Disney World: A Guide to Planning Your Disney Vacation
START BY DETERMINING YOUR ACCOMODATIONS FOR THE VACATION
On and off-site hotels
- The least expensive are the Value (or budget) places, followed by Moderate hotels and finishing with the Deluxe (or luxury) resorts. The on-site hotels are more expensive (at all levels) but have more Disney extras, like soaps, decor and such, if that is important. To know which resort to choose, consider your budget and how much time you will be spending at your hotel. Disney has some amazing resorts such as Animal Kingdom Lodge, but you will pay a high price to stay there. Remember that as a Disney guest, you can always visit the Animal Kingdom Lodge and walk the trails without actually staying there This is true for all their resorts, you can take the Disney provided boat rides, shuttles or monorail to any, or all, of the different resorts, regardless of which Disney hotel you are staying.
All of the on-site and close off-site hotels will offer free transportation to and from Disneyworld. The hotel will provide you with a pick-up and drop off schedule as well as information as to where to wait. Some of the on-site resorts have direct transportation, which can be time saver, but we have had to wait in line for those as well.
Rent a house or condo
- As a large family, we are usually stuck renting two rooms so this is a great choice for us. Besides the space, there are many other benefits to renting a house: You have access to a full kitchen, which means that you will not only save a ton of money on meals; you can eat in your pjs! Any mother knows the advantage of feeding a fussy toddler her favorite dinner quickly over waiting at a restaurant and then finding it has "icky" food is priceless!
Another time saver with a house rental is they have a washer and dryer so you can pack less, avoid checking your bags and the time involved with that. However, my favorite reason to rent a house is that you can get your own private pool! Every house we have rented has had a pool, which is so enjoyable after a long day at the parks. There is normally no charge for the pool although we did have to pay $20 a day to have it heated when we were there in December.
The disadvantage to renting a house is you are way off site, often in Kissimmee. This means you will need to rent a car and often pay a parking fee. Nevertheless, the car allows you much more freedom to come and go as you wish.
Go camping
- There are many camping options (on and off-site) available for those who prefer to camp. In fact, Disney's Wilderness Lodge has camping facilities and cabins. They also have fun camp fires (complete with marshmallow roasting and songs) with Chip and Dale, nightly movies and hay rides. It is a great place to stay for families with young children but, it is a bit limited on older kid's activities.
Best Bet
This choice will depend on what you are looking for; first time visitors may benefit from being on-site. Disney has made all of their hotels convenient to the Parks as well as extras such as character dinning, themed grounds and food courts. On the other hand, if you want more space, privacy, and the ability to cook your own meals, a house may be a better option for you. Price wise, we have actually saved (a lot) by renting the house and car over staying at the hotels because we have to get two rooms and that adds up. Some of the house owners require you stay a week so that may also be a consideration.
PURCHASING DISNEY WORLD TICKETS
Children ages 3-9 qualify for a child ticket while everyone aged 10 and up must buy an adult ticket. The four Disney World parks are: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom. There are discounts for Florida residents and those buying seasonal passes. For the rest of us, there are these ticket options:
Magic Your Way Base
The Magic Your Way Base tickets offer entry to one of the four Disney Theme Parks per day. The tickets expire 14 days after the first time they are used and can be purchased for 1-7 or 10 days. For example, if you bought a 4 day Magic Your Way Base Ticket, you would be able to use it any 4 days at any of the four parks within a 14-day period. Therefore, you could use it to go to Disneyworld on Sunday, Epcot on Wednesday, Animal Kingdom on Thursday and return to Epcot on Saturday. Alternatively, you could use them to visit the same park all four days.
Disney Park Hopper
With the Park Hopper tickets, you can come and go through any of the four parks on the same day. They also can be purchased for 1-7 or 10 days and expire 14 days after the first use. For example, with the Park Hopper you can start your day in one park, spend the afternoon in another and head back to The Magic Kingdom to see the fireworks or over to MGM studios to see Fantasmic. The choice is yours.
Water Park Fun Option
If you think you will want to spend time at one of Disney's two water parks, you can add on the Water Park Fun Option. Along with admission to Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon, this ticket will get you into Disney Quest, Pleasure Island's nightclubs or Wide World of Sports.
