re: Disney World Trip Advice

French quarter has only one bus stop and has its own buses most of the time so it's great

I haven't stayed at PO: riverside but I hear it's too spread out and too many bus stops meaning it takes longer to get to the parks

I would avoid the Coronado due to the really fricked up bus situation. Otherwise I would stay as close to MK as I could get on your applicable budget.

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People that say this aren't doing Disney right.

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Wut? Magic Kingdom is great for kids or a walk down memory lane, but there isn't anything different about the park.

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How can you say this when rides are apparently important to you? AK's ride selection is terrible. It's a great walking park though

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It isn't about the rides, it's about innovation and attractions. There are parts of Magic Kingdom that are old as shite (buzz light year in tomorrow land)

I love animals so animal kingdom is the most appealing to me.

If you are close to MK you end up being pretty close to Epcot. Those are the two most attractive parks (and I believe the third best park, AK, is way far away from everything). Being able to get into and out of the park (to take a nap/break) is a really good perk.

Don't go to Disney is my advice. Wait till you have kids. Go on a real vacation with your wife, because once you have kids you'll have to consider them for most trips.

Just 2 adults in October should be able to stay at pretty much any resort (other than Grand Floridian or Contemporary) for under $4,000. I would definitely keep an eye out for discounted room rates for the time you're going. The trick is, they usually offer free dining at the same time. So it's an either/or situation. I would always suggest getting the discounted room rate. And I would also suggest just going with a basic room wherever you are unless it's a special occasion or you have a yearning desire for a pool view or MK view.

Here are my suggestions:

Resort
You're going in October, for me, it's a no brainer that you need to stay at an Epcot area resort around Crescent Lake. That would be either Beach Club, Yacht Club or Boardwalk. They give you walking access to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios or you can take a boat to either park as well. Since it will be during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, this is a HUGE deal because you can stroll right into Epcot within 5 minutes from your room. Then you can spend an afternoon, or evening, or entire day(s) sampling food from the many different kiosks. Warning, it CAN get pricey quick but it's awesome.

There's also the option of the Swan or Dolphin resorts. They aren't owned or run by Disney so you lose a few of the perks, but their rooms are usually cheaper than the surrounding resorts and are still within walking distance of the 2 parks I mentioned. Plus boat access is still available as well.

Staying on Crescent Lake also puts the Boardwalk entertainment and dining area at your disposal. There's the ESPN Club, several other restaurants, live entertainment, a bakery and Jellyrolls - a dueling piano bar.

Tickets
This is debatable, but I always prefer to get the park-hopping option. We don't always go to multiple parks in a single day, but I do like to have the option to do so if we want.

Dining Plan
I would personally advise against it. I've had it several times in different iterations and it's gotten worse over the years. Plus, they just jacked up the dining plan price pretty significantly. Unless you plan on a sit-down, table service meal every day and also plan on ordering the most expensive item each time, it hardly ever works out mathematically. Plus, with Food & Wine going on you won't need full meals on some of the days where you're in Epcot.

Park Touring
Since it's just you 2 and no kids, I'm assuming you would spend more time in Epcot vs any other parks....this plays a big part in my resort recommendation. I will say that when you go to any park, especially Magic Kingdom, do anything and everything. Don't worry about it it's a "kiddy" ride or not. Forget that you're an adult and just enjoy it. All of the rides can be enjoyed on different levels.

In Hollywood Studios, they just shut down about half of the park (at least in terms of acreage). They still have Star Tours, The Great Movie Ride, Tower of Terror, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Toy Story Midway Mania. Other than that, there's not much else there. If you're a Star Wars fan, DO hit up the Star Wars Launch Bay to check out some cool movie props and Star Wars merch.

Animal Kingdom is getting ready to really ramp up its offerings in preparation for Pandora: The World of Avatar. Most notably, the park hours are getting ready to extend into the night which means new experiences on attractions. The safari will have different versions during the day and night. Hit the safari first thing in the morning for the best chance to see the animals. Expedition Everest is a great ride not to miss. They're also working on a new nighttime show, but it just got pushed back a few months.

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Why can't people just like Disney?

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Because, given everything else that's out there, it's boring as frick, unless you're a simpleton.

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Max 4K will get you basically nothing special. You'll have to stay off property which means you have to pay for transportation to and from the parks

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You can go through David's Vacation Club Rentals and get a studio at Boardwalk Villas for $1092 (7 nights in October). Two 7 day park hoppers are $935 including tax. Add $1200 (I'm just throwing a high number out there. We usually fly allegiant air out of Little Rock for less than $500) for 2 plane tickets and your total is $3227. Add another $150-200 for a rental car if you want to go off property and you're still well under budget.

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I'm debating about doing MK twice and eliminating my HS trip this time.

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Not a terrible idea. That park is going to be a mess for the next few years. If you can live without hitting those big rides at DHS on your trip, then you can definitely get better value elsewhere. I will add, however, that they've added a Star Wars-themed nighttime fireworks show this year at the Studios which is supposed to be fantastic. They're enhancing it soon with lasers, spot lights and fire.