Back in early 2001, I decided to plan a family reunion for my husband's family at Disney World. No one in his family (other than him) had ever gone before. I started by sending out a letter to each family and letting them know that I wanted to do this and got everyone's reaction - they were all on board. Next I sought out pricing from all of the resort categories and let each family choose which resort they wanted to stay at - hoping that we would not all be joined at the hip.
We were.
We all decided on the All-Star Movies Resort. We were going to be a total of 13 people for five days with 2 extra people one of the days. We booked four rooms and everyone was responsible for getting in their own deposits/payments/monies. I sent out newsletters each month updating everyone on what aspect of our trip needed to be planned next. I did this so that everyone was aware of our dining options, park options, park hours, ride info, etc.
Everyone was responsible for their own transportation to and from Florida. My in-laws and one sister-in-law (along with her husband and 2 kids) were flying in from New York. They had the same flight down but different flights home. My other sister-in-law was coming from Washington state and she decided to fly to us in North Carolina and then we rented a minivan and all drove down together (there were 7 of us in the van).
I was a little bummed at first that we were all going to be at the same hotel but it kind of worked out nicely. At night, we'd all sit outside our rooms and just hang out and talk. All of our room doors were open and the kids just sort of ran about in and out. My in-laws spent one day each with the individual families and one day on their own. I made dining reservations for our sit-down meals and whoever wanted to come, came, otherwise they were on their own.
The important thing to remember if you do this is to NOT make yourselves be joined at the hip the entire time. Take time out away from each other and do things on your own. Less chance of getting on each other's nerves that way! The trip worked out nicely because we got to spend time together but each family really had their own vacation.
It was after that trip that Disney introduced it's Magical Gatherings where they help you coordinate your group's activities and what not. Personally, I didn't find it that hard to do. We didn't do matching outfits or anything, we were just a large group on vacation together. With everyone staying at a value resort, we had free dining, park hopper plus passes...it was all very reasonable and the pictures that we have from that trip are priceless!
Have you ever considered planning a family reunion to Disney? Don't be afraid! It can be done!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Disney in a Day
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with a friend who was going to Disney thanks to the "Give a Day, Get a Day" promotion. Her main concern was only having a day and how much could they do, realistically, and while on a budget. Some told her that it could not be done, others told her that she could not do it without bringing at least $500 with her. I reassured her that it could be done and it could be done on a budget.
Okay, if you only had a single day in Disney, how would you do it? For starters, you have to have a plan. Decide on the ONE park that you are going to go to. I've seen it done where people actually hit all four parks in one day but your are basically SPRINTING around and only hitting the main rides and then running to the next. That is not fun or relaxing. My friend is going as part of a family of 4 - herself, her husband and two teenage sons. They are each getting their tickets for free thanks to the Disney promotion but if you were going to buy your tickets, you are saving money by only purchasing the one park/one day tickets. Park hopper passes are considerably more money.
They decided that they wanted to go to the Magic Kingdom. Excellent choice. They are staying with friends outside of Disney so they will be driving in that morning. First thing to do is check the park hours and get there 30-45 minutes before opening time so that you have time to park. Magic Kingdom's parking lot is the furthest away so you will have to park, then, depending on how far away you are, grab a tram to get you to the platform where you will choose either the ferry or the Monorail to get across to the park entrance. You want to try and beat at least some of the crowds.
They are packing a cooler and keeping it in their car to save money on food and they are each bringing either a fanny pack or back pack in to the park that will have some snacks in it to hold them over. You can dine well in the park without going to a sit down restaurant, however. With places like the Main Street Bakery or Cosmic Ray's you can dine counter-service style without breaking the bank. A great way to figure out your dining options and cost in advance is to go to Allearsnet.com and click on dining. You will find all of the menus there and you will be able to find places to eat within your budget.
When you decide what park you are going to go to, it will be handy to have a Disney guide book available so that you and your family can go over what that particular park has to offer. The reason? Know in advance what everyone WANTS to ride and what you can skip. For example: On our first trip back in 1998, none of us were in to thrill rides of any kind. So when we planned our days, we knew that we could skip the biggest attractions like Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Tower of Terror, etc. because none of us wanted to ride them. We discussed it as a family so that at the end of the trip, no one was disappointed because the did not get to ride something that they wanted to. This makes for less confusion once you hit the parks so that you're not standing around going "What do you want to ride next?" "I don't know, what do you want to ride next?" This could take way too much time and then before you know it, you are out of time!
When I sat down with my friend, not only did I have a guide book to show her, but I also had a park map of the Magic Kingdom. You can order these for free from the Walt Disney World website or by clicking HERE. Since she had never been to Disney before, being able to look at a map and seeing the lay of the land, really helped.
Have a budget and be prepared to stick to it. With a cooler in the car, snacks in their bags, and bringing in water to drink, a family of four could get by with only spending maybe $50 on food for the day. You can limit the kids spending money for souvenirs, as well, and remember, you have to be firm and stick with it if you are on a budget. Of course you are going to see things and want things because Walt Disney World merchandise is amazing. But you can be strong and reel yourself back in before breaking the bank.
So can it be done in a day? YES! The key is to plan, plan, plan!! Know your budget, know your times and know exactly what you want to do and you won't be disappointed.
Okay, if you only had a single day in Disney, how would you do it? For starters, you have to have a plan. Decide on the ONE park that you are going to go to. I've seen it done where people actually hit all four parks in one day but your are basically SPRINTING around and only hitting the main rides and then running to the next. That is not fun or relaxing. My friend is going as part of a family of 4 - herself, her husband and two teenage sons. They are each getting their tickets for free thanks to the Disney promotion but if you were going to buy your tickets, you are saving money by only purchasing the one park/one day tickets. Park hopper passes are considerably more money.
They decided that they wanted to go to the Magic Kingdom. Excellent choice. They are staying with friends outside of Disney so they will be driving in that morning. First thing to do is check the park hours and get there 30-45 minutes before opening time so that you have time to park. Magic Kingdom's parking lot is the furthest away so you will have to park, then, depending on how far away you are, grab a tram to get you to the platform where you will choose either the ferry or the Monorail to get across to the park entrance. You want to try and beat at least some of the crowds.
They are packing a cooler and keeping it in their car to save money on food and they are each bringing either a fanny pack or back pack in to the park that will have some snacks in it to hold them over. You can dine well in the park without going to a sit down restaurant, however. With places like the Main Street Bakery or Cosmic Ray's you can dine counter-service style without breaking the bank. A great way to figure out your dining options and cost in advance is to go to Allearsnet.com and click on dining. You will find all of the menus there and you will be able to find places to eat within your budget.
When you decide what park you are going to go to, it will be handy to have a Disney guide book available so that you and your family can go over what that particular park has to offer. The reason? Know in advance what everyone WANTS to ride and what you can skip. For example: On our first trip back in 1998, none of us were in to thrill rides of any kind. So when we planned our days, we knew that we could skip the biggest attractions like Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Tower of Terror, etc. because none of us wanted to ride them. We discussed it as a family so that at the end of the trip, no one was disappointed because the did not get to ride something that they wanted to. This makes for less confusion once you hit the parks so that you're not standing around going "What do you want to ride next?" "I don't know, what do you want to ride next?" This could take way too much time and then before you know it, you are out of time!