Disney Tickets: Best Bet
Regardless of the type of ticket you chose; the more days you purchase, the lower the "per day" price is. However, if you are not going to use all the days, it isn't a bargain. From personal experience, I would suggest the Park Hopper option. Being able to change your mind mid-day is always nice and since Animal Kingdom closes early, you are able to head over to one of the other parks for the remainder of the day. With the inter-park transportation "hopping" from park to park is a breeze. We would visit one park in the morning, pop over to Epcot for a Sushi lunch and then back to a different park afterwards.
PACKAGE VS. NON-PACKAGE
There are two basic ways to see Disneyworld: with a package, or by purchasing all the parts separately. One is not necessarily the better deal: you will need to view multiple options to see which is best for you. One thing to remember; if you plan, you will have time to explore all your options and book exactly what you want. Before choosing a package, be sure to check and recheck these two details:
1. What is and is not included.
Do you want just your hotel and Disneyworld tickets, or will you need airfare? (And transfers) Or maybe, you will want to rent a car. It is important to make sure you include everything as nothing is worse than to have the happy family arrive in Florida only to realize, you have no way to get to your hotel!
All of the packages start out with the two basics: hotel reservations, and Disneyworld Magic Your Way Base Tickets. You will have the option to add transportation and upgrade to the Park Hopper tickets.
2. Arrival and departure time.
If you are driving, you can be in control of this but if you are flying, you will be dictated by the airline schedule. If you get in at 2:00 PM, how long will it take to get your bags, find your transportation and finally be dropped off at your hotel? Do you still want to make a dash to Disneyworld (using a day of your pass) or would it be better just to hit the hotel pool? The same would go for your departure time.
Looking at it this way, you will be able to see exactly how many days at the park you will need and if you will have time for more. Each day on the ticket is expensive so you do not want to have days you either can't use or can use only part of.
Best Bet
A package deal works well if you just want to pick where you go and have someone else make the plans. Then again, if you'd like more control, buying things separately may be for you. Work the numbers both ways and see which option comes out to the better deal.
While packages are easiest, you will most likely be able to beat their prices on your own. It takes a bit of legwork but hotels are always offering discounts and there are many ticket discount services available.
DISNEY WORLD VACATIONS - BEST BET WEBSITES AND REVIEWS
For Package Deals:
If you are looking for a plan that covers everything, it is hard to beat Disney's own The Magic Your Way vacation package.
One thing to note is the longer you stay, the lower your "per-day" cost goes but remember there will be more meals and other expenses.
These are the bonuses included in a The Magic Your Way package, including food certificates, minitautre golf vouchers, family photos, a luggage tag and more.
The lowest prices (not counting camping) are their All-Star hotels. The cost rises quickly as you get into their higher hotels. They do offer a dining option that can be a good deal if your kids are past the toddler stage. It is hard to pay the same price for a 3 year old as an 8 year old.
There are multiple places to buy other packages:
Or contact any travel agency. If you are a frequent flyer member at a specific airline, be sure to check if they sell Disney packages as you may be able to earn points on your trip.
TO PURCHASE ITEMS SEPARATELY
By buying each part of your vacation separately, you have the option to customize and select exactly what you want. Here are some sites and reviews to check out so you can come away with the best bet!
Florida-Orlando is a great discount place to pre-purchase your Disneyworld tickets as shown in this review.
Three other discount sites to check out are, Undercover Tourist, DW Tickets and Billy Boy's Discount tickets Be sure to take the time to visit all four (as well as any others you find) to compare their prices. Some of them will charge for shipping which must be added into the final price. Remember to only do business with reputable companies on a secured site. You can also pick up tickets at any Disney store or at their website although their prices are often highest.
Renting a vacation home or condo is a great way to save money. With options that sleep 2 to 12, you are sure to find the perfect place for your group. Many of the homes have private pools, gas grills and are less than 5 minutes from Disneyworld.
Three websites to consider are; VRBO (Vacations Rental by Owners), Vacation Rentals and Florida Rental Houses Whichever site you go through, make sure you understand everything that is and is not included. Some rentals supply paper products (paper towels, napkin), laundry and dish soap while others do not. If you are visiting during the fall and winter months, be sure to find out if you will be charged extra to heat the pool.
Read this review of an experience renting from VRBO while visiting Disneyworld. The house ended up costing less than the hotel rooms considered, and had a private pool.
