decide which activities your family will enjoy the most. Also, keep in mind your son's schedule when planning. For example, the laser light show at 9:00 pm is great, but if bed time is 8:00, you may want to skip it.
One thing I didn't know until the 4th day of our trip - You're allowed to bring food and water bottles into the parks. In addition to saving a lot of money, this will also save you a lot of time.
Also, the longer you stay the more you save on park passes. For example a 3 day park hopper pass is about $250, a 4 day pass is about $260, a five day pass is abount $265. Note - the park hopper passes only include the 4 main parks and do not include the water parks. If your going in Feb., you probably won't want to spend the extra for the water parks since the hours are limited during the winter months and if you want to swim you'll have the pool at the hotel.
Have fun.
L.