When I sat down with my friend, not only did I have a guide book to show her, but I also had a park map of the Magic Kingdom. You can order these for free from the Walt Disney World website or by clicking HERE. Since she had never been to Disney before, being able to look at a map and seeing the lay of the land, really helped.
Have a budget and be prepared to stick to it. With a cooler in the car, snacks in their bags, and bringing in water to drink, a family of four could get by with only spending maybe $50 on food for the day. You can limit the kids spending money for souvenirs, as well, and remember, you have to be firm and stick with it if you are on a budget. Of course you are going to see things and want things because Walt Disney World merchandise is amazing. But you can be strong and reel yourself back in before breaking the bank.
So can it be done in a day? YES! The key is to plan, plan, plan!! Know your budget, know your times and know exactly what you want to do and you won't be disappointed.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Picture of the Day: Living the Dream!
It took me YEARS to get this picture! I could never find the Beast except when he was in a parade. So on our 2007 trip, I asked a Disney Cast Member (CM) and they pointed me in the direction of France in World Showcase at Epcot. So we walked over and spotted him and just as I got on line, he and Beauty left!! I grabbed another CM and told her my tale of woe - the Beast IS my favorite character - and she told me he'd be back in 30 minutes. So we got back on line and there was one family ahead of us and they were like "Gee, the things we do for our kids" and I'm like "Kids? This picture is all for me!!"
It's hanging on my wall in my living room - cropped and enhanced thanks to the Photopass!
Vacation cost/comparisson analysis
As stated in an earlier post, many people believe that a trip to Walt Disney World is so much more expensive than other vacations. Depending on what you are comparing it to, I'm sure that it can.
A friend of mine does a family trip to the beach with her extended family. They rent a house and chose to do a minimal amount of recreational activities. They do some cooking in the house and go out to eat. She refers to this as the cost-benefit analysis. They did a 7 night trip to the beach and compared it to an 8 night stay at Disney. This is actual data from two trips that her family has done. Thank, A.D.!
Housing Cost: Beach (7 nights) - $861
Disney (8 nights) - $800
Food: Beach - $314 (combines both self-prepared and eating out)
Disney - FREE (included 2 meals & a snack per person/per day)
Entertainment: Beach - $298 (included golf, mini-golf, mini-cruise, trip to aquarium and a short trip to a local amusement park where the kids rode 4 rides each)
Disney: $881 (included 8 days of park ticket to 4 parks for four people)
Total: Beach total - $1473
Disney total - $1681
The difference in price is minimal and really, they had an extra full day on the Disney trip that they did not have at the beach. They were conservative with their time and money while at the beach whereas at Disney, there was non-stop entertainment.
So don't sell your Disney vacation dreams short. With the constant promos and specials that they offer, your cost to take your family there may not be any more expensive than if you took them someplace else.
A friend of mine does a family trip to the beach with her extended family. They rent a house and chose to do a minimal amount of recreational activities. They do some cooking in the house and go out to eat. She refers to this as the cost-benefit analysis. They did a 7 night trip to the beach and compared it to an 8 night stay at Disney. This is actual data from two trips that her family has done. Thank, A.D.!
Housing Cost: Beach (7 nights) - $861
Disney (8 nights) - $800
Food: Beach - $314 (combines both self-prepared and eating out)
Disney - FREE (included 2 meals & a snack per person/per day)
Entertainment: Beach - $298 (included golf, mini-golf, mini-cruise, trip to aquarium and a short trip to a local amusement park where the kids rode 4 rides each)
Disney: $881 (included 8 days of park ticket to 4 parks for four people)
Total: Beach total - $1473
Disney total - $1681
The difference in price is minimal and really, they had an extra full day on the Disney trip that they did not have at the beach. They were conservative with their time and money while at the beach whereas at Disney, there was non-stop entertainment.
So don't sell your Disney vacation dreams short. With the constant promos and specials that they offer, your cost to take your family there may not be any more expensive than if you took them someplace else.
Free Vacation Planning DVD
You don't have to buy books or take out ones from the library to get your information from. You can order a free vacation planning DVD directly from Disney.
By going to the main Walt Disney World website or by clicking HERE, you can order your free vacation planning DVD. It gives you a pretty brief overview of each park with an even briefer description of each of the rides. Why this is a good thing to have, however, is that it is great to show the kids - especially if they've never been before and may have character anxiety. You can order a DVD for Disney World, Disneyland or the Disney Cruiseline.
Personally, I enjoy watching the DVD a couple of times before each trip because it just gets me excited about going. I usually watch it while we are counting our change jar to see how much money we've saved. That's just good family fun!
Getting the best deal when booking
Booking a vacation to anywhere is no longer a difficult task. With travel sites like Expedia and Travelocity, you really can't go wrong. You can go to WaltDisneyWorld.com and get pricing on your own vacation and book it on line, but is that the best way to do it?
From what I can tell, Disney has the policy of "Don't ask, don't tell" - meaning that if there is a special going on and you don't know about it when you are booking, they do not have to tell you about it. Having said that, I have found several great Disney travel sites that not only tell you what deals are going on but will even keep checking for you between the time you book and the time that you leave for your trip so that you are getting the best prices and the best deals on your trip.
I mainly deal with The Magic for Less Travel. I LOVE them. I first found out about them through a yahoo group called "Disney Dollarless" which then became "The Mouse for Less". I have gotten amazing information from them but the one that has stuck with me time and time again is The Magic for Less Travel. My travel guy is named Ric and he is amazing. Whenever I am thinking about booking a trip, I go directly to him, he lets me know what promos are going on, what's coming up, etc. He'll keep checking prices for me, he helps me make all of my dining reservations, makes my Magical Express reservations and most vacation packages include some gifts from the agency. I've gotten luggage tags, pass holders, insulated cup holders...I always love getting free stuff!
I have a friend who solely deals with AAA. What I learned from her was that AAA is sort of in a partnership with Disney and therefore if you are a AAA card holder, you get certain perks. You get special parking, admittance to private lounges, invites to certain story times with the characters...it kind of pays to book with them if any of that interests you. For me, we don't drive once we get to the park so the parking pass doesn't really mean much to me. My kids are too old for storytime and the lounge? Well, that could work!
Another great travel agency that I enjoy working with is Kingdom Magic Travel. There's another Rick there who is the owner and he is most definitely a Disney fanatic! He does the video travel blog that I mentioned in an earlier post and he sends out weekly newsletters that let you know all of the promos going on with all things Disney - be it Disney World, Disneyland or the Disney Cruiseline. Back in 2004, I actually won a trivia contest with them where I won a 4-day/3-night stay at the Radisson Orlando that was 5 minutes outside of Disney. It was pretty sweet. I have gone to Kingdom Magic for vacation quotes but I have to admit, I'm sort of loyal to The Magic for Less and Ric over there. Their vacation quotes are identical and so it's not like you get a different price if you chose one over the other.
