HELP!! Has anyone gone to Disney or gone on a Disney cruise in the last year? We are currently trying to set up a Disney vacation for my son's 5th b-day which is in February 2009 and we got sticker shock when we went to see a travel agent yesterday. I couldn't believe the prices. People do it all the time! How?! If anyone could give me ideas, suggestions etc., it would be highly appreciated. FYI: We are looking into a land/sea Disney Cruise but will be satisfied with just doing the good ol' Disney vacation in Florida...please help!
Staying off site will say you LOADS of money. www.vrbo.com is a great place to start looking. Also, look into triple A. They might give you discounts if you buy ticket through them. I know they do for sea world, I'm just not positive about Disney.
Another good website is Orlandoinfo.com - it includes other major sites like SeaWorld and Universal Studios & Kennedy Space Center. Also I have heard about websites like Magicalgetaways.com & Mousesavers.com which deal mostly with Disney packages. But Disney's own website has a lot to offer as well. Just keep looking!!!
I worked for Disney for many years and know how expensive it can be. Don't go through a travel agency. You can go through the Disney web site directly and get pretty good deals. They have a package now that includes theme park admission and hotel stay for less than $1600 for 5 or 7 days. A few tips to save some money: Don't get the Park Hopper passes. This adds like $75 per ticket and does not let you concentrate on one park at a time. (Esp. if you have never been there before.) Do one park at a time. You will have more fun and get the most out of each park, as well as save money.
There is an option to add food passes to your package which will include breakfast, lunch and dinner daily for the whole family. I am not sure the cost of this though.
You can save on a car rental by taking the bus. They have a shuttle bus from the airport to Disney and all the resorts (hotels) & parks on Disney property have constant bus transportation to all the other parks and venues.
Downtown Disney is a great place to spend a day shopping. There is no fee to park or get in. It has a bunch of wonderful shops and restaurants. There is a AMC movie theater too.
Disney Quest is there as well and is a great place to go if it rains. The is a one-time entry fee for the day and the kids can play ALL KINDS of video games for free all day. There are things for adults too. The Cheesecake factory is located in there as well.
If you decide to stay at a hotel on property, there are so many things to do there too and all the hotels have activities.
I have never been on the cruise, but I know they have a land and sea package.
I hope that this helps and feel free to e-mail me at ____@____.com if you have any other questions.
Good luck!
Book everything yourself! Compare the travel agent prices side by side to what you can do yourself.
Go off season and save a lot on the rooms. There are very nice hotels on property - All Movie, All Sports, All Music that are very reasonable compared to the others on property.
These hotels have cafeteria type food where you can get dinner or cheese & fruit, pizza, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches or regular sandwiches or get the meal passes. If you're flying, fly into Tampa, rent a car and drive the short distance to WDW. They have a car drop off right on property also. If you stay out of the park, you'll be frustrated at the lines to pay to get to the parking lot, then lines to the buses to the parks or stay at their hotel and get a bus right there. We've been there many times and you can do the trip and not spend a fortune. Have fun.
K.
We've gone twice in the last year and booked thru expedia. And stayed off of the diney property at Carbie Royale, its prefect and clean. Only draw back there is there isn't any free internet. It right down the road from property and in the middle of the shopping areas to boot. We also purchased tickets directly from disney over the phone and added on the never expire option because we did some other things other than disney depending on my two year olds mood. There's a fantastic walking tour of a petting zoo. Where your son can see zorses, water buffalo and even milk a cow and ride a pony! Also I recommend making reservations for eatting with the characters its kind of expensive $20-$35 a person but its buffet style and all of the characters walk around to each table and pose for pictures. It's usually not crowded for breakfast and the kids love!
Check out mousesavers.com
It really gave a lot of insight for our trip about how to save.
If you stay in Disney DEFINITELY get the meal plan (not the deluxe one though) It is totally worth the money and you can never eat there for less than the cost of the plan. Mousesavers also tells you exactly where to eat to get the most for your money or mealplan. Hope this helps!
D.