There are a lot of rentals available, so take the time to research your options. Many offer low season discounts and some even offer a rental car - by visiting different sites and considering different neighborhoods, you can assure yourself the best deal out there.
DISNEY CHARACTER MEALS
Disney character meals are a BIG thrill for the little ones so it is always a "must do" event. Remember though, Disneyworld has a lot of beloved characters so only a few will be at each event. If your child must see a specific character, call to make sure they will be there - do not go on past guests experiences, as character rotation is common. Here is some information on some of the most popular characters meals (with their locations) to help you decide which one is best for you.
Cinderella's Royal Table (Magic Kingdom)
This is a "magical meal" for your little princess! I promise you, it is an event she will talk about for days! When you get to the castle, your princess gets a wand and your prince a sword. They will have their picture taken with Cinderella, which is later brought to your table. Then you climb the staircase to an amazing dining area complete with stained glass and wonderful views of the park. Your child will get to meet various princesses (call if you are hoping for a specific one) and other characters: we had Snow White, Belle, Prince Charming, Fairy Godmother and Mouse Suzy. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will cost you over between $22 and $25 (plus tax) per child (3-9) while each adult meal will set you back at least $10 more per meal with dinner coming in around $40. They've got you with the whole castle location, souvenir wand, photo and "magical" surroundings. LUNCH is your best bet for the princesses and cost.
Chef Mickey (Disney's Contemporary Resort)
This is a fun dinning option for Mickey fans. They offer nice sized breakfast and dinner buffets. We went here to catch Chip and Dale but there was also Mickey (as a chef) Goofy and Pluto. There are a lot of silly things going on here with the characters and they mingle well with the different tables. The dinner had carved meat, seafood, pasta and my kid's favorite, a sundae bar!
'Ohana (Disney's Polynesian Resort)
If you have "wiggle worms" or like me, "monkeys" for kids, this is a great character meal option! They offer both a breakfast and dinner option where the dinner is a great choice. They prepare a family style Bar-B-Que serving skewered meat and seafood to serve along with your choice of side dishes. But the highlight of this character dinner is the fun activities being held during the dinner. Your child can sign along and be part of games such as coconut races or a hula hoop contest where I'm proud to admit we won! The food is all-you-can eat with the dinner price around $36 per adult.
Donald's Breakfastosaurus (Animal Kingdom)
This is a more reasonably priced option but is only open for breakfast. It is a buffet (eggs, waffles, bacon, fruit etc) and is all-you-can. The great thing about this place is it is the only place to catch Donald Duck - if that is important to you. You will most likely see his pals Pluto, Mickey and Goofy as well but as I said, this is the one and only character meal with Donald. Adults are under $20 and kids under $10 with tax and gratuity extra.
1900 Park Fare (Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa)
One of the best for last! This is another more princess like option but one that is more interactive. Not only is Cinderella there but the step mother and her step-sisters who are, to say the least; a bit mischievous! There is a lot of character teasing and such going on and if your kids are old enough (or willing) they can get right in the middle of it! We had heard about all of this before hand and so my son (who would have rather been on the rides) says to one of the step-sisters, "Wow that Cinderella seems to have gained some weight" and that started the fun at our table! The step-sister brought over her sister, then her Mom and finally Cinderella to have him repeat it and one time she YELLS across the room "what, my smart little man, you think Cinderella has a very large bottom?" Soon the tables next to us were going along - it was a lot of fun. While the Cinderella cast is only there for dinner, they have a character breakfast with Mary Poppins and pals and a fun afternoon tea with some of the Alice in and Wonderland characters.
Best Bet
Priority seating is a MUST for any character dinning! You can make your reservations by calling 407-939-3463 (WDW-Dine) as soon as you decide which one you want. The earliest you can call is 180 days prior and while that sounds like a long time in advance, they will sell out! In fact it took me three days to get into the castle and even though I had wanted a lunch, grabbed the last reservation they had; a dinner. Don't be disappointed - CALL 180 days prior to your visit!
Now that you have your character meal, your tickets and a place to stay; the fun planning can begin!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2007 by Sehlinger & Testa/ personal experience/ http://www.mousesavers.com/, Brinbaum's Walt Disney World 2007/ Viewpoints.com