Some specials and promos that Disney has offered in the past include: Free dining, 30-40% off of your room rate, buy 4 nights get 3 nights free, get in free on your birthday...I'm sure that there are others but these stand out the most to me. Sometimes there are discount codes released for certain travel dates where you get a discount...if you search your travel section of your Sunday newspaper you are almost guaranteed to find one.
Bottom line is that it is better for you to book with a travel agency because they find you the best prices, they keep looking for specials and discounts and then handle all of the changes for you. Check these great sites out and ask for Ric...or Rick!
From what I can tell, Disney has the policy of "Don't ask, don't tell" - meaning that if there is a special going on and you don't know about it when you are booking, they do not have to tell you about it. Having said that, I have found several great Disney travel sites that not only tell you what deals are going on but will even keep checking for you between the time you book and the time that you leave for your trip so that you are getting the best prices and the best deals on your trip.
I mainly deal with The Magic for Less Travel. I LOVE them. I first found out about them through a yahoo group called "Disney Dollarless" which then became "The Mouse for Less". I have gotten amazing information from them but the one that has stuck with me time and time again is The Magic for Less Travel. My travel guy is named Ric and he is amazing. Whenever I am thinking about booking a trip, I go directly to him, he lets me know what promos are going on, what's coming up, etc. He'll keep checking prices for me, he helps me make all of my dining reservations, makes my Magical Express reservations and most vacation packages include some gifts from the agency. I've gotten luggage tags, pass holders, insulated cup holders...I always love getting free stuff!
I have a friend who solely deals with AAA. What I learned from her was that AAA is sort of in a partnership with Disney and therefore if you are a AAA card holder, you get certain perks. You get special parking, admittance to private lounges, invites to certain story times with the characters...it kind of pays to book with them if any of that interests you. For me, we don't drive once we get to the park so the parking pass doesn't really mean much to me. My kids are too old for storytime and the lounge? Well, that could work!
Another great travel agency that I enjoy working with is Kingdom Magic Travel. There's another Rick there who is the owner and he is most definitely a Disney fanatic! He does the video travel blog that I mentioned in an earlier post and he sends out weekly newsletters that let you know all of the promos going on with all things Disney - be it Disney World, Disneyland or the Disney Cruiseline. Back in 2004, I actually won a trivia contest with them where I won a 4-day/3-night stay at the Radisson Orlando that was 5 minutes outside of Disney. It was pretty sweet. I have gone to Kingdom Magic for vacation quotes but I have to admit, I'm sort of loyal to The Magic for Less and Ric over there. Their vacation quotes are identical and so it's not like you get a different price if you chose one over the other.
Some specials and promos that Disney has offered in the past include: Free dining, 30-40% off of your room rate, buy 4 nights get 3 nights free, get in free on your birthday...I'm sure that there are others but these stand out the most to me. Sometimes there are discount codes released for certain travel dates where you get a discount...if you search your travel section of your Sunday newspaper you are almost guaranteed to find one.
Bottom line is that it is better for you to book with a travel agency because they find you the best prices, they keep looking for specials and discounts and then handle all of the changes for you. Check these great sites out and ask for Ric...or Rick!
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at the Walt Disney World Resort – Episode 26
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at the Walt Disney World Resort – Episode 26
Nothing can bring your Walt Disney World vacation to a screaming halt like a child who becomes frightened on a ride and then won't go on anything else. While you can read about all of the attractions at Walt Disney World on their website or in any guide book, sometimes it helps to SEE what exactly is going to happen and how "dark" is dark.
With the invention of the internet, you can see just about anything on line. I've seen videos of Disney rides on YouTube, but my personal favorite is "Travel With Rick" at travelwithrick.com. Each week Rick posts a new video of someplace in Walt Disney World and sometimes from Disneyland. He posts videos of rides, attractions, hotels...he tries to hit everything.
If you are traveling with a young child, I highly recommend going to his site and looking up what he has to offer because not only does he post the video but he also tells you a little about the ride, as well. Kind of makes it a little more interesting. This particular episode takes you through the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride in the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland at the Walt Disney World Resort. Enjoy!
Nothing can bring your Walt Disney World vacation to a screaming halt like a child who becomes frightened on a ride and then won't go on anything else. While you can read about all of the attractions at Walt Disney World on their website or in any guide book, sometimes it helps to SEE what exactly is going to happen and how "dark" is dark.
With the invention of the internet, you can see just about anything on line. I've seen videos of Disney rides on YouTube, but my personal favorite is "Travel With Rick" at travelwithrick.com. Each week Rick posts a new video of someplace in Walt Disney World and sometimes from Disneyland. He posts videos of rides, attractions, hotels...he tries to hit everything.
If you are traveling with a young child, I highly recommend going to his site and looking up what he has to offer because not only does he post the video but he also tells you a little about the ride, as well. Kind of makes it a little more interesting. This particular episode takes you through the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride in the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland at the Walt Disney World Resort. Enjoy!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
How'd They Do That? Disney's Photopass
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I love to scrapbook and I love to take pictures - or maybe I love to take pictures because I love to scrapbook! Either way, on most vacations I am never in the pictures because I am the one taking the pictures!Disney offers a great service called Photopass. With this service you can walk in to any Disney park and at the first Disney photographer that you see, ask to get your picture taken. They will pose you and your family in some of the greatest locations in the park and take several shots. When they are done, they hand you a card that is about the size of a credit card. Throughout your stay, whenever you want your picture taken, you give that card to any Disney photographer and all of your pictures are actually loaded on to it! Then, when you get home, you go to the Photopass website, click in the number that is on your card, and you can view, edit and purchase your pictures!
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This can be a LOT of fun because sometimes the photographers do something special to your pictures like add a Disney character! Check out me and Tinkerbell! I had no idea what he was going to do when I was asked to pose like this but I was thrilled when I saw it! When you are viewing and editing, you can add borders and icons, you can crop your pictures...there are tons of options and in the end you have the exact picture that you want!Now you can get your pictures the same day in the parks, but they tend to be on the pricey side - $12.95 for a 5x7. But with the Photopass option, you can order an entire disc of pictures and then do what you want with them. For example: My last trip to Disney I went with my mom, my sister, my aunt and my cousin. We all chipped in to purchase the Photopass CD. It was $125. I know that is a LOT of money BUT we took a lot of pictures while in the park and then when we got home and played and edited them, we had almost exactly 125 pictures so then I'm only paying $1 per picture and they are top quality, customized pictures! Not a bad deal, right?
There is no cost to have your picture taken by a Disney Photographer. In fact, most of them will even take a picture with your camera if you want them to. But I know that I have stood next to the photographer with my own camera while the kids were with the characters and my pictures never come out as good as theirs. Plus, I don't have all of the neat photo editing software that comes with the Photopass website to make my pictures even more magical. Give it a try on your next trip. It is money well spent!
