Disney world Advice

[terces]

Looks like the family vacation this year will be at Disney World in June. This is the first and probably the only time we will be doing this trip. One son is 18 and the other is 13. We did Disneyland many times when we lived in CA. Just your typical day trip there.

But since this will be the only time we do DW, was wanting to get advice. Trying to keep budget no more than $2000 for 5 days. Is it worth it staying at their properties? Benefits compared to the cost?

I want to do this right but not to overdue it either.

[disneysteve]

Obviously, everyone will expect me to respond to this. I will, but I'm at the office right now. I'll try and post later or tomorrow at the latest.

[creditcardfree]

Generally, you can stay for less off property. We did Marriott Village last year and breakfast was included, plus funds for their food court, which we used for a couple dinners.

We went a few years prior and stayed on property and REALLY loved it. To keep it under the $2K, you may need the Value Resorts on property.

We rented a car both times, because we had other places we were going in Florida. Disney's transportation is pretty slick. You may have to wait at times, but they get you where you want to go.

When you stay on property, you end up eating at their restaurants, or food courts, which are very pricey. But it is possible to get to a convenience store and buy granola bars or yogurt for your room.

Parking is free if you stay on property. You can get in to some parks earlier or stay later if you are a Disney Resort guest.

Check out MouseSavers.com - Disney Discount Source - Disney World Discounts, Disneyland Discounts, Disney Cruise Discounts for great advice and specials. I also used Tour Guide Mike last time we went for some great tips to avoid standing in line. It was worth every penny!

[terces]

Haha.... I hoped to get your advice DS... when you have time of course.

I'm looking at possibly driving there..Houston to Orlando. With 3 drivers 15 hours isn't too bad. Plus would reduce are costs drastically.

Thanks for the links CC. Just a quick look at mousesavers and there are some good deals there.

[creditcardfree]

I'm glad to hear you are driving! Otherwise I don't think you would make it on $2,000.

We stayed at a Moderate Resort, Port Orleans Riverside, when we went the first time.

[disneysteve]

Where to begin... I could talk for hours.

1. We drive every year. One driver (me) for 17 hours. No problem at all. I highly recommend it.

2. For 3 of us for a total of 9 nites including travel days, we spend under $2,500 and we could easily trim that closer to $2,000 if we really needed to. That includes 7 nites in Florida, 2 nites on the road, 4 or 5 days in the Disney parks and all food, shopping, park admission and other activities. You should have no problem at all doing 5 days for $2,000 even with one extra person.

3. Onsite or Offsite: This is probably the number one most frequent debate over at The DIS Discussion Forums - DISboards.com. There is no right answer (well I think there is but others apparently disagree ).

Onsite "pros" (I put that in quotes because I'm not sure all of these are truly pros)

• full use of Disney transportation
• early entry hours and extended stay hours
• free parking if you drive to the parks
• restaurants right at your hotel
• surrounded by Disney 24/7

Onsite cons

• high prices
• small rooms
• all 4 of you crammed into one of those rooms
• expensive restaurants
• hours wasted waiting for Disney transportation
• often a long walk to main building and transportation
• surrounded by Disney 24/7 (yes I know that's on both lists)

I could add lots to those lists but those are the biggies.

What are the alternatives? Endless options. The Disney area is somewhat unique when it comes to accommodations. Not only are there a zillion hotels ranging from Motel 6 to the Ritz Carlton, there are also thousands of rental condos, town houses and single homes available. You can easily find a 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo with a full kitchen, living room, dining area, washer and dryer and other amenities for under $100/night. That would give you and your spouse a master bedroom and let the boys share the other bedroom. Much roomier. Makes for a much more peaceful trip. Probably 2 or even 3 TVs for down time. WiFi commonly. For a bit more, you could rent a 3-bedroom pool home with all of the above stuff plus a 3rd bedroom and private, screened-in, in-ground pool. That would run $100-$125/night. These kinds of places are available within a 5-10 minute drive from the Disney parks. Many of them are actually closer to the parks than some of the Disney onsite hotels. One place we've stayed a few times (2-bedroom condo) is a 4-5 minute drive from Animal Kingdom (I've timed it). We could be back in our room while onsite guests were still waiting for a bus to come.

Where to find these options? VRBO® is Vacation Rentals By Owner will be your best friend. If you are interested in exploring that, let me know and I'll make some more specific recommendations.

