My family loves going to Disney World. Why? It is exhausting in the best way possible. Not only do my husband and I enjoy the pleasure and excitement of our 6 yr old triplets and 4 yr old but we are children again too.
You know that commerical on TV when the Dad turns into a child along with his son? Yeah, I feel like that. I have given myself over to the Disney! However I am well aware Disney World is a very successful business, profiting from everyone's need to be a child again.
So how does a family of 6 afford Disney luxuriously on the cheap? Well,for us it is mostly my husband's excellent internet research! We went to Disney before we had children on the cheap cheap! less than $1000 all inclusive for 6 days. We had fun, ate well, and enjoyed Disney but luxury was not a word I could use to describe that vacation! That is not the one I recommend.
I like the Disney resorts! I like the safety, the courtious well-trained staff, the clean rooms, free coffee, and easy access. A vacation should be carefree, comfortable, and safe!
With that said, where do you begin? Our favorite site is www.mousesavers.com
Everything you need to know is at your searchable fingertips!
Basic Disney Vacation planning travel tips:
1. GO OFF SEASON! I can't stress enough the pleasure of less crowds, easy access to rides, restaurants. PEAK SEASON = STRESS! We small children, heat and crowds leads to crankiness which turns the "happiest place on earth" into misery. You can't control the wather but you can choose to go to Disney World off season. This means pulling kids out of school ( yeah I know many schools and teachers frown on this.. but they are only kids once. They have plenty of time to be chained to obligation.) Family time is much more precious that a week out of formal schooling!
The best off season times: September, January. We have found September to be the least crowded but HOT! and stormy. With proper hydration, and the available awesome resort pools, water parks, lower hotel costs, lower flight costs, and less crowds, September is a great time to go to Disney World.
We have also gone in January 3 times now, once with children. The weather can range from perfect (70s) to cold. You lose the pleasures of using the resort pools. The water parks are usually closed but walking around the parks is a joy. The grass is green, the air is crisp, and the crowds are low.
2. MOUSESAVERS and more
Start at www.mousesavers.com for pretty much every time saving and money saving tip available.
There are also some guides written by oridinary people who love Disney and are sharing what they have learned. I recommend these reviews and guides on eBay:
* Kristen's Walt Disney World Tips for Families
The author is a trusted eBay powerseller (I purchased our Disney autograph books from her)
* Disney World Vacations - Make the MOST of it!
Great advice from a family that went to Disney World during one of the busiest weeks of the year: April vacation!!!
3. Airline tickets: www.priceline, AAA, www.expedia.com, www.jetblue.com
compare estimates. We got a greal deal direct from JetBlue.
4. AAA Travel Services and Parking
If you are AAA member, you should purchase you Park Hopper Passes at AAA, and also take advantage of the AAA Diamond Parking at Disney World (if you plan on renting a car.
You can see all the AAA park pass options under the travel section on the AAA website:
AAA airline ticket prices were not as good as what we have found online through our own searches (ok, not "our", my husband's searches. He is much better finding the best airline and hotel prices online. I am better at the shopping!)
5. Dining: The Disney Meal Plan is a good idea. Took us a few days to get the snacks and point system right on the meal plan in 2006. We were also not happy with the limited food choices for kids: chicken nuggets and french fries, mac and cheese. We ended up at a alot of buffet style eateries so out kids could eat the veggies and salads off our plates.
In 2008 we figured we would got it alone, eat off Disney for some meals since we had a car this time, and compare how much it cost us versus the meal plan... we tried hard but it was a bit more. Disney added more to the kids' menu too. We noticed salad choices, and more fruit on the kids menus! We will do the meal plan again.
Pack snacks and cooler bottles to refill with water. Buying water bottles, and snacks during the day add significantly to your cost! Packing plenty of snacks curbs crankies and keeps whining at a minimum as well (yeah there is whining in Disney, alot of it, and all around you. You are in good company!)
6. Ride or Drive: To rent a car or use the Disney Magic bus? that is the question! We tried renting a car for more freedom and to save money by going off Disney for some meals. I prefer the happy bus. That is the magical bus that picks you up at the airport, decorated in bright Disney decor, with Disney music playing and a cheerful driver. Yup, I like to swallow the happy pill right off the plane!
Renting a car can be very convenient. The rental car companies run smoothly. They are easily accessed within the airport. However, 4 excited and tired little kids, 5 big bags, 4 back packs, and tired parents, getting carseats into a rental car, and then driving, added some unnessary stress to our vacation. We should of let Mickey do the driving.
We had the benefit of AAA Member Diamond parking. We were looking forward to premiere parking ... gonna park right in front of the park's gate... uummm no. AAA diamond parking is close to the gates but since we travel off season, regular parking is pretty close too.
There is a big drawback to driving to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot because the parking lots for these 2 parks is not in front of the parks. Parking is a parking station with only monorail access to the front gates of the parks. This is fine in the morning but a nightmare in the late afternoon crowds and at night when hords of crowds ( yes hords of crowds in off season... can't imagine this during peak seasons!) are carrying or dragging half asleep cranky kids. The Magic Kingdom/Epcot parking lot might as well be in the next state!
Of course there are crowds waiting for the happy bus, monorail, and boat access to the resorts but they take you from the front door of the park ( inlcuding Magic Kingdom and Epcot) to the front door of the resort or your hotel. You don't have to do any thinking. It is easy and safe.
7. Park Passes: Park passes can be purchased online, through a Disney store, at AAA, or at the front desk of your resort. The rates vary based on season but they are the same anywhere you purchase them. No real cost savings there other than buy a park hopper multi day pass - that is a given. Then again, you could use my Upromise trick to saving a little bit more. Go through Upromise to Disney Shopping and then get your tickets!
8. Souvenirs: Purchase a few ahead of time and brings them with you. You can get great Disney merchandise from these online merchants as well as aw geez, I hate to give these guys a plug but you can't beat the prices... Walmmmmmart!
I also like to purchase our Disney merchandise from Sears. Buy online ( through Upromise first!) and choose their site to store delivery. Buy online and get free shipping to your local store. See Disney Toys at Sears
Another great choice is the Disney Shopping Outlet. I would never pay the full prices on Disney Shopping. However the outlet prices are reasonable and they are always coupons available!
9. Of course you won't be able to leave Disney World without some unique souvenirs like my cool black te shirt with a fuzzy leapard Mickey Mouse emblem. This one was only available at Disney Animal Kingdom. The tee shirt and sweatshirt styles at the parks are truly unique even though they are more expensive. Maybe you could purchase the kids tees online prior to going to Disney, and buy yours at the parks!
10. Recommended Reading:
There are sooo many Disney Planning Guides out there but here are the ones I recommend. If you read the reviews you will see many agree these are the best!
1. Birmbaum's Guide to Disney World
2. Birmbaum's Kids Guide to Disney - we bought the previous year's guides for each of the kids and saved money! The kids loved having their own guides!
3. Hidden Mickeys - This turned out to be a very fun game for all of us while waiting in line or just walking around the parks and resorts - trying to find the hidden Mickey Mouse ears, and figures in the architecture, the rides, the ground, and everywhere in Disney World.
How to Plan a Disney Vacation
No comments:
Post a Comment