How to pack Mary Poppins bag in a fanny pack
I used to laugh at people who wore these just for the sake of wearing them but nothing beats a fanny pack when you are at Disney! I cannot survive without one. My husband won't wear one and neither will my sons. Well, my then 7-year old wore his briefly on our 2007 vacation.
I have multiple packs and really the one that holds the most, I use the most, except for when I want to be styling and wear my black one that has "Disney" embroidered on the front. But when I go with my husband and kids, I need the one that has the most compartments.
Okay, my standard fanny-pack contains: Emergency Ponchos ($1 at Walmart), sunscreen, gum, Tums, Advil, my camera & case (for extra protection), our passes, money, cell-phone, credit card, pens, sunglasses, restaurant reservation numbers, park maps, Photopass card and lip stick. I mean, I need to look somewhat presentable in all those pictures! Essentially, it is my goal to not have to stop and purchase anything while we're in the park no matter what is thrown our way. I think on our last trip I even had a Benedryl pen so if anyone got any bites we could just whip out the Benedryl and roll it on. It was great!
I learned the importance of the well-stocked fanny pack on our first trip in 1998. My husband gets cluster headaches and you never knew when they were going to hit. Well, his hit the week before our trip. I did most of the drive down to Florida because he just could not do it. So we found that Excedrin Migraine was the only thing that worked for him IF he took it at the first twinge of a headache. My fear was that he would wait too long to take them and never make it back to the room without collapsing. So I kept them with me at all times and there were a couple of times that we had to stop and let him rest for 10 minutes but that was it - he was up and ready to go and we were back on the rides in no time. I used to get chronic heartburn and so having the Tums with me really helped and then there are those unpredictable Florida rain storms - that's where the emergency ponchos came in. We never had to run in to a store for any kind of emergency because we were prepared.
A fanny pack works better than a purse/pocketbook because it keeps your hands free. Of course, if you have little ones, you are most likely going to have a diaper bag with you at all times so you won't need the fanny pack, per se, but you should keep all of the essentials with you to save you time and money in the parks.
I have multiple packs and really the one that holds the most, I use the most, except for when I want to be styling and wear my black one that has "Disney" embroidered on the front. But when I go with my husband and kids, I need the one that has the most compartments.
Okay, my standard fanny-pack contains: Emergency Ponchos ($1 at Walmart), sunscreen, gum, Tums, Advil, my camera & case (for extra protection), our passes, money, cell-phone, credit card, pens, sunglasses, restaurant reservation numbers, park maps, Photopass card and lip stick. I mean, I need to look somewhat presentable in all those pictures! Essentially, it is my goal to not have to stop and purchase anything while we're in the park no matter what is thrown our way. I think on our last trip I even had a Benedryl pen so if anyone got any bites we could just whip out the Benedryl and roll it on. It was great!
I learned the importance of the well-stocked fanny pack on our first trip in 1998. My husband gets cluster headaches and you never knew when they were going to hit. Well, his hit the week before our trip. I did most of the drive down to Florida because he just could not do it. So we found that Excedrin Migraine was the only thing that worked for him IF he took it at the first twinge of a headache. My fear was that he would wait too long to take them and never make it back to the room without collapsing. So I kept them with me at all times and there were a couple of times that we had to stop and let him rest for 10 minutes but that was it - he was up and ready to go and we were back on the rides in no time. I used to get chronic heartburn and so having the Tums with me really helped and then there are those unpredictable Florida rain storms - that's where the emergency ponchos came in. We never had to run in to a store for any kind of emergency because we were prepared.
A fanny pack works better than a purse/pocketbook because it keeps your hands free. Of course, if you have little ones, you are most likely going to have a diaper bag with you at all times so you won't need the fanny pack, per se, but you should keep all of the essentials with you to save you time and money in the parks.
Why a Value Resort?
Because the Walt Disney World Resort has so many resorts and room options, most people assume that they must all be expensive. They are not. Then you get some vacation planners that want the full-on Disney experience and want to stay at one of the deluxe resorts because they figure that the value ones must not be any good. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The first thing to take in to consideration is that you are hardly EVER in your room when vacationing at the Walt Disney World Resort. Our family gets a wake-up call every morning between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. and we are all showered, dressed and at the bus stop by 8:00 a.m. We want a FULL day in the parks. On an average day, the parks open at 9:00 and close at either 8:00 or 9:00 pm - on average. We will stay in the park the entire day. Then, by the time the park closes and you fight the crowds, get a bus and get back to the hotel, it's pretty late. Essentially we are just sleeping in our rooms so why would I spend $250 a night when I could spend $89?
I've stayed at three of the four value resorts with my husband and kids and I've taken a few trips with just me and my sister where we've stayed at the deluxe resorts and to be honest, yes, the deluxe resorts are beautiful and the rooms are bigger, essentially, I'm still just sleeping in the room.
Disney valu
e resorts are not like off-site "value" resorts. These are not cheezy motels. There are three All-Star Resort: All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, and All-Star Movies. The fourth value resort is the POP Century Resort. All of these resorts have great themes and have these larger-than-life icons all around the buildings and complex. Their colors are all bright, primary colors that just grab your attention! POP Century has icons based on some of the biggest pop-culture icons of the last 50 or so years and each section is based on a different decade: 50's - 90's.
The All-Star Spor
ts is completely sports themed, All-Star Music features all different kinds of music genre's, and All-Star Movies is based on some of Disney's best movies. We've stayed in the Rock n Roll building of All-Star Movies and in the Toy Story section of All-Star Movies - actually, we were right outside of Andy's room where there were three-story tall Buzz Lightyear and Woody! That was back in 2001 and the kids LOVED it! There was even a life-sized RC Racer that the kids could sit in and pretend to drive. I have GOT to scan those pictures in!
The rooms, in general, are pretty small. You can only fit four people in them and even then it's a little tight. You get two full-size beds, a dresser, a table and chairs, TV, night stand and your stan
dard bathroom and vanity area. Like I said, if you are just going to be using the room to sleep in and crash for the night, then you would have no problem here. But if you need a little space to sprawl out...well, the All-Star Music Resort does now offer family suites! These suites sleep up to 6 adults and have a queen size bed, a full-size pull-out sofa, and convertible ottoman and chair sleepers. There are two bathrooms, a kitchenette, mini-refrigerator and microwave. There is a private master suite. This is a nice option because you can fit more people and it is still less expensive than moving up to a deluxe room which is the only option if you have more than 5 people in your party.
There is plenty to do on all of the Value Resort complexes, as well. Each resort/complex has at least two pools. Each resort is also equipped with a food court, gift shop, arcade, playgrounds and plenty of places to explore! Each resort has bus service to and from all of the theme parks, as well.