Offsite pros

• cheaper
• much more space for less money
• your own kitchen to prepare some meals or just keep snacks
• washer and dryer lets you pack less
• your own private pool (if you choose that option)
• close to dozens and dozens of less costly dining options

Offsite cons (yes, I acknowledge that there are some)

• no onsite dining generally (though maybe in walking distance)
• pay to park at Disney parks
• have to drive to get anywhere
• usually have to pay in full in advance of your visit

I'm going to stop there for the moment and wait for any more questions. If I think of anything important I forgot, I'll jump back in.

[creditcardfree]

The "pro" of Disney Resorts is the early and late park hours, but when we followed Tour Guide Mike's suggestions we avoided the the specific park on the days with extra magic hours. That's where the crowds are! So staying onsite to get those hours when it is better to avoid them isn't really a "pro" for Disney Resorts.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by creditcardfree

The "pro" of Disney Resorts is the early and late park hours, but when we followed Tour Guide Mike's suggestions we avoided the the specific park on the days with extra magic hours. That's where the crowds are! So staying onsite to get those hours when it is better to avoid them isn't really a "pro" for Disney Resorts.

I agree 100%. We do the same thing when we go. We purposely avoid the park with extended hours as that's where the crowd goes. I only listed it as a pro because some people seem to think it is one. Again, that's why I put "pros" in quotes. The only thing on my pro list that is actually a pro IMO is free parking but that isn't really free since the room costs so much more.

[kork13]

Your biggest 3 expenses once you get to DW will probably be lodging, tickets, and food (probably that order too... yikes, those tickets get expensive!)

- Lodging: I highly recommend VRBO, as mentioned by DS. I've used that site repeatedly and always been very happy. I'm with DS, off-site is the best way to go.
- Tickets: Look into the "Day of service for a day at Disney" promotion that's been going on for a while. It's pretty simple to earn, and can cut your cost by a couple hundred dollars.
- Food: Bring lunch with you to the parks. Also, find a grocery store and cook meals for yourself (this does assume you stay off-site in a place with a kitchen. again, highly recommended). If you want to eat out, prices go down with an almost direct correlation to how close you are to the parks.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by kork13

Your biggest 3 expenses once you get to DW will probably be lodging, tickets, and food (probably that order too

Actually, I'd say the order is tickets, lodging, food and food and lodging might flip depending on how you eat.

A 4-day pass is about $59/person/day.
As I explained, very nice accommodations can be had for under $100/night, so $25/person/day for a family of 4.
My family averages about $20/person/day for food when we travel.

[terces]

I have teenage boys so our biggest expense is food! ..lol

Lots of great advice from everyone. Reading what everyone says regarding the onsite... makes me think offsite is the way to go. Leaning toward the condo rental like DS mentioned. We always feel squished in hotel rooms now.. would need at least a suite. Plus having a little alone time with hubby would be good. Last vacation was a cruise so didn't get any of that.

I also need to check some of the military MWR sites. We are retired navy so sometimes they have a little cheaper tix.

Guess I need to look into all the different parks there to see how to approach them all.

Once hubby gets final vacation approval we can start finalizing.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by terces

I also need to check some of the military MWR sites. We are retired navy so sometimes they have a little cheaper tix.

Disney has a military on-site hotel called Shades of Green.
Shades of Green® Resort on WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort

I don't know how the rates are (I'm not military) but I suspect they are better than what the general public gets. You'd be stuck in one room, though, unless you could get two adjoining rooms. Personally, I'd still go with the condo.

Another option I didn't mention is renting a timeshare unit. There are ways to rent them so that you aren't required to attend a timeshare presentation. We've done that several times and have gotten a 2-bed, 2-bath unit for as little as $37/nite just 5 minutes from Disney property.

[terces]

I was just searching the Shades of Green website. They actually show openings but have to call for prices. Agreed separate rooms still sounds better.

But did read that we could buy a military 4 day pass for $99. $25 additional for park hopper or water park.

[kork13]

Originally Posted by terces

But did read that we could buy a military 4 day pass for $99. $25 additional for park hopper or water park.

Yes, Disney is offering a great discount for military right now. If I remember correctly, your husband can get a free 4-day, and can buy up to 5 identical passes (restricted to family) for the $99 you mention. I was stationed in FL up until last November, and have many friends who have taken advantage of that offer. Definitely check out the MWR office at your closest base, they'll have all the details.

[creditcardfree]

We bought our military tickets, as kork13 mentioned above, at Shades of Green. DH was free, and the three of us, $99 each. We upgraded to the waterpark, but not park hopping. $75 for the whole family to go to the water park was awesome! We have never stayed SOG, because we seem to decide last minute to go and rooms are booked!