Gloria,
We have been to Disney World twice and on the 4 day Disney Cruise twice. The first Disney Cruise was just me, my husband, and my oldest daughter when she was 6. It was the BEST vacation ever!!! The cruise is the perfect combination of couple time and family time. My daughter loved the kids club, and was begging to stay when we would go pick her up. We loved being able to hang out at the adult pool and have a little down time too. Going to the parks is all about the kids. It is busy, and tiring with little down time. The cruise is much more relaxing. The second cruise was with my son and my daughter. My son was only 2.5 at the time, and he still talks about the "Disney Boat." This past summer we went to Disney World with our whole family. We stayed at Saratoga Springs. The kids had a great time. On the plane back I asked which they liked better the cruise or Disney World, and they both said the cruise. Also if charaters are what you are looking for, then the cruise is the way to go. They are everywhere. They are not that easy to find at the parks. What every you decide I am sure your son will love it. Remember that this is a wonderful exciting vacation for him. Get into the whole "magic of Disney" and your whole family will have a great time, no matter which vacation you choose.
Hi Gloria,
myself, husband & 3 year old went to the Disney Cruise in Feb. of this year...& we had a fabulous time! To make it easier and much more fun we went w/ the rest of my family (about 20 of us includes kids). We paid for a family of 3 about $2,400 (w/ tax included already). We got the standard room...With all that's provided - it was worth it. We arrived the day before the cruise & stayed at the Quality inn (airport). Never arrive the day off the cruise departure incase there are flight delays.
the airfare was $866 for the 3 of us (included tax -that was the cheapest w/ ATA out of Westchester Airport in NY) But ATA is now out of business - & believe me we did some soul searching to get the cheapest fare because the airfares during Presidents Week in February was VERY costly. Trip was booked 7 mths in advance-paid off slowly.
Your son is at the perfect age to enjoy.
We're going in June to Disney (by then our daughter will be 4 years old) - & already looking into airfares etc.
One thing to keep in mind...the cruise includes your food and some beverages (alcohol and soda are extra; water, juice, coffee, lemonade/fruit punch are included). Look into taking your family somewhere else, add up the costs, and see if it truly is that much more expensive. We are going on a cruise in November (Royal Caribbean) and while the initial outlay is high, once that's done, that's pretty much IT.
On the other hand - we're waiting til our boys are a little older to do the Disney thing. DH and I went on a Disney Cruise before the boys were born (the land/sea thing), and had a blast, but we want to make sure they are old enough to remember the vacation later on.
Dear Gloria,
We did the Disney Cruise last Feb (2007) and were not too impressed. Feb., by the way, is more expensive than other times. There are not too many promos at that time.
Our kids (daughter 8.5) and (son 12.5), were too old for the kids'Club activities. They found them very childish. Our son finally was allowed in the Teen club, but all he did there was play Video games, as he wasn't old enough to enjoy the social activities of that age group.
The Land excursions were also not what you'd expect from Disney...too expensive and not a good value for money. Disney said they have no control over the quality as they contract these out (???) We have been to many other similar excursions (like Glass Bottom Boat) which were wonderful...Disney's was more expensive and not at all good.
The pools on deck were too small, and always crowded. No organized 'on deck' games...just a few Ping Pong tables and an area where you could play Basketball, badminton etc.
Shows were well done, but all on Disney themes. Food was good, I have to say.
If your child is still into Disney characters, the theme park might be a better idea. If a cruise is what you are looking for, try the other kid-friendly ones...they work harder to entertain the kids and parents...Disney just capitalizes on the characters roaming around etc.
Best of luck,
K.
hello-My husband and I just took our 18 month old and our 5 year old to Disney and we had a blast!! I recommend few things. If you sa on property-stay at the Wilderness lodge-It has a short bus run and frequent buses. Plus it has a boat launch to get direstly to the magic kingdom. PLus a kids pool and a regular pool all heated. The restaurants are awesome. Definetly get the meal plan and also check with the front desk for any special shows or parades. The kids love to do all those things!! I also as a mom hava tip- bring a washclothe and zip loc baggie and out ice in it at the pushcarts all along the parks and ever hour or 2 take the kdis in the bathroom for a wash down and reaplly sunblock-the ice melts and the washcloth is wet and refreshing-have fun!!! the cruise is awesome but expensive..I say Walt disney world!!