One down side to these resorts is that they not as close to the parks as some of the others. You can see Blizzard Beach from some, or Epcot's fireworks from others but for the most part, they are a bit remote. Another down side is that these resorts are usually the most crowded because they are such a great deal. Because of that the buses are more crowded and actually, the three All-Stars do tend to share bus service which slows things down even more at the busier times of year.
But if you are looking for bang for your buck, you cannot go wrong with a Disney Value Resort. The cost, the themes, the service...you never leave the magic of the parks because you are surrounded by it even back in your room.
The first thing to take in to consideration is that you are hardly EVER in your room when vacationing at the Walt Disney World Resort. Our family gets a wake-up call every morning between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. and we are all showered, dressed and at the bus stop by 8:00 a.m. We want a FULL day in the parks. On an average day, the parks open at 9:00 and close at either 8:00 or 9:00 pm - on average. We will stay in the park the entire day. Then, by the time the park closes and you fight the crowds, get a bus and get back to the hotel, it's pretty late. Essentially we are just sleeping in our rooms so why would I spend $250 a night when I could spend $89?
I've stayed at three of the four value resorts with my husband and kids and I've taken a few trips with just me and my sister where we've stayed at the deluxe resorts and to be honest, yes, the deluxe resorts are beautiful and the rooms are bigger, essentially, I'm still just sleeping in the room.
Disney valu
e resorts are not like off-site "value" resorts. These are not cheezy motels. There are three All-Star Resort: All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, and All-Star Movies. The fourth value resort is the POP Century Resort. All of these resorts have great themes and have these larger-than-life icons all around the buildings and complex. Their colors are all bright, primary colors that just grab your attention! POP Century has icons based on some of the biggest pop-culture icons of the last 50 or so years and each section is based on a different decade: 50's - 90's.The All-Star Spor
ts is completely sports themed, All-Star Music features all different kinds of music genre's, and All-Star Movies is based on some of Disney's best movies. We've stayed in the Rock n Roll building of All-Star Movies and in the Toy Story section of All-Star Movies - actually, we were right outside of Andy's room where there were three-story tall Buzz Lightyear and Woody! That was back in 2001 and the kids LOVED it! There was even a life-sized RC Racer that the kids could sit in and pretend to drive. I have GOT to scan those pictures in!The rooms, in general, are pretty small. You can only fit four people in them and even then it's a little tight. You get two full-size beds, a dresser, a table and chairs, TV, night stand and your stan
dard bathroom and vanity area. Like I said, if you are just going to be using the room to sleep in and crash for the night, then you would have no problem here. But if you need a little space to sprawl out...well, the All-Star Music Resort does now offer family suites! These suites sleep up to 6 adults and have a queen size bed, a full-size pull-out sofa, and convertible ottoman and chair sleepers. There are two bathrooms, a kitchenette, mini-refrigerator and microwave. There is a private master suite. This is a nice option because you can fit more people and it is still less expensive than moving up to a deluxe room which is the only option if you have more than 5 people in your party.There is plenty to do on all of the Value Resort complexes, as well. Each resort/complex has at least two pools. Each resort is also equipped with a food court, gift shop, arcade, playgrounds and plenty of places to explore! Each resort has bus service to and from all of the theme parks, as well.
One down side to these resorts is that they not as close to the parks as some of the others. You can see Blizzard Beach from some, or Epcot's fireworks from others but for the most part, they are a bit remote. Another down side is that these resorts are usually the most crowded because they are such a great deal. Because of that the buses are more crowded and actually, the three All-Stars do tend to share bus service which slows things down even more at the busier times of year.
But if you are looking for bang for your buck, you cannot go wrong with a Disney Value Resort. The cost, the themes, the service...you never leave the magic of the parks because you are surrounded by it even back in your room.
Picture of the Day! Can you spot the fossil?
I'm sure he'll want to kill me for posting this picture, but it cracks me up every time! We were on line for "Dinosaur" at Animal Kingdom and you pass through this room that shows all of the layers of the Earth with the fossils embedded in to it. Well, the line was taking a bit long and so my son joked that much longer and he'd be a fossil! He makes me laugh like no one else in the world!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Driving to Disney (and all the joy that goes with it!)
As a frugal family going on vacation to Walt Disney World, we found the least expensive way to go for our family of four is to drive. We live in central North Carolina and the drive takes anywhere from 10-12 hours depending on how we break the trip up.
The first time we drove down, we stayed with friends before hand (1998 trip). Other times that we went, we've gone and stayed with my in-laws who live about an hour North of Orlando - we'd visit with them for a few days and then on our first Disney day, we'd leave their home at around 7:30 in the morning, drive to Disney and be able to get a full day in at the parks.
Now I know that we are fortunate because we are a one-day drive there. We prefer to do the drive in one day. On our 2001 trip we left here at around 8 in the morning (we had family members traveling with us so we were 7 in the van!). The adults all shared driving duty and we switched it up in each state so no one was driving for more than 3 hours at a shot. We had made reservations for an inexpensive motel right outside of the entrance to Disney and paid only $29.99 for the night! The number was great, the hotel? Not so much.
Our thoughts in doing it this was was so that we would get the big drive out of the way, get a good night's sleep and then get up refreshed the next morning and ready to enjoy a full day at whatever park we chose. Our reservation at the on-site Disney hotel is good no matter what time you arrive on your first day and even if your room is not ready for you, they will store your luggage and give you your passes in to the parks and you are on your way. So again, on that 2001 trip, we were checking in to the All-Star Movie Resort at 8:30 in the morning and there was one room ready (we were a large group and needed 4) so we stored our luggage in the one room and headed out to Hollywood Studios where by lunchtime, we met up with the other 6 people we were vacationing with.
Now I have friends who prefer to do the drive in two days - but with the bulk of it done in one. So from North Carolina they'd drive in to Northern Florida, stop for the night and maybe only have a 2-3 hour drive the next day and then they are in the parks either by lunchtime or right after lunch.
So okay, you can drive there but how do you survive the drive?? On our first trip, my son was 6. We packed him up everything that we could find that would entertain him - books, games, walkman's (it was 1998!), a Gameboy, etc. We listened to the radio, we talked about all of the things that we were going to do. He was an AWESOME traveler. We packed up a big cooler of sandwiches, snacks and drinks and really, we only stopped for gas and the bathroom. In 2001 when we did the drive with my sister-in-law and her husband and 6 year old daughter, my older son was 10 and I had an almost 2 year old. We were crammed in the minivan and the kids essentially entertained themselves with books, games, and the like. We stopped a bit more often but again, had a huge cooler full of sandwiches, snacks and drinks and everyone seemed happy. The kids even napped a bit.
As my boys got older, we invested in the portable TV's and DVD players for the car and it became a ritual where they would - in the days leading up to the trip - each pick out 4-6 DVD's that they would bring with them and we even had one of those plug in type games that had all kinds of Sponge Bob video games to play. We load up the cooler and really, I think I have a harder time with the drive than they do! I wish I could sit in the back and watch the TV for a little while!