We loved our queen beds in our offsite room last time. Double beds for sleeping aren't all that comfortable after walking around all day!

Try looking at armed forces vacation club for good offsite military rates. Again, we didn't used them because we decided a bit late to go.

[creditcardfree]

As far as parks go, we love Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. We finally went to Animal Kingdom last time, but only wanted to stay half the day since it was HOT. We liked AK, but not as much as the other parks.

I'm very excited that you get to go! I love Disney World.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by creditcardfree

As far as parks go, we love Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. We finally went to Animal Kingdom last time, but only wanted to stay half the day since it was HOT. We liked AK, but not as much as the other parks.

We had the privilege of visiting AK in 1998 before it opened to the public. We also got to attend the grand opening celebration. We absolutely loved the place. It was so different than anything Disney had done before. Unfortunately, that turned out to be exactly the problem. The general public didn't want "different" but rather wanted more of the same.

At MK, EC and HS, the paths and walkways are just a route to get from one attraction to the next. At AK, the paths and walkways ARE the attractions. People didn't know what to do with AK. They didn't know how to properly experience the park and enjoy all it had to offer. All they said was, "there aren't enough rides." My wife and I, on an initial visit, spent nearly an hour exploring The Oasis, the area between the front gate and the shops at the hub. Most guests spend under 3 minutes in that area, racing through it to get into the park and on to the "real" attractions like the safari and other rides. Disney actually had to remove the sloth from The Oasis because people complained that it didn't do anything and was boring to see.

Little by little, Disney has caved to public pressure and made AK more like the other parks, adding shows and thrill rides. In fact, since the opening of Expedition Everest, AK has become the most visited park. I'll admit, EE is an incredible ride. I love it and ride it every chance I get. And the Finding Nemo stage show is one of the best Disney has ever done - well worth the price of park admission all by itself. But overall, the tone of the park has changed a lot since 1998 in order to appeal to the masses.

[creditcardfree]

I'm fortunate to live near a very nice zoo with a jungle area that has similar things as the oasis, so we did skip that area. I definitely didn't like the paths, either. We loved the things we did do, including Everest. I probably need another chance to go explore!

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by creditcardfree

I'm fortunate to live near a very nice zoo with a jungle area that has similar things as the oasis, so we did skip that area. I definitely didn't like the paths, either. We loved the things we did do, including Everest. I probably need another chance to go explore!

Far too many people get to Disney World in commando mode: see and conquer. Do as many things as possible in as little time as possible. Guidebook in hand, they race through the parks checking off attractions as they go. With sun-burned, hungry, cranky and sleeping children in tow, they plow through the parks determined to hit every attraction they can.

To fully enjoy and appreciate Animal Kingdom, you need to really dial down the internal engine. Slow down. Stroll. Stop and look around. Oh look, there's an okapi behind those trees - almost missed it. Cool. Looks like a cross between a horse, a zebra and a giraffe.

Check out the carvings on that roof. Those are really neat.

Look at this lightpost. Hey, have you seen the lizard carvings inside the Pizzafari restaurant. Don't miss it, even if you aren't going to eat there. Go in and look around. And try to ride the safari a couple of times at different points in the day. Every ride is different. Some animals come out more in the morning, some more in the afternoon. The weather can affect what you see when also.

As you walk along the path to It's Tough to be a Bug, take your time. Many of the carvings on the Tree of Life, especially on the roots, can only be viewed from that queue area. Don't be afraid to let others who are in a hurry go past you as you take in the sights, take pictures and marvel at the carvings.

When you are in the Maharajah Jungle Trek and enter the aviary, be sure to pick up bird identification guides and spend time trying to find as many of the birds as you can.

Just one more example of something changed due to public demand: Pangani Forest Exploration Trail was originally called Gorilla Exploration Trail but people complained that they didn't always get to see a gorilla. They didn't get that it wasn't Country Bear Jamboree where the animals are bolted to the stage and perform on command.

[creditcardfree]

[quote=disneysteve;250399Look at this lightpost. Hey, have you seen the lizard carvings inside the Pizzafari restaurant. Don't miss it, even if you aren't going to eat there. Go in and look around.

As you walk along the path to It's Tough to be a Bug, take your time. Many of the carvings on the Tree of Life, especially on the roots, can only be viewed from that queue area.[/QUOTE]

We saw all of those! Pretty cool. Disney does everything on a grand scale with great detail. We never went wanting to "do everything", because the truth is it just is not possible. Pick what you really are interested in and enjoy it!