Disney World

[FenderPriest]

So, I'm wondering if any of the folks here have taken their families to Disney World lately, and if you wouldn't mind sharing where you stayed, did food, etc. I'm looking to plan a trip there with my wife and me going with my parents and brother, but would like to do it on a wise budget. Thoughts folks? Thanks!

 

[Kim G]

Which park(s) will you be going to?

 

[FenderPriest]

Which park(s) will you be going to?

All of'm!

(My folks said they'd pay for the tickets - they'll get a military discount, which is awesome.)

 

[Kim G]

I've only been to Magic Kingdom and MGM (now Hollywood Studios) in the last two years. When I've gone, I've rented a cheap hotel room less than a mile from Disney World with free shuttle services to the park. That way you save on parking (which is around $12 a day). I've also heard that the Disney hotels are nice if you can get a good discount, and you wouldn't have to pay for parking then either.

Budget a lot for food! At Disney MGM, we ate at Toy Story's Pizza Planet. A 6-inch personal pizza was $6 (not including salad or drink). That's pretty much the cheapest thing you can get, and it's not very filling. If you eat at a nice sitdown restaurant, you're looking at $20 a person in many cases (or as much as $75 a person for some places). Some people take a cooler in their car and leave the park halfway through the day and eat at their car. Or you could have food in your hotel room if you're staying at Disney hotels.


Bring water. Florida is hot (I grew up there!) and you will get dehydrated quickly if you don't get plenty of water.

My husband and I brought the cash that we budgeted for our trip and said, "when it's gone, it's gone." That helped us to weigh carefully whether something was really important to buy or whether we'd regret it when supper came around and we had no money left to buy food.

Have fun. Disney world is awesome!

 

[Grace Alone]

It has been several years since we went, but we saved money by renting a 3 br condo since my parents were going with us. That way we were easily able to do some meals there in the morning and at night. The 3 br condo was less than two hotel rooms would have been.

 

[asc]

My wife loves Disney so we've been going there almost yearly.

I suggest your parents check online at the Disney website regarding purchasing tickets ahead of time. Getting multi-day passes in advance can save a lot of money.

As has been noted, aside from the entrance fee, they have really overpriced food and merchandise. I suggest eating a big breakfast before getting to the park and bringing a few snacks and water to minimize the amount of food you need to purchase in the park. I'd save the nice sit down meals for another vacation (or go out of the park for supper); they're very expensive and take a lot of time away from you looking at the park. Also most of the merchandise can be purchased online these days, so don't bother buying anything in the park. Lastly, check the weather forecast and come prepared; you don't want to be buying a $10 cheaply made plastic poncho if it rains.

Not related to money, but learn how the FastPass system works because it may save you a lot of waiting time.

 

[OPC'n]

I hated it when my sister and I took her kid. It was so packed and everyone acted like barbarians! One guy stepped on my heel because he was trying to get around me to go faster and I said, "Excuse me" just to be polite (he is the one that should have) and he told me, "Well, move then". We didn't like anything about it. Sea World was wonderful though. Hope you have a better experience than we did.

 

[LawrenceU]

I've only been there once. It was in 1983 I think. I was a freshman in college and went to Florida with a few friends during Spring Break. No, it was not a typical SB. We went fishing, diving, and door knocking. We took one day and did Disney and the brand new not yet completed EPCOT. Strangely there were almost no lines that day. Ben and I went on our own spelunking expedition into 'underground Disney'. I won't tell you where we found an entrance, but there is a whole different world down there. No rides. We took a self guided tour and somehow found our way out without being apprehended. Let us just say that they had some security issues back then. I'd bet you couldn't do that now.

 

[ReformedWretch]

My wife and I took our daughter about six years ago and really enjoyed it. Thing is, I refuse to do vacations like these until we save enough money to do it up right (lol), which means it happens very seldom.

We stayed in Disney (Boardwalk area) and LOVED IT but to be a little frugal we took all of our food and drink along with us since our place had a fridge, cabinets, full kitchen basically. Plus the house keepers even did your dishes!

A valet parked our car for us and we took the Disney shuttle everywhere all week. We lived like royalty that week and loved every minute of it. Use the tickets where you come back for a ride and get right on. They will save you a lot of waiting.

 

[tcalbrecht]

My wife loves Disney so we've been going there almost yearly.

Does your wife know my wife? My wife even forced her brother to move to the Orlando area so we could get free room and board.

If your dates are flexible, check the Disney web site for dates when they offer specials to Florida residents. These are usually times when the parks are a bit less crowded, like in the Fall and early Winter. Search on "Florida residents" on the web site. You may get some tips. Surrounding accommodations may also be a bit cheaper during these times. Restaurants will run specials, etc.

 

[FenderPriest]

Hey guys, just as a note here on the deals... if you're military, you get a 40% discount on lodging on Disney property through the end of the year.

 

[Scott1]

You may also want to go to "The Holy Land Experience" which is nearby.

Home - The Holy Land Experience

About a year and a half ago, the park changed ownership from a local ministry to TBN. One could see the influence was going from a more traditional, even slightly reformed emphasis to charismatic/pentecostal marketing and promotion (e.g. the book store promotions, contemporary "worship", and all the nonsense that entails, etc.).

All-in-all, this is a great place to study, explore, and be entertained by Old and New Testament history. A large replica model of the Temple before 70A.D. is there with very informative presentations. The "Scriptorium" alone is worth the price of admission. There were several Christians with some Jewish ancestry working there who were particularly friendly, informative and personable. The employees of all kinds (actors, singers, tour leaders, speakers all seem to enjoy their jobs. Children, especially will enjoy getting photos with Bible characters. There are several kids activities, too.

Package deals usually offer the best value and since 3 consecutive days at Disney requires great stamina from everyone, you might get a 2 day Disney Park pass with 3 nights at the hotel and spend the third day at the Holy Land Experience.

Also, regarding the long waits in line at Disney. If you are can be organized together while there- a service calculates wait times in line and the most efficient times of day, and produces a schedule for you:
http://www.ridemax.com/

I found this well worth the price, and hardly stood in line at all, even on a busy day.

 

[Herald]

Jacob,

If you're planning on spending most of your time at Disney, my recommendation is to stay at one of the budget restorts (All-Star Sports/Movies/Music or Pop-Century). Rooms are going for as low as $68 per night off season (which ends soon). The great part about staying on property is that you don't have to pay for parking if you are using your own vehicle. You drive to the parks or take the Disney transportation system. Parking fees can be steep if you are staying off property. Disney also has a meal plan that you can add to your at resort stay. Believe it or not, it's a fantastic value. We've used it on most trips and you get way more food than you can eat. The Park Hopper ticket option is a must. You want the flexibility of being able to go to multiple parks during the day. The Park Hopper Plus package is needed if you want to go to the water parks or Disney Quest.

We're Disney veterans. My wife used to be a Disney specialist as a travel agent. Feel free to PM me if you need more information.