The key to a smooth car ride on a long-distance drive is to be well prepared; have more stuff than you'll need and think of every possible scenario so that you won't be surprised. I pack a very intensive first aid kit so that should anyone have any issues - cuts, nose bleeds, splinters, rash, heartburn, headache, cough...I've got it covered. I pack enough food for at least two full meals plus 3 snacks per person and at least 4 drinks per person (I limit how much they can drink otherwise we'd be pulling over every 30 minutes!).
As a frugal mom, I buy a lot of my supplies at the Walmart or on sale so that packing my cooler is a way cheaper alternative to stopping for fast food. Plan as far in advance as you can so that when your local grocery store is offering buy one-get one deals on juice boxes, snacks or soda, you can start stocking up for your trip.
Also, it is important to make sure that your car is in good condition and that your tires are in good shape otherwise you risk breaking down on the road. That happened to us once and that took almost $300 out of our vacation fund. True, it was a water pump and we had no way of knowing it was going to go, but if you know a good mechanic, let him check your car out before you go.
The first time we drove down, we stayed with friends before hand (1998 trip). Other times that we went, we've gone and stayed with my in-laws who live about an hour North of Orlando - we'd visit with them for a few days and then on our first Disney day, we'd leave their home at around 7:30 in the morning, drive to Disney and be able to get a full day in at the parks.
Now I know that we are fortunate because we are a one-day drive there. We prefer to do the drive in one day. On our 2001 trip we left here at around 8 in the morning (we had family members traveling with us so we were 7 in the van!). The adults all shared driving duty and we switched it up in each state so no one was driving for more than 3 hours at a shot. We had made reservations for an inexpensive motel right outside of the entrance to Disney and paid only $29.99 for the night! The number was great, the hotel? Not so much.
Our thoughts in doing it this was was so that we would get the big drive out of the way, get a good night's sleep and then get up refreshed the next morning and ready to enjoy a full day at whatever park we chose. Our reservation at the on-site Disney hotel is good no matter what time you arrive on your first day and even if your room is not ready for you, they will store your luggage and give you your passes in to the parks and you are on your way. So again, on that 2001 trip, we were checking in to the All-Star Movie Resort at 8:30 in the morning and there was one room ready (we were a large group and needed 4) so we stored our luggage in the one room and headed out to Hollywood Studios where by lunchtime, we met up with the other 6 people we were vacationing with.
Now I have friends who prefer to do the drive in two days - but with the bulk of it done in one. So from North Carolina they'd drive in to Northern Florida, stop for the night and maybe only have a 2-3 hour drive the next day and then they are in the parks either by lunchtime or right after lunch.
So okay, you can drive there but how do you survive the drive?? On our first trip, my son was 6. We packed him up everything that we could find that would entertain him - books, games, walkman's (it was 1998!), a Gameboy, etc. We listened to the radio, we talked about all of the things that we were going to do. He was an AWESOME traveler. We packed up a big cooler of sandwiches, snacks and drinks and really, we only stopped for gas and the bathroom. In 2001 when we did the drive with my sister-in-law and her husband and 6 year old daughter, my older son was 10 and I had an almost 2 year old. We were crammed in the minivan and the kids essentially entertained themselves with books, games, and the like. We stopped a bit more often but again, had a huge cooler full of sandwiches, snacks and drinks and everyone seemed happy. The kids even napped a bit.
As my boys got older, we invested in the portable TV's and DVD players for the car and it became a ritual where they would - in the days leading up to the trip - each pick out 4-6 DVD's that they would bring with them and we even had one of those plug in type games that had all kinds of Sponge Bob video games to play. We load up the cooler and really, I think I have a harder time with the drive than they do! I wish I could sit in the back and watch the TV for a little while!
The key to a smooth car ride on a long-distance drive is to be well prepared; have more stuff than you'll need and think of every possible scenario so that you won't be surprised. I pack a very intensive first aid kit so that should anyone have any issues - cuts, nose bleeds, splinters, rash, heartburn, headache, cough...I've got it covered. I pack enough food for at least two full meals plus 3 snacks per person and at least 4 drinks per person (I limit how much they can drink otherwise we'd be pulling over every 30 minutes!).
As a frugal mom, I buy a lot of my supplies at the Walmart or on sale so that packing my cooler is a way cheaper alternative to stopping for fast food. Plan as far in advance as you can so that when your local grocery store is offering buy one-get one deals on juice boxes, snacks or soda, you can start stocking up for your trip.
Also, it is important to make sure that your car is in good condition and that your tires are in good shape otherwise you risk breaking down on the road. That happened to us once and that took almost $300 out of our vacation fund. True, it was a water pump and we had no way of knowing it was going to go, but if you know a good mechanic, let him check your car out before you go.
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Benefits of Staying on Disney Property
When most people start planning their Disney vacations and are on a budget, they immediately believe that they need to stay outside of Disney at a cheap hotel/motel. Nothing could be further from the truth!
For starters, you need to consider more than the price. At certain times of the year, you just might find a hotel that is only 5 minutes from the entrance to Walt Disney World for $50 a night and compare that to the $89 a night for a Disney Value Resort. A first glance would point to the obvious: The outside hotel is a better deal. But is it really?
When you stay at a Disney resort there are several things to factor in to the price:
1. Free parking/free transportation. When you stay at a Disney resort, you get free parking at your hotel and at the parks. If you stay at an off-property hotel, you will have to pay up to $14 a day to park your car! Plus, while staying on Disney property, you have free transportation from your hotel to all of the parks via their buses, the monorail and boats. If you chose, you don't have to get in your own car for the duration of your stay.
2. Location, location, location! When staying at a Disney Resort, you are always in the middle of the magic. The value resorts are brightly themed with larger-than-life icons and the Disney theme is carried throughout. Even when you leave the parks, you are still surrounded by the festive atmosphere. Disney transportation gets you to and from the parks with bus service that will arrive every 20 minutes (excluding high attendance days). At an off property hotel, you are going to have to drive yourself from the hotel on to Disney property, to the park of your choice, find and pay for parking and then walk to the park entrance. That can take 30 minutes to accomplish, cutting in to your day. Some local hotels offer shuttle service in to the Disney complex, but sometimes it's only twice a day and it takes you only as far as the TTA (Transportation and Ticket Center) and then you have to take Disney transportation to the park of your choice.
3. Service. Disney resorts have it all; their level of service is amazing. They take customer service above and beyond the typical hotel clerk.
4. Amenities. Each of the Disney Value Resorts hosts a gift shop, arcade, pools, and a food court. With the giant sized icons around each resort's property, and their wonderfully themed pools, you could spend an entire day at the resort and be thoroughly entertained.
So if you took your $50 a night hotel, added your $14 a day parking fee, then added all of the convenience of staying on property you would find that the $25 more a night you pay at a Disney Resort could really still make it quite a deal for your family. With four value resorts to choose from - All-Star Music, All-Star Sports, All-Star Movies and POP Century, you have plenty of rooms to choose from!