Feb. is probably winter recess, hence, the high prices.
We have always stayed at the Pop Century or any of the
value priced hotels. (PC is favorite). Have a big breakfast, snack in the afternoon, and a basic dinner. We
have always kept costs down. It can be done. Just takes
a little planning. Stay away from "package deals" because
they include things you really do not use. Water parks in
Feb.-not worth the extra money. Since your child is five,
I would not bother with the park hopper. Trust me, he will
not want to go all over. Will be too tired. So just get
the basic pass. One day for each park. At five, they
always want to go swimming at the hotel pool. This is
usually the highlight. Hope this help.s
Hi,
I went to Disney last year and got a great price from the travel agent who is listed on this site, Linda Robinson (Cruises by Sea). She was exceptional at getting us a great deal. We had wanted to stay a little off the Disney resorts since we didn't want to be Disneyed out by the end of our trip. We stayed at the Omini Resort, 10 minutes away, and they had a kids club also there w/ a lazy river pool and fountains that came out the ground. My daughter loved it!! I have used Linda on many occassions. I do know that she is on vacation this week (just contacted her before she left for another trip) but she will be back next week. Maybe contact her and she what she thinks or get another price. Good Luck!
Hi Gloria,
My family went to Disneyworld last September and then to Disneyland this last July (and we're planning to do the Disney cruise next Summer). I think as long as you know what your budget will be and plan ahead, these trips are possible. My SIL lives in San Diego and went to her local Costco and got us the DisneyHopper passes to Disneyland at a huge discount. We stayed at the Sheraton hotel just outside of the park and there were free shuttles/breakfasts/pool there too. Disneyland was so much more fun and less tiring than Disneyworld because of its manageable size. We were able to do the park, fully in one day and return back on another day when my son had enough of California Adventure Park (part of DL, but next door). And seeing that your son will be 5 and i'm sure 42inches+, he'll be able to ride all of the attractions/rides and not miss out on anything. If you need more information LMK. Good luck with your trip planning! It IS possible :)
-M.
go to mousesavers.com - it's a disney discount website. Gives ideas and suggestions.....good luck
We just booked our disney vacation for this april. I would suggest using a travel agent b/c they can book your trip with the disney tix included which is a great idea. It might be better to stay a little bit outside of disney at a cheaper hotel and rent a car. Some of the disney hotels are outrageous!!!!!!!!!
As a certified (or certifiable) Disney fanatic, I understand your strife! :) My hubby and I have been to Disney World 15 times in the last 13 years and plan on going again in 2009. (I dread 2010 when my daughter will be 3 and therefore I will have to pay for her!) I cannot say enough good things about www.TheMouseForLess.com. I have been a member of their Yahoo group ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheMouseForLess/ ) for nearly 8 years now (they used to be called Disney Dollarless). The best money saving tips I have gotten have come from the members of the group. ( be forewarned if you join -the list generates A LOT of mail!!)
A few years ago the owner of the group started her own travel agency. Most of her agents are longtime members of the Yahoo group as well. If you book with them they will watch the specials for you and they change your reservation if a deal comes out that would save you money. You don't have to do anything and it doesn't cost you anymore than if you had booked the trip yourself! The travel agents website is www.themagicforless.com.
They won't book your airfare though. Airlines no longer pay travel agents for airfare bookings so they would have to charge for the service and they won't since they are all about saving money.
If you are flying I would encourage you to start checking the price weekly if not daily. They fluctuate so much these days that you need to know a good deal when you see one. In general you get the best prices for airfare 6 months before your trip and then again 2 months before.
As others have mentioned, www.mousesavers.com and www.allearsnet.com are also fantastic resources. Hope you find a good deal and enjoy your trip! :)
I just read online the other day that Disney will give you a single day park ticket free on your birthday in 2009, so if you go on your son's birthday, that will save you some money! If you stay in a Disney property and get a meal package, it seems expensive upfront but really it is cheaper than buying meals in the park, and they let you in early or stay late compared to folks who stay off property. And they really do take care of you! They will take care of your bags at the airport, you can check in for your flight at your hotel. It is worth the money!
