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If you're only going to Disney World, I suggest staying at a Disney hotel. You should probably choose a value resort as those are the least expensive options, and they're still very nice. I would recommend Disney's Pop Century or the value rooms at the Art of Animation resort. They each have their own dedicated bus lines that they don't share with other resorts. (The All-Star Resorts share a bus. This can be problematic sometimes if there's a long wait.)
That way, you can fly into Orlando International Airport, take Disney's Magical Express bus straight to your hotel's lobby.
Honestly, if none of you are experienced drivers, and none of you have licenses and it is almost August, I wouldn't even bother driving. Depending on the states you might drive through, laws may vary about inexperienced drivers or drivers under the age of 21.
When you're there, you can take advantage of Disney's free, reliable transportation to and from the Disney parks and attractions. You wouldn't have to worry about transportation at all.
When you stay off-property, the shuttle services become less reliable. Some are okay, but most are less-than-stellar or are completely unpredictable. These off-property hotels might advertise a free shuttle, but what they don't tell you is that the shuttle only runs for three hours in the morning and then three hours in the evening, and that's it. If you wanted to stay and catch the fireworks shows at any of the parks, sometimes the last off-property shuttle leaves well before the fireworks even start.
Disney buses run every twenty minutes (more or less) and are absolutely reliable. It is one of my primary reasons for staying at a Disney hotel.
Another tip is that, if you plan on eating two or three meals a day, I suggest getting a quick service dining plan with your trip to a Disney hotel. You get two quick service meals plus one snack per person, per day. You also get one refillable drink mug per person which you can use for your whole stay at the hotel's restaurant.
If you're breakfast eaters, just purchase breakfast at your resort's cafeteria. It is the cheapest meal of the day by far, and you don't want to waste a dining credit on that. You can generally get breakfast for about $6 or less.
If you want, another option is to bring prepackaged foods, like Pop-Tarts or cereal bars.
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