For starters, you need to consider more than the price. At certain times of the year, you just might find a hotel that is only 5 minutes from the entrance to Walt Disney World for $50 a night and compare that to the $89 a night for a Disney Value Resort. A first glance would point to the obvious: The outside hotel is a better deal. But is it really?
When you stay at a Disney resort there are several things to factor in to the price:
1. Free parking/free transportation. When you stay at a Disney resort, you get free parking at your hotel and at the parks. If you stay at an off-property hotel, you will have to pay up to $14 a day to park your car! Plus, while staying on Disney property, you have free transportation from your hotel to all of the parks via their buses, the monorail and boats. If you chose, you don't have to get in your own car for the duration of your stay.
2. Location, location, location! When staying at a Disney Resort, you are always in the middle of the magic. The value resorts are brightly themed with larger-than-life icons and the Disney theme is carried throughout. Even when you leave the parks, you are still surrounded by the festive atmosphere. Disney transportation gets you to and from the parks with bus service that will arrive every 20 minutes (excluding high attendance days). At an off property hotel, you are going to have to drive yourself from the hotel on to Disney property, to the park of your choice, find and pay for parking and then walk to the park entrance. That can take 30 minutes to accomplish, cutting in to your day. Some local hotels offer shuttle service in to the Disney complex, but sometimes it's only twice a day and it takes you only as far as the TTA (Transportation and Ticket Center) and then you have to take Disney transportation to the park of your choice.
3. Service. Disney resorts have it all; their level of service is amazing. They take customer service above and beyond the typical hotel clerk.
4. Amenities. Each of the Disney Value Resorts hosts a gift shop, arcade, pools, and a food court. With the giant sized icons around each resort's property, and their wonderfully themed pools, you could spend an entire day at the resort and be thoroughly entertained.
So if you took your $50 a night hotel, added your $14 a day parking fee, then added all of the convenience of staying on property you would find that the $25 more a night you pay at a Disney Resort could really still make it quite a deal for your family. With four value resorts to choose from - All-Star Music, All-Star Sports, All-Star Movies and POP Century, you have plenty of rooms to choose from!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Our First Trip to Disney: A Poor Mom's Testimonial
Back in 1998 I decided to plan our first family trip to Walt Disney World. Actually, it was probably late 1997 that I started to plan. My husband had never been to "the World" and although he admitted that it really held no interest to him, he agreed that we should do it. Our son (we only had one at the time) was 6 years old and we thought he would be the perfect age to take. So I started a journey that started a hobby that has helped us have some awesome vacations.
I was a stay at home mom and my husband was a self-employed painter. We rent our home, we drove a really, really, REALLY old car...we were so not living the dream, but I was totally determined to have this vacation. I took a job cleaning houses once a week, we started a change jar, we booked our trip for five days/four nights at a Disney Value Resort. We even took on the meal plan which, at the time, was not free, you had to pay a set amount in to it and you could spend it as you wanted.
The change jar paid for 25% of our trip that first time. We were very faithful about not dipping in to it and made sure that money went in to it daily. We asked for Disney Dollars for holidays and special occasions. We cut back on some of the spending that we did. That first trip cost us $1,532 and that included our resort/hotel room, theme park tickets with the park hopper plus option and our meals for five days.
We were there from December 1-5; we spent my 30th birthday in the Magic Kingdom. We drove down to Florida from North Carolina and spent a couple of days with friends who lived about 90 minutes south of Disney and then arrived there early on the Tuesday morning. On the Saturday that we checked out, we spent the entire day in the parks and then stayed overnight at a local hotel right in Orlando that cost us something like $49 a night. We packed up a cooler for the drive down, we brought snacks to keep in the room and because we still had money on our meal/food plan account, we filled up our cooler before leaving our resort on that last night and had enough food for the ride home!
We stayed at the All-Star Music Resort in the Rock N Roll complex and it was amazing. The bus service was good, the room was great...I mean, we really were comfortable and pleased with the accommodations.
With the food plan we had an amazing dining experience. We ate the first day at Toy Story Pizza Planet for lunch and The Brown Derby for dinner. Our second day we at breakfast at the Main Street Bake Shop, lunch at the Crystal Palace and dinner in the castle at Cinderella's Royal Table. I got free desert at both places because it was my birthday. Day three we were in the Animal Kingdom and ate lunch at the Flame Tree BBQ...I honestly cannot remember where we ate dinner! Day four we were in Epcot and had lunch at the Garden Grille and had dinner in World Showcase in Japan. On our final day we sort of park hopped around. I remember eating on Tom Sawyer's Island at Aunt Polly's for lunch and then we went back to Hollywood Studios (MGM back then) and ate at the Brown Derby again. The funny thing was, they sat us outside and it was beautiful but they forgot about us and we got dinner for free! It was a problem for us because we wanted to use up our food account because you don't get a refund on unused funds. That $75 that we saved on dinner stocked our cooler for the ride home!
So you see, we didn't skimp on anything. We ate at wonderful restaurants. We went to all of the parks. We stayed on property. Growing up, when I went with my family to Disney, we never stayed on property so this was a HUGE treat for me. I would never opt to stay outside of Disney again.
And so my family's love affair with the Happiest Place on Earth Began...
I was a stay at home mom and my husband was a self-employed painter. We rent our home, we drove a really, really, REALLY old car...we were so not living the dream, but I was totally determined to have this vacation. I took a job cleaning houses once a week, we started a change jar, we booked our trip for five days/four nights at a Disney Value Resort. We even took on the meal plan which, at the time, was not free, you had to pay a set amount in to it and you could spend it as you wanted.
The change jar paid for 25% of our trip that first time. We were very faithful about not dipping in to it and made sure that money went in to it daily. We asked for Disney Dollars for holidays and special occasions. We cut back on some of the spending that we did. That first trip cost us $1,532 and that included our resort/hotel room, theme park tickets with the park hopper plus option and our meals for five days.
We were there from December 1-5; we spent my 30th birthday in the Magic Kingdom. We drove down to Florida from North Carolina and spent a couple of days with friends who lived about 90 minutes south of Disney and then arrived there early on the Tuesday morning. On the Saturday that we checked out, we spent the entire day in the parks and then stayed overnight at a local hotel right in Orlando that cost us something like $49 a night. We packed up a cooler for the drive down, we brought snacks to keep in the room and because we still had money on our meal/food plan account, we filled up our cooler before leaving our resort on that last night and had enough food for the ride home!
We stayed at the All-Star Music Resort in the Rock N Roll complex and it was amazing. The bus service was good, the room was great...I mean, we really were comfortable and pleased with the accommodations.