Avoid going during any sort of a vacaion period or holiday period as they get really busy then. My son is almost 6 and we went down for his 3rd and 4th birthdays and we still talk about it a lot--he remembers a lot!
As a Certified Disney Specialist, I have booked thousands of people to Disney and have been to Disney World myself 37 times, of them 15 times with my kids from the time my daughter was about 1. We hve stayed inside the park and outside and it depends what you are looking for. I agree about the meal plan being worth the money. Disney is expensive all around. With a 4 year old, I would suggest one of the hotels close to the park you think you will be at the most. That will give you the option of heading back to the hotel for a nap or a swim in the pool. Your best bet is to boof for September or October or early December (first 2 weeks). Those are the cheapest times to go. Frequently in Sept and Oct, if you book early enough they offer free or discounted mela plans. While lots of people say, book on-line, but a good TA should know about all the specials that are being offered or will be offered. Another option that is much more cost effective is Universal Studios. Also there are other cruise lines that are much more economical and all-inclusives tht are better values. Get a good TA that has been where you wnat to go, so you cn get there experience and advice. If you book on-line and book something wrong, who are you going to call to fix the problems.
Two websites with good ideas for savings are mousesavers.com and allears.com. They list accommodations and have codes for saving money on hotels and tickets. Also, if you register to get the DVDs from Disney they may send you a discount code in your e-mail for some % off hotels. The sites also mention the best times to go to save money.
Hope this helps! Enjoy your trip!
We went in the beginning of December last year and found that going "off peak" season, when public schools are not on break, helped. We also used expedia.com to book a hotel, flights and rental car package. Good luck and have fun!
Rather than cruise, just do Disney. A friend told me you can get great deals on mouse.com and if you don't care about staying at the park and want to rent a nice house with a pool in the area check out homeaway.com
Gloria,
go on line - and book yourself with a resort - it's alot cheaper and resorts have package deals. There are also deals with disney and universal - look on their sites as well.
Hi Gloria!
I am a certified travel agent with YTB Travel network and although I have not gone on a Disney cruise yet I heard GREAT things about them on the last Carnival cruise we were on. The couple said that even though the prices are higher the shows were PHENOMENAL (better than Carnival) and that the money was WELL worth it. It was very entertaining for themselves and their child.
As far as prices go, sometimes booking with a traditional travel agent can cost you more money in services. Please compare prices with my travel website at http://www.mytravelmuscle.com (just click on the picture of the cruise boat) and see if the prices I have are cheaper for you. You can also check out the Disney ticket prices under the Tickets and Attractions picture (Vegas showgirl pic) and see if we are cheaper for you there also.
I like to say that I put a face to online travel prices. I will gladly answer any questions you have also and assist you in anyway I can with your booking.
Another way to save HUGE money on travel is to become an at home travel agent (no experience necessary). All travel is tax deductible and my husband and I have saved over $1600 in a recent stay at a hotel (we got 50% off by me saying I was a travel agent). I would encourage you to call Disney and see if they offer travel agent discounts to see what I mean. We got $100 off our ticket prices just for going to the GRAND OLE OPRY! It was a good thing because our baby got fussy and we hand to leave early!:) Anyway, you can view a company presentation at http://www.way2go.biz and in Spanish if you prefer.
Please email me here if you have any questions and I will give you my personal info also for easier contact. I will be glad to help in any way I can!
Best wishes! N. DeJesus
I have been to Disney and my advice to keep costs down is to stay at a hotel outside Disney, but one that has shuttle buses that go to Disney. I stayed at one way outside Disney and had to drive in every day, and I do not recommend that - the traffice down there is pretty bad. The hotels inside Disney are just so pricey, you can get better deals outside Disney, and the hotel does not have to have every amenity, because you won't be spending all that much time there...hope this helps.