With the food plan we had an amazing dining experience. We ate the first day at Toy Story Pizza Planet for lunch and The Brown Derby for dinner. Our second day we at breakfast at the Main Street Bake Shop, lunch at the Crystal Palace and dinner in the castle at Cinderella's Royal Table. I got free desert at both places because it was my birthday. Day three we were in the Animal Kingdom and ate lunch at the Flame Tree BBQ...I honestly cannot remember where we ate dinner! Day four we were in Epcot and had lunch at the Garden Grille and had dinner in World Showcase in Japan. On our final day we sort of park hopped around. I remember eating on Tom Sawyer's Island at Aunt Polly's for lunch and then we went back to Hollywood Studios (MGM back then) and ate at the Brown Derby again. The funny thing was, they sat us outside and it was beautiful but they forgot about us and we got dinner for free! It was a problem for us because we wanted to use up our food account because you don't get a refund on unused funds. That $75 that we saved on dinner stocked our cooler for the ride home!
So you see, we didn't skimp on anything. We ate at wonderful restaurants. We went to all of the parks. We stayed on property. Growing up, when I went with my family to Disney, we never stayed on property so this was a HUGE treat for me. I would never opt to stay outside of Disney again.
And so my family's love affair with the Happiest Place on Earth Began...
Picture of the Day: Can you find the Hidden Mickey?
On our trip back in 2007, we had gotten off of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and were sitting and trying to decide what to do next when my husband asked "What's with the Mickey?" I had no idea what he was talking about so he took this picture and sure enough, there was Mickey's head on my pants! It came from getting wet on the small water fall/drop on the ride! How cool is that?
What time of year should you go?
This is an age-old question: When should we go? Well, this will, of course, depend on when you CAN go, but if you have the freedom to plan for whenever, you will find that you can save yourself a LOT of money.
Most people who go to Disney World have children. Of course, you can go even if you don't have kids, but a majority of those going will have their kids with them. Because of this fact, we tend to plan our vacations around school vacations. The problem with this is that you end up being in WDW at the busiest times of the year or the hottest time of the year.
For example: The majority of the population has off for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Those are two weeks that you want to avoid at all costs. The actual COST of going on those weeks is higher than others and the attendance rates are at their highest. You also want to avoid Easter week due to Spring break for the same reason.
Then there are the summer months. These are the worst because of the oppressive Florida heat and the high crowds. Your wait time on most rides will be close to an hour and you will spend most of that wait hating yourself for ever even THINKING of going on this vacation! That is so not necessary!!
Most teachers will want to smack me for saying this but the best times to go to Walt Disney World require taking your child out of school for at least a week. We have gone in late September, early October, the week before Thanksgiving and the week after Thanksgiving and they have all been delightful because the crowds are low and the temperature was great. The bonus to going the week after Thanksgiving is that the parks are all decorated for Christmas and you've missed the masses that were there for the holiday.
If at all possible, make the sacrifice. You will find that you will enjoy yourself so much more and you will save on your total over-all vacation cost. "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World" is a great resource to use to show you the charting of the traffic patterns for different times of the year. "Tour Guide Mike" is a website that you need to pay to have access to ($19.99, I think) and he will give you the most amazing details on the best actual DAYS to visit down to which parks on which days! A great resource but not if you are looking to save money.
Most people who go to Disney World have children. Of course, you can go even if you don't have kids, but a majority of those going will have their kids with them. Because of this fact, we tend to plan our vacations around school vacations. The problem with this is that you end up being in WDW at the busiest times of the year or the hottest time of the year.
For example: The majority of the population has off for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Those are two weeks that you want to avoid at all costs. The actual COST of going on those weeks is higher than others and the attendance rates are at their highest. You also want to avoid Easter week due to Spring break for the same reason.
Then there are the summer months. These are the worst because of the oppressive Florida heat and the high crowds. Your wait time on most rides will be close to an hour and you will spend most of that wait hating yourself for ever even THINKING of going on this vacation! That is so not necessary!!
Most teachers will want to smack me for saying this but the best times to go to Walt Disney World require taking your child out of school for at least a week. We have gone in late September, early October, the week before Thanksgiving and the week after Thanksgiving and they have all been delightful because the crowds are low and the temperature was great. The bonus to going the week after Thanksgiving is that the parks are all decorated for Christmas and you've missed the masses that were there for the holiday.
If at all possible, make the sacrifice. You will find that you will enjoy yourself so much more and you will save on your total over-all vacation cost. "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World" is a great resource to use to show you the charting of the traffic patterns for different times of the year. "Tour Guide Mike" is a website that you need to pay to have access to ($19.99, I think) and he will give you the most amazing details on the best actual DAYS to visit down to which parks on which days! A great resource but not if you are looking to save money.
Getting Started!
When most people think of a trip to Walt Disney World, the first thing that they think of is the cost. The fear of the expense can keep you from planning your dream vacation. While it is true that a vacation to the happiest place on earth is not cheap, it is possible for any family on any budget. The key to making the most out of a trip to Walt Disney World without breaking the bank is planning.
I first went to Disney World as a child with my family when all there was was the Magic Kingdom. I still remember that trip: Walking down the street with Mickey Mouse, riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (previously known as the WEDway People Mover) with my mom and aunt while my dad and uncle took my sister on to Space Mountain. It truly was a magical trip.
Over the years I have gone back over a dozen times and have had every kind of travel experience. I have gone and stayed off property at small, chain-style hotels/motels, I've stayed on property at value and deluxe resorts, I've gone for day trips, and I've gone just for a special event. The common thread through each stay is that they were all wonderful! It didn't really matter where I stayed or for how long, a visit to the Walt Disney World Resort is something that always guarantees a great time and great memories.
I have helped many friends and family members plan their trips as well as co-lead a seminar on how to make a Disney trip affordable. It always strikes me as funny how people automatically assume that a trip to Disney is out of their reach because of the cost. After much research, discussion and personal experience, I have learned that that just is NOT the case! We live on a very low income. My husband is self-employed and there are times when there is just no work but even under those circumstances we have gone to Disney as a family four times without breaking the bank.
I hope that this blog will be a helpful resource for you and that you will come back and visit soon.
Have a magical day!
I first went to Disney World as a child with my family when all there was was the Magic Kingdom. I still remember that trip: Walking down the street with Mickey Mouse, riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (previously known as the WEDway People Mover) with my mom and aunt while my dad and uncle took my sister on to Space Mountain. It truly was a magical trip.
Over the years I have gone back over a dozen times and have had every kind of travel experience. I have gone and stayed off property at small, chain-style hotels/motels, I've stayed on property at value and deluxe resorts, I've gone for day trips, and I've gone just for a special event. The common thread through each stay is that they were all wonderful! It didn't really matter where I stayed or for how long, a visit to the Walt Disney World Resort is something that always guarantees a great time and great memories.
I have helped many friends and family members plan their trips as well as co-lead a seminar on how to make a Disney trip affordable. It always strikes me as funny how people automatically assume that a trip to Disney is out of their reach because of the cost. After much research, discussion and personal experience, I have learned that that just is NOT the case! We live on a very low income. My husband is self-employed and there are times when there is just no work but even under those circumstances we have gone to Disney as a family four times without breaking the bank.
I hope that this blog will be a helpful resource for you and that you will come back and visit soon.
Have a magical day